To think that tea rooms close too early

[CoolForCats09]

This probably sounds like a totally pointless thread but this kind of annoys me - why do most tea rooms close at 4?
I get that places might open early so close early but I'd love to find more places that are open until 5 at least. I think ideal tea and cake time is about 4ish but there's never anywhere open by then, unless it's Costa.

Has anyone else ever thought the same?

I was about to say something similar - finish a walk and really want tea, only to find the teashop is closed.

Move to Edinburgh, go to Luca’s. Job done.

Yes agree. My local M&S cafe used to open until 7pm until very recently, it now closes at 5pm (although the shop is still open until 8pm). I'm gutted. I used to enjoy going and having a coffee, cake and half an hour to myself after work before going home.

Totally agree!

I got shooed outdone last week. Next time I'll go to their rival who opens Kate.

Sorry to be dense, but what's the definition of tea room?

Agreed. I think it would be a brilliant counterpoint to the prevalent drinking culture if there were more opportunities to go out for coffee and cake in the evening, as you often can on the continent. Not everyone wants to go out drinking or for a full meal - something in between would often hit the spot with a broader range of people and be more informal for dates or meeting friends and family. Great for young people too.

I do remember once going to an independent café in Darlington with a friend in the evening. Coffee and cake at 7pm was exactly what we had. It was about 30 years ago - memorable because I’ve rarely replicated the experience! It was lovely and we both said then how civilised it was and how nice it would be if such venues were more widely available!

The only exception was that you used to be able to get tea and cake at Betty’s in York and Harrogate into the evening, but they’ve curtailed their opening hours since the pandemic. Sad about that, as tea or even a meal at Betty’s was often an evening treat when I lived round those parts, and latterly as a stop in hitting the road north.

Store cafés such as M&S or John Lewis are often options but they aren’t the same as a cosy independent café, and locally they’ve curtailed their evening hours a bit, eg 6pm.

I'm in Ireland , most cafes are open till 6!

Definitely agree! Here so many tea rooms actually stop serving proper food after 230 and even if they still claim to serve until 4 most of the ones local to me give off a don’t order anything except a drink vibe . As someone who loves a sandwich and a tray bake more than going out for dinner I find it so maddening . Especially on a Sunday so many of my favourite tea rooms were open until Covid now closed on a Sunday and the places which are open are heaving . I dream of the type of places you see on tourist shows about Vienna where people sit and eat beautiful chocolate cakes in the evening :(

If it means small independent cafes, the ones here are often up at 5 to bake, serve breakfasts etc so they're going to find it impossible to work longer hours.

Yeah I agree. Only one cafe in my town is open past 4pm and they stop serving food then so it's only drinks and cakes. I wish we had more of a cafe culture here.

this - they’re never open when you want them!

There used to be a great tea shop in Newcastle that opened until 11 some nights, it was right by the uni so got the business and was fantastic when I was a teenager and below drinking age. Had hundreds of lovely teas too

I think this then hate going to Wetherspoons because I want to support local places but love Wetherspoons because they're reliable but feel guilty really. Like using Amazon. But guessing there's a reason they shut when they do because if it was financially beneficial I'm sure they'd do it. But longer opening times would mean 2 sets of staff and a lot of food ready to go to cover a busy time, but could get wasted if quiet.

I've chuntered about this for years. Why have a tea shop or cafe that isn't open at teatime???
Also, sometimes I need cake...

Totally agree. They’re missing a truck there. Went to a tea room in Norfolk and it was closing 🙄 really? It was 3.50pm. Ok, I’ll just spend my money in Costa then, don’t complain when business goes elsewhere!

Everything shuts too early in this country. High street shops shut at 5 or 5.30 when people are just finishing work and might want to go shopping. And then they moan about people going shopping at shopping malls or big supermarkets which are open later.

Agree. There are several lovely tea rooms in my town and on the nearby coast. And every bloody one closes at 4pm. 🤬

There's a couple of really popular cafes near us. They are rammed at 12 every day, so we tend to go at 2:30 when it's quieter. They are dead by 4. They are mostly populated by retirees. There are mums and young children but they are the minority. It's clearly a sensible business decision to close early unfortunately.

Absolutely agree!! There's two lovely tea shops in my village...both open 10-4 🤦‍♀️ I've always thought that this is such a strange way of operating and very shortsighted of them 🤷‍♀️

This is a grumble of mine that people don't seem to get, I work FT so love an evening catch up with friends but there's nowhere to go!

Yes! So fed up of Costa everywhere! The coffee is not even that good, the cake is so expensive and they don't do any proper food. Grrrrrrrrrr.

Costalotta 😂

Love a proper cafe!!!!

I love proper cafes/tearooms!
I guess they close at 4/5 because many (evening only) restaurants in the U.K. open around 5. They take over the trade?

My dad loves a cafe and he is always saying this!!! You’re not alone. If everyone on this thread moved to live in the same area, you’d be able to have one that stayed open and had a roaring trade. How desperate are you all for tea at 5pm?? 🤣🤣🤣 x

Google ‘best late night cafes’… Good for if you’re in a big town/city.

I agree too.

The number of times we've put tea rooms into Google maps only to find they all close at 4. Prime coffee and cake time is 4pm for us.