Swindon’s FEO responds after a Birmingham fan notices a CCTV camera above on of the cubicles in one of the women’s toilets.
Alexandra 
(@alexpitt_1) tweeted on Tuesday night: “Sat on the toilet at Swindon away and notice a CCTV camera right above me 
”
She had been in attendance for the EFL Round of 16 Trophy fixture, but when going to the loo, came across a camera above her in in the away end of The Arkell’s Stand.
Sat on the toilet at Swindon away and notice a CCTV camera right above me
— Alexandra
The post has gone on to get over seen by more than 1.7 million views on Twitter alone, with the photos doing the rounds on other social media sites.
Swindon Town’s Fan Engagement Officer Vicki Eyles responded to it by saying “I am more than happy to contact you in more detail but please be assured that this has been run past the EFL and there is a digital blur for the toilets, it is for the use of the concourse.”
The club’s Her Game Too ambassador Holly Woodridge also added: “Hi there, sorry if this was alarming and not a great experience for you, there should be a sign on the door explaining the camera doesn’t view in the toilet. And it’s been run past the EFL. Will pick up with our club again too.”
This isn’t the first time that a football fan has issued a complaint about a CCTV camera in the toilets at the stadium as in April 2024 an AFC Wimbledon supporter posted the same with Swindon saying about about a “motion blur” put in on the camera to ensure that the cubicle wasn’t visible and the camera’s position was based on it having maximum coverage of the concourse instead, as per Swindon Advertiser.
After a complaint was made, the club are said to have placed signs on the toilet doors that they were not in view of the camera and at the ground explaining that CCTV was in operation; the camera was not moved, although it was under review as they “have to consider the potential impact on its primary safety and security function.”
The club said there were 36 cameras installed in various places around the stadium for safety and security monitoring purposes.
There is no law that prevents the use of cameras in publicly used toilets, but guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office says it should only be done where there is sufficient justification for it, such as repeated anti-social behaviour.
CEO Anthony Hall told The Moonraker that the club will put a roof on the cubicles so that they are not in view of the camera to address the concerns from supporters that they might be in view.
Twitter users reacted as Swindon’s FEO responds after a Birmingham fan notices a CCTV camera in the women’s toilets…
@BuckleyCharliee: Why can you not put a board above the cubicle? Genuine answer here answer that
@JKA_STFC: Because our club is ran by fucking clueless idiots! And a chairman who don’t want to spend money to put things right!
@SiriKartaKaur: No. This a disturbing response. Clients can never be sure, so just remove the camera. Nobody wants to see a camera in the loo, because you can never be sure if it’s recording or not. Get rid of it.
@jcunited3: I dunno, bit dodgy that
@Johnche9: Move the camera out of view of the toilet, its really not hard. It’ll take 2 minutes for someone to run another cable to the camera to move to a different location. You can’t depend on a ‘toilet blur’. There is no sign above it or anything saying this either. Just sort it!
@BigRedBrexitBus: Vicki. Just stop for a moment and give your head a wobble. Would you like to sit on the loo and have video cameras watching your every move, blurred or otherwise? So what if it’s been “ran past the EFL”? It’s most likely illegal and most definitely wrong. @EFL your comments?
@steg70: Surely the camera can be placed at a more suitable place to watch the concourse other than above the ladies toilet, this must be very uncomfortable for the women even with a digital blur.
@Al_Red_Mac: Still no excuse for this, does not matter who it’s been run past, and digital blur, it’s upsetting to away fan’s and makes our club look bad, I know they are bad, but the STFC fans are not. Get it sorted.
@nmclean77: Regardless of whether the @EFL have “ok’d” this or not, that camera should not be there or it should be fully covered so that people cannot see it. What if the technology fails and the blurring goes? Ultimately, it’s a privacy thing.
@Gazjor1: I can’t believe this is still ongoing after fans of @AFCWimbledon had the same experience @Shazza3434
@so69fangroup: This again. Doesn’t matter that “it’s been ran past the EFL”. Doesn’t matter that we claim it’s “digitally blurred”. Such a simple thing to avoid. Stop making people feel uncomfortable. Yet again #STFC clearly treating fans with utter contempt.
@LowerLeagueLook: I don’t care what the club say about the camera having “Digital Blur” at the part that views the cubicle. That is a feature manually added in the settings and there is zero reason it cannot be removed or added to suit. Remove the cameras or put boards above the cubicles you wrong uns.
@g7c0iL3y: How it’s not been smashed up yet is unbelievable
@jettight19: There is a digital blur and the efl know about it but still disgusting that it’s still like that and a board hasn’t been put up above the stall is crazy
@rachw101: It really wouldn’t take much from our club to sort this out properly to stop female fans feeling uncomfortable. Sorry you had to experience this.
@Gary_Freemantle: We (AFC Wimbledon) raised this last season & were told the same thing. The issue is, it’s a rotating camera so it could be controlled remotely to face any direction, Despite saying it’s not pointing into the toilets, there should be a shield preventing its line of sight.
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