A DULVERTON tea room is top of the cups when it comes to serving one of the best cuppas in the country.
Lewis's Tea Rooms, in High Street, beat off strong competition from 130 teas shops throughout the UK to claim one of only 11 excellence awards from the Tea Council.
Earlier this year, representatives from the council's Tea Guild secretly visited Lewis's and awarded the tea room marks based on the tea's flavour, strength and temperature.
The condition of the crockery and staff attitudes and knowledge were all taken into account - with Lewis's scoring top marks in almost every category.
Unfortunately, the Dulverton business just missed out on being named as the Top Tea Place 2002. That honour fell to a tea garden in Newquay.
Tea Council executive director Bill Gorman said: "Lewis's Tea Rooms is setting the standard for top tea-making in the UK.
"As ever, competition for Top Tea PLace was tough, but 12 shops shone through with their exceptionally high standard of service."
It is estimated that Britons drink 105 million cups of tea every day. Mr Gorman said the awards were intended to help the nation serve the perfect brew while boosting the tourist industry at the same time.
Lewis's Tea Rooms will now be featured in the Tea Council's Best Tea Places book and on the organisation's website at http://www.tea.co.uk">www.tea.co.uk.