In all its long history since its founding in 1750, Royal Crown Derby has never targeted the hospitality sector. Its tableware was aimed at the domestic market, and others were left to market to hotels and restaurants, whether for tea – or breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No longer.
Royal Crown Derby Entertains has just unveiled its fine bone china tableware for a traditional British afternoon tea offering at The Waldorf Hilton, London. The Westminster design Royal Crown Derby Entertains was introduced at the hotel on 16 September, through a special afternoon tea package.
Guests are treated to a quintessentially English afternoon tea experience in the hotel’s deluxe Homage Grand Salon (pictured below), with distinct blends of tea and exquisite finger sandwiches, pastries and cakes all served on the finest quality bone china from Royal Crown Derby Entertains. The afternoon tea occasion has been further refined to include a live harpist and champagne trolley including a vintage champagne option.
High quality: setting, food, and tableware
As a privileged guest at the first serving in the Homage Grand Salon – a superb setting -– H & C News is happy to testify to the very high quality of the afternoon tea: the pictures show just how good the pastries and cakes looked, but not how good they tasted. There was very little left uneaten on our table, and what remained provoked a lively debate about the desirability and design of ‘doggy bags’ in such a context!
As can also be seen from the photographs, the Westminster design Royal Crown Derby perfectly complements such an occasion. Not only does it look the part, but it works in practical terms: for example, the tea cups are well-sized and easily held – not always the case, in our experience.
Royal Crown Derby Entertains
Manufactured in the heart of England at the company’s Derby based factory, Royal Crown Derby Entertains is a range of delicate tableware pieces embellished with iconic patterns from Royal Crown Derby’s distinguished history.
Sourced from the company’s extensive pattern archive, the Westminster design was conceived to bring a sense of elegance to a hotel or restaurant table. The range features a distinctive sweeping motif, which has been set against the pure white finish of the bone china and Royal Crown Derby’s signature 22 carat gold border.
The Royal Crown Derby Entertains collection comprises all the fundamental ingredients for a formal afternoon tea. Each piece has been painstakingly designed to deliver the highest quality performance and preserve the subtle intricacies associated with the ceremony.
A choice of six designs
The Royal Crown Derby Entertains collection includes six designs, Chelsea, Westminster, Covent Garden, Knightsbridge, St James and Piccadilly, with an array of shapes available for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner services. H & C News looks forward to seeing the other five designs as they are revealed at hotels and restaurants over the coming months.
The ranges are complemented by a bespoke design service that enables special commissions to be fabricated in Royal Crown Derby’s factory.
Royal Crown Derby Entertains Sales Director John Mohin comments: “When developing the Royal Crown Derby Entertains collection we drew upon our wealth of history and experience in producing the finest tableware for an afternoon tea ceremony or formal dining occasion. Each of the ranges within our portfolio reflects Royal Crown Derby’s rich heritage of creative artistry and technical skill within its border pattern, with every design sourced from our archive and reinterpreted to meet the demands of the premium hospitality industry.”
The Waldorf Hilton, London
The Waldorf Hilton, London, has a rich London heritage spanning over a hundred years, with its interior bringing to life the glamour of the roaring twenties through an elegant art deco décor. Situated on the tree-lined thoroughfare of Aldwych, the hotel is a stone’s throw from Theatreland and some of the capital’s most iconic attractions.
Peter Beckwith, area general manager, London, Hilton Worldwide, said, “At The Waldorf Hilton we pride ourselves on our heritage and partnering with Royal Crown Derby was an excellent opportunity to expand and take delight in our rich hotel history. Through collaboration of our afternoon tea and the Westminster Collection, guests will be treated to a truly traditional British afternoon tea experience.”
About Royal Crown Derby Entertains
- The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company is an internationally renowned manufacturer of fine bone china tableware, giftware and collectables. It is owned by one of the world’s leading tableware suppliers, Steelite International.
- Royal Crown Derby employs 168 people and manufactures the highest quality English Fine Bone China at its factory on a four and a half acre site on Osmaston Road, in Derby, England.
- The present factory was established in 1878 but the business traces its origins to the original factory which was set up in Nottingham Road in about 1750. Queen Victoria granted permission to include the title “Royal” in the company name in 1890.