Why are the British people so cold with foreigners?

Question

Well, since I've been to London,I haven't met a single warm British citizen.

Answer 1

I am a brit and I love other cultures. What you have to realise is that most foreign visitors never get much further into the country than London - and Londoners are notoriously horrid to visitors. England has so much more to offer... PLEASE visit other places. The Midlands is soooooo much more friendly - London is nice if you stay away from Londoners! m It's a bit like visiting America and thinking it must all be like New York.

But think about the north of England, the Midlands and the South West. They have so much more to offer - and there is so much more to see in terms of buildings, objects, history, places and people.

Try us out. We are nice people.

Answer 2

Not all British people are cold, those in the north (Leeds) are warm and great to know. Capital cities are not as friendly in general anyway. Generalising is often dangerous as you I could notice from some xenophobic answers blaming the refugees, foreigners etc... for the inadequacies of the welfare system in the U.K. (I was a foreigner there, paid my taxes and would run away from the poor NHS treatment by the way)
Not all British people are cold and not all foreigners are idle, wish people were more open-minded!

Answer 3

I'm from London and i don't think you can judge the whole country from going on holiday to London. For starters there are hardly any British people in London and secondly all the British people that are there are either busy working or probably sick of all the tourists. I now live up North in Yorkshire and find people a lot friendlier here.

Answer 4

Its because of all the asylum seekers. In general the english are reserved. Further North you go the more the people get friendlier. I am a londoner born and bred and i know that nobody has time for anyone or even cares. The attitude is i got friends and i dont need anymore. But you can contact me if you want, its not that bad. Its probably who you are trying to be friends with

Answer 5

I think it is because of the huge influx of not only immigrants but illegal immigrants. The Government give a big helping hand to immigrants coming into Britain yet totally ignore its own truly British people. This causes animosity, for example I live in one of the most deprived areas in England, where people cannot get housed or employment. Britain is known around the globe for its generosity/stupidity, I remember an immigrant being interviewed on televivion and upon being asked what he liked about Britain he replied "because you can stand in a queue and then they give you money".

I do not agree with the NHS being one of the best, I am a hard working citizen on a low income paying taxes and nearly £100 council rates per month, yet when I took my five year old daughter to hospital after a nasty fall, I was told it would be over two hours before she was seen as they were waiting for another doctor to come in!!!! As a woman next to me exclaimed we are actually worse than a third world country.

Britain (the government) gives very generously when there is a catastrophe elsewhere in the world, for example the Tsunami of last year, and rightly so, I completely agree with helping others less fortunate. However I think they only do this to look good to the rest of the world. If they suddenly had these multitude of millions to pledge to help, why can they not find these millions at home to help us, the British people. Sorry for the cliche but charity does begin at home.

Instead all around the British countryside pubs and such hold charity events to raise money for such things as Dialysis machines for their local hospitals.

The British goverment do not listen to its own people. We are dying because it is too busy trying to look good outside of its own realm. And that is why the British people have grown cold towards foreigners.

Answer 6

unfortunately most of the people are so ignorant and too blond to understand that all the foreigners who are coming to England are not asylum seekers. Because they got one sided tabloids which makes conflicts among people. You could have seen the out come of your questions.
some don't realise how much money the U.k government getting from foreigners. For an example in the u.k they don't have enough GP and qualified nursers in the NHS . If they send all the foreign doctors and nursers they have to close down lots of hospitals. and these migrant workers are paying more tax and getting less money for there work.
If you take me for an example i studied in a U.k university and paid 9000 pounds per year while my British class mates payed only 500 pounds or so for their hole 3year course . In those years i have had so many racial abuses towards me. Even though i got a good job in the u.k . This is also a reason i had to leave this country

Answer 7

that's a bit of a generalisation isn't it?
like other people have said, london hardly has any english people anyway.
plus, it doesn't help that the only real 'tourist' place for foreigners in england is london, i mean, in airports, souvenirs from here constitute of bulldogs, ornaments of big ben and toy london cabs, not including anything of our heritage, like steel works, or really really famous stuff, like the beatles.
if you travel to the rest of the country i.e. sheffield, liverpool, newcastle, etc, i think you'll be very pleasantly surprised.
i personally enjoy meeting foreigners - one of my best friends is italian, and i study two mfl's at a level, and i've been on work experience in different countries too.

Answer 8

Ashamed to say it but I've been one of those cold people. Some tourists are so bloody loud on the train. American tourists are great though it's just some of the weird European ones that sit there and stare at you throughout the entire journey and holler down your ear, they're the ones I have no time for.

I know that sounds rude but I'm being honest.

Answer 9

I'm surprised what with this weather. ;o)

I would guess that in central London, everyone is so rushed and stressed that they don't get the opportunity to be nice.

We are a warm bunch, you just have to meet the right ones.

Good Luck.

Answer 10

I`m sorry you didn`t get a warm welcome, but London is like many capitals and are full of chancers and holiday makers etc. There are some warm genuine cockneys about but they don`t interfere with anyone, just get on with what they have to do. I wish you all the best.