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Every family and every situation is different but sometimes, there is a need for a will to be disputed when someone passes away. A disputed will can occur for a wide variety of reasons and for a solicitor to help, it is important that they understand the reason for contesting the will.
The interior design process passes through conception to completion and finishes with a space that takes your ideas into reality.
Lots of people own websites that do fairly well; however, if the website is not particularly trustworthy, many people will avoid making a purchase or signing up.
Tipping is something that makes the British really quite uncomfortable. It makes most of us feel awkward and we are never quite sure when to do it or how much to give. As for tipping porters, most of us would rather risk slipping a disc and carrying all our own luggage than give a fiver to a porter. Tipping for us is more like running away without the change than a confident expression of thanks.
The customs that surround tipping in restaurants are even more complicated to the British. Many establishments now assume that they will receive a gratuity but it’s never clear who benefits from our tipping gesture: is a tip lining a restaurateur’s pocket or going to waiter or waitress who served us? Despite our discomfort, not many of us refuse to do it. Nobody wants to risk the wrath of a disgruntled waitress or hairdresser, if we ever want to return to the establishment.
Some of our discomfort must arise from the origins of tipping being seen as a master-servant relationship. It is thought that the word tip stands for ‘To Insure Prompt’, a phrase coined as a financial incentive to Victorian stagecoach drivers who delivered letters. But the term is also traced by the Oxford English Dictionary to the early seventeenth century, when it meant ‘the giving of a gratuity to an inferior’. The act of tipping in Britain is then, perhaps embarrassing for us, as it implies a certain snobbery on the part of the tipper, as if we are somehow superior.
European countries don’t seem to have the same kind of hang-ups as here in Britain. Waiting tables is viewed as a skilled profession that should be properly rewarded. Today, most of Britain’s neighbours make service inclusive in the bill. In France, for example, a waiter’s wage is not expected to depend on the whim of a customer: an extra 15 per cent service charge is automatically added to the price of food and drink. This sum is distributed to the staff, from the chef and the doorman to the hat-check staff. There are moves afoot to introduce this concept into Britain which would make life a lot easier for consumers over the issue of to tip or not to tip. This would still allow exceptional service to be rewarded, but at the customer’s discretion.
The Consumers’ Association supports this idea because it makes life simpler for consumers. Some restaurateurs are not so sure: the change might increase their costs. As it stands, service charges are not generally included in the total price, so owners do not have to pay VAT or national insurance contributions on tips.
What are the general rules?
Taxi driver About 10% of the total fare is usual for licensed, metered taxis. Rural taxis and minicabs usually charge a pre-agreed, flat fare and many people do not add an additional tip. if you are a self employed driver you may need to declare this with your accountant as its an extra earning that you would not of normally got. If you don’t have an accountant yet you could take a look at a Gloucester Accountants company at links including www.randall-payne.co.uk.
Hairdressers Stylists expect a tip of about 10% and a junior might be given £1-£2 per customer.
Hotels In smarter hotels tipping will be expected. Give a small gratuity (£1-£2) to bellboys or porters if they take your bags to your room. Doormen should be tipped upon checking out if they have helped with taxis or luggage. A banknote may be left in your room for housekeeping.
Your office is a reflection of your business and its personality and branding. It is for this reason that it is important to make sure that your business environment is truly reflective not only of the products and services that you offer but also the ethos and values that your business carries.
There are a number of ways in which you can incorporate these into your building decoration and in the choices of furniture such as the Reception Chairs you can find at www.bestbuy-officechairs.co.uk/reception-chairs/ to better reflect your business.
A well designed office space not is appealing to potential clients and visitors but also has a direct impact on your employees. A survey that was conducted back in 2014 found that there was a direct link between employee morale and satisfaction and the environment in which they worked as well as having an impact on their overall wellbeing. Simple things such as having a quiet space or a break out area that your staff can use to step away from their desks for a short period of time will see your staff morale and productivity dramatically increase. It is thought that one of the reasons for this is that you staff feel more connected to your business and instantly feel like you have their best interests at heart.
