Former Huddersfield gymnast and pub landlord Brian Hayhurst and his wife Elaine are ex-pats who have lived just outside Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol for 20 years. He writes every fortnight for Huddersfield Hub.
There are mixed reports about the flow of British ex-pats on the Costa del Sol.
Some say Brits have reduced in numbers, probably because of the nonsense 90-day rule and others talk about UK families moving over to Spain where, of course, it’s much warmer, to save on spiralling energy costs, and generally enjoy cheaper food and utilities.
Authorities here have definitely seen a rise in the number of Dutch, Belgian and Scandinavian nationals who have a greater spending power, and find it so cheap to live here.
They particularly enjoy the ‘chiringuitos’ (beach bars) where they can sample typical Spanish tapas, something they cannot do in their own countries. And they spend more!
Some Huddersfield friends, who had to return last week to deal with some property issues, were staggered when they found the cheapest return flights on a ‘low cost’ airline was £600, plus taxis at either end!
OK, the Covid restrictions have eased now but it’s looking like this could be the end of cheap flights, anywhere!?
‘Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun’ is a popular programme, which some find it woeful entertainment, others love the weekly mix of Brits who have re-located to popular destinations seeking sun, fun and ‘cheap as chips’ living costs.
There are some hoping to make a fortune as they invest in a bar or eatery, only to find that slogging it out in a hot kitchen is not what they dreamt of! And the cost of employing people out here is horrendous.
Now in its 8th season a lot of the Channel 5 programmes follow people in Benidorm, and here on the Costa del Sol also gets a regular coverage.
One couple who have featured frequently are Rus and Lindsay Roberts who gave up their jobs and took on a ‘local’ (empty unit), surmounting heaps of bureaucracy. It is just 200 metres from where we live in Mijas Costa, and is now established as a very popular convenience store.
Rus, a former car salesman, and Lindsay, a professional singer at top venues here, invested in a total refurbishment of the shop, and now offer a range of foods including pork pies – a real favourite here, and they are succulent.
I returned the other day for another one, but Lindsay said: “Sorry, a woman has just left with the entire stock!”
I recall that Melton Mowbray was famous for its pies but my memory, whilst in Huddersfield, were two national award winners which immediately come to mind – Jones Butchers, Marsh, and Dawson’s butchers, Scar Lane, Milnsbridge.
No doubt there will be others who need a mention, of course, but Roberts Deli pies here are on a par with those tasty offerings.
The couple, with a delightful little daughter Lilly Rose, spend a lot of time creating homemade specials in their busy kitchen, and the shop is a local hub for residents and nearby school pupils and parents. In order to spend more time with Lilly they are considering selling up.
In other news, several councils in Spain are reintroducing the rules made last year about cleaning up pet excrement.
They are now demanding that pet owners carry a container with water containing diluted disinfectant to remove any smells or stains left by pets on public roads and spaces.
READ MORE: Catch up with Brian’s previous blogs HERE
Finally, we were deeply saddened and shocked to learn that Craig, our friend and owner of our local bar – Marie’s in La Cala Hills – died on Tuesday afternoon. We send our heartfelt condolences to Marie and her family.
