London: How to spend a penny without spending a penny!

One of my pet hates when travelling in any city is paying to use the toilet. I know - it's very petty. But going to the toilet is a necessity rather than a luxury. I resent having to pay for taking care of a basic need. And principles aside, I don't always have the money - or at least the change - to pay to use a toilet. And just think what that 50p could buy! (Okay, not much, but I'm thinking chocolate...)

It seems to be becoming more widespread now, but the first time I encountered having to pay for the toilet was in London, back when it only cost 20p. I was 16, I was at Victoria Station, I was desperate and I didn't have any change. My friend had change but I refused to take it on principle and tried to duck under the barrier. Needless to say, I got caught, pleaded lack of money and had to take my friend's 20p after all.

I don't duck under barriers these days - I don't think my back would let me. But I do try to avoid paying wherever possible, and am making it my mission to find as many free public toilets as I can. It goes without saying that using toilets in restaurants, pubs and cafes is one option, but that isn't always practical or convenient (nor fair if you're not actually a customer). But there are other options, and here are the ones I've found in London. I'm sure some of you have found other examples, and I'd love to hear about them. I'm hoping to keep updating this post, so if you know of any free public toilets in London that I've not mentioned, please comment at the bottom or let me know on Twitter @holidayobsessi1 (that's a 'one' and not an 'L' at the end!) and I'll add them to the list!

St Pancras International
These are my favourite. There may be others elsewhere in the station but there are free toilets behind the escalators going to the Southeastern trains (platforms 10-13 I think). Look for the Starbucks, Yo Sushi and M&S. I can't speak for the mens', but there are around 10 cubicles, all of which generally lock and have toilet paper. There is usually a toilet attendant about so they are pretty clean. Best of all, you feel smug, because you have to pay for the toilets in Kings Cross just across the road.

North Greenwich tube station
Sticking with stations, this is another option I use fairly regularly. On the Jubilee line, a few stops away from London Bridge, it's not somewhere you'd go from central London, but it's still handy if you're heading to the O2, the Emirates or the Thames Clippers. We often park here if driving into London, as it's reasonably cheap (especially on Sundays), so we always take the opportunity to use the toilets before heading into the city. There are plenty of cubicles, usually with locks and paper (though not quite as clean as St Pancras), and you don't often have to queue for long.

Museums and art galleries
Obviously, you'd expect to have free use of toilets at any paying attraction you visit, but the beauty of museums in London is that they're free - and they still have toilets! I won't use this blog to write an exhaustive list of free museums in London but just a few I've been to include: the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the V&A, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the Museum of London, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. There are museums spread across all of London, so they can prove a convenient option when you need the toilet. Extra benefits include the fact that they're usually very clean and pleasant (for toilets) with no queues, and you get to look at some interesting stuff while you're in the building!

Little Venice
I discovered these recently. For those who don't know, Little Venice is an area five minutes from Warwick Avenue and Maida Vale tube stations, where the Grand Union Canal and Regents Canal meet. It's picturesque, with little gardens, lots of water (obviously) and copious amounts of pretty canal boats/barges. You can take a trip on a narrowboat from Little Venice to London Zoo or Camden Lock. There are some free toilets here in the little gardens - only a couple of cubicles, and not the nicest of toilets but hey, they're free. I visited during a festival when the area was packed, so the queue was pretty awful, but I'd guess it isn't too bad the rest of the time.

Hyde Park
I spotted these while wandering through Hyde Park last week - they're south of the the Serpentine, just by the lido. I didn't use these myself, so can't make any further comment. It is vaguely possible that there was a pay point hidden inside, but they certainly looked like they were free. Maybe one of my readers can confirm!

Well, that's it - a pretty short list currently. I'm not sure if this is representative of how few public toilets there are in London or just because I haven't found many yet. So if you know of any free conveniences in London, let me know and I'll add them to the list!