#Blandford: Beatons supports local authors!

Blandford Tearooms book launches so far...

As some of you have already experienced, Beatons Tearooms in Blandford has been hosted some great book launches for some of our favorite local authors.

They've included the lovely Fay Weldon, Eve Bonham, Sarah Winman and local author Annika Milisic-Stanley last November.

We love supporting our local talented writers and will continue these popular events.

As well as being able to enjoy the tearooms' elegant Cecil Beaton inspired decor, you get to sit and enjoy a truly restorative experience along with our gracious hospitality and of course generous value,

We've largely worked alongside The Corn exchange charity in Blandford, and for every ticket sold we help raise money for their current restoration project.

If you are a local author yourself and are looking for a beautiful venue to host an upcoming book launch, please contact us to see if we can make a book event for you a reality!

#Crowthorne: Afternoon High Tea for Reviewers!

Pictured left to right:
Juliette Forster, Liz Darcy Jones, Kelly-Ann Dickson
and Rachael Kinsella

Oh goodness, we were barely open - in fact we were only unofficially open!

But we'd already invited our guests, including Guest of Honour TV presenter and reporter Juliette Forster and we didn't want to start changing dates so we went for it... Hosting a reviewers' tea is one of my favourite 'chores' when a new tearooms opens, as you can imagine.

... and it was lovely, albeit the first time the new team at Beatons Crowthorne had even served an Afternoon High Tea. We also enjoyed the pleasure of the company of Rachael Kinsella an international tea blogger who writes under Tea with Rachael. Thanks for trekking out from London, Rachael. Sadly, three of our guests had last minute emergencies - although we managed to take a box of goodies round to Sandra at Body Image Crowthorne.

Talk circled around the joy of switching off devices and whether we were losing the art of conversation as a society. We even touched on sensitive and deep subjects like death and discussed local economics, international property investment and... of course... tea and cake! It was a strong brew with some strong and successful business women. It was good to find support for Beatons' ethos of providing a 'restorative experience' and teaching attentiveness as part of how to deliver gracious hospitality. No one looked at their mobiles, except for the taking of these couple of photos, which fortunately Zoe reminded me was one of my duties.

Kelly-Ann - our Crowthorne High Street neighbour from Whimsical Gifts - tried her first Jasmine Blossom green tea. Juliette relaxed, absorbed the surroundings and our Villeroy & Boch china, pronouncing Beatons to be 'a cake, a very iced cake'. Yes, we like being referred to as a cake! Thanks to all our guests and we hope to see you again at Beatons Crowthorne in the future.

Conversation without any mobile
interruptions or texting!

Afternoon High Tea at all our Beatons Tearooms comes served on a crisp white linen laid table, with your individual selection of cakes, scones, and finger sandwiches presented on a tiered cake stand. Discover more about our teas and menu here.

We look forward to welcoming you for Afternoon High Tea at all of our tearooms and for the best possible experience recommend prior booking.

Although we do not currently offer a gluten-free High Tea, we do always have Gluten Free options on the menu... and we are researching into how to make this a future delight.

Liz Darcy Jones

Press Officer

#Crowthorne: Open House to Support Alexander Devine!

Saturday 30th January marks our famous Charity Open House Launch event ~ this time for Beatons Crowthorne  ~ and in aid of Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service, and our 'communitea cause' for 2016. From 10 am to 12 noon.

We'll be notching up three firsts for Crowthorne: debut performances of a song and a poem celebrating the village's unusual history and Crowthorne getting its own bookshop (well, to be precise it's a combined tearooms and bookshop). Come along to the  official opening at 10 am by the Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest, Councillor Mrs Dee Hamilton after which the song and poem will get their first public airing and let's raise lots of money for Alexander Devine!

The specially-written poem will be performed afterwards by author Liz Darcy Jones. 'Sing a Song of Crowthorne' by a group of children from The Dani Harmer Academy of Performing Arts. Can we give them a huge thanks in advance for pulling a rabbit (or should that be a crow?!) out of the box to learn and perform at very short notice. Crowthorne seems to have no end of music, dance and drama lovers! Free samples of Beatons' signature carrot cake and Nonsuch BV loose leaf tea will be served until noon (we hope in return for your donation to the charity). Please note! Our normal service may be briefly suspended during the Open House event.

Will your 'crow' be here
on our Crow Thorn Tree?!

What do we want you do to? Help create a unique 'crow thorn tree' artwork by signing your name and hanging a cut-out crow on the tree made by franchisee Paul Mitchell's creative young family when you donate.  It's an amazing and beautiful object d'art that your 'crow' will be part of!

The Beatons Crowthorne poem and adaptation of Sing A Song of Sixpence - re-titled 'Sing a Song of Crowthorne' - are by our Press Officer who just happens to be best-selling Tea Poet Liz Darcy Jones. She's been associated with the group for the past four years. Both pieces praise Crowthorne's unique characteristics including mentions of Wellington College, Broadmoor, and the now extinct 'broomdashers'!

Fiona Devine, co-founder of the Children’s Hospice, has given us a great thumbs up to our choice of charity, 'We are thrilled here at Alexander Devine to have been chosen by Beatons Tearoom Crowthorne, as their first ‘Communitea Cause’.  There is definitely something very special about a wonderful cosy and cheerful place, to enjoy a proper cup of tea and have an opportunity to pick up a good read too!' 

 Liz Darcy Jones

Press Officer

Beatons Crowthorne: Attentiveness in the Heart of Berkshire

Thank you for wanting to know more about Beatons Crowthorne.

We're Berkshire's Beatons Tearooms and Bookshop and delighted to have set up 'home' in the friendly village of Crowthorne. Like every Beatons, we're open 7 days a week. I'm Paul, and as Tearooms Owner it's a pleasure to invite you to experience what I particularly love about the 'Beatons Way': attentiveness.  Enjoy a pot of our house blend 'Nonsuch BOP' loose leaf tea and slice of our signature carrot cake brought to your table by members of our dedicated team.

