HOW RUDE - UK's Most Welcoming and Unwelcoming Cities

• Sunday, 14 March 2010

How Rude

London is home to the most unwelcoming people in the UK, while Southamptonians are the most welcoming people as revealed today by Jurys Inn, the hotel group which puts service first.

The research from Jurys Inn to mark the start of British Tourism Week found that the cosmopolitan capital has the unfriendliest customer service, and its residents avoid making conversation in pubs and dodge having to give up their seat on the tube or bus.

Another third regularly forget to say thank you, and more than half (52 per cent) fail to smile at passers-by.

A spokesperson for Jurys Inn which polled 4,000 Brits, said: “A warm welcome goes a long way. With London’s spot at the top of the unwelcoming list and the Olympics only two years away, the capital may need some tips from the friendly people of Southampton. It’s interesting that the top five most welcoming places are all coastal cities.

"It's sad to see how many people don't hold doors open for others or offer assistance elsewhere and basic manners are ignored.

''First impressions are so important when travelling to a city - a lot can be learnt about a place simply walking down a street, and carrying out daily tasks helps you gauge how receptive the people are.

''It seems Londoners have the least amount of time for people - they're too busy rushing around, leading hectic lives.''

The poll revealed Glasgow as the second most unwelcoming place in the country.

Four in ten admit to walking on by when an elderly person needs help crossing the road, and they typically forget to say please five times a day.

Bradford came third and Birmingham fourth, with 57 per cent admitting they could do a better job at welcoming visitors.

And Liverpool completed the top five, with a third failing to help someone who is struggling to get in a train or down some stairs with a pushchair.

The study found more than half (55 per cent) reckon British politeness is worse than ever and one in ten reckon they come across as a rude person.

The research was carried out among adults in 30 cities around the UK, and Southampton emerged as the most welcoming city.

Residents in the south-coast city believe it was more important to have good manners than anyone else polled, and they also rated their shop staff as the friendliest in the country.

Nearly half (45 per cent) wouldn’t think twice about helping someone lift heavy shopping into the boot of their car, and they forget their Ps and Qs just twice a day on average.

Those living in Norwich helped to secure second spot in the welcoming city list, with eight in ten saying they would reach something off a high shelf for a fellow shopper.

And Exeter was third – with fewer than one in five likely to barge past other shoppers if they spotted a bargain in store and Brighton was fourth.

A massive two thirds would run after a stranger in the street if they saw them drop some money.

The naval city of Plymouth completed the top five, with those living there more likely to consider someone smiling at them in the street as being ‘nice’ rather than odd or trying to flirt.

UK’S MOST UNWELCOMING CITIES
1. London
2. Glasgow
3. Bradford
4. Birmingham
5. Liverpool
6. Manchester
7. Aberdeen
8. Wolverhampton
9. Belfast
10. Leeds

UK’S MOST WELCOMING CITIES
1. Southampton
2. Norwich
3. Exeter
4. Brighton
5. Plymouth
6. York
7. Oxford
8. Nottingham
9. Derby
10. Portsmouth

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS
Jurys Inn: Exceptional Everyday City Hotels
• Over the past two years, Jurys Inn has won a raft of awards:
o In January 2010, Jurys Inn became the UK’s First Green Hotel Group as recognised by the Green Tourism Business Scheme
o Best Independent Hotel Brand 2010 at the Business Travel Awards
o Most Improved Business Brand 2009 based on the results of BDRC’s annual British Hotel Guest Survey
o Best Budget Hotel in Scotland and Scottish Eco Hotel of the Year 2009
• Jurys Inn has 30 great hotels all in city centre locations offering great value and warm, friendly service – everytime
• Jurys Inn is an Irish hotel group with hospitality in its DNA. The staff strive to make the exceptional everyday through their commitment to service
• Guests rate the group higher than its 3 star status due to the consistency of service and some of the hotel features which are more typical of a 4 star hotel
• These include large, welcoming receptions in all of the hotels, staffed 24hrs a day, as well as a separate bar and restaurant for guests to relax in or meet friends and work colleagues

For further information please contact:
Margaret Henriksson on 07786626142 // margareth@margaretstreet.com
Kate Adams on 07942465631 // katea@margaretstreet.com

This press release was distributed via Response Source, a service from Daryl Willcox Publishing, on behalf of Margaret Street. For more information visit http://www.dwpub.com/pressreleasewires