Snobbiest places in the UK

I used to know someone who insisted that everyone from the S of England was a snob. She and her dh were friends of ours - we were all living overseas at the time.
Since dh and I are both from the S of England, I asked her whether she thought we were snobs.
‘No!’
‘Well, then.’
But she still thought everyone else from the S was. She was from a northern city and TBH for some reason had a massive chip on her shoulder.

When my rich cousin's snobby wife found out I was educated at state schools she nodded her head slowly and said "That explains a lot of things" she then went on to ask if I found it 'socially awkward'.

I've had many problems dealing with the receptionists at my doctor's surgery ,but nothing prepared me when a receptionist mocked my "posh " accent and mimicked me .
I was phoning as it was yet another occasion when I'd run out of my meds .
The next day I went into the surgery and actually burst into tears .
The receptionists were very nice and sorted it out .
Since then I've had to return to the surgery and witnessed more appalling rudeness .

It was decades ago, but I well remember my mother telling new neighbours (family with children) about some other near neighbours. ‘The Xs at number Y, their daughter goes to Such-and-such school’
Slight pause from new neighbour. ‘Oh. So they’re not fee-paying people, then.’

My mother was herself somewhat ‘socially conscious’, but even she was decidedly taken aback.

Cobblers were often locksmiths as well.

I read once that a snob was the old name for a cobbler, and now cobbler has been replaced with shoe repairer.

In Wales I am a snob because I decided leave Wales to work in London. Wales isn't good enough for me anymore apparently - despite the fact I go home twice a year and keep in touch with everyone.

In the NE I was a 'hoity-toit' (don't know if that's how you spell it but it means snob) because I don't have the right accent and do things differently to my in-laws.

It's a weird world. So many people needing to have their life choices validated by others.

M0nica

I think we are unaware of the immense cultural differences there are, even between regions. We have just moved form 15 miles from Oxford to 20 miles from Cambridge and it is like moving from England to Spain.

the town we have moved to is the same size as where welived before, the two main supermarkets are the same, yet everything is so different. The range of foods the 2 supermarkets sell is entirely different to those we bought in the same stores in our previous home. There is a local midweek market, both have a vegetable stall. One sold every fruit and vegetable you can think of, the other sells home grown veg and little else - and much more expensive. I could go on and on.

Two different cultures - only 100 miles apart.

That’s exactly the same dynamics where I live.
Equal time by car 15 minute from my bungalow to this village

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/Barling.html
to the golden mile Southend.

www.alamy.com/stock-photo-the-lights-of-the-golden-mile-at-southend-on-sea-essex-england-uk-15362427.html

I think those displaying snobbery are almost certainly suffering from a degree of lack of confidence in themselves.

I think we are unaware of the immense cultural differences there are, even between regions. We have just moved form 15 miles from Oxford to 20 miles from Cambridge and it is like moving from England to Spain.

the town we have moved to is the same size as where welived before, the two main supermarkets are the same, yet everything is so different. The range of foods the 2 supermarkets sell is entirely different to those we bought in the same stores in our previous home. There is a local midweek market, both have a vegetable stall. One sold every fruit and vegetable you can think of, the other sells home grown veg and little else - and much more expensive. I could go on and on.

Two different cultures - only 100 miles apart.

I remember when we moved from Wales to North London, my mother had tremendous difficulty with groups she joined. Worst was the local church woman’s group. She never liked where we lived.
It was quite the reverse when DH and Me moved back to Wales. Included instantaneously .

The behaviour you describe kircubbin2000 is unfriendly, and rude but not snobby. Snobs merely look down on you because they think they have some higher social status.

I live in a snobby place. I've joined various things but unless your husband is a doctor etc or member of the yacht club strangers do not fit on. I've sat having coffee with some of the ladies as they discuss people and things I don't know about but they never ask about me. I thought I was getting friendly with one but discovered she didn't know my surname or anything else about me.

M0nica

I think 'snobby' says more about the person using it than the people accused of it. We have lived in a variety of places and always found some people friendly and some people not.

Whether the unfriendly ones are looking down on us, I really do not know.

I agree with you, that it says more about the person. I grew up in a council house and my kids were brought up in a council house, My older daughter married with kids lived in a council house in the same road as me and she was fortunate enough to be able to buy it. They sold the house which was on a council estate and moved to a posher area in the same town. She is now one of the biggest snobs I know! My married son was in private rented and they bought a brand new house, he hasn't changed at all.

I think snobby means someone who thinks they are better than others.
People are people wherever they live,so, it is the person that is snobby not any particular area.

I think 'snobby' says more about the person using it than the people accused of it. We have lived in a variety of places and always found some people friendly and some people not.

Whether the unfriendly ones are looking down on us, I really do not know.

Well, snobs don’t like living on or near large council estates, or near poor people.
So I guess snobby areas would be affluent areas.

The complex where I live! it's split into 2 sections, one end social housing the other end home owners. The latter think they are better than those in the social housing end!

Fidelity2 people in Birmingham call themselves Brummies . So it's not derogatory.

Oops didn't realise it was 4 years old . Note to self read the date of the OP.

I always thought snobby applied to people not places. Places are just places . Would you look at a building and say it's snobby. Of course not .

I, for one, didn’t notice this was an old thread

People can also be snobby about accents.
One example
Birmingham accent can be called
Brumy ,meant in a derogatory way.

I’m not saying posters don’t have the right to resurrect old threads, but why do it?

This thread is four years old and it’s been quite sad reading comments from contributors who, for a variety of reasons, no longer post.
One sadly has died and a few others I believe have been banned.