Covent Garden London
The heart of London's West End
A Local Pub With a Big Heart
 Kembles Head  collection box  Notice Examples of how not to do it!  Nags Head  Marquis Of Anglesey |
Ya know when you just have to GO?! That awful, sinking feeling when you are out and about in London and, as usual, there is not a public toilet in sight. You scan the horizon for any possible solution. Ah, yes! A pub 10 yards directly to your right. Salvation at last...or is it? Many pubs in London, such as the popular Nag's Head in Covent Garden, are restricting the use of their facilities to customers only. However, another nearby pub has found a unique way of offering the use of their toilets.
Raising much needed funds for charities, the Kembles Head pub has opened up its loos to generous passers by. Since November 2000 they have posted signs, asking for a donation to a local charity, for the use of their toilets. This good deed has generated a lot of positive reaction.
Manager of the Kembles Head for the past two years, Gary Brown, relays "There is such a large number of people who come in to use the toilets because there's not enough public toilets. So I decided we might as well put it to good use. The money we collect helps to make a bit of a difference." And so far it has. They have raised £160 for Age Concern and £347 for Comic Relief. At the moment they are accepting donations for the Help a London Child charity.
Gary has so far been committed to helping out local charities because "...it's nice to help out the local area and to be able to give something back."
Of course, they accept and encourage donations from patrons as well as the loo visitors. Hopefully this idea will catch on because with the lack of good public toilets, plenty of pubs are used just for their loo facilities, while others don't allow the use of them at all. And a couple of quid off of you, me, or the next person will help so many who are in need. So spread the word, promote the idea and visit the Kembles Head to taste their delicious ales, linger in their friendly atmosphere, and donate to help those who aren't as fortunate.
The Kembles Head
62/63 Long Acre,
Covent Garden,
London WC2E 9JN
Tel 020 7836 4845
(article and photos by Carey Gordon)
© Covent Garden Community Association, May 2001
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