Tradespeople are famed for their tea breaks with the average tradesperson having three cups per shift, Ironmongery Direct found. However, research suggests this tradition may be disappearing, as younger generations are less willing to put the kettle on for tradespeople, who are only being offered a hot drink on half of their jobs – according to Checkatrade.

Tea is often consumed at work during busy periods to keep energy and morale up, and tradespeople deserve it more than most due to the physical nature of their jobs. With research revealing how to prepare the perfect cup of tea for each trade, Fix Radio – the UK’s only radio station dedicated to the trade – are available to comment on how to reward tradespeople for a job well done.

In a study asking 500 UK tradespeople to pick out their favourite shade of tea from a colour chart, it was revealed that bricklayers drink the strongest mug of ‘Rosie Lee’. Plumbers and builders followed closely behind in the rankings, who also prefer their drinks on the darker side. At the other end of the scale, plasterers have the weakest tea of all tradespeople, with joiners and landscapers not too far behind.

As well as generally favouring stronger drinks, the research also found that tradespeople tend to like their brews sweet. The most common way to take their tea is with two sugars (28%), with plumbers being the most likely to have a sweet tooth. Nearly two thirds (63%) of them have at least two spoonfuls.

However, it is electricians who drink the most of it. Nearly half (45%) of those in the electrical trade have four or more cups of tea a day. In contrast, builders and landscapers drink the least, with almost two in five (38%) having just one or two tea breaks a day. But this also varied by region, with workers in Sheffield and Edinburgh having the most tea breaks, averaging nearly four per day, while those in Belfast have the fewest.

Key stats:
The average tradesperson has three cups of tea per shift
Bricklayers drink the strongest tea
Electricians drink the most tea with 45% saying they have four or more cups a day
28% of tradespeople take their tea with two sugars
With customer interaction being the most enjoyable part of the job for 22% of tradespeople, it’s vital that British consumers continue to maintain their strong relations with tradespeople. Experts in the trade, Fix Radio – the UK’s only radio station dedicated to the trade – are available to share ways on how to relieve some of the pressure for tradesmen while working, and create the most effective work environment.

With an audience 400,000 tradespeople, Fix Radio has established itself as a trusted voice within the industry. Featuring regular podcasts and interviews with some of the biggest talent in the industry including Facebook superstars, the Bald Builders and, Clive Holland of the BBC.