Going to scotland and English?

[thefoggiest]

Hi guys, I want to move back to the UK and am considering giving Scotland a try.
I just spoke to my aunt about it and she said prepare to get some serious attitude. She used to live and work near Loch Lomond! That was 20 years ago now. I have actually never been to Scotland before.

Be honest with me: is what she says true or is she being OTT/outdated? I would live in one of the big cities, probably Edinburgh (not Glasgow).

I'm from down south and we holiday with Scotish cousins on the west coast every year and have never heard a cross word, but an English mate who has lived and worked in Glasgow for years has had some nasty encounters from time to time - especially during the run up to the independance referendum. Glasgow is a great city, though - loads going on! Go and see what you think, l wouldn't mind moving there!

Many, many years ago I and an English male colleague were working in a small town north of Glasgow. There was a football match on tv (England v Scotland). We were staying in a pub, and he decided to go downstairs to the bar to watch the match on a big screen with the locals. He had no aggression whatsoever, and subsequently moved to live in the area (near Joanna Lumley!). I have English relatives who've moved to the Edinburgh area who love it, and also have no problems with or aggression from natural born Scots.

The only ones I’ve met who’ve been unwelcome (perhaps not outright made to feel it) - are the ones who’ve gone down like a cup of cold sick with the “do all women in X dress so badly?” tinkly laugh and “why can’t I get a Lebanese takeaway from [insert Tiny town fr north of inverness]”?

I’m an east coast fan and love anywhere north of Perth. Also unlike the majority , I think Dundee is a hidden gem.

I’ve got an English accent because I’m from Perthshire originally and we can be pretty “Home Counties”. I’m not had any racist crap to my face - maybe the Gaelic name swings it? My mother claims she did - but she always was a bearer of a cup of cold sick.

Of course violence (as at Perth recently, by some very, very regrettable extemists) is ALWAYS wrong, but for heaven's sake did your neighbours who put a St George's flag in their window expect no comment??? They might have been 'innocent' but they were also either ignorant and/or pretty insensitive. Have they NO knowledge of Scottish history? If so, that's pretty disrespectful to the place where they seem to have chosen to live.

If you, or they, don't know who 'Butcher Cumberland' was, then I suggest you look it up. Brother of King Geoge III. In the aftermath of the battle of Culloden in 1746, under the banne of St George's Cross, he gave oders for the genocide of Scottish Highlander people - rape, murder, and much worse. www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Butcher-Cumberland/

It's nothing to do with 'anti-English Scots'. It's nothing to do with the SNP. It's just a simple matter of common courtesy and respect for the place you are living in, and its culture and traditions and its quite barbaric history.

If you were living in the USA, would you display a St George's flag in your window on Independence day??? If not, then why do it in Scotland?

If it matters, I am not a member of the SNP. I'm not taking sides in that debate. I'm just saying that if people come to live in a place - any place - that's new to them, the very least they should do is learn something about it.

@Babdoc I smell shite

100% same for me

Since Mark McManus died the murrrder rate has dropped dramatically.

Very sorry for typos. The 'r' key on my laptop seems to have stopped working.

I’m from Edinburgh originally, there’s always lots of English people. Edinburgh is a fall back for folk who don’t get into oxbridge and then they stay after graduation. Few arseholes who when drunk will spout bullshit but they’re easy to avoid.

I thought it was a tribute to Taggart

My 76 year old Uncle (Southern English accent) married a Glaswegian lady about 5 years ago and they live in a lovely flat near the city centre, both very happy there.

my apologies, That was a little scrambled. My Step dads family were in and still are in Ayrshire- Irvine to be precise. I was just giving my experience. I just find the place has an air of intimidation about it.

I was once spat on for being English in a pub in Scotland during a rugby match. Luckily this was a one off event, but I would get verbal abuse every now and then.

That attitude will certainly ensure you get a very warm welcome in Scotland, OP. Scottish people are well known to love patronising incomers who hold ignorant outdated prejudices about them and their country. Much like people anywhere else, really.

You will let us know how you get on, won’t you?

