AFTERNOON TEA WITH THE GIRLS

So lovely to be able to enjoy afternoon tea with our good friends, Gillian and Carol, 

in the sumptuous surroundings of Oulton Hall in Leeds.  Built in the early 18th century as a luxurious home - set within 300 acres of grounds with its own church - for the Blayds family, it is now part of the Q Hotels group which has invested in a major refurbishment programme to bring it back to its former glory.   

Oulton Hall has had quite a chequered history, having been largely destroyed by fire in the mid 1800s.  Following a rebuild, it served has a convalescent home during WWI, then a mental hospital, and by the 1970s was listed as derelict. In the 1990s it was bought by a hotel chain which invested £20m in its refurbishment, creating the hotel we largely see today.

Its sweeping landscape gardens make it a great destination for afternoon tea which is served in the imposing Drawing Room by an efficient and friendly team of waiters and waitresses. The food was excellent and the Prosecco went down rather well too - they had to almost throw us out at 6.30pm we were enjoying ourselves so much!

Gillian wears a Mint Velvet top and jeans and shoes purchased on a trip to France. Anne C wears jacket from M & S, dress and shoes from Hobbs and handbag is one she has owned for years.

Anne H wears jacket from Massimo Dutti, jeans from MIH, jumper from Cos, silver bracelet from The White Company and handbag from Michael Kors.

Carol wears a top from Zara and jeans from M & S   We think for a group of ladies in their sixties we are wearing pretty darn well.  Mind you, the calorie count of the cakes may fill us out a bit too much for our own good.