 | McLae“s guide to United Kingdom |  |
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United Kingdom Internet country code: .uk International telephone prefix: +44  That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life" Winston Churchill The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the United Kingdom or the UK) occupies all of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern portion of the island of Ireland and most of the remaining British Isles. Located just off the north-western coast of mainland Europe (and counting Ireland, France, Belgium and Holland as its nearest neighbours), the UK is comprised of four home nations within the Union: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Several island protectorates also exist, which include the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The UK today is a diverse patchwork of native and immigrant cultures, possessing a fascinating history and dynamic modern culture, both of which remain hugely influential in the wider world. Although Britannia no longer rules the waves, the UK is still a major destination for many travellers. The capital city of the United Kingdom, and of England, is London. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country made up of several nations and territories: Note that technically Great Britain is the name for the largest of the islands that make up the British Isles: Scotland, England, and Wales. It is often used as a misnomer for the entire United Kingdom. * Great Britain: - England - by far the largest component, in terms both of size and population - Scotland - situated in the far north of Great Britain - Wales - located within the largely mountainous western portion of Great Britain * Northern Ireland - occupies north-eastern part of the island of Ireland. Note that English, Welsh and Scottish people may all be referred to as "British", but to refer to Welsh or Scots as "English" is both inaccurate and impolite. Some residents in Northern Ireland may describe themselves as "British" and others as "Irish" - however the term "Northern Irish" can be used to describe people from Northern Ireland without causing offence. Crown Dependencies: * The Channel Islands: Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark. * The Isle of Man The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are not strictly part of the UK, but rather are 'Crown Dependencies'. This means that they have their own democratic governments, laws and courts and are not part of the EU; but they are not entirely sovereign either. Eating and Drinking: Certainly only the minority of visitors will come here for the famous food, however despite this, British cuisine has improved greatly in the past few years. The truth is that Great Britain certainly is among the most expensive places to eat out in Europe when compared to the more southern European countries, but relatively cheap when compared to countries such as Switzerland & Norway. Despite the relative high cost, the UK has a number of good quality eating outlets. The stereotype made by Jacques Chirac, saying that British food is the second worst in the world after Finland does stand out in some eating outlets, but many restaurants/pubs in the UK do serve delicious and reasonably-priced food. Many restaurants in city centres tend to be a little more expensive then ones say, in the suburbs, and pubs do tend to be slightly more expensive in the countryside, but generally, a three-course meal without drinks will cost the traveller anywhere between £10 and £15. Chicken tikka masala with rice is UK's official dish (well almost). Sandwich shop: A very British way to have food is to go to the sandwich shop and get a freshly prepared take-away sandwich. Alternatively, most towns and many road routes now have a branch of an American fast food chain. Many large shops will have a coffee shop or restaurant. A variety of take-away (carry out) food of various types is available in most towns, ranging from fish-and-chips to Indian, Chinese, Thai and other cuisines. Generally the standard of 'take-aways' is good, although travellers should beware. A good guide is, as always, to observe what the locals are doing. If there are a few people waiting to be served then the food should be good - although at pub closing time it's worth noting that a take-away's popularity may be based more on its opening hours than its cuisine. Pubs: Almost all pubs serve food, although not all will do so during the whole of their opening hours. Quality and prices of all these types varies enormously as mentioned above and you should seek local advice if you have particular requirements/standards. Pubs work on a self service basis; you order your drinks and food at the bar and pay upfront. Do not sit at a table in a pub expecting a waiter to take your order as you will be rather disappointed . Regulation of opening times has changed recently with many venues now open past the traditional closing time of 11pm. Some pubs can now open 24 hours although this is rarely taken advantage of. Restaurants: Larger towns have a range of restaurants to suit most tastes and you will find a very broad range of different cuisines, because Brits are very open minded and love food from India, China, Thailand, France and Italy. Waiters generally expect a 10-13.5% tip and in most places you get directly charged for the service. The service is average and you should keep your expection in the same level. Tourists and residents can enjoy Thai, Indian, Bangladeshi, Cantonese and Haute