OUTSIDE in St Peter’s Square females of every age paraded in support of International Women’s Day. All good natured and positive. We were looking out from the Midland Hotel Tea Room, showing solidarity by scoffing scones and lemon drizzle cake in the company of a young lady with all her womanhood ahead of her.
Bespoke Children’s Afternoon Tea is not just for ‘what to do during a rainy half-term’; it’s a treat that keeps on giving. ToM editor Neil Sowerby’s granddaughter Bella loved her fresh strawberry milkshake but by the end of a lavish spread of cake and finger sandwiches was keenest to ‘play mummy’ by pouring us both breakfast tea through a strainer. It was the first time the eight year old had encountered the proper leaf stuff.
A nice touch, ‘Rise up Women’ sashes were available at each table and she happily donned one.
Bella was perhaps a little too sophisticated for the decorate-your-own gingerbread- man element of her kid’s tea but not yet ready for the impressive scones with clotted cream and Mrs Darlington’s jam ritual central to the standard afternoon tea shared by the adults on the table (though she did wolf her share of it cakes after her own chocolate brownie)
‘Watermelon pizza’ on her plate looked pretty but she was quick to proclaim it wasn’t a patch on the real thing. The rest of her tea consisted of sandwiches, including roast chicken on white bread and cucumber and cream cheese on brown, plus celery and carrot sticks.
It’s available at £13.50 per child for children up to 12 years old, when accompanied by an adult ordering Afternoon Tea (£28pp, the Royal version with Champagne is £38, there are also gluten-free and vegan versions). Available all year round, Mon-Fri 1pm-4.30pm and Sat-Sun 12.30pm-6.30pm. Afternoon Tea at the Tea Room can be booked via this link. Walk-ins are also welcomed.
The Midland, 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS.