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On campus services

The campus has full facilities including a number of cash machines, banks, a post office and laundry. There is also a large supermarket (Costcutter - the name makes it sound cheap but it's actually a really nice store) where you can buy groceries, stationary, newspapers etc. Attendees will also have access to the campus pool and sports facilities.

Internet access

All bedrooms on campus are networked for free internet access (for computers with an Ethernet network card). Internet cables are available for purchase from Rootes Reception or at the CostCutter supermarket. There are also 8 desktop PCs offering free internet access in the entrance to the Rootes Social Building, you will see them when you go to register.

Car parking

Please note that not all car parks are adjacent to your registration and accommodation areas. Conference delegates are invited to park in car parks 15, 8, 6 and 7. If you are parked in car parks 15 or 7, you will need to collect a code from Rootes Reception in order to exit these car parks. All of the University's car parks are displayed on the accompanying "campus map". Car parking is free of charge during your event in the conference car parks. A luggage store is available in Rootes building if access to bedrooms is not available upon arrival. Please note meeting rooms, accommodation and dining are not all under one roof. It is therefore advisable to bring suitable clothing and umbrellas as appropriate.

Shuttle Bus

The University operates a complimentary shuttle bus from Rootes Building, where you will register for your accommodation, to Jack Martin and Arthur Vick residences. This service runs approximately every ten minutes between the hours of 7:00am - 10:00am and 3:00pm - 8:00pm.

Car hire

The following rental companies are found locally:

Weather

The climate of Britain is notoriously variable and changeable from day to day and year to year (for example, summer 2007 was very wet and cool, summer 2006 was dry and hot). Weather is generally cool to mild with frequent cloud and rain (which may account for the slightly melancholic temperament of the average Brit), but occasional settled spells of weather occur in all seasons. Visitors to Britain are often surprised by the long summer days, which are a consequence of the northerly latitude. The frequent changes of weather affect all parts of the country in very much the same way; there are no great differences from one part of the country to another. The average temperature for Warwickshire in August is 20ºC during the day and 12ºC at night, so the chances are it won't be too hot or too cold. Rain occurs on average on 14 days in August (our prevailing winds come from over the Atlantic ocean, this creates a summer weather pattern consisting of a few days of sun followed by a short spell of rain, usually at the weekend!). Therefore dress accordingly, take a sweater for the evenings and pack a rain jacket or umbrella. For a detailed look at our weather visit the BBC.

Language and culture

The language is (not surprisingly) English (if you didn't realise this then maybe you should reconsider your suitability for a scientific career!). Outside London you will find that taxi and bus drivers, staff in restaurants and shops etc are unlikely to be conversant in many other languages. Having said that, however, the UK has a vibrant culture enriched by the fact it is home to people of many nationalities. This is reflected in the very wide variety of restaurants and food outlets in the average British town. Links with countries of the Commonwealth are strong, especially from Asia and the Caribbean, but there are also increasingly strong connections with people from Poland and eastern European countries. London is particularly diverse and should be thought of as much as a city state than the nation's capital. For those addicted to retail therapy, the UK has great shopping. And for those of you who have an interest in consuming the waste products of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, then don't forget that much of British life revolves around the local pub (public house). British country pubs are often particularly fine, and in most establishments (town or country) you'll find good food and good beer. Like the rest of the UK, the Warwickshire area has a fascinating and rich history. Warwick has arguably the finest Castle in the country, and was home to the most powerful family in England during the medieval period. Stratford-upon-Avon is, of course, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. People in Warwick, Coventry and Birmingham all speak with slightly different accents even though these areas are geographically close. However the local accents are not strong and you should have no problem understanding them or making yourself understood!

Did You Know?

Learn to speak like a local! British place names are notoriously difficult to pronounce, and there are some excellent examples of this in our local area! Warwick itself is pronounced 'Worrick' (if you ask a taxi driver to take you to 'War-wick' he may give you a funny look), while Stratford (for Stratford-upon-Avon) is pronounced by local people as 'Stratfud'. The nearby town of Leamington is pronounced 'Lemmington'. And a few miles away we have the picturesque town of Worcester which is pronounced 'Wooster'. Worcester is home of the world famous Worcestershire sauce, which local people call simply 'Wooster' sauce. Many of you will be flying into Birmingham airport, which local people pronounce as 'Birming-uhm'. People from Birmingham are called 'Brummies' and they tend to refer to their home city as 'Brum'. Coventry is the setting for the 900 year old legend of Lady Godiva, an Anglo Saxon Countess. The legend tells that she pleaded with her husband to reduce the heavy taxes he had imposed on local people. The request was granted on the condition that she ride through the streets of Coventry naked. This she did, ordering the people to remain in doors with windows barred. Everyone complied, with the exception of one man, called Tom, who could not resist the temptation to look at Lady Godiva: hence the term 'Peeping Tom'. However before he could look he was struck blind. The city of Coventry commemorates the legend every year with a large parade, including a 'naked' Lady Godiva riding on horseback. The expression 'being sent to Coventry' means to be completely ignored by everyone. The true origin of the saying is unclear, although there are several theories. The area around Warwick and Coventry was originally woodland, called the Forest of Arden, with the river Avon forming its southern boundary. Remnants of the Forest, which forms the setting of Shakespeare's play As You Like It, still exist in the area. Many of the settlements originated in clearings in the Forest. The old English word for a clearing was "lea", and derivatives of this exist in many of the local towns and villages, such as Henley and Binley. Legend has it that William Shakespeare was forced to leave Stratford for London because he was caught 'poaching' (illegally hunting) venison from the deer park at Charlcote Park. The Park is a stone's throw from Warwick HRI, the Department where Warwick University's insect pathology is done. Warwick HRI is about 15 minutes drive from the main University campus. It is based on a working farm on a site that includes the remains of 2 Neolithic monuments and a Bronze Age settlement. Close by is the Fosse Way, a road built by the Romans between Cirencester and Leicester and still in use today. Some people claim to have seen ghostly battalions of Roman soldiers marching up the Fosse at night.