One of Count Binface's earliest political promises continues to trouble west Londoners: the hand dryer in the men's toilet at the Crown and Treaty pub. The sentient wheelie bin, now Nigel Farage's only opponent in the Clacton-on-Sea by-election, has a history of quirky pledges, including abolishing VAR, nationalising Adele, and capping the price of a 99 Flake at 99p. But his 2019 vow to relocate the hand dryer to a 'more convenient place' remains unfulfilled.
The Awkward Placement
Metro visited the historic pub, where King Charles I held his unsuccessful treaty before his execution, to assess the situation. A male patron reported that using the far-right urinal triggers the hand dryer, and accessing the dryer while someone is at the urinal creates an uncomfortable proximity. The device sits just centimetres from one of the sinks.
Pub owners Guna and Anu Sachdeva, who took over the establishment, have endured prank calls and online comments about the hand dryer for years without understanding why. Only two days ago, two men cycled from Ealing to explain the connection. Guna told Metro: 'We have had the occasional social media comment and prank call about it, but we were never quite sure what it was about. These men came and told us about it, and then asked to put our ice bucket on their head so they can take a picture with it.'
Google Reviews and AI Tags
The pub has recently received a surge of Google reviews, with one AI tag now reading 'hand dryer' instead of typical descriptors like 'family-friendly' or 'walk-ins only'. One review states: 'Hey guys I've never been to England let alone your pub. But, as a responsible human being, I request you to relocate the Men's toilet hand dryer to a more sensible position.' The owners are open to moving it if Count Binface discusses the matter over a meal. Guna added: 'If England bring it home as well, we might give back and be willing to find a new place for it.'
By-Election Context
Count Binface, whose real name is Jon Harvey, is standing against Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election, positioning himself as a protest candidate. His manifesto includes building 'at least one affordable house' and other humorous pledges. The hand dryer issue, however, remains a tangible legacy of his first campaign in 2019 against Boris Johnson in Uxbridge. Metro has contacted Count Binface for comment.
