|
by
Michael Leech
On
every step of a holiday in Britain it is possible
to obtain excellent value-for-money. Whether it’s
accommodation, visiting attractions, travelling around
or going to the theatre, there are all sorts of deals
available to those in the know. Here are just a few.
Your
first step: If you’re coming to London (especially
if intending to travel around the country) your first
stop should be the Britain and London Visitor Centre
at 1 Regent Street (just south of Piccadilly Circus)
which offers free advice and comprehensive booking
services for the whole country. A useful place to
get your bearings and some impartial travel information.
Great
British Heritage: A vital new aid for visitors
is the four-day Great British Heritage Pass from VisitBritain
(formerly the British Tourist Authority) which gives
unlimited admission to 600 historic houses, castles
and gardens for four days for only £22 (or local
currency equivalent). Previously available only in
seven, 15-day and one-month versions – which
are still available, incidentally – the new shorter
duration pass makes it ideal for those coming on a
short break. It is a deal so good it’s only available
to visitors from overseas and will pay for itself
very quickly. Among the places accepting the pass
is Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and St.
Paul’s Cathedral in London, Edinburgh Castle
and the prehistoric monument Stonehenge. VisitBritain
offices have details, or look on www.visitbritain.com/heritagepass.
Bus
(coach) bargains: National Express, Britain’s
main long-distance coach (bus) operator, has cut ticket
prices in half for those aged 60 or over. The offer,
which also applies to people registered as disabled,
is available every day except Friday and summer Saturdays.
Other age groups (those aged 16-25, students and the
over 50s) can enjoy a 30 per cent saving by buying
a Discount Coachcard, which costs £10. Website:
http://www.nationalexpress.com/.
Economic
entertainment: London, of course, has a marvellous
range of theatre throughout the year. Visit the ‘Tkts’
ticket booth in Leicester Square for bargain seats
on the day of performance at up to half-price on a
wide range of shows – but don’t expect all
the big musicals to be available in this way. Both
the National Theatre, on the South Bank, and the Coliseum
(English National Opera) offer cut-price tickets from
10 o’clock on the morning of performances. http://www.tkts.co.uk/.
The
National Theatre has an annual summer festival of
outdoor performances – all free. In 2003 it ran
from mid May until August 25 and encompassed 75 varying
acts at lunchtimes and evenings. Farther along the
river, you can watch a Shakespeare play at the replica
Globe Theatre for £5 as a ‘groundling’
– you’ll be close to the stage but don’t
expect a seat for that price!
Free
museums: Admission to all of Britain’s great
collections, from the British Museum (250 years old
in 2003), the Victoria & Albert, the Science and
Natural History museums to the smaller Theatre Museum
in Covent Garden – is now free. Admission is
also gratis to the capital’s big art galleries:
Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the National Gallery and
National Portrait Gallery among them. Outside the
capital the story is the same at the National Railway
Museum, York; the Burrell Collection and Glasgow’s
other magnificent museums; the Museum of Scotland
in Edinburgh, the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff
and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead,
Newcastle – all among the best museums of their
kind and all free.
Liverpool,
the fascinating port-city in North West England (to
be European Capital of Culture in 2008) has modern
art at the Tate Liverpool, and maritime history (including
details of the slave trade and the emigrants who set
sail for the New World from here) at the Merseyside
Maritime Museum: both are free.
To
the east, Manchester has a stylish new arts centre,
the Lowry in Salford, its theatres and galleries providing
a year-round schedule of special events – many
of them free; and its new Imperial War Museum, housed
in a landmark aluminium-clad building by Daniel Libeskind,
is also free.
Accommodation:
Most hotel groups have special offers when you are
staying two nights or more – especially over
a weekend in city hotels – ask your travel agent
or check the latest deals on the Internet. Travel
Inn and Travelodge are two examples of nationwide
budget family hotel networks. With 300 locations,
Travel Inn (starting at £45 per night for a
family-sized room) offers free breakfasts for children.
http://www.travelinn.co.uk/; http://www.travelodge.co.uk/.
Among a growing number of low-cost (but clean and
friendly) backpackers’ hostels is St. Christopher’s
Inns. Its latest location, in the centre of historic
Bath, costs as little as £12 per night and others
can be found in London, Edinburgh and coastal resorts
such as Brighton and Newquay, too. http://www.st-christophers.co.uk/.
More
than 60 of Britain’s universities and colleges
provide excellent budget accommodation. This is often
in central locations and, thankfully, is plentiful
during peak holiday periods when the students are
away. Bed and breakfast costs from £14 per person
per night (£20 for an en-suite room). http://www.venuemasters.co.uk/.
Wherever
your travels take you, you will find seeing the best
of Britain won’t break the bank. It is just a
matter of taking your first step…
|
