Shropshire Star

Fancy a proper cuppa? Weston Park's afternoon tea is back for 2025

There's nothing quite like catching up with friends over a perfectly brewed cup of tea and a slice of something delicious.

By contributor Liz Kennedy
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Afternoon teas will bring a touch of glamour to Weston Park.
Afternoon teas will bring a touch of glamour to Weston Park.

And with the return of Weston Park’s afternoon tea events throughout 2025 there’s no better place to enjoy such a treat.

“Let's face it, we Brits love our tea - 100 million cups a day prove that,” says Andrea Webster, head of marketing at Weston Park.

“But there's something extra special about making time for a proper afternoon tea, especially in our gorgeous Victorian Orangery overlooking the gardens or in our magnificent dining room.

“There really is nowhere more elegant than Weston Park to enjoy traditional afternoon tea.”

The much-loved tradition started back in the 1840s when Anna Maria Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, decided she couldn't wait until 8pm for dinner and started serving up tea and treats to fill the gap.

The idea quickly caught on – and us Brits have never looked back.

Served in one of the most beautiful settings on the Shropshire/Staffordshire border, guests enjoying a Weston afternoon tea package can look forward to freshly made sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and local preserves, and a selection of homemade cakes.

Everything is prepared using seasonal ingredients from the estate's own walled garden and orchards.

“We're particularly proud of our garden-to-plate approach,” added Andrea.

“There's something rather lovely about enjoying treats made with ingredients grown just a stone's throw away."

The 2025 afternoon tea calendar includes specific dates throughout the year, starting on Sunday, 9 March. For a full list of dates, as well as details on how to book, visit weston-park.com/whats-on/afternoon-tea.

Tea-rific trivia:

  • Sweet biscuits are still the nation's favourite tea-time treat, with nearly half of us dunking them in our cuppas (UK Tea & Infusions Association, 2024)
  • The cream or jam first debate rages on between Devon and Cornwall (Historic UK)
  • By the 1880s, afternoon tea was such a big deal it even influenced what people wore (British Museum Blog)
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