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Original poster

Is Surrey an unfriendly place?

93 replies

Comedycook · 21/05/2023 14:49

So recently I've had to go to Surrey several times for reasons I won't bore you with. I've been struck at how cold, unfriendly and quite frankly a bit snooty people are. I don't think I'm imagining it...it's hard to explain in real terms but it's just a weird vibe I get. Has anyone else noticed this?

Disclaimer....I'm sure not everyone in Surrey is like this...I'm sure there are some lovely people.

OP posts:
MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 21/05/2023 17:21

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 21/05/2023 15:14

I live in Surrey. I moved here because I am cold, unfriendly and a bit snooty and wanted to live with people like me. HTH.

I live just across the river from Richmond. I tell you, I can feel the vibe change as I cross the bridge into (what was) Middlesex.

ViburnumFarreri · 21/05/2023 17:21

So how many parts of Surrey have you visited, @Comedycook?

ViburnumFarreri · 21/05/2023 17:22

And which parts?

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:22

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 21/05/2023 17:21

I live just across the river from Richmond. I tell you, I can feel the vibe change as I cross the bridge into (what was) Middlesex.

Show quote history

What changes?

OP posts:
MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 21/05/2023 17:23

So recently I've had to go to Surrey several times for reasons I won't bore you with. I've been struck at how cold, unfriendly and quite frankly a bit snooty people are

So if this is happening every time you go to Surrey, any chance it's you giving off the cold, unfriendly and snooty air and people are responding to that?

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:23

ViburnumFarreri · 21/05/2023 17:21

So how many parts of Surrey have you visited, @Comedycook?

Purley
Warlingham
Caterham
Cobham
Oxted
Guildford a while ago

OP posts:
MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 21/05/2023 17:24

Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:22

What changes?

Show quote history

Joke, OP. Absolutely nothing. Apart from the postcode.

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:24

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 21/05/2023 17:23

So recently I've had to go to Surrey several times for reasons I won't bore you with. I've been struck at how cold, unfriendly and quite frankly a bit snooty people are

So if this is happening every time you go to Surrey, any chance it's you giving off the cold, unfriendly and snooty air and people are responding to that?

No it's nothing to do with me persay...I can see it around me... little chit chat or banter in shops. Very quiet and aloof people.

OP posts:
Divebar2021 · 21/05/2023 17:25

Croydon’s in Surrey too!

Surrey attracts a lot of people who move out from London and previously lived in other parts of the U.K. I’m originally from the Midlands and I can assure you Surrey is more diverse and cosmopolitan than the part of the world Im from. It seems no more or less friendly than anywhere else I’ve been.

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:26

Anyway I don't think it's controversial to say different areas feel different. I mean Belsize park will probably have a pretty different vibe to Merthyr Tydfil I'd imagine.

OP posts:
Divebar2021 · 21/05/2023 17:29

Where are you from @Comedycook ?

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:29

Divebar2021 · 21/05/2023 17:29

Where are you from @Comedycook ?

London

OP posts:
Optimalise · 21/05/2023 17:30

I moved to a village in Surrey from Cheshire last August, I'd always been taken in by the myth that northerners were "salt of the earth" whilst southerners were very aloof, I've found it to be quite the contrary, lovely, friendly people...although I do live in a village so maybe that makes a difference.

BlueRabbitYellow · 21/05/2023 17:35

I do know what you mean. I get a similar feeling in South Kensington, Harpenden and parts of North Norfolk (looking at you Burnham Market). It's lots of small displays of unreasonable, arrogant behaviour that add up to a very unpleasant overall impression. A few miles or less down the road of each and the vibes return to normal.

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:40

BlueRabbitYellow · 21/05/2023 17:35

I do know what you mean. I get a similar feeling in South Kensington, Harpenden and parts of North Norfolk (looking at you Burnham Market). It's lots of small displays of unreasonable, arrogant behaviour that add up to a very unpleasant overall impression. A few miles or less down the road of each and the vibes return to normal.

Yes that's it. I know it exists elsewhere too...just saying I notice it particularly in Surrey.

So I popped into a supermarket and it was a very an odd atmosphere...in my supermarket in my part of London, it's much more lively... people talking loudly, the odd comment to other shoppers, making the odd joke at the checkout...etc

OP posts:
Quartz2208 · 21/05/2023 17:40

Croydon hasn’t been Surrey since 1965 so Purley is London
where in London @Comedycook because it is massive

my area of Surrey (London borders) is very friendly

Reugny · 21/05/2023 17:40

Divebar2021 · 21/05/2023 17:25

Croydon’s in Surrey too!

Surrey attracts a lot of people who move out from London and previously lived in other parts of the U.K. I’m originally from the Midlands and I can assure you Surrey is more diverse and cosmopolitan than the part of the world Im from. It seems no more or less friendly than anywhere else I’ve been.

Nah it's in Greater London.

Neither county want it though.

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:42

It's lots of small displays of unreasonable, arrogant behaviour that add up to a very unpleasant overall impression

Oh and thanks for putting this so eloquently. It's exactly what I meant. So no one's told you directly to your face to fuck off but it's subtle types of behaviour that come across as standoffish.

OP posts:
Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:43

@Quartz2208 SE London... bordering Kent.

OP posts:
Reugny · 21/05/2023 17:44

Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:23

Purley
Warlingham
Caterham
Cobham
Oxted
Guildford a while ago

Show quote history

I've been to shops and places in Caterham and Cobham and found people friendly.

Reugny · 21/05/2023 17:45

Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:43

@Quartz2208 SE London... bordering Kent.

Now that is an unfriendly place with everyone pretending they are from Kent rather than Greater London....

Original poster
Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:47

Reugny · 21/05/2023 17:45

Now that is an unfriendly place with everyone pretending they are from Kent rather than Greater London....

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I think there's more kudos living in London than Kent.

OP posts:
lieselotte · 21/05/2023 17:47

A couple of years ago there was a survey of the places with the most up themselves people. Guildford scored highly on the snootiness scale. Which does not surprise me.

Bath came top as I recall.

Prettylittleroses · 21/05/2023 17:49

I live in Surrey, I’m an incomer. Everyone incredibly friendly from my experience. But there is over a million folks live in Surrey so maybe I met different folks to you. But then I don’t sense atmospheres in supermarkets either

Do you often feel people are unfriendly to you for no real reason?

Reugny · 21/05/2023 17:49

Comedycook · 21/05/2023 17:47

I think there's more kudos living in London than Kent.

Show quote history

You clearly not met the people I've met who all pretended they were from Kent even though I pointed out what happened in '65...