food. Balti: One of the most popular types of restaurant in Britain is an Indian restaurant. Most common in certain areas of large cities and not often found directly in city centres or other tourist traps, Indian restaurants serve cuisine known as balti, named after the metal bowl the food is cooked (and served) in. The cuisine supposedly originated in the UK though it is clearly based on food from the Indian subcontinent. Common balti dishes include Chicken Tikka Masala, Prawn Biryani and the incredibly spicy Vindaloo. Birmingham in the Midlands is considered the balti capital of the UK as this dish was originally conceived there. Children: Children are not necessarily allowed in all pubs and restaurants, and high chairs are not always available. Most pubs that serve food will accept children, and it is usually rather easy to distinguish those that do. The general rule is that children cannot sit (or stand about) in the area where drinks are being served; so if the pub has only one small room they are not allowed. Children are welcome in most pubs, especially those with gardens, but again they are not supposed to come near the bar. Typical food: It should be pointed out that whilst these are foods famous for only being found in Britain, the British diet actually consists largely of imports and the menu of even the cheapest pub will include international dishes such as pasta, pizza or chinese foods. Regional specialities: Some think that Britons tend to drink alcohol mainly in the evening, during the day they are sustained by tea and coffee. Bill Bryson was only half-joking when he said "I remain impressed by the ability of Britons of all ages and social backgrounds to get genuinely excited by the prospect of a hot beverage". Getting drunk is acceptable and often it is the objective of a party. This applies to all levels of the British society - it may be worth remembering that the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, had to collect his son Euan from a police station after he had been found drunk celebrating the completion of his GCSE exams (taken at the age of 16). Nevertheless, Britons have a great sense of humour and everything is forgotten after a hangover, at least until the next time. Pub: The pub (public house) is the most popular place to get a drink in the UK. Even small villages will often have a pub, serving spirits, lagers, ales, snacks, and increasingly a selection of wines and alcopops. British real ales, championed by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) are amongst the best in the world - though they are not to everyone's taste. The best selections can be found at 'freehouses' which are not 'tied' to a particular brewery. Many pubs are very old and have traditional names, the "Red Lion" or "King's Arms"; before widespread literacy pubs would be identified by most customers solely by their signs. Recently there has been a trend, strongly resisted in some quarters, towards chain-pubs such as the Hogshead, Slug and Lettuce and those owned by the JD Wetherspoon company. Another recent trend is the gastro-pub, a smartened-up traditional pub with a selection of high-quality food (nearly at restaurant prices). Beer in pubs is served in pint and half-pint measures, or in bottles. Simply ordering a beer on tap will be interpreted as a request for a pint, eg 'A London Pride, please'. Alternatively 'half a London Pride, please' will get you a half-pint. Prices vary widely based on the city, the pub and the beer, but generally pints will be in the range £2 to £3. Pubs often serve food during the day. Drinks are ordered and paid for at the bar. Passport to the Pub is an entertaining (semi-serious) guide to British pub culture for visitors, written a few years ago (though licensing laws have recently changed, and opening times are now less strict than they describe). Wine bars: In cities there are more modern wine-bars and cafe-bars, though the variable weather means that there is not as much of a 'street scene' as in other European cities. Clubbing: Clubbing is popular in large towns and cities; Manchester, London and Sheffield have world-renowned venues as well as many alternative joints. Prices in clubs tend to be considerably higher than those charged in pubs. Respect: People in the UK are generally polite, friendly and understanding towards tourists, however non-English speakers should be prepared for difficulties as foreign language speakers are rare even in tourist areas. Public behaviour doesn't vastly differ from continental Europe. Public displays of affection between other people is unlikely to cause offense in most situations, however passionate kissing in enclosed areas such as on a bus may cause problems, so try to avoid this. It is acceptable to address someone by their first name in most situations though names are often avoided among total strangers to avoid causing any offense or a feeling of overfamiliarity. In very formal or business situations first names are not commonly used at least until people are more well acquainted and Mr X, Miss Y or Mrs Z are used. Waiters, shop assistants and other people providing a service will often address you as Sir or Madam (note: NOT Madame with a french pronunciation) or possibly as Mr X etc. On hot days in the summer it is acceptable for men to walk shirtless in towns and cities, especially near the seaside or other tourist areas. However it would be very impolite to do so in a shop or pub and totally unacceptable in a restaurant. Short trousers are perfectly acceptable anywhere in the summer