Jessica H.
Yelp
I had a great time at Drink, Shop & Do. Booked in for a garter making/afternoon tea hen party of about 14 people I'm sure they weren't looking forward to us descending upon them but they were super welcoming and all the staff greeted us as we walked through to the back room, disco ball looming large over our heads, and were seated at a gorgeously decorated table; mismatching cups & saucers, milk bottles of flowers, and pots of Yorkshire tea and Earl Grey, ready for us to sit and sup. I think my mum ended up drinking out of a sugar pot, but hey, that's the fun of it!
The garter making itself was great, and the atmosphere of Drink, Shop & Do really suits this sort of activity. The teacher was a bit overwhelmed with the number of people, meaning it took a while for everything to actually get started and for everyone to understand what was going on, and the ribbons & lace were unfortunately only in one box, not great for 14 women who know what they want! I was fortunate enough to be sat at the crafty lady end of the table so I didn't have to be too aware of what the teacher was saying and could be shown by those around me. Once we all got started, the teacher was much more at ease, helping to thread needles and even getting a lamp for one member of the party - it's a dark place, so be aware if you're going to be doing any sort of needlework!
Once we had downed needles, we moved on to afternoon tea. Throughout our activity we were given tea and milk but by the end we were all ready for something a bit stronger, so the bellini's really helped; cava with a splash of peach puree, it added a real special element to the afternoon. Afternoon tea stands were handed out one between two and we all tucked into an array of sandwiches, savoury & sweet scones, and delicate cakes - a heart brownie, lemon drizzle, victoria sponge, and bakewell tart. Everything could probably do with a bit of tighening up i.e. scones were a bit dense, but I think that's to be expected when you're putting out that much food for so many people. Although we considered another bellini it was £7.50! Despite the great decorations and atmosphere, you can't avoid the London prices. We ended up getting two bottles of cava for £24 a pop, which seemed much more reasonable.
The small shop at the entrance was nice for a nosey around afterwards and the area downstairs seemed worth a snoop, with a great flashy erotica sign above the door - something from their days as an adult shop perhaps? I can't comment much on the price due to it being pre-paid, but it was a great experience and lovely to find something different to do in London. Now, if only I was better at crafts....