HBG

The ‘crisis economica’ is over. Never mind the economists, the politicians, the Daily Mail, or the forum experts posting from the UK, this is from the horse’s mouth.

I went into the centre of town today to renew my dangerous dog insurance for the ultra friendly Doberman with Knights, and walked down to the sea front afterwards.

When I left Knights office it was drizzling, but when I got nearer to the sea, the sun came out. I walked a bit faster and when I got to the promenade I got a shock. Several small tankers were anchored off-shore for an expected storm, but the dozen or so sea-front bars with large terraces, yards from the shore, were packed with holiday makers.

I couldn’t even get into my favourite one and had to settle for the one with the web cam, right behind me. She was working and I hoped that she wouldn’t see me eating a giant Mexican hamburger and extra chips on the PC.

We’ve got eight months of sunshine coming up, there’s no such thing as a crisis in the sun, and the pound is up to 1.1576.

rachelk

I know that's probably true, but oh so very hard to believe at the moment.

Jur

The trick is to look at the results for men´s underwear sales, if the numbers are up, the economy is going up as well

steviedeluxe

Never heard that one before! They used to say that women's skirts got longer in recession, shorter in good times, but they tend to wear leggings/pants nowadays so it's become harder to follow the economic trends

Madridboy

So is this a good time to ask my boss for a wage rise?

cricketman

My money is on a double dip recession. I think we're half way through and we still have 1-2 years of pain coming before a gradual improvement.

It was very busy on Sunday morning on the Costa del sol too. I think it had to do with it having been raining for so long, so when it stopped, everybody went out for a stroll at the same time

agoreira

Half term here, there might be a few with holiday homes swelling the numbers. Certainly the flight prices are about three times higher this weekend than the following weekends, which would suggest a lot are travelling.

HBG

Yesterday was a Wednesday, at lunchtime. I’ve always found that hundred-yard stretch of the sea front to be good barometer of the local economy. I admit that it has been dire for the past two years and those sea front bars with their excellent terraces right on the edge of the sea have suffered. I’ve visited at least twice a month for the past few years and watched the trade going down as the recession kicked in.

Yesterday it was packed with people, mostly holiday makers, and the waiters and lookie-lookie men were smiling again. The gruas were towing away cars and the local police were out in numbers writing out parking tickets and chasing the lookie-lookie men.

I even had to wait half-an-hour for a taxi, but sitting in the sun with a coffee is not much of an ordeal.

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

I get the impression from my friends and family in the UK that there is a real feeling of "to hell with it"!!! They've all had enough of the doom and gloom and the warnings about saving money, tigntening belts etc. They seem to be deciding to "go for it, Lets have that holiday, lets enjoy our lives now"!!! My daughters are cabin crew for an airline and they too have noticed that there are more people travelling and with that attitude!

Spain may well benefit from this, cos those who would love to go further afield - to the USA, Disneyworld, the Caribean etc, may well think - hmm, thats "going for it" a bit too far - lets just stick with a damn good holiday in Sunny Spain!!! (but not today, cos it aint sunny!!!)



Jo xxx

steviedeluxe

It's been a cold gloomy winter in the UK, and other parts of northern Europe have had it really cold. This may mean an increase in bookings to the Med. It will be interesting to see the figures for this year.

montgomail

I can vouch for that. Last night I went to a restaurant (in the UK) that I tend to visit about once every six weeks or so, and always on a Wednesday. I was amazed to find the car park full, the bar and restaurant heaving and I had to wait nearly an hour for a table. Probably four times the usual number of punters.

Also spoke to a friend who went to a local blues bar last night, who said that was also packed.

JnK

Mmmmm.... maybe everybody's just decided to get into even more debt, what the hell!!!

agoreira

I'm sure there are areas and groups of people affected here in UK, but I have to say I don't see any difference, certainly it hasn't affected me. Seen a few pubs, chip shops etc advertising cheaper meals (crisis food?) but everything else seems pretty normal. Even got a brand new bookies opening up, so some still have money to lose! It's school half term here, so lots of visitors about.

agoreira

That's right, put it on the credit card, worry about it later.

JnK

Not me, don't have one.