She is Gone - Goodbye Mother

We Murdered Mother's

So one of my favourite tea rooms closes and the world becomes a little colder and coarser. Mother's Little Tea Rooms in Somerset was on one of my regular routes. I would often stop and visit when I had the chance. I'd flick through a 1930s newspaper whilst sipping a rose tea and enjoy the calm.

But now it has closed for good. But why? Take a good look in the mirror, gentlemen — it was us. We killed Mother's by our own brutal hands.

How so? Not enough of us were willing to slow down for a moment and enjoy the ritual of elevenses or afternoon tea in a place of v. carefully curated ambience. Rather than be attended to by waitresses who cared about good service, we prefer, it seems, to slouch into an American fast-food 'joint' next to a main artery road and sink pails of coffee-flavoured milk froth as quick as we can before speeding on our way to make some money. Is England really so joylessly commodified? Does the economic argument trump everything? Slow down, chaps.

If you have a favourite tea room, book a table right now and order the most slap-up tea choice on the menu. Take your time. Enjoy the experience. Or it could go the way of Mother's...

In Loving Memory

I present some photos of my beloved space by way of tribute. Great times, great crumpets. (I suggest humming a little Al Bowlly as you look at the photos. They played a lot of Bowlly.)