From Scotland to England, over Coldstream Bridge.

[Fisherman]

There we were, my wife and I, standing on the north bank of the River Tweed in Coldstream looking over at the south bank and England. The mighty Tweed has provided a natural border between Scotland and England for centuries. I had driven over the bridge that takes you over the border once before, and said that one day, I will do what Burns did, and walk over it. Well we did and we walked to the first village in England after crossing Cornhill on Tweed. We ventured into the local shop for a coffee and a snack. What was on the menu, but haggis shaped like a scotch egg covered as if a scotch egg in breadcrumbs. I joked with the lady behind the counter asking if they were allowed to sell haggis.

 

[wildebus]

The Cornhill Village Shop could be seeing a lot more business soon from Coldstream residents after the increase in the Scottish only Alcohol MUP (minimum unit price) which will see Spirits such as Whisky go up by £4, cans of beer by 30p each and the cheapest wine will be over £6 a bottle.

 

[Fisherman]

The Cornhill Village Shop could be seeing a lot more business soon from Coldstream residents after the increase in the Scottish only Alcohol MUP (minimum unit price) which will see Spirits such as Whisky go up by £4, cans of beer by 30p each and the cheapest wine will be over £6 a bottle.

Yes, and what few realise, is not one penny of this idiotic levy goes towards helping those suffering alcoholics. The shops get to keep it. Let’s put this into perspective a bottle of whisky sold anywhere else in the U.K. can sell for £12, when this 30% rise in the minimum price takes affect it will cost £17 up here.
They argue it’s helping to reduce alcoholism, but many experts doubt their figures. How can it be that throughout Europe it’s a lot cheaper than up here, and they don’t have as many alcoholics as we do.

 

[Scotia]

Ye probably passed my door on the way back up the 697.

 

[Jo001]

Next time you cross, note the newer blocks on the downstream side of the bridge parapet.

A few years ago we were driving south in our Swift when a young woman in a big BMW coming towards us lost control and went into a spin. She hit our front end, ricocheted off us and still hit the parapet hard enough to knock the top row of blocks off.

The fire brigade were there in minutes but it took the police two hours to decide whose jurisdiction we were in.

 

[wildebus]

Next time you cross, note the newer blocks on the downstream side of the bridge parapet.

A few years ago we were driving south in our Swift when a young woman in a big BMW coming towards us lost control and went into a spin. She hit our front end, ricocheted off us and still hit the parapet hard enough to knock the top row of blocks off.

The fire brigade were there in minutes but it took the police two hours to decide whose jurisdiction we were in.

no mans land! or BOTH!!

Cross the bridge heading north and the "Welcome to Scotland" sign is around 100 yards further up the road. so not in Scoland yet
Cross the bridge heading south and the "Welcome to England" sign is again around 100 yards further up the road. So not in England yet either


(in reality, the Border point there is the dead centre of the River Tweed, so there will be no argument of where physically you are at any specific place on the bridge within a few inches. Which Country an offence took place which involved a moving vehicle is an entirely different question )

 

[barryd]

Yes, and what few realise, is not one penny of this idiotic levy goes towards helping those suffering alcoholics. The shops get to keep it. Let’s put this into perspective a bottle of whisky sold anywhere else in the U.K. can sell for £12, when this 30% rise in the minimum price takes affect it will cost £17 up here.
They argue it’s helping to reduce alcoholism, but many experts doubt their figures. How can it be that throughout Europe it’s a lot cheaper than up here, and they don’t have as many alcoholics as we do.

A quick google offers very conflicting data. Since they introduced the MUP (Minimum Unit Pricing) they claim that deaths from Alcohol went down. Some reports say 3% some say 13% but the article I just read on Sky reckons the argument for massively increasing it again is because they went up last year! So which is it? Everything I read seems to suggest its not altered the ways of those who are alcohol dependent though.

I bet bootleg stuff is on the rise.

I think the main difference in Europe is they dont generally have the binge boozers culture that we have here which seems to get worse (or better depending on how you look at it) the further north you go.

 

[Jo001]

@wildebus, we were as close to slap bang in the middle of the bridge as you could get

 

[Scotia]

A quick google offers very conflicting data.

I bet bootleg stuff is on the rise.

I think the main difference in Europe is they dont generally have the binge boozers culture that we have here which seems to get worse (or better depending on how you look at it) the further north you go.

I represent that remark !

 

[Fisherman]

I think the main difference in Europe is they dont generally have the binge boozers culture that we have here which seems to get worse (or better depending on how you look at it) the further north you go.

