Banks: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday; city centre banks open Saturday morning
Post offices: 09:00 to 17:30, Monday to Friday; 09:00 to 12:00 Saturday
Government departments:09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Business Centres:09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Shops: 09:00 to 17:30, Monday to Saturday; shopping malls open later and there is also late night shopping Wednesday or Thursday

Unfortunately Manchester isn’t the safest of cities in the UK and has always had somewhat of a bad reputation on the crime front since the days of heavy industry hit the city. You should be especially wary when out and about at night in Manchester.

Although visiting Manchester and staying within the city centre and touristy areas are perfectly safe and there is an obvious police presence, visitors should be particularly on guard for pickpockets here. Train and bus stations are the main targets for petty thieves as is public transport in general at night.

As with many UK cities, the worst time to be wandering the streets in Manchester is around 23:00 when most pubs close and kick out the drunks. Walking the streets at this time when gangs of youths tend to roam is not a good idea. If you have to get about at night and you are by yourself, simply call for a taxi. Keeping away from the following areas is also recommended, day or night: Cheetham Hill, Longsight, Moss Side, Salford, and Wythenshawe.

Those who hire cars when visiting Manchester should make sure they park in the hotel car park, or anywhere but the street. Also make sure the doors are locked and absolutely nothing is left visible inside as there is a good chance it won’t be there on your return.

Police: 999 
Electricity: 230 volts, 50Hz. 3 pin square type plugs.

Manchester is a clean and healthy city and has been smartened up considerably in recent years. There are no exotic diseases to be worried about, the tap water is drinkable, and food standards are high.

Manchester also has very good medical facilities in its hospitals and clinics and there are well stocked pharmacies in all tourist areas. People on medication should naturally bring extra supplies with them (including any doctor’s prescription note) and also check out the generic name of their drug for easy sourcing at pharmacies.

Although citizens from the EU visiting the UK can receive free emergency medical care on display of an EU reciprocal health card, having good travel insurance is a must. Make sure your health insurance policy covers you for accidents and associated medical treatment, theft, loss of baggage, missed travel connections and the like.

Manchester City Hospital: +44 860 646 1222

With its large Indian and Chinese communities, English is not the only language to be heard on the streets of Manchester, although, of course, everyone speaks English. The Mancunian accent is quite discernible and has a distinct twang when compared with other climes of northern England and it will take some getting used to at first.

The UK still uses the pound sterling (£) and has not yet adopted the euro. One pound equals 100 pence (p) and notes come in denominations of £50, £20, £10 and £5. There is a variety of uniquely-shaped coins and colours and they come in: £2, £1 (gold), 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, (silver) 2p and 1p (copper). There are no limits on the amount of foreign or local currency one can bring into and take out of the UK. Note that Scottish pound notes are also legal tender in England, with the exact same value, and are often seen in Manchester. 

Having pounds in your pocket before you arrive in Manchester is a good idea although it doesn’t pay to obtain too much outside the UK due to better onshore rates and the safety aspect.

Manchester International Airport has currency exchange services in each terminal and rates here are pretty good while all city banks will give you a pretty good rate on major currencies. Try to refrain from changing currencies in hotels as exchange rates in them are traditionally tight. Euro dollars are also accepted at many of the larger shops, restaurants and hotels in Manchester.

The likes of Switch, PLUS, and Maestro impregnated debit cards make obtaining money in Manchester from ATMs straightforward. You can draw on your local account in your home country this way and save a lot of hassle in the process. Although you will no doubt be charged by your bank and the issuing bank’s ATM in Manchester for any withdrawals, the convenience far outweighs the cost.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club are all generally recognised at stores and large restaurants in Manchester, with Visa and Mastercard being the most regularly used. Gone are the days when one would sign a receipt when using a credit card in the UK, with most retailers now using the ‘Chip and PIN’ method, where the customer inputs their PIN number into a handheld device when prompted.

Those who prefer to holiday using traveller’s cheques can do so with ease when visiting Manchester, with banks, hotels and shops all doing exchanges. Make sure you obtain pounds sterling or US dollars cheques.

The UK has the standard duty-free limits of 200 cigarettes, one litre of spirits and 50g of perfume when coming and going for non-EU travellers. Gifts up to the value of £145 can also be had duty-free but you must be 18 years and over to buy alcohol. Those travelling to the UK from other European countries can bring in what they like up to a reasonable amount for personal use and within the weight limits of the associated airline. It goes without saying that importing drugs, guns and pornography is prohibited.

Travellers from outside the EU can also apply for a VAT refund at participating stores; you fill out the form at the shop, have it stamped by the clerk, present the form to customs on exit from the country and post the form back to the store to receive the 17.5 per cent refund. The form must be received by the store within three months of purchase.

Mancunians are less reserved and more outgoing in general than the typical English person, although good manners and using ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ whenever necessary is a must for getting the most out of your trip.

One of the main things to remember when visiting Manchester is to be careful when talking about football while you are out and about. Most male locals think of their team, Manchester United, as the be all and end all of life here and criticising the club in any way, especially when in a bar late at night, is not recommended. Consequently, wearing a football shirt at any time is not advised and people who do so will not be able to gain entry to most prominent bars and pubs in town.

Dining Etiquette
Casual dining is the name of the game in Manchester. Most cafés and restaurants are informal places where one can simply turn up in jeans and sweater, or smart shorts and a t-shirt on a hot day. Of course, dressing up for class hotel restaurants and star-rated restaurants that warrant it is a must, but this will be obvious at the time. Although a certain yob element will be seen walking into a McDonalds bare-chested, this is not the norm and is a no no as far as tourists are concerned.

The English, and Mancunians, eat with a knife (right hand) and fork and rarely eat with their hands unless the meal dictates it. Classy restaurants will present the customer with a full set of cutlery for all courses, but don’t be alarmed in this situation; simply work your way in from the outside with each course. Not talking when one’s mouth is full and not burping goes without saying.

Although the English were rather averse to tipping up until relatively recently, more and more places will have a service charge included in the bill and in this scenario, there is absolutely no need to tip. If you were very pleased with the way your meal went, then by all means tip up to 10 per cent. Tipping in a pub or bar is not the done thing in Manchester, as you pay as you go, including for meals.

Citizens of countries in the EU whose governments have a national ID card system only need to present this to get into England. In addition, citizens of Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland also only need their valid ID cards, while others from the EU simply need their passports and no visas. Passports must be valid for at least six months beyond exit date.

Those coming from North America, Australia, and New Zealand can generally obtain a six-month multiple-entry visitor’s visa without too much trouble. People coming from elsewhere, including from Asia and South America, can also generally get visas without too much hassle, but should allow at least two weeks when applying.

Manchester’s main tourist information office - Manchester Visitor Centre- is at the Town Hall on Lloyd Street; They offer comprehensive information on the city and the Greater Manchester area in general, including free maps. phone: +44 871 222 8223; email touristinformation@marketing-manchester.co.uk; website:www.visitmanchester.com.