The company won numerous awards in the Loo of the Year Awards 2019, aimed at highlighting standards of away-from-home washrooms.
Independent inspectors visit pubs’ toilets anonymously and judge them on a range of criteria, including décor and maintenance, cleanliness, accessibility, hand-washing and -drying equipment and overall management.
The Caley Picture House (Edinburgh)
A total of 836 Wetherspoon pubs was judged by inspectors, with 58 awarded gold, 771 gaining platinum and seven achieving the highest-possible diamond rating, introduced for 2019; this focuses on the highest standards of cleaning and the provision of clean and well-maintained facilities to meet all users’ needs.
Best
Wetherspoon was judged to have the best pub toilets in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, as well as the best hotel toilets.
The Prior John (Bridlington), The Caley Picture House (Edinburgh), The Gatekeeper (Cardiff) and The Silver Penny (Dublin) were the winners in the pub category in their respective countries.
According to the judges, the best hotel toilets could also be found at Wetherspoon, at The Troll Cart (Great Yarmouth), Jolly’s Hotel (Broughty Ferry), The Castle Hotel (Ruthin) and The Old Borough (Swords).
The Paddle Steamer (Largs)
Other individual awards went to The Picture House (Colwyn Bay) which judges considered to have the best toilets in an historic building. Wetherspoon is proud of the fact that it offers accessible toilets in its pubs, with the company winning praise for doing so.
The Paddle Steamer (Largs) was acclaimed for offering the best accessible toilets in Scotland. The Pontlottyn (Abertillery) won similar praise as did The Silver Penny (Dublin).
Triumphing
The company also won several national awards: the Champions League Award, for having five or more diamond or platinum awards; the Market Sector Award, with Wetherspoon triumphing in the hospitality sector; the Corporate Provider Trophy (a UK-only award), awarded to that corporate organisation or authority with 10 or more entries which, in the judges’ opinion, is maintaining a consistently high standard of away-from-home washrooms.
The Castle Hotel (Ruthin)
Loo of the Year Awards’ managing director, Mike Bone, said: “This is another fantastic achievement for Wetherspoon in the prestigious annual Loo of the Year Awards.
“In addition to being the first pub entrant to achieve the new diamond award, Wetherspoon was presented with a range of national and UK awards and trophies.
Determination
“To achieve such significant results requires many elements, led, importantly, by the determination of Wetherspoon’s chairman Tim Martin, to not only provide exceptionally well-designed and unique pubs, but also include award-winning toilets.
“The high standards of cleaning and maintenance are then provided by local pub management and staff in meeting a basic human need of its customers, in spacious and attractive surroundings.”
The Troll Cart (Great Yarmouth)
Wetherspoon’s head of acquisitions and new developments, Jon Randall, said: “We are thrilled to have won so many awards and recognition for our pubs’ toilets.
“We invest time and money, along with creating great designs, to ensure that we provide our customers with excellent toilets.
“The fact that independent judges have rated so many of our pubs so highly, in terms of design, cleanliness and facilities, is very rewarding.
“We will continue to offer the best-possible toilets in our pubs.”