The Toilets of Champions

Nothing spoils my evening more than inadequate toilet facilities. Imagine the scene: you're having a pleasant time, drinking and chatting in a newly discovered hostelry somewhere in Soho, when, inevitably, nature calls you away to water the porcelain. The only trouble is, the painfully hip and funky decor covering the rest of the bar hasn't been carried through to the WC, which looks as though it was abandoned sometime in the Victorian era, and doubtless hasn't seen a loo brush since. After completing your business you return to your table a little shellshocked, worried that by simply entering the lavatory you have probably contracted something terribly nasty, which right now you may be unintentionally spreading to your friends. The evening is ruined.

Thank heavens then for the pub I visited last night - The Angelic - an establishment which could rightfully lay claim to having some of the best toilet facilities in all of London. "Palatial" is probably the best word to describe them - descending via the floodlit spiral staircase you first pass a fountain, followed by a sizable Greek statue, before being sucked into a world of velveteen red walls and sumptious lighting. To top it all off, podcasts of the Xfm Ricky Gervais show were being pumped through speakers above the urinals, so you could catch up on the latest Monkey News whilst relieving yourself. The toilets were so good I actually felt like staying in them and just listening to Ricky Gervais all evening, but people tend to get the wrong idea when you start loitering around in public lavatories.

Check out The Angelic at 57 Liverpool Road, London, N1 0RJ. Huzzah for classy loos!