Tiffany's Edwardian Tea Room, Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare

This is, for Weston at least, an attempt at gentility and refinement. It is definitely a cut above the usual seaside fare of fried, sugary doughnuts, fish and chips, ice creams and chicken tikka masala flavoured rock*. It is situated right at the end of the newly-refurbished Grand Pier. Access is absolutely fine, though you may have to weave in and out of the attractions of the arcade.

Being at the end of the Pier means that you have magnificent views of -- well, an awful lot of sand and mud most of the time. This is Weston after all. Having said that, it is still easy on the eyes and a balm to the nerves. The décor, though modelled on the Edwardian style and described as such in all the paperwork, is closer to Grandma's front room circa 1950; but it is just as clean and scrubbed with pristine white linen. The menu hints at gentility by hiding the fish and chips amongst a plethora of sandwiches and cream teas - but a whopping £18.95 for the latter is extortionate, even by Cotswold standards.

We only had drinks as we had already partaken of the more traditional seaside fare. The service was good, the Earl Grey was Twinings and there were at least three cups in the pot. But this is Weston after all. Ask for an Americano, be charged £2.25, not including the £1 entrance fee for the Pier itself. And get a small black coffee. Served in a teacup.

*I kid you not. Black pudding flavour, too. This is Weston, remember.