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

[Allergictoironing]

One thing to consider (as various pp have said) is that the infrastructure of many rural areas just can't cope with high infection rates. I have at least 4 hospitals of varying levels (including 3 with major A&E plus one with minor injuries) within a 20 minute drive (Kent). In Cornwall there is ONE major A&E hospital serving the entire county, with a handful of minor injuries units that aren't 24 hours.

Areas with lower population are served by fewer hospitals, their health services have been structured to deal with the local permanent population only and not the influx of tourists they get in season. If there is a major outbreak of CV in that county, the current facilities are going to be stretched to breaking point.

[YinMnBlue]

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



I live in inner city London, and the Next Door app and our road Facebook page get fully frothed if an unfamiliar car parks outside our house.

I think that as soon as a mechanism (Facebook / police powers) enable parochialism, people are drawn to it.

For good and bad: tremendous community support, plus pitchfork wielding.

What we need to to engage, all of us, is common sense.

I was forced to go to a rural area with no current infection the other day for work... for something the area definitely needs. And commissioned.

I took my own food and drink, I made sure I had a tank full of petrol so as not to need to stop locally, I carried out my work without contact or proximity. I do not want to risk spreading infection.

The local council have closed off every car park and other normally available parking, lay bys, cones along village squares and greens, the parking in the prom. All roads that lead to the beaches: closed off.

No one is ‘anti tourists’, they are ‘anti infection’ in an area where a GP is miles away and the hospital an hour’s drive.

[thecatsthecats]

@1forsorrow

And why shouldn't they? Going round guessing where people come from on the basis of their clothes is just a little bit sad.

Where have you moved to and do you think people are judging what you wear and guessing where you come from.

For what it's worth, I'm a half breed. Cumbrian mum, offcomer dad, so I know both sides of the coin.

As for the clothes observation - I'm happy to defend a bit of harmless people watching. Do you honestly never sit and watch a crowd, and think about the people in it? I can assure you, it does you no harm to watch or be watched.

But for what it's worth, it has a practical knock on too. Where I grew up, we were often the first point of call for hikers in trouble on the fells - and yep, they were always the ones who were togged up to the nines in expensive new gear, and utterly hopeless when it came to poor weather etc.

I'm also very happy that people visit the Lakes normally, as I literally grew up largely depending on the fantastic variety of eateries, pubs, clubs and entertainment that you don't really get in many other rural places because there isn't the population to sustain it.

[AdoptedBumpkin]

This is a very good point. I have a mild southern accent, but live in the Peak District.

[notacooldad]

We have chuckle in the pub sometimes over how easy it is to spot the people staying in the holiday lets. Their brand new "outdoor" clothes, walking boots or shiny wellies gives them away
Why would you laugh at people on holiday @PhoneLock?
All this ridiculous talk of 'given themselves away' because people have dared to get new kit to go on holiday. Bloody madness!!
How dare people go to
a different area to have a holiday and spend money! I guess they deserve to be laughed about!
Some people are absolute tossers.

[Easilyanxious]

@OrangeSamphire I agree a massive influx would not be a good way to go and I would hope that that wouldn't be allowed and just some managed tourism in some way , which I'm sure can be done . Lots of business are adapting to take away and some of the holiday parks can almost be quite self contained , my friends have a caravan in park they still have to pay rent etc and I think they are hoping as owners they may be able to visit so all money this year is not wasted , site a straight on beach that no locals seem to use , has numerous takeaways and obviously self catering , ok pool etc couldn't open and holidays will not be the same but I think people are aware of that

[isseywith4vampirecats]

I live in Yorkshire but if you heard my partner and I talking you wouldn't call us locals im from Birmingham and hes from Essex so yes it was judgy of them to presume you don't live locally

[PhoneLock]

Some people are absolute tossers.

Touchy ones at that!

[PotholeParadise]

YinMnBlue

Good point, well made. Amazing how people are acknowledging that one can detect hostility against perceived outsiders now.

[rosiepony]

Fucking twats. I live in a city on the coast and love the buzz of tourists in the summer. It becomes a party town.

[CrystalTipped]

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.

In a couple of months, so July? You think people will be begging for tourists in July?

As someone who lives at the coast I can confirm people are already not staying away, sorry to disappoint you. Not that there are any goods or services to buy except petrol and food/drink from the supermarket.

I wonder how many of the people who make these weak threats will actually stick to their guns? "Come on Mavis, we're off to Hastings for the day!" "I can't, I told Mumsnet I'm boycotting..."

[Teateaandmoretea]

surely no one would honestly assume that because someone had a Scottish accent they had travelled from Scotland to go for a walk?

