Being British XIII

[Equinox Chick]

Pie and mash is a small pie (pastry encrusted) and mashed potato.

Breakfast. Um, we're not big on making pancakes here, although it has been known in my household, but I wouldn't say it's common. Bacon and eggs or eggs in any form are fairly standard British breakfast fare. Toast and marmalade, or cereal are normal too.

~Carole~

[welshdevondragon]

I feel a bit weird asking this since I'm British but need help from some slightly older Londoners.

I vaguely remember my phone number changing from a 0171 code to an 0207 code- what date did this happen?

Also are there any major changes you can think of between London in the mid to late nineties and London in the mid -2000s (when I started noticing what was going on)?

Thank you for any help! Alex x

[Sapphire at Dawn]

I think I remember this happening. According to Wikipedia, the change from 0171 or 1081 to 020 happened on 1st of June 1999. In 1995, all geographical area codes had a 1 placed after the 0, and before all of that, in 1990, the single London code of 01 was split into 071 for inner London and 081 for the rest (I think this is the one I remember).

As for major changes, the major one I can think of is the Congestion Charge in 2003. There was the Millenium Dome and the London Eye as well. Not sure that counts as a change, but hey.

There was also the first Mayor of London elected in 2000, which was Ken Livingston, replaced in 2008 with Boris Johnson.

Can't really think of anything else...

Sarah x

[Equinox Chick]

Also are there any major changes you can think of between London in the mid to late nineties and London in the mid -2000s (when I started noticing what was going on)?

I think Sarah's covered most of it. House prices made a massive leap. I remember when we were looking to move in 97 ish and being astonished at the cost. The last time we'd looked had been 1996.

As well as the Mayor, there was also the London Assembly which is basically just another form of government *sigh* because we obviously all need that in our lives. Pre-2000 the Millenium Dome was the thing we all grumbled about paying for, now it's the Olympic stadium.

Oh, Oyster cards on the tube and bus system. That's a smart card that lets you clock in and out when using London transport so you don't need to buy a ticket.

Recycling's become quite big in my area. When I first moved to SW London, we put out our rubbish in one bag. Now we have a box for glass and paper, another for cans, plastic and card, and now a food recycling bin.

The Gay Pride march has become a fairly big event now. That's late June early July. Also London has become a major centre for a lot of Aussies and South Africans. They fight for BBQ space in our parks - LOL.

Not sure these count as major, but they could add colour to the story.

~Carole~

[welshdevondragon]

Thank you Sarah and Carole. I've got another question but it relies on there being a fellow theatre goer on MNFF. I often queue for cheap tickets at London theatres, particularly at the Donmar Warehouse. No-one would by any chance know when the Donmar/ any London theatre started doing this? I've unsuccessfully searched their website and can't find any sign of when it started. They were definitely doing it in 2006, but I'd quite like them to have started in the nineties.

Anyone know?

[Equinox Chick]

I often queue for cheap tickets at London theatres, particularly at the Donmar Warehouse. No-one would by any chance know when the Donmar/ any London theatre started doing this?
Um, well, there were always ticket touts outside theatres and venues selling tickets (not always that cheaply). You can't get them for football matches anymore, but touts can still sell for any other event.

As far as I can remember, theatres have always had a returns policy where you might be able to pick up tickets on the day, if someone has returned their tickets. I also remember in the 90's picking up cheap tickets through a scheme at work. Theatres would give away vouchers for half price tickets providing you went on certain nights. And there were often deals in the newspapers (The Evening Standard was the only London paper in the 90's).

I don't think it would be an anachronism if you had Hermione and Ron queuing up for tickets.

~Carole~

[Maple_and_PheonixFeather]

So I'm working on an article about the European Union, which got me wondering, do all 27 countries use Euros all the time, or does, for example, Britain still use pounds? Odd question I know, but I'm curious.

[eyeofthetiger]

Hey,
I'm really sorry about posting this seeing as Maple_and_PheonixFeather hasn't had her question answered. But, um, I know you guys told me that you have the MI5/6, and I have another question. Over here if like, for instance, FBI had to get involved with something, they would have to identify themselves as they entered the scene. Is the same true over there? If so, does anyone know what they have to say?

Thanks,
Dani

[Equinox Chick]

MAPF- United Kingdom (which includes Northern Ireland) uses sterling (pounds and pence). We have not signed up to the Euro. The countries that don't include Sweden and Denmark.

Here's a list of the countries that do:

1) Andorra
2) Austria
3) Belgium
4) Cyprus
5) Estonia
6) Finland
7) France
8) Germany
9) Greece
10) Ireland
11) Italy
12) Kosovo
13) Luxembourg
14) Malta
15) Monaco
16) Montenegro
17) Netherlands
18) Portugal
19) San Marino
20) Slovakia
21) Slovenia
22) Spain
23) Vatican City

Estonia switched currencies on 1st January 2011 to the Euro. Latvia and Lithuania are expected to join the union in the next few years and use the Euro as well.

eyeofthetiger - sorry, I'm really not sure what they'd say, but I imagine that they'd have to identify themselves somehow. MI5 is military intelligence and concerns national security, so it would have to be that type of threat that they'd be dealing with. It's different to the FBI, because the operatives are cloaked in secrecy. They's not going to identify themselves as 'spies' or 'spooks' becaiuse then their cover is blown.

~Carole~

[Northumbrian]

As Carole has said the EU and the Eurozone are different. Currently the UK (Pound Sterling), Sweden (Swedish krona) and Denmark (Danish krone) are the only countries in the EU with an opt-out of the Euro. The two Scandinavian countries (certainly near the border) will accept both krona and krone. I’ve flown into København/Copenhagen (DenmarK) a few times carrying only Swedish krona. There is an international rail service running between the two countries.

Most Brits I know have a few Euros somewhere in their house. What’s left over from their last trip to Europe will be saved until the next trip. It isn’t worth changing.
Euro coins have a common side (Europe) and a national side. Throughout the Eurozone a €1 coin (for example) has a map of Europe on one side and something national on the other. (As an example, the Dutch coin has a stylised portrait of Queen Beatrix (Beatrix Koningin der Nederlanden) and the Germans have a stylised German Eagle.)

Hey,
I'm really sorry about posting this seeing as Maple_and_PheonixFeather hasn't had her question answered. But, um, I know you guys told me that you have the MI5/6, and I have another question. Over here if like, for instance, FBI had to get involved with something, they would have to identify themselves as they entered the scene. Is the same true over there? If so, does anyone know what they have to say?

Thanks,
Dani

Dani
Neither MI5 nor MI6 are “police” forces. In fact, really, they aren’t MI5 and MI6.
The Security Service (aka MI5) does counter-intelligence, national security, and counter-terrorism work.
The Secret Intelligence Service (aka SIS, aka MI6) supplies the government with foreign intelligence. In theory (like the CIA) they don’t operate on UK soil.

So far as I know, neither Service would even attempt to operate openly within the UK. If there was a raid or serious incident then the local Police force would take the lead. Uniformed Police Officers on the street tend not to identify themselves. They are wearing a uniform with the word police on the front and that uniform has epaulettes with letters and numbers on it (this “collar number” identifies them). They must also carry a Warrant Card.

I assume that you are asking about kicking down a door and raiding premises.
The only warning our Police give when they kick down your door is one word, “Police”.
Actually, there is a two word version “Armed Police” which (obviously) means that you’re dealing with cops with guns, rather than cops with big sticks.
No one other than the Police have powers of arrest (there are exceptions – such as immigration and customs officers), but if someone was to be arrested, the Police would take the lead.

Neil