Art exhibition inspired by Majestic Hotel Harrogate toilets

‘Secrets of the Majestic’, an 88-page comic book anthology of stories, was inspired by the famously lavish restrooms of the Majestic Hotel, Harrogate - a space that has intrigued visitors for many years.

Hosted by the Mercer Art Gallery, the event - which opened on November 15 and runs until March 2025 - aims to reach a wider audience and attract new visitors to the venue.

The comic artwork will be on display at the Mercer Gallery until March (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL) North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for culture and leisure, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “Who would have thought that a grand set of hotel toilets could spark such creativity?

"It is this quirky, unexpected angle that makes it an exciting exhibition and as such we hope to not only appeal to traditional art lovers but also comic art fans opening our doors to a broader audience.”

The anthology editor Chris Mole (left) with North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for culture and leisure, Councillor Simon Myers, clean up in the famous restrooms that inspired the exhibition (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL) The exhibition is being hosted in partnership with the Thought Bubble Festival convention, which is the UK’s largest comic art festival and draws 15,000 visitors and more than 500 artists to the town each year.

Research from the Comics Culture Impact Collective shows that comic art attracts a wider audience with a higher percentage of ethnic minority and neurodivergent voices among both its creators and readers.

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During past annual convention parties, held in the Majestic Hotel, the anthology editor Chris Mole and fellow artists were inspired by the public toilets, leading to the creation of the anthology of short stories examining this remarkable restroom.

Mr Mole said. “After several years of mucking around taking pictures in the toilets, I decided the time was right to put together an anthology of stories exploring why the toilets are like that.

“This is the result, a collection of short stories which explore various explanations and theories for such an opulent porcelain palace, from horror to action to science fiction and fantasy.”