Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be worried about Norfolk holiday as an ethnic minority?

250 replies

Faffandahalf · 20/05/2018 20:59

I’m from London.

Going to north Norfolk in the summer. It’s been booked. Research showed it was a beautiful part of the UK. Want to do more UK hols.

We’ve been to Cornwall which seemed ok, the Cotswold we were openly stared at.

But now I’m doing some more reading and turns out Norfolk is horribly racist.

We are Asian. Me DH, 2 young kids. My sister is coming too...she wears a headscarf but very modern dress...jeans and hoodie etc. I don’t wear a headscarf. But we are all brown!

Are we going to get trouble? We’ve booked a cottage in a lovely little village which I imagine doesn’t see many brown folks.

I don’t venture out of London much and forget it’s a different world out there sometimes.

I just want a nice holiday without being gawped at.

OP posts:
Sparrowlegs248 · 20/05/2018 21:04

But of a sweeping generalisation there! Norfolk a whole isn't racist. It has to be said that there isn't much ethnic diversity especially in the more rural areas. I was recently in a cafe where there was a couple with child , the woman was black African. My two children (aged 1 and 2) openly gawped at her. We ended up chatting. They had never seen a black person before.

Where abouts are you going? North Norfolk is generally very nice, nice people and lots of holiday homes so not all locals.

LolaLolaAndMe · 20/05/2018 21:04

I live in Norfolk and know lots of people from ethnic minorities.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 20/05/2018 21:06

Where on earth have you been reading to see it is Racist? People in Norfolk are no more or less likely to be racist than people in parts of London. I am really not sure why you would think this would be an issue?

numptynuts · 20/05/2018 21:07

I'm in Suffolk, know Norfolk well. Don't believe what you read!

Have a great holiday

lightcola · 20/05/2018 21:07

You will be in a white majority but I don’t believe you will come across any trouble. North Norfolk is lovely. You’ll have a great time.

ShirleyPhallus · 20/05/2018 21:07

But now I’m doing some more reading and turns out Norfolk is horribly racist.

Can we have some sources of this utter misinformation?

dinosaursandtea · 20/05/2018 21:08

FFS - the OP is understandably worried about racism, and I’m pretty sure she knows more about it than everyone piling in. Maybe try not gaslighting her?

Etymology23 · 20/05/2018 21:08

I am white (so obviously am unlikely to experience racism directly) but regularly holiday in Norfolk and I don’t think you will find any racism in Norfolk impacts on your holiday. I have seen some racism in rural counties, generally in the form of generations of people who have never left the county, never mind the country, still having unacceptable, old-fashioned, racist views about who can be members of particular professions - but I don’t think this would impact you on holiday.

greendale17 · 20/05/2018 21:09

FFS - the OP is understandably worried about racism, and I’m pretty sure she knows more about it than everyone piling in. Maybe try not gaslighting her?

^This. My good friend still gets stared out when she walks into country pubs. You wouldn’t think so nowadays but it still happens.

Original poster
Faffandahalf · 20/05/2018 21:11

Sorry I know it sounds a ridiculous generalisation. It just started with the thread below and then I ended up googling!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2252262--TAAT-warning-to-ask-if-Norfolk-has-high-incidents-of-racism

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 20/05/2018 21:11

I’m pretty sure she knows more about it than everyone piling in

How do you know the ethnicities of all the posters on her? Confused

ShirleyPhallus · 20/05/2018 21:11

*here

Original poster
Faffandahalf · 20/05/2018 21:13

I’m afraid to me open gawping, staring can be very intimidating.

I’m not necessarily expecting people to scream ‘paki’ at us (thought MN thread above suggests otherwise) but we will be in a rural village and travelling out to places and I was just a bit concerned.

OP posts:
SkintAsASkintThing · 20/05/2018 21:13

If you walk round with a chip on your shoulder you will FEEL stared at.
I'm in a minority too........as in we have a 6ft teenager with the mental age of a toddler. If I go somewhere that I'm expecting to have an issue or we're going through a stressful time I can see issues that aren't there and take things the wrong way.........and my ds HAS been targeted on 3 occasions involving courts etc so i'm aware twats are out there but we'll also carry on living our life regardless

Just go, enjoy your time. Chances are you won't even feature on most peoples radar.

