Pixie's London Experience

OK, thought I would write up about my BR experiences for those of you thinking of doing it/doing it in the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

First thing - I would say if you are taking the tube the nearest tube station is Temple, not Chancery Lane like they say on the website. Second - you get X-Rayed and Metal machined as you walk in. I wasn't expecting this and it made me feel a little bit more like a criminal, so now you know if you're going there You are meant to get there between 10am and 11.30am (just turn up no appointment) and I got there at about 10.15am.

The nice people on the front desk tell you where to go - I found this a little confusing and to be honest, found a much simpler way afterwards (go past the reception desk after the scanners until you get to the cafe, turn right 90 degrees and walk straight until you are outside, turn right 90 degrees and walk until you get to the iron gates, go in the door on your left and up the stairs. The first place you need to go is the third door on the right, which will be open, they tell you where to go from there). So take good walking shoes as I now feel like a mountain goat. (or pre book the court helper people who will stop you getting lost like me).

You then go pay your fees a couple of doors down - You don't have to pay the £150 or the £7 in my experience, even though I thought you had to (and one guy going br that day had paid the £150), so you may be going home with some spare cash (hurrah!). You then trek right to the other side of the Courts and speak to a very bored looking youngster, who you give your paperwork to, they quickly go through it and get you to sign and swear you are you. You then get sent away until later. In my case it was 2.30 so I had about 3 hours to kill. There is a very nice pub opposite the courts that I had a nice drink in and rode the tube up and down to Oxford street (where I got 4 free yogurts thanks to muller, very nice indeed) to pass the time. The actual courts themselves though are lovely and I wasted another hour just staring at the arcitecture, it's amazing...a pair of binoculars would have been nice to see all the ceiling detail.

Then I went back to where I had talked to the bored youngster (but one floor down) where we all gathered (you just walk in and take a seat and wait) and then names start being called out (just surnames) and you go and get your stamped BR papers and the map to the OR's office. You then have a race with all the other people going BR that day to the OR's office so you can be seen first - it's next to Companies house near the British Museum, is very easy to find and the staff there are very very very nice. You don't see an actual OR, just a helper, but they are lovely (I think they have been prompted to say 'this is a good fresh start for you' about 20 times during the interview) and they very quickly fo through some paperwork with you and you sign to say you are you again etc. You are then told you'll get a letter in about a week saying if you have to go back for another interview this time with the actual OR, or a telephone interview or nothing thank you very much, we'll speak in a year to discharge you. '

TO be honest I have been really ashamed of going BR for those that don't know my story, but it was a bit of an anticlimax and very very normal for everyone else involved, so there is nothing to worry about. All the people I saw really did think it was a good thing and there was no shame whatsoever, so really do not worry about it.

I hope that helps someone. Here's to the rest of my life and second chances Thank you to all here that have been helpful in the most important to me way by giving their moral support and for all the information too, you are gems.