Review – B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus London Tour

Mrs H had a ‘big’ Birthday this weekend, and for a little surprise I took her on the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus London Tour. It’s something she’s mentioned wanting to do for a while now, so a few months ago I went onto their site and booked up. As well as offering afternoon tea tours, they have a ‘Gin Lovers Bus Tour’, and soon a ‘Night Bus Tour’ (With Gin Cocktails!). There are lots of dietary options when you book too, Vegetarians, Vegans, Gluten-Free and Halal are all covered (with small up charges on some of them).

Each Bus has 11 tables, seating either 2 or 4 people. On the top deck there are two 2 seater tables that are ‘VIP’ as they are at the front of the bus and offer the best views. Because it was a special day, I opted for one of these. They are more expensive, but it’s not something you do every day! They also allow you to book the entire bus, or the top or bottom floor if you have a function or a group event.

The Buses depart daily at 12.30 and 15.00 from 8 Northumberland Avenue and 12.00, 14.30 and 17.00 from Victoria Coach Station. There will soon be tours from Victoria Coach Station on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 13.00 and 15.30 It’s not something you can rock up to, you need to book in advance. The online booking system is pretty straightforward and you can pre-book upgrades such as Prosecco and Champagne. There are a range of ‘B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus’ gifts available too – I picked up a ‘Guide Book’ as a memento of the day.

All Aboard the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus!

We got on the Bus at Northumberland Avenue, which is 5 minute walk from Charing Cross. Once you board the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus, your food is sat waiting for you, and after a quick introduction from the staff, the tour begins! There’s a pre-recorded ‘guide’ that plays through the PA system on the bus as you drive near places of interest, in between that there’s a selection of music playing in the background. The guide isn’t overly loud or obtrusive, it’s easy to tune out if you’d like. I’d much prefer something like this than a ‘live’ guide shouting down a microphone.

So let’s talk about the food. It’s delicious. We chose the vegetarian option, and it was done really well. There was enough there to enjoy, but not too much that you’d feel stuffed. After you’ve cleared the two tiers the staff bring warm scones with jam and clotted cream. It was a perfect way to end the B Bakery Afternoon Tea. An afternoon tea isn’t an afternoon tea without, well – tea! There’s a variety of tea and coffee to choose from, and it’s all serve in in special B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus cups with lids. Whilst the bus journey is relatively smooth, it makes sense not to have fine china cups, brimmed with hot tea sliding around, just in case! We opted for a nice Earl Grey to go with the Champagne.

The staff on the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus were wonderful. The whole thing was effortless – they’d read my note on the booking to say it was Vicki’s birthday and made a fuss of her. They had the champagne ready to go when we wanted more. They even sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and brought an extra cake along with a candle too. It felt very decadent and a real treat and the staff really added to the effortless experience. You pass a lot of ‘normal’ tour buses on the journey and I felt mildly smug eating amazing cakes and sipping tea, whilst they were being shouted at by an enthusiastic tour guide.

Overall

The tours aren’t cheap, depending when you go, and where you sit, prices start around £55 per person. However you get what you pay for, no doubt. The tours last around 90 minutes (depending on traffic) – so you get a comprehensive tour around Central London. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been into London, but I’ve never done a tour. They always feel so tacky and touristy, the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus is nothing like that. The commentary allows you to dip in and out and isn’t all encompassing. You get an exquisite selection of food and drink, a lovely tour, and wonderful staff from the wonderfully decorated bus. We drove past The Ritz near the end of tour, and whilst Afternoon Tea there would probably cost around the same as our ‘VIP’ seats. I enjoyed the relaxed tour around London with the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus, than the pomp and ceremony of The Ritz.

I can’t recommend the B Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus enough. It was a perfect treat for a very special day.