To remind those living in tourist areas not to assume people aren't local!

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

I was born and raised in Yorkshire, but spent my whole adult life living in Scotland.

I'm now back in my hometown, armed with a mild Scottish accent I accidentally picked up after 18 years living there . Went for a walk in a popular tourist area today, a 10 minute drive from my home, with my DC. I heard two sets of people grumble about people travelling to come to the Dales after they heard me chatting to the DC. There were also a few posts on local Facebook groups about our-of-towners - I may be paranoid but one said "One family came from as far as Scotland!" - so possibly referring to me!

I've also seen it on another thread too someone saying that people from the Midlands were in Devon this week. No mention of how they knew where they came from

Unless you actually ask them and they confirm they aren't locals, please don't assume. Some people do move to new places! And while I'm at it I don't actually think local areas "belong" to local people any more than they belong anyone else and I'm a bit when locals grumble about tourists.

Also I managed to snap a picture of a couple who grumbled at me. Bastards

[toomanytrollshere]

Totally agree. I keep seeing people from Brighton and Hastings complaining and I'm thinking, how the hell do you know they don't live there. You don't know everyone!

[Screamqueenz]

@MarkingTimeIm59 I have almost the same problem, my parents moved into the village before I was born, it doesn't matter, I'm still a commer inner.

[vanillandhoney]

So... you did drive to another community for you walk, no doubt about it

And?

There are no restrictions on how far you can drive for exercise in England anymore.

[hen10]

What annoys me is, it makes no odds if they aren't local. We are all allowed to drive to a nice spot, sunbathe and gave a picnic with our household (in England). I live in a popular bit of the south coast and by July, locals will be begging people to fill the restaurants if they open, so it's pretty hypocritical getting the pitchforks out now, imo.

[Bumpsadaisie]

My parents moved to Cumbria when I was 6 mths old. My sister was born here.

I moved down south in my 20s but back in my 30s when my DD was 6 months old. My son was born here.

But we are all still offcomers!

[User24689]

So true OP

My mum was born and raised in a popular Welsh tourist spot. We lived in England as kids and she lost her accent but she's back there now, she's been living there for the past 10 years.

She has been called out on numerous occasions in the past month for being a tourist, had people muttering about "the English" behind her in shops.

I actually joined the local FB page for her town as she is an elderly lady on her own and I thought it would be useful to have some contacts that could help her if she became ill. Every day it is just a slew of people complaining about which English people they have seen that day and people taking covert photos of others sitting on an otherwise completely empty beach who could well be from the same household.

It has really put me off my next visit tbh!

[DivisionBelles]

Totally agree OP. We live in the middle of a disused railway that has been turned into a cycle way. A storm kicked off on a local FB group this week because someone assumed that because a couple of cyclists asked where something was in town that they could not have been local. It sounds like they cycled from the next town, around 6 miles away down the trail, and unless they come to our town quite often, it's quite likely that they might not know where X was. Virtual pitchforks came out and all hell let loose.

[Ginfordinner]

I'm from South London, but have lived in our South Yorkshire village for nearly 17 years. I still sound like I'm from London

[ukgift2016]

You know what, why does it matter even if you weren't local?

We are allowed to travel to another town/village. It's pathetic behaviour and needs to be called out more.

[FudgeBrownie2019]

There was a thread on here not long ago where the OP had complained about people walking through 'her' village, saying something like "if they'd wanted to live here they should have stumped up the extra £100k to buy a house here" which made me laugh for ages. Some people genuinely believe they own their towns and villages.

We're Kenilworth which is beautiful and a bit of a tourist trap. I'm sure people have driven here for walks during lockdown - it's lovely. People need to remember that they don't own anything but their home. Everything else belongs to us all.

[endofthelinefinally]

Potential tourists will no doubt take note for future reference.
We have always taken holidays in the UK, not just to support the local economy, but because we have so much history and beautiful places to see.
If locals are rude and unwelcoming we don't go back.

[IndecentFeminist]

Agreed. I'm on the Isle of Wight and the number of people chuntering about holiday makers is insane. Especially when the ferries keep reinforcing that as far as they are concerned, holiday makers aren't being transported.

One woman was talking about having accosted a couple of families she 'didn't recognise', and was genuinely put out that they wouldn't answer her questions.

[Otterseatpuffinsdontthey]

To all the "incomers" - you need to have lived in a village for at least 50 years, and, have at least 3 generations in the local cemetery!

