Calais Shopping blog and newsletter - tips for day-trippers

10th - UK Border Agency staff prove they are not needed?

www.politics.co.uk

UKBA staff were on strike for 48 hours from Monday. Sadly nothing changed. I.e. illegal immigration continued as it normally does when they work, and British passport holders who so stupidly dared to cross their own countries borders were subject to delays. Apparently it's the PSC union on strike, whilst the ISU (Immigration Service Union) will be working. Fewer staff, longer delays.

For one happy moment I thought an opportunity to show that the complete lack of border controls other E.U. countries enjoy would exist here for a day. Dream on. Other E.U. countries, who trust their citizens so much they allow them to freely cross their own countries borders, but control illegal immigration, and customs issues (counterfeit goods etc.) internally, have a much better success rate than we do, and don't criminalise their own citizens in the process.

Just think of a country WITHOUT border controls for its citizens. No queues for travellers, no possibility of delays, no criminalising of law abiding citizens, staff made to look for counterfeit goods and illegal immigrants instead. How much better off we all would be.

9th - UK service standards

I often despair at standards in public life that we endure in England, and that offered by British local government and companies. To recap my own issues over the last few days.

Returning with Ryanair from France, I starting asking about buying a Stansted Express ticket 45 minutes before landing. I asked every time a stewardess passed. I ended up holding my money in my hand to emphasise the point I wanted something. Although the plane was full and Ryanair staff really do work hard, no tickets were sold (my safety comes first I was told when I complained). The perfume trolley did wizz by though. Yes, I did expect someone, given my frequent requests, to sell me a ticket. At the airport itself I was not asked which station I was going to (Tottenham Hale not Liverpool Street). I assumed the price was the same so paid the £28 asked. That turns out to be the price to Liverpool Street. I was left with the feeling they keep quiet about these things so as to maximise their revenue levels. However as the prices are different and there are four stops, why assume I am travelling to the furthest away point?

At the hospital the next day, I was treated with usual courtesy and decency the NHS generally affords it customers, thank you NHS.

Whilst driving home I got caught up in a long traffic jam. A car was being removed from a yellow line outside the hospital, where there is an appalling lack of parking. I counted six buses being held up as well as two ambulances (one leaving, one arriving) unable to get into the hospital area.

If its not a silly point, surely it is more than likely the car belonged to someone urgently needing to get into the hospital? The disruption caused benefited no one. The car was not blocking anything, just parked where a space could well have been used by someone wanting to park. A good example perhaps of how our society overregulates with no positive outcome for its citizens.

I also took the opportunity to try and ring the tax office to discuss my tax bill. I have been trying unsuccessfully since the end of January. The number given is constantly engaged. I managed last week to get through to my local ax office on the international number (the freephone one does not work), but it seems the various tax office sections do not work together, so made no progress (amazing!). Today, when most of them are apparently on strike I get through and speak to a very nice lady. Her attitude was in marked contrast to the awful "we are not here to be civil or to serve" attitude public servants have adopted under the shower who govern us, one which certainly applied to the lady in Skipton I had the misfortune to speak to a few days before. The contradictory advice one receives beggers belief. Last year I was told not to write a letter, this year I was told I should have done so, leaves the great British public angry and confused. And so we should be.

Today whilst waiting for a bus to get me to the airport, despite waving my arms and shouting, it drove straight by. I ran to the next bus stop (it's quicker to walk directly there, than follow the route the bus goes by). This time I stood in the middle of the road, and the bus driver drove around me. What on earth are these imbeciles taught, if anything, about customer service? Even the most basic requirment of picking up passengers seems to have been missed in their training programmes. The bus had other passengers on it by the way.

The next bus theatrically crawled to a stop after I stood in the middle of the road where no one could overtake me (I really did need to catch this bus). I concluded the companies need to make the target of getting their buses to arrive on time, is more important than the need to pick people up. An old man who witnessed my desperate attempts to get on a British bus, told me I was lucky to be young enough to do this, "they never stop for us" he tells me.

On the train I am pleased to see a drinks trolley pass by. However the man has no change for a five pound note. I think of the lady arguing with a ticket inspector at the station, her rail card has a different address to the one on another piece of identification. Don't these imbeciles realise some people move? What is the point of fining someone on a technicality?

I think back to my journey in France to the airport, by public transport. A bad accident had delayed the bus by two and 1/2 hours. The driver radioed ahead and a driver was brought in especially to get us to the airport, as we had missed the connection. Most people still missed their flights unfortunately. They were charged a fortune by the airlines they then had to fly with. All this level of service for 15 euro 70 cents. A shorter journey in England using public transport costs me about £27.

We seem to assume in England that a perfume trolley or bus wizzing by, represents a service even though they don't have time to stop for customers saying "I would like to buy something or get on".

Buses run, but don't pick up passengers because sticking to timetables is apparently more important. Targets? Forget them, think of the customer or user please (message for the next Government).

It's good to get away, but should a citizen of a country be left with this feeling when they travel?

8th - Driving to the ports

7th - Courvoisier 1lt £20 in Calais

Fancy that! Once again we find the PR puff from British supermarkets is just untrue. Courvoisier Brandy (1lt) is £20 at Pidou Wine and Beer in Calais (an offer). At Sainsbury's in Calais it costs £21.99 (at Sainsbury's U.K. it is on offer - £5 off - and costs £24.26). At Tesco U.K. a 70 cl bottle costs £22.87. So there we have it once again, shop in Calais and save money, in the case of a litre bottle of Courvoisier comparing the cheapest in the U.K. with the cheapest in Calais, you will save about 18%.

6th - Wine prices in France

Wien remains much cheaper in France, and of course the other reason for shopping in France, the range of and choice available, most certainly applies to wines. Just check your local Tesco or Sainsbury's for a French wine before you go. We generally only find two or three Beaujolais Cru wines here in the U.K. supermarkets, in France they all seem to be readily available, and there is a choice of producers as well.

5th - Sunday shopping in Calais

4th - Travel insurance

Let's face it, buying travel insurance is difficult, and the inadequacy of a policy usually only becomes apparent when you claim for something. We advise you to draw up a list of things you are concerned about or are likely to do and check the small print. Cheap policies have many drawbacks, but with careful selection good value policies can be found. We list a large number of companies offering travel insurance on our Travel Insurance pages. If you are skiing, check the services offered by companies listed on our Ski insurance page.