When creating a business brand many companies try to make this as unique as possible and it becomes a part of their unique selling point. However, this does not always translate across to their office space and you can often find that these are very formulaic and uninspiring. Now whilst that may be ok for a business that operates in the manufacturing sector, for those businesses that have a creative element, you will want to let your individuality shine through. This may be something as simple as using bold colours on your walls or if you are in a rented office space making the most of soft furnishings such as the cushions on your chairs or the pictures and words that you could display on your walls. Plants are another way to bring some colour into an office and they bring with them the added benefit of purifying the air at the same time.
Why not take a look at your office space and see if there is anything that you can do to add a bit of your business personality into the way that it looks.
Not far from the coast of Donegal, you’ll discover Arranmore Island, a beautiful land that is worth visiting for its wonderful opportunity to go exploring. Simply twenty minutes by ferry across the sea, you will find this enchanting landscape. It’s full of things to see and do so you will need all day to explore all that is offered.
Arranmore is known for its beautiful villages, friendly locals, stunning scenery, delicious food, and is home to the Féile Róise Rua music festival (Rose of Arranmore), a must-visit festival to celebrate Irish music, dances and craic that take place May 17 – 19. Here are just a few things to experience on the island:
1. Rent a bicycle – to explore the island
First, and perhaps most important, is to rent a bicycle as soon as you land. If you are thinking of spending all day on the island, then bicycles are very important. Arranmore is not only known for its stretch of road stretching along the coast and coves, but also known for its historic landmarks. Of course you can get around the island with your car, but the best way to experience it is cycling and stopping wherever it interests you.
Arranmore is a large island, and will take you most of the day to explore the land. The island offers electric bicycle rentals to help those who might struggle with travel so that everyone can go on an adventure. Visit the island by arriving with Irish Airports like https://irelandwestairport.com/
2. Visit Arranmore Lighthouse – to travel to the past
Located on the northernmost point of the island, this ancient white lighthouse overlooks the vast North Atlantic Ocean extending endlessly to the horizon. The lighthouse itself is a historic landmark and has been around since 1978. It’s a spectacular building and, just like wherever you step on the island, you can’t help but feel the history of life around you.
3. Eat at the Early’s Bar – for a touch of tradition
Early’s Bar, along with several other pubs on Arranmore, is the best place for Irish tradition. The bar is easily found from the main port and is open almost 24 hours for those who don’t want to leave! Early’s is also home to some of the best grub the island has to offer, they even have a complete pizza oven and serve up one of the best pizzas in all of Donegal.
4. Chat with local people in their mother tongue – to feel cultured
Arranmore is home to many friendly locals, many of whom are native Irish speakers. This is Gaeltacht, an Irish speaking area, and the locals are very happy to chat with visitors and tell them about the sights and to teach them some of their native language. As you travel through the villages, you will locals chatting in Gaelic but don’t be worried about approaching them because they will be happy to share their knowledge of the language, and the island, with you.
5. – Follow the sea safari
On the island, you’ll find boat rides and sea diving experiences off the island. They are fully equipped with all you need to explore the waters. This experience is truly special and offers different dives depending on your level of expertise and experience to see seals, dolphins and basking sharks. On the way to the dive site, tour guides will pass on fascinating historical knowledge as they have a wealth of knowledge of the local area.
The oldest tank regiment in the world is the Royal Tank Regiment, which was formed during the First World War in 1916. Part of the British Army, it is a section of the Royal Armoured Corps and today is called the 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade. Having seen action in both the World Wars, Korea and Iraq, the regiment has received battle honours for many engagements in these conflicts.
