Tourist says Welsh are hostile to English people in Wales in travel row | Travel News | Travel
The woman spent two days at a site in Pwllheli, northwest Wales, but said her experiences in nearby shops and restaurants left her disappointed. She claimed she’d never experienced such hostility in any holiday in the past 20 years.
Posting in a UK camping group, the tourist wrote: “Has anyone here been to Pwllheli? We are currently on day two of seven in Pwllheli and the campsite is fine the owners are nice. But it’s the local people in shops and restaurants. They are very hostile towards the English. I’ve been travelling Wales for 20 years and never come across it before.
“Yesterday we went out looking for something to eat and they speak in Welsh and if you don’t respond in Welsh it’s no service. Now please don’t get me wrong I love the Welsh language and was quite sad to hear they were struggling to get people interested in learning it. We had a static in a small village where they speak Welsh and are always lovely. The one lady even tried teaching me a few words. I guess my point is I’m not offended by them speaking in Welsh in front of me.”
As Wales Online reports, the woman reported having to ask advice in Lidl on where to eat as an English speaker in the area and claims she tried to pay for petrol only to see Welsh speakers that entered the garage after her being served first.
“I’m at the point where I’m not sure if we should try and get in another site somewhere else. We are booked in Bala from next Friday so going home isn’t an option,” she continued.
The post gained many comments and shares but has since been deleted.
In a separate forum where the post was shared, one person commented: “I was in [Pwllheli] two weeks ago. Me, an English-speaking Welsh person with an obvious Welsh accent. I found all the shopkeepers fine, no grief at all because I spoke in English to them and, if anything, speaking Welsh could be more expected of me.”
Another wrote: “I’m convinced these people are just hostile and rude to the locals then claim this.”
A third added: “Buy a pocket phrase book, lovely. Be polite, might get you somewhere. How very big of her to not mind that we speak Welsh in her presence in Wales.”
