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Like an infusion of freshly brewed tea slowly permeating through the pot, the question gradually took shape on a visit to one of Britain’s great cities... Is the party over for the tearoom?
All we had wanted was afternoon tea yet we couldn’t find a single tearoom in the city centre. Eventually we had to settle for the café in a well-known department store, where the food – but not the atmosphere – was a reasonable substitute.
So is that great British institution, the traditional teashop, in terminal decline? Thankfully, the answer is no – though these days you have to go into the rural and coastal hinterlands to find the best.
When Thomas Twining opened the first tearoom in the Strand, London, in 1706 – it’s still there – he launched a tradition that has survived for more than 300 years, and in many rural areas historic tearooms – often in ancient buildings – still serve traditional teas with pride. The intoxicating deep-brown liquid is poured from ornate teapots; there are pristine lace doilies and gleaming silverware.
Afternoon tea itself is also enjoying a renaissance. Irene Gorman, head of the delightfully named Tea Guild, said: “Afternoon tea is enjoying a well-deserved resurgence. It is an increasingly fashionable way to catch up with friends, take a break from shopping, or conduct a business meeting. Modern life can be hectic; taking afternoon tea is the perfect way to slow down and relax.”
Tearooms strove for gentility. Elegant lace curtains hid the diners from the gaze of passers-by, and the name of the café was often written over the door or in theglass pane in a rounded, florid, copperplate hand. Waitresses wore white caps, well- laundered aprons and starched collar and cuffs. Inside were booths or tables, highly polished and with elaborate crockery to match. There was the gentle tinkle of silverware on plates and a low hum of restrained chat. Tea was served on three-decker stands, sandwiches at the top with scones below.
Today preserved railways, museums and galleries, cathedrals and stately homes are some of the best places to find a decent teashop. Indeed, there’s the famous description of one leading cultural centre as a ‘lovely café with gallery attached...’
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Do you like going out for afternoon tea? What's your favourite place to go?
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