Before entering the store, look up to the clock, chiming on the hour, as mechanical representations of the store’s founders emerge with tea tray and candelabra, respectively, before politely bowing to each other and inviting customers in.
Once inside, it is hard not to be sidetracked. Stacks of eau de nil–colored tea tins with oodles of tisane, leaf, and tea bag varieties, catch the eye. Tempting jeweled-toned glacé and dried fruit, fresh figs, and potted cheeses line the aisles. Endless cake and dessert assortments, once purchased, end up in gorgeous beribboned cake boxes. The annual collectible biscuit tins, filled with cookies and shortbread, make wonderful presents, too.
Ceiling to floor, Fortnum & Mason spares nothing when it comes to embellishing its interior. Frosted twigs and branches thread the spiral staircase and form commanding archways. Glittering trees house a mix of the latest ornamental accessories, including lovely tea sets suspended from satin ribbons. Affordable luxuries abound—Christmas snap crackers, prized marmalades, gourmet food hampers, tea towels, and tree and mantelpiece decorations. There’s something for everyone!
