
These are the worst offending Brits for reserving sunbeds abroad
Except, when you get down there, every single sun lounger in sight is occupied with a towel – and yet not one holidaymaker is sitting on them.
The question of whether it's socially acceptable to reserve a bed is a classic holiday debate. We're not talking leaving your belongings while you pop to the bar for a swift drink either, but getting up at the crack of dawn and abandoning ship for hours on end.
So, just who is guilty of this divisive holiday habit? A new study has revealed the UK regions most likely to snap up sunbeds early.
The West Midlands took the crown, with 15% of locals admitting to waking up early to reserve a lounger.
Things aren't much better in Wales, North East England, the North West or Northern Ireland, where 13% fessed up to this controversial practice, while the East of England, London, and South East England were all level at 12%.
Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here.
The good people of the East Midlands were much better behaved than their neighbours, coming in at 10%, as did bonnie Scotland.
The least guilty? It's a tie between Yorkshire and the Humber and South West England, where just 8% of holidaymakers owned up to being a sunbed hogger, according to GetYourGuide.
The good news is that while this behaviour is undoubtedly irksome for those of us who want a fair chance at securing a spot, it's becoming less common. One in 10 might've admitted to it this time around, but it's at least decreased from the whopping 72% five years ago.
Metro previously declared the beginning of 2025's sunbed wars back in May, after an altercation at a resort in Lanzarote came with the battle cry 'you picked on the wrong person.' There were even threats of getting the manager involved.
The spat at the Hyde Park Lane hotel was caught on camera by Callum Lines, 31, after a Scottish woman marched over to a woman on a sunbed declaring that she had taken her spot. The resort has an explicit policy of banning guests from reserving loungers.
The notorious act of reserving a sunbed on holiday has long been hotly debated, so much so that in 2024, drones were even deployed across 'beach-hogging' hotspots in Greece.
Here, members of the public can use an app to report people placing towels down in restricted areas – with the Greek government declaring that it issued approximately €350,000 (£302,967) in fines in a mere five-day period.
And, in the view of etiquette expert William Hanson, there's a specific time limit on how long you can leave your belongings before it becomes rude.
'Reserving sun loungers with a towel for longer than 30 minutes is a big no-no, [and] beyond that grace period it's first come, first served,' he previously told Mirror Online.
Over on the r/AskUK Subreddit, @bonomini6 previously revealed that they couldn't secure a sunbed when arriving at the pool at 10am, as people had 'come down at stupid o'clock, left their towels there and then disappeared all day.'
'Why do you do this? Don't you realise that if you didn't, we could all relax a bit more as the sun beds would be available when we actually wanted to use them,' they added, going as far as to suggest that if zero beds were available, it might be acceptable to 'remove towels.' More Trending
They weren't alone, as @saitins confessed that in this situation, they 'scope out for a prospective spot for 10 or so minutes, and if no one returns, the towels get chucked.'
Meanwhile, @evilsquits reflected on their experiences holidaying in Majorca, when they rented one static parasol and two sunbeds.
'The woman behind us didn't want a parasol and only rented a bed and then started moving it around ours to get in the shade after a few hours,' they penned, adding that the staff ended up telling her off and 'dragging her out of the vicinity of us.'
'I quite like folding them neatly and leaving them by the bar so it looks like the staff did it,' @EarlyGoose9284 added, while @WellFiredRoll described the act as straight up 'pathetic.'
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: 'I'm flying them abroad while I work': How parents are entertaining kids this summer
MORE: Canterbury is one of the UK's most fascinating cities — but it faces a conundrum
MORE: 'City of dreams': The Spanish destination that hasn't succumbed to mass tourism

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
Pro-Palestine protesters block Israeli cruise ship from docking on Greek island
Israeli passengers on a cruise ship have been blocked from disembarking on a Greek island. Around 150 protesters stopped the Crown Iris from docking on Syros on Tuesday while waving Palestinian flags and holding banners reading 'stop the genocide'. Initially, passengers were supposed to disembark at about 12pm for a six-hour stay on the island, but when the protests continued for more than three hours, the ship decided to reroute. The ship, operated by Israeli company Mano Cruise, is now on its way to Limassol in Cyprus with all of its roughly 1,600 passengers still on board. The protesters were calling for an end to the conflict in Gaza, which has led to 'mass starvation' of the population and dozens of Palestinians 'shot dead by Israeli troops' while seeking aid. A statement from the protesters criticised Greece's close relationship with Israel, saying: 'As residents of Syros but more so as human beings, we are taking action that we hope will contribute to stopping this destruction from the genocidal war that is taking place in our neighbourhood. 'It is unacceptable that tourists from Israel continue to be welcomed here while the Palestinians are suffering in the Strip.' It's understood passengers were not blocked from disembarking the ship by Greek authorities, but instead by its Israeli crew, who feared the protests could turn violent and endanger the passengers if they went ashore. On board staff also told passengers to stay indoors rather than using the deck. In response to the protests, some passengers on the Crown Iris waved Israeli flags, sang songs, or chanted slogans. Mano Maritime said in a statement: 'The ship arrived at Syros, encountered a demonstration by pro-Palestinian supporters, and passengers were stuck on board without permission to disembark. 'The management of Mano Cruise has decided in light of the situation in the city of Syros to now sail to another tourist destination. 'All passengers and crew members are resting and spending time on the ship on their way to the new destination.' Israel's foreign minister has contacted his Greek counterpart over the incident, the Greek foreign ministry said, but no details have been shared about their discussion, the Independent reports. Greece is a popular tourist destination for Israelis – in 2024, around 621,000 Israelis visited the country Adonis Georgiadis, the Greek health minister, called the protests 'offensive' and added: 'I consider what happened to be unthinkable. 'Some people – no matter what their origin, unless the Israelis have lost their human status – have paid for their ticket on their ship and have chosen to vacation in Greece. 'I consider this tragic, very offensive for Greece. I want to apologize to these people. 'I want to send a message of great alliance and friendship to Israel, to say that Israelis are welcome in Greece and that anti-Semitism cannot exist in Greece.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: I've heard enough words – I want more Government action on Israel-Palestine MORE: New £17 travel charge comes into force across popular Greek islands MORE: Lonely Planet founder reveals the Greek island tourists haven't destroyed yet


