To ask where ethnic minority Brits holiday in U.K.?

[CluelessBint]

I know I'm going to be flamed for asking this, but I can hardly ask irl!

I live in south devon in a very popular holiday area. The area is very white middle class. I noticed a few years ago that almost all the people who holiday here are also white Brits. Since noticing this I keep wondering where all the ethnic minorities British people go on holiday.

I travel to other south westerly holiday resorts a lot with my work (hotel industry) and it seems to be the case there too.

If 82% of the population are white, why are at least 95% (a rough estimate from looking out at the harbour the last few days) of grockles white?

Last time I went to Devon (about 2010) I saw golliwogs for sale in a local shop

If you're thinking of the place around the end of Torquay harbour, they were still on sale this spring ... I honestly couldn't believe it

I live in the east midlands and do know what PPs mean about the lack of diversity in Devon; I've got family down there and it's like entering a different country

We like to holiday abroad where it is hot and where there r halal food options. And back to visit DH family at his home country.

Would occasionally go to London for a short city break but beach holidays at uk coastal areas do not appeal to us.

Non Brit here, just spent 9 days in Cornwall, one day of sunshine. I am not going there again. I refuse to buy a windbreak out of principle. It's expensive. The water is cold. It rains too much. Maybe the natives have a higher tolerance for cold, rain and wind.

We go to my country most years but usually at Christmas or Easter break, and somewhere else - France, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, etc and it works out a much better value holiday, and more relaxing

For my family - main break is back to home country and if there's time/money for another, abroad again somewhere warm. You'd be amazed at the price of plane tickets for a family of 4 to Caribbean/Africa/Asia at peak holiday times - the airlines know everyone wants to go home then and it's a huge sacrifice to save up enough to go for a lot of families.

We travel abroad to family every few years as it's so expensive - in between we try and holiday Southern Europe - where it will be hot. Would love to visit UK holiday spots - but for the same cost would prefer to pay to be "gawped"at in the sunshine.

Why do some none whites feel the need to gawp at us - eyes following us - whether we are having a meal or sitting on the beach or just walking. Because they don't see many people of colour? Well this is 2017 not 1917 - when I am in my home country - my family do not bat an eye lid at the odd white person the see. It is incredibly frustrating and humiliating for us as parents and for our children to be on the receiving end - so please educate your children. If I were to ask you why you are staring I would then be accused of being aggressive or having a chip on my shoulder!

"I'm having an issue with number of people feeling that they are being stared at 'outside London'. Granted I am white so I guess I don't get this but there really are lots of non white people outside London. "

"What, like in Birmingham or Leeds or Manchester or so many other places all with large amounts of people of all colours and types?"

Obviously there are many places with a diverse population. Posters are talking about leaving where THEY live to go to a seaside holiday destination. The thread is about rural Devon. People have described experiences in Suffolk.

But that prickle of sensitivity that drive you to 'whitesplain' diversity and deny that people might actually get stared at? Imagine living your whole summer holiday with people making all sorts of assumptions and comments about you.

I took a black neice to North Norfolk. Her hair was fiddled with, actually touched and fiddled with, every single day in a local shop or bus queue. I had some very Off questions from people who assumed I was her Mum, and constant 'friendly' but idiotic comments made which were race centred. Was she adopted / we didn't need to use sunscreen (WRONG!) / does she like English food....

So, posters quoted above, being sensitive about comments about 'outside London' as a home town, how would it feel to be told you are 'over sensitive ' ? Because that is what is levelled at many ethnic minority people now as soon as any everyday racism is mentioned.

I see it time and time again on MN.

About 20 years ago my Asian DP and I went to the Lake District where he was told he "speaks very good English" . Nowadays there are definitely more minorities there.

jamie2 what point?

I live in West Wales and there does definitely seem to be an increase in the number of non-white visitors over the summer in recent years. Hopefully they don't feel they are stared at or treated differently to any other visitors. We have a more diverse population than a lot of rural areas, mainly due to the university and hospital, so possibly visitors feel we are more welcoming?

Another West Wales person here (historically). I used to go there every summer to visit family (we lived in the ME) amd every year I was struck by how white and insular West Wales was. We spotted an Indian family one year and were all amazement very glad to hear it is improving now.

I am mixed but don't look (or sound) it, therefore I escape stares and twattiness. I have no doubt that it's there though, based on various overheard comments ("Nice to hear someone in Dover speaking English" on this holiday alone)....

It's really bad for 2017, but I have a black friend and we discuss places we've visited where there have been a mixed load of people and make recommendations to one another. I wouldn't rock up somewhere I know there won't be diversity. It's quite sad because I'd love to explore the English countrysides..

I am appalled at some of the snobbery on this thread. I live and work in Devon,as do my children who attend school in Torquay.We have a very large well attended mosque and cultural centre in Exeter. All of us have visited it on school visits and other important religious sites. My dc go to school with children of various cultures and study a variety of religions and cultures.

One shop does not speak for the whole of a very large county. A shop as a resident I had no idea existed and have never visited in all the many years we have lived here.

We were on a popular beach this weekend and saw various cultures enjoyed the sunshine the same as everybody else-a large Polish group,Sikh families,a large group of Asian men and other Asian families. Heard several languages.No we weren't gawping. They were sat next to us and all the kids were playing in the same area of sea. I am vigilant a regards the sea and watch my dc the entire time.

