Are people from some areas friendlier?

[McBethany]

I’ve recently been on holiday to a place that due to its location was full of Scottish people and Geordies. I was struck by how friendly everyone was, chatty with strangers, and friendly. Everyone saying morning or afternoon when they pass you.

Its similar when I’ve been to Liverpool - I strike up conversations with strangers all over the place. Great customer service too, chatty bar staff who seem to give a shit about serving you.

This isn’t a South bashing thread, and I’m aware everywhere has its share of miseries, grumps and idiots. But do you think the stereotype of friendly Northerners is true?

Glasgow must be the outlier in that relationship.
Where I live now is rural and the people fall into 2 camps - 'welcoming and friendly' or 'outsider=bad bad thing'.
I miss the friendliness of Glasgow sometimes, even if it can be a bit time consuming. It is also mostly genuine friendliness too, people do want to know how you are.

I lived by the sea in Devon for a year and the casual racism I heard was absolutely shocking. Never again.

obsession'. If you really don't want to interact then wear earphones/don't smile at anyone/move away from someone who starts speaking/say 'I don't speak English' in a foreign accent (though that might result in 'oooh where are you from?' in Glasgow).....some people are just naturally friendly.

What makes you think they don’t do that? Many of us do that and STILL have people trying to interact with us.

Imo, someone who was naturally friendly would be able to read these signs and act accordingly. They wouldn’t just continue to chat with someone who doesn’t want to chat.

@ Carolinaiithemorning I was going to post on how friendly y'all are in the Deep South! We have visited the States several times, and the Deep South has always been my favourite place because of the people.

I am from Yorkshire and I do think we are friendly lot.

I find Manchester really rough and not at all friendly like Liverpool, which is also a big city.

Move away from the person?

What an absolute load of nonsense. You get grumpy unfriendly people everywhere, and friendly lovely people everywhere.

The north is no more friendly than Cornwall and Kent is no less friendly than Cumbria.

Londoners are kind and helpful. I’ve been with a buggy on crutches etc and lost count of seats offered etc. A builders van stopped and gave me a lift when they saw me struggling. Men would say nothing pick up bottom of buggy carry it up or down the stairs and then just walk off

Where I live now is less multicultural than where I lived before - I hear lots of comments here which wouldn't be acceptable where I used to live. I do think part of it is down to being more wary of cultures/dress/languages that you are not exposed to so often, but of course that's not an excuse to be unkind or judgemental.

I’ve only been to Newcastle once but I was quite taken aback by how nice and friendly everyone was. DP and I a couple of times were, say, looking at a map or standing looking at the Metro info board and without asking, locals came up and asked if we needed any help and struck up conversation or told us the info we needed or just wished us well. I’ve never been anywhere quite like that tbh! Just a snapshot maybe but it’s stayed with me.

Of course you get grumpy and friendly people everywhere, but there are just some places that feel more welcoming than others too.

This. So friendly. ❤️

I'll add that I lived in the SE all my life. And I see a difference personally.

Personal space in a city with so many people?? You're mad! Once my personal space on the tube waa lying on the floor because I had been pushed down by those friendly London hordes.

Yeah - I don't like London but when I lived there I usually said hello to people when out for a walk and they weren't terrified or thought me odd

OP came on to say something nice and not to bash and you came to write off a whole city. Charming.

There is not one major city that doesn't have those problems.

Context is everything. Walk through a small village at 8:45 on a weekday and it's quite normal to say hello to everyone you meet. Walk southwards across London Bridge at the same time and it would be pretty well impossible (and odd) to try say hello to everyone.

@SocksAndTheCity I lived near London for a while and frequently had to go into London - I honestly found it so unfriendly and unpleasant every time. I was glad when I moved and it was no longer my closest city. I am sure there ARE nice people in London, but the overall impression was not good.

I am a southerner. When I was visiting Liverpool regularly with first husband who was a scouser I could not believe how friendly people were. It was lovely!
Years later moved to very rural part of Cumbria and thought it would be the same
as in theNorth but totally not. Full of frankly rude locals who hated “incomers” despite my best efforts. It was so horrible I sold up and move back to the south coast making a huge financial loss but still worth it to get away.

That's exactly what I meant. There's so little of it that what small amount we can get - even if it's just being able to listen to music on the tube for a minute and a half while wedged in a corner is incredibly important, and people generally understand that. Physical space is a different thing entirely.

As for lying on the floor, I have literally never seen anybody do that in almost twenty years. It seems an odd way to travel, but you do you.

Mancunian here. Definitely friendlier up North. What some people call intrusive is often what we'd call humour and saying it like it is. Talking to people at bus stops is compulsory!

Of course, it’s on the person who is being bothered to move. 🙄

Doesn’t exactly work in crowded areas as such though.

I've travelled all over the world and never felt anywhere was particularly unfriendly. Different cultures, yes.

But if I've needed help, or was alone (I travel alone a lot) and looked like I may need help, then somebody has always been happy to help.

As already been mentioned, some unfriendliness is actually being mindful of others personal space.

Well it is normally on the person experiencing the issue to do something about it.
Personally I found 'earphones on, head in book' pretty much always worked for me.

While also on the person chatting to a stranger to read the signs regardless of what they’re used to where they’re from.

I’ve unfortunately not been so lucky. Worse when you’re on public transport, boxed in, and there are no other seats.