2nd - French newspapers

1st - Spirit prices to increase sharply in the U.K.?

Looks like it may be worthwhile buying spirits in France again. Although the other reasons for shopping in France are the range and quality of goods available are important, savings possibilities mean a lot more to most British shoppers. This is especially true with regard to champagnes and sparkling wines, as the selection available in U.K. supermarkets is dire in comparison. Whilst it is true champagne and spirits can be cheaper in the U.K. sometimes, this is usually dependent on special offers for a limited period. Before Xmas for example, we were told it was no longer worth buying champagne in France as the highly selective price comparisons quoted, suggested it was more expensive popping across the channel. A few weeks later we did a little survey and found that shoppers would still save 20% buying branded champagnes in France. Perhaps this is why about £1 of the cost of an average bottle of wine in the U.K. goes on marketing.

Spirit prices increased considerably last year in France. Now it seems we are about to have a similar increase here. We remain firmly of the opinion that with a little bit of research BEFORE you cross the channel considerable savings can still be made and a good day out enjoyed as well.

The Telegraph newspaper article we saw. www.telegraph.co.uk

28th - Airlines to France

Finding a flight can be a bit of an ordeal, especially when travel costs to a U.K. airport are taken into account. Our Airlines to France page lists all the airlines we have come across.

26th - Brittany Ferries changes, LD Lines to Ramsgate

Brittany Ferries has pulled it conventional ferry out of the Poole to Cherbourg route, although the fast craft service remains in operation.

LD Lines Ferries is now working with Transeuropa Ferries who run the Ramsgate to Ostende service. One of their larger ferries will now operate on this route allowing the service to be enhanced.

23rd - Wine Prices

A bottle of wine bought in the U.K. often has just 30 pence worth of wine in it. The rest is spent on taxes and marketing. A daytrip to France, where taxes are much lower and marketing is less agressive, will see you get a very much better wine for you expenditure than at home, and you will save between 30 and 60% on U.K. prices.

20th - French Public Holidays

We have updated our events pages, French Public holidays, Shoppings Sales and Shopping holidays. French shops are open much more than they use to be but it is still worth checking if they are in fact open before booking a daytrip.

19th - Changing money

18th - Strike on Saturday by Border Agency "workers"?

From the Press Association "Strike threat to ferry passengers - (UKPA) 18 hours ago

Holidaymakers returning to the UK by ferry from France could be hit by a strike by UK Border Agency staff on Saturday in a row over allowances. The Public and Commercial Services union said up to 470 of its members in Calais, Dunkirk, Coquelles and Boulogne would join the action, the second 24-hour walkout since the dispute flared at the end of last year. The union said it was opposing plans to scrap allowances for day and night shifts and cut the overnight allowance by a third, from 68 euros to 45 euros, which it claimed could cost staff more than £500 a month."

Lets hope it proves that the U.K. like most other European countires can manage just fine without the sort of intrusive and over the top border controls we endure here. Think of the huge savings we would make with the abolishion of this awful arm of Government.

Its worth noting that by and large, because the work of Customs and Law enforcement Agencies in these countries is based on intelligence and actually catching real criminals, rather than criminalising ordinary citizens, they have a better record than we do on drugs and counterfeit goods seizures, and a considerably less severe problem with illegal immigration.

Border controls don't work! The affect and target ordinary citizens and taxpayers mainly.

17th - New roadworks near Adinkerke

The good news is that they are widening the exits to two lanes.

Once again many of the shops will restrict their opening times, some closing at 6.00pm for example, so do check if visiting later in the day.

16th - Car hire in France

We list all the car hire companies we come across on our Car hire in France page. School holidays and bank holiday weekends can see a shortage of supply. Why not check out a local company using our car hire companies pages? (Spain)

15th - Oddbins Wine Calais

Oddbins wine in Calais is moving and has been closed for two months. We hope the move goes well. The store in Calais was clean and well managed, and any loss will be noticed.

13th - Rumour has it ...

Rumour has it that prices of tobacco will rise in Belgium shortly. Although our own budget may well mitigate any increases, if you are thinking of stocking up, now is the time.

12th - Hotel chains in the U.K., France, Belgium and Spain.

We are constantly adding new hotel chain information to our pages on hotels chains, now helpfully broken down by country. United Kingdom hotels, French hotel chains, Hotels in Belgium, Spanish hotels.

9th - French sales over

The French sales are over. Bad weather has affected sales somewhat. Expect big discounting in the summer. Remember in France goods can only be discounted during the sale period.

8th - Daytrips back to £25

Although intense competition has seen some superb offers recently, its clear the cross channel companies are being damaged by it. Daytrip prices are now back up to £25. For the moment, even on this site, there are no special offers available.

7th - Buy fuel off the autoroute

Buying fuel on the autoroute will add about 15% to your fuel bills. There are usually big commercial centres near péages, as you leave or enter a French city. Fill up before you rejoin the paid section of the motorway.

6th - Bilbao route to end in September

Sadly the Bilbao route operated by PO Ferries is closing at the end of September 2010. Soon only Brittany Ferries will operate from the U.K. to Spain (Santander). Prices no doubt will rise. Let's hope LD Lines or another operator fill the gap.

4th - Breakdown insurance

1st - French brands

20th - Spain tobacco price rise

The price of tobacco in Spain has gone up this month.

17th - Euro vs Sterling

At last the euro is weakening offering more opportunities to save whilst shopping in France. Remember though that it's not just saving money that's part of a daytrip, the range and quality are better too.

16th - Border controls - it's about money not security

My Mother, returning from Australia via Kuala Lumpur, remarked how easy it was passing through passport control at Heathrow. One is forced to ask why, when apparently "security" and "protection" are the key buzzwords used by our Government, so much effort and energy is invested watching British citizens passing through Dover.

14th - Overall, it is still cheaper in France

The British press has been full of stories saying how the booze cruise is over. However on careful examination they are not being 100% truthful. It is certainly not as cheap as it was, but that's because of the shameful depreciation of the Pound.

Comparing, for example, a British beer rarely sold in France with a U.K. supermarket price is just not playing cricket. Likewise champagnes. Our papers were full of "super deal" stories before Xmas, yet when we last checked, branded Champagne was 20 to 40% cheaper in France. Yes there are silly prices available, but as one wine critic noted, "just because its cheap, does not mean it's good value". It seems clear to me that that British supermarkets operate on the headline principal. Something may well be very cheap, for a limited period, but it seems the prices of other, similar products go up to compensate.

