British food no longer a turn-off for tourists: survey

Foreigners have for decades branded British food bland and unhealthy, but a new survey Friday suggested the country's culinary reputation is changing - although the French remain unimpressed.

A survey of 26,000 people in 36 countries by VisitBritain, the national tourism body, found that a majority of people in 27 nations disagreed with the statement that "British food is very bad."

Russia, Estonia and Egypt were the most enthusiastic about British food, while Spain, Italy, Japan and France - the latter has long been sceptical about the culinary delights of its neighbour - were the least impressed.

The researchers also asked would-be travellers their views on what for many is the classic British dish - a breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon and black pudding, with the possible addition of mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.

Asked how much they agreed with the statement, "I've always wanted to try a full English breakfast", only the Irish and the Germans were ambivalent, and among the keenest were visitors from Russia, Brazil and India.

The survey was carried out as part of the Anholt GMI Brand Index, which measures the world's perception of other countries as if they were brands.