IT apparently takes 9,500 cups of teas to build an average house. That is on top of the bricks and cement.

I read this figure in a newspaper and was reassured that our great British drink was still popular with the great British worker and a continuing mainstay of industry.

Our pubs may be closing, but we are still drinking tea. In fact, we are consuming 165 million cups daily or 60.2 billion per year in the UK.

A cult in Malaysia even worships a giant teapot because they believe it symbolises “the healing purity of water.” It is true that tea does you good, but even I think that’s going a bit far.

Tea was first drunk in China around 5,000 years ago. It arrived in Europe in 1560 and became popular in Britain in the 18th Century. It is now synonymous with the British way of life.

Afternoon tea was started about 1840 by the Duchess of Bedford. She had the cup that cheers served with a light snack to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner.

This became fashionable and high tea was a ritual among friends and in high society.

It still is and you can have a superior afternoon tea at Harrods for £52 for two, but don’t all rush at once.

The Duchess could also be said to have instigated that great British divide – what to call the main meal of the day.

“Nay lad,” a friend often argues. “Tha has your dinner at dinnertime and your tea at tea time.”

And never the twain shall meet.

The Tea Council explains: “For the working and farming communities, afternoon tea became high tea. As the main meal of the day, high tea was a cross between the delicate afternoon meal enjoyed in the ladies’ drawing rooms and the dinner enjoyed in houses of the gentry at seven or eight in the evening.”

Which is why, today, the working man will say he’s off home for his tea while the middle class has dinner.

I am a big tea drinker. Well, actually, I’m a little tea drinker but I drink a lot of it. I also enjoy coffee but was a little worried when I read that coffee may be encroaching on tea’s popularity.

Still, it is reassuring to know that in America, afternoon tea is fighting back among ladies of affluence. One website provides essential hints on attending an English afternoon tea party.

“Knowing proper etiquette and manners allows one to relax and enjoy the charm of an afternoon tea. This English tradition is a lovely way to spend time with friends in a genteel and special atmosphere.”

Tips include how to hold the cup, stir the tea, add sugar and milk and eat scones and cream.

“Tea sandwiches and treats should be eaten in delicate bites. Remember to smile and chat between bites. Tea should always be sipped sweetly with elegance to show good manners.”

And the expert adds: “Practising at home before attending a public party might be a wise choice when one is unfamiliar with having afternoon tea.”

Bless.

It’s a good job British builders don’t take their tea like that or those houses would never be built.