How Victoria joined the vintage tea set

When Victoria Wills’ daughter asked for a vintage afternoon tea to celebrate her 18th birthday she breathed a temporary sigh of relief.

“I was dreading a big party as we don’t have a huge house,” says Victoria.

But it was no small tea party Eleanor wanted and Victoria found herself organising an event for 65 people in a marquee... in January.

“Fortunately it didn’t rain or snow,” says Victoria.

In fact it was such a success that it signalled a change of career for bookkeeper and mum-of-four Victoria.

She now runs her own business – The Chipping Norton Tea Set – providing bespoke parties for all occasions in people’s own homes or outside venues.

Since it started two years ago, Victoria has catered for everything from hen parties for eight to weddings for more than 100 people.

“I love doing it but it’s very hard physical work, not something I’m used to,” says Victoria. “I had been a bookkeeper for almost 30 years before prior to the tea set so it was a bit of a departure.”

Timing, as well as the success of the party played a part in her setting up the business.

“We were due to move abroad with my husband’s job so I had scaled my bookkeeping right down.

“About the time of my daughter’s party it became apparent that we wouldn’t be moving so urged on by friends and family I decided to take the plunge,” says Victoria, 47, who has been supported in her venture by race car industry engineer husband Steve (“I couldn’t do it without him”), Eleanor, now 20, and sons Thomas, 26, Jack, 25 and Joseph, 23. “We made our own website, started buying china and went for it.,” she said.

It took a good six months before the first proper booking came in and during that time Victoria scoured shops near and far to find old china cups and saucers, tea pots and cake stands and cutlery in a mis-match of colours, patterns and styles.To add to the vintage look there are also linen napkins in different styles and colours, together with hand embroidered tablecloths in whites, creams and ivory.

“Our main income is from wedding tea parties, which are more and more replacing the traditional three-course sit down meal,” says Victoria, who has seen bridal bookings grow from seven last year to 17 this year.

“We also cater for a lot of birthdays, christenings and hen parties. They all consist of vintage china, cutlery and linen a selection of sandwiches and savoury tarts, scones with jam and clotted cream and a selection of sweet treats and service for the event.”

Prices start from £13.50 per person – for the English Afternoon Tea menu consisting of free range egg and cress, cucumber and cream cheese, Wiltshire-cured ham and mustard and Cheddar cheese and pickle sandwiches; cream cheese and pesto and tuna mayonnaise tartlets and scone, jam and clotted cream and vanilla cupcake – rising to £19 per person for the Luxury Cotswold Tea, although the three basic menus can be customised. “Wherever possible we try to use local, free range ingredients in all our cooking,” says Victoria, who prepares all the food and bakes all tarts and cakes with the help of an assistant, and has a core staff of six.

“The worst thing is working in a kitchen in the heat, the best thing is making someone’s special occasion extra special and meeting some really lovely people.”

Victoria’s plan for the future is to expand the services she offers. She has moved from working from her kitchen to a unit at Elmsfield Industrial Estate, Chipping Norton, from where she also runs a cupcake mail order company.

“We can now provide canapés and cold buffets, to make it a year round business, at the moment may to September is manic but the rest of the time is fairly quiet,” she says.

And if anyone knows how to throw a party outside in January, it’s Victoria.

chippingnortonteaset.co.uk
theafternoondelightscompany.co.uk