San Juan 2016

As the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum approaches, I have found myself asking people where they were when they heard the result. It's hard to believe that it was ten years ago. On 23 June 2016, I, like many others, headed to the beach to join the San Juan celebrations. I think it's still my favourite Spanish festival, despite the connection to the day that the UK voted to leave the EU.

I didn't stay up to watch the results: a. I couldn't bear it and b. I had a long day of work the next day. It was about to get even longer. Although it was close, nobody really thought the UK would vote to leave. In fact I found out the result when I looked at my phone the following morning and the first text I saw was from a friend, which just read “Oh shit”.

The many European friends I have met over the years sent what can only be described as condolence messages and some (I think jokingly) even offered to marry me so I could get an EU passport! At the time I hadn't quite been in Spain long enough to qualify.

I didn't have much time to dwell on it though, the SUR in English team were sent out on the streets to get the reactions of residents and holidaymakers, so I jumped in the car and headed to Nerja to speak to people in the street.

Reactions were mixed, but those who had voted remain, or been unable to vote as they had fallen foul of the then still in place 15-year rule, were angry, sad or it hadn't really sunk in yet.

Then there were months and years of uncertainty. What has become clear speaking to people ten years later is that given the other seismic events that have shaken the world since the referendum, in some areas like rising prices and Brits still wanting to fulfil dreams of moving to Spain, it's difficult to unpick what is a consequence of Brexit and what has been a consequence of the pandemic, the wars and Trump's tariffs.

One thing is clear though and that is the UK needs its friends in the EU more than ever before and in 2016 nobody could have predicted the global events that were to follow. A few people I have spoken to have said that “Brexit is almost forgotten” given what's happened since then. But I will go out and enjoy San Juan again on Tuesday, just like every 23 June, with a mix of European (and other international) friends. Some things haven't changed.