I’ll just put the kettle on

No problem is too big or insurmountable that a good cup of tea can’t fix. This very British maxim is as true today as it has always been. Across Britain a kettle is being boiled for almost every occasion – be it a nice chat, or plumbers fixing pipes, or military commanders organising an exercise. The reason it seems is that we all reach for the comfort and reassurance afforded by a nice cuppa.

This conclusion is born out according to the latest Tea Census results. Tea is seems is very good at calming all our nerves. 15 per cent of respondents to the census said that they drink tea because they want a break from work or life, and a further 20 per cent because they need or want to relax. The results dug a little deeper with 14 per cent drinking tea when they were down, 12 per cent when they were upset and 9 per cent when they were lonely.