This week we did a quick shop for the sort of things we like to buy in France. Out of 44 products, 29 were comparable. 15 or 34% could not be found in UK supermarkets (Cheeses, a baked fish dish, some fruit juice shots, fresh soups, aubergines in oil, a wheat grain dish, and different cuts of beef steak).

Overall the savings were 30.67% on U.K. prices. Even if you take out the wines, we still saved 8.74%.

As I often tell people, shopping in France is not just about price, but range and quality as well. Try finding a Beaujolais Cru wine in a British supermarket. In general what you will find available across British supermarkets as a whole, is what you will find in one French supermarket aisle.

Meat can be pricey in France, but at least it looks like its been cut up with a knife,rather than butchered with an axe.

12th - No increase in Luxembourg tobacco prices

Tobacco prices have not gone up in Luxembourg this year.

10th - Hotels pages

We keep adding chains to our hotels pages, now broken down by country. Comparison sites may be easy to use, but they don't always give you the whole picture. I had to pass through France last week and found it easy to click away on links for the chains listed on the Hotels in France page and use the maps available to find a hotel just where I wanted it.

8th - Supermarkets in France

French supermarkets are less keen on own brand goods than ours at home. They also sell bigger packs and stock more locally produced products. Great for cheese and meats.

6th - Airports and airlines

5th - Buying ski boots, where's best?

Ski wear use to be about 20% cheaper in France but the exchange rate has put paid to that saving. However there is one big advantage when buying ski boots in France as I found this week with my son. He has wide feet, but a good three hours were spent by the fitter at Carrel Sport in Les Deux Alpes. Having tried them out he has been back twice for further adjustments. Impressive.

4th - Supermarkets in Calais

Despite the hype we were interested to notice that Champagne prices for the main branded champagnes were not cheaper in the U.K. Indeed savings of between 20 and 40 % could be made by popping across the channel. Remember, cheap prices do not always equal good value.

3rd - Car hire in France

Car hire is not always cheapest from comparison sites, it is worth checking out the individual company web sites. We list them all on our car hire in France page (we also have a car hire in Spain page)

2nd - Sales start soon

Sales really are sales in France, it's the one chance shops have to get rid of stock. Discounts at the factory shopping centres are worth looking into.

2009 was not especially good for anyone, but the exchange rate is improving and there is still an awful lot of positive things to say about shopping and holidaying in France.

Merry Christmas everyone. May 2010 bring a stronger pound, the absolute wipe out of the Labour Party at the next election (for taking us to war and bankrupting the country) and the full entrance of our country into the Schengen agreement (absolute freedom to travel for U.K. citizens).

21st - Disruptions. Eurostar fail us all.

We like travelling by Eurostar. There is clearly a need for two companies to offer this service though, as the lack of competition is showing. We turned up recently for a 0525 departure 45 minutes early as suggested, not only was the office where you get your tickets closed, but all the machines which theoretically allow you to print them off, were inside! Furthermore, none of them worked despite the attention of the staff, who tried to be of assistance. We ended up joining the back of the queue, despite being early. If visiting the factory shopping centres it's possible and easy by train. We suggest taking a large empty suitcase and filling it up with your purchases for the return journey. If there are a few of you the car and ferry remain the best option for shoppers as you can really shop to your hearts content.

The appalling service provided over the last few days, is in our opinion inexcusable. One would have thought people could have been put on a coach and taken through on Eurotunnel or by ferry, both of which seem to have working fairly well, so that they could join their train the other side. Cancelling the whole service for three days suggests no-one at Eurostar have thought things through or planned for emergencies.

Time for some changes?

20th - Web site update - relax!

Every now and then we go through our pages, checking links and coding to ensure the site runs smoothly. This takes time, but we know from comments made that people appreciate the fact that most of our links work properly (we have over 3,500 outside links now). Our titbits of information obviously help a lot of people, judging by the comments we get. Although we prepare for Xmas, December is a quite month for me working behind the scenes. Please do not think that a lack of updates mention on this blog page, suggest we are doing nothing, quite the contrary!

We often have a quick check of wine and champagne prices mentioned in newspaper articles. The British grocery trade have been adept this year suggesting the booze cruise has ended. Whilst their survey methods are extremely limited and highly questionable (taking a very special and limited UK offer and comparing it something at normal price in France, or comparing a UK beer with one generally not available in France) the press have slavishly reprinted their press releases without much questioning.

Whilst things are not as good as they were ( a combination of big tax rises on spirits and tobacco in France, and an astonishingly poor exchange rate), savings are still there to be made.

Much news recently has suggested Champagne is cheaper in England at Xmas, but as one wine journalist said, just because its cheap, does not mean its good value. We agree. We strongly advise shoppers to buy one and try it first. The trouble is most UK deals are for buying in bulk. Perhaps we now know why.

We looked at some of the champagnes mentioned in a recent Times newspaper article. Three of the champagnes mentioned were available in Sainsbury and Tesco in Calais, as well as other shops. Prices were 20 to 41% cheaper in France (Sainsbury's Calais were cheapest by the way). The average saving was 22% on UK prices.

Don't forget the on board offers, especially the two for one on board PO Ferries, whose offers are proving unbeatable.

17th - Ski resort connections

The cost of a coach to a ski resort from an airport can be astonishing. There are a lot of companies about cashing in. Where possible try and find a small local outfit as they are cheaper and often more flexible. Even better use public transport. The only downside of doing this is that weekday schedules are much less frequent than Saturdays, but worth careful planning money can be saved. If you are travelling as a group, hiring a car is worthwhile, but there are considerable shortages at peak times. Plan and book early. Also make sure you have adequate travel insurance, as independent travellers are often not covered if some plans fall through because of a strike say on the buses, or closures due to bad weather of a train service.

We now have a very comprehensive page detailing companies and connections to ski resorts from airports.

12th - Airports

Check the airport web sites before travelling, they have the latest news and flights can be easily checked. Sometimes private web sites about an airport offer a bit more or something different, we list those we have found on our Airports pages; Airports in the U.K., airports in France, Spain, Belgium. Don't forget airport parking, many hotels have useful deals which allow you to leave your car for up to two weeks, if you stay the night before your journey.

8th - UK Border Agency

Well, well. Things hotting for the Government's E-borders plans. MP's now suggest they break European law. We agree and hope this expensive mistake, which sees British travellers now having to endure checks and monitoring which have brought us closer as a country to East German style control, is ditched.

