Becket's Traditional Tearooms: Afternoon tea... with a view of the Cathedral

Tracy and Graham Cleaver opened the doors of Becket’s Traditional Tearooms – in the historic Becket Chapel in the cathedral precincts – last week, and have high hopes for the future.

The couple, who ran The Old Copper Kettle in Crowland through the pandemic – felt ready for a new challenge and couldn’t turn down the opportunity to reopen the tearooms which, operating as Sundays, closed earlier this year.

“I had taken early retirement last year to bolster the business we were running but we found we had outgrown the place and were looking for something with a bigger footprint, where we could do what we wanted to do to take things forward, a venue where we could combine the food with music and entertainment,” said Graham, a musician.

"We came and had a look and fell in love with it straight away. We knew it was what we were looking for.”

A long and detailed tender process later they got the keys and opened without a fanfare – although an official opening event is being planned with music and food on the menu.

“The response from people seeing the place open again has been great,” added Graham. “We are doing tea and coffee, breakfast – including full English – rolls, sandwiches, toasties, jacket potatoes.. we are trying to keep everyone happy.

“All the cakes and sausage rolls are made here on the premises, the bread is from a bakery in Spalding and we are trying to source local meat.

"And as the name suggests we are doing afternoon teas and cream teas. We have lots of seating outside too where people can sit and enjoy the view.”