Llanali · 20/05/2018 21:14

You’ll be fine. Plenty of people from different nationalities here. Huge polish, Lithuanian and Romanian communities. Large Sikh population in parts. I’m sure many others.

It’s not london, but it’s hardly red neck America either.

Original poster
Faffandahalf · 20/05/2018 21:15

This is in a major city never mind the rest of Norfolk.

www.edp24.co.uk/news/please-be-respectful-norwich-taxi-drivers-tell-of-big-rise-in-racist-abuse-1-4976379

I’m not trying to be provocative. I am genuinely concerned.

OP posts:
BobbleHat102 · 20/05/2018 21:16

I used to live there for 16yrs. Outsiders may get some comments or staring but as a rule people will be polite and friendly, especially when they realize you are visiting. Some people may say offensive things in genuine innocent ignorance of what is ok due to lack of exposure to non whites. Like many rural areas, they dont like people moving in. White immigrants from other parts of the uk (my own experience) are just as unwelcome as brown ones, i saw and experienced many fucked up things there as a child / teenager.

Llanali · 20/05/2018 21:16

^^ and those who are British nationality but have different coloured skin/varying religions. That wasn’t meant to read as if I thought Sikhs couldn’t be British. I’ve had too much sun and coffee!

Original poster
Faffandahalf · 20/05/2018 21:18

Yes of course we will go and enjoy ourselves.

It’s good to hear people think it will be fine. Thanks

OP posts:
DuchyDuke · 20/05/2018 21:18

I’m Asian and went to all the same places you did with a friend who wears a full burkha and we weren’t stared at except in Norfolk. The rest of the places you mentioned are used to tourists from the ME and Asia but Norfolk really isn’t. But it doesn’t matter. Just do what you need to.

ShowOfHands · 20/05/2018 21:19

Norfolk is 95% white and 97% British. It is not ethnically diverse, no.

I grew up here. I live here now. One of my closest friends is black and lives in a v rural and white bit of the county. She says she experiences racism in London when she goes (regularly for work) but has lived here for 15 years and has never had a problem. In my experience, Norfolk is a wonderful, friendly county.

Where are you going?

prettywhiteguitar · 20/05/2018 21:20

We went to Cromer in Norfolk and it was full of londoners, a big mix of people, I would say don’t worry. It’s a very popular holiday spot for Londoners.

I know it hard, but I think you have unfortunately googled before you went and the reality will be it’s full of London tourists of all shapes sizes and colours !

littlemisscomper · 20/05/2018 21:23

I wouldn't let it stop you going!! When we went on holiday to the Algarve we were stared at constantly by the locals (we're white British) which was unnerving, but heck there was a really good water park there so it was worth it! Just smile serenely back at them, which will either unnerve them and they'll look away, or they'll be friendly and smile in return and you'll feel better.

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 20/05/2018 21:24

'Norfolk is horribly racist'? Erm, no. No, it isn't. Rural Norfolk isn't what you'd describe as ethinically diverse, but it definitely isn't 'horribly racist'. Areas like Kings Lynn & Great Yarmouth aren't quite as enlightened as one would wish, and as you'll already know, you get racists everywhere, but the county as a whole has changed a lot in the last twenty years. There might be the odd comment such as 'that coloured family', but it's more from ignorance than racism.

N Norfolk is my favourite place in the world - it's not a stunning landscape by any means, but it is beautiful (or bootiful as the accent would say it). People are generally pretty friendly too. I hope you have a brilliant time Smile One of my favourite secret places to visit is www.naturalsurroundings.info/ - you usually have it pretty much to yourself, and it's perfect for DC (it's also quite cheap!). Norwich is a brilliant little city for a day trip too - small enough to get everywhere easily and plenty to explore. And OOH if you're in N Norfolk, you have a take the boat trip out to see the seals at Blakeney Point. It is the actual law (and brilliant).

jamoncrumpets · 20/05/2018 21:25

You won't be abused no, but you'll be knee-deep in Brexitland, and it's still normal there to see golliwogs in gift shops. I grew up in Norfolk and go back regularly. And no, it's not ethnically diverse. And yes, it is more racist than other places I've lived.

It is bloody beautiful though. If you can ignore the golliwogs.