Lucie Loves… Lifestyle // Afternoon Tea at The Home of Cricket and a tour of Lord’s
Suited and booted, dressed in our Sunday best, we arrived at Lord’s Cricket Ground for our 4:15pm afternoon tea slot. Now me, I know nothing about cricket…Well, I knew absolutely nothing, until I met Rich...
He’s a life-long cricket fan, and has taken it upon himself to try and educate me about the sport. Good luck! All that I can remember so far is something about square legs, and that’s only because the name made me chuckle!
We were invited along to enjoy Afternoon Tea in the Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground. If you’re familiar with the concept of Afternoon Tea (a very British tradition!) it’s a rather decadent affair with lots of nibbly food. We started off with a glass of champagne each, before selecting our choice of beverage from the menu.
Sipping tea and looking out over views of the famous cricket ground, we listened to the band play live classical music, and tucked into our food. I opted for a pot of Earl Grey (one of my fave teas) and Rich went for coffee, because he doesn’t drink tea. The pretty, three-tiered plate of finger sandwiches, miniature cakes and freshly baked scones with jam and cream was more than enough for two people. We overdid it on breakfast though so didn’t quite manage to eat it all! Wastrels!
One of the things that I should mention is that, if you have a nut allergy, it’s advisable to let them know beforehand, as they will have to separate things like macaroons etc and any other nutty things, from the nut-free items. A lunch date wouldn't be quite as romantic with an anaphylactic shock episode thrown in…
After our posh afternoon tea, spent craning our neck at the cricket-themed art work lining the walls, we were then taken on a walking tour of Marylebone Cricket Club. We started off admiring more art and trophies in the Long Room Bar, before breaking off into two groups. Our guide then talked us through the museum’s collections, telling us the story behind The Ashes (the tiniest trophy I’ve ever set eyes on) and pointed out some of the famous artefacts that are housed at Lord’s, including some chap’s Strictly Come Dancing glittery costume.
Next up, we found ourselves “backstage” walking down winding, wood-clad corridors, before finally arriving in the Player’s changing rooms, sitting in the Captain’s chair, and walking out onto the famous balcony. You could almost hear the cheering crowds!
What impressed me most – as a non-cricket fan, was the vast art collection. Rich also found this particularly amusing, especially as some of the Northern cricket players appear to have had quite a different artistic treatment applied to their portraits compared to some of the Southerners. Is this a north/south divide thing? Who knows! Anyway, it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and would make the perfect gift for a die-hard cricket fan!
If you’re interested in having Afternoon Tea in The Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground, the upcoming dates are:
Tickets cost £48.00 per person (or £59.00 per person with a glass of champagne.)
Book Afternoon Tea at Lord’s tickets
Q. Where is Lord’s? What is the nearest tube?
A. Lord’s is very close to the centre of London – just under 1 mile from Baker Street – and easy to reach by road, tube and bus. St John’s Wood is the closest tube station (approximately 5 minutes’ walk), and Baker Street, Warwick Avenue, Marylebone and Edgware Road are all within 15 minutes’ walk.
Photography © Lucie Kerley