1980s–today
1980s–today
Bettys Today
1980s–today
Bettys Today
If our founder, Frederick Belmont, walked into Bettys today, what would he think? The dainty fancies, smart interiors and continental-inspired menus should reassure him that our Swiss history continues to inform our present. As would our Craft Bakery in Harrogate – a little corner of Switzerland in Yorkshire. He’d recognise the skills of the craftspeople who work there, who use the finest ingredients to create handcrafted treats. He served his apprenticeship as a baker, confectioner and chocolatier – just as our bakers, confectioners and chocolatiers do today. A visit to Bettys Cookery School would show him how we share our skills and our passion for cooking beyond our bakery with the rest of the world.
Of course, though Frederick was Swiss, he made his home in Yorkshire. He was a blend of the Dales and the Alps, just as we are. All six of our cafés are in Yorkshire so he could try a taste of the county without leaving its borders – a Yorkshire Curd Tart in Northallerton, a Fat Rascal at Stonegate, a cup of Tea Room Blend in Harrogate.
Always a man ahead of his time, he’d be delighted to discover that the mail order service he established in the 1920s is now sending treats to all four corners of the world.
He may be amused to find that his collection of Spindler marquetry pictures that once hung on the walls of his den at home are now proudly displayed to visitors to Bettys in York and Harrogate. And he’d certainly enjoy seeing the newer additions to the collection, especially since that would also entail visits to Ilkley and Harlow Carr – Bettys Tea Rooms that didn’t even exist in his time.
The Belmont Room in York, on the other hand, would be entirely familiar. It would take him back to the journey on the Queen Mary passenger liner that inspired its design. We hope it would make him happy to find that it looks no different today than it did when it first opened in 1937.
Mostly though, we think he’d feel proud. Proud that the little café business that he founded on 17th July 1919 is still here, 100 years later, bearing the name ‘Bettys’ over the door.
“Working together to build a great Yorkshire Family Business, creating prosperity and pride by doing what we believe in”
The Family’s Vision for the Business – from our Family Business Constitution launched in 1994
Our famous Afternoon Tea
Choosing a treat from the fancy counter
Featured article
Who was Betty?
Who was Betty?
Ever since Bettys first opened customers have been intrigued by the true identity of ‘Betty’. 100 years later, the truth behind the name remains a mystery, though many theories have been proposed. These are just a few.
Betty Rose
Prehaps the least fanciful story tells of a young girl, Elisabeth ‘Betty’ Rose, the granddaughter of Mary Wood, the financial backer and first Chariman of Bettys. ‘Betty’ was said to have interrupted the very first board meeting carrying a toy tea tray...
Betty Lupton, ‘Queen of the Wells’
When Frederick wrote to his sister Ida after arriving in Yorkshire he described Harrogate as a ‘Spa of the first order’. Did he choose to attract locals to his smart café by naming it after Betty Lupton, ‘Queen of the Harrogate Wells’, who served the town’s spa water to visitors in the nineteenth century?
Betty, the Musical
Frederick and Claire may have seen this musical theatre show about a kitchen maid named Betty who wins over the affections of a young duke. Perhaps Frederick had a fondness for a rags-to-riches story.
Betty Rose
Betty Lupton
Actress Winifred Barnes as Betty
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Trees for Life
Trees for Life
In 1990, Jonathan Wild – Victor’s son and then Managing Director of Bettys – was asked a tricky question by his children after an episode of Blue Peter: “Daddy, how are you going to help protect the planet?”
He answered by promising to plant one million trees but things got out of hand. We’ve now planted more than three million trees around the world, including thousands of trees in our beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
In our centenary year, we would love you to help us celebrate by planting trees and protecting woodland to make an impact in your own community.
Discover our Café Tea Rooms
There's no better time to visit Bettys than in our centenary year. Throughout 2019 we'll be introducing delightful new menus in our Tea Rooms, our shops will be brimful of limited edition centenary treats and gifts, and in Harrogate and York you can explore our history and culture through a series of special events.
There's no better time to visit Bettys than in our centenary year. Throughout 2019 we'll be introducing delightful new menus in our Tea Rooms, our shops will be brimful of limited edition centenary treats and gifts, and in Harrogate and York you can explore our history and culture through a series of special events.
