I can't really understand why there is a continued decline in the number of British residents in the Balearics. As you will have read on the front page today the number of British residents on Minorca has dropped by 50 per cent in the last five years. The number of British residents on Majorca has also seen a fall. So is the British love affair with the Balearics in decline?
Well it certainly appears to be the case. Granted we are talking official figures and there are plenty of British residents who are not registered, but the figures rather say it all. Brexit is causing uncertainty, but having said that, when I first started work in Majorca, you needed a work permit and all sorts of paperwork and the resident British population was far bigger than it is today. The value of sterling may have fallen against the euro but this is not new either; the sterling euro/peseta rate has been rather a roller coaster ride for decades.
Another reason is the small number of winter flights. Yes, this is a problem but there are still some flights. I would say that the drop has been caused by the fact that the Balearics are no longer cheap. The cost of living has rocketed on the islands over the last decade and some would say living here is not as simple as it once was. I sincerely hope that the Brits start returning to the islands to live. The Balearics are a wonderful place and I believe that they are one of the best places to live in the world. Obviously the islands have their shortcomings but there are plenty of advantages.