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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I'm a Canadian living in London and these are all the things I dislike about the UK
A Canadian man living in London has revealed all the things he doesn't like about the British capital. Matt Giffen, 29, moved to the capital last year after relocating from his home country with his girlfriend, influencer Summer Fox. Matt, who is also a TikToker and has 330,000 followers on the platform, has since documented himself trying out everything London has to offer - from sampling a roast dinner to visiting Big Ben and other city landmarks. But although he said he 'loves' the public transport and how there's always 'something to do', there are certain aspects of life in the UK that he's found more difficult. 'As a Canadian in the UK, these are the things I dislike about living in London,' Matt said, in a video that racked up more than 500,000 views on TikTok. The first thing on Matt's list is that, in his opinion, there's 'not a very warm culture' in the UK, adding 'and that's just the truth'. He said that conversations just consist of people asking 'you alright?' and answering 'yeah okay'. Matt said: 'As a Canadian, personally, that is a big struggle for me. I'm used to walking to the park and smiling at people. I did that once, and a guy told me to "sod off".' His second reason was perhaps unsurprising, as he lamented that the 'weather here sucks'. After enjoying a couple of days of springtime sunshine, Matt said he'd begun to look forward to the summer after experiencing a chilly winter. But his girlfriend, who is British, soon stopped him in his tracks to explain that's 'not how it works here.' 'And then I remembered that last year in July I was wearing my winter jacket,' Matt said. Next up was Matt's 'constant anxiety' about getting his phone stolen while out walking anywhere in London. As an influencer, he explained, it is his job to 'wander around the city aimlessly and wave my phone around'. He joked: 'Do you not think that phone thieves are licking their f***ing chops when they see Matt walking down a street in London?' He also explained he'd had difficulty grasping just how 'huge' the city actually is, saying that it takes him over an hour and a half to see some of his friends - despite them living in the same city. Finally, he told his followers that the 'cost of living in London is mental', and it's not just about the rent. Matt said that a two-bedroom home had recently gone on sale in his neighbourhood for a whopping £800,000 - and even this is relatively cheap for London standards. 'What are we talking about!' he exclaimed. 'I would love to live in London long-term, but it ain't going to happen. I'm moving my ass to St Albans, I'll tell you that for free.' Concluding his video, Matt even said he had such a long list of things he dislikes that he's hoping to make a second video to reveal them all. Matt admitted he and his girlfriend, Summer, eventually want to settle down in Canada. Summer wrote underneath his video: 'We are having kids in Canada for sure.' Rushing to the comments, most people agreed with Matt but advised him to leave London if he wanted to see a different side to the UK. One person said: 'London is a cesspit, it 's great for a day out of shopping, eating, socialising etc… head outside of the M25 and everything is much nicer.' Rushing to the comments, most people agreed with Matt but advised him to leave London if he wanted to see a different side to the UK 'Everywhere outside of London is much friendlier! London is miserable!'; 'Even most UK people hate going to London! I avoid it like the plague.' However, one Brit duly noted: 'To be fair if random people were smiling at me, I'd be scared - guess that's growing up in London.' In another video, Matt revealed all the things he does like about living in England's capital city, including the transport links and being able to book cheap flights. Matt, who lives in Zone 2, said he'd recently booked a flight to Spain for just £14, and said 'not once' in his experience has a tube or bus been delayed. He also admits he's 'jealous' of the sense of identity that British people have, such as 'cheeky Nandos', Sunday roasts and Chinese takeaways. He said everyone he's been around says the 'same things' and watches the same TV shows - and even dress the same. When Matt first tried a Sunday roast, he was left more than impressed. After trying each element on his plate, Matt was amazed with the taste. He said: 'I can see why you have this every Sunday now.'
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I'm Canadian but live in UK and these are things I dislike about living here'
A Canadian man who moved to London over a year ago has shared how life is different on each side of the Atlantic, and recently revealed a few things he doesn't like about UK living Travelling for a long period or moving abroad can be an exciting yet daunting choice. While it will be filled with adventure and new opportunities, you may also miss some of things you are used to back home - and it may take you some time to adjust to how a different culture works. A Canadian man, Matt Giffen, has been sharing what he has been up to since moving to London over a year ago. The social media star, who boasts over 332,000 followers on TikTok, has so far ventured Wembley Stadium in a bid to "become a football geezer", enjoyed walks in Richmond, sampled British food and drink, and explored historical spots. And while he loves his new home on the whole, Matt has been honest about the things he dislikes about the UK. Matt, from Toronto, said: "Before you come for my head in the comments, this is my own personal opinion based off my own personal experiences." Friendliness Matt, who says whenever he misses home he visits a Tim Hortons to get his Canadian food fix, said the number one thing that surprised him is that it is "not a very warm culture here." He explained: "That's the truth. It's very 'You alright?', 'Yeah I'm OK' ...as a Canadian, personally that is a big struggle for me. I am used to walking in the parks and smiling at people." Matt add that he did try to smile at a stranger once and a guy told him to "sod off." He said the longer he lives in the capital city, the more he sees himself adopting British mannerisms. The weather It may come as no surprise, but Matt also bemoaned the disappointing weather in the UK. He has been shocked by how much conditions can change from one day to the next. He said: "The last two days were very sunny and nice and I looked at my British girlfriend and said, 'Oh my god, it's going to be a beautiful summer.' And she looked at me and said, 'No Matt, that's not how it works here'." He noted that last year in July he was wearing a winter jacket. Soon, Matt will experience warmth again as a 'mini heatwave' is set to hit the UK very soon, bringing highs of 24C. Safety Matt says he has "constant anxiety," often fearing people will steal his phone. Con artists have recently begun taking mobile phones and before having network providers switch the number to a new SIM card they control, allowing them to intercept calls and texts – including one-time passcodes used for two-factor authentication. This gives them unparalleled access to everything from bank accounts to cryptocurrency wallets. Matt said: "It is my job to walk around the city aimlessly and wave my phone around - and do you not think phone thieves are licking their f***ing chops when they see me walking down a street in London." The Mirror previously explained how to guard against phone hackers, sharing five safety measures you should take. Click here to read more. Cost of living Another not-so surprising addition to this list is the cost of living. Sharing how it has impacted him, Matt said: "The cost of living in London is mental. Not just the rent, a house in my neighbourhood just went up for sale - a two bedroom house - for £800,000. That's almost 1.5million Canadian dollars." He added: "I would love to live in London long term but it ain't gonna happen." The size of London He explained: "London is huge. I have made friends who live in the same city as me but it would take over an hour and a half if I want to go see them, which then means we never see each other."