'Nonsuch' originally meant 'beyond compare' - something we definitely aspire to being here in Crowthorne! You can find us just opposite Barclays Bank at the bottom end of the High Street.There's plenty of free parking if you turn left around the corner at the mini-roundabout and you can cut through, so we're nice and close to the car.

Table Service with a focus
on Gracious Hospitality and Attentiveness

What can you expect? What makes us different is the kind of experience we aspire to delivering - it's table service, we want you to relax, restore and take your time. We've got books you can browse, and pick up one of our free poem postcards to tell your friends about where you've been!

The tea's loose leaf and served in a nice big Villeroy & Boch teapot, and there's long list of luxury coffees to choose from too - not to mention very thick and rich hot chocolate.

Paul, Beatons Crowthorne
Franchise serving up
attentiveness

We've hot and cold home made light meals, including breakfast served and brunch.

Afternoon High Tea - 'English & Elegant' - in stately home style, is one of our specialities and served from 3 pm presented on a stunning three tiered stand with your selection of Cakes, delicate finger Sandwiches, Scones, Jam and Clotted Cream - and we'll box up what you can't quite manage to take home with you! Booking recommended, just call us on 01344 771700.

Come in and sample Beatons Crowthorne for real, very soon.

Full contact and location details here.

Paul Mitchell, Franchise Business Owner

#beatonstearooms: winter weight loss suggestions!

The Christmas treats and News Year's drinks have come and oh how so quickly they've gone...now we are all thinking of the healthy 'new me!'

This doesn't mean that you can't still come in and let us indulge you - we have quite a number of healthy, delicious and guilt free options on our menu. And remember, at the heart of Beatons' ethos is delivering a 'restorative experience' so treat everything around you as 'eye candy' and eat slowly, sip little by little, enjoying every mouthful - you'll find you will feel more satisfied. And here are some ideas to whet your appetite in a healthy way.



Our stews, wholesome and healthy, served with freshly cooked vegetables, like green beans and new potatoes.

Our Jackets, with a huge choice of fillings served with a lovely fresh side salad. (don't forget if you are being very self disciplined you can ask us to omit the butter for you!

Our soups, freshly made, full of healthy vegetables and packed with flavour, sure to fill you up and keep you going!

But what for a sweet treat? Here's the clever bit... take a careful look at our loose leaf tea menu (remember you get a lovely large pot so you can have at least a second cup) and pick one of our fruit or light teas. Not only do they have almost zero calories, but most are filled with anti-oxidants AND some of them are said to increase and enhance weight loss! In particular, any of our green teas - which taste sweet because we don't boil the water too hot so it keeps its sweetness - are a good weight loss option.

#beatonsbod: Amy - Blandford's Tearoom Panda

Who are you and - if you're part of the team - what do you like/ best about your job? 

Hi, I am Amy I work FOH (front of house) in Blandford and also supervise the Blandford team. I have been working for Beatons for three months now and am really enjoying the social aspect of the job, getting to know our lovely regular customers and of course our amazing members of staff!

What's your favourite edible or drinkable from our menu? 

The Malibu dream tea was a total revelation as I am not usually fond of fruit tea, buts it is incredibly refreshing and sweet! [Its smells just like Pina Coladas, just healthier ofcourse! ed.]

And how about your favourite book from our shelves? 

If I'm being intellectual, I would have to say The English in Love, a history of love and relationships in post war Britain written by a former lecturer of mine from university, Claire Langhamer. But if I'm being totally honest I absolutely love the book, Zombies have Issues, it has hilarious illustrations of the everyday trials of being a zombie!

Which of the ways we like to go about things at Beatons means most to you and why?  

I would have to say that the hospitality we always try to keep top of the list at Beatons. Trying to make each and every customer feel very welcome as they arrive and of course providing a great service whilst here. 

If you were an animal, what would you be? 

A panda, everyone loves them and they just get to chill and eat all day. I am convinced that they are not real, just people in costumes, so maybe one day....! [We need you at Beatons right now Amy, not yet please! ed.]

What do you like most about the most important person (or pet) in your life? 

My friends are all amazing, even though we are scattered all over the country, we always make the effort to fill each other in on the latest in our lives. I especially love getting updates about our old Uni house Gerbils, namesd Gary and Beyoncé!

#Crowthorne: Work is cracking on in Crowthorne!

The work is underway in Crowthorne Beatons Tearooms and here's a sneak peak at what's going on inside...

We're delighted to be in the middle of this new project which we guaran-tea will please all tea fanatics and book lovers in the local area.

We look forward to building new relationships with the lovely local people in Crowthorne and beyond. Our aspiration is always to deliver gracious hospitality, generous value and give you a restorative experience. 

This will be our fourth Beatons to open and we're confident that it will provide the same delightful haven for people to relax (enjoy delicious treats!) and be as popular as our Beatons in Tisbury, Blandford and Chester.

A massive thank you for all the hard work from franchisee, Paul Mitchell and his team so far.

There's still a fair bit of painting to finish off and of course make sure that the kitchen is all fitted, up and running, and ready for service. There are shelves to stock with our fantastic range of over 25 teas, coffee machines to position and get hooked up, tables and chairs to assemble and the all important cake boards to fill!

Here at 'Beatons Central' (our HQ) we're eagerly anticipating the opening of what we believe will be Berkshire's best tearoom and bookshop. From comments already received via twitter, we know you're as eager as we are!

When are you opening? is the question on everybody's lips. We want to ensure everything's 'just so' and this is never an exact science, but within the next ten days we promise!

Zoe

Beatons Central