British Eccentricities

The United Kingdom is famous for its different quirks and eccentricities, whether it be the diverse range of historic festivals that the different counties host each year, or the way that the British people act in certain situations, they’re certainly interesting. Here at Easirent, we decided to celebrate all of the different quirks of the Brits, so that you can know what to expect when you arrive across the pond.

1. Smashing Glasses

This might sound like a strange one to start with, but believe us, you’ll experience this one a lot while you’re in Britain. Not that we’re trying to say that the British are clumsier than any other nation, but just that they make everyone much more aware of their slip ups when it comes to smashing glasses in public. Imagine the scene: you’re enjoying a delicious pint of local ale in a quintessentially British pub, suddenly you hear a crash as somebody smashes a glass on the floor, this is swiftly followed by a cheer and applause from any spectators in the vicinity… Why? We’re not actually sure why. We’re not sure that the British are quite sure why either. But either way, it’s a fun little quirk, so make sure that you join in.

2. Queuing

The British are famous globally for their ability to form an orderly queue… in any possible situation. If they’re waiting for a bus, queue, if they’re waiting to make a purchase in a shop, queue, waiting to be seated at a restaurant, queue. In almost every single situation, the British will queue. So, when you arrive in the UK, make sure that you stick to the queuing protocol. Don’t be a queue jumper – nobody likes that guy.

3. “Sorry!”

Most people around the globe would recognise the term ‘sorry’ as a form of apologetic acknowledgement. However, when you arrive in Britain, ‘sorry’ could mean a whole host of different things. “Sorry!” is generally used to apologise, it is also generally used to apologised for an action that isn’t their fault. Let us set the scene: you’re in a busy London street, you’re distracted by the sights and sounds of London town, and you accidentally bump into a passer by in the street – we can almost guarantee, that that person will apologise to you. That doesn’t excuse rudeness though, make sure that you’re equally as sorry, and you’ll navigate yourself perfectly through the city streets. Just watch out for “Sorry?”, as this could either be a response to mishearing you, or as a response to being affronted. The one this we recommend is to brush up on your intonation before you head across the pond and you’ll be absolutely fine.

4. Tea

Are you a fan of tea? The British are a nation of tea drinkers, and you won’t be out of place if you drink over 10 cups of tea each day – that’s just how it works over there. There’s an English Breakfast Tea, which is drunk at breakfast time, funnily enough… So embrace the tea drinking while you’re in the UK, you might even grow to love it.