7th - Sales in France

Shoppers need to be more careful now before shopping in France due to the poor exchange rate. We stick to our advice to make a list of what you may want to buy, use the internet to check prices before you go, and see what is cheapest when in France. We now have a very large list of links to check wine prices. Sadly the Auchan Calais web site for UK shoppers is no more. We are assured prices for the national web sites (we list the main web sites as well as the delivery ones) have similar prices.

5th - Thank you

We often get e-mails from people saying how useful they find Day-tripper.net. Although our approach may be unconventional, we do feel the internet is about information, rather than just a marketing opportunity. Sadly the web seems to have evolved into an opportunity to mislead consumers. We strongly feel a tightening up of marketing phrases on internet sites is needed. Voucher sites which people seem to like, are in our opinion misleading and dishonest. Phrases such as fantastic, best value, deals etc. do not mean that there are cheap fares or that there is a special offer available.

Unfortunately because people have already clicked through to find out about "deals" and "offers" these companies end up getting the commission due.

PO Ferries now have the cheapest on board spirit prices. Look out for the special offers (you need to buy two bottles to get these prices). This month Chivas Regal and Courvoisier VS (1l) are on offer at 2 for £37.50, Smirnoff Red and Gordon's Gin (1l) are 2 for £22, and Baileys Irish Cream (1l) costs £20 for 2 bottles. Fosters Lager costs 2 for £22.

We have compared prices at the main French supermarkets in Calais and Tesco and Sainsbury stores.

Onboard prices (PO Ferries) were much cheaper than anywhere else, U.K. and France alike. Fosters Lager (bigger 50cl cans in France) was 40% more at Tesco and Sainsbury's U.K. (very limited period offer), Baileys Irish Cream (1l) was 73% more at Leclerc, Boulogne. Gordons Gin was 38% more at Leclerc, and Smirnoff Vodka was 42% more at Carrefour Calais. Courvoisier and Chivas Regal Whisky were 74% more at Carrefour Calais. Put another way buying the on board offers would save you between 28-43% if buying Chivas Regal, 16-42% for Courvoisier VS, 19-26% buying Smirnoff Red, 13-27% buying Gordons Gin, 22-42% buying Baileys Irish Cream and 8-38% buying Fosters Lager compared with U.K. and French prices.

However when comparing French prices against U.K. normal prices they were mostly cheaper (by up to 20%).

We advise shoppers to avoid French supermarkets if buying spirits, they were nearly always more expensive when comparing offer prices.

Excluding special offers on board, we found that Tesco and Sainsbury's in Calais were overwhelmingly cheaper when we compared offers in the U.K. with French prices (although only by about 5% on average). Where comparing French prices with normal U.K. prices they were between 6-31% cheaper (on average 23% cheaper).

I like the Perruche cane sugar cubes in my coffee. At Ocado they cost £1.79 for a 500 gram packet. In Auchan Calais a 750 gram packet costs just 1.64 euro, a saving at the in store exchange rate of 1.10 euro / £ of 44.48%.

Like most sensible people, I stocked up on speciality pasta's, pates and cheeses. It was also a joy to be able to select and choose the wines I like, rather than having to accept the very restricted choice of French wines available in U.K. supermarkets.

Most French supermarkets really enter into the spirit of Xmas with a wide range of specially bought in products. Today I bought some Pot Pourri for 4.00 euro a pack (100g) which seemed good value (there was a wide choice available). The usual choice at great prices of cheese, pates and pastas at lower prices, allowed me to stock up for Xmas. With daytrip fares historically very low (£19 if bought on this site) makes a shopping trip very worthwhile. Remember if you drive a diesel vehicle to fill up just before you return as diesel remains cheaper in France.

Well, no, shoppers actually. Unfortunately I have never spoken to so many people in one as this past week who have had a seizure from Customs. Then the penny dropped, its Xmas! Thank you Customs for ruining peoples lives. We are determined to see our ACCESS campaign through to a just solution.

Update November 2009 (27th) - Welcome to Algirdas Semeta the new Commissioner responsible for Customs matters. We will be lobbying him hard on your behalf. We will be contacting him shortly. What would you like us to tell him? Let us know.

This is why (e-mail received as I wrote about the new Commissioner).

"Came back from a 2 day business trip last week along with my wife and was stopped by customs and had all our wine and baccy taken from us and most importantly they seized my car, which was worth quite a bit. We only had the guide lines for both and not a boot full!. Because i had been before and bought before then we are criminals and apparently are selling the goods, i have an import and export company and that was why we were in France and Belgium, but that made no difference. We were held in separate rooms for nearly two hours and asked a million questions, mainly on how many ciggs we smoked. It made no difference,they were having our goods and that was it. Another couple also had there goods and car seized at the same time. This practice is just disgusting,they are like others have wrote before a law upon themselves, so smug and you can tell that they are laughing at our expense. I could write a lot more about what happened, but people beware - we only had a carrier bag of baccy and lost the car for that. I went on a legitimate business trip and need to go again next week, but i have no car now! Keep up the campaign to stop this happening to genuine shoppers and travellers."

We often look at prices of wines mentioned in the weekend papers, and without fail, savings from 30 to 60% are available by shopping for wine in France. French supermarkets have a very good range of French wines. I like beaujolias cru wines. Looking at Tesco and Sainsbury's website I was disgusted by the very limited range available. If you like a choice, not just of producer but price as well, head to France.

Although the exchange rate has seen prices increase in Belgium recently, with Golden Virginia costing just £3.95 in Adinkerke, Belgium, against nearly £12 in London, the savings to be made remain huge.

The European Commission has asked the French Government to "amend, within two months, its legislation and administrative practice regarding the movement and holding of manufactured tobacco purchased by private individuals in other Member States for their own needs. The legislation and practice in question are an obstacle to applying the principle of free movement of goods in the internal market. The request has been made in the form of a reasoned opinion, the second stage of infringement proceedings under Article 226 of the EC Treaty. If France does not amend its legislation and practice within the time limit stipulated, the Commission may decide to bring the matter before the Court of Justice". www.europa.eu

Action for Customs Casualties of European Shoppers' Seizures

Auchan Calais have ended their web site aimed at U.K. shoppers. We know there had been a dramatic decline in the number of U.K. shoppers, and that those who remained were buying less.

