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Useful Information - Guernsey

Alcohol & Tobacco Allowance to UK or Europe

Cigarettes 200 or Cigarillos 100 or Cigars 50 or Tobacco 250g

Table Wine 2 litres

Spirits(+ 22% vol.) 1 litre or Fortified sparkling wine 2 litres

or additional still Table wine 2 litres

Perfume 60cc/ml and Toilet Water 250 cc/ml        

Other Goods £145

Persons under 17 are not entitled to tobacco or alcohol allowances

Animals

The Channel Islands are Rabies-free and so only animals originating from the British Isles may be landed (the only exception is where an import licence is held. In all other cases a 6-month quarantine is required. The penalty for smuggling animals into Guernsey from foreign countries is severe.

Banks

There are cash dispensers in Town, The Bridge at St Sampson, the Airport (HSBC only) Safeways in the Rohais, St Martin's parish centre and certain garages. 

Cheques supported by a cheque card are accepted by most establishments and all major credit cards and traveller cheques may also be used.

UK and CI  notes and coins are in circulation, but CI notes should be exchanged for Sterling prior to returning to the UK. CI money is on a par with Sterling

Useful numbers

Buses

The island has a frequent bus service and coach tours covering most parts of the island run by;

Driving

Left-hand traffic.

Filter in turn; yellow criss-cross junction which means that all traffic entering has priority and you must enter in turn with others

Yellow lines on the side mean no stopping or parking. Yellow lines at junctions mean STOP.

Parking is free at present but a 15p per hour charge is expected to be brought in during 2006.  Parking clocks are required in designated areas. Parking clocks can be purchased from most garages or from Police HQ in Hospital Lane, St Peter Port.  Disabled drivers may park in any designated parking area for up to two hours, provided they display a permit (orange badge) from a participating European country and they display a parking clock.

Island wide speed limit: 35mph (56kph), except some areas including St Peter Port which are 25mph (40kph)

There are strict regulations about driving on beaches during the summer without a permit. Free car parks are provided at most beach headlands.

Seat belts in the front are compulsory. 

Drugs

The possession or importation of heroin, morphine, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, barbiturates, LSD and MD (M) A (Ecstasy) are totally banned in all the Channel Islands and are punished with severe fines and in many cases, custodial sentences.

Duty-Free

Guernsey has a duty-free shop at the airport and low duty at all other shops.

Electrical Supply

Electrical sockets same as in the UK. Voltage 240 volts AC.

Greffe

The island's public records office is known as the Greffe and is situated in the Royal Court Building, near the top of Smith Street. Here you will find details of births, deaths and marriages . It is also the equivalent of the Land Registrar where all property ownership is recorded 

Importation of Goods

The following restrictions apply:

If brought in from a country of the EC

Goods to an unlimited value, with the exception of beer and cider to a maximum of 50 litres per person (or a combination of beer and cider).

If brought in from a country outside of the E.C

Goods to a value of £136.

If you bring in something worth more than the limited value of £136, you will have to pay duty on the full value, not just on the value above £136.

If travelling as a family or group, you cannot pool your individual allowances towards an item worth more than the limited value. You will have to pay duty on the full value of the item.

Language

English is the language spoken in Guernsey although some residents still speak the local French patois.

Libraries

Guille-Alles Library, Market Street, St Peter Port

This excellent public library in the heart of town has a vast number of books and audio tapes for loan and use is free provided you join as a member. It is also an extremely useful resource for researching the history of the Bailiwick of Guernsey  Guille-Allès Library

Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.00pm

Priaulx Library, Candie Road

The Library is a popular place for finding out about Guernsey history and particularly geneology as it has thousands of old records, many of which are now on fiche. It attracts visitors from all over the world with Guernsey family connection, but particularly from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA where so may Guernsey families have emigrated to in the past three hundred years. Situated close to the Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery.

Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.00pm

Perry’s Ref: T H5. Tel: 721988

Licensing Hours

Mondays to Saturdays 10.00am to 11.45pm. On Sundays, bars which hold a family permit can open between 12.00 noon and 3.30pm and 6.00pm to 12.45 am with the purchase of a meal.

Medical

The UK National Health Service does not extend to Guernsey but there is a reciprocal Health Convention between the UK Dept of Health and the States of Guernsey for immediate necessary medical services for visitors. Island residents receive free hospital care and Specialist medical cover but have to meet the cost of GP, Optician and physiotherapy services. The cost of an ambulance must also be privately met. Prescription drugs are subject to a set charge.

Useful medical numbers

Ambulance

Chemists

Doctors

Hospital 

Newspapers, Radio & TV

UK national newspapers and some foreign papers are available on the Island, together with the  Guernsey Press, Guernsey Globe and the Jersey Evening Post. Channel TV is the local ITV provider and ITV's Channel 4 (but not Channel 5) and BBC 1 & 2 are also available. BBC local radio and the commercial station Island FM are also transmitted from the island

Passports

Passports are not required for citizens of Britain and the Irish Republic. Citizens of the European Community, Austria, Switzerland, Monaco and Liechtenstein require passports or national identity cards. Nationals of other western European countries and North America need valid passports , but visas are not required. Passport are issued by the Guernsey Immigration Office at the White Rock terminal building.

Postage

The Guernsey Post Office  issues its own stamps for mail issued from the island. It also has an active philatelic business with frequent first day issue covers.

Public Holidays

Public holidays are the same as the UK with the exception of May 9th Liberation day which is a holiday in Guernsey.

Radio Stations

There are two local radio stations serving the Bailiwick, BBC Radio Guernsey on 93.2FM www.bbc.co.uk/radioguernsey and Island FM on 104.7FM www.islandfm.guernsey.net 

Religion

Most religions are catered for including Church of England, Roman Catholic , Baptist, Elim, Methodist, New Frontiers, Quakers, Salvation Army, United Reform and Buddhists.   For more information on the Buddhists, click here . For more information on other Churches, click here

Restricted Goods

A licence is required for the importation of any of the following:

Animals and birds

Caravans and dormobiles

Endangered species whether alive or dead
also such things as fur, ivory, and reptile leather
(or goods made from them)

Firearms, explosives and ammunition, including fireworks and gas cannisters

Certain plants, trees, shrubs, potatoes, fruit and vegetables

Certain radio transmitters, such as CB radios

Uncooked meats and poultry

Television Stations

The Channel Islands are served by Channel Televison www.channeltv.co.uk  and the BBC www.bbc.co.uk/ and Sky Digital www.sky.com . Channel 5 is not available locally except through Sky.

Time Zone

The time is the same as the rest of the UK.

VAT- free Shopping 

The island has no VAT and so enjoy the shopping experience. Shops are generally open Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 5.30pm. However some shops close for lunch and Thursday afternoons. The fish/vegetable/fruit/flower market is closed Thursday afternoons. Sunday shopping is very restricted and mostly outside of town. Alcohol can not be purchased on a Sunday except in bars - see licensing hours.

If you require further information or advice on the import or export of goods, please contact:
The Customs & Excise Department
PO Box 417
White Rock
St. Peter Port
Guernsey GY1 3WJ
Tel; +44 (0)1481 726911

Other Useful Numbers

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