Brits applaud ‘friendliest’ place in the UK where ‘everyone talks to you’

The UK is home to an array of towns and cities, many of which are known for their friendly locals. However, one northern city seems to have charmed visitors for many years, largely thanks to its friendly locals.

In the Reddit forum “Ask a Brit”, people sought to find some of the “friendliest” destinations in the country.

A British poster said: “Durham is the friendliest. Every time I go there everyone talks to you, and all smile.” [SIC]

Tucked away in the northeast of the country, County Durham borders Northumberland and Tyne and Wear to the north, the North Sea to the east, North Yorkshire to the south, and Cumbria to the west. The county’s namesake city Durham is located on a bend of the River Wear and attracts countless tourists from around the world thanks to its rich history.

Durham has long been considered a friendly and welcoming area, with American-British travel author Bill Bryson describing it as a “wonderful – a perfect little city” and home to “the best cathedral on planet earth” in his 1995 book Notes from a Small Island.

In 2023, The Telegraph named it one of the best UK city breaks, and Condé Nast Traveller magazine readers voted it the ‘Best city in the UK’. The university, which sits at the heart of the city, attracts students from around the world, and one of its selling points is the metropolis surrounding it.

Durham University states: “With a population of around 43,000 Durham has a compact, friendly feel but still provides the facilities you would expect of a thriving city including a number of cafés, bars and restaurants, and an array of popular high-street shops.”

Durham Cathedral stands in the centre of the city and is part of its UNESCO World Heritage site. Rich in Romanesque architecture, the beautiful vaulted ceilings make for the perfect location to witness an angelic choir practice. The Cathedral also hosts multiple other events throughout the year, including sing-a-long performances and live orchestras.

Durham also attracts flocks of set jetters hoping to catch a glimpse of a few locations where the Harry Potter series was filmed. Durham Cathedral was used in both, various locations across the cathedral were used in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

There are also plenty of green spaces surrounding the city, and if you visit in the summer months you’ll notice people leisurely rowing traditional boats along the River Wear. These hand-built boats are actually for hire, so anyone can enjoy a trip on the river.

Though central Durham is an affluent part of the North East, in the wider region house prices are lower than the UK average.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the average UK house price was £285,000 in December 2023. By comparison, properties in Durham had an overall average price of £193,746 over the last year, according to Right Move.