The outside of this building is a stunning example of how serious the Victorians were about drinking establishments, a purpose-built pub that is as lavish as a museum. A set of elaborate Art Nouveau-style gates lead into a pub filled with mahogany carvings, elaborate fireplaces, and an intricate tile mosaic bar. But for many, the real draw is the gentlemen’s toilets. In Notes From A Small Island, Bill Bryson wrote, “there is no place in the world finer for a pee than the ornate gents’ room of the Philharmonic.” The floor is covered with…
