Comment from tostadora
Time: July 24, 2006, 8:36 pm

It’s musical chairs in Europe at the moment. The Polish are moving to Britian en masse while the affluent British middle classes are exiting by the back door. It seems the grass is always greener somewhere else on this crazy patchwork continent.

I can’t help feeling on balance this current trend is good for British economy and society. It tends towards a younger, more energetic, cosmopolitan and adventurous workforce. Hopefully it also means fewer golf-obsessed, middle-aged, 4-wheel drivers clogging up the arteries of the home counties.

It would be interesting to see a detailed demographic of the British people moving to Spain - to compare the socio-economic type of Brits moving to Madrid, Barcelona or Galicia, with those heading for the Costa del Whatevers.

Having said that, me and the missus are always dreaming about an escape to some bucolic corner of rural Spain. It’s a very seductive fantasy.

Comment from ValenciaSon
Time: July 25, 2006, 12:46 am

There goes the neighborhood!

Comment from Brian A
Time: July 25, 2006, 8:10 am

“Hopefully it also means fewer golf-obsessed, middle-aged, 4-wheel drivers clogging up the arteries of the home counties.”

No Tostadora, they’re still there. Those of us with get up and go got up and went!

Comment from Londinense
Time: July 25, 2006, 2:35 pm

Don’t misunderstand me, but wouldn’t it be easier for Britons to seek a nice retirament place in South Africa, Florida or even Australia or Jamaica? At least, if you have a ´pupita´, you could speak to hospital staff without problems.

I was last weekend in Brighton and I found this lovely city so chaaaarming and romaaaaaantic. Well, the sand is not so seat-friendly but I mean, now you’ve got the sun and if you miss chorizo, morcilla or the woooooooonderful new wine from the Ribera del Duero (or was Tajo?) that the sympatish guy (sorry, don’t remember the name, aunque me cae bien) from Catavino spoke about in the last Podcast, well, you could always go to Tescos or Sainsburys and get them. Even Mark and Spencers has got a wide range of spanish products.

Guys, there’s no need in moving to Spain, the Fatherland needs you and your children, cuantos más mejor.

If all of you leave in 20 years the UK will be Britpolnigeristan. What a delight!

Comment from Matthew Bennett
Time: July 25, 2006, 3:31 pm

Crikey! That means that the old British people will join the increasingly older Spanish people in a Spain full of golf courses and big houses in a couple of years, all reminiscing in pidgin English or Spanish about ‘the old days’ and how reckless youths and immigrants are ruining Europe.

Comment from Stuart
Time: July 25, 2006, 5:18 pm

Often the grass isn’t only greener on the other side, but has lush forests and rolling hills - at least that’s what I’m discovering.

Comment from Tostadora
Time: July 26, 2006, 12:05 pm

Stuart, are you talking about Galicia or the Lake District here? Plenty of lush forests and rolling hills in both Spain and Britain. Maybe the difference is, there’s actually room to step out of your car when you arrive in the countryside in Spain.

Comment from My friends bought a house in Spain too!
Time: November 2, 2006, 5:54 pm

When some of our friends moved to Spain they found sorting out mortgages in the UK to buy the house there in particular a real hassle. In the end NatWest (see link) seemed to be the easiest for them to use.

My friends refurbished an old Mafia house there

[sorry if this comment appears twice, I pressed back and it said I’d already said it, even though I didn’t verify it]

Comment from Roberto
Time: January 29, 2007, 6:18 pm

We need more English teachers so people come on down =P