Last month, the Daily Mirror reported on an unusual Christmas gift given by Princess Anne to the King a few years ago, when he was still the Prince of Wales – a toilet seat.
It was no ordinary toilet seat, however, being a fancy, leather-bound item, quite apt for the item’s nickname as ‘the throne’ even if it wasn’t exactly the real thing he would be sitting on in Westminster Abbey when he was finally crowned in May 2023.
Such an amusing gift may provide an insight into the question of just what the people who have everything get each other for Christmas, as well as confirming that yes, the royal family does use the toilet, just like everyone else.
However, it is fair to say that, apart from Prince William cleaning lavatories during his gap year, their experience of using washrooms will differ markedly from most of us.
Of course, for anyone who might have the royals visiting their presence, making sure the toilet looks immaculate along with everything else is an important consideration, should their VIP wish to use it. Not only must it be clean, but as smart and presentable as possible. There may even be a person placed on ‘ablution duty’ – sitting on the seat to keep it warm.
Not Royal, But Still VIP
Most commercial entities are not likely to have too many regular visits from the royals or other VIPs requiring this level of attention, but it is certainly worth pondering the fact that the type and quality of the toilet seats should fit the setting. Not all washrooms are the same and nor are their users.
There are some obvious cases in point; a primary school needs everything from toilet seats to wash basins to be scaled down to the smaller stature of the users. A public toilet or one in a facility like a library or a sports ground needs to be functional but does not need too many frills, unless the sporting venue has executive facilities available at elevated prices.
Alongside this, there needs to be some specific user-friendly elements in some cases. There should always be facilities for the disabled, for instance, with extra provision in some settings, such as an old people’s home. Other specific issues include the need for non-slip floors for facilities embedded in swimming pool changing rooms.
If you have executive-level toilets, you should always be looking for a bit more luxury. You might not have any royals using them, but it does provide extra comfort and luxury for those in important positions in a company and – just as importantly – significant visitors to the building with whom you may have (or be trying to establish) crucial business links.
By doing this, you won’t create any disconnect between all the other aspects of a boardroom that will be smarter than average, from the chairs people sit into the overall décor and the standard of food and drink served.
Covering Your Range Of Needs
Our range of toilet seats reflects these varied needs, ranging from the basic and functional to executive seats with built-in additional comfort. This is something very important to consider in processes like the fitting out of a new office building, where different sections of the premises will have their own requirements.
That should be considered even before it is established which firms will take up the space, which may in some cases change over time anyway as one firm moves on and a new tenant arrives.
Rare Exceptions
As a general rule, the standard washrooms will be less plush than those used by executives and any VIPs who do come to visit. However, there are a few instances where this is not quite the case, because the whole premises represent something rather more plush.
A prime example of this would be Harrods, which is not just another department store in the way Buckingham Palace is not just another house. It used to be the case that one actually had to pay to enter the toilets there, so plush are they. Even now that this is no longer the case, they are unusual in actually getting reviews on websites like Tripadvisor.
This, however, is an exception to the rule and it is clear that for most buildings, be they offices, schools, places of entertainment, or public service providers, care and consideration will be needed when providing washroom facilities, right down to the last single toilet seat.
Not all of these will require a VIP level to be available, but when they do, it is crucial not to neglect the importance of this. The plushest of your toilet seats may not be an actual throne, but it should feel like one.
Related Posts
