"One arrives in chaos. People searching for a table. There is no system to seat those who have arrived: one must just roam until one finds a spare table. At busy periods in the middle of the afternoon, this means that the place resembles a...small safari park. Even once one has found a table, the new arrivals roam from place to place, looking for a table. Why? Well, the place is well known and has a good reputation. The setting is undeniably pleasant, with tables nestled within the garden. Very large slices of cake are served with coffee that is apparently roasted in house and held out as something special. In fact, the quality of the cakes is only average. Most cakes are simply huge white sponge cakes with various fruit baked within them and a bit of a topping e.g. almonds or flour and sugar crumble. Most disappointingly, they use only longlife milk, including in their supposedly special coffee. The truth becomes apparent rather quickly: the staff are hurried and overworked. Most were foreigners, suggesting rather low wages, though everyone we encountered was pleasant and trying to do their best in the circumstances, it was all rather frantic. The milk is unpleasant and so what is the point. Tea involved a houseprepared tea bag in a mug no pot or loose leaves. I doubt I will go back, but if I do I will probably go later when it is quieter and have a beer"
