Rory McEntee moved to Dubai from the UK seeking a safer environment, escaping London’s constant petty crime and pursuing a better quality of life / Picture: Linkedin

A British businessman stranded in the UK amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East says he is “desperate” to return to Dubai, insisting the emirate remains safer than London despite Iranian retaliatory attacks targeting the Gulf. Dubai gym executive Rory McEntee has criticized the UK government for offering “zero help” after flight disruptions left him stranded in the UK, even as thousands of people were heading in the opposite direction.

Stranded in UK as clashes disrupt flights

McEntee, 43, traveled to the UK to visit friends on February 25 and was originally scheduled to fly back to Dubai on March 1, when the conflict between Iran and the United States and its allies escalated, triggering widespread closures of airspace in the Middle East. He told the Daily Mail exclusively that he found himself unable to return home due to numerous flight disruptions. “I’m surprised there’s no help from the UK government. The UAE is helping any Britons stranded when the conflict breaks out, paying for their flights, hotels, food and taxis. “But as a UAE resident I haven’t had any help from anyone in the UK, which I find very strange to be honest. “I got zero help from the UK – as a taxpayer for 17 years I thought I would at least get some kind of support. But British Airways just offered a full refund or booked me on the next flight.”According to reports, as the situation escalates, more than 140,000 Britons in the Middle East have registered to receive the latest government information, and the British Foreign Office confirmed that approximately 7,500 people have returned to the UK from the UAE since early March. McEntee described being in a “state of uncertainty” as flights were repeatedly rescheduled, adding: “I spent days online and on the phone trying to figure out what my options were.”

“Still safer than London”

Despite missile and drone attacks on parts of the UAE, McEntee said he felt safer returning to Dubai than staying in London. The United Arab Emirates confirmed it had been targeted by a ballistic missile and drones as part of wider Iranian retaliation, with the attack reportedly taking place in an industrial area of ​​Dubai and with one drone narrowly missing the Burj Khalifa.

The reason why black smoke is added to the background. – An Emirates aircraft is parked at Dubai International Airport after it was closed, Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as smoke from an Iranian attack is seen in the background. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Even so, McEntee told the Daily Mail he would “rather” stay in the UAE. “I think most expats would rather stay in the UAE now than return to the UK. “Ninety per cent of the drones have been dealt with, so there is a sense of security to me in the UAE. I would definitely rather be here now than London where I have to deal with petty crime every day.” He said that during a week’s stay in the UK he witnessed “constant petty crime”, including two phone robberies in broad daylight, and described seeing “men in balaclavas whipping past you on e-bikes”. He added that a female friend asked him to give her a ride home from the subway because she didn’t feel safe, saying it was “no way to survive.”

Return to Dubai and life goes on

McEntee, who runs GymNation in Dubai with other British expats, has since returned to Dubai on an almost empty flight.Rory McEntee said daily life in Dubai was largely normal despite the regional conflict. The Dubai gym executive said it was “business as usual” and people continued to go to work, go to the gym, meet up with friends and feel safe.He criticized some British media for exaggerating the situation. wrote on LinkedIn, McEntee said the reports were “completely inconsistent with what I have heard directly from family, friends and colleagues in Dubai”. He added that he currently felt safer in Dubai than London, despite international reports of alarmist and influential holidaymakers.McEntee at one point set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for another ticket while he tried to secure a return flight to Dubai, raising £660 from supporters. he Later clarified The cost has been borne by the UAE government, who wrote on LinkedIn: “A huge thank you to those who donated to the GoFundMe page, but refunds are imminent as the UAE government covers the cost. Thanks for all the messages of support and happy to say I’m safe now. “

Rory McEntee Linkedin Posts

“When we had our baby, my wife and I moved to Dubai and realized that the UK was not where I wanted to raise my children,” he said. “We also moved for a better quality of life, sunshine, career opportunities – obviously the tax break was an added benefit, but not the main reason for moving.”

Long-term concerns about crime in London

This is not a new position for McEntee, who has been outspoken about security issues in the UK. Last year, GymNation launched a self-defence retreat in Dubai targeting Londoners amid a rise in mobile phone thefts in the capital. The six-week program was advertised as free, with participants paying for their own flights and accommodation, and attracted around 600 people to sign up. Explaining the idea at the time, McEntee said it came after four of his London friends had their phones stolen, prompting him to “offer Londoners an opportunity to escape” and “deliver a new solution to restore Londoners’ confidence”. He added that self-defence was about “empowering people and giving people more confidence” as participants spoke of growing anxiety and said they no longer felt safe walking alone at night. The campaign gained traction online and was promoted across several boroughs, including Southwark and Hackney, tapping into wider concerns about what organizers described as a worsening “epidemic of mobile phone theft”.