Carriages of Cambridge

Very small kitchen that could not guarantee no cross contamination.

Fantastic Afternoon Tea and such great gluten free items. We will definitely be back. Thank you for your excellent service.

Very disappointing today..... 4 ladies treating ourselves before Christmas. Booked well in advance and advised that 1 x gluten free and 1 x no chocolate, it makes me very ill. (We have been previously with no issues). Lady confirmed on arrival and again by another member of staff in our compartment. Tea ordered and arrived quickly. Then it all went downhill. My (chocolate free) arrived and it was the little sandwiches and 4 scones and a tiny mince pie. I asked if this was really what I was supposed to have,? No alternative, that was what they had to offer me! I said that I did not wish 4 scones.... would anyone? If that was all I was being offered I would have the regular offering and take them home. Next server can in...she was chatty and said she totally understood. By this time gluten free has arrived and had a egg custard tart with raspberries..... oh I could eat that! Asked if possible. She went to ask and sadly no, not possible at the time, the cook would come to speak to us. I said I'd rather not as all the experience was to be with my friends not going over this again to everyone. It was really not comfortable rehashing what couldn't be changed. Chef appeared and basically told us that the menu changed seasonally and we should have been told limitations when we booked. We certainly were not advised of 4 scones!. Next another lady popped in to say we had to go to 'the barn' to pay. We finished our 2 hour session, collecting boxes to take bits home. Went to barn to pay, usually pay on train. When asked lady said that this was new method they were using. Paid. Whilst we were saying our goodbyes in the car park... no other guests went via the barn. We asked and all had paid at their table. Popped back into barn and lady said 'no I decided you should come here'/'to ask how your afternoon tea was'........ She never had asked as I would certainly have told her my total disappointment of my experience. When a booking is made in advance, with dietary needs, please do NOT accept it if you can't cater for it. A relaxed chilling time with friends became just quite awful and spoilt totally by the '4 scones' or nothing and the repetition.