This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/24/im-devastated-its-unbelievable-brits-in-spain-react-to-brexit
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'I'm devastated – it's unbelievable': Brits in Spain react to Brexit | 'I'm devastated – it's unbelievable': Brits in Spain react to Brexit |
| (2 months later) | |
| The Friday morning sun shone on the immaculate lawn of the Casa Ventura bowls club, as usual. The post-match barbecue was fired up, as usual, and the two teams were chatting and finishing up their drinks before taking to the field, as usual. | The Friday morning sun shone on the immaculate lawn of the Casa Ventura bowls club, as usual. The post-match barbecue was fired up, as usual, and the two teams were chatting and finishing up their drinks before taking to the field, as usual. |
| The only unusual thing was the mood. As the strains of the Rolling Stones’ Paint it Black drifted across the patio, some of the residents of the largest British enclave in Spain were struggling to come to terms with the news that none of them had wanted to hear. Having gone to bed confident that the UK would stay in the EU and that their happy, warm and comfortable days in Spain would stretch on to a comfortable sunset, they had awoken to find everything in limbo. | The only unusual thing was the mood. As the strains of the Rolling Stones’ Paint it Black drifted across the patio, some of the residents of the largest British enclave in Spain were struggling to come to terms with the news that none of them had wanted to hear. Having gone to bed confident that the UK would stay in the EU and that their happy, warm and comfortable days in Spain would stretch on to a comfortable sunset, they had awoken to find everything in limbo. |
| Pam Lockett, a 74-year-old retired journalist from Milton Keynes, joked – or half-joked – that she and her San Luis bowling club teammates should have slipped black armbands over the white sleeves of their shirts. A round of head-nodding followed. “I’m devastated,” she said. “It’s unbelievable.” | Pam Lockett, a 74-year-old retired journalist from Milton Keynes, joked – or half-joked – that she and her San Luis bowling club teammates should have slipped black armbands over the white sleeves of their shirts. A round of head-nodding followed. “I’m devastated,” she said. “It’s unbelievable.” |
| Like many of the thousands of Britons who have made their homes in the coastal town of Orihuela Costa in Alicante province, Lockett loves the life she has led for the past 16 years – and dearly values the excellent Spanish healthcare which, along with the sun and the lower cost of living, is one of the reasons why the expat community here is so big. | Like many of the thousands of Britons who have made their homes in the coastal town of Orihuela Costa in Alicante province, Lockett loves the life she has led for the past 16 years – and dearly values the excellent Spanish healthcare which, along with the sun and the lower cost of living, is one of the reasons why the expat community here is so big. |
| Although it was far too early to know the precise impact of the vote on healthcare or pensions, Lockett knows she wants to stay in Spain. | Although it was far too early to know the precise impact of the vote on healthcare or pensions, Lockett knows she wants to stay in Spain. |
| “We’ve got to wait and see,” she said. “We have a brilliant lifestyle here and I don’t want to go back to the UK. You can’t fault Spanish healthcare and we can’t afford private healthcare.” | “We’ve got to wait and see,” she said. “We have a brilliant lifestyle here and I don’t want to go back to the UK. You can’t fault Spanish healthcare and we can’t afford private healthcare.” |
| Although British citizens are entitled to healthcare through the European health insurance card, or free health insurance from the Spanish state, there are fears that Spain could stop offering the cover to non-EU citizens. | Although British citizens are entitled to healthcare through the European health insurance card, or free health insurance from the Spanish state, there are fears that Spain could stop offering the cover to non-EU citizens. |
| Her friend June Jones, originally from London, was also having trouble imagining what the vote would mean. “I’m gutted and I don’t think we’ll know the far-reaching implications for a long time.” | Her friend June Jones, originally from London, was also having trouble imagining what the vote would mean. “I’m gutted and I don’t think we’ll know the far-reaching implications for a long time.” |
| What she did know, however, was that Britain today holds few charms for her. | What she did know, however, was that Britain today holds few charms for her. |
