How a 50-Year-Old London Toilet Became a Specialty Coffee Spot

Imagine sipping an espresso while sitting in what was once a fetid public toilet — not for shock value, but as part of a thoughtful urban project. That’s exactly the experience now on offer in London, where a long-abandoned restroom has been reborn as a stylish specialty coffee destination. The transformation didn’t involve air fresheners or cover-ups. It started with a bold idea: replace the smell of decay with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

In short: Two Londoners leased a disused 1890s-era public toilet, spent around £100,000 (about $125,000 USD) to gut and renovate it, and reopened it as a café named The Attendant. What was once a notorious community eyesore is now a thriving coffee shop filled with Victorian charm — and the overwhelming scent of coffee, not sewage.

From Public Toilet to Coffee House

The café, The Attendant, is housed in a former public restroom built during London’s Victorian period in the 1890s. For nearly fifty years, the space sat unused and neglected beneath a residential area, its entrance marked only by a “To Let” sign. In a moment of inspiration, local entrepreneurs Pete Tomlinson and Ben Russell spotted the listing and decided to lease the derelict property from the local council. Their goal: to reclaim the space and repurpose it as something both functional and community-minded.

A £100,000 Renovation with Historic Flair

The duo invested roughly £100,000 (approximately 940,000 RMB) to completely transform the site. The renovation included scrubbing clean the original ironwork, restoring the ornamental cast-iron arches, and cleaning decades of grime from ceramic tiling. Even the old male urinals were retained — but creatively repurposed. Rather than being demolished, they were converted into private seating nooks, adding a sculptural, vintage element to the interior design. The goal wasn’t just cleanliness — it was historical preservation fused with modern utility.

A ‘Scent-Based’ Urban Renewal Strategy

Located in an upscale London neighborhood, the site had long been considered an eyesore and a source of unpleasant odors. Its transformation into a café serving specialty coffee did more than improve the view — it changed the very atmosphere of the block. Where once there was the smell of neglect, now there’s the rich, inviting aroma of espresso and brewed coffee wafting up from below street level. This shift represents what the article calls a form of “scent-based” or “odor” urban renewal — improving city life not through demolition alone, but by transforming negative environmental cues into positive sensory experiences.

Why This Matters for London’s Urban Landscape

Abandoned Victorian-era public toilets are common across London, especially in basements and less-trafficked areas. Many have sat empty for decades, becoming makeshift shelters for squatters or illegal dumping grounds. Due to their protected historical status, renovating them is often costly and logistically complex, making them a persistent challenge in city redevelopment plans. By turning one such space into a working café, The Attendant not only secured a prime location at a relatively low cost, but also helped the city solve a long-standing urban planning dilemma. It’s a model that blends history, commerce, and community impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the former use of The Attendant café building?

The Attendant is located in a building that was originally built as a public toilet in the 1890s during London’s Victorian era. It had been abandoned and unused for nearly 50 years before its renovation.

Who renovated the former public toilet into a coffee shop?

The café was created by two London residents, Pete Tomlinson and Ben Russell, who leased the space from the local council after spotting a “To Let” sign on the building.

How much did the renovation of the old toilet into a café cost?

The full renovation cost approximately £100,000 (around 940,000 RMB or $125,000 USD), which covered cleaning, structural restoration, and redesigning the interior while preserving historic features.

What was done with the old urinals in the space?

Rather than removing them, the original male urinals were preserved and repurposed as private seating cubicles, adding a unique architectural detail to the café’s interior.

How did the project improve the surrounding neighborhood?

The new coffee shop replaced unpleasant odors and urban blight with the inviting smell of freshly brewed coffee, contributing to a better-smelling and more pleasant streetscape in an otherwise upscale area.

Is the building historically significant?

Yes, the building is a remnant of London’s Victorian infrastructure and had been protected due to its age, which made conventional redevelopment difficult and costly.

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