Fans of ITV’s Bletchley Circle or of Duffy’s “Stepping Stone” video may recognize the exterior of Time for Tea in Shoreditch, London from the screen. This popular forties-themed tea room is now hoping to cash in on its visibility by selling for big money.
Owned by Johnny Vercourte, the building has undergone a transformation over the years. When Vercourte bought the space for £95,000 in 1995 it was in rough shape, situated next to a building that was operating as a brothel. The five-story Georgian-style structure had been built in the early 18th century as a branch of London Savings Bank and served as several types of businesses in the following years, but has lain vacant since the early 1940s. Vercourte transformed the space into a tea room and event space.
The first floor of the building is used for tea parties and events like film screenings and pop-up shops. They promote the building’s use for television and film projects set in the period from 1939-1959, offering to provide extras, actors and props.
An auction was set for Monday, the 21st, with the hopes of finding a buyer who would want to use it for retail or business space or to convert into a private home. The purchase price was expected to reach at least £2,000,000, but an appropriate buyer was not found. It is now listed with Savills for £2.2 million.
SOURCE: London Evening Standard