Moving to Fife - anti English?

[strahan]

I am thinking of moving to Fife, somewhere near the coast if possible. My family is from there. The trouble is, I sound English! we moved from Scotland when I was very young and I lost my Scottish accent. I have read about hostility to the English in Scotland. Should I be worried?
I have to say, I've only ever experienced friendliness when on holiday in Scotland. But I don't want to move somewhere where I'm not welcome.
Honest answers appreciated!

I have a second home by the coast in Fife. I would say 70% of the permanent residence in my area are English. Mainly people who have retired to the area or younger families who have relocated here after uni.

No one will care about your accent - don’t apologise for who you are.

Fife is like most places - people will take you as they find you. Don’t be an arsehole and bang on about how much better it was in London and You will be fine.

More anti-Tory than anti-English, as most of Scotland rightly is.

You’ll be fine.

Fife accent is quite English sounding anyway, not very strong.

Plus if you had an accent you will get one again around people who speak with that accent - the same way you lost your accent in the first place.

We moved to Glasgow with posh English accents, zero issues.

Really, it's the unionist press who make out that people will be horrible to you because you're English. Please don't let it put you off.. my husband's never had a problem and we've lived all over Scotland!

I’m a fifer and while people may be anti Tory I don’t think they’re anti English.

No, it won't be a problem at all. I know it was a big problem in the 80s, because as a child I used to get beaten up on a weekly basis because of my English accent, but things have moved on a lot since then!

Just to warn you - the Fife accent is very infectious. It’s the intonation.....soon you will be going up at the end of a sentence

Half of st. Andrews is English. I am Scottish (but not Fife) husband is Northern Irish, our kids are surrounded by varying accents including English here in Fife. I can't actually think of anywhere in Scotland that is anti English. Anti tory yes.

@randomsabreuse

Fife accent is quite English sounding anyway, not very strong.

Plus if you had an accent you will get one again around people who speak with that accent - the same way you lost your accent in the first place.

We moved to Glasgow with posh English accents, zero issues.

Sorry what? You think the fife accent is English sounding. Aye right

ALLISON sums it up

Don't be an arsehole and you'll be fine

I've got friends who are English and have moved here but I have to stop and think about who is what nationality because it's so commonplace.

My husband hasn’t shaken his London accent and has been fine in Edinburgh. My boss lives in fife and is married to an English woman, and their kids speaks with an English accent. He whinges about everything but never about this.

I’m Welsh with an English accent. I lived in Fife for many years after moving from Edinburgh and never had any problems, very friendly and welcoming in the community I lived in, I miss it!

Sorry what? You think the fife accent is English sounding.

I was thinking the same! Obviously not met any true fifers.

If you manage to drop into conversation that you are from Fife and also that Fife is the best bit of Scotland you'll be golden!

I live in Fife and have English, Irish, and French neighbours (and Scottish of course!). It's a really friendly place, and as others have said, you'll be talking like a local in no time at all. Orright neebur?!

More anti-Tory than anti-English, as most of Scotland rightly is.

Yep This.

I was born in England sound English have lived in the Highlands for 30 years. Married to an English-born woman. Never had any 'Anti-Englishness' - oh! apart from that one time - on line - from a scot living in London who personally blamed me for screwing up the Indyref - but she shut up when I pointed out I was an active member of the SNP and, as she hadn't voted in the damn thing, she could go boil her head.

My husband has family members in Fife, I find people we have met on our trips to be lovely.

Husband's family joke that as an English person they have to slow down for me to understand as I would often sit bewildered and panic, if they asked me a question but I've found everyone I've met in the Kingdom Of Fife to be nice and welcoming.

m.facebook.com/watch/?v=1849159198660921&_rdr
Something to practice on :

Thank you all for your replies. Very helpful. My faith is restored!

Allison: I love the Fife accent so don't mind if I do pick up the intonations.

'Anti-Tory' - that would be a plus point. Lots of us 'English' are too.

I’m born and bred in fife and always get “where are you from”? As apparently I sound like I’m from further north!!!

@Sexnotgender

Sorry what? You think the fife accent is English sounding.

I was thinking the same! Obviously not met any true fifers.

Not to mention different parts of Fife have different accents.
I think some people don't think you're Scottish at all of you don't speak like a Weegie.
Sadly the true St Andrean accent has become very diluted due to the town being very much more mixed these days (mixed isn't a bad thing, losing the accent is)

I have to admit that when I started at St Andrews Uni (a loooooong time ago ), coming from Glasgow, I insulted quite a few East Coasters by asking if they were English as I only knew the Glasgow accent

In my not very good defence, my own accent was very posh Glasgow (Bearsden/Milngavie) and in truth, I couldn't myself understand a full Weegie accent

I can only speak for Glasgow where I did experience pockets of anti-English sentiment, but in the same way I also saw some sectarianism, so I think in other areas of Scotland you'll be fine, particularly if they are mixed and there's a high number of incomers.