Good In Britain

Is the quoted price per person?
NO, the rate is per vehicle. For example; the cost of a Full day tour (8 hours) in London for six people in a MPV “People Carrier / Family Car” is GB £ 480. The cost works out to an hourly rate of GB £ 60 per hour or GB £ 80 per person.

What does the rate include?
Services of car & Driver-Guide and any applicable taxes or expenses, including fuel.

What is not included in the quoted rate?
Your expenses, e.g. your entrance charges, meals and drinks, any road tolls (very few in Britain), some parking charges. Gratuities are at your discretion.

Is a tip expected?
We do not presume to add a gratuity (or service charge), as we consider you should expect and receive good service. Indeed our aim is to exceed your expectations. If you wish to reward good service, guides will graciously accept. Gratuities are never solicited, but clients do sometimes ask for guidance. We find the percentage formula commonly used in restaurants is a good guideline – on average 10-15%. If you want further advice, please ask us.

Is the Driver-Guide expected to eat lunch with us?
No, but you may want them to join you. We normally come into the pub/restaurant/café to make sure you are seated comfortably. We will help you to understand the menu and any local customs or protocols for ordering food or drinks, before excusing ourselves. If you wish the Guide to join you, feel free to invite them; it is then understood that the guide is your guest and you will settle the whole account. Please do not be offended if guides sometimes decline to join you; this may be because they have other things to attend to, or may simply want to give their voice and your ears a break!

Will I have to wait in line to enter attractions?
Not often. Our Guides are all Blue Badge Guides and can go to the front of the line for tickets at many of the major attractions, including The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Roman Baths etc. We know which are the busiest periods at the various sights and can avoid them. On a busy day this can save at least an hour waiting in line.

Do we have to pay entrance charges for the Driver-Guide?
No, Blue Badge Guides are accorded the privilege of free entry to most sights in Britain, when guiding fee-paying visitors.

Are we expected to navigate?
Absolutely not. We are very experienced and know the little back ways and pretty roads that a visitor could never be expected to find on their own. We want you to relax and enjoy the scenery. We know the best places to eat lunch, the prettiest villages; everything to make your trip very special. We do, of course, carry maps and if you want to follow your route, you are welcome to do so. Some Guides may also carry GPS, but it is rare this is actually needed.

Is it possible to make unscheduled stops?
Absolutely. We pride ourselves on our versatility; our flexible service means we adjust the pace to suit you. If we spot a good "photo-opportunity" or an interesting shop, we can stop. Tour buses are now banned from driving through many historic City centres; we can drive down the narrowest streets “out of bounds” to the big tour groups. Your itinerary is completely flexible, and can be changed to suit you - subject only to the constraints of your time.

Can the route be customised to my requirements?
Yes, this is our speciality. We can cater for a myriad of special interests, from Antiques to Zoology. Please tell us if you have a particular passion! We will also help you to plan an extended tour, recommending itineraries and hotels. This service is complimentary, subject to our services being booked. We have an unrivalled, up-to date knowledge of hotels and client opinions and reactions to hotels.

Can we eat / drink / smoke in the vehicle?
Smoking is prohibited by law in all vehicles that carry fare paying passengers. Obviously drinking water is no problem at all. For other food & drink, it depends on the individual Driver-Guide. Most do not object to careful eating and drinking whilst on the move.


What is a “Blue Badge Guide”?
The Blue Badge is the top qualification for Britain’s professional tourist guides. It is a guarantee that the holder has been officially trained, examined and registered and is able to communicate their extensive knowledge in an interesting, informative and entertaining way.

The first Blue Badges were awarded to tourist guides who were trained for the 1951 Festival of Britain. There are now about 2,000 Blue Badge Guides in Britain; just over half are London based.

Blue Badge guides are the only guides (other than in-house guides) authorized to guide in The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Spencer House, Oxford & Cambridge colleges, Shakespeare’s birthplace, York Minster, Palace of Holyrood House, Edinburgh Castle.

After a highly competitive selection process, candidates embark on a training course lasting eighteen months and involving intensive study and site visits, culminating in eight rigorous written papers and extensive practical on-site examinations, lasting several days.

Blue Badge guides have been recognized for their exceptional contribution to the development of tourism in the UK. An award from the Tourism Society said:

Blue Badge guides in their unofficial but pivotal role as the country’s tourism ambassadors, raise the status of Britain in the eyes of some 4 million visitors each year – to the extent that many are inspired to repeat the experience time and again.

Coming from all walks of life and undertaking extensive and costly training designed to ensure a high degree of professionalism, Blue Badge guides are accomplished presenters and interpreters of the British way of life. The standards they have set are recognized internationally and provide a model for guide training worldwide.

Blue Badge guides add inestimable value to the British tourism product and are one of its major and undisputed assets.

How much will a tour cost?
From GB £ 56 - approx US $ 87 - per person for a Half Day (4 hours) tour; from GB £ 80 - approx US $ 125 - per person for a Full Day (8 hours); based on cost of a London tour for 6 passengers in MPV “People Carrier”.

What do we need to do to book?
When you have decided on which tour(s) you would like to book, please contact us, by e-mail, phone or fax. We will need to know:
•    the names of all in your party
•    the ages of any children
•    the name of your London hotel, or the address and phone number where you will be staying during your visit. We will need to agree    how payment is to be made.

Can we pay by credit card?
We accept payment by American Express, MasterCard or Visa. We usually charge a deposit of 20 - 25% to guarantee any bookings. We would not charge any balance to your card before the start of your tour, unless it is part of a special offer, with your agreement for payment in advance. If you do not wish to disclose your credit card details over the internet, please phone or fax these to our London office.

If you wish to pay by cheque, or wire transfer, this must be completed (funds received) at least two weeks before the start of your tour.

What happens if we cancel a booking at the last minute?
We judge each case on its merits and try to be as understanding as possible. For example, we made NO cancellation charges as a result of the chaos caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption of April 2010. If alternative work can be found, this will be reflected in any cancellation charge. However, when a Driver-Guide is booked, a contract is made. If a booking is subsequently cancelled at short notice, the guide may have declined other offers of work and will expect recompense. We strongly advise purchasing trip cancellation insurance to cover potential losses from unforeseeable cancellation.

The maximum charge for cancellation of confirmed bookings is:

Less than 1 month notice: 20% - loss of deposit, to cover administrative and communication costs

Less than 2 weeks notice: 50%

Less than 7 days: 75%

Less than 48 hours:100%

How else can we contact GOOD in BRITAIN?
To call us during British office hours, dial your international access code (011 from USA or 00 from Europe), then 44 (for Britain), followed by 1732 862 165.

To send a fax, dial your international access code, then 44 for (Britain), followed by 1732 862 619.

London is 5 hours ahead of USA Eastern time (e.g. 6pm in Atlanta is 11pm here) or 8 hours ahead of California (6 pm in LA is 2 am here – night-time!).

To contact us from within Britain, omit the 44, but precede numbers with a zero. So to call us from within Britain (but from outside London), dial 01732 862 165.

Our e-mail address is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Postal address: Twysden, Chilmington Green, Great Chart, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3DP, England