Spain and Bristol: a shared affinity

This view of Bristol's Clifton Suspension Bridge is just one of the attractions the city holds for Spaniards

I’ve been saying it anecdotally for years, but finally the local newspaper has woken up to the shifting cultural phenomenon happening before its very eyes and written a pretty insightful report: Why many young people are leaving Spain for Bristol…

It’s a journey I made a few years ago, but with one key difference: as a Brit, and alumni of Bristol University, it was a return to an adopted home. In the past 18 months or so, however, it is native Spaniards who have flocked to the city. First in a drip-drip of early adopters, and now, it seems, in something of a deluge – driven from their homeland due to the ongoing employment crisis, yes, but also attracted to a city that is probably less of a hard-landing in the UK than many others.

Firstly, as the report rightly points out, Bristol is not so far away from Spain; certainly, it is one of the closer, sunnier and warmer cities in the UK. It is also rather adept at making outsiders feel welcome: an oft-quoted statistic about the city is that 80% of people who move there for university or work never leave.

It is a true multicultural hub, and the growing Spanish presence in recent years has added a sense of exotic colour to the city’s streets. It seems a new tapas restaurant opens up every other week in the city. Most bars serve San Miguel, and the beautiful Spanish language can be heard on buses, in shops, in bars and on pretty much any street you amble down.

Of course, many of the thousands who now call Bristol home would rather be back in Spain enjoying better weather and that wonderful Spanish way of life. But lack of job opportunities throughout Spain makes life there a struggle for millions of youngsters, particularly those with the means and education to travel overseas and try to forge a career.

I, for one, am glad that more and more Spaniards are choosing Bristol. It is cheaper and less impersonal than London, prettier than Birmingham or Manchester, and blessed with great access to a number of local attractions: Stonehenge, Glastonbury, South Wales and the beaches of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall are all within an easy drive.

The article states that the number of Spaniards registering for a UK National Insurance number has increased by 50 per cent in the past year, with more than 45,000 new Spaniards arriving in 2012. Expect that figure to have increased by at least another 15,000 this year.

Although things are looking up finally for Spain’s economy, it is heartening to know that my adopted home city is welcoming Spaniards with open arms. After all, when I lived in Spain I received nothing but good will from the locals. It’s great to hear that those good deeds are being reciprocated.