A recording studio in Morden is fundraising for the installation of a toilet hoist to try become the "most accessible studio".

John Merriman, founder of Crown Lane Studio, decided to start the fundraiser after speaking to one of his studio regulars who uses a wheelchair.

The disabled studio-user told John that when he doesn't carry around his mobile hoist, he just doesn't have anything to drink.

John then looked into purchasing a hoist but found that there were no grants available - so decided to set up a fundraiser to try to reach £3,000 by Easter.

They have raised nearly £2,000 so far.

John, 43, told the Wimbledon Times: “I asked one of our regular studio users, who uses a wheelchair, why he brings his mobile hoist with him some days and on other days he doesn’t.

"He just said on the days he doesn’t, he just doesn’t have anything to drink.

"That got me to the core.

“The more barriers we can remove, the better the studio is.

"The most basic things like making sure someone can go to the toilet, which most of us take for granted.

"It’s clear that everyone should have that right.

“I’ve been asked why a specifically hoist. 

"People don’t tend to ask for things that are personal.

"For those clients, I would never even know whether they would have checked on the website about whether it was accessible for them in this way. “

The appeal is titled Spend A Penny - which refers to the former use of coin-operated locks on public toilets 

John is thrilled that they are halfway to their target, and said it shows how much the wider community cares about those who are often "forgotten".

The current toilets are shared by Metronome, a coffee house that is also the entrance to the studio.

John said that he doesn't know of any hoists available in Morden town centre and he hopes that this addition will make the area as a whole more accessible.

The studio has been looking to consciously improve its accessibility since it first opened and has taken steps such as installing hearing loops, visual alarms, level and ramped floors throughout, clearer signage, braille welcome guides and team training.

It is currently in the process of building a scale model of the studio out of Lego to assist blind clients with planning.

John added: “The changes have been gradual.

"It started as me thinking about if I was in a wheelchair one day, would I be able to access my own business?

"But disabilities are a much broader concept than most people would understand and there are also a lot of hidden disabilities.

“As a non-disabled man, it is not something that I was aware of because I just get on with my life.

"It’s taken a lot of first-person books from people living with disabilities to make me realise that gosh we have such a long way to go.

"Getting the hoist is just one part of the jigsaw.”

John promises that everyone who donates will be personally invited to a party at the venue once the hoist is installed.

Donations can be made here.