FLUSH Founder Kim Worsham went for a brief visit to the UK and was able to fit in some fun toilet adventures during her stay. The UK has a rich toilet history to uncover.
Firstly, she visited the London coffee shop called Attendant that was originally an underground men's public toilet (though, ironically, the coffee shop didn't have toilet access for current patrons). When you go into the cafe, you see the old urinal dividers and a water tank hanging at the top of the room. London used to have a lot of underground public toilets all over the city...though they were almost all dedicated to men's needs until the early 1900's. Women didn't have a lot of toilet options outside of home other than a few restaurants and shops.
Later on, she attended two tours by London Loo Tours. These tours are unique ways for tourists and locals alike to learn more about the history of London through the lens of public toilets (and how men's access to toilets trumped women's access for a long time). The founder Rachel was a fantastic guide and made the tours diverse, interesting, and fun. Our favorite stops included very pretty Victorian toilets in pubs and a lamp that's ignited by sewer gas! Should you visit London and are looking to expand your knowledge of the UK while walking around beautiful parts of the city, we highly recommend any of these tours.
Lastly, she made her way to Brighton for a day trip and was able to visit the Royal Pavilion - a former palace for the British monarchy. The inside of the pavilion was opulent and beautiful...but Kim's favorite part was seeing Queen Victoria's porcelain water closet (though don't tell anyone she took a picture).