I'm not British and I prefer tea. It tastes better and you can actually taste the difference between flavours very clearly (plain ol' black tea vs. chai tea vs. peppermint tea vs. green tea, etc).
Coffee comes in yummy flavours, but essentially they all taste the same with just small variations.
To sweeten coffee to a point where it is drinkable, you have to use enough sugar to turn a hummingbird diabetic. Tea takes just a spoonful or two.