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Lidl announces major price slash with bakery products selling for even CHEAPER after scooping gong
Scroll down to find out how much they now cost ROLL-ING BACK PRICES Lidl announces major price slash with bakery products selling for even CHEAPER after scooping gong Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BAKED goods at Lidl have been reduced in price, with some selling for as low as 29p. These price reductions have come in celebration of Lidl being crowned the UK's number one in-store bakery. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Lidl is a popular discount supermarket chain which is headquartered in Germany Credit: Getty 4 The All Butter Croissant from Lidl is weighing in at a delicious 59p from previously being 65p Credit: Lidl 4 The popular chocolate twists have been slashed to 69p from 75p Credit: Lidl 4 Lidl's Pastel de Nata now costs 69p instead of 75p Credit: Lidl They include range of the store's much-loved favourites, including their All Butter Pain Au Chocolat, Pastel de Nata and Chocolate Twist, which have been slashed to 69p from 75p. Savings are across 11 of the bakery treats, as well as breads like the Petit Pain and White Crusty Roll now available at 29p each instead of 32p. Nutty goods like the Pain Aux Raisin, Almond Croissant and Maple and Pecan Plait are also on sale for 69p. The Apple Turnover will be available from tomorrow April 25, also for 69p. Lidl's ranking as Britain's number one bakery store is according to an online survey carried out in February this year, where around 2,000 adults around the UK responded. The accolade has come with increasing its popularity, even on TikTok as content creators have made Lidl bakery tasting videos for viewers. Canadian influencer Matt Giffen captioned one TikTok video of him trying the pastries, writing: "Lidl bakery might've just changed my life forever." "Lidl bakery" has also gained popularity on the internet, where Google searches for the term jumped 31% between February and March this year. The supermarket chain is part of German multinational retailer The Shwarz Group, one of Europe and the world's largest food retailers. Parents race to Lidl for middle aisle bargains including 2 in 1 sandpit for £29 Lidl currenty operates around 12,350 stores around the world, with goods distributions in 31 countries. In 2023, the store achieves sales of 125.5 billion euros.
The Sun
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Lidl announces major price slash with bakery products selling for even CHEAPER after scooping gong
BAKED goods at Lidl have been reduced in price, with some selling for as low as 29p. These price reductions have come in celebration of Lidl being crowned the UK's number one in-store bakery. 4 They include range of the store's much-loved favourites, including their All Butter Pain Au Chocolat, Pastel de Nata and Chocolate Twist, which have been slashed to 69p from 75p. Savings are across 11 of the bakery treats, as well as breads like the Petit Pain and White Crusty Roll now available at 29p each instead of 32p. Nutty goods like the Pain Aux Raisin, Almond Croissant and Maple and Pecan Plait are also on sale for 69p. The Apple Turnover will be available from tomorrow April 25, also for 69p. Lidl's ranking as Britain's number one bakery store is according to an online survey carried out in February this year, where around 2,000 adults around the UK responded. The accolade has come with increasing its popularity, even on TikTok as content creators have made Lidl bakery tasting videos for viewers. Canadian influencer Matt Giffen captioned one TikTok video of him trying the pastries, writing: "Lidl bakery might've just changed my life forever." "Lidl bakery" has also gained popularity on the internet, where Google searches for the term jumped 31% between February and March this year. The supermarket chain is part of German multinational retailer The Shwarz Group, one of Europe and the world's largest food retailers. Lidl currenty operates around 12,350 stores around the world, with goods distributions in 31 countries. In 2023, the store achieves sales of 125.5 billion euros. Petit Pain - £0.29 White Crusty Roll - £0.29 All Butter Croissant - £0.59 All Butter Pain Au Chocolat - £0.69 Pain Aux Raisin - £0.69 Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant - £0.69 Chocolate Twist - £0.69 Almond Croissant - £0.69 Maple and Pecan Plain - - £0.69 Pastel de Nata - £0.69 Apple Turnover (available from April 25) - £0.69
