There are eight Starbucks coffee shops within three blocks of St. Paul's Cathedral here, and all were bustling one recent lunchtime.

Kevin Quinn bought a mocha frappuccino, the first of several Starbucks drinks he said he was likely to consume that day. He also picked up a caffe latte, a cappuccino and a piece of chocolate cake for colleagues, paying the equivalent of $18.55. ''I probably spend too much, but I'm addicted now,'' said Quinn, a 31-year-old accountant who grew up drinking tea.

Starbucks coffee has invaded England, upsetting the tea cart in a country famous for its afternoon tea. London already has some 200 Starbucks outlets, surpassing New York City, which has 190. All told, there are 466 Starbucks in the United Kingdom, as well as many fast-growing local chains with such names as Caffe Nero and Coffee Republic. Meanwhile, U.K. tea sales have declined 12 percent in the past five years, according to market-research firm Mintel.

Read more about the invasion of the Starbucks coffee shop in the UK at http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/special_packages/business_monday/13026290.htm.