Ben Henderson

Although I have to say, you know, there are some pretty evil, you know, matcha drinkers and things like that.

Anyone who asks for one of those really obscure ones in the shishy coffee shops, you know.

I can sympathise with Dickens there.

Fascinating.

So I think this is really kind of at the heart of why Britain becomes so associated with tea, isn't it?

Because the Industrial Revolution happens earliest and fastest in Britain.

It utterly transformed our society more than any other.

And therefore tea, which is basically the sustaining juice that's been firing the Industrial Revolution, is naturally going to become part of our national identity.

And this era is also the era, you know, the Victorians, they're awash with moral panics and all that kind of stuff.

And industrialisation has brought, I mentioned some of the poverty earlier.

There's a lot of problems with alcoholism.

So they see tea as a great solution to that too, because, you know, get them off the booze, get them on the tea.

Fascinating.

I love that.

So it's both a healthy product, but it's also useful for fueling the workers.

Well, I've actually not had great experiences with tea rooms.

So I went on holiday to Bath.

And I know there's a very famous tea room there.

And they just didn't let me in.

You're a suspicious character.