Betty's of Harrogate


I had an outing to Harrogate last week and one of the highlights was a pot of tea and a mince tart at Betty’s Tea Room.


Harrogate was a spa town where you came to take the waters at the Pump Room. There are several springs in Harrogate providing water with a high mineral (sulphur, iron) content that was supposed to cure whatever ailed you.


My personal opinion is that it was primarily an excuse for a holiday and a chance to enjoy a very social occasion. You’d meet up with your friends to take the waters and then stroll in the parks and visit the shops.


And afternoon tea at Betty’s was surely the place to see and be seen. The tea room turned 100 in 2019 and is still pretty impressive – the fireplace and comfortable chairs are in the ladies’ washroom!


Harrogate is still a lovely place to visit – lots of green areas, lots of fancy shops selling soap, perfume, and clothing. You can’t drink the waters any more, but you can buy soap and lotion made with it. They’re supposed to be very good for skin conditions, such as excema.

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