| “To be perfectly honest, I don’t like the immigration policy or the healthcare. If you’re old, they treat you like a second-class citizen. We can’t afford to go back and I wouldn’t want to. I feel like a foreigner in my own country.” | “To be perfectly honest, I don’t like the immigration policy or the healthcare. If you’re old, they treat you like a second-class citizen. We can’t afford to go back and I wouldn’t want to. I feel like a foreigner in my own country.” |
| Joy Silvester, 82, who has lived in Orihuela Costa for nearly a quarter of her life, was more pragmatic. The first thing she did on waking up on Friday morning was to check how the pound was doing against the euro and run a few calculations. She has no family here, but many friends, as well as 30-odd cats to feed. | Joy Silvester, 82, who has lived in Orihuela Costa for nearly a quarter of her life, was more pragmatic. The first thing she did on waking up on Friday morning was to check how the pound was doing against the euro and run a few calculations. She has no family here, but many friends, as well as 30-odd cats to feed. |
| “I’m a bit apprehensive,” she said, adding that her mind had not been set at ease by recent remarks from Spain’s acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, who said that a Brexit vote will have overwhelmingly negative effects for Britons living and working in the country. | “I’m a bit apprehensive,” she said, adding that her mind had not been set at ease by recent remarks from Spain’s acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, who said that a Brexit vote will have overwhelmingly negative effects for Britons living and working in the country. |
| The previous evening had found Colin Lindgren, originally from Hertfordshire, drinking a pint with his wife at the bar of the Emerald Isle club and explaining his conflicted attitude towards Brexit. | The previous evening had found Colin Lindgren, originally from Hertfordshire, drinking a pint with his wife at the bar of the Emerald Isle club and explaining his conflicted attitude towards Brexit. |
| Had he got round to getting his postal vote in on time, he would have opted to remain. Yet if he were still in England, he would have voted to leave the EU. | Had he got round to getting his postal vote in on time, he would have opted to remain. Yet if he were still in England, he would have voted to leave the EU. |
| “I don’t like the way we were conned into it as the man on the street,” he said. “When we first went into it, it was a trading deal. It’s just escalated and the whole thing has got totally out of hand.” | “I don’t like the way we were conned into it as the man on the street,” he said. “When we first went into it, it was a trading deal. It’s just escalated and the whole thing has got totally out of hand.” |
| But, as a 14-year resident of Orihuela Costa, he had been holding out for a remain vote as the alternative was barely conceivable: “I can’t imagine sitting behind closed doors and drawn curtains at 4pm,” he said. “We don’t do that here.” | But, as a 14-year resident of Orihuela Costa, he had been holding out for a remain vote as the alternative was barely conceivable: “I can’t imagine sitting behind closed doors and drawn curtains at 4pm,” he said. “We don’t do that here.” |
| Fifteen hours later, he was stunned, but phlegmatic. “It’s been a bit of a shock, hasn’t it? A bit of a bombshell. It feels a bit different – especially as the pound has taken a bit of a drop against the euro.” | Fifteen hours later, he was stunned, but phlegmatic. “It’s been a bit of a shock, hasn’t it? A bit of a bombshell. It feels a bit different – especially as the pound has taken a bit of a drop against the euro.” |
| Apart from keeping a close eye on the markets and seeing what the leave vote meant for his pension, Lindgren’s plan was, perhaps predictably, perhaps Britishly, to keep calm and carry on. “We have to accept it and then just sit back and hope for the best.” | Apart from keeping a close eye on the markets and seeing what the leave vote meant for his pension, Lindgren’s plan was, perhaps predictably, perhaps Britishly, to keep calm and carry on. “We have to accept it and then just sit back and hope for the best.” |
| The sentiment was echoed around the Casa Ventura as the clicking of bowls rose intermittently above the stereo, which had switched from the Rolling Stones to Bob Marley. | The sentiment was echoed around the Casa Ventura as the clicking of bowls rose intermittently above the stereo, which had switched from the Rolling Stones to Bob Marley. |
| June Jones had her own plan for getting through Brexit day; it involved thrashing their Emerald Isle opponents. “We’re going to win today,” she said. “We’re going to win something today.” | June Jones had her own plan for getting through Brexit day; it involved thrashing their Emerald Isle opponents. “We’re going to win today,” she said. “We’re going to win something today.” |