How common is it for people in the UK to take off their shoes when
entering their homes?

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Request for Question Clarification by thx1138-ga on 27 Feb 2005 14:39 PST

Hello richyrich123 and thank you for your question.

I have been unable to find any official statistics for you, however I
have found various sites where the matter is discussed.  One of these
sites has an unofficial chat room poll where 41 votes were cast.  The
results of the poll seems to reflect the general situation in the UK
regarding shoes in the house.
Would you like me to post this information as an answer?

Very best regards

THX1138

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Clarification of Question by richyrich123-ga on 27 Feb 2005 14:49 PST

Please send me the results of the poll you mentioned as well as the
other sources that you have found where the subject is discussed.
Thank you.

Hello richyrich123, thank you for your question and subsequent clarification.

Here are the results of the poll I mentioned:

Should we wear shoes in the house?

Yes, in all situations................................  7     16.67% 

No, not at all ....................................... 26     61.90% 

Yes, but only in houses with hard-floors..............  9     21.43% 

The poll and the subsequent discussions can be viewed here:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/t43753.html



Another larger poll:

Shoes... on or off at home?  

ON     10     9.80% 
OFF    92    90.20% 

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/t89434.html

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If we do a search limiting ourselves to only sites based in the UK, we
seem to get a similar percentage distribution (I would estimate that
probably nearer 70 - 75% of people do not wear shoes in the house)

Using this search strategy
"Shoes in the house " site:.uk
://www.google.com/search?q=%22Shoes+in+the+house+%22+site:.uk&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&as_qdr=all&start=0&sa=N

We can see that whilst some websites are irrelevant, those that are
not, certainly lean towards people not wearing shoes in the house.

Some excerpts:
Regarding raising children....
"Wearing one's shoes indoors is a mortal sin," 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4359373,00.html

"Surely nobody wears shoes in the house,"
http://www.regentguitars.co.uk/cgi-bin/bulletinboard_cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004128

"Being a clumsy oaf who never wears shoes in the house"
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/archive/2004/02/26/LEIGHSEZ0ZM.html

"We don't wear shoes in the house"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3815163.stm

"And the guestbook, now after all of that it is rude for you not sign,
it'd be like not taking your shoes off when you come to my house"
http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/pamqc/

(on customer service)
"Formally delighting on factors that can differentiate with high
impact but low cost e.g. taking shoes off when entering a home
(British Gas),"
http://www.customer-event.co.uk/doc/Section%202a.pdf


In fact the only place I could really find where someone really
supported the wearing of shoes in the house was here:

"Can anyone explain to me why so many people in the UK appear to
consider it rude to remove shoes indoors"
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Home_and_Garden/Question20732.html

(but even there most of the commentators were against the wearing of shoes indoors)

Not specifically UK related, but see:
"Shoes or No Shoes?"
http://www.drdaveanddee.com/shoes.html

Thank you for your question, and if you need any clarification of my
answer, do not hesitate to ask prior to rating my answer.

Very best regards

THX1138

Search strategy included:
"taking * shoes off" house OR home  site:.uk
://www.google.com/search?q=%22taking+*+shoes+off%22+house+OR+home+++site:.uk&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&as_qdr=all&start=70&sa=N

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Clarification of Answer by thx1138-ga on 28 Feb 2005 06:13 PST

Hello again richyrich123,

Some other resources for you.

"Do you wear Slippers? 

Yes             [ 4 ]   [10.53%] 
Flip-flops      [ 2 ]   [5.26%] 
Socks           [ 16]   [42.11%] 
Bare feet       [ 12]   [31.58%] 
Shoes           [ 1 ]   [2.63%] 
Other           [ 1 ]   [2.63%] 
I have no feet  [ 1 ]   [2.63%]"
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:dAS8KqnWCE0J:www.spaced-out.org.uk/forums/index.php%3Fshowtopic%3D4675%26view%3Dgetlastpost+%22wear+slippers%22+shoes+site:.uk&hl=en


Even in Public Houses!
"A Devon pub landlord is taking drastic steps to protect his new carpet. 
Barry Shingler, landlord of Marshals Pub in Barnstaple, is asking
regulars to leave their shoes at the door and don slippers instead.

The new carpet cost £1,600 and Mr Shingler is determined to keep it as
good as new.

The old one lasted 18 years. 
 
"We have just finished the refurbishment and revamp and in order to
keep things nice and neat I've asked customers to wear slippers," said
Mr Shingler.

"They can either bring slippers or I have plastic overshoes they can put on." 

Mr Shingler said that most customers had reacted well to the unusual request. 

"They've all taken it in good part really," he said. 

"There have been a couple of moans and groans but they know if they
get the carpet mucky there would be trouble."

He is selling souvenir pieces of the old carpet at £1 each to help the
children's ward of North Devon District Hospital."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2758359.stm

Very best regards

THX1138