The friendliest and least friendly places to live in U.K

To be honest, welbeck, until we met the fifth, a Chelsea resident, we had not got as far as mentioning the words ‘national’ ‘army’ or ‘museum’. She actually offered to walk us there, but we accepted her directions gratefully.

I have lived in N.ireland, Kent and North Devon. N.I. definitely most friendly of the three, Kent least friendly. N.Devon folk are very pleasant but tend to keep themselves to themselves. However so many people there from outside N.Devon easy to make friends. My daughter lives in Cardiff and I find it a very friendly city.

I too have lived all over the country. I can honestly say that the most friendly place to live so far has been the West Midlands.
The worst has been Rochdale in Lancashire. We bought a house at the bottom of a close and kids would cheer when we left and throw stones at me when walking the dogs. I had an Asian man looking at the house when we were trying to sell it , a neighbour shouted at him 'get off my garden, we don’t want your sort here.' Being a southerner I now know what it feels a little to have racist bullying.

Sago

East Yorkshire,Rossendale Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne,South Yorkshire,South Oxfordshire,Shropshire,Ribble Valley, North Yorkshire,Hampshire and back to East Yorkshire!
All the above have been our home since 1983, I have encountered lovely people in all places, I was not happy in Hampshire so therefore made few friends.
I believe you reap what you sow, the UK on the whole is friendly.

What should I have sown Sago?

Yes! The Amber Valley is exquisite- peaceful, warm-hearted and such good atmosphere- the East Midlands is indeed a very fine place x

to be fair, i think v few people in london have heard of the national army museum, and fewer still would know where it is.
also people are wary of beggars, or being drawn into some scam. so it is often self-preservation that creates distance.
i used to be more open. now i am more wary.
the station staff at sloane square, if there are any left after so many cuts, are probably best to ask.

Hi - I agree about some areas of Yorkshire- not welcoming to ‘comer-inners’ (?!) as I was called. I’ve lived all over the UK in my 60 years, and Derby is THE most warm-hearted, welcoming and gentle place - including all the gorgeous villages in Amber Valley. South Wales (Merthyr Tydfil) is exceptionally friendly & welcoming too x With no shadow of a doubt, moving to Powys in Mid Wales, was grim, as children, from Dorset, we were ostracised, without friends, lonely and so sorely missed our lives before that- saying that, it was the 70’s and they’d hardly seen “the English “, and felt we were taking their jobs and boyfriends ? … may be different now! Derby is 100% great x

I have found everywhere in the UK that I have been friendly except Oxford where they stared at you as if you were going to rob them or something. Possibly because most there were not permanent residents.

Yes we Yorkshire folk are renowned for being a friendly lot. When DH and I first got together and he came here, he was always asking me “Do you know her?” “Is he a friend of yours?” whenever I had a casual conversation with a stranger. He never really got used to it, and he was from South Wales and they are very friendly folk. The most hostile people I have ever come across were in mid Wales. They don’t seem to like anyone who doesn’t speak Welsh and mostly won’t give you the time of day! As for your very funny link, overthehill that might have been us on one visit to London trying to find our way to the National Army Museum. We asked five people for directions and only one actually had the courtesy to speak to us! One didn’t speak English and three didn’t even make eye contact when we said “excuse me…..”!

I am going against the grain a bit, I have lived in the North East all my life, and I find people in London very friendly, I have never received so many offers of help as when many years ago I was negotiating a buggy on the tube. I find Merseyside very friendly too.

East Yorkshire,Rossendale Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne,South Yorkshire,South Oxfordshire,Shropshire,Ribble Valley, North Yorkshire,Hampshire and back to East Yorkshire!
All the above have been our home since 1983, I have encountered lovely people in all places, I was not happy in Hampshire so therefore made few friends.
I believe you reap what you sow, the UK on the whole is friendly.

Bluebelle, there are so many foreign people living in London now. I remember, not so long ago, talking to an Italian couple who had come over from Italy to improve their English. They'd moved to Kent because they said that nobody in London speaks English!

