“This is exactly the sort of thing we’d love to be known for,” says a museum which has picked up an award for its “beautiful” loos.
The Sherborne in Dorset flushed away competition at the 2025 Loo of the Year Awards, and picked up the Quirky Award for its toilet facilities.
The event on 14 January recognised the very best “away-from-home” washrooms across the UK and Ireland.
“We do have the most gorgeous and flamboyant toilets,” boasted Liz Gilmore, the Sherborne’s chief executive, who said the museum “couldn’t be prouder”.
The ladies loos have a tropical feel and red velvet furniture [The Sherborne]
It is free for visitors to spend a penny and visit the toilets, which Gilmore called “an experience in themselves”.
She described the ladies loos as having a tropical feel with birds and plants adorning the walls and doors, and red velvet furniture available for customers to sit on.
She said the men’s were designed to celebrate “gorgeous fish and incredible hues of colour” in an underwater themed facility.
The men’s toilets show an underwater scene [The Sherborne]
Dorset’s 18th Century Sherborne House underwent a three-year, multi-million pound restoration project before reopening as an art museum called “The Sherborne” in 2024.
“Every aspect of the restoration thought about meticulous attention to detail,” Gilmore said.
She believes the “beautiful and sumptuous” loos are just an example of their vision which was to be “something very special for everyone”.
She said the museum was nominated for the toilet award by an unknown member of the public.
“We are so thrilled, it’s recognition of what we’re trying to do culturally, for the town, for the whole region,” Gilmore said.
The Loo of the Year Awards first started in 1987, holding washrooms to the highest standard in terms of accessibility, hygiene, repair, and facilities.
St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre in Cardiff picked up this the prestigious Golden Loo Seat Trophy as the overall winner.
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