The group was on a walking trip but has described multiple incidents of ‘anti-English and anti-women’ abuse over the weekend
A group of women who visited Wales for a walking holiday say they will never return thanks to the ‘anti-English sentiment’. Amy Hurst, 56, from Lancashire, and her friends felt unwelcome during their stay in Llanberis, Eryri – formerly known as Snowdonia.
Amy and her six friends, aged from 55 to 70, are members of Women that Walk, a group founded to inspire women to explore the outdoors. Amy said: “The hatred for the English in North Wales is astounding, we will not be returning.”
Llanberis, at the base of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), attracts thousands of English tourists every week, reports North Wales Live. But Amy said the group first found something was off when they arrived at their Airbnb.
She said: “We were walking down the street when one of us remarked on there being a funeral care place. A guy walking past overheard us and said ‘it’s free for the English! ‘ It was a bit strange!”
The next evening, Amy says that the group entered a pub where a man commented: “Let’s not bother with these, they’re bloody English.” Amy added: “We had to tell them to leave us alone. We ended up leaving pub and one of our group challenged the man and asked him why he felt the way he did – he turned into a cowering little boy! We felt a bit scared, it just felt very threatening.”
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In a restaurant the next day, Amy says everyone was served except for them though she admits she has no proof this was due to them being English and it could have simply been bad luck.
She added: “The vibe was awful all round – we were all shocked at how bad it was. I’ve been to Wales a few times but this was really anti-English and probably anti-women too – I will not be going back.
“It’s hardly Barcelona where they want the tourists out because there are too many,” she said. “I wouldn’t recommend going there to anybody. It’s such a beautiful place but the people were just off – we basically just got abused.”
Amy says that on their last day, when a member of their group went to order last drinks at a pub, the establishment promptly turned off all the lights. “They clearly wanted us out as well. I’ve never had an experience which has made me feel like this before,” she said.
North Wales Tourism spokesman Jim Jones said: “I’m saddened to hear this group of ladies had this experience whilst visiting Llanberis. We work so hard to promote North Wales, which has a reputation for being a friendly and welcoming region.”
