As read in yesterday's Guardian: the British government will be closing some of it's smallest and most remote diplomatic postings in 2006. Nine embassies and 21 consulates will be closed or the posts taken over by local staff. This is a cost cutting measure in order to free up funds for embassies in trouble spots such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Korea. On the list of consulates to get the chop is... Munich! But will you miss it? Not likely, judging from these comments. For further info see the articles by the Times and Telegraph.
Thanks to Brad for the heads up on this one.
[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/british_passport_150.jpg[/img]
British Consulate Munich to close?
No, but the staff will change
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Well, have to say I thoroughly agree: the staff at the BC in Munich are useless. Give us Brits a bad name. And yeah, they had a screaming fit at me for admitting that I don't carry my Passport.
When they finished ranting I showed them the photocopy - and eventually one of the mandarins actually told me it was a good idea.
When they finished ranting I showed them the photocopy - and eventually one of the mandarins actually told me it was a good idea.
Update: Munich consulate will not close. Staff will, however, be recruited locally. Stuttgart and Frankfurt will close completely. Full details here: British Consulate Munich - Ambassador's statement
I heard that they were not going to close the Munich Consulate, but just staff it with local employees as its cheaper. So who knows...
when I worked at the 4 seasons hotel in the banquetting dept. they had a few of their dos there. they're a right stuffy affair I can tell you. lots of old dudes with yellow horsey teeth and dandruffed shoulders and old shakey battle-axe women-types with equally yellow horsey teeth. and they all stunk of wee and gin.
don't think we missed owt.
don't think we missed owt.
Granted, BC Munich isn't much use in everyday life. But it's nice to have, "just in case", and besides, don't forget that this is a free service. It's the British tax payers who are funding it, not you or I who are mostly German tax payers. I say, don't knock it. They're harmless and can occasionally be of use (notarising documents, stamping of forms, etc...).