11th - Euroferries delayed again

Whoops! Another delay and no delayed start date announced. We gather that the problems are not related to Euroferries who "have covered all their contractual obligations". The local Council have said "We are saddened to hear of this delay to the start of the service. We have been working closely with Euroferries and will continue to do so to bring this new service to fruition. Plans to receive this service at the Port of Ramsgate are in place and the port will be ready for the vessel on its start date." But when is that Ramsgate Council?

Sounds like a nitty gritty contractual dispute, lets hope they all get it sorted soon.

Now if I was Euroferries . . .

I would announced a turn up and go service with damn good prices, let the world know, and charge a reservation fee for those of us who prefer to know with certainty if we can travel at a set time. This might be the time for a swing towards even more flexible travel arrangements that all ferry companies should embrace. After all we are in Europe aren't we?

6th November - Tobacco prices

Cigarettes up 6% in France. Briefly, this now means that Benson and Hedges cigarettes are 15.70% cheaper in France, 25.60% cheaper in Belgium, in Luxembourg 32.21%, and in Spain 42.96% cheaper than in the U.K. For Golden Virginia the savings are; 28.81% in France, 65.29% in Belgium, in Luxembourg 65.42%, and in Spain 60.54%.

As part of a gradual overhaul of our pages, many of which have become too large, we now have a separate section for money matters. There is now a page on Credit Cards, one for Exchanging money and a new one for Pre pay currency cards.

Concerns about Euroferries not having it ferry available on time for its November 14th start, seem to have been dealt with. We understand the ferry is on its way from Tenerife.

We have split and updated the skiing pages on Day-tripper.net. There is now a ski wear page, a ski hire shops page (U.K. and France) and the ski holiday companies pages have been added to.

Euroferries seem to be motoring ahead and keen to entice passengers on board. They have just announced they are to offer free travel insurance for all fares book returning in eight days.

Calais visits

Few people seem to spend the day in Calais, which has a fine history. We are updating our Calais Tourism page. Do look at it before you go on a daytrip.

Vouchers, and deals.

Like many web site we get most of our income from a small commission paid when our visitors click through on a link and make a purchase. The means for achieving this are provided by affiliates companies. They market the companies they represent as they get a percentage of whatever sale is made. Increasingly they work with voucher and gift web sites. Whilst we find most of these thoroughly dishonest in their approach (words used; "deals" best value" "cheapest" etc. when there are no "deals", the value they offer is the same as everyone else, and they cannot possibly claim to be the cheapest), they are popular. Its fair to say there is nothing more ignorant than a consumer. We certainly and feel there is a strong need for consumer legislation to protect shoppers. We often get e-mail from other companies, one for example claims to be very cheap, but we have found it impossible to book a daytrip as the fare they always offer is a two day flexible fare. Infrequent travellers will pay over the odds when they could have got a fare so much cheaper through a specialist site like Day-tripper.net.

However, there are are offers, especially out of season. Interestingly many are on the companies web sites already. However we will now list them at the bottom of every page and aim to update them and remove offers which have ended speedily.

29th - Shopping in France is about more than price

Shopping in France is not just about saving money, as the range and quality of the goods is usually so much better in a French supermarket. For example, we enjoy a French brand of fruit juices called Andros. In London, Sainsbury's "Taste the difference" lemonade made from freshly squeezed lemons, costs 6% more (exchange rate £1 = 1.06 euro) than a similar product in France, yet has 30% less lemon juice and 16% more sugar. In general British products have more fat and sugar in them.

We have decided to up the ante a bit. It's distressing to say the least, dealing with the volume of e-mails we get from holders of British passport explaining how they have been treated because they dared to cross their country's borders. It appears clear we are being monitored by British authorities when we shop or travel in Europe, we feel more needs to be done to expose this fact.

Please let us know of your experiences, as the more people we can quote the better when we speak to MP's and MEP's. We intend to highlight the way we are treated in the European press as well.

If you are a barrister with a view on the diminishing of our freedoms, or someone with expert knowledge or a strong view on the matter, please get in touch.

Now that Archant Life have taken over running the France Show, held at Olympia, the organisation seems much better. A reminder that tickets are free if you pre register before 1st December 2009.

Bed and Breakfast or Chambres d'Hôtes

Hotel chains may offer you certainty, but can also be boringly predictable. Although many B&B's have restricted opening times (we arrived at one in the early afternoon, to discover they didn't open until 5.00pm), the welcome and decoration usually compensates. We enjoyed our stay at the Cercle de Malines in Calais recently. Quiet and central, the decoration knocks spots off the usual hotel fare. I greatly appreciated the owner sending my iPhone on to my destination after I had left it in my room.

Maison d'Hotes. 12, rue de Malines, Calais. 62100. Tel: 0033 321 96 80 65. www.lecercledemalines.com

26th - Skiwear and equipment

Sometimes you may see someone wearing a jacket or outfit you like. Why not make a note of the brand and find a shop using our Skiwear page, where we list all the brands we have come across. Aim to shop at sales time, or in Factory Shopping centres.

French magazines, forums and blogs.

We are slowly adding more and more magazine titles, blogs and forums to our page listing them.

25th - Sales in France

The next sales in France start 6th January. Our page on the sales in France has had many more links added. We have also extended our Factory shopping in France page.

24th - Ski season in Les Deux Alpes

Les Deux Alpes opens every year at the end of October for a week. Skiing is usually confined to the glacier. When there is enough snow the pistes lower down are opened up. This year there has been a nice dump of snow. The Mondial du Ski and Snowboard, where skiers have the opportunity to test new skis, is not on this year.

23rd - Prices of Spirits, still savings to be had

The excise duty on alcohol rose substantially in January affecting spirits and liqueurs badly. Many products are now cheaper in the U.K. especially high strength alcohols such as Vodka. However, in general prices are 5 to 15% cheaper in France, although when there is an offer in a U.K. supermarket, it is sometimes cheaper. However, French Supermarkets have a very considerably greater range available, and if you take advantage of the offers in France when they are on, the savings can be substantial.

21st - Gites de France brands

Gite de France has some sub brands emphasising the special feature of certain groups of Gites. For example there is Bienvenue a la Ferme and Gites de Panda which are situated in National parks.

20th - Organic and regional products, labels

Organic food, or Bio in France, is catching on, but can be pricey. Great emphasis is also placed on Fairtrade products, and most supermarkets now have an aisle devoted to BIO or Fairtrade products. We are gradually building up our list of companies and links on our Shopping Regional products page.

