A camper visiting Wales described an allegedly "hostile" camping experience she had on her trip because she was English. The woman shared what she claims was her experience after spending two days camping in Pwllheli.
While she said her campsite and owners were "nice", she claimed she had issues with people in shops and restaurants, going so far as to say that in 20 years of visiting she had never experienced hostility like it before.
Posting in a UK camping group, she 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."
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She continued: "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."
Having set her story up nicely, she 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."
Her post gained many comments and shares before being deleted, with a majority stating they had never experienced anything of the sort in the area. Some accused her of making the experience up for attention while others suggested she put more effort into learning some Welsh before visiting.
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." And someone 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."
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