Carl Watson and his wife Helen are keeping the very English tradition of afternoon tea alive.

Time for tea - Carl with regular customers Ken Diller and his daughter Hanna, ten Picture: ANNA LUKALA

They run Squire's Tea and Coffee Shop, in Rayleigh High Street, which will be included in the AA Tea Shop Guide Book, being published later this month.

The book reviews the best teashops in the country.

Mr Watson said: "We are not the Ritz but we send our afternoon tea out like the Ritz - on a two-tiered china salver.

"It certainly gets the wow factor. It consists of sandwiches, scones, cream and jam, and a slice of the cake of the day."

Published Wednesday April 7, 2004

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