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The "New" England guidebook (10th edition)

Posted by (Lynnwood, Washington) on

I'm headed to the Best of Southern England tour in April, so I waited to order my tour kit until this month to make sure I received the hot of the press (Feb 2023) guidebook with all of its updates. The book has over 988 pages so I imagine updating it can be a challenge. However, I found myself a bit disappointed when I found the following language under "Getting a VAT refund" on page 898.
" Process your VAT document at your last stop in the European Union...." Should someone tell the guidebook editors about Brexit? (Note: for those of you that are about to suggest I notify RS regarding error, I have)

Is it a really big thing? Not really, except it made me wonder what other items were missed in the update. I know that they have been under a lot of pressure to update, particularly with covid impacts. I just wonder if editors are just stretched too thin. I didn't pay anything "extra" for the guidebook, but I'm not sure I would be willing to pay $26 for it right now.

Edited to Add: A few of the comments caused to me to explore VAT a bit more. The error is much larger than I originally thought. Refunds of VAT have not been available in England since January 1, 2021. There is almost an entire page of misinformation here.

Posted by
3253 posts

IMHO - it's a big thing. You are paying "good money" for that tour, and for the guidebook. What else did the RS team overlook?

Posted by
2472 posts

Carol,
I’m on that same tour, April 24-May 6, a week after yours. I’m glad the updated guidebook is now available, I will order my tourkit. My final payment is due soon which means I’ll be in London before I know it! Time flies when you’re having fun and preparing for a trip. Can’t wait.

Posted by
3108 posts

I don’t see the problem.

You are omplaining that the book says: “process your VAT document at your last stop in the European Union”. What is wrong with that??? I read that as saying if you want a VAT refund, you need to do that at your last stop in the EU (France or wherever) BEFORE you get to the U.K.. Where is the error? They are not ignoring Brexit at all.

Posted by
8399 posts

Sasha, they were talking about how to get a refund of your VAT for purchases in the UK.

Posted by
934 posts

Fwiw, I'm checking in with our Books Dept about this. It may take a business day or two to hear back.

Posted by
934 posts

Hey everyone,

I've heard reply from our Books Dept, and we consider this a sincere miss on our part. That's not to our usual standard.

We are issuing this fix in the Guidebook Updates section of our website (available in the footer) as soon as my coworker can make the change (hopefully today):

Since Jan. 1, 2021, visitors to the UK are no longer able to get a VAT
(value-added tax) refund on purchases made in UK shops. Also, tax-free
sales at airports, Eurostar train stations, and in ports are
discontinued. In Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales),
overseas visitors can still buy items tax-free at stores (that offer
this service) if the items are sent directly to an overseas address
outside the UK. And, visitors to Northern Ireland may shop tax-free if
the items are sent directly to an address outside the UK and the EU.
As the UK continues to adjust to the fallout from Brexit, the
situation regarding VAT refunds and tax-free shopping could change
again. For the latest, check
https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-shopping/taxfree-shopping.

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