The Foreigner's Guide To Most Quirky British Habits

Why do the British use two (hot and cold water) taps; while the rest of the world needs just one?

Mixer-tap has been invented in the previous century, but the UK seems to be a bit slow to catch on. That made me wonder: what are the reasons for the perplexing tendency to use two separate taps, one of which boiling, and the other - freezing?


Opinions vary.

"The British are quite happy to wash their hands with cold water. Maybe it's character-building," says Simon Kirby, managing director of Thomas Crapper & Co., a maker of bathroom equipment in Stratford-on-Avon.
However, the explanation I find most convincing is the historic one. After WWII houses in Britain were built using cold water storage tank, often located somewhere in the attic. This tank could easily get contaminated with dust, algae or even dead rodents.

The hot water that came from the tank was therefore considered non-drinkable. The cold water, on the other hand; came directly from the mains and was safe to drink. Regulation prohibited mixing the two sources together, because of the chance of a system fault and the risk that the potentially contaminated mixed water could regress to the mains, polluting the system.

With the advance of modern plumbing systems, such risk is easily avoided; however many households prefer to keep the old design and the traditional 'Victorian' look.

Why do the British eat Marmite?

Because it's good for you! Despite the Danish doubts about the effects on people's health, Marmite could actually be good for you. Nutritionist Melanie Brown says: "Marmite plays such a useful part in many people's diet, and it's incredibly useful for older people who are short in vitamin B-12. It's full of folic acid, and there's lots of evidence that many women, young women of child-bearing age are deficient in folic acid.

Why do the British drink tea with milk?

The answer is that in the 17th and 18th centuries the china cups tea was served in were so delicate they would crack from the heat of the tea. Milk was added to cool the liquid and stop the cups from cracking. This is why, even today, many English people add milk to their cups BEFORE adding the tea!