I concur. The way I like to do it is by just making up a fictional city. Maybe a port town somewhere in Wales (or around the English shore, if you're dead set on having it in England) and make up a history for it. As for the tea thing...well, I'm addicted to tea, and I'm a yank! xD Don't worry, I know you all aren't as obsessed with tea as the media suggests.
I'm from Britian! I've only been to London a couple of times but there seem to be a lot of proffessional people there. Also, there is a lot of congestion. In a certian area of London, there are even charges to drive through it.
