First of all, what is a Blue Badge Guide and what is a Driver Guide?
A Blue Badge is the highest creditation for a professional tour guide in the United Kingdom. Such guides may study for years in order to achieve this status and even then it only covers the particular region for which they have studied. Apart from an amazing depth of knowledge, they have been trained in the art of guiding and have so much information at their fingertips that they are able to fine tune any excursion in order to cater for the needs of every type of client. Many Blue Badge guides also have a specialised interest in certain aspects of their area and may also offer themed tours rather than purely sightseeing. Examples include gardens and horticulture, Roman Britain, the Battle of Britain, food and drink with visits to local producers, literary tours, film locations for TV and cinema or perhaps ancient churches. England is so diverse and with so much history, there really is something out there for everyone.
A Driver Guide is someone who has to have a licence to carry people, owns their own vehicle which has to be insured for private hire and most importantly is able to guide! The licensing is very similar to a taxi, but that is where the similarity ends. Private hire vehicles used for guiding are usually new top of the range models and are much more luxurious than taxis. However, not all driver guides have a Blue Badge and many of them operate in much the same way as a taxi driver. They simply drive people between the sites they wish to visit and wait for them at the entrance. A Blue Badge Driver Guide offers an informative commentary throughout the day, not only when travelling between sites, but also within. They are licensed to guide clients through many museums, churches, historic properties, stately homes, gardens or anywhere else within their area of expertise. They have been trained to bring places alive with their stories, facts and humour and by and large, they do a great job!
Many driver guides have their own company and own website but a lot of their work comes through 3rd party companies, agencies and cruise lines. Unfortunately, this inevitably makes the excursion more expensive for the client but does give them a sense of security. Many people who travel regularly on cruises get together with other people on the ship and split the cost, making a private tour much more viable.
We hope to see you very soon!
