Annpan wrote:if you lay them out on a damp piece of kitchen roll for a few days you should be able to see them sprouting - then you can plant the good ones.
Yes ... very good tip, this is what I always do when I want to sow small(ish) quantities of large(ish) seed, in fact what I'm doing at the moment with Geranium seeds.
I usually put the damp kitchen roll in an old margarine container and put it in the airing cupboard, but check every day as the germinated fairly quick.
One other tip about Peppers, check where they were grown when you buy them in the shop. Varieties grown in hotter countries may not appreciate you trying to grow them in chilly old UK.
Other than that they should grow OK, and also other seeds as well like tomatoes and melons.