The Lemon Tree

268 Woodstock Rd, Oxford, UK – England OX2 7NW · 1865-311-936

The Lemon Tree itself is a marvellous restaurant with an engagingly mediterranean decor, evoking a feeling of dining on the French Riviera and this theme is carried into the toilets.

The burnished yellow and gold theme inform the toilet area but unfortunately the decor itself is not enough for us to give these bogs more than an average mark.

The cubicle doors are a little flimsy, there is no hook for hanging a handbag or coat and the locks on the door look as if someone popped out to B&Q in a moment of panic. They are the kind of locks one might expect to see on a pub toilet, and there they would not result in a “marking down”, however, in what presents itself as a quality establishment in all other ways (though the doped up waitress was probably a mistake) these locks stand out like a sore bum.

Disappointing.
6/10

The Summertown Wine Cafe

38 South Parade, Summertown OX2 7JN
Website

Beauty unbounded
The ladies at the Summertown Wine Cafe is the kind of bog it is a pleasure and a privilege to use.

The proprietors have created a boudoir effect, all dark violet and white with lush carpets and pleasant touches such as rolled towels – never more than four – tidied in a wicker basket. The loos themselves have individual lavender plants and pot pourri to freshen the air – rather than air fresheners – and the handles of the doors are intriguingly individual, almost scoll-like.

The ambience is relaxed and classy, it feels like the lavatory of a members club, which of course is what The Summertown Wine Cafe is.

These loos are a credit to the owners and enhance the experience.

10/10

For more on Summertown Wine Cafe check out http://lateralshoot.typepad.co.uk/lateralshoot/2007/05/summertown_wine.html