FAMOUSLY, the UK was once hailed a nation of tea drinkers.

However, the emergence of coffee shop culture has heralded a change in drinking habits of thirsty Brits – and Somerset is no exception.

According to some data, coffee is now the country’s favourite hot drink – replacing the classic British brew – with the British Coffee Association website saying we drink a whopping 98 million cups each day.

Meanwhile, 80 percent of those who visit coffee shops do so once a week, with 16 percent of the population visiting once a day.

So, cafe culture in the UK is booming, and now coffee machine review site Coffeeness has done some work to find the best UK cities for coffee lovers.

To compile the list, the firm considered a range of factors, including the number of coffee shops and coffee roasters, as well as coffee pricing, search trends and annual coffee festivals and events.

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They found Salford, in Greater Manchester, was the most coffee-friendly city in the UK in terms of accessibility to good quality coffee – and affordability.

London is one of the cities in which the average cost for a cup of coffee is highest – topped only by Ely, in Cambridgeshire.

The most affordable coffee can be found in the cathedral city of Durham, where you’ll pay £2.81 on average.

At the other end of the scale, Sunderland ranks as the least favourable UK city for coffee lovers, while Bristol ranks fairly low in terms of coffee accessibility and quality.

However, the south west city came in second for coffee culture and interest.

In Somerset, the cities of Wells and Bath both ranked in the top 10 – Bath in fourth place and Wells in ninth – for coffee lovers.

The top 10 best UK cities for coffee lovers:
1. Salford
2. London
3. Preston
4. Bath
5. Brighton & Hove
6. Liverpool
7. Durham
8. Peterborough
9. Wells
10. Leicester

On Bath, Coffeeness said: “The ancient city of Bath is one of Britain’s top tourist destinations, and for good reason. Apart from its stunning Georgian architecture and relaxing thermal spas, Bath is a buzzing cultural gem, replete with world-class shopping, dining and cultural activities.

“Coming in fourth on our list of the best cities for coffee in the UK, Bath is home to four coffee roasters. That’s pretty impressive for this compact old city.

“Furthermore, there’s some seriously great speciality coffee to be had in Bath. Located at 6 Chapel Row, Colonna & Small’s is just one example of a stylish cafe offering truly excellent espresso drinks.

“You won’t pay an exorbitant sum for a cup of coffee in Bath – the average price is around £3.04.

“Plus, in terms of coffee culture and interest, Bath ranks very highly, taking the number six spot on our list.”

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