Manners are an important part of society and many of us have been brought up to always be polite to the people we meet.

This week, we decided to conduct a social experiment as well as our usual word on the street interviews.

We noted people’s responses to our interview requests in Strand Street and how many of the Manx public were polite in their rejection of us.

We asked 31 people or groups if they would like to talk to us about this weeks topic. Of those 31, four groups or individuals took part in our interviews. Twenty three politely declined or apologised for not participating and four were rather rude in their response or simply ignored us when asked.

These results overall matched the trend of answers we received by those who spoke to us, and even some people who didn’t want to be interviewed but did want to stress that ‘manners makes the world go round’.

We asked mother and daughter Marie and Denise Cochrane if they were surprised if they experienced good manners nowadays.

Denise said: ‘Not so much actually. I work in the Fun Barn and the kids are always saying please and thank you.’

Her mother Marie added: ‘In my generation they held the door anyway, they still do, even the kids do.

‘I love it when the little ones hold the door for you as well and I always say thank you to them too.’

We then shifted the topic to bad manners and Denise said: ‘It’s jarring.

‘I think my daughter’s generation, not all of them by any means, but if they’re all sat together they’re all on their phone instead of talking.’

Hester Dunn, from Onchan, said: ‘I think “Manners maketh man”. They cost nothing, they make you look brilliant and make the other person feel brilliant, what’s not to like?

‘With my kids, I was only really strict about two things, manners and bedtimes.’

When we asked Hester what her opinion was on the amount of good manners being shown in this generation, she said: ‘I think sometimes there is a lack of good old-fashioned charm but I think underpinning all of this actually, is that good manners is about kindness and considering other people and their feelings.’

George Miller and Geoff Smith, from Chester, were more than happy to discuss their stance on manners, in particular, of those working in hospitality.

Geoff said: ‘We ate at a restaurant last night and the lady who was taking our order was just rude, and when we checked in at the hotel, they were rude too.

‘That’s why we were surprised at those instances – it was completely unexpected.’

George said: ‘I’m older than Geoff but you go back to when I was born and everyone had manners, or appeared to have them.

‘It’s a lot of ignorance, I’m amazed with the amount of people in a restaurant that have got their phones out and they just sit on the table and there’s no discussion or communication between them.’

John Hall, from Ballasalla, said: ‘I’m always pleasantly surprised when people show good manners but I think it should be more common than it actually is.

‘Customer service is the big problem I have here, some people don’t smile, don’t say hello or anything, and yet others are excellent so it’s a mix I would suggest.

‘It could be upbringing or parenting, maybe schooling, I don’t know.’