Afternoon teas

Afternoon Tea for 2 - only £15!

With a great selection of locations around the UK, our Afternoon Tea for Two choice voucher lets you give someone a quintessentially British gift wherever they may live!

Choosing from a fine selection of teas, cakes and scones (with lashing of cream, of course!) this gift voucher is a perfectly indulgent little treat for someone.

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What is Afternoon Tea?

The thoroughly British tradition of taking Afternoon Tea was said to have originated in the mid 19th Century, with Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford. She was one of Queen Victoria's Ladies in Waiting, and she often got peckish in the afternoons. What started merely as a nice cup of tea and some nibbles in her bedroom to keep her going until dinner, soon evolved into a major social occasion amongst the aristocracy, with anyone who was anyone meeting for Afternoon Tea.

Traditionally, Afternoon Tea consists of a pot of loose tea, scones with jam and clotted cream, sandwiches (with the crusts removed, of course) and a selection of cakes. Over the years variations have developed, with some locations like Kensington Palace and The Linthwaite Hotel adding champagne to the menu, to add an extra touch of luxury. Others, like Warwick Castle, prefer the simpler Cream Tea, with scones, jam and the all-important clotted cream.

This Victorian legacy has survived through the generations through some of the finest hotels, palaces and tea rooms in the country. Whether you decide to take your tea in the historical surroundings of Blenheim Palace or Windsor Castle, the refined luxury of Afternoon tea at Harrods or the traditional country setting of the Cotswold House Hotel, you're sure to have a delightful time.

Interesting facts about Afternoon Tea

• Devon and Cornwall have an ongoing battle about the best way to serve scones and clotted cream. If you cut your scone in half, smother it in clotted cream then add a dollop of jam on top then that's a Devonshire Cream Tea. For a Cornish Cream Tea, first butter your scone, spread a layer of jam and finish with clotted cream. Why not try it out both ways, and see which you prefer?
• The difference between Afternoon Tea and High Tea is nothing to do with how posh you are; it's simply to do when and where you eat it! Afternoon Tea is generally taken between 3pm-5pm on a low tea table, and High Tea is usually between 5pm-6pm, served on a proper dinner table. Basically, it's just a fancy way of saying dinnertime!
• If you take your tea black, then it has basically no calories! So technically that means you're entitled to another of those cream cakes.