Oh course there are cultural differences with the intent of offence.
I grew up in and around London and although there was bigotry and offensiveness around, there was also the use of many terms without any offense being intended.
It was customary to poke light hearted fun at people who came from somewhere else. It could be anywhere else. A foreign country, another town, country versus town, and if someone came from London it was which side of the river, and if it was the same side of the river, which borough, and if it was the same borough, which street. And so on, it was all good fun.

So when people called Chinese food 'Chinky Nosh' it was with a certain amount of affection.

Bert.