Do you notice people staring at you when visiting a provincial town?

[himbw]

I was born and raised in a market town in Cumbria. Moved away when 18 and go back to see parents every few months. I now live in central London.

My partner agreed with me that he feels people stare when we are walking around town. He feels the same way when he visits his folks in a small town in rural north Wales.

It’s not anything malicious, I don’t think, but it does feel like people can tell you’re not a local.

We don’t have pink hair or dress in any odd way. I guess the only difference might be that we might have different fashion choices or clothes, i e, m&s is a basic for us.

Does anyone else notice this? We don’t feel the same when visiting somewhere like Suffolk or maybe Devon. What is it?

Doesn't look like the OP's coming back.

Perhaps she's taken a bus to Norwich?

She’d be lucky if one turned up, every two hours

🤣🤣🤣

Is the town you visited called Royston Vasey ?

Yes. I live in a market town. I have said this for years. People stare at you. Just out shopping, sitting in cafes, neighbours through the front window. I think they're just bored. Or a bit odd. I much prefer shopping in a nearby city. You get ignored there.

I grew up in a deprived rural area and you could definitely tell people who were outsiders, although it is difficult to say exactly what gave it away.

I remember one lady who I assumed was someone who had gone to uni in the city then came back, it was the sharp haircut and trendy clothes (locals were at least 5y behind the fashion) and always walking around the village with a coffee cup in her hand. She wouldn't have stood out more if she was painted green.

Saying that, I once had an argument with another local who was adamant she could tell I was lying and definitely from London 😂

Pah. We got one at 7.30am and one at 6.30pm, weekdays only 🙄

Calm down, you’re not Beyoncé.

I was just about to say, this used to happen to me a lot in Norwich ( well, surrounding villages to be precise,) but years ago, when I was a London teenager visiting my Dad. Normal looking to me, tshirt and denim skirt (70's) but outlandish to them. Same happened to my brother too.

Nope!

Ah, these provincial town folk are looking for a DJ to hang. Does the music you constantly play, say nothing to them about their lives? That’s why they are staring. Waiting to pounce.

She said it was A basic, i.e. fundamental, usual. I think.

Are you filming yourselves doing silly dances for TikTok and giving people dirty looks if they walk in front of your camera, OP?

No and I visit the provinces regularly 🤣

Living in London may mean you do yourself up more and have a faster pace with everything? That could make you stand out compared to a fairly rural slower area.

When I had red hair, I got photographed more than once in Dublin by Japanese tourists who thought I was some sort of mascot.

Could this be similar?

Not really, my Mum moved away from London about 4 hrs away so I might have experience this but I don't. The only time it was noted was at the local supermarket by a man on the tills as I don't have the local accent so he asked me where wi was from and why I was there TBF but not in an accusatory way.

I think some people just try to remember if you’re local or „is she Jane’s daughter?”

Possibly there's an age related element- younger folk tend to leave for work opportunities so if you're mid-aged and wondering around you can't be local, if you were you'd be at work in retail, education, farming, health care etc.

He was also incredulous, he also couldn’t believe what he was observing, people overtly just staring, but just at me, not anyone else, he is as confused as me, he also has no idea why - but corroborates that it is actually happening to me.

Sometimes I’m walking ahead, he’s lagging some distance behind - and he remarks disbelievingly “you should have seen those people, they are just staring at you”

I should be invisible…

I get what you mean @himbw

I - and generations of my family before - have lived in the same small, awfully provincial town and I know we’ve always stared at Big City Dwellers when they visit.

It’s such a blessing to us all when you spend your Big Money in our little town. We love your Big Fashion clothes too and speak about them for years afterwards. It’s all just so exciting. We love to listen to your Big Posh Accent and will - embarrassingly - try to emulate you once you’ve left (we fail miserably of course, but it’s fun to pretend we’re one of the Big People, hahaha).

So no, people don’t stare at me, but I definitely stare in awe and wonder at people like you in the hope that some of your Big Sophisticated Glam and Glitter will fall on me.

Perhaps you are drawing attention to yourself by being uncomfortable?

Oh good lord! Are you for real?? What a conceited post.

No.

She's off for adventure in the great wide somewhere, she wants it more than she can tell...

I live in cheltenham and may have sneered at some up from Londoners winging about olives in theshops