Spain to impose hard border on Gibraltar after Brexit talks stall (1 Viewer)

[seasideBill]

My daughter lived there for a while and we visited/stayed on many occasions. She isn’t military but supported the MOD and Gibraltar Govt - aviation. I have to say we didn’t perceive any animosity or resentment from locals or Spanish either side of the border. Most residents and the massive daily influx of workers seemed too busy getting on with their fairly manic lives. At the risk of causing offence, the only group I thought were remote & standoffish was the local jewish population.

 

[sciac2001]

I think you will find that there is a general 'reflective' tendency amongst human beings, so that if people are treated like Ess-Haitch-1-Tee, then they can expect to be treated in similar fashion.

Just out of interest, how old are you, and when did you last reside in Gib ?

Things may have changed, but I doubt it ?

Yes I agree.

I am 67, born and raised in Gib then left for UK at 17 (1973) and worked entirely in the UK. Now retired and moved back last October.

The population make up is completely different. Hardly any military presence and now replaced by UK expats and an increasing number of East Europeans for some reason. (I count Moroccans as locals.)

Thankfully not subjected to the same behaviour although I would put that down to the local population no longer seeing ourselves as colonials but as a proper individual identity who will.not put up with it.

Despite the hassles we all held a strong respect for British forces.

I loved going to North Front and watch the aircraft of the time. (Did my Duke of Edinburgh Award on aircraft recognition there and we're the happiest of days.)

 

[Montezuma]

Yes I agree.

I am 67, born and raised in Gib then left for UK at 17 (1973) and worked entirely in the UK. Now retired and moved back last October.

The population make up is completely different. Hardly any military presence and now replaced by UK expats and an increasing number of East Europeans for some reason. (I count Moroccans as locals.)

Thankfully not subjected to the same behaviour although I would put that down to the local population no longer seeing ourselves as colonials but as a proper individual identity who will.not put up with it.

Despite the hassles we all held a strong respect for British forces.

I loved going to North Front and watch the aircraft of the time. (Did my Duke of Edinburgh Award on aircraft recognition there and we're the happiest of days.)

So, you would have been 10 or 11 when I was at North Front.

I suppose it is understandable that our recollections are somewhat different.

Maybe you recall a few of the local bands that played regularly at the Key and Anchor, The Barnacle Club, Churchill's Restaurant, The Sailing Club, and the Nuffield Pool, . . . . . although you may have been a tad too young ?

HT and the Rockbeats, The Silver Coins, The Difference, The Superbs, and the 4BA.

Then there was the long walk across 'The Gap', (as that area of no-mans land was known) to La Linea.

When I look on Google Maps, it has all been built on now, and many of the old RAF buildings are gone, although the airman's accommodation block is still exactly as I remember it. Now there seems to be a grassed sports pitch where our old shale football pitch was. Not a lot of fun for goalkeepers.

Happy Daze !

Meanwhile, I think the most recent financial aid, not counting the Covid aid package, was part of the UK Community Renewal Fund:

The Covid aid package involved a loan guarantee for a lending facility of up to £500 million. I don't know how this worked, and if the full amount was 'loaned' and if it was, has any repayment been made?

Digressed somewhat from the original thread - Apologies.

 

[Coolcats]

With British authorisation.

I don’t understand, these are fully French border posts on uk soil. You pass UK customs then enter French customs same applies the other side with Full French authorisation so both sides agreed how the boarder would work it’s not the British who authorised both countries came to an agreement .

 

[ianp]

I don’t understand, these are fully French border posts on uk soil. You pass UK customs then enter French customs same applies the other side with Full French authorisation so both sides agreed how the boarder would work it’s not the British who authorised both countries came to an agreement .

Ah....so you believe that we have ceded several thousand square metres of the UK mainland to the French and that they have done the same for us.......and should they now being in possession of that land decide to, say house the Calais immigrant camp there then there would be nothing we could say as it's theirs ....... mmmmm interesting!

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[DT]

Having been to Gibraltar several times what I did notice is Spanish music playing in the shops. In Spain I often hear more songs sung in English. I am sure Spain does not want to have all their workers struggling to cross the border twice a day.

 

[Minxy]

I don’t understand, these are fully French border posts on uk soil. You pass UK customs then enter French customs same applies the other side with Full French authorisation so both sides agreed how the boarder would work it’s not the British who authorised both countries came to an agreement .

Ah....so you believe that we have ceded several thousand square metres of the UK mainland to the French and that they have done the same for us.......and should they now being in possession of that land decide to, say house the Calais immigrant camp there then there would be nothing we could say as it's theirs ....... mmmmm interesting!

A bit of info that you both might find interesting ...

French border guards to be deployed at Dover to speed up new fingerprint checks

French border force officers are to be spread across the port of Dover in an attempt to reduce queues caused by new fingerprint scans of all travellers from the UK starting in November 2024.

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[sciac2001]

I don’t understand, these are fully French border posts on uk soil. You pass UK customs then enter French customs same applies the other side with Full French authorisation so both sides agreed how the boarder would work it’s not the British who authorised both countries came to an agreement .

Yes okay, BOTH countries came to an agreement.
Unilateral demand by Spain on ours.

 

[sciac2001]

Having been to Gibraltar several times what I did notice is Spanish music playing in the shops. In Spain I often hear more songs sung in English. I am sure Spain does not want to have all their workers struggling to cross the border twice a day.

I havent noticed that too much and think that it’s a mix of music but in fairness my brain is normally numbed when shopping.

Perhaps you are right and it might be because most shop workers are cross frontier Spaniards.

 

[Coolcats]

Ah....so you believe that we have ceded several thousand square metres of the UK mainland to the French and that they have done the same for us.......and should they now being in possession of that land decide to, say house the Calais immigrant camp there then there would be nothing we could say as it's theirs ....... mmmmm interesting!

That’s flawed thinking it’s an international boarder with border controls neither the U.K. or France would be able to build a house but in legal terms it’s little England border in France and a little French boarder in the U.K.

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[ianp]

That’s flawed thinking it’s an international boarder with border controls neither the U.K. or France would be able to build a house but in legal terms it’s little England border in France and a little French boarder in the U.K.

Its not my thinking thats flawed but my sarcasm seemed to have passed a few by......oh well!.....

 

[Coolcats]

Its not my thinking thats flawed but my sarcasm seemed to have passed a few by......oh well!.....

Apologies I missed it