My Traditional Afternoon Tea Experience With A Twist

After hearing that my teenage daughter had never experienced a proper British afternoon tea, I was shocked to say the least! I soon made it my mission to scope out a delicious yet different afternoon tea for us to experience and enjoy together. Within seconds of scrolling through the Kidadl app, I quickly found the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour and was immediately intrigued. A traditional afternoon tea... on a Routemaster bus? I mean, that’s taking meals on wheels to the next level! 

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B Bakery offer plenty of themed experiences throughout the year, along with their year-round Afternoon Tea Bus Tour and Traditional Afternoon Tea at B Bakery Covent Garden. As it was Christmas I decided to opt for the Christmas Lights Afternoon Tea Bus Tour - I was feeling merry and thought this was the perfect treat to start the festivities. It was as simple as choosing a time slot on the Kidadl app, turning up in our Christmas jumpers (not compulsory but certainly added to the Christmassy feel!) and with hungry bellies! I chose the evening slot, of course, because what better way to experience the Christmas lights than at night! Not to mention, some of London’s most incredible landmarks lit up at night.

So, already humming the tune of ‘Last Christmas’, my daughter and I waited in anticipation at Victoria Station in London, gloves and scarves in hand. It was a rainy and cold evening but this just made the bus feel that much more cosy and warm - what better way to get out of the cold than to hop on a Routemaster bus for afternoon tea? And after a few minutes, the incredible vintage, red bus arrived and we were invited to hop on board. We simply showed our booking confirmation from Kidadl and were then kindly escorted up to the top deck! I would definitely recommend getting there early so you can secure those all-important seats on the upper deck - London is great from down below but it’s even better from a height. There was so much festive goodness to look at, I couldn’t help but stop on the stairs and snap a few pictures! From brightly coloured, cosy fairy lights to the London memorabilia plastered on the sides of the bus - it felt magical as soon as I stepped on board. 

After soaking up the festive and fabulous atmosphere, we took our seats and were greeted with a tray of delicious-looking sandwiches. An extra bonus was the fact that they catered for my gluten intolerance which meant that I didn’t miss out on any of the treats! The staff were very attentive and really helped spread the Christmas spirit! We were soon on our merry way and seeing London from an entirely new perspective. Not only did we pass some of London’s most iconic attractions but an informative and engaging commentary accompanied our tour - perfect for any out of towners who have limited time and want to experience two experiences in one. An afternoon tea complete with a round tour of London!

Christmas music still playing in the background, after the sandwiches followed cakes, pastries, scones and of course - tea! A personal highlight of the tour for me was the fact that we each got gifted a special B Bakery travel mug which we could use throughout the ride to avoid our tea spilling and we also got to take it home - my daughter still uses hers to this day! Each pastry and cake was beautifully themed and decorated, the attention to detail was excellent - it felt like a real treat. And despite our best efforts, we couldn’t finish all of the sweet treats but they were more than happy to box them up so we could take them home and continue the festivities there! 

From start to finish, the B Bakery Bus Tour was extraordinary. Time really does fly when you’re having fun - an hour and a half felt like two minutes. It must have been the only time I've actually wanted there to be traffic in London! My teenage daughter also thoroughly enjoyed the experience and got some top Instagram content! I would definitely recommend the tour for anyone over the age of six, out-of-towners, grandparents, Londoners and anyone looking for an enjoyable, exquisite and festive experience!