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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Alice Fisher Lifestyle Editor

Dinosaur macarons and pink prosecco: how afternoon tea in UK embraced the Instagram generation

Afternoon tea is served at the Kensington Hotel in London.
Afternoon tea is served at the Kensington Hotel in London. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

Finger sandwiches, scones and tea sipped from bone china have long been enshrined as a British ritual. But a tradition that was once seen as the preserve of the upper and middle classes – as well as of older generations – is finding a new audience.

Sales of afternoon tea hampers are soaring, while more hotels, restaurants and cafes are creating their own offerings, some with increasingly experimental menus. Surveys suggest it is becoming more popular with younger people, partly inspired by how it will look on social media.

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