HOTELS & HOSPITALITY
TORKINGPOINT
An increasing number of bars and restaurants are creating ‘talking point’ toilets to make them stand out from the crowd. But should they be concentrating instead on ensuring that their washrooms are clean, hygienic and efficiently run, asks Essity’s Jeremy Bennett.
The hospitality sector – like so many other industries - is struggling at the moment. Hotels, bars and restaurants are vying for business as many people choose to stay at home rather than spend large sums of money on meals out, pub drinks and weekend breaks.
Hospitality venues are working extra hard to gain our attention and ensure they stand out from the crowd. And one of the ways in which they are doing this is by creating ‘talking-point toilets’.
For example, earlier this year a bar in Preston installed a mysterious red button in its ladies’ washrooms. When pressed, this activated a sequence of flashing disco lights accompanied by a rendition of Abba’s hit song ‘Dancing Queen’. A video of this ‘party in a toilet’ was swiftly posted on to TikTok – and in no time at all it had racked up more than 10 million views.
Annabel’s nightclub in London has also recently upped its washroom game in a bid to create a talking point. The venue had long been renowned for its plush toilets decorated with gold swan taps and pink basins in the shape of oyster shells. But the club has now completely covered its washroom walls with a giant jungle-inspired mosaic and has installed a crocodile-shaped basin crafted from a single piece of green onyx.
The toilets at Mayfair’s Sketch restaurant are another example of this ‘talking point’ phenomenon. These are the subject of numerous web posts and Instagram photographs on account of their giant white pod cubicles that change colour every few seconds with the aid of LED lighting.
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Also ensuring ongoing publicity for its toilets is the Cellar Door bar in Aldwych. The lavatories here come in the form of a series of glass cubicles that are completely see-through from the outside. Once the door is locked, however, the glass frosts over - affording the user some welcome privacy and giving them something to talk about when they return to their drinking companions.
Some washroom providers use shock tactics to make their facilities stand out from those of their competitors. At the Rabbit Hole bar near Santa Clarita in California, for example, the washrooms are themed on the horror film The Shining and visitors using the facilities are confronted with a scary close-up of Jack Nicholson’s face in a white room splattered with fake blood.
And in the ladies’ washrooms of the trendy California Katsuya sushi restaurant in Los Angeles, women have been startled to see an eerie hologram geisha face appear fleetingly in the mirror as they wash their hands after using the loo.
Some venues use their washroom décor as an extension of their brand. The Bonneville restaurant and bar in London has a dark, atmospheric vibe - and this continues into the washrooms which feature Victorian plumbing, old marine lamps and a ghostly soundtrack of chants and whispers.
Another example is the Habana Outpost in New York, a solar-powered Cuban cafe which has become renowned for its sustainability credentials. Its washrooms reflect the company brand with their hanging jungle-style plants and a flushing system based on rainwater collected in a large outdoor tank.
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