By Tony Winterburn • Published: 31 May 2020 • 11:41
New Mask Rules Come Into Effect In Spain’s Valencia Image: File Photo EWN
Many expats don’t feel safe and prefer to stay at home until the lockdown on the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca is completely over in Spain.
As from Monday June 1 over 70 per cent of Spain is likely to be in Phase 2 of the emergency lockdown, but not everyone is happy about it, find out why…
Anna Lewis from the Costa Blanca tweeted: “I’m not going out, I don’t feel safe, I’m 69 years old and have asthma, one tiny infection and I’m a gonner. I’ve had friends pass away, killed by the virus, it was horrible as I couldn’t even visit them, the hospital wouldn’t let me. Besides all that, have you seen the rules? Don’t do this, don’t do that, stand there, don’t meet up if there are more than 15 people, how do we know who is going to meet up? We often get together for a chat and a coffee at our local English bar on the front, does that mean we could get fined? if so, then it’s not worth it, ill stay at home until it’s over thanks.!”
The same theme was prevalent on Facebook, which was awash with similar complaints.
Graham Innes from Marbella said: “Well, we have waited and waited for what? Months on and I still can’t go to Puerto Banus and have a drink and listen to some live music, I can’t sit next to my wife in the cinema, the beach?, that’s a laugh isn’t it, I would need to take my iPad with me to remember the rules! Her indoors loves the Saturday market – I just go and have a coffee or a drink maybe with my mates, but with only a third of punters allowed in the market will anybody bother to go and will the traders think it’s even worth it?”
Sandra Evans from Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol on Instagram: “Great, we can go out more freely from Monday, what does that even mean? I just read the rules for Phase 2, I’ll need to print it out if I do bother to go to the Miramar Centre, seriously, I would rather wait until the Spanish government announces its all over and finished.”
“The rules state that everyone under the age of 70 can take walks and physical activity during the day, with just one timetable restriction: 10am to 12pm and 7 to 8pm are reserved for seniors aged over 70. I’m 72 so does mean I should take my Residencia with me or passport in case I get stopped by the police? I’m too nervous about walking out in case I catch something as most people aren’t wearing masks, I’m a Remainer!”
As you can see readers, there is a lot of sentiment regarding the move to Phase 2, not everyone agrees with the move for various reasons, some residents even think the government have done it just to appease us as the only winners here are the Spanish Treasury – but what do YOU think? let us know. TW.
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regarding your article about expats (British imigrants) not wanting to go to phase two of lockdown. I for one would totally agree with them as just going to the supermarket is a vile experience.. it’s like a scene from a futuristic horror movie when people just stare at you and for hay fever sufferers like me are scared to death to sneeze. However, I don’t have a pension to live on so make my living by renting our villa in the summer to tourists. brexit was bad enough but the virus has all but finished us off. all I’m trying to say is that for those with pension incomes are lucky but for the self employed like us it’s a catastrophic disaster. hopefully some good might come out of it, who knows.
Hope things start to settle over there and get some normality back very soon its a worrying time for everyone especially people like yourself who try to make a living the best of luck
Why are the British so negative about spain? For all i know there are more deads in the uk then in spain. So who knows best?? Not Boris, thats for sure.
I think we have an ageing population of expats and feel it wise if they feel vulnerable to stay indoors however those of us who feel it’s time to move on with caution then we should… this ageing expat needs also needs to move on..
All I’ll say to them is don’t rush to come back to the UK. Everyone’s ignoring the lockdown, the rules are open to all kinds of interpretations, and theres one set for the government and one for the people. We’re in so much debt its untrue but because people have been paid 80% to have a beer up and a long holiday it’s been all good. They’re all deluded. Wait until the second wave, it’s raining, nobody’s got a job, the government has run out of money and Christmas is upon us. They’ll wish they’d have social distances and stayed indoors then.
All this moaning and groaning about can’t do this can’t do that, just be grateful you are still alive. Thousands of others who were not so lucky as we are to survive this indiscrimate virus would probably have preferred the option to moan rather than the horrible fate that has befallen them.
