BBC Radio 5 Live host Nihal Arthanayke says British Asian families avoid visiting the countryside

BBC radio presenter Nihal Arthanayake has said British Asian families avoid visiting the countryside because of an illusion that rural areas are ‘white and middle class’.

The Radio 5 Live host, 51, claims social media trolls have created an illusion that rural areas are not welcoming to ethnic minorities – impacting the number of non-white visitors to some of the UK’s most celebrated landscapes.

He spoke of his surprise of how few Asian families visit the spots such as the Lake District, given the close proximity to communities in Manchester and Sheffield. 

But Arthanayake, who is of Sri Lankan descent, told Country Walking magazine that in reality, walkers are actually ‘happy to see you’.

Nihal Arthanayake attends the launch of ‘Let’s Talk: How To Have Better Conversations’ in London in August

A general view of walkers enjoying sunrise over the Great Ridge at the Peak District, where 19 million people visit every year

He said: ‘There is this barrier; a perception, often perpetuated by social media trolls, that the countryside is inherently white and middle class.

‘I think it does have an impact because I’m often surprised by how few Asian families I see in the Peak District when the communities of Manchester and Sheffield are so close.

‘But when you go out there, overwhelmingly you will find that people are just happy. 

‘Happy to be there and happy to see you.

‘We live in one of the most tolerant countries on the planet, and whether I’m walking by myself or with the family, I’ve never felt anything other than welcome.

‘The more people we can spread the word to, that walking is healthy and wonderful and normal, the fewer barriers there will be.

‘And the more conversations people have when they’re outdoors, the more they will feel it’s a place where they belong. 

‘Just little chats. But they make a big difference.’

The perception of the countryside is long held, with a Countryfile episode as far back as June 2020 investigating independent research from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The study found that ethnic minority visitors feel unwelcome in the countryside because it is a ‘white environment’.

The show later defender the segment, with its presenter Ellie Harrison saying at the time that the British countryside is racist and white people needed to acknowledge they have benefited from the past.

Around 13million people are believed to visit the Peak District every year, which reaches into five counties – Derbyshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

An estimated 20 million people live within an hour’s journey to the beauty spot, while 50 million live within four hours’ journey.