William Edwards Hive Rectangular Tray 340mm x 150mm (Pack of 12)
Product Description
The William Edwards Hive rectangular tray is a fine bone china serving piece designed for structured afternoon tea and formal hospitality presentation. The Hive pattern features a delicate hand-painted design...
Specifications
- Box quantity
- 12
- Diameter
- 0.32
- Dimensions
- 0.13(H) x 0.32(W) x 0.41(D)mm
- Weight
- 7.06kg
Downloads
Product Description
The William Edwards Hive rectangular tray is a fine bone china serving piece designed for structured afternoon tea and formal hospitality presentation. The Hive pattern features a delicate hand-painted design drawing on the flora and botanical character associated with traditional tea garden settings, and it sits comfortably within the broader William Edwards range produced by Steelite — a manufacturer well regarded in UK hotel and restaurant tableware.
In service, these trays are well suited to structured afternoon tea covers where presentation consistency matters. The rectangular format provides a practical surface for tiered stand bases, loose leaf tea accompaniments, or small pastry and sandwich elements laid out per cover. The hand-painted detailing holds up to the close scrutiny of table service without looking overly fussy or fragile in a working environment.
Practical advantages for front-of-house teams include:
- Consistent presentation across covers from a matched pack of 12
- Rectangular format suits structured afternoon tea layouts and tray-based plating
- Fine bone china construction supports smart, formal table settings
- Hand-painted Hive pattern offers a recognisable, cohesive aesthetic within the range
- Pack quantity reduces the need for frequent restocking in active service
These trays require careful handling and storage in line with fine bone china best practice. They are not intended for high-volume casual dining environments where robust, everyday crockery would be more appropriate. For operations running larger afternoon tea covers or requiring greater pack multiples, it is worth considering whether a higher-volume pack arrangement better suits your service model.
The Hive tray is best suited to hotels, tearoom restaurants, and hospitality venues running formal afternoon tea as a defined service. It fits naturally alongside other pieces in the William Edwards Hive range, and building a consistent set across tray formats, cups, and plates is worth considering for a cohesive table presentation.
If you are building out a full afternoon tea setting or are unsure which pieces from the Hive range best match your cover requirements, we are happy to talk it through with you.
Key Features
- Fine bone china construction suited to formal table service settings
- Hand-painted Hive botanical pattern consistent across matched pack of 12
- Rectangular format provides structured surface for afternoon tea plating
- Produced by Steelite under the William Edwards brand for hospitality use
- Pack of 12 supports consistent presentation across multiple covers
Operational Benefits
- Delivers a cohesive table aesthetic across all afternoon tea covers
- Rectangular shape aids structured plating and reduces per-cover preparation time
- Matched pack of 12 minimises mismatched presentation during busy service
- Recognisable pattern supports branded afternoon tea experiences in hotels
- Sits within a wider coordinated range, simplifying full setting procurement
Specifications
- Box quantity
- 12
- Diameter
- 0.32
- Dimensions
- 0.13(H) x 0.32(W) x 0.41(D)mm
- Weight
- 7.06kg
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
- These are fine bone china pieces designed for formal presentation rather than high-turnover casual service. They are best suited to venues running structured afternoon tea where careful handling between covers is standard practice. For higher-volume or less formal environments, a more robust earthenware or porcelain alternative would typically be a better fit.
- Yes — the Hive rectangular tray is designed to coordinate with other pieces in the William Edwards Hive range. Building a consistent set across cups, saucers, plates, and tray formats is straightforward given the matched pattern, and we can advise on what combinations work well for a given cover count.
- That depends on your cover count and whether trays are cleared and returned to service between sittings. For smaller operations running one or two simultaneous sittings, 12 pieces may be adequate, but venues with larger afternoon tea services or multiple concurrent covers often find it practical to hold two or more packs to avoid shortfalls during peak service.