Five business ideas for Brits in Spain

Setting up a business in Spain is the easy part – the right idea is what will determine its success or failure

Although Spain’s economy is enjoying an about-turn that would put Nick Clegg to shame, getting a job in Spain is still proving troubling for millions. As a British expat, it might appear that the situation is even worse, particularly those lacking the language skills and cultural ties of the locals.

But Brits in Spain have one big advantage over Spaniards – their Britishness. And while parading one’s sunburnt shoulders around town is never going to be a money maker, there are a few British idiosyncracies that, with a bit of work, could potentially become good expat businesses. After all, where better to go it alone than in a foreign land where the niche in the market is, well, you…

1. English Tea Room

Spaniards love their coffee, their churros and hot chocolate, and – if the prevalence of heladerías on almost every street corner is anything to go by – their ice cream. But many Spaniards also hold a fascination with that peculiar British pastime of afternoon tea.

Yep: scones slathered in butter; Victoria sponge; cream cakes; cucumber sandwiches… all washed down with lashings of English Breakfast, Yorkshire or Earl Grey tea – what’s not to love? With the right ambiance and location, not only could an English Tea Room attract hordes of loyal Brits starved of that famous English gentility, but it could well kick-start a passion among Spaniards to take tea, rather than a siesta, at high noon.

2. Expat dating app

Expats in Spain have plenty of helpful websites dedicated to making their life in another country easier. There are removal companies, translation agencies, English-language services and plenty of meetup groups dedicated to helping you meet likeminded people.

But very little of this assistance is designed to help you find a partner. There are the bars of Puerto Banús’ second line, of course, but pickings down t’Port can often range from slim to, well, not so slim. In the UK and across much of northern Europe, any singleton worth their salty tears is signed up to at least two dating apps – many of which are tailored towards specific preferences. Gay? No problem. Like people who wear uniform? There’s an app for that, too. An expat-specific app could prove mightily popular on the Costa del Sol, and not just with Brits: there is a surprisingly large pool of Spaniards who ‘have a thing’ for the Brits and Irish, and they too would be happy to stumble across such a service.

3. Brit boot camps

Sometimes, it’s sensible to peer at what’s going on in the UK in order to predict the trends that will eventually wind their way south to the Costa del Sol’s expat set. Right now, Brits everywhere seem to want to run marathons, 10kms, Charity miles, Tough Mudders and all manner of punishing triathlons and Ironman competitions.

It is as though a collective wave of guilt has washed over much of the populace after a near-decade of decadence. So why not try to pre-empt this push for piousness by opening up a boot camp designed specifically to get British expats into shape? All you need is a website, phone number, a carefully planned fitness program (which you can find easily online) and an open space such as a beach or a park. That’s what they do in the heart of London. Bring that idea to the beautiful climate of southern Spain, and you could be on to a winner…

4. A good English pub

What is the best thing about an English pub? The ale? Maybe. The clientele? That helps. The décor? Well, that depends. The outdoor ‘bit’ with views of rolling English countryside? That’s more like it. Unfortunately, that last one is the only one that cannot be replicated in Spain, but a mountain or Med backdrop under sparkling blue skies is not a bad compromise, is it?

There are plenty of Irish bars on the Costa del Sol. Scottish pubs, too. And loads of decidedly ‘British’ establishments that offer up the usual serving of Carling, Strongbow, Magners, Full Englishes and various combinations of “… and chips”. But where’s the cosy English pub with hanging baskets, a fine selection of ales, a rustic ploughmans lunch and cricket on the TV? Nowhere. Getting the ale across may prove tough, but there is definitely a niche for the type of pub that Brits in Spain regularly claim they miss.

5. Cultural copywriting

Misspelt shop signs and menus are everywhere. A task that should prove unavoidable appears, for some reason, a scourge in all lands and languages. Badly translated signs, menus, brochures, documents and other pieces of literature, on the other hand, are equally prevalent but infinitely more forgivable. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Watching how Spaniards have begun to settle and prosper in the UK, it is striking how often one sees the Spanish language in places it never used to be. Spaniards have moved over, set up shop and ensured a steady customer base with native-level service for the Spanish market. On the Costa del Sol, it’s often very different. Because most Spaniards have a smattering of English, they often attempt translations and sales copy, in English, themselves. It can often be painful to read, and can even be off-putting, portraying an amateurishness that may not always be accurate.

This is where a Brit can help. An agency that deals specifically in not just translating copy, but writing it in a way that will appeal to the British customer, could create a profitable niche for itself on the Costa del Sol. Actually, ignore what I just wrote. I think I have an idea…