A Briton who moved from the UK to Barcelona in 2017, has said that locals are frustrated by the influx of foreigners and that things have gotten worse since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic
A British expat living in Barcelona has said that locals are becoming increasingly frustrated with the transformation of their neighbourhoods.
Gemma Askham relocated to the popular Spanish city in 2017 due to her half-Spanish husband’s work and has resided there ever since.
Whilst the first six years were relatively uneventful, a surge in expats, coupled with anti-tourism sentiment fuelled by the Southern Europe Network Against Touristification (SET) movement, has altered the local area.
Due to the influx of foreigners and tourists to Barcelona, the economy has shifted to cater to their preferences and requirements, rather than vice versa. Gemma noted that this dynamic between expats and their adopted country intensified following the Covid-19 pandemic.
In an article for Grazia, she stated: “In 2023, a street pedestrianisation project aimed at improving community life was completed. But there are now eight English-named brunch cafes within two blocks.”
She also said that her 69-year-old neighbour, Toni Fontclara, is puzzled by people lining up at 11am for avocado on toast “a dish not from the region, served at an unheard-of eating hour for the Spanish, with a menu in a language he doesn’t speak”.
Gemma isn’t alone in noticing the changing face of Barcelona, which has seen a decrease in tourists following years of anti-tourism protests.
Another Briton, also residing in Barcelona, revealed that certain parts of the city had become significantly quieter, as visitors are being deterred from travelling there.
Laura, who has called the city home for two-and-a-half years, turned to social media to share footage of deserted streets earlier this month, capturing just how eerily silent they remained throughout the day.
She said: “Day one of recording how quiet Barcelona is now the tourists don’t feel welcome. The businesses must be feeling it The streets are so quiet now. These businesses last year used to wake me up in the morning. One has just recently been renovated.”
Laura’s footage shows just how successful some of the demonstrations have been, though opinion remains split on their intentions.
While some demonstrators have been demanding tourists leave, others maintain the protests stem from a wish to safeguard locals, rather than alienate visitors.
Professor Marina Novelli explained: “Places like Lisbon, Venice and Barcelona are increasingly reduced to lifestyle backdrops where locals feel like strangers. The SET movement is about cross-border solidarity. Ultimately, it’s not anti-tourist, it’s pro-resident.”