Tipping tour guides in England and Ireland

This is not about tipping but since you mentioned pubs I have a question about which I have been wondering. We are going to be with our grandchildren, aged 12 and 16. Can we take them into pubs for a meal?

Broadly, yes.:)

The days are long gone when as kids my brother and I were left on the pub's front step with a packet of crisps, and licencing laws are now very much more liberal.

Most pubs now rely on the sale of food to remain profitable, and many actively seek-out business from families. Overall, a quarter of the turnover in the nation's pubs is for food, and drinks for those diners pushes that up toward 50%.

With few exceptions, the law allows children of any age to go into a pub as long as they are accompanied by someone aged 18+. That's something of a mixed blessing when parents don't control their very young kids.

The law even allows those aged 16+ to drink a limited range of alcoholic drinks with a meal.

The main exception is for pubs which are used primarily or exclusively for the sale of alcohol, and that clearly won't be the case in pubs which serve meals.

Publicans can set their own more-stringent rules, which they tend to do only for unique or specific reasons. For instance in London's commercial areas, where pubs rely on trade from business people and some consequently don't want custom from families

Globaliser may be surprised by some of those figures, because Globaliser lives in the big bad city ;)

In London, and in large cities around the country, there's a much higher proportion of "drinking" pubs.

In my fairly rural area food accounts for 36% of sales, in London food accounts for just 8%.

So if a pub is recommended to you for food, or if you see folk dining, I doubt you'll have a problem :)

http://beerandpub.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/LicenseeGuidance/Children-in-pubs.pdf

https://www.statista.com/statistics/755134/pub-companies-wet-and-dry-sales-share-in-england-and-wales/

JB :)

The main exception is for pubs which are used primarily or exclusively for the sale of alcohol, and that clearly won't be the case in pubs which serve meals.

 

Publicans can set their own more-stringent rules, which they tend to do only for unique or specific reasons. For instance in London's commercial areas, where pubs rely on trade from business people and some consequently don't want custom from families

 

Globaliser may be surprised by some of those figures, because Globaliser lives in the big bad city ;)

In London, and in large cities around the country, there's a much higher proportion of "drinking" pubs.

In my fairly rural area food accounts for 36% of sales, in London food accounts for just 8%.

However, there are plenty of pubs that do allow children, so I agree that if looking for a meal in a pub there shouldn't be a major problem.

Perhaps London is different, but the over-18s only pub that I mentioned has a noted restaurant; and All Bar One does make a thing of its food, so it's not just a drinking establishment.

 

However, there are plenty of pubs that do allow children, so I agree that if looking for a meal in a pub there shouldn't be a major problem.

Hi, G.,

All Bar One has been spreading its wings - it recently discovered Southampton & has a unit at the West Quay complex.

I agree, it's not a "pub" in the accepted sense.

I.'ve actually eaten there, though it's geared to twenty-somethings - and that is perhaps the reason for their house rules.

Yes, even in Southampton, under 18s aren't allowed into All Bar One in the evenings..

" Under 18's accompanied by a supervising adult are welcome until 7pm every day including public holidays. This policy is subject to manager discretion."

There are only about another 20 eateries in the same complex. ;)

JB :)

Many thanks to John Bull and Globaliser for the answers to my question about pubs and other questions in the past.

Maybe we'll find an interesting pub so that they can get the pub experience.

Would it be advisable to get £ for tips? We have Euros (and, being American, obviously USD), but don't have £ right now. We have 3 rides with car services and one 1/2 day tour for our trip, so I want to make sure we have cash for tips.

Why are you concerned re tips? Not the key to Britain. Read the rest of this thread fully, in the UK tipping is not a part of our culture !

However you will need £ for everything else in the UK, as US$ and Euro€ are not accepted in any shops or services.

Exception some central London shops do take Euro € at a poor rate of exchange.

Many thanks to John Bull and Globaliser for the answers to my question about pubs and other questions in the past.

Maybe we'll find an interesting pub so that they can get the pub experience.

Pubs in Southampton?

Or London?

Or elsewhere?

JB :)

Would it be advisable to get £ for tips? We have Euros (and, being American, obviously USD), but don't have £ right now. We have 3 rides with car services and one 1/2 day tour for our trip, so I want to make sure we have cash for tips.

If you want to give a tip, you could give them euros or dollars, though they would obviously much prefer pounds. Much the same as giving a New York cab driver euros really.

However, as mentioned, you will need pounds while in England anyway as that is our currency!

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Would it be advisable to get £ for tips? We have Euros (and, being American, obviously USD), but don't have £ right now. We have 3 rides with car services and one 1/2 day tour for our trip, so I want to make sure we have cash for tips.

Leaving the tipping culture aspect out of it, do you think it would be easier for me to tip USD rather than euros or GBP in Cleveland???:D

Seriously - and I'm not being snarky - but I really don't understand why some Americans expect to use USD in another first world country with its own currency.

We were on a British Isles Cruise. My table mate was on an excursion and stopped at a small cafe for lunch. He tried to pay in US$. They told him he could go to the post office and get £ to pay for his lunch. His wife waited while he went to the post office. When he was telling us his story, he could not understand why the cafe would not take US$. They did not bring any £ as they thought every place would take US$ which he learned the hard way. He was lucky the post office was close by.

If you want to give a tip, you could give them euros or dollars, though they would obviously much prefer pounds. Much the same as giving a New York cab driver euros really.

