A Ringtons salesman came canvassing in my area just before Christmas and I thought I'd give them a go. If nothing else I could get a cheap packet of tea and some free biscuits. With my first order I received a half price packet of tea, which usually cost around £1.80, so I only paid 90 pence, which I considered a real bargain, I started off by trying their traditional teabags, the tea was lovely and fragrant, they have a huge choice but after trying a few I have found that the Kenyan is my favourite. I first tried it when they had a commemorative diamond jubilee tea caddy for £4.99 with the tea in. Well this is now my choice; you can buy it without the caddy.

I'm now a huge fan of Ringtons and all their products they sell tea; loose or bagged and a variety tastes from green to traditional, decaff to fruit tea. They also sell coffee, biscuits, sweets and hot chocolate to name a few.

With my second order I received a free packet of biscuits and boy are they good? They aren't cheap the triple chocolate cost me £1.69 for eight biscuits but they do have a wide selection of biscuits. Yesterday I discovered their chocolate covered ginger nut biscuits....wow!! I would say these biscuits are the height of luxury, they are wonderfully tasty hand baked golden crunchy biscuits covered in milk chocolate, another good option in the fruit and lemon; but to be fair I buy a good selection from them every time they come, which is every two weeks, and have never found one that isn't the highest of quality and taste.

I have also bought some of their novelty items...tea towels which cost £4.99, a diamond jubilee mug also £4.99 and as I said before the tea caddy again £4.99, and have been highly impressed. My son's favourite is there fruit jellies, which are very nice traditional soft fruit jelly sweets.

The salesman comes to the door with a huge basket with a choice of items to buy, you pick what you would like and he scans it for you. On the odd occasion he has come to the door and I have forgotten to get some money out, they are very obliging in letting you pay next time. They are very flexible just the way it used to be years ago. It's such a lovely old fashioned way to shop and I love it. I wish more companies offered this service. The staff are all extremely friendly and I stand and have a chat with my "tea man", it's not just a machine the way some shops are becoming now, you get the full personal touch. This is a great way of keeping traditional shopping alive. I would love the baker to come my door with fresh bread of a morning.

Ringtons is northern company founded in 1907 by Samuel smith and has been a family run business ever since. Based in Newcastle, ringtons has been a household name in the north for generations, only recently has it begun to flourish in the south...

Their website is www.ringtons.co.uk and you are able to order online with free delivery on orders over £30.00 so if they don't deliver in your area( they are expanding all the time) you can still get there amazing products. There is a postcode checker to see if they deliver in your area, but saying that, they say online that they don't deliver to me when in fact they do, so you are probably best advised to call to double check.

Telephone: 0800 0522440
email: tea@ringtons.co.uk
Address:
Ringtons Ltd.,
FREEPOST NEA 2653
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 2YN

I would highly recommend them to any tea lover; they give great service and quality in very traditional and personal way...Fantastic!!