INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Joe Ellis’ Tea Room Guide website. The idea behind this site has naturally evolved from one man’s love of a cup of tea and visiting tearooms when he is not working.

Joe Ellis, my husband, works hard as the Chairman to a national martial arts governing body ( ) and teaches Karate each evening. In his spare time, what there is of it, he loves to drive around pretty towns and villages and through the countryside enjoying the peace, and scenery, and especially the tearooms. He has been visiting them since he was old enough to drive a car back in the late seventies.

If he is ever asked directions to anywhere he will often use a tearoom as a point of reference; in the same way many people use a pub. Joe has no idea where pubs are, he never drinks alcohol, but instead loves a cup of tea whenever he is out and about. Even our three year old Yorkshire terrier, Holly, and two year old Yorkiepoo, Rosie, enjoy their tea, thanks to Joe.

We have recently visited open gardens in our local parish, and we spent at least half an hour in each garden which served tea. He talks about opening our garden at weekends, when we are in our later years, and serving tea and cakes to passers-by, as a kind of impromptu tearoom of sorts.

Joe is very particular about tearooms. If one is doing a good job he will continue to visit as long as it stands. He is very loyal. He often recommends his favourites to friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers he may meet on the train or at some business function.

He has a saying ‘Wherever you may be, always have a pot of tea’. He quotes it all the time.

I have been with Joe for nineteen years and we often visit the same tearooms year in, year out. I admit I favour the ones which also serve a glass of wine, but like Joe I enjoy the atmosphere of the more traditional ones. If somewhere gives bad service or there are rude or unfriendly staff; he will rarely go back.

One additional thing I should say is that Joe has Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism. He hates very crowded places, prefers quieter environments; and can easily be overwhelmed if too much is happening at once. He also gets very disturbed when there are constant banging noises or shouting. We visited one once, where the waiters would go through the doors into the garden and the door would slam behind them. After 20 minutes of this, he mentioned it to one of them and all he got was a shrug of the shoulders. He has never returned. Because of his Asperger’s he will normally visit a tearoom on a weekday mid afternoon, as they tend to be quieter and he feels more comfortable. If I am with him, he will visit one at a weekend.

Joe has an affinity to beautiful antiques, pretty crockery, lace of any kind, and anything which is traditional. He also loves piano music and, forties and fifties type music (in addition to his beloved Simon and Garfunkel). He does not think a good tearoom (or restaurant for that matter) should use the self service method. There should be table service and proper cups and saucers. He frowns upon chipped and cracked crockery. He also believes that if it is on the menu, it should be available, unless a waiter tells you otherwise before you choose. His biggest annoyance is being ignored, especially if the place is reasonably quiet.

Yes, he can be fussy, but the whole experience is what he enjoys and every customer, whatever the business, should expect good service.

He decided to set up this website after both good and bad service in two respective tearooms in East Sussex one afternoon. He was so upset by the service he received in one tearoom he wrote a letter to the Manager as soon as he got home. Joe is very determined and when he decides to do something he does, usually very quickly. People with Asperger’s are very impatient and don’t like to wait long for anything!

He is known wherever he goes, as an ‘expert’ on tearooms, so he has now decided to share his apparent expertise with a wider audience. At some stage he aims to publish his views and personal experiences on tearooms into a book. It is his mission to find every great tearoom and tell everyone about them. Unfortunately for them, it is also his mission to weed out the not-so-great ones and tell everyone about them as well.

Be warned, Joe Ellis is coming to a ‘tearoom’ near you!

Sandra Ellis

Joe Ellis

Sandra Ellis

Rosie (Left) & Holly