Why afternoon tea on the London Eye is just as good as the gobsmacking views

It is fair to say I am a big fan of a traditional afternoon tea, writes Nicola Everett, so when the opportunity arose to enjoy sandwiches and sweet treats on one of London’s most popular tourist attractions, I jumped at the chance - just don’t expect an intimate experience.

The London Eye has been a major feature of the capital’s skyline since opening in 2000 to celebrate the new millennium. It was only ever intended to be in situ for five years, but 25 years later it welcomes around three million visitors annually and has recently introduced a more indulgent way to enjoy the ‘flight’.

The trip started with a VIP welcome, then we headed up the neon pink staircase to a private bar for a small glass of wine, lager for the other half and a view out to the Eye, soaring above the Thames.

It’s well worth arriving early for this bit! We were then met by our guide who gathered the group of 12 booked for the 3pm tea and successfully ushered us to the front of the queue before we boarded capsule 24.

The bench in the centre of the pod had been replaced with a beautifully laid table adorned with sandwiches, scones and cakes neatly arranged on stands resembling the landmark itself (a nice touch).

Apparently, we were supposed to sit opposite our partner at what was a rather large table, however, most preferred to sit next to their other half leading to some confusion as to whose carrot cake was whose, but we eventually took our seats and prepared to tuck in.

The choice of tea was good with Breakfast, Earl Grey and various herbal varieties among the options. I went for peppermint. Coffee was also available.

Onto the food, and I must admit it surpassed my expectations considerably. The savory bites were incredibly tasty. My favourite was the turkey ham and cheese sandwich on tomato bread with mustard mayo.

The scone was served with jam and clotted cream - I won’t start an argument as to what goes on first, but let’s just say I went jam then cream and it was delicious.

At this stage of the proceedings I remembered how filling an afternoon tea is despite appearances, and still had more cake to consume. But hang on, there’s a view to see. Incredibly, the pod is large enough to be able to leave your seat and wander around to take plenty of pictures and selfies.

This experience also lasts an hour so you get two rotations of the Eye and therefore plenty of time to enjoy the magnificent views. Our guides for the afternoon picked out landmarks including the BT Tower, the Shard, the Ministry of Defence building and Waterloo Bridge with interesting facts on each.

While not everyone stuck to the cake stand they had been assigned to, there was plenty to go around and we certainly weren’t left hungry.

The lemon meringue was my favourite of the deserts with the mini carrot cake coming a very close second - the chocolate macaroon with London Eye branding was a nice bonus.

By the end of the flight, most of the food had been consumed and I was very full. A doggy bag to take away any leftovers would have been nice, as I hate to see food go to waste.

This is a truly wonderful way to see London and a very nice treat. There are probably more intimate afternoon teas available in the capital but none with such a spectacular view.