18th - Exchange rates

Travellers currency cards - exchanging money

16th - Car hire

We have a very comprehensive list of car hire companies listed on our Car hire in Spain and Car hire in France pages. Always see what's on offer direct with local companies as not all allow their web sites to be used by comparison sites.

15th - Driving in France, fines and obligations

New E.U. rules will see European drivers having to pay fines incurred abroad. Interestingly the money goes to the national Government not the one issuing the fine. The limit for collection has been set at 70 euro, which means that most foreign drivers incurring fines on U.K. roads will not even be sent a demand. Once again Britain, insisting on its special right to do things its own way, rather than co-operating with other European countries, loses out.

13th - Apartment hotels

If you are staying more than a few days Apartment hotels make sense as you can buy cereal and food locally and use the kitchens available. Most allow you to stay only one night if you wish.

11th - Euroferries set to start 14th November

Euroferries, after a long and difficult birth have now started selling tickets with a planned start date of 14th November. We hope they succeed, as nothing keeps prices competitive than company's competing against each other.

9th - Airlines going to France, Belgium, Spain etc. pages

Even though we keep an eye on travel issues, we often find we have missed a hotel chain or airline from our list. Using our pages when planning a holiday is easy as you can find most of the airlines or hotels in a country easily. We have added new airlines and hotels chains to our various pages, now devoted to a country specifically.

Airlines going to France / to Spain

Hotels chains in the U.K. / France / Spain

8th - Currency cards

With the pound falling in value by the day, it time to start looking at ways to save money when travelling or shopping abroad. Travel or currency cards can offer considerable savings, and are convenient and easy to use (once you have registered they are easy to top up by phone or online). Many companies now offer them, so shop around for the best deal.

7th - Hiring skis - companies to use

We now list companies which rent skis and boots. Sometimes its cheaper to do this in the U.K. before you go.

6th - Skiwear

Winter is coming and many of us will be looking to buy ski wear. Our Skiwear page lists most of the manufacturers of clothes and skis.

5th - Bed and Breakfast page updated

There are a lot of web site devoted to B&B's and chambre d'hotes in France. Although many lack the slick presentational skills of big agencies, we have found they afford a wide choice of some charming places all over France.

4th - LD Lines ferries

LD Lines ferries are changing some of their ships around and have sub contracted the Portsmouth to Cherbourg route to Celtic Link.

3rd - Wine pages updated

We have been updating our French wine pages with new links and information.

2nd - Airlines to France

Lots of changes coming about this winter as airlines flying to France reduce schedules and remove some services altogether. We are updating this page fairly often now.

1st - Cheap £19 daytrips until 30th November.

Although the strength of the Pound is not helpful, happily cheap daytrip fares continue via Day-tripper.net. PO Ferries are continuing with their very special £19 daytrip fare offered through this web site. The afternoon fare is now £17 (every day though) and the foot passenger fares are now, £3 for Sunday to Thursday sailings and £6 on Friday and Saturday.

30th - Car hire insurance

Lots of stories about car hire problems (sudden new charges appearing on credit cards, charges made despite having the companies own insurance etc.). The good news is special car hire insurance to protect you and pay any excess demanded is actually quite cheap.

29th - Travel Insurance pages

We have added a considerable number of companies offering travel insurance to our travel insurance page. We know from the e-mails we get that not everyone has the same requirements and shopping around is essential.

28th - UK Border agency, loads more comments!

Oh dear. Our new U.K. Border Agency page where we list the comments people make to us about being British and crossing the border, continues to attract lots of attention. Thanks to everyone for their comments. Despite 10 years of running this web site, I continue to be amazed at the extraordinary level of ignorance and stupidity evident at our borders. What is our Government doing to us?

Most visitors to this web site look at our driving in France pages. We have been updating the information relating to enforcement of traffic fines. E.U. law now allows member states to join information sharing schemes. The main one is called EUCARIS, the European CAR and driving licence Information System.

Britain has now joined this scheme. We strongly advise visitors to Europe to check on the latest news by looking at our Driving Speed cameras page.

26th - Insurance. Travel, breakdown, ski and now car hire insurance pages!

We have been making our pages easier to read, by reducing their size, as we find they are getting quite large. We now have a Car hire tips and car hire insurance page full of lots of useful and helpful information.

25th - Events in Nord / Pas de Calais

We always suggest checking what's on wherever you are visiting in France. Local fetes and festivals can be fun and a good opportunity to sample local food. We have many pages relating to events in France and have just updated the Events NORD / Pas de Calais page.

24th - Champagnes

We have added some more links and tips to the Wines-Champagnes page. A short break in Reims or Epernay is easy with Eurostar.

23rd - Travel insurance - more links

Our travel insurance page has a comprehensive list of tips that anyone buying travel insurance should look at before committing themselves. Many policies, especially the cheaper ones, have exclusions that travellers should be wary of. Insolvency is one of them. We now list a company that covers insolvencies.

We often see mailings offering hotels and ferries combined deals. Although these are convenient, we think its better and cheaper booking direct. After all how many people travel four to a car?

20th - Route 66 prices now up to date

Route 66 Tobacco in Luxembourg have had some web site issues which has prevented them from updating their website prices, which are very old. We have now created a new web site with downloadable excel spreadsheets which are up to date.

19th - Hotels in France and Belgium

We have added some new chains to the Hotels in France and hotels in Belgium pages.

18th - Places to visit in Calais

Calais is easy to get to, but few people spend anytime visiting some of the local attractions. We have a page on Tourism in Calais, outside calais and for War museums which we have been updating with new links and attractions.

17th - Hotels pages

We continue to update our hotels in France, hotels in Belgium and Airport hotel pages. If we have missed off a chain let us know!

17th - Hotels pages

We have been madly re-organising our hotels pages. Unlike most agency sites or companies marketing hotels, Day-tripper aims to give you the links direct to the hotel or chain.

16th - Tobacco remains a lot cheaper in Belgium and Luxembourg

The Latest survey of tobacco prices shows once again that tobacco is very much cheaper in Belgium and Luxembourg. If you are buying cigarettes in France, remember they go up by 6% on the 5th October.

15th - U.K. Border Agency

People regularly e-mail us about their experiences returning to, and sometimes when leaving the U.K. We now list some recent comments on our ne "U.K. Border agency page". Any Member's of Parliament reading this? Then do something about it!

