Afternoon tea for parties and events
Serve afternoon tea at hen parties, baby showers, community events and venues that want a classic treat.
- £1.5k-6k
- Part-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
What it is
A hosted afternoon tea service at private parties, village halls, gardens and venues, with your own stands, china and tiered cake plates. You bring the food and set up, serve and clear.
Your first three steps
- Register as a food business with your council and get food hygiene training
- Buy a starter set of tiered stands, teapots and china, and photograph a styled setup
- Contact local venues, party planners and village halls to offer a trial event or package
Who pays
Party hosts, wedding and baby shower planners, charities, community groups, care homes and venues wanting an add-on.
How it makes money
A price per head with a minimum number of guests, plus charges for hiring crockery, staffing and travel.
Skills that help
- Catering for groups
- Event setup and timing
- Hosting and customer service
- Planning and costing menus
Watch out for
- Council food business registration, and check rules for preparing food in a separate commercial kitchen or at venues
- Allergen information for every event menu
- Public liability insurance, and check whether venues require their own proof of cover
- Transporting food safely, including temperature control
- Check whether serving alcohol such as prosecco needs a licence or whether the venue covers it
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: afternoon tea for parties and events
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
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