Some Interesting Facts About England

Public Holidays

Date 2005 Occasion
January 1 New Year's Day
March 25 Good Friday
March 27 Easter
March 28 Easter Monday
May 2 May Day Bank Holiday
May 30 Spring Bank Holiday
August 22 Summer Bank Holiday  
December 25 Christmas Day  
December 26 Boxing Day

Weights & Measures

The metric system is used in Britain.
Weight is measured in kilograms, and distance in kilometres.

Electricity

Britain is a 240-v AC country (50-60HZ). Bring along an adaptor, if your gizmos are used to other specifications, although they are easily available in big cities.

Customs & Duties

VAT or Value Added Tax is charged on most goods and services sold in shops around Britain. Retrieving this tax requires a procedure and filling out a form, but is worth the saving. You can avail of the Retail Export scheme for this purpose. VAT is also charged on services in hotels and restaurants, but this cannot be reclaimed. If you are bringing goods into England from within the EU, there are no limits on the quantity, except in the case of alcohol, cigarettes etc..

Post & Communications

You can send snaps and postcards weighing under 2 kg to your buddies back home through airmail which is fast but costly. SurfaceMail is cheaper but slower, and you also cannot send postcards or photographs within Europe through this mode. The standard airmail postage for Europe and the world is 30p. For sending packages outside the Union, you might need to fill out a Custom’s Declaration Form.

Tipping

Give your cabbie about 10-15% of the metre fare, your hotel bellhop something between 50p and a pound for every suitcase he carries, and add on about 10-15% onto a restaurant bill. Theatre attendants do not expect tips, nor do gas station employees.