A British individual who departed from the UK to manage a venture inSpainmore than 30 years ago had cautioned others who intended to do the sameexpatsto be ready to face challenges in the nation’s complex administrative system.
Joe Cawley and his girlfriend, Joy, were employed at a market in Bolton, Greater Manchester during the early 1990s, where they skinned rabbits and removed fish bones to raise enough money to support their artistic ambitions.
“We used to wake up at four in the morning, in the bone-chilling cold, waiting behind a fish counter,” Cawley, who is now 60, said.The i PaperWe were aware we needed to leave but weren’t sure what else to do.
His stepfather, a real estate developer, stumbled upon a bar inTenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, whose proprietor was eager to sell. He recommended that Cawley and his sibling, David, purchase and oversee the enterprise.
We went for it,” Cawley said. “It would help us leave the UK and get onto the property ladder.
The two brothers collectively took out a loan of £160,500 and chose to travel to Tenerife in 1991 “without any prior experience.”
We had never worked behind a bar, nor had we cooked anything that wasn’t something on toast,” he said. “We also didn’t know Spanish. But we thought, ‘why not?’
Nevertheless, they faced their initial obstacle even before starting. During that period, there was a regulation requiring foreign employers to hire local workers first before employing foreigners, which meant Cawley and his brother were unable to recruit their respective partners.
They discovered a gap in the law that enabled it to be bypassed via marriage.
So my brother married his girlfriend in a hurry,” Cawley said. “However, Joy, my partner, and I decided not to get married just for the sake of paperwork, so we chose to move forward without being married. The law changed two years later anyway.
The group relocated to Spain with the assistance of a gestor, an expert in Spanish administrative procedures. “They assisted us in completing all the necessary documents for work permits,” Cawley mentioned.
Nevertheless, despite having assistance, they found the Spanish bureaucracy to be challenging and time-consuming to deal with.
The bar was already operational, so there were no issues in acquiring the necessary permits and licenses,” he said. “It was our own personal matters: residency, registration at the local town hall, documents to operate, social security numbers, and enrollment in the healthcare system.
Nothing was simple. All the documents needed to be filled out three times, and every application had to be submitted in person, he mentioned. “The only location where we could handle the paperwork was an hour’s drive north,” he said, adding that application forms were frequently rejected on the first attempt, forcing them to go back multiple times. “It was extremely frustrating,” he concluded.
Dealing with the red tape turned into a part-time, unpaid task that everyone was attempting to manage alongside learning how to operate a bar.
We had to shut down multiple times to complete the documentation,” Cawley mentioned. “This resulted in financial loss.
The former owner had submitted an application for an open permit, which all businesses were required to have. The Cawleys, nevertheless, did not obtain theirs until seven years after they assumed control.
We used to have police inspectors come by asking for it, and we would show them the worn-out application,” he said. “They would take it and ask us to inform them once we received it.
After overcoming the initial red tape, they then faced with constantly evolving regulations.
The Spaniards are fond of creating new rules,” Cawley mentioned. “It’s similar to a hobby. I once came across a research that mentioned the civil service introduced a new rule every 45 minutes. It’s quite a Spanish characteristic.
The legal amendments covered various aspects such as noise regulations, bedtime restrictions, and permits for live music.
Other bar proprietors shared his view, experiencing similar frustrations, he mentioned.
The intention was always to manage the bar for five years and then sell it at a gain prior to returning to the UK.
In the end, they remained for a period of eight years. Both couples returned to the UK, but Cawley and Joy concluded, just two weeks after returning to the UK, that Spain had become their home.
“We returned all our furniture to Tenerife,” he mentioned. This time, they relocated to a more secluded area of Tenerife offering scenic views of the mountains and sea, where they brought up their two children – currently 23 and 21. He currently works from home as a screenwriter and writer, and has authored a travel memoir detailing his experiences while living overseas,More Ketchup than Salsa.
We appreciate the unhurried way of living,” he mentioned. “It’s a very calming way of life. We value focusing on enjoying life instead of being driven by work. It’s a pleasant feeling to know that we’re situated on an island in the Atlantic – away from the pressures and challenges.
Earlier, he found this laid-back lifestyle frustrating. However, now that Cawley is no longer a bar owner, he mentioned that he has learned to appreciate the slower pace.
The weather played a role in their choice to remain in Tenerife as well. “It’s an amazing climate,” he mentioned. “There are numerous distinct microclimates and environments – mountains, forests, and the sea.”
If he decides to go out, dining out is considered “very affordable”– a cup of coffee is priced at just 90p, and a bottle of beer typically costs around a pound in certain countryside bars.
For individuals thinking about relocating to Spain, particularly those aiming to establish a business, mastering Spanish and securing an excellent agent is essential, he mentioned.
Even though he is not against leaving Tenerife to discover another region of the world, he is sure he would not return to the UK.
But currently, we are content in our home, with our way of living,” he stated. “I believe we will remain here for many years to come.