Yes we went to Salcombe and felt very out of place as we often do there in the summer- we don't have an unnecessary boat moored up cluttering up the entire beach,we're not head to toe Boden and we don't have a second home we're visiting. It is one beach and doesn't speak for the entire county. I'm sure even London and other cities have pockets highly populated with white upper middle classes. It's all very well pouring scorn on Devon in comparison to London and other cities but the oh so wealthy upper middle class London set still love to spend a fair amount of time down here.

We went to Poole a few weeks back and were amongst the only non-white people there. No major stares though, everyone very lovely!

I live in a country where as a white I am a minority.

I do explore the countryside, but less than many members of the majority group do, perhaps.

I have a big trip back to the UK (my home country) each year, and I tend to save my holiday time and money for that, for the most part. It isn't cheap at all to get the tickets--I have to watch what I spend the rest of the year.

I don't like getting stared at or being asked the same silly/tiresome/stereotyped questions whenever someone speaks to us. That does not happen everywhere but it can happen in rural areas.

The countryside here does not have the "nostalgia value" that it does for the local majority population. I imagine it may be the same for some first-gen immigrants in the UK. A British person may feel all dewy eyed at stuff like donkey rides and sticks of rock at the seaside and feel the urge to share these iconic experiences with their kids--someone who did not grow up with this may just take these things at face value, and might well prefer other activities.

It's only a generalization, though, as I do visit rural/seaside areas, and you see increasing numbers of ethnic minority guests at those kinds of places in the UK as well these days.

My daughter will no doubt feel very differently about the countryside in this country when she is my age.

I'm mixed race and we've holidayed all over the UK over the years and also have several holidays all over the world each year also.

In the UK, Devon and Norfolk are favourites of ours but I love north Wales and the Lakes too.

My aunts and uncles love travelling all over the place and also have several holidays abroad each year and many weekend trips to places in the UK.

Incidentally we've never been back to my mothers homeland and she's only been back once since settling here in the 70's.

I'm East Asian and my family has never holidayed in the UK except to visit friends and family. I lived in the UK for 21 years but only saw very little of it. I used to go to my parents' home country in the summer every 2 years and now I live there. :)

I'm in Cornwall at the moment, and have seen lots of ethnically Asian families here, one extended family hiking along the coastal path (we stopped at the same place and had a chat about moaning teens ). But I haven't seen any black families.

There are also parts of London that seem exclusively white - the National Theatre (and all of the South Bank complex) - we go to the NT pretty regularly and it is shockingly undiverse. Also the Kensington museums - I've seen Asian families, Chinese families and mixed families there, but have never seen a black family. Given that London is so diverse, it is very noticeable.

Some of my Hungarian/Czech family have settled in Cornwall, and have been there for quite a few years. My cousin told me that they were known as "the Poles" in their village.

Non-white Brit here. I live outside any of the big cities mentioned so far. I've travelled all over the UK. I am actually laughing at some of the comments.

I've holidayed in Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Scotland (city break though), Kent, Dorset, the Cotswolds, the Wye Valley and more in my lifetime. Sometimes I'm the only non-white face around, sometimes not. I almost always am on a campsite.

Speaking for my family and friends (I don't want to make sweeping generalisations), there can be a different attitude towards holidays from the older generations who immigrated into Britain and that can still influence those born here. In my family, for example, a holiday is considered a waste of money, some some older family members), unless it involves a visit to friends/family. The idea of camping or holidays parks is completely alien for some. So there are some cultural differences. However, I definitely know plenty of non-white British people who holiday in the U.K., in all kinds of accommodation. But as ethnic minorities are well, obviously in the minority (!), then it follows they will also be in the minority in holiday places....often a tiny minority. It's about the numbers/maths!

Llandudno (North Wales) is very popular with Orthodox Jewish families from the Manchester area.
Barry (South Wales) seems to be very popular with Asian Muslim families.

This is based purely on my observation of who I have shared beaches with!

There was a large group of Bangladeshis on the beach in Bournemouth yesterday (they had a flag; it was a group / society outing). Lots of v frum Jews with ladies in wigs and little boys in cuppels. Lots of jews in Bournemouth/ Eastbourne generally.

There are a couple of "frum" hotels in Bournemouth, which is probably why you see a lot of Orthodox Jews.

Yes Katy, I see that too, mainly black people on the beach having come by coach. I hadnt thought that they feel safety in numbers, hate being stared at.
a colleague is black african and he and his family dont actually holiday, This might be why.

Speaking for myself, despite being British born and bred I live very much as an outsider. Of course I went to school/university/post-grad here, worked here, definitely am British. But I'm not "of Britain" - this isn't my motherland so to speak.

As such, I don't feel any kind of deep connection to this country. It's just where I live my life and have very fond memories of growing up. I'm very aware that the world is bigger than Britain, that there's lots out there that's far more interesting and beautiful, lots to investigate and learn about.

Basically, not being deeply attached to this country is very liberating. I'm always inclined to look beyond Britain's shores. So it would simply never occur to me to go on holiday in this country! I live here day in, day out! Why would I spend my leisure time here too? I've had the odd long weekend in Norfolk, the Cotswolds, I've been to Brighton and actually seen a lot of Scotland (which I consider abroad sort of, coming from London). But I've never been to Birmingham or Nottingham or Manchester, I've never been to Cornwall (hours on the road for the same stuff!). If I want a beautiful beach, I'll go to the Maldives! I'd like to go to Cumbria one day, the Northumberland coast, but keep putting it off. I fear it's just going to be a load of white people wearing beige, with whom I have no affinity for no understandable reason (e.g. I'm not foreign).

Long winded way of saying, I don't go on holiday on this country because why would I??

As a white family we holiday in this country because its what we can afford. Actually we haven't had a holiday for some years either