Chocolate Frog - no Public Holiday surcharge

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It's always bothered me that there was this sudden expectation that we'd all pay 15% extra for our coffees, croissants, chips and beer on a Public Holiday*

I don't mean that I am confused by the law behind - it's just why do I have to pay 15%?
Maybe I'm being cynical but I don't believe all that extra revenue is only there to cover the extra costs ...

Anyway.
The Chocolate Frog here in Miramar (Palmers Garden World, 69-71 Miramar Avenue) has a stated policy of NOT charging the extra 15% and for that I whole heartedly recommend them!

They're open at 10am on Monday's Public Holiday which is laughingly called "Queens Birthday". Why in sweet Jeremy does the Queen of New Zealand (a distinct a separate position from the Queen of the UK which happens to be held by the same old lady) have an official birthday?

Why does she have an "official birthday" - to make sure it was a nice day so the adoring masses could celebrate ... seriously!

Of course "a nice" day = summer which in the Northern Hemisphere = June-ish.
Here in the Southern Hemisphere that's not so true as it's winter - but damn the colonials what what. Nice bit from NZS.com:

While commonwealth countries New Zealand and Australia are both in the Southern Hemisphere, Queen's Birthday is still celebrated about the same time at in the Northern Hemisphere, which happens to be in our winter. This is done to avoid further confusion, and is not seen a problem as parades and other large commemorative events do not traditionally occur for this holiday on the southern side of the globe.

However, on this day The Queen's Honours list is released, which makes appointments to the order of New Zealand for services to the public. There are hundreds of recipients of these orders each year for a very wide range of services to the New Zealand public, from services to television to services to prisoner welfare. The Queen's Official Birthday in New Zealand often celebrates the official opening of ski season, as June is the first month of winter. In accordance with the Holidays Act, all of New Zealand's working public are entitled to a paid day off, or paid day in lieu on this day.


* Public Holiday in New Zealand is equivalent to a Bank Holiday in the UK ... and let me tell you it took me years and years before I stopped calling them Bank Holiday's which was very confusing to the local inhabitants, "Why are only the banks on holiday this year?!?!"

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