Brit Expats On Cyprus Mostly Ignoring Brexit Day

For the vast majority of British expats living, working or retiring in Europe, tomorrow is the dreaded day when the UK finally commits to leaving the European Union.

Hopes that Brexit wouldn’t happen kept expatriate Britons glued to every news report, negotiation, parliamentary riot and election, hoping against hope they’d be allowed to live in the way they’d chosen when they left the UK. It all ends tomorrow at 11pm GMT, but expats in Cyprus won’t be celebrating or even mourning until late.

Some 300,000 British expatriates live in Cyprus, but they’re not about to flock to the many British-owned bars and pubs to mark the occasion according to their preferences. No major events have been planned, although the British Ambassador with be interviewed on at least two of the island’s local TV stations. The interview will be able to be viewed on social media, but coverage seems to be of the ‘damp squib’ variety.

One long-stay expat told local media it’s more a wake than a celebration, adding he’ll be ignoring it as he’ll be at work when it’s finally brought in. The British owner of a popular Limassol pub said he’s not organised anything, adding the day itself is an anti-climax compared with the convoluted negotiations, debates and scaremongering as regards the no-deal option.

A spokesperson from the UK Citizens Association’ Paphos branch said there’s a comedy evening planned, but the event was booked months in advance, well before tomorrow’s date was decided. Another British bar owner believes the events in the UK will be fun, adding he’d considered holding a party but decided against it as the majority of his customers voted Remain.