except for establishments with explicit dress codes. Beaches can become very crowded in summer especially during public holiday weekends and school holidays. In the UK , in certain situations, it is still considered taboo for women to sunbathe topless (probably because there are so few days a year when it is warm enough to do so, thus a sight to which people are not accustomed!) It is common for very young children to be on a beach unclothed. Nudist beaches are common in Britain though most are found in secluded locations away from town and city centres. Very important to most Britons is etiquette at mealtimes. Some visitors are surprised to find British people even eating pizza with a knife and fork. Ridiculous as it may seem to some, you may be judged on how you comport yourself at mealtimes, though as always, foreigners are given some leeway. Some simple rules to follow are: do not begin eating until everyone has been served (again, use your judgment even if you are told to begin eating by those who have not been served); never talk with your mouth full, this is the cardinal sin of dining; contrary to American practice, it is customary to hold your fork "upside-down". It is often said that it is impolite to return used cutlery to the table, but this rule is largely ignored - use your judgment. When finished eating, return your cutlery to the middle of the plate, together. Do not be too afraid to leave uneaten food; most hosts will not find this offensive. There are a few other etiquette practices to try that may gain you a lot of respect amongst some Britons. The most important of these is the greeting. The most common greeting you'll receive from a Briton is the handshake. There are some very important rules to follow when giving or receiving a handshake: do not grip too firmly as this may be seen as a sign of aggression, but equally do not offer up a limp hand. Never shake hands whilst wearing gloves or with your other hand in your pocket. It is very important to stand up when giving or receiving a handshake. If it is not entirely practical to do so, such as in a restaurant, a cursory lean forwards will probably suffice. Between female acquaintances, don't be too surprised to find British people practising a "continental" kiss on the cheek, albeit with typical British restraint. Also, amongst young Britons, friends will often greet each other with an uncharacteristic hug. Except between very close relatives, men will never kiss as a greeting, but a reasonably aggressive hug and back-slapping may happen. While these rules may appear arcane and pedantic, you will find that most Britons appreciate good manners more than just about any other character trait, and will look down on bad-mannered souls with scorn. Though Britain is said to no longer have a class system, class divisions are still a lot more pronounced than in continental Europe or America. Most of the social conventions mentioned above will often only apply to people who see themselves as middle class. As the culture in North America is much more open, Britain may come as a bit of a shock; it is usually not common practice to speak to people you don't know other than to ask for help, and asking someone what they're doing generally is taken as offensive. When greeting someone or knocking on one's door remove your hat or any other 'accessory' such as scarfs and gloves. This symbolises respect on entering someone's home well dressed. History: The present United Kingdom is the latest of several unions formed over the last 840 years. Scotland and England have existed as separate political entities since the 9th century. Wales, under the control of English monarchs from the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, became part of the Kingdom of England by the Laws in Wales Act 1535. With the Act of Union 1707, the independent states of England and Scotland, having been in personal union since 1603, agreed to a political union as the Kingdom of Great Britain. The Act of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland, which had been gradually brought under English control between 1169 and 1691, to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Independence for the now Republic of Ireland in 1922 brought the partition of the island of Ireland, with six of the nine counties of the province of Ulster remaining within the UK, which then changed to the current name in 1927. The United Kingdom, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, is often credited with being the nation that "created the modern world", by playing a leading role in developing Western ideas of property, capitalism and parliamentary democracy - to say nothing of its part in advancing world literature, science and technology. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one quarter of the Earth's surface and encompassed a third of its population, making it the largest empire in history. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted from the effects of World War I and World War II. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous nation. The UK has been a member of the European Union since 1973. The attitude of the present government towards further integration is mixed, with the Conservative Party favouring a return of some powers and competencies to the UK. The government has yet to choose whether to adopt the Euro; current policy is to hold a referendum on the issue if and when five economic tests indicate that Euro entry would be beneficial. |
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