Anyone for a cuppa?

Tea is a part of most households' daily routine. Especially in mine.

My day begins when my first cup of tea is in my hands. Whether it is when I get into the office ("Oh, are you putting the kettle on...?), or when I slump groggily into the kitchen and automatically reach up for the tea cupboard on a weekend, I genuinely do not remember a day in my adult life which has not began with a brew.

And it is easy to see why; tea is now a staple part of our diet. It has infiltrated our consciousness. It has formed, solidified,and bound friendships. It is physical, cultural, and mental. It is quintessentially British.

How did a tradition reserved for the far east become such an inherent part of our history?

The UK Tea Council tries to explain with a few facts:

* It brings people together. 80% of office workers claim that they found out more about what's going on over a cup of tea than in any other way

*By the mid-eighteenth century, tea had overtaken ale and gin as the drink of the masses to become Britain's most popular beverage.

The ever-growing importance of tea in an era when nostalgia is in (ref: Downton Abbey/Birdsong/designers at London Fashion Week showcasing their Autumn/WInter ranges) and vintage is cool, has led The Tea Council to hire PR agency Threepipe to promote the merits of tea amongst 20-25 year old females.

Ladies who lunch: Threepipe have been hired by The Tea Council to "make tea cool" amongst 20-25 year old females.

The agency has been hired to help "attract a young, social media-savvy audience" away from coffee and water, over a period of three years. 

I am personally, really looking forward to hunting down the tea pop-up shops "with a British fashion theme" which will hopefully be popping up in an area near me soon.

I'd like to take this opportunity too, to urge Threepipe not to forget the North when they plan these tea pop up shops - because everyone knows Northern girls love a good cup of tea. We'll bring the biscuits.