
London’s Subterranean Victorian Bathrooms Now House Bars and Cafés - pepys
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/unusual-london-bars
======
nness
This is almost entirely an off-topic point; but the public toilet situation in
London is pretty dire. Most tube or train stations have limited or no access
to facilities, and as a result, nearby businesses have become hostile to
people in search of a respite.

What we have instead is a gross public urination problem (or worse on some
streets). Which the city oddly aimed to solve with street-level urinals;
acknowledging the problem and providing a solution which still manages to
leave the city smelling like urine.

No criticism of the bars and cafes; most of these public facilities have gone
abandoned (like the ones outside of Liverpool St. Station). But I do wish the
city were more livable and accessible.

~~~
twic
I agree that the situation is bad. Mind you, in my experience, Paris wasn't
any better.

Here is some actually helpful advice, though:

[https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/143396/where-
to-p...](https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/143396/where-to-pee-in-
london)

[https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/73415/taming-
the-...](https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/73415/taming-the-
nightmare-of-public-toilets-in-the-uk)

~~~
monkeynotes
Paris is pretty bad. I was busting at the Austerlitz rail station, the only
public toilet was pay to use and I had no cash and limited language ability. I
ended up walking to a nearby McDonalds. London is very similar, what limited
public bathrooms there are tend to be coin operated.

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Lio
I know it's the common American vernacular to call toilets "bathrooms",
normally I wouldn't bat an eyelid at it, but it just seems weird to see
London's old underground public toilets referred to as "bathrooms".

I think it's the fact that it's referring to something Victorian that I expect
them to be talking about something that actually houses a bath.

When I first saw the headline I thought this was literally about old
bathhouses that used to exist. As seen in the cult film Quadrophenia.

Oh well, language changes. I guess in couple of hundred years we'll be
referring to the actual lavatory porcelain itself as a "bath".

~~~
simondw
I can't help but find it vaguely amusing that you seem to find "toilet"
(literally, "small cloth") and "lavatory" ("washing place") somehow more
correct than "bathroom."

Also, people usually talk/write in their own dialect. "Bathroom" is how you
say it in American English. If the article were about Victorian French
bathrooms, would you find it weird if it didn't use "salle de bains" ("room of
baths")?

~~~
cabalamat
> I can't help but find it vaguely amusing that you seem to find "toilet"
> (literally, "small cloth") and "lavatory" ("washing place") somehow more
> correct than "bathroom."

The difference is that of those three words, one consists of 2 fully-semantic
unbound morphemes: "bath" and "room"; it literally means a room with a bath in
it. Whereas "toilet" and "lavatory" as single-morpheme words.

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vackosar
Weren't the bathrooms there for a reason? Were they sold just because of
inability to maintain them?

~~~
goldenkey
I think there just aren't as many homeless perhaps, and everyone, including
most businesses, have restrooms.

~~~
NeedMoreTea
They weren't for homeless people. It's more that government restrictions on
funding _any_ public service or amenity has forced councils to choose between
public amenity, libraries and social care.

Doesn't change the fact that many people have weaker bladders as they age, and
we're in an ageing society. Then there's various conditions and illnesses like
Chrons disease, or those who have small children in tow. They may all need
unscheduled bathroom breaks at no notice. Now people are expected to "just
wait" until they get home or to the office.

Cities aren't really made for people any more. The people are secondary, a
necessary annoyance.

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stevesimmons
I know two of the three ex-public toilet bars mentioned: The Attendant in
Fitzrovia is two mins walk from my office, and WC in Clapham is a few mins
from home.

Both are well worth a visit for anyone visiting London!

~~~
skrunch
There's also a fantastic little cocktail bar called Ladies and Gents in
Kentish Town, if you ever find yourself in the area.

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lurcio
And many of Londons cafes are not much better than toilets (I speak as an ex-
pat having recently visited).

I used to live around the corner from the one in Fitzrovia. Never saw the
appeal. Chacun a son gout.

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paggle
Sorry, serving the drinks right in front of those urinals that a million dudes
peed on is straight up fucking gross.

~~~
benbristow
Pretty sure they've been cleaned.

~~~
chopin
That would affect your margin, though...

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forgingahead
Brings new meaning to "having a piss up"