Barry you want to try living up here being ruled by a party that are determined to create a separate country without independence.
This utter garbage is costing the average Scot who drinks moderately £3-500 a year, and has done little if anything to reduce drinking deaths. We have different drink driving limits from the rest of the U.K., we pay more income tax than anywhere else in the U.K., our council tax rates had to be frozen this year due to our higher rates. I pay more council tax than someone living in a 50 million pound house in Chelsea.

I totally agree, the drink culture up here is not caused by the cost of the drink, but by the attitudes towards alcohol up here. Those who have drink problems are still drinking too much, whilst the rest of us have to cough up more for our alcohol. But what angers me most is where the money goes, to the shops selling the stuff. Not one penny goes towards helping those who are suffering alcoholics, now that’s just plain bonkers.

 

[Fisherman]

no mans land! or BOTH!!

Cross the bridge heading north and the "Welcome to Scotland" sign is around 100 yards further up the road. so not in Scoland yet
Cross the bridge heading south and the "Welcome to England" sign is again around 100 yards further up the road. So not in England yet either


(in reality, the Border point there is the dead centre of the River Tweed, so there will be no argument of where physically you are at any specific place on the bridge within a few inches. Which Country an offence took place which involved a moving vehicle is an entirely different question )

I am surprised you don’t know that the Robert burns plaque I posted marks where the border is David. It’s positioned below the centre stone on the bridge. I managed to put one foot in Scotland and the other in England

 

[barryd]

Barry you want to try living up here being ruled by a party that are determined to create a separate country without independence.
This utter garbage is costing the average Scot who drinks moderately £3-500 a year, and has done little if anything to reduce drinking deaths. We have different drink driving limits from the rest of the U.K., we pay more income tax than anywhere else in the U.K., our council tax rates had to be frozen this year due to our higher rates. I pay more council tax than someone living in a 50 million pound house in Chelsea.

I totally agree, the drink culture up here is not caused by the cost of the drink, but by the attitudes towards alcohol up here. Those who have drink problems are still drinking too much, whilst the rest of us have to cough up more for our alcohol. But what angers me most is where the money goes, to the shops selling the stuff. Not one penny goes towards helping those who are suffering alcoholics, now that’s just plain bonkers.

I can see lots of English vans heading up to Scotland this year overweight stuffed full of booze from the north of England!

 

[Fisherman]

I can see lots of English vans heading up to Scotland this year overweight stuffed full of booze from the north of England!

And vice verser, plenty of us loading up down your way.

 

[runnach]

we pay more income tax than anywhere else in the U.K., our council tax rates had to be frozen this year due to our higher rates. I pay more council tax than someone living in a 50 million pound house in Chelsea.

Once I removed the mortgage monkey from my back years ago, I use to say my largest monthly outgoing was council tax, when these new measures come in to play, council tax outlay will be overtaken by bevvie unit tax

France soon, with more emphasis to get of this island soon!!!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I'm glad we stopped drinking and smoking around 2007 ish, both have gone through the roof, we still have a little dring if we eat out and lunch in a pub, and I could kill for a cig if some bastd lights up near me.

 

[colinm]

, and I could kill for a cig if some bastd lights up near me.

I gave up smoking 37 years, 9 months, and 25 days ago, not that I'm counting you understand.

 

[mark61]

Barry you want to try living up here being ruled by a party that are determined to create a separate country without independence.
This utter garbage is costing the average Scot who drinks moderately £3-500 a year, and has done little if anything to reduce drinking deaths. We have different drink driving limits from the rest of the U.K., we pay more income tax than anywhere else in the U.K., our council tax rates had to be frozen this year due to our higher rates. I pay more council tax than someone living in a 50 million pound house in Chelsea.

I totally agree, the drink culture up here is not caused by the cost of the drink, but by the attitudes towards alcohol up here. Those who have drink problems are still drinking too much, whilst the rest of us have to cough up more for our alcohol. But what angers me most is where the money goes, to the shops selling the stuff. Not one penny goes towards helping those who are suffering alcoholics, now that’s just plain bonkers.

Nonsense.

 

[Tim120]

I wouldn't know where to start with an equation to work out how many units would be needed to be brought back to make the journey profitable.

MPG/Distance is a starting point.

 

[Fisherman]

I wouldn't know where to start with an equation to work out how many units would be needed to be brought back to make the journey profitable.

MPG/Distance is a starting point.

Depends where you live.
I don’t think many Scot’s will specifically be making raids into England to buy booze, but if you are down there it makes sense to buy some whilst in England before crossing the border. As for any English heading up here they should buy their booze before crossing the border.

 

[Fisherman]

Nonsense.

I totally agree Mark, it’s utter nonsence. I’m just annoyed I have to pay more for my six bottles a day.