On Monday 19th October the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain organised an exclusive afternoon tea in collaboration with The Bentley London Hotel, a member of the Spanish Chamber. Ms. Raquel Lozano, Director of Sales & Marketing at the hotel, was our exceptional host for the event which was led by Mr. Richard Birtchnell, Toastmaster and Past President of the prestigious Society of London Toastmasters. The event took place in the 1880 Room, a private space which favoured the relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere guests experienced throughout the evening.
Ms. Raquel Lozano welcomed attendees to the hotel on this special occasion before giving the floor to Mr. Richard Birtchnell. He provided the attendees with an overview about the afternoon tea tradition, which began in Victorian times to relieve the hunger between lunch and dinner.
Once the tea had been served, it was time for Mr. Birtchnell to talk about the different kinds of food that are usually eaten during the typical afternoon tea and explained in which order each should be eaten. On this occasion, attendees could enjoy a variety of cold sandwiches – ranging from the classics smoked salmon or cucumber to a more modern coronation chicken- , traditional scones served with jam and clotted cream and a wide range of pastries and cakes.
Having discussed the tradition of afternoon tea, and with guests savouring the many treats in front of them, Mr. Birtchnell moved on to the next topic in the agenda: etiquette and protocol. Using his vast experience working with royalty, government, high-profile guests and institutional representatives, he offered an overview of how protocol works in practical terms and shared a few anecdotes with guests before concluding.
After this, attendees had time to mingle over tea and pastries and they enjoyed a guided tour led by our host Ms. Raquel Lozano around the hotel premises.
We would very much like to thank all participants for joining us on this occasion. We are also sincerely grateful to Ms. Raquel Lozano and The Bentley London Hotel for kindly hosting this exclusive event and to Mr. Richard Birtchnell for making this activity a memorable evening for all attendees.
Do not forget to keep an eye on our UPCOMING EVENTS section to learn more about future activities and events of the Spanish Chamber.