to ask for a BME holiday thread?

[holiday101]

A few posts in travel/chat regarding BME posters being made to feel uncomfortable sadly reminded me that there are areas of UK I would love to visit with my family but have strong reservations that may or may not be justified. We are a mixed race family but are openly Muslim which in the current climate means I am a bit wary of going to places that I perceive to be a typically White British holiday destination. Would like to try Butlins/Haven type places but do fear other children calling my DC names (we often do cottage type holidays where there aren't lots of other people) I don't care much for myself but the DC are at an age where they are being made to feel that they should be ashamed of who they are so as much as possible would like to avoid that.

Just looking for tried and tested family type holiday destinations across UK. Good and bad reviews welcome!

We're currently in North Somerset. I hadn't noticed but my husband pointed out he was the only non white person we had seen in 4 days of touristy action. No one had said anything but he did feel a bit uncomfortable.

Just remembered, previously had an odd experience in a pub on the Welsh border, whole pub stared at us so we legged it.

That reminds we about a holiday in Peebles, Scotland. We went into a little restaurant/bar to ask if we can use the restroom as I was caught short and heavily pregnant (I didn't wear a hijab then) and the whole place just stopped. So eerie but we had to laugh as it was almost comic. You only see this stuff in movies usually. We legged it out of there too. Before kids though so it was more easier to disregard.

It’s awful reading some of the experiences on this thread i’m furious on behalf of everyone for whom this has be a consideration in 21st century Britain, what the hell is wrong with some people?

Butlins was the first ever place I saw a bhurkini (is that how you spell it), I have no idea how the people wearing it felt about butlins but there was definitely lots of Muslim people there when I went.

Some Cornish people don’t much like anyone who isn’t Cornish born & bred. Anyone born the ‘wrong’ side of the Tamar is an ‘emmet’, irrespective of their ethnicity.

As a white British person, who lives in a very multi-cultural part of the country (Leicestershire), I’m very saddened that in 2018 BME people worry that they may not be welcome in some parts of their own country. As a society, we may be doing better on integration than many other countries, but we still have a long way to go.

I hope you and your family enjoy your holiday, OP, and that one or two ignorant idiots don’t spoil it.

I see Somerset and North Somerset have been mentioned. I'm embarrassed but not surprised that my home county has been mentioned.
I avoid the nearest town in the summer myself due to the high density of holidaying arseholes and I'm white British.
Bath is probably your best bet here as its geared up for visitors from around the world. Avoid the coast.

And local arseholes too, I might add. Can't blame it all in visitors.

@Ted27

terribly well meaning people not wanting to get things wrong

That is so true. Many white people in non-diverse areas might be very unfamiliar with speaking to, for example, a woman wearing a hijab, and would be absolutely desperate not to cause offence by saying or doing the ‘wrong’ thing. This can obviously cause awkwardness.

I'm not bme but do go to butlins Minehead quite often, and actually find it quite a tolerant, diverse kind of place - not just in terms of ethnicity but also popular with families with disabled children and groups of adults with learning disabilities. The staff in particular seem to be used to dealing with anything and everything.

I second Bath, my husband is white and I'm of Jamaican origin but found it a lovely place and felt very welcome.
Brighton also is very diverse and inclusive.

How crap that you need to ask this. In Scotland, St Andrews and the Isle of Arran have a nice, relaxed, fairly multi-cultural vibe. I would hope most places would be fine but feel confident that you’d need to be seriously unlucky to stumble across a racist wanker there and they’d be well outnumbered.

We’re a mixed family too, although not BME, I’m white, husband is Korean.

You’re not being paranoid at all, we also have had comments. Even in London ffs although that was teenagers from Italy on a school trip rather than Londoners. Mostly people shouting ‘ni hao’ or making slitty eye gestures or asking if we eat dog. Or some woman who had decided to befriend me at a water park sidling up and asking if my husband had a small dick. Ohhh and many many people assume I’m a tour guide because no way could a white woman be interested in an Asian guy, right? People are baffling.

We stayed in a cottage in Yorkshire with no problems. I do think BME families have it harder though, so much racism in this country. Hope you find somewhere nice to stay!

Sorry for all of you who have had bad experiences. Thisisthefirststep that is truly shocking! (You are a BME family btw!)

Thanks for all of the positive stories, I'm pleasantly surprised at the good responses regarding the holiday parks, will definitely check those out.

We were at a holiday park place in Cornwall last year and there were lots of BME families on the site. It was called hengar manor, we booked through hoseasons

terribly well meaning people not wanting to get things wrong

I find it is quite obvious when someone is tying themselves up in knots so as not to offend and it is really quite sweet. I always try to be overly friendly in that situation to reassure them that I am just a normal person and I don't need special treatment. Faux pas don't bother me either; it is the blatant name calling down the road (after we have passed of course) or attempts at pulling off my hijab in the street that I fear for my children.

We go to fairly budget holiday destinations and I specifically asked about holiday parks, which often on MN have been described as having clientele who drink White Lightning on the veranda at lunch time whilst their DC terrorize the park.

Lovely, non-offensive stereotype .

I'm just about to run some errands

then I saw it's "punish a muslim day"

I'm not muslim but they will attack anyone who isn't white

I'm now fucking terrified to go out.

I can't believe are telling OP she is unreasonable to worry about this. I'm now nervous of going out in my local high road. The list of things to do includes throwing acid.

I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SWEAR WORDS FOR THIS.

What about Sandy Balls (really) in the New Forest? I don't know how expensive it is but it gets great reviews.

@ThisIsTheFirstStep You're a BME family. BME designation does not just include black / people of colour as it stands for Black (and) Minority Ethnic. As someone from Korea your husband is definitely an ethnic minority in the UK

We are a Muslim family and have been to CentreParcs for 5 times, different sites. Yes, I get stared at for wearing the hijab, riding a bike etc, but just ignored it. I even got in the pool with my burkini and ignored the stares, and had fun.
I know what you mean OP, my boys are older now 15 and 13 and they pick up on the vibes. The younger ones are oblivious.
Wales and Scotland was fine as was Dorset and Peak District.

I have a caravan on a site in Pembrokeshire (not a Haven type site, it's super quiet!). Lots of BME families holiday here and I've never seen anyone even look twice at them. West Wales in general is pretty friendly.

I am sorry for everyone that has had a poor experience. Racism isn't even a mentality I can understand.

I’m white so I hope it’s ok for me to comment. We always go on holiday in the uk & I’ve happily noticed that you see lot more BME families holidaying in Wales (south) than you used to when I was young. There are lots of lovely holiday parks around the Tenby area where you would unlikely to be the only BME family there. I obviously can’t comment on whether they encounter overt racism while there but the greater numbers I would hope would be a positive sign. Have a great holiday where ever you go

Have to disagree on the cornwall front. One of the worst places I’ve ever experienced in regards to racism.