to want ^Typical English^ tourist spots to have English people serving you?

[IwantJoansbag]

I expect to get flamed for this and called all-sorts, but I don't care.
I'm genuinely curious.

We went out for the day yesterday and stopped off at 3 well-known English tourist spots.
Glastonbury, Cheddar and Wells. (with a little stop off at a pretty little 'supposedly' English market-garden type place - selling Strawberries, Plums, etc) plus we stopped off at an outlet village.

It just seemed wrong that at EVERY place we stopped we were served by Eastern Europeans. I didn't hear ONE English accent (except in the shops), but all the eateries and stalls.... foreign accents.

If I go to a Beer Festival in Germany, its nice to be served by somebody with a German Accent - it adds to the atmosphere.
If I were to go to New York and eat in China Town - its great if the majority of people are Chinese.
Stopping off in a typical Italian Pizza place and the people are mainly Italian! You expect a bit of authenticity.

So, is it too much to ask the same happens in England?
It must be disappointing for the tourists when they come here.

For the record:- I am ONLY talking about typical tourist spots and I've got nothing against people coming to our country to work, but I think that some places (tourist spots where you expect things to be traditional) they should have mainly English people dealing with the public.

I love how the definition of authenticity means that she hopes if she goes to Chinatown (so a small area of a large city) she will only be served by Chinese people or their descendents. That's beyond xenophobic. That's just plain racist. And silly. It's like saying that simply having Americans in America wouldn't be good enough for her. They have to be Chinese Americans from a ten block radius of the restaurant. I presume in the East End she demands only people born within the sound of Bow Bells? Because, you know, English just isn't enough these days.

Automatically makes me think of Boston. Great burritos in Boston, even though it is hardly a Mexican town. Two rival branches of the same family run the two major local burrito chains. Now, mostly the shops are staffed by Portuguese speakers, so that's bad enough by OP standards. But even worse, I read an article (here: www.bostonmagazine.com/2006/05/the-burrito-war/) that the family that owns it is JAPANESE.

Doesn't stop them having damn fine burritos.

My very-posh, public school friend worked as a waiter in New York. Even though it was a burgers-and-fries-type place he made around $2000 in tips alone every week because the customers went wild over his accent. Not everyone needs authenticity.

DrankSangriaInThePark

But was this in a tourist place? Bad service appears to be OK unless it is in a tourist destination and from a 'forrin'

fascilce sorry I hadn't thought of that in my mid rage rant! We lost and very .

I have forgotten. Op what was the point of your thread again?

Would you prefer to be served by a Celt? Otherwise I'm afraid it'll be an Anglo-Saxon and they're 'immigrunts' too.

I live in an area of England where there is a very high number if Eastern Europeans, especially Polish, and I was surprised when I went to Somerset at how few there were there, because it is something we are accustomed to, there are
Lots of Polish shops, barbers, etc where we live. (I like it, by the way) I don't think I heard one Eastern European accent the whole time I was there. So that makes me think this is all a bit exaggerated and goady, rather than "genuine enquiry"

You do know that octoberfest is staffed by lots of Irish and Polish servers don't you?

lol many Dublin friends with fond memories of Oktoberfest, and also friends who spent summers in Colonial Williamsburg hamming it up...

Somewherewest -- I am Irish, and I agree with your assertion about knowledge of history, or lack thereof.
Why is it, we will go to GREAT LENGTHS to protect the tradtions and cultural differences of other Nationalities...
This is a case in point.

I hope you never have to emigrate in order to support your family. Would love to see how you would cope if this type of comment was directed at you. Something tells me not particularly well. A piece of advice: stay well put.

reminds me of when I moved to London in 2001 and some nice 'locals' accused me of stealing all the locals jobs and someone even asked me if I was living in a council house. Thank god the Eastern Europeans came along and took the heat off us antipodeans

Has the OP done a runner,Christ to think people like that are able to vote.

Revealing how common I am:
Eastenders, of all things, hit it right on the head this week. Alfie was trying to pull a fast one and the Eastern European market boss pulled him up very short, pointing out that all the people labelling immigrants as benefit tourists, tax dodgers, the lot (and as an immigrant I'm pretty attuned to hearing this now) but then would come to those who weren't claiming benefits and were paying their taxes, which is a higher percentage of immigrant population than people born in Britain and then skive and dodge and claim benefits, the whole lot.

I'm guessing the OP was either a wind up or Liz Jones Moaning.

I think he was just angry and he hates aleks anyway but his comment the other week was no way did he say that

I've encountered plenty of people, granted my in laws generation but still, who were utterly delightful until the topic of foreigners came up. And they'd never, ever consider themselves racist or xenophobic despite holding views on these issues that make the OP look positively squishy and cuddly.