Is Surrey an unfriendly place?

[Comedycook]

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.

Also, Purley is in London, not Surrey.

Grew up in Surrey and have also lived in S.Yorkshire, London, Berkshire and Hampshire. I found that it makes a far bigger difference if you live in a City/Town/Suburb/Village than the location of City/Town/Suburb/Village.

Similarly, I think supermarkets can vary a lot depending on the time of day and day of the week, so judging a place on the feel of a shop is a bit odd.

Having said that, I am constantly puzzled by the praise Guildford seems to get. I find it quite bland, but some people think it's great.

@RenegadeMrs what do you have against bland?

Nothing really, where I live now is quite bland, but I don't think bland deserves the praise that Guildford gets! I was fairly young when I lived there though and always though the night life dire. I'd probably appreciate it more now I have kids and wouldn't know a night out if I tripped over one!

I’m from Surrey; used to live in a village near Guildford. I would agree it can be quite unfriendly to new people

Last time I went to Warwickshire all the people I met had a streaming cold. Does everyone in Warwickshire have a streaming cold all the time?

See I can extrapolate about other counties with similarly silly results.

I find this stuff interesting

Only since 1965. In Doomsday its in Surrey.

The Greater London Council was set up and all what are now the outer London boroughs were transferred from their original county councils to London.

Many, older residents refused to acknowledge the change. My Father, born in an SE London postal area insisted until the day he died aged 90 that he was born in Kent.

DH is from Surrey, most of his family live there and I have visited various parts over 27 years. I feel it has a cold and unfriendly vibe. But I don’t have to live there.

I'm born and bred SE London. I moved to Surrey 24 years ago when I came for a holiday and met my husband. It's not so bad, I wouldn't ever move back to London...mainly because I think my kids are too soft 🤣🤣

Are men named John unfriendly?

Disclaimer: I'm sure not all men named John are unfriendly.

Most people will know at least one John who is friendly and one who is not.

What a daft way to frame a question.

Disclaimer: I am not from Surrey, nor have a ever visited there.

Yes. And now it's in Surrey. Since 1965. For 58 years.

So not supportive of OPs assertion that all of Surrey is horrible because of something that happened to her in Purley (which is nothing special to look at, granted, but has some nice residential roads and some lovely people I know live there).

I think that's it more that it's bland in much of the county, especially the parts that are full of commuters (I grew up there) - although commuting isn't as much of a thing these days I guess.
When I was young and lived there there was the the stereotype of unhappy yummy mummies married to guys who spend their weekends in Lycra in their packs on their bikes.
There's another stereotype that the people who can't tough out in London (and can't afford it) then move out to Surrey to raise their children.
I can't really comment on the whole place, just the bit I grew up in and I do feel the stereotypes are pretty accurate!

Not sure what you mean about your grandfather. By 'SE London postal area' do you mean the 1855 'London SE area', which was split in 1917 into numbered areas SE1 to SE27 (I don't include SE28 which was created in the 1960s for Thamesmead). The 1855 SE district included places in Kent & Surrey which were beyond the boundary of the 1889 County of London, such as parts of Croydon Bexley and Bromley, so a person born in such a place between 1855 and 1965 could truthfully say they were born in Surrey or Kent. Let's not forget the notable case of Penge which was part of the County of London from its formation in 1889 for 10 years then taken over by Kent until 1965. It kept its 1855 SE and 1917 SE20 postal districts throughout.

Surrey is a wonderful place to live. Where else would You find people with real Surrey names like Balonz?

We're not unfriendly, we're just shy.

Please smile at us.

Hi, I think there are lovely people everywhere, and the same for not so nice people. I think I know what you might mean... but where are you from? :) I'm originally from london, born and bred, I couldn't imagine ever living anywhere else UNTIL i moved out for uni and went up North (Manchester). I always heard people would describe Londoners as rude and brash, too busy to be nice... and I would have argued with anyone if they said that to me back then, BUT having moved North and lived there in the end for 10 years, and I can honestly say people up North are very very friendly and they really soften that hardness in Londoners, who deny it exists. At the same time, many people I know in London are absolutely wonderful people. I also went to school in Wimbledon and was exposed to the edges into Surrey and I can see what people might mean if they say people in these areas are rude or snooty. There is an element of people keeping up with the Joneses here, and also property obsessed. It's just a city/near city vibe and it might not suit everyone, but there really are lovely people everywhere, as there are rude people, but there is a cultural difference across the country. I feel lucky to have experienced that in my younger years.