[cologne4711]

I live in a small village and whenever we see someone we don't recognise we scream "Stranger Danger!!!" at them and immediately post a warning on the village website

Ha ha

There have been a few threads on here where people have said they know exactly who is local and who isn't and unless you live in a hamlet with 3 houses it's a nonsense. And talking about "locally registered" cars, which don't exist.

Anyway as people's hair grows out, they turn grey and lose all their blonde, will you still recognise everyone anyway

[Peggysgettingcrazy]

You're not local. You haven't lived there for 18 years. So yes YABU.

But she is back living there. How long does she have to be back before she gets 'local status' and does she have to hide indoors until she gets it?

The point is, someone's accent isn't proof they don't live in the area you see them in.

[ladyflower23]

Yes I live in Brighton and there is a lot of talk about how busy it still is on the seafront and there are still too many visitors. Some of them might be visitors but there are an awful lot of people living in Brighton so I suspect most of the people down there are actually residents.

[pipnchops]

For weeks I've envied people living in touristy beauty spots and having the chance to walk around them in peace every day. But now I don't envy them as so many people will be flocking to walk around where they live and increasing their risk. I totally get it. Therefore, even though I could be at some really stunning beaches within 10 minutes drive of my house I won't be going. This is because when I get there I would have to park outside people's houses, albeit primarily second homes, and I wouldn't feel right about it. I appreciate there is absolutely nothing wrong with this technically but it doesn't sit right with me. I will only be driving to places that are deserted and where nobody lives for exercise until corona is more under control.

[Doilooklikeatourist]

I understand , I’ve lived in Wales for nearly 20 years , I have a Home Counties English accent ( luckily I’ve lived in the same village for 8 years )
In Wales we’re still not allowed to drive to exercise , that makes it a bit easier ( We now know all the circular walks from our house ! )
There’s a lot of NIMBYism at the moment , and shouts of close the border , I just smile and think they’re idiots

[EveryDayIsADuvetDay]

I wonder if all these places will be complaining again in couple of months when they have no visitors and are feeling the impact of the "X county is shut, thanks" messages.

Of course they will, I feel exactly the same - and certain the complaints will be accompanied by calls for additional subsidies.
As much as I would love to be by the sea or country, I'm so glad I live in London - still a lot of curtain twitchers, but not heard any of the 'strange accent' stuff.

[YorkshireParentalPerson]

My parents live in a smallish sea side resort on the eat coast. The mayor has asked people not to travel their as there are no public toilets, cafes, car parks , pubs or leisure facilities open and the town quite frankly cannot cope with a huge influx of visitors and the aftermath of their visit, regarding rubbish and the people who will undoubtedly have to go to the loo!

Tourists are their life blood, but at this time they are not open to deal with them. The nearest hospital is 40 minutes away on a good day and serves a large rural area. the population is predominantly elderly with all the associated health worries that go with that and they are quite rightly concerned about the impact on their local services.

Its not about not wanting tourists, it's about living in a small quiet place with services that can't cope a) with the number of people when nothing is open and b) with the virus should it get a proper grip on the place. I must admit I'm at a loss to understand why people do not get this

[Wishforsnow]

When things are back open I don't think I'll go to Cornwall again. The reaction of some down there has been frankly ridiculous. It will be the same people moaning when their tourist shops close and there is less work in their area

[Amatteroftime]

I've also seen it on another thread too someone saying that people from the Midlands were in Devon this week. No mention of how they knew where they came from

That was my post. They were asking where the local supermarket is and where the main road is to the town centre. There is one road in and out. We have one supermarket.
Fair judgement is that they aren't from here.

[LordOftheRingz]

I stopped going to Cornwall over 15 years ago, just don't like it. Grockles or whatever they call people from 'up country'. Cornwall is poor, and it's going to get poorer, it's main industry is tourism, wisdom is needed.

[thewalrus]

Completely agree. I won’t set foot in Cornwall because of their attitude to tourists.

You're right. There's half a million of us and we're all the same. We all hate tourists!

Yes, there have been some vociferous Cornish complaints about tourists (and in my personal view some of them have gone too far), but tarring everyone with the same brush is ridiculous and at least equally bigoted.

FWIW, I'm an adopted local with a slight Northern accent (been here for 13 years). I've had people assume I'm visiting Cornwall before (presumably based on the accent) but no one has every been unfriendly because of it.