Serving tea, cake and scones, White Rabbit Teahouse is a quintessential British tearoom, providing a peaceful setting among the noise and crowds of the city centre. Behind the scenes, owner Frances Russell has weathered many storms to keep the business alive. Food co-editor Lucy Campion sat down with Frances to talk about the evolution of her teahouse, how the hospitality landscape has changed and what the future holds.
Tucked away down the warren-like passageway that is Bridlesmith Walk, White Rabbit is immediately recognisable from its vintage, rabbit-themed interior. Founder Frances Russell opened the business at just 23, originally on Hounds Gate. “I think being really young was key – you have to be a bit stupid and naive to do something like that. It wouldn’t be possible now, not with the level of competition and expectations.”
Those early days were intimate and, at times, improvised. “It felt like I was running things from my living room – it looked like that too! There was a big sofa, only a few tables and I lived in a flat above. I was learning as I went because I had no experience before opening.”
The idea of White Rabbit Teahouse was around some time before the business began. “I planned to open a café after university, but life took over and I ended up in London. I worked at Ralph Lauren and realised it wasn’t for me. Opening a café in London felt daunting so I moved back to Nottingham.”
Almost twenty years later and things have changed in many ways. “People’s expectations have shifted. It sometimes seems like people come for afternoon tea and compare us to the one time they went to the Ritz. As a society, I think we’ve become quite critical.”
In spite of this, Frances is proud of the consistent service she has maintained. “I like to think we’ve kept a good level of service, which can be hard to find these days. I’m nearly always there, so I’m often the person serving. I think that’s how we’ve kept our regulars.”
Now is the time to support local independents – not a chain that looks like one, real independents. We use local suppliers, we make everything ourselves and we offer something unique. We need your support more than ever
Two of those regulars have even been coming since opening day. “We had a couple who were my first customers through the door. They stayed with us all these years. For the older generation, who have seen the city change so much, they like that we’ve stayed the same and value the personal touch.”
That sense of familiarity is also why people feel comfortable visiting alone. “Women often come on their own,” Frances says. “People feel safe. Local cafés and independents are crucial, they’re places where people meet, talk, and connect. We must fight for them.”
But running an independent business in 2026 comes with challenges. “It’s become increasingly difficult to find a good team and keep up with changes in wages and policies. Business rates have gone up. Even if you have a full café, you can be operating at a loss. Hospitality just isn’t working anymore.”
“I do love it though,” she adds. “I’ve been running White Rabbit for so long, I don’t know who I am without it. There isn’t really a plan B. I want to stay small and unique and deliver good service. No ambition for more sites, just keep going.”
One thing that has grown is their afternoon tea offering, which is among the city’s best. At £32.50 per person (with optional Prosecco upgrade), it’s a generous spread: finger sandwiches, bitesize quiche, mini cakes, scones with jam and cream, and unlimited tea or cafetiere. “We make everything from scratch. We put a huge amount into our afternoon teas.”
They even offer an afternoon tea for one – a Nottingham first, and perfect companion for a slow afternoon with a good book. This year, Frances is also launching a Gentleman’s Tea for Father’s Day. “Everything is savoury. Mini pork pies, scotch eggs, sausage rolls, roast beef sandwiches, cheese scones, proper builders’ tea and local craft ales. If it does well, we might keep it.”
The initial rise in popularity of afternoon tea was unexpected. “We didn’t even do afternoon tea for the first ten years!” Frances laughs. “Then we heard there was this new thing going on and thought ‘let’s give it a go.’ We didn’t do anything special over Mother’s Day weekend before that, now we plan for months.”
Some of the teahouse’s most memorable moments have come from surprise crowds, like the recent Ice Hockey Championships at Motorpoint Arena. “It was mad, we had international teams booking afternoon tea for twenty.” The thought of burly hockey players sipping from china teacups is amusing, but also a reminder of the universal appeal of any meal that promises sandwiches and cake on the same plate.
While White Rabbit’s food menu has changed with time, many staples have stayed the same due to their popularity. “We’ve made our quiche since the beginning, and scones have always been on the menu. Sometimes people just love the simplicity of an egg mayonnaise and cress sandwich.”
But the biggest challenge remains the rising costs of running a business. “It’s staggering how quickly things rise now. It’s really hard to forecast prices. I hate putting our prices up. I worry about it, put it off, and then when I finally do it, I haven’t increased them enough because costs have risen again.”
When I ask Frances about the future, her answer is clear. “Keep things going, keep White Rabbit alive. That’s the goal for many independents at the moment. Stay small and run the business well.”
Before we finish, I ask for a tea recommendation. She doesn’t hesitate: “Blue Lady. It’s like an English Breakfast mixed with a lemony Earl Grey, with tiny blue flowers in it. I ordered it because it looked nice, and now people come in just for a cup.”
Her parting message is urgent and undoubtedly echoed by independent business owners across the city. “Now is the time to support local independents – not a chain that looks like one, real independents. We’ve kept going through recessions, through COVID, through everything, but now is the hardest time. If people don’t visit, places will close. We use local suppliers, we make everything ourselves and we offer something unique. We need your support more than ever.”
Visit White Rabbit Teahouse at 3 Bridlesmith Walk, Nottingham NG1 2HB.
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