This September will mark 13 years since I moved to London so when my friends outside the M25 ask me for recommendations when it comes to the Big Smoke, my answer has been the same for over 10 years: “Have you been to The Ned?”

The Ned is one of those places you go to make memories; my boyfriend and I had our third date there, propped up against the bar with cocktails in hand. I spent my 29th birthday enjoying dinner at one of its 10 restaurants while admiring the 21-foot Christmas tree (the perks of a December birthday). I’ve spent countless nights with friends watching live bands that have commanded the attention of the entire central atrium.

And yes, of course I have pictures on my phone of those toilets. Because like Big Ben or the London Eye, The Ned’s loos are an iconic tourist attraction. We’ve all seen the triple chair Instagram shot, right?

From ice cream parlours to hidden vaults – why The Ned remains one of the coolest spots in London