Its clear "border agency" is as in East Germany" not "European Union". It's also clear that the experience of passing a United Kingdom border does put people off travelling, and reduces their view of their own country. Well done New Labour!

One wonders how many illegal immigrants they would catch if they stopped targeting U.K. citizens shopping or travelling, and concentrated their efforts on freight coming in.

13th - More nonsense from our media

Another article (this time in the Guardian) about the end of the booze cruise. Why are journalists so lazy? A tiny bit of research and instead of paying £35 for a daytrip they would pay £19 for a daytrip on Day-tripper.net. It is beyond doubt wine is considerably cheaper in France. We always say there are three reasons to shop in France; Price, range and quality. Having spent two weeks trawling around British and French supermarkets we remain of that opinion.

Well another day-trip, and having finished the survey of wine, beer, champagne and spirit prices it's clear the nonsense peddled (and promoted?) by British supermarkets about the "Booze cruise" being over, stands to be exposed. We will be digesting all the figures this weekend and publishing the good news on Monday.

Wine Fairs start at French and Belgium Supermarkets

Every year in September there are Wine Fairs in French and Belgium Supermarkets. Its a good time to stock up as prices are cheap. This is when the supermarkets get rid of their stock. We list all the dates (each supermarket has different dates) on the Supermarkets in France page.

11th - Hotels chains in Belgium

We have updated our Hotel chains in Belgium page. Although Hotel agency sites are a good way of finding a hotel, looking at the main hotel website often brings up some special offers.

Fastnetline Ferries will start a service next March between Swansea ann Cork.

Season tickets for cross channel companies.

All the cross channel companies now have some sort of Frequent Traveller club. We give our visitors the low down on a new page about Season tickets from the main ferry companies.

Another strike is planned on October 7th (Wednesday).

Following the increase in June for rolling tobacco, cigarette prices go up next month by 6% in France.

Le Chais in Calais, is getting rid of New World wines (whilst stocks last)

Seems the decline in the number of shoppers is seeing a degree of rationalisation taking place in Calais wine shops. Le Chais, who have always been good for French wines, but have had a range of New World wines, has decided to reduce their stocks. Buy now.

We have just finished a very comprehensive survey of prices in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Basically, for Unleaded 95 its 5 to 8% more expensive in France and Belgium, but still cheaper in Luxembourg (8.64% cheaper). Diesel is about 14% cheaper in France, and Boulogne had cheaper prices all round compared with Calais. In Belgium in Adinkerke diesel was about 10% cheaper. Diesel in Luxembourg was a whopping 22% cheaper than in the U.K.

Filling up on the autoroute is very expensive, and it really is worth making the effort to leave the autoroute and fill up at a nearby supermarket. Unleaded 95 was 11% more on the autoroute, diesel 18% more.

LPG is marginally more expensive in France but much cheaper in Belgium (22.8% cheaper).

The unique offer for Day-tripper.net visitors has been reduced to just £19 for a day trip. Travel after 12.00 noon and the price is just £15.

5th - Calais wine shops

Things have settled down a bit although rumours of more shops going out of business abound. We found most have used the time to tart up their shops which are looking a lot cleaner and neater than usual. Watch out for shorter opening hours though, many are now closing earlier than in the past.

4th - Calais Supermarkets

The number of British shoppers has been dramatic, clearly the exchange rate has a big affect on peoples shopping habits. Speaking to the Manager of Auchan Hypermarket, I gather there has been a very large drop in the percentage of sales attributable to U.K. shoppers. The was a time when in the run up to Xmas the percentage of sale from U.K. shoppers was about 65%. I understand its been about 35% this year.

2nd - End of the Booze cruise?

We understand the BBC, who chose to go to Eastenders to illustrate their argument, for long locally in Calais there have been rumours of its imminent demise, at 6.30am in the morning. No wonder no one was there. And when you are clearly running down your stock it sends the wrong message Eastenders's.

Spirits are however no longer a good buy in France. Excise duties rose 23% in January in France, so the stronger the alcohol the more expensive they now are. However, a quick browse around any French supermarket soon shows you that there are other reasons than saving money to shop in France - there's so much more to choose from!

Amidst all the press stories about the end of the booze cruise, we have been checking prices like mad. Firstly spirits are not now always a good buy. Just check U.K. prices before you go, as many are still cheaper in France. The range however is much better, and if you are looking for anything special, avoid U.K. supermarkets (limited range, lots of own brand stuff).

However, savings on tobacco are actually more now than last year, especially in Belgium and Luxembourg. Spain has seen some very large increases in prices, so it is now worthwhile popping across on a daytrip.

The exchange rate when we last did our survey was 1.08, its now 1.12 euro to the pound. Additionally, prices have gone DOWN in Belgium. Golden Virginia has gone up in France however (8%).

Its worth checking prices on board. We are not sure why or how (old stock maybe?), but Golden Virginia on board POF last month was just £7.04 a 50g pack. In the U.K. its £11.36, and in Belgium just £3.70. In France it now costs about £8.81 (pro rata - packs are 40g in France).

Overall, shop in France for your guideline amounts of 3,200 cigarettes and 3Kg of Golden Virginia and you will save £753.60. In France the savings on U.K. prices is still a respectable £369.21. In Luxembourg, where the savings are biggest you will save £770.00

29th - Club Lounge (POF) is worth it.

At £12 per leg per person it may be argued that Club lounge on PO Ferries is a bit of a luxury. However, with a glass of champagne (chilled) and all the free tea or coffee you want, plus loads of newspapers to peruse, as well as a personal shopper (saves the bother of going down there and looking), we feel its good value. The lounges are spacious and comfortable, with orders taken by the staff, and everything brought to your table. The saving you make on a daytrip (currently we have £19 daytrips on offer on this site, £30 if booked direct) should allow shoppers the opportunity for a bit of luxury.

28th - Spirits cheaper on ferry

Well, things are changing. years ago, the prices on board tended to be a bit over the top. Not any more. My wife asked me to bring back some Martini Extra dry (better than white wine, in cooking). The one litre bottle costs £8.99 at Tesco's in London, £8.92 at Auchan Hypermarket in Calais, and £5.00 (an offer - buy 2 for £10) in the shop on board PO Ferries. Even when the offer is not on, the price on board is excellent at £6.29 for a one litre bottle.

27th - Holiday closures

Usually French shopkeepers go on holiday in September. Whilst its cheaper to holiday then, and the weather is often just as good as in the summer, many shops and restaurants are closed. We notice that this year in Calais, many shops are closed for the holidays in August. Best check before you go, if you are visiting somewhere for something special.

