HBG

http://www.costa-news.com/index.php?...=3208&Itemid=1

This is the area where I live, and the above statistics are either horrifying, or tell the real story of expats in Spain, this part at least. I don't know whether to laugh, or cry.

steviedeluxe

Not sure which bit you're asking people to comment on? Is is this?

If so, then I agree - business owners really should learn the language. I do have sympathy with older retired folk - it gets a lot harder to learn a language when you get set in your ways. But yes, if you're running a business in Spain it makes sense to speak the language; I'd be surprised if most don't already do so.

Fortaleza

This is the village that was in the news last year as its Mayor is English, and doesn't speak Spanish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He'd been living there for something like 25 years as well!!!!! Will try and find a link.

He was a lowly councillor when the police came and arrested all the other councillors for corruption so he was the only one left. Classic story!!!!

I must find a link!

lynnxa

I remember that

please find it!

rugbymatt

Good god, its like the days of the Raj!

We will be marrying the natives next!

Fortaleza

Got it!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...n-arrests.html

lynnxa

if it's the bit about " I really should learn English"

then cry

lynnxa

I wonder if he's still in charge?

Fortaleza

Isn't it always the same though with stats - they say whatever you want them to say.

San Fulgencio used to be a small town. As I understand it, until around 8 years ago, it remained a small town until they started building a 'new town' which is apparently dominated by foreigners. So, the 'real' or 'old' town has pribably seen normal growth over the last ten years and the new urbanisation gives an abnormal result.

HBG

Yes, that's often the case, as with Teulada and Moraira; Alfaz del Pi and Albir, and particularly with Orihuela and Orihuela Costa, but Algorfa doesn't fall into this category, it's an inland (I nearly said Spanish) town.

A few years ago, we regularly went into Algorfa to sample the Spanish atmosphere and eat in a typically Spanish restaurant; and the article in the Costa Blanca News made me laugh, seeing the town is now 83% British!

It's more British than a lot of British towns that I know back home.

Veleta

Sounds a bit like somewhere else we know. Beginning with..............A.

Veleta

I notice in the article it says that the stats are based on the padron records....meaning that the true figures of Brits/foreigners in these areas are probably even higher.

Fortaleza

Well, that is another point of that report, in that if you skim it, like many do when reading online, it seems like they are saying the town has 83% Brits. It actually says it has 68.7% foriegners of which 83% are Brits. In most areas that have foreign enclaves I would suggest that the dominant nation would be British. You could say that 80% of the foreigners in Ayamonte are Brits for example, which may look alarming, until I tell you that foreigners don't even account for 10% of population so the number is very small really.

Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics - a journalist's best friend!!!

Fortaleza

Given that this site has devoted a whole sub-forum to the place you allude to, you'd be forgiven for thinking that. The truth is, as mentioned above, the foreign community wouldn't even account for 10% of its 18,000 population. Scratch that - I doubt it even gets near 5%!!!!!

Jur

The whole province of Huelva has a total of 1000 registered foreign residents, the province has a population of 483,792 (2005) (Wikipedia)