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Room Forty blog

Vintage Crockery, is it worth buying or hiring?

5/2/2026

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If you are looking for the look and feel of an afternoon tea experience for your own private celebration, but are not sure whether to hire or to buy all the crockery, we have some top tips for you.  

Imagine the scene, beautiful teacups, fancy teapots, milk served in hand painted milk jugs and sugar cubes in delicate gold rimmed bowls from circa 1920. 

It paints a pretty picture, and I am extremely fond of, as I have been running an afternoon tea company for ten years. 

I never tire of looking for crockery, finding new pieces and seeing how old they are, and I LOVE hearing our customers guests saying wow when they walk into the room. 

So I can completely understand why you'd want to create this spectacle of wonder for your own celebration, whether that's a wedding, a graduation event or a birthday party. 

But the question is, should you hire all the items you need, or is it just better to hire them?

I can't deny that collecting crockery for a small afternoon tea is a lovely way to spend your time, but depending on your numbers, it could very quickly get out of hand and become overwhelming.  

It takes a LOT of time to source pieces that are not chipped or cracked, so be prepared to make lots of visits to charity shops over several months.  That's teacups, saucers, side plates, teapots, cake stands, cutlery, milk jugs, sugar bowls, sandwich plates... I could go on! 

Then there’s washing it before use, storing it, setting it up and then washing it all up again afterwards, packing it all away…and then what to do with it when your event is done??

 I speak to a lot of people who have been in this position and just want their garage/shed space back so contact me to see if I can help them. 

Hiring on the other hand of course does mean that you don't own the crockery at the end of the event, but then you don't also have the hassle of what to do with it afterwards (there's only so many garden parties you'll use it for in the future). 

It is also much cheaper to hire vintage crockery than to buy it. Teacups are becoming more scarce and charity shops and online market places know this, which means the price is rising and many of our tea cups retail for £10+ each.  

How to hire vintage crockery without hassle. 
 If you would like the look of a vintage afternoon tea, without any of the hassle, give me a call. I have so many beautiful vintage trios,  along with tiered cake stands, teapots, milk jugs….and it’s all included in our easy hire package for £4.70pp - less than you’d pay for a single trio in a charity shop!    Happy to quote to set it al up for you to.

Delivery available to all over the North West. Additional charges apply 
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    Jen Perry; loves discovering beautiful vintage china, eating cake and drinking proper tea.

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  • HOME
    • About Room Forty
    • Contact
    • Blog
    • Media
  • MENU CHOICES
    • Afternoon Tea
    • Wedding Catering
    • Funeral Catering
    • Corporate Entertainment, a unique concept
    • Buffets and Bespoke
    • Tea
    • Cakes and bakes
  • Experience Days
    • Crafternoon Tea
    • Bake and Balance
  • Vintage Crockery Hire
    • Terms and conditions
  • Baking Workshops
    • Kids baking party
  • Afternoon Tea Delivery