A Royal Afternoon Tea at Lord’s

Afternoon Tea and a tour of Lord’s Cricket Ground

The afternoon tea at Lord’s is held in the Long Room overlooking the cricket grounds, and is best suited to those who already have a passion and appreciation of cricket.

The simplicity of the tea, with its uncomplicated finger sandwiches and homely cake selection, is just the backdrop to a bigger tradition.

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Held in the beautiful Long Room, the afternoon tea has now become a very permanent fixture and is fully booked on the day we visit. Ladies and gentlemen in their Sunday best clink glasses and and the room is full of a soft, polite murmur. A trio of classical musicians add a certain weight to the afternoon proceedings, and it all feels like very serious business.

The tea tray is soon brought out and we dig into some properly good scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Their shiny exterior has a lovely biscuity bite, hiding a softer middle, and we’re glad to have started with these whilst they are still slightly warm.

Finger sandwiches are next: smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese, egg and cress, cheddar and red pepper hummus. Portions are generous but our late 4pm sitting means that they are now less fresh than they were, and some of the wetter spreads have softened the bread.

Tea concludes with some pretty cakes and macarons, before we are given a tour of the grounds and a history of the sport that is full of insider anecdotes. The delivery and sense of pride and place are so good that I come away wanting to get into the sport.

As we lean out of the players balcony and survey the impossibly perfect lawn of the cricket grounds below, the whole thing seems to all fall into place, and it feels like there could be no better place in London to be.

Next time I’m determined to come on a match day and enjoy the grounds in their full glory. It’s been a lovely day and I’ve enjoyed finding out more about Cricket and being in a place that holds mystery and lore to so many fans. The tea is just a bonus, the real jewel here is the place itself.

Tube: St John’s Wood;
Address: St John’s Wood Rd, London NW8 8QN
Tel: 020 7616 8500
Website
I was invited to review