The tank was invented during the First World War and first used in 1916. The Tank Corps was under the command of Hugh Elles and saw much action during the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. These early tanks were still cumbersome, uncomfortable machines that had a tendency to get stuck in the mud. However, they were effective at frightening their enemy. Manufacturers will have had several parts made in a factory and then all put together bit by bit. Now we would use technology to bend and shape our metals including machinery like Electric Press Brakes sourced from links including http://www.cotswold-machinery-sales.co.uk/euromac/electric-press-brakes/.
The Tank Corps was given a royal title in 1923, making it the Royal Tank Corps and a new motto was attached to them – ‘Fear Naught’. The iconic black beret and unit badge were also first adopted at this time. By the outbreak of World War II, the corps had changed its name to the Royal Tank Regiment with all training taking place at Bovington Camp, Devon. This tank training lasted for approximately eight months.
As the world plunged into another world war, the regiment was made up of 20 battalions, of which 8 were regular and 12 were territorial. All units took part in many conflicts during the course of the war including Dunkirk, El Alamein, Burma and the D-Day landings. Tanks were becoming more efficient, faster and far deadlier than they had been just twenty years previously.
Since the Second World War, the different battalions of the regiment have been reduced in size or disbanded altogether. The tank regiment saw action in Korea during the early 1950s and in Bosnia and Kosovo. Some parts of the regiment were deployed in Afghanistan in 2002 and also during the Iraqi invasion in the capturing of Basra.
Today the regiment is based at Tidworth and the main tank of choice is the Challenger 2 with other options being the Scimitar and the Fuchs. The regimental colours are red, brown and green which, according to the story of where the colours came from, was a bit of a hurried affair. Before the Battle of Cambrai, General Elles wanted a flag for his tank and called into a local shop to see if there was anything he could use. He managed to get hold of silk in the above colours, which was hurriedly sewn together to make a flag which flew from his tank named ‘Hilda’.
Since then it has been suggested that the colours and order signify the struggles of the Corps. The brown at the bottom is the mud, the red in the middle is the blood and the green at the top symbolises the journey to the green fields ahead. Today there are six squadrons as part of the Reaction Force, under the umbrella of the 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade. They are: Ajax, Badger, Cyclops, Dreadnaught, Egypt and Falcon.
It might not be setting the world on fire – yet – but Forest Green Rovers is certainly a team to watch after being promoted to the Football League courtesy of a 3-1 win against Tranmere in the National League 2016/17 Play-Off Final at Wembley. They currently play in League Two and each year they go from strength to strength.
Whether you are looking for an up-and-coming team to support or simply some answers to pub quiz questions, here are some neat facts about Forest Green Rovers that you may not be aware of.
Taking the ‘green’ name seriously
Beyond the player and fan lifestyles, Forest Green Rovers really is going green. In 2012, it grew its pitch entirely organically using Scottish seaweed; furthermore, Forest Green plans a new £100m pitch billed as an environmentally-friendly eco park.
A big team in a small town
With its home ground in the Gloucestershire town of Nailsworth, Forest Green Rovers comes from the smallest town of any in the league, with a population of 7,637 as of the 2017 census records. Its current ground, The New Lawn, has enough capacity for almost the entire town – 5,140, with 2,000 seated.
Despite the name, the kit is not Forest Green
If you look for Football Kits from a supplier, you will probably not find a snow cone green, jazzercise green or even bright lime kit; however, looking at the colour of both the kit and badge, any of these would be closer to the truth than Forest Green. Football kits from kitking can be found in a variety of different styles meaning you can find something that suits your team.
Football management with an IT twist
Forest Green’s main sponsor, Ecotricity, is not only contributing money but also a data and analytics-focused mindset from its highly technical business. This is helping the team to grow year after year.
Baseball teams have long taken a statistics and analytics-focused approach, often referred to as ‘moneyball’; now, Forest Green is bringing this mindset to football, using high-tech analytics to drive its player acquisitions. The team can therefore ensure that they have all the skills that they need within the team and can plan their player acquisitions accordingly.
