Text by Katherine Ellis • Photography Courtesy of Gillards of Bath
Since 1888, Gillards of Bath has remained a stalwart institution for hot beverages. Henry Gillard founded the company in the historic city of Bath, England, to produce artisanal tea blends by hand, freshly roasted coffee, and drinking chocolates. With a tiny storefront housed in the famous Guildhall Market on High Street since the 19th century, this notable business has stood the test of time due to its ingenuity, grit, and dedication to traditional methods. Since the very beginning, the family-owned business has changed hands a few times throughout the years, but the quality of its products has remained the same.
In 2019, Nikki and Scott Lakin eagerly purchased the esteemed brand when they moved back to England from New Zealand. The couple, who met as students at boarding school in Somerset when they were teenagers, heard from a former fellow classmate about the opportunity to purchase Gillards. The dynamic duo has thoroughly traveled the world, including tea-producing regions like China, India, Southeast Asia, and Africa, but something has always brought them back to their innate love of tea that was instilled in them from their English upbringing.
Nikki and her husband see themselves as the brand’s “custodians for the next generation,” so it can continue to be a part of Bath’s rich beverage history. For generations, families have flocked to the brand to purchase their favorite teas, with some of the “recipes,” or tea blends, dating back 135 years. “Customers come with their fathers and grandmothers,” Nikki states. “Some have boxes of blends that go back generations. When you chat with those people, [you learn that] their great-great-grandmother used to collect the blend, and now they do.”
Although the reputation of Gillards of Bath might be huge, the brand still operates as a small business. Nikki’s husband, Scott, blends all the teas by hand in a warehouse just outside the city. The key to the quality of the tea is that no leaf is left behind, so to speak, and every kilo of tea is well cared for. “There’s no big machinery,” Nikki divulges. “We stick to those traditional methods. Quality and care are there. We blend a couple of kilos at a time.”
One visit to the shop in Guildhall Market will confirm that time-honored brilliance in craftsmanship is upheld. Large tins of tea, with beautiful patina, line the walls as a symbol of the company’s grand history. When a customer is ready to order and purchase teas by weight, Nikki will fetch the loose-leaf tea from the old tins and weigh them out for each buyer. This process feels deeply personal and unique as opposed to the transactional exchange of goods that is quite common nowadays. It feels as if you are being handed a bit of history when the tea is brought to the counter.
The fine teas are sourced from all over the world, with some suppliers dating back to 1888 and many being involved in the business since before the Lakins joined. Because of these established relationships, customers can trust that the high quality of the tea will always be there. “Our oldest blend is Bath City Blend,” Nikki notes. “The tea is specifically blended to work with the hard water of Bath.” She says it is especially popular with locals who enjoy it with a dash of milk for “a proper cup of tea.” Other notable best-selling blends include their Jane Austen Blend (a combination of black teas and green tea from China that is delicate and refreshing), a favorite among locals and tourists alike, as Jane Austen was an illustrious resident of Bath, and, of course, their Famous Earl Grey, a base of several teas blended together and infused with pure bergamot oil. Since many tea companies use synthetic flavoring to mimic the bergamot taste, the pure oil in Gillards’ Earl Grey sets it apart.
At the end of the day, the key to Gillards of Bath’s longtime success boils down to the quality of their teas. In the 1880s, there were hundreds of tea merchants to choose from, and Gillards has proven to be among the best because of their commitment to excellence. “We are history in a teacup,” Nikki remarks. “If the quality wasn’t there, it would mean nothing. We are blending [tea] properly and treating it with the respect it should have. We take tea very seriously.”
Their unwavering devotion to tradition and their customers has truly made all the difference in the longevity of their pursuit. Even though the world has changed drastically since those first days in 1888, Gillards of Bath’s trusty cup of tea has not.
Gillards of Bath’s products can be purchased in person at the shop in Guildhall Market and online at gillardsofbath.co.uk. For more information, ring +44 1225 851000.