26th - Car servicing in France

We continue to get e-mails suggesting car servicing is much cheaper in France. Perhaps its worth considering when on holiday in France.

25th - U.K. Border Agency

Oh dear, the more we read the legislation surrounding the new U.K. Border Agency, the more convinced we are one of the main objectives is to control those of us within our borders. The new Officials have extra powers and hidden away (although not always directly mentioned) is a commitment to fight tobacco smuggling. Evidence suggests most smuggled tobacco is brought in by professional gangs, and just one container is worth a few weeks of seizures at Dover for example. Additionally most tobacco sold on our streets is now counterfeit, so no E.U. Government gets any tax. Well done Gordon!

It strikes me as odd that British citizens can travel freely all over Europe as foreigners yet get subject to intrusive and often abusive treatment on our return to our country. With a channel and border controls, perhaps its time to ask why other E.U. countries have fewer problems with illegal immigration and manage better than we do.

The French Senate has now passed the bill extending Sunday opening in France, all be it narrowly. The law would permit shops, department stores, and shopping malls to open on Sundays in 20 zones.

23rd - Chateaux in France

Staying in a Chateau in France can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Many chains provide quality accommodation in France but some act as a go between, letting you contact the owners direct.

22nd - Tobacco in Spain

The recent increase in Tobacco prices in Spain, coming at the same time as a drop in the price of Golden Virginia in Belgium has seen a dramatic drop in the number of people flying there to stock up. Golden Virginia is now cheaper in Belgium.

20th - Rail travel, TGV in France and Europe

We have updated our Rail travel in France page and now have a new page devoted to TGV travel in France and Europe.

18th - Eurostar

Its easy using the Eurostar web site, and we now list a fair amount of useful information for our visitors on our page devoted to this company.

17th - Sunday opening

The French National Assembly adopted a private bill Wednesday (15th July 2009) authorising the opening of stores on a Sunday in areas of commercial interest (Paris, Lille, Marseilles - about 500 in all).

It was only adopted by a small majority though, and must now pass the Senate.

In some areas workers will be required to work Sunday's and be paid as if it is a normal day. In other areas they will be entitled to double time.

The existing rules that say a Mayor can authorise five Sunday openings a year will remain in other areas. Importantly food shops can now open until 1.00pm.

July 16th - Hotels chains in France, Belgium and the U.K.

We are always updating our Hotels in France page. Comparison sites may be convenient but if you want more information nothing beats the hotels own web site. Day-tripper.net always aims to offer information without restriction (i.e. by listing only those shops and companies that we get commission from).

We are currently re organising our hotels pages as many companies do not operate in some countries. The Hotels U.K. page, Hotels in Belgium and Hotels France page have been added to.

There are many chains devoted to stays in Chateaux. We have updated our page on Chateaux in France with new links. We feel its worth ringing up and asking what offers are available, booking at list price may see you paying more than you should.

July 15th - Rail travel in France and Belgium

Travelling around Europe, especially as a family is a good and cost effective way of getting around. Our Rail travel page lists all of the rail companies and agencies.

July 14th - Driving in France

Our Driving in France page is one of our most popular pages. We will need to split this page soon as its getting very full of useful information travellers will find of interest. We have updated it once again with new links.

July 13th - Chocolate in Belgium and France

We have added many more links to the Shopping-chocolates page. More chocolate related events have been added as well.

July 12th - Snow train and Eurostar's ski train

Sadly the snow train operated by Rail Europe will not operate this season. Eurostar however have a full programme of ski trains. Although more expensive than flying, there are no baggage restrictions which often compensate.

July 11th - Food and wine related events

Slowly but surely our events in France page is growing. Wherever we come across news of an event held annually or bi annually, we list it, with links and other information. Before going on holiday we always advise shoppers to check out the local tourist office web site, and our events in France page.

July 10th - Tourist Offices in France

We have added more links and information to our Tourist offices in France page.

July 9th - Airports in France, airlines flying to France

We have added many more new links for French Airports, and updated our Airlines flying to France page. The Spanish airline Vueling has absorbed Clickair.

We have had a great day visiting the local market and enjoyed and no doubt will enjoy the selection of local cheeses we have brought. Not much of the summer fruit made it back to the flat though. When travelling through of visiting anywhere in France it is worth making a note of the local market day or seasonal events.

July 7th - Summer skiing

Summer skiing is still possible in much of Europe. I am currently enjoying the snow in Les Deux Alpes where it actually snowed on the glacier last night (this is where the skiing takes place). www.webcam-ski.com

Unfortunately we are going shopping today with family so I will enjoy the fresh snow tomorrow.

The alps are wonderful in the summer. We have a flat to rent in Les Deux Alpes, this is view from the bedroom taken last night.

July 6th - Fuel prices, diesel is cheaper

Whoops, diesel is marginally more expensive in France? (the article has been changed since publication). Diesel fuel is about 12% cheaper if you shop at hypermarkets.

www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/columnists/sophiebutler/5757651/Travel-advice-tips-for-driving-in-France.html

July 5th - Restaurants, cheaper in France

VAT has gone down in France to 5%. Restaurants seem to be promoting this quite well. We find eating out in France still offers very good value, at least you can CHOOSE a wine from the wine list rather than make do with the house wine as in the U.K.

July 4th - Magazines, blogs and forums about France

There are loads of blogs, forums and magazines about France. We link to a new newspaper about France, "The French News" on our Magazines France page.

July 3rd - Luxembourg tobacco, back in fashion?

Looking at the statistics for the tobacco pages, its clear the recent tobacco price rise in Spain is making people think about returning to Adinkerke and Luxembourg where some tobacco is now cheaper than Spain.

July 2nd - Factory shopping centres

I know I bang on about these centres, but they really do offer good value in France, especially at sale time (regulated in France, twice a year). We enjoyed our visit to Marques Avenue in Romans sur Isere (south of Lyon), which specialises in shoe shops. There is a brand shopping centre in Coquelles (l'Usine Cotes d'Opale) and Factory shopping centres in Lille, an easy and cheap place to get to from London by Eurostar.

July 1st - Spanish tobacco prices

With demand for the Tobacco in Spain page almost doubling in the days after the news of the somewhat dramatic price rises in Spain, we see there has been a big increase in demand for the Tobacco in Belgium and Tobacco in Luxembourg pages.