[NinetySixer]

I completely agree. Unfortunately some people are pretty dense. The Dales are lovely but would any drive down from Scotland for a walk?

There was a newspaper clip about a year ago about a women in a Niqab on a Newport train speaking to her son (not in English). A man commented that as they were in the U.K. she should be speaking English. Another passenger pointed out that they were in fact in Wales and the lady was speaking Welsh.

[sashh]

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

My brother did 8 years in Lancashire and then 30+ years in Cornwall, he still has his Yorkshire accent. His wife is a Grockle so they should probably be packing their bags.

In some places, you are not local unless you were born in the village.

Amatures, it's a minimum of three generations before you stop being a 'commer in'.

[YouAreTheEggManIAmTheWalrus]

I often go out looking like a tourist hiker with waterproof and rucksack when I walk the dog but I live here and have had a few funny look myself.

But along the same theme, can I just ask how each of you would personally feel if potentially thousands of people from all over the country were about to all of a sudden land on your doorstep? Popping into your tiny local shops like co op, spar, tesco express while you and other locals are trying to pick up a pint and a loaf? Accelerating the spread of a virus to your ageing population? Would you not feel at least a little bit worried or pissed off? Because I genuinely don’t know how anyone wouldn’t be. As for those who are saying “oh you’ll be crying for visitors when its all over”.. is there any need for such a hostile reaction to those who are merely fearful for their own and their families safety?

[PhoneLock]

surely no one would honestly assume that because someone had a Scottish accent they had travelled from Scotland to go for a walk?

Judging from some of the responses on that "Don't say poorly" thread, they might.

[Bufferingkisses]

This is how things get twisted and misused. The point of "don't come around 'ere" was that smaller areas, which most tourist places are, did not have the healthcare capacity to care for additional bods in their second homes should they become sick. It was not about spreading the virus - that was the job of the stay inside advice.

So stay indoors was for spreading
Don't go to second homes was about capacity (obviously there was a huge crossover but that's the principle)

Now it's don't go to second homes/5 nights in a b&b - still about capacity
You can go outside anywhere (in England) - because they feel they understand spreading now and it is an acceptable risk level

It was never supposed to be "feck off with all your germs" which it seems to have become. Yet another example of how easy it is to radicalise people - start with fear, add an enemy and stir.

[Lillyhatesjaz]

I'm originally from a small seaside resort in the south west, my family had been there for several generations but the majority of the people there had moved there from other parts of the country and were very welcome. The majority of the sea side resorts are largely victorian anyway. With the exception of a few fishing and farming families.

[DrCoconut]

This is why I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than live in a village. I had family who did and the cliquey bitchiness was unreal. People gossiping and moaning about issues that wouldn't even register on my radar. What colour someone's fence was. Kids playing with snow. Parking caravans/boats/whatever on the drive. At least in town people mind their own business. I don't go there anymore but I imagine they're all taking turns to stand at the roads in with pitchforks during the pandemic.

[MinesaBottle]

It’s not just people ‘in real life’ either...my brother lives in Anglesey (family is from there, mum still there too) and posted some snaps of a local beach on a local FB group. It’s near his home and where he often walks the dogs. The first response was someone asking ‘where did you come from?’; he took them literally and explained his route around the headland at low tide etc...no, she meant ‘are you local?’ and proceeded to tell him off and say he shouldn’t be there. The group admin knows db and jumped in to explain he’s a ten minute walk from said beach.

The commenter, btw, lives three counties away

[dameofdilemma]

I’ve got this urge to drive hundreds of miles to the coast and run around shouting ‘ I’m from London I’m from London’ just to see if I really do get lynched.

I almost thought there’d been some massive reform of land law and residents now actually owned bits of the coastline just by virtue of living in the area.

Living somewhere doesn’t mean you own the entire area. Covid has been used as a convenient excuse to vent not so well hidden bitterness, prejudice and xenophobia.

And no I’ve no intention of doing anything in breach of social distancing guidance.

[sueelleker]

The point is, someone's accent isn't proof they don't live in the area you see them in. My Mum was born and brought up in Sunderland, and moved to Brighton in her 30's. She only had to talk to her sister on the phone for 10 minutes, and you'd swear she'd never left it.

[MinesaBottle]

Exactly, if I moved back now I’d probably get a few raised eyebrows as I no longer have a local accent! My mum told me I have an English accent when speaking Welsh which was pretty devastating

[LemonPudding]

I’ve got this urge to drive hundreds of miles to the coast and run around shouting ‘ I’m from London I’m from London’ just to see if I really do get lynched.

That has conjured up an image from Life of Brian


tenor.com/view/jehovah-life-of-brian-brian-monty-python-gif-13130917

[dameofdilemma]

That has conjured up an image from Life of Brian

😂