It's been a place of rest and refreshment for many a cabby over the years. Somewhere you can meet up with friends for a quick cuppa and a chat, with no fuss about parking or having the cab broken into. Used by bikers, car enthusiasts and the general public as long as I can remember.
Recently, it's become extremely popular with Middle Eastern men. I asked a couple a few months ago why so many Arabs were using the Tea Hut and they said its a great meeting place, easy to find plus most Arabs visiting Britain have been there and know where it is. Apparently it's referred to as "The Tea Hu"t in Saudi and Dubai.
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In my early cabby years, on the last Saturday of the month, I would watch the Chelsea Cruise wind it's way along Kings road and over Chelsea Bridge. Hot rods, drag racers and cars with extensively modified, parading up and down passed the tea hut, which was always the focal point.
Building on the success of the petrol heads, the cars were later joined by super bikes and people would come from all over the country just to be spectators.
For most of the 40 years I've been driving a Taxi, I've regularly used the hut for a quick tea and a sussage roll in the middle of my night shift.
But unfortunately our watering holes have been disappearing at a speed of knots, Broad Sanctuary, Tina's, Orange Square Peter's, even Sorhwark Bridge Road, all gone from the night trade.
The Spirt of Chelsea could soon be "A Bridge Too Far".
We've been told for years that this day would eventually come and now we've recently heard the council are seriously looking to close down this iconic kiosk. It seams that anything and everything attached to our life style in London, is under threat from people with no interest in tradition or our passed history.
It makes you wonder if they would still be looking to close this hut if it was a general meeting place for cyclists?
Can't see the greenies standing for that.
DONT LET THEM DO THIS.
Please sign our petition, it only takes a couple of minutes of your time.
Please help to preserve our tradition and heritage
SAVE THE CHELSEA TEA HUT.