All British people should go back to their country they nothing but mourns get back to UK it’s there more deads than Spain or any where in Europe we don’t wants any British people in Spain
Spain wouldn’t survey with out the british u be all crying
Manolo Not all British people are complaining or criticise Spain. It is very harsh of you to refer all of us in the same derogatory way. I am happy to be in your Country and thankful to be alive.
So hypocritical of the British. we give Spanish people jobs in the tourism sector and you tell us to go home.Most of Spain was in lockdown and Benidorm or Costa Blanca as you know it.Staying open for Cheltenham week . keeping a lot of Spanish in j obs and making money from the thousands of British who were there that week.do you really want us to go home The whole world is in trouble because of virus.not just Spanish people or foreigners and ex.pats Maybe this will bring everyone closer.
Not seen all this negativity from the expats in my air, most were out and about in bar terrace ares in Phase 1 3 weeks ago and glad of the chance to do after 9 weeks icolation. I’m in Benidorm and 68, most of our friends are older but we’re out 3 or 4 times a week eating and drinking that god. The rules in Spain are very clear, stringent yes but very clear unlike the complete nonsense rules in the UK. Your article it not representative on the majority of expats, but that’s not new worthy, do you job properly and check a wider audience not just the habitual wingers locked indoors on Facebook all day.
You obviously have not idea of what you’re talking about. The Spanish Government is doing the right thing – that’s why it is winning the battle. Here in the UK we have more freedom but lots more deaths and cases. For sure there will be a second peak. So sorry you feel asking you to do is too much for you and you can’t go with your mates and have a drink! Please stop being ridiculous. Maybe time to fly back to the UK!
There are more deaths per hundred thousand in spain than UK also spain aren’t reporting nursing home deaths in their COVID-19 deaths my daughter in law works in a nursing home they had several deaths from COVID-19 but they weren’t reported as COVID-19 also they took all the qualified nurses to work in alicante on the covid wards so don’t believe spanish statistics
Why are all you British moaning you are still alive a lot more aren’t so just be grateful, abide by the rules then you will be ok.health comes before beer. If you don’t like rules LEAVE WHEN THE AIRPORTS ARE OPEN.
Why only interview one side ?
Is Boris then easing too soon the lockdown then?!? Are the people in England respecting the lockdown from the day one?!? NO!! Make me feel angry what I read and some of the comments! Are you scared? So if you are then I.. I AM really scared here in England! I wish to be in Spain like you!! My baby of one year and I have been staying in home for more than 3 months!! As I have family and friends in France and Spain I have been following their lockdown and NOT ours! In Spain Children under 14 years haven’t been out for more than 2 months, no walk no exercises outside just in home, adult staying and doing shopping locally not travelling to everywhere and if you break the rules of the lockdown the minimum fine start to 600€.. here ZERO! The police here can do NOTHING!! I started only last week to go out for a walk in my village, and it’s really scared what I saw!! Am doing my shopping online or my partner go to the shop only for something really needed once a week or two weeks, exercises ONLY in home, am not meeting family or friends. I think all British living in Spain are very lucky to be there and not here, as here more risk and not safe. Do you think that here in England the people are respecting the lockdown from the day one?!? Not at all!! I think I will feel more safe in Spain or France than here in England, I wish that the lockdown here would have been more strict like Spain from the day one so we would not have had so many people sadly died because that bloody virus, but maybe Boris is not really worry at all now as he must think he is free to get never again the virus and don’t care about the risk of people to got the virus by easing the lockdown but more worry about the money and freedom of the people to do normal life and celebrating it! I can say that am not feeling safe here and that am very scared also for my family and friends, I have friends in France and Spain that they lost their life because of cov19, just want and wish the people could take that more seriously and not thinking that they won’t get it because doesn’t matter who you are.. you can get it very easily.
Us British bring a lot of Tourism to Spain. Not all of us are drunkards etc…Cannot believe the attitude of the Spanish against us!! What have we done to them? That really upsets me. I do not drink for one, and neither does my mom, so we were no trouble over there. we spent a lot of our money in Spain. And being polite to everyone, tipping well etc…I have worked my socks off throughout the pandemic. Lets see what they do without tourism then!!!
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