A Hitchin town centre tea shop which has just served its 500th high tea says customer reviews are crucial to its success.

The Comet: The team at Mr H tea rooms includes Elsa Fogden, Gary Crocker, Vicki Harvey and Lucy-Jayne McKennaThe team at Mr H tea rooms includes Elsa Fogden, Gary Crocker, Vicki Harvey and Lucy-Jayne McKenna (Image: Archant)

Mr H’s tea shop in Bucklersbury, part of the long-established Hawkins department store, is a comparitively recent addition to the offer at the family firm, which has been part of the town centre scene since 1865 - heritage photographs of the store and town in years gone by can be examined by customers who pop in for a cuppa and a cake.

Proprietor Gary Crocker grabbed the opportunity to run the tea shop after spotting its potential when holding a tasting session for his jams and pickles at the store two years ago.

“It is an honour to reach this milestone in a ‘foodie’ town like Hitchin,” he said. “We don’t just serve locals, we’ve had people from far afield as Peterborough who then visit the town’s independent businesses as well as the market.

“I feel very proud of being part of Bucklersbury and its history.”

Gary’s also proud of the shop’s raft of rave reviews and high rating on the Tripadvisor site, and the certificate of excellence it was awarded by the online arbiter of food and drink quality this year.

But he has to be at the top of his game to survive in what he admits is a very crowded market. He said: “When I first started there were 113 places to drink and eat in Hitchin on Tripadvisor – now there are 151 and still growing.”

As well as a wide range of teas and coffees the shop is renowed for its homemade cakes with gluten-free options.

Cakes and scones are supplied by Funke Awokoya of Hitchin-based Cool Creations.