Us Yorkshire folk are very very friendly, everyone a d anyone strikes up conversation wherever they maybe.

My mum, who was a farmers daughter, used to say people in the south were not friendly ( she lived in Maidstone for 12 month or so ). I cant really comment on that because I have only lived up here in Yorkshire, but on friendly side of places to live, I would say hands down Yorkshire.

RichmondPark1

I've moved around a lot and find the unfriendliest places are villages where you have to have six generations in the church yard before you're worthy of a smile.

To me people seem more relaxed, open and less wary in large towns and cities, but then I am a city type of person.

I lived 15 years in deep French countryside and this was so true.
I now live in a small touristy country town and find the people so different , so open. Beware for the Brit buying cheap property in the French countryside you can end up with more
peace and quiet than is good for you.

Having lived and travelled quite extensively in the UK. I have to say that the people in Belfast are extremely friendly. In fact Irish people in general are just brilliant.
I don't buy into the North/South divide. I would quite often chat to people on the London Underground as I would on a tram in Manchester.

I think Merseyside tops the lot, even when you are on holiday, here or abroad people pick up on the accent and chat. Scousers are tainted with a reputation they don't deserve.

I am from the far North West and would say they are warry people polite but keep you at a distance until they know you.
As a teacher, I have always had to be able to talk to people and DH says that one dd and I have faces that invite conversation. The Northeast was a joy to work and live in.
When we moved to the East Riding the children had to be told what the V signed meant. At work I was told by the boss I was not their choice.
They were very conscious of what assets you had and to tell you theirs and if you joked well!
I might add I wasn't the only one and quite a few marriages broke up.

I've moved around a lot and find the unfriendliest places are villages where you have to have six generations in the church yard before you're worthy of a smile.

To me people seem more relaxed, open and less wary in large towns and cities, but then I am a city type of person.

When I moved to the NE I felt instantly accepted and 'at home'. After many years in Yorkshire where people were friendly, but ultimately made you aware that you weren't 'one of them', I found that refreshing.

Northerners always used to tell me that Southerners were unfriendly. As an Essex person I can't say one way or the other.. I always found them friendly ?

I'll talk to anyone, too.

I agree Merlotgran, we live in fens in Cambridgeshire and its not the most friendliness place to live. We have lived here over 40 years and l grew up here.
I most most friendly place by a mile, Glasgow and surrounding area. We went on holiday there and my husband loved it. He is American and he said he has never felt so welcomed.

I moved to the north west 3 years ago after a life time of living in the West Midlands. I can honestly say I have never met such friendly people. Lot different from where I lived. I could have been dead on the floor and no one would have noticed. Last year I went away to visit my brother and sister in law and didn't tell my neighbours as never did in my old house. Here my neighbours worried because they hadn't seen me and a couple looked through my windows incase I was on the floor. They dashed out the next day when my daughter popped round to water my plants. When I can home went to apologise . This year I made sure to let them know I was going for a visit and when I would be back.

People here are so friendly and chatty. Best thing I ever did was move here.

I should have added that I have moved frequently during my lifetime, perhaps making friends is a skill that has to be learnt?
If you have lived one one place surrounded by old school friends and family you probably wouldn’t get much practice.

I once stood up at a school event and asked if anyone played tennis. Three new friends straight away.

M0nica

As, according to DC, I will speak to anyone, I have never lived anywhere where people are not friendly.

Yes, it takes two to tango.

kittylester

I'm was born in the East Midlands and still live there although a different bit. I think we are really friendly but I fit here. The village we have lived in for 30 years is fabulous.

I live in possibly the most friendly town in the East Midlands. Honestly you can’t go into town without having a conversation.

But Leicester has to run a close second?

I’m just sorry it’s taken this long for me to find the Midlands!
(I thought it was going to be industrial ?)

I haven’t found anywhere unfriendly but I think I shock Londoners on the tube or on buses as I talk to everybody and they don’t do they ?