Willow Tearooms, The

The Willow Tea Rooms First opened in 1903. Charles Rennie Macintosh was asked by Kate Cranston to design the exterior and internal layout of the building and all the interior fittings. At its height the tearoom extended over five levels. Unfortunately when Kate Cranston’s husband died in 1917, she sold her businesses and the buildings were put to other uses.

In 1983 at the original location, Anne Mulhern recreated the Room de Luxe on the second floor, to the original design, with its silver furniture and leaded mirror friezes. Then in 1996 the Gallery was recreated up on the first floor. Here the walls are grey and pink and the chairs are painted black with ladder backs and blue/mauve upholstery.

Today you can enjoy breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea in these tearooms. The waitresses wear black dresses with white cuffs and collars and frilly pinnies. There are 12 loose leaf teas to choose from (I had the gunpowder tea! and very refreshing it was too) as well as fruit and herbal ones. A large selection of cakes is on display as well as sandwiches, toasties, filled bagels and croissants, and Scottish savoury and fish dishes.

Enjoying the flavour of a bygone era makes a visit well worthwhile. However, the external façade looks tired and untidy, and inside a jewellery showroom seems inconsistent with one’s expectation. Once in the tearoom after the initial surprise and pleasure at being in the atmosphere of Rennie Macintosh’s Art Nouveau environment, there is an element of disappointment. It's difficult to categorise but it is there all the same.
 

Why would I go there? To experience the style of a bygone age.

Any Negatives?  You can feel very crammed in when it is busy.

Before or After:
1. Shopping especially on Buchanan Street.
2. Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art isn't too far away at Royal Exchange Square.



Coffee Shops and Tearooms Scotland Scottish Tearooms and Coffee Shops