Scotland is the friendliest place on the planet and English people are very welcome

It's friendly banter. (Scottish dad , English mum)

I used to have to travel a lot with my work pre children and stayed at dozens of cities across the UK. Glasgow was one of the best!

Out dated

I'm English. Lived in edinburgh 13 years. Not once have I had any grief for being English

On Glasgow specifically, it does have a significant crime rate and the concern is violent crime. That is not to say its the murder capital of Europe, and it is better than it was, but there are much safer places to live in Scotland.

I'll be honest. There are people in Scotland who will give you a hard time for being English. Just as there are people who give Scots in England a hard time. There are people in all communities who just look for trouble / someone to bully.

But by in large I do not think you will face many issues. There are also areas that are more 'English' like Edinburgh.

Glasgow is a lovely city and safe. Yes, it has rough areas much like any other U.K. capital. But you just have to be sensible.

I am Scottish but live in England. It is very different up there. You should be prepared for that. There are similarities with parts of the north of England but the culture is quite distinctive. So is the political landscape which is very left wing. But the people are friendly and very open. So it's an easy place to move and make friends.

I am from London and have lived in Glasgow for 9 years. I have never had any problems with regard to my accent etc. I love living here. The education and healthcare system are superb and the cost of living is way less than in most parts of England and I found it easy to make friends and start my business.

Don’t be put off by what you read in the papers. Anti English sentiments make great press.

Re crime in Scotland - as previous poster said, Dundee has worse crime stats than Glasgow. Details here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2020-2021/pages/3/
In fact, Glasgow violent crime rates have been falling, thanks to innovative police /social welfare strategies: blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/patterns-of-violence-glasgow-london/

For the 'safest' places, see Chart 5 of the Scottish Govt source above above.

But as other posters have said, crime tends to be concentrated in a few well-known pockets in each big city or urbanised area. The same applies to London, York, Sheffield etc

Compared with many English cities, Glasgow's crime rate is not bad: 682 per 10,000 people.
In Sheffield, the rate was 910 per 10,000 people crimerate.co.uk/south-yorkshire/sheffield
In York it was 730 per 10,000 crimerate.co.uk/north-yorkshire/york
In London, it was 870 per 10,0000 people crimerate.co.uk/london/city-of-london

If that website is to be believed - and of course the stats need proper cross-reference checking - then all three of those cities have a higher crime rate than Glasgow today.

I love Scotland and would move there in a heartbeat if it wasn’t for family ties. Living in Essex is becoming unbearable. (It’s just so crowded. I also dread a repeat of this summer’s heat - sitting in traffic in 90 degrees was horrendous.)

My dad is Scottish, and as a kid I spent whole summers up there, staying with grandparents and uncles and so on. I never experienced any bullying or aggression. And my dad has never been insulted or abused for his Scottish accent either. On the contrary, he’s got loads of English friends. There is joking and banter, of course, usually around the rugby or football, but other than that people barely notice.

You might get a tiny bit of grief from stanch independence supporters but in the main no one cares as long as you’re not a twat

I'm a staunch independence supporters its Westminster we have an issue with not England or the English.

Born and grew up in the Cotswolds, with a BBC accent to match.

Moved to Glasgow in 2015 and I can't say I've had any bad encounters or anti-English sentiment.

I've stayed in the West End (posher part), the North and the East of the city (more working class or mixed areas) and never had a bit of bother.

The most frustrating thing is that I noticed Glaswegians (or maybe just my neighbours) LOVE setting off fireworks.

Good Points about Glasgow:

• Massive investment, especially in financial services means there are a lot of jobs, wages are going up.
• Still fairly cheap to buy/rent, although that has increased in the last 2 years.
• The most number of green parks in any city in the UK (I think?)
• So many arts/music/events things - always something going on!
• The architecture! Okay, so maybe a bit niche but the sandstone flats / houses make me so happy! (maybe more relevant if you are buying)

I've lived in Scotland for nearly 30 years.
Glasgow, Edinburgh and rural Stirlingshire.
Kept my English accent, but never had any issues with being English.
Worked places where there was sports related banter where some people made a thing of supporting which ever side England were playing and crowing if England lost
I winced at the thought of putting a Union Jack flag up.