Fifty shades of Earl Grey

A quarter of Brits start drinking tea before the age of five

As a nation of avid tea drinkers, Brits are renowned for being particular with how they like their brew, so Gala Bingo has done some investigating into our habits and found out just how important the famous British drink is to us, revealing the formula for the perfect tea.

New research1 from Gala Bingo shows that almost a quarter (22%) of us admit to starting to drink tea before the age of five, and what's more, almost a third of people (31%) in the UK drink five or more cups of tea a day.

Research has also revealed the perfect cup of tea: take a bag of PG Tips English Breakfast, add one sugar, add the milk last and pair with a Digestive biscuit, and you have the nation's overall brew of choice.

So what don't we like? To avoid your tea going down like a soggy biscuit, steer clear of decaffeinated, never add three or more sugars or add the milk first. Most importantly, do not serve with a Jammie Dodger, with only 2% of people choosing it as their accompaniment of choice.

To support the research, Gala Bingo has created a ‘Tea Map' of the UK, showcasing exactly how each region prefers their tea. If you're trying to wow someone in Leeds or Manchester, make sure you stick to a ‘tried and true brew', a classic shade of tea where you can't go wrong. However, if you're attempting to impress a boss in Norwich, go lighter on the milk and aim for a ‘Rich Mahogany' tea tone.

Across the UK, Southampton comes out as the tea-guzzling capital where the majority (21%) of habitants admit to drinking six cups a day, whilst Edinburgh is satisfied with only one cup (17%).

When it comes to a morning pick-me-up, most have their first cuppa between 7-8am (24%), however the IT industry appear to be the late risers of the UK, with one in 10 (11%) waiting until 9am for their first brew.

Alison Digges, Brand Director at GalaBingo.com, said: "Perfecting a cup of tea is a real talent, especially when we take it so seriously in the UK, which is why we have found the formula for the perfect cup of tea. These findings will ensure you are well-known for making a good cuppa - wherever you are in the UK. The only downside? Prepare to become the favourite for the office tea run!

"To celebrate our new Emmerdale bingo game, we're giving away limited edition Emmerdale mugs if you spend £10 with us, ideal for practicing your tea making skills."

1. Based on a survey of 1,007 adults