 

However, as mentioned, you will need pounds while in England anyway as that is our currency!

 

 

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Leaving the tipping culture aspect out of it, do you think it would be easier for me to tip USD rather than euros or GBP in Cleveland???:D

Seriously - and I'm not being snarky - but I really don't understand why some Americans expect to use USD in another first world country with its own currency.

For many Americans the only foreign travel they've done is to places like the Caribbean and some Asian ports, where USD are accepted almost everywhere, so they've naturally assumed ..........

And to be fair, by the same token euros are widely accepted in tourist / cruising areas in countries neighbouring Euroland.

But making assumptions is a recipe for grief, such as phabric's table-mate. ;)

Tips are a different matter.

I'm not sure what a country-pub waitress in Dorset or a Birmingham tax-driver would do with USD, but for those employed in the international tourist business any mainstream currency isn't a problem. Guides, transfer drivers, waiting staff, even ships' crew.

When I drove coaches plenty of Americans on cruise transfers tipped me in USD, and on continental trips Brits tipped me with their left-over euros. No problem, my USD & euro tips all went into a jar - I recall one trip across the Pond when the accumulated USD covered all my spending money, and I often hop across the Ditch to Euroland.

For those who don't travel, it's no problem to tip the jar out at an exchange bureau & convert a few weeks/months-worth in one hit.

So I wouldn't sweat about using foreign currency for tips to those serving foreign visitors They're a very convenient way of balancing out the currencies in your pocket or at the end of a vacation emptying your pockets of unused foreign money.

"Thank you very much, folks, and have a safe flight home"

JB :)

Planning on converting some USD to £ soon - thanks for the replies. :)

Seriously, wasn't trying to be ugly American guy, and I am not inexperienced in foreign travel, so I suppose I should not have asked what essentially was a stupid question. Sorry about that.

Pubs in Southampton?

Or London?

Or elsewhere?

 

JB :)

In London.

In London.

Sorry, can't help - over to G, the Eagle & others.

(but it's a big city - you'll need to narrow it down to a district)

JB :)

(but it's a big city - you'll need to narrow it down to a district)

Without the refinement of location, I'd be tempted to suggest The Griffin on Clerkenwell Road. Yes, it's "interesting". No, I'm not going to put a link to its website; if you really want to know, you'll have to Google it.

Indeed - and even then we may not have any recommendations.

 

Without the refinement of location, I'd be tempted to suggest The Griffin on Clerkenwell Road. Yes, it's "interesting". No, I'm not going to put a link to its website; if you really want to know, you'll have to Google it.

We're going to be a little north of Hyde Park and relatively close to Paddington Station.

We made it to Ireland today.

 

For our English tour we gave our guide an extra 50 because he really went out of the way for our group of 7. The driver was great with our daughte and that made it a very enjoyable time We also paid a lot less for the tour than other operators I contacted . For 11 hours private driver we were very happy with the service and the price.

 

We begin or Irish adventure tomorrow for few days before heading to Edinburgh.

Happy to share the tour guide info for both Ireland, England and Scotland if interested.

I'd be very grateful for the tour guide info. We have two cruises coming up with several port stops in Ireland and Scotland and, since we booked late, am getting a bit desperate to set up tours. Many thanks!

We're going to be a little north of Hyde Park and relatively close to Paddington Station.

The Porchester Pub might suit...

You might do better asking the concierge at your hotel though as the answer might depend on things like the weather and the day of the week.

 

 

I'd be very grateful for the tour guide info. We have two cruises coming up with several port stops in Ireland and Scotland and, since we booked late, am getting a bit desperate to set up tours. Many thanks!

Depending on where you are going, contact the local tourist board. We did a trip with them in Ireland and was very good. Half day for about €15.

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For Southampton to Heathrow or Gatwick (around £80 to £120 and 90 minutes to 2 hrs) we tip £5 (always had good service / good drivers).

An American might be more comfortable tipping £10, assuming the same service and a friendly face..

 

JB :)

Is this tip estimate total for two people Or pp?

On a similar note: we are taking Smiths for airports for 3 trips during our next visit. No touring, just pick up and delivery, with luggage. Is tipping advised is this situation?

Very interested in this also....Using Blackberry from LHR to London hotel (Rubens at the Palace) and then Smiths for hotel to Southampton and the return from Southampton back to LHR. I was thinking between 15-20 GBP for two of us each trip...is this too much :confused::confused:

Very interested in this also....Using Blackberry from LHR to London hotel (Rubens at the Palace) and then Smiths for hotel to Southampton and the return from Southampton back to LHR. I was thinking between 15-20 GBP for two of us each trip...is this too much :confused::confused:

The driver will think his birthdays have all come at once. There isn't really any need to tip, but if he has been helpful, then £5 for each trip is enough.

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We did exactly what you are doing, Combination of Blackberry and Smith’s. We had a group of six and six large suitcases (so trip cost more as we needed a larger vehicle) so tipped £20 in total each trip.

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Very interested in this also....Using Blackberry from LHR to London hotel (Rubens at the Palace) and then Smiths for hotel to Southampton and the return from Southampton back to LHR. I was thinking between 15-20 GBP for two of us each trip...is this too much :confused::confused:

when we have booked private transfer the gratuity was included in the fare

I would check if this is the case with those companies or not

Not really included, more likely just not something that is ever considered important.

Take a break from worrying about tips at every turn, while you are in the UK. Leave those thoughts at home.

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