myguideBritain Blog

Tea-An English Institute (from Asia)

April 30th, 2008

As some of you will know, I was recently in Boston. Not Boston, Lincolnshire here in the UK but Boston MA where the Spring weather was frosty and the temperatures around a cool 0° C (32 degree fahrenheit). At times like these there is one thing that is sure to warm you up; a good cup of tea! Boston is renowned, of course, for the Boston Tea Party of 1773 where riots erupted due to disagreements over the taxation of tea, so I was sure to find a good cup of the stuff in Boston! Or so one would think. As I wandered the city, every corner I turned seemed to be home to another Starbucks or coffee house but alas, there was not a good tea shop to be found… I was horrified. A city with no tea!? So I got to thinking about the English obsession with tea (we have our own tea council!) and where the tradition comes from and thought I would share with you some places in the UK you can find a guaranteed quality “cuppa” when you visit.

It seems us Brits are relative newcomers to the world of tea; it arrived in the UK in the 1600s and, ironically, was originally sold in coffee houses. Coinciding with growing imports of sugar cane, by 1750 sweet tea was already widely popular and largely considered England’s national drink. In the 1800s it had become fashionable amongst the aristocracies to drink an afternoon tea with a light snack, such as a cucumber sandwich, to bridge the gap between lunch and the evening meal taken at about 8pm. Also around this period Britain began to see the opening of tea shops where you could purchase dry tea or by the cup. The tea shop rapidly became popular with ladies of the middle classes who, for the first time, found themselves allowed out to socialize alone without it damaging their reputation! Since then it seems the tradition of drinking tea has only grown and today tea rooms and shops can be found throughout the country. But which ones are best? And where should you go to find a good cuppa on your vacation?

From any of our London Hotels in the English Capital you can make a visit to Harrods, it is a must for anyone who likes to indulge in a spot of shopping. But it is also the place to enjoy your morning tea for two. Tea is served in the luxury surroundings of the Georgian restaurant which is once where the British aristocracies would dine. The Laduree tea room at Harrods also serves a variety of teas to suit any palate.

Outside of London, and for the true British Tea experience in its entirety you should head in to England’s north country and to Yorkshire. Here you will find the now famous Betty’s Tea Rooms dotted about the county. Founded in 1919 in the Yorkshire market town of Harrogate, the tradition continues today almost a century on in the original premises. The wrought iron canopy gives way to a delightful shop and tea room where you are welcomed by staff in traditional serving dress, complete with hats and aprons. The offerings inside are a mouth watering array of confectionary of breads, cakes and chocolates as well as over 50 different types of tea and coffee to choose from. I was in Harrogate last year visiting the Cedar Court Hotel and popped in to Betty’s for a quick cuppa only to find myself coming out 2 hours later, pleasantly satisfied but laden with sweet treats and gifts for home.

Finally a stay in Cotswolds is a must for any tea lover. The area is bustling with small country towns with eccentric names and nestling thatch cottages. In most of these towns and villages you will find a good tea room. Staying in the Queens Hotel in Cheltenham you are just a stone throw from some such places including Winchcombe which has won recent notoriety for its tea-making. The Olde Bakery Tea Shoppe in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire has been named the UK’s Top Tea Place 2008 by the United Kingdon Tea Council. This accolade is awarded for its all-round excellence in service, ambience, offerings of home-baking and of course for its ranges of quality brewed teas.

It is now nearing my tea break so I will sign off, but I leave you in the knowledge that when you visit us here in the UK you know exactly where to go to experience that great British tradition of drinking tea. When I returned from our Boston office, one of my colleagues asked if I would consider transferring there permanently. My response: not for all the tea in China!

Entry Filed under: Cities, Countryside, London