The London Tea Exchange
The London Tea Exchange is a boutique tea destination in the northern section of Brick Lane. It was once based in Spitalfields Market but relocated several years ago to its present location, reflecting the area’s historical importance in the tea trade, pioneered by the East India Company.
The owner of the London Tea Exchange, the son of a former curry restaurateur, offers his customers a choice of 300 premium black, green and white teas. It also serves a variety of coffees and cakes. But like other businesses in Brick Lane, it suffered during the lockdowns. ‘We have a lot of people coming who live outside the area – international tourists, of course, but also regular customers from other parts of London come here as part of a day out. But we closed before we officially had to in 2020 because we wanted to protect our staff. Many of them were really worried about catching the virus.’
Since reopening in May 2021, the number of customers to the London Tea Exchange has steadily increased, but it is nowhere near normal. Like other financially successful business owners in Brick Lane, the owner has reflected on his business strategy. He says that although the London Tea Exchange already has an online presence with an attractive, easy-to-navigate website, there is an obvious attraction to further boosting this business segment by smart marketing.