Eco-friendly lifestyles – and not just for the players
In addition to the statistics, Forest Green bases its player recruitment on having a ‘green’ lifestyle, including preferring vegan players. They are a team that live by their values.
It does not end there – Forest Green also promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle for its fans; for example, it made the decision not to serve any meat at its ground.
One of my favourite things about being an Opera singer is the look on peoples faces as I hit those high notes. I have to admit that I do also enjoy breaking the odd glass with my voice. There is something satisfying about watching a wine glass crack purely at the power of your voice. Of course, it’s not so great when it is a window in your house that you break. But for that I am covered as I just give an Emergency Glaziers Leicester company a call and they come and sort it out for me. One of the options I have found is https://www.nanduglass.co.uk/replacement-glazing/ and the great thing is it’s a 24hr service.
Now back to my singing. From a young age I can remember spending a lot of time singing in my bedroom. Sometimes to the complete dismay of my parents. Not because my singing was bad but because it was constant. I would sing from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep. In the shower, at school, walking around the shops. To be far there were times when I was probably a bit of an embarrassment to all of those around me. Particularly stood in the queue at the tills in supermarkets. The most random things would spark my desire to sing. Seeing some fruit in the shop would have me singing about my favourite fruit or how to make a smoothie. Oh yes, I didn’t just sing well known songs but would sing about everything that I was doing.
One particularly memorable moment I was stood in the kitchen watching my mum cooking tea and started singing “I’m having spaghetti Bolognese for my tea” over and over again until my mum began to slowly whimper in the corner of the kitchen. “Why do you have to sing about absolutely everything” she asked. I really didn’t have an answer for that. All I knew was that I needed to sing, and I didn’t care who heard me or what anyone else thought.
Who would have thought that that little girl and her annoying habit of singing everywhere would turn into an opera singer? I now get to live my passion every day. People pay money to come and see me and my fellow artists three nights a week performing at a variety of venues around the UK and next year we will be jetting off to Paris to perform. Oh, how exciting!
So if you have any little ones at home who spend most of their time screeching at the top of their lungs can I suggest you purchase yourself a good set of ear plugs because if my journey is anything to go by it will only get worse!
Here we cover the four main choices for funding a new car.
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Car leasing or personal contract hire (PCH)
After a modest initial fee, you make monthly payments towards the cost of the new vehicle’s depreciation. When the contract ends, you hand the car back.
Brokers get the best deal from among multiple lenders, so you should pay less than alternative finance methods. Monthly payments are the same throughout, and usually road tax is included.
If you exceed the allocated mileage or damage the car, you’ll be charged.
Personal contract purchase (PCP)
As with car leasing, you pay a deposit followed by payments on a monthly basis for the length of the contract. At the end, you have three choices: return the car, buy it through a ‘balloon payment’ or use any surplus amount in the vehicle towards your next car.
Having the option to buy eventually is reflected in your fees each month, and you will pay interest on the whole value of the car, instead of just its depreciation.
PCP is usually offered from one lender, so rates may not be competitive.
You need to maintain the car for example taking it to companies including MOTs Gloucester at sites likes https://www.123carandcommercial.com and also keep within your estimated annual mileage to avoid a fee. Watch out for negative equity – if you want to end your contract early, you may need to shell out more than the vehicle is then worth.
For more information see https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/whats-the-best-way-to-finance-buying-a-car.
Hire purchase (HP)
Consider HP if you want to eventually own your car outright – monthly payments chip away at the total cost of the car. However, interest payments cost more than with car leasing or PCP. Losing money through depreciation is a factor. Also, if you want to finish the contract early, you must pay all the outstanding debt.
Personal loan
With a personal loan, you can buy your new vehicle outright. You can sell it at any point, and can make extra payments to shift the debt sooner.
However, as with HP, your monthly payments will probably be much higher than for PCP or car leasing if you desire a brand new car, since you are paying the total value of the vehicle with added interest.