Daily Record
8 hours ago
- Daily Record
What channel is Celtic vs Ajax? Live stream, TV channel and team news for Como Cup clash
The Scottish champions are in Italy for their warm-up games before the Premiership campaign gets up and running next weekend As football settings go, they don't come much more spectacular than the serene shores of Lake Como. After a gruelling week under the Portuguese sun, Celtic have jetted off to one of Europe's most picturesque locations for the latest leg of their pre-season tour. Brendan Rodgers' side are in Italy for the inaugural Como Cup - and they're eyeing a mini summer Treble. The Hoops have already lifted the Cork Super Cup and adidas Trophy, and next up is a glamour tie against Dutch giants Ajax at the stunning Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. It's a knockout-style clash on Thursday, with Celtic set to face either Como or Al-Ahli in the final - or third-place play-off - over the weekend. Here, Record Sport has everything you need to know ahead of the big game. Where and when is Celtic vs Ajax? Celtic face Ajax at the stunning Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in Como on Thursday July 24. Kick-off is at 7:30pm (UK time). Is the game on TV? Unfortunately, the match won't be broadcast live on any TV channel in the UK. Is there a live stream? Yes, you can. The match will be streamed live on Celtic TV. Fans can subscribe to the club's official channel from £50 per year. At the moment, there is no pay-per-view option, meaning you must hold an annual or international subscription to watch the game. Where else can I follow the action? You can keep up with all the action right here on We'll be running a live blog with all the pre-match build-up and team news, and every kick of the ball once the clash gets underway. After the game, we'll have all the reaction from managers and players, as well as player ratings, talking points and a whole lot more. Team news Alistair Johnston was spotted back in pre-season training at Lennoxtown on Tuesday after enjoying an extended break following his international exploits with Canada. Cameron Carter-Vickers was also pictured back on the grass after a minor knee operation and could feature in Italy. New Bhoy Shin Yamada might make his debut after finalising his £1.5million move from Kawasaki Frontale last week. However, long-term absentee Jota and defender Stephen Welsh both remain sidelined.


Scotsman
8 hours ago
- Scotsman
Trust issues ground Scots' confidence in airport technology
Scottish air passengers are the most cautious in the UK when it comes to airport technology, showing strong preferences for printed boarding passes and hesitancy around new technology like AI and biometrics, according to IT services firm Getronics. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The findings come from Getronics' 2025 Travel Trust Barometer, a UK wide survey that asked 2,000 people about their attitudes toward data security and technology in travel. The research found that Scots are more likely to favour physical boarding passes than people elsewhere in the UK, with 35% of Scottish passengers preferring printed passes compared to just 28% across the rest of the country. Another 23% of Scots said they use both physical and digital passes, highlighting a cautious, belt-and-braces approach to technology. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The survey also shows only 52% of Scots say they feel in control of their personal data when travelling which is the lowest level of confidence anywhere in the UK. Data security in airports The same proportion of Scots (52%) trust airports to keep their information safe, and a majority (61%) believe airports collect more personal information than necessary. Andrew Madigan, client director at Getronics, said the findings highlight a need to build greater public confidence in both airport technology and how personal data is handled. He said: 'Technology is becoming an increasingly central part of the airport experience, and that trend is only set to continue as the industry evolves. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'New technology can be a daunting prospect for all kinds of reasons. Reliability and safety are two key issues, which means airports are having to work hard to keep passengers informed and educated about how planned changes are going to make the air travel experience safer, more convenient and more enjoyable.' Andrew Madigan, client director at Getronics Getronics specialises in building resilient, industry-leading IT security systems that protect mission-critical operations, working with a range of Scottish and UK airports. Andrew added: 'We're seeing growing need to modernise whilst defend against a persistent increase in hacking attempts across the sector. 'Airports need to build that trust, particularly in Scotland, and building a strong digital infrastructure has to sit at the heart of this. 'Technology will continue to evolve, but airports must ensure that protecting personal data evolves with it.'