The Big Rooftop Tea & Golf Party- 05.30.12
The latest from London-based editor, Justine Aw.
Last summer, we rowed across the roof of Selfridges, this year, ahead of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Olympics, I was invited for a round of golf on the roof! The festivities are all a part of Big British Bang on the roof of Selfridges. Boasting Oxford Street’s “highest tea” in a cafe from Daylesford Organic, the roof was also transformed into a 9-hole, 2,500sqft crazy golf course by the ever eccentric Bompas & Parr.
The course’s obstacles are designed to look like cakes, complete with fondant cladding and piped icing decorations. They are all celebrations of the metropolis, taking the shape of iconic London landmarks like Buckingham Palace (hole #7), St. Paul’s Cathedral (hole #4) and Tower Bridge (hole #6).
The cafe and crazy golf course are set to stay open all summer and will be open to the public soon. Book your rooftop tee time here and drop in for tea and cake in the cafe, which will be open to everyone on a first come first serve basis. See all the fun on the next page!
A bunting and astroturf filled welcome as we arrive at roof level.
Love the walls lined with golf balls and strawberries!
Tea cups and bunting mark the way to collect clubs and golf balls. It turns out this isn’t the first time a miniature golf course has graced the roof of Selfridges, there was actually a mini golf course on the roof back in the 1930s!
Our round of golf was interrupted by a sudden summery shower, but umbrellas were quickly on hand, in distinctive Pantone 109, Selfridges’ signature hue.
Even the quintessentially English red telephone box made it onto the roof.
A look down at part of the crazy golf course from the roof above the roof!
The Gherkin, Big Ben, St. Brides and Selfridges itself rendered in fondant and piped icing!
Tower Bridge in pretty blue fondant with St. Brides in the background.
A Bompas and Parr waterfall of sugar at the fourth (Thames Tower Vault).
A close up of the beautiful Tower Bridge (a very fun hole to play as well!). Watching your ball shoot through the bridge is immensely rewarding!
Selfridges itself rendering in cake style and (of course) yellow with the face of Big Ben behind.
Big Ben in fondant and icing styled glory.
Nelson’s column, with Nelson atop the dastardly seventh hole (“One Armed Admiral’s Loop”).
Teeing up ahead of the Big Ben Rebound. This hole was not good to me! And a look across the fifth through seventh holes on the right.
Jelly renditions of St. Paul’s Cathedral make for a tricky fifth hole.
Cakes at the Daylesford Organic cafe.
Savory snacks were also on offer, including these little egg mayonnaise sandwiches, perfect high tea nibbles.
A raspberry and mint jelly including a jelly version of St. Paul’s.
Scrumptious fresh baked organic scones complete with jam, clotted cream and fresh strawberries!
Love the fresh salads, strawberries and other produce growing on the roof.
The bakewell tart scented scorecard (it really does smell delicious!) gives you a sense of the course with the name (and feature) of each crazy golf hole. The scent is imparted through the ink which has been impregnated with microencapsulted bakewell tart aromas by Taste Tech.
this looks great. golf roof top tea part. i never really heard of such a thing but i guess it works
----- Dallas Roofing 19.04.13 20:00