Food and Drink

The Langham, London, celebrates its 155th Birthday with surprise gifts for the city’s everyday heroes

Opened in 1865 as Europe’s first ‘Grand Hotel’, The Langham, London will celebrate its 155th Birthday next week.

Taking place on Wednesday 10th June, the hotel’s birthday will be honoured with a 24 hour virtual Afternoon Tea, which will span the globe, while surprise deliveries will also be made to London’s every day heroes – the key workers tirelessly working through the Covid-19 pandemic.

To mark the day, the team at The Langham, London has looked to the building’s most memorable moments in history, one of which is being the birthplace of Afternoon Tea. As a result, the hotel team have worked together to package and deliver (at a socially responsible distance) 155 surprise luxury Afternoon Tea gift boxes to a selection of London’s key workers. Taking to the streets around the hotel on the morning of 10th June, The Langham team will select random bus drivers, TfL workers, taxi drivers, couriers, street cleaners, delivery drivers, and NHS staff and carers, who have been working tirelessly to keep our city moving.

Within each Afternoon Tea gift box, the everyday heroes will receive a trio of sandwiches including smoked salmon, tomato, tarragon, Mediterranean bread; scones with clotted cream, and honey cake so they can recreate their very own Afternoon Tea at home. Each box will also contains vouchers awarding each recipient a one night stay for two at The Langham upon reopening* and for one everyday hero, an overnight stay within the hotels The Sterling Suite.

Each gift box will also include an invitation to join The Langham’s global virtual Afternoon Tea, taking place over the course of 24 hours, travelling the world to sister hotels in Australia, China, Indonesia, and the US, via Zoom. Taking place at Palm Court, at The Langham London, the virtual Afternoon Tea will begin with a History of Afternoon Tea with Karina Elias (Director of Food & Beverage), and scone making with Head Pastry Chef, Andrew Gravett at 6pm (GMT). Live music will follow, as well as a live English wine tasting, Daunt Books reading, and a global pub quiz hosted by The Wigmore.

Moreover, The Langham, London’s porte-cochére will become a drive or walk-thru for strawberries and cream, Langham shortbread, pink lemonade, and hot and cold drinks.

Further information can be found here.

*Valid until the end of 2020, from re-opening. All stays will include dinner, overnight stay, breakfast and access to spa facilities (as per Government restrictions).

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Jon Hatchman

Jonathan is Food Editor for The London Economic. Jonathan has run and contributed towards a number of blogs, and has written features for publications such as Eater London, The Guardian, i News, The Independent, GQ, Time Out London and more.

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