Activity Review: Brigit's Bakery Afternoon Tea Tour
As one plans a typical British trip, one cannot forget to experience the classic afternoon tea! Founded in the 1700s by noble families, afternoon tea has evolved into a working day habit to a luxurious event only on special occasions. Because we love everything British, we have been to many afternoon teas and quite enjoy them!
In London, there are countless opportunities for a classic afternoon tea. From the luxurious offerings in Mayfair (see Claridges) to tea rooms in high end retail shops (see Fortnum and Mason) to pub rooms (see anywhere), one cannot go wrong - except if you pay for more than you wanted to!
During a Black Friday sale, I spotted a great opportunity to experience afternoon tea differently - on a 1960s classic red double decker bus!
How?
As I wander through the London streets, I often noticed a retro double decker bus that advertised afternoon tea as one drove through the capital’s streets. Obviously, I wanted to try it out! On Black Friday, I noticed a slight deal and booked two tickets to be used in March 2020, at least in our mind.
After a crazy COVID lockdown, we patiently waited to see if we could use these tickets before we had to leave London. Low and behold, the bus reopened and we instantly booked online using their simple tool. Using the voucher, we easily booked one of their many times and had our choice of the seats!
Getting There
As our first post-covid tour, we were curious how the tour would run because it is on a close bus and we would be going on a Friday afternoon at 2:30pm. Arriving at Victoria Coach Station, we had to show our boarding pass to entrance security before heading into the very empty hall. Because we were looking for a pink sign and a bright red bus in a sea of white National Express buses, it was relatively easy to find our gate! Unsurprisingly, we were the only two people there for most of the period!
Boarding
In this new-normal, the tour company had a great way to board the 1960s double decker bus. Each of the two couples / pairings boarded at separate times and were seated 1-2m apart. Each of the tea sets were covered in plastic and then the tea cups were given out as the steward poured our tea. Because we were first in line, we had the whole bus to ourselves for a little bit!
Our Afternoon Tea
As I mentioned, the steward uncovered the lovely cakes and sandwiches for our grand feast! Because I avoided lunch to eat these delights, I immediately started going for the sandwiches! All the options were standard tea sandwiches, with my favorite being the roast beef! Although I enjoyed each one of them!
For the desserts, we had a four tasty selections: lemon menugrue, raspberry tart, berry tart, and chocolate and peanut better cupcake! Obviously, my personal favorite was the chocolate cupcake but the berry tart was a close second!
The Bus Tour
Instantly, I knew we would have a great time onboard as we drove through the lovely London streets. Throughout the tour, there was an automated voice telling us fun facts about the buildings and memorials. Then, the kind steward would also chime in with great facts about the various places that he found interesting.
During the tour, we saw many great places that were in our backyard! Because we began in Victoria, our tour earnestly started in South Kensington, other wise known as the “Museum Neighborhood” with the Natural History Museum, V&A Museum, and Science Museum. All of them are free admission and some of the most visited museums in all Europe!
For our next drive-by, we went to nearby Hyde Park where we circled the Albert Memorial and Wellington Arch which we have seen many times!
Next on the itinerary, we went through the heart of London in Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. Known as the heart of London, Trafalgar Square is one of the most photographed in the world, especially with Nelson’s monument and the giant brass lions.
Driving by Royalty
A short distance from Trafalgar square are the famous Parliament buildings - everything from the Horse Guards to 10 Downing Street. On a COVID Friday afternoon, there were hardly any crowds and we were able to see the buildings without many people there!
As we said goodbye to boarded Parliament Square, we crossed the river at the famous Waterloo bridge. This enabled us to see the London Eye, as well as boarded up Big Ben. While not a sight not right now, I still felt chills as we passed it!
Last but not least, we passed Buckingham Palace. Although the road leading to the famous palace is still closed, we could claim we saw it as we saw the Queen’s backyard! It was a lackluster ending to a great bus tour…
The UnChartered Summary
At 45GBP per person, Brigit’s Bakery Afternoon Tea is quite comparable to the other mid to high range tearooms in London. With the great views on the top deck of a 1960s bus, we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon tea! I highly recommend if you wanted to cross two things off your to do list in the capital!