Ten years after the UK’s pivotal referendum, Brexit benefits remain debatable in the UK, but it’s safe to conclude that the vote has only resulted in hassle, expense and worry for Brits on Lanzarote.

In the early hours of June 24th, 2016, the result was confirmed – the UK had elected to leave the European Union by a simple majority of 52%. Later that day, Prime Minister David Cameron handed in his resignation, and the UK entered a period of political instability which brought two general elections and a final withdrawal agreement that came into full effect on December 31st 2020.

On Lanzarote, the Brexit negotiations brought years of uncertainty and instability, as British residents worried about their future rights under the agreement and islanders assessed its possible impact on tourism.

However, ten years after the referendum, many things are now clear, and although Brexit may not have had the negative effects that many predicted, it can be safely said that Lanzarote has seen very few benefits.

Before Brexit, British nationals enjoyed the right to live and work in the EU. This meant that hundreds of current residents arrived on the island, found work while here and subsequently chose to stay. While the rights of those residents who lived in Spain before 2021 have largely been protected, new arrivals now find moving to Lanzarote much more difficult and expensive.

A sharp rise in residency applications following Brexit led to the British population on Lanzarote reaching 6,800 by 2022, but since then the trend has been downward, and in the three years from then until 2025, 10% of the British community on the island has since been lost.

Without the regular injection of younger families, workers and business-owners from the UK that free movement permitted, the likelihood for the future is that the island’s British community will slowly get older and continue to dwindle.

Brexit also increased red tape on UK exports, causing serious problems for local businesses that supply British goods to residents and tourists. Some survived, some didn’t (and the pandemic was no help), but problems have not been alleviated in any meaningful way.

Meanwhile, holiday home owners have been hard hit by the 90-day rule, which forbids non-EU visitors to spend more than 90 days out of 180 in the Schengen zone. This has had a serious effect on the “swallows”, who would winter on the island and return to the UK for summer.

Britons at European borders have also discovered that they are now in the same boat as other non-EU nationals. This has been most visible at the airport, where passport stamping and the introduction of EES machines have caused long queues and negative media coverage.

This could possibly affect tourism from the all-important British market, which has otherwise remained buoyant in recent years. But while it’s true that national and local authorities could have prepared for the post-Brexit situation better, many Brits are also aware that they wouldn’t be queueing if the 2016 vote had gone the other way.

The post Brexit: Ten Years On first appeared on Gazette Life.

The Canaries made global headlines last month after passengers and crew on the MV Hondius, a Dutch cruise ship that had been stricken by an outbreak of hantavirus, were successfully evacuated in Tenerife in an operation that caused a bitter breach between Spanish and Canarian authorities.

The MV Hondius left Argentina on March 20th, for a cruise that would take in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha. On April 12th, a Dutch passenger died, and his body was taken to the island of Santa Elena. His wife also died later after being transported to a South African hospital.

A British passenger was later evacuated in South Africa and diagnosed with a hantavirus variant that is transmissible between humans. Afterwards, a German passenger also died, and two crew members suffering from respiratory problems were evacuated by helicopter.

When the cruiser proposed sailing to Tenerife for evacuation on the recommendations of the WHO (World Health Organisation), Canarian President Fernando Clavijo refused, saying the proposal was “absolutely out of the question.”

However, the Spanish government overruled the regional government, authorising the Hondius to moor off Granadilla, Tenerife’s largest industrial port, for evacuationto the Tenerife Sur airport ten kilometres away.

On Sunday 10th and Monday 11th of May, 122 passengers and crew on the Hondius were evacuated from the ship and flown to their respective countries, before the cruiser departed for the Netherlands with 26 crew members. Two further passengers, a French woman and an American man, subsequently tested positive for the virus. Messages of support and gratitude for Spain’s actions were received from the EU and Pope Leo XIV, who also praised the “welcome of the Canarian people”. Pope Leo will visit Gran Canaria and Tenerife for a pre-arranged visit on the 10th and 11th of this month.

But Spain’s Health Minister, Mónica García, was not so warm in her comments regarding the Canarian President. García criticised Clavijo’s refusal to appear at the evacuation, and Health Ministry sources called him “irresponsible” after Clavijo sent a WhatsApp in which AI sources claimed that rats could possibly swim ashore from the cruiser.

The Spanish government’s decision to overrule the Canarian executive has also been described as “colonialist” by government representatives.

Although the risk of further hantavirus contagion has been described as “very low” by the WHO, memories of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic are still fresh. The first two cases of coronavirus in Spain were detected on the Canarian Island of La Gomera in January 2020, and 1,000 guests and staff were quarantined in a hotel in Tenerife the following month.

The post MV Hondius Evacuation Sparks Political Dispute first appeared on Gazette Life.

Marciano Acuña is the Cabildo’s Councillor in charge of Social Welfare – a department which covers areas such as the elderly, gender equality, addiction, mental health, disability, children in care and other issues.

Lanzarote’s population is increasing steadily. Is that placing pressure on social services?

There are 170,000 people on Lanzarote. 18,000 of them are over 65 years of age and 17,000 are registered with some kind of disability. We need to provide the services that they require.

We currently have around 1,000 places for social assistance, which range from full-time care to day centres and walkin centres, and we attend around 1,000 people on a daily basis.

We operate on a budget of around €35 million for direct management of care facilities, staffing etc, and a further €35 million goes to a social partnership with NGOs.

How many old people’s homes are there on the island?

Five. There’s the Hospital Insular, Las Cabreras in Nazaret and residences in Tinajo, Haría and Tías. Altogether, they offer 250 beds and a further 250-day spaces.

Is that enough?

No. we need more resources and we need new residences. We’re currently building new centres in Tahiche and in Altavista in Arrecife.

How do you co-ordinate efforts with charities and NGOs on the island?

They’re vital to what we do. NGOs and the third sector have practical experience and knowledge that we can’t match, and that’s why we’re working towards a system of co-governance with them. Previously, the Cabildo provided grants and subsidies on an annually revised basis, but that limits their capacity to plan ahead.

 This is why we agreed the Concierto Social (Social Partnership) last year. This allows us to work alongside NGOs such as ADISLAN (special needs), El Cribo (mental health) and AFA (dementia) to manage public places at their facilities. Importantly, it also guarantees funding for seven years,giving these organisations the security they need to make plans.

How does a person access the Cabildo’s welfare services?

First, you have to attend the social services department of your Ayuntamiento. Once there, it’s necessary to apply for assessment under the Dependency Law. Once that’s done, we make the decision to classify the level of dependency according to a points system, for example Grade 1, 2 or 3. Once graded, you can be considered for services such as day care, home help etc.

What are the guidelines you use?

There are several, but an important element at the moment is the idea of de-institutionalisation. This stems from the European initiative to focus on smaller facilities, rather than large institutions, with a preference for home care. We think it’s best to remain at home for as long as possible, and care is easier in smaller facilities.

An example is the way we’ve moved children in care to smaller homes. When they were kept at the hostel in La Santa, there were problems, but now they are distributed in seven smaller centres, things are much better.

There have been complaints that the current amnesty for irregular immigrants will place pressure on social services. Do you see that as a problem?

Not at all. We’re expecting between 2,000 and 3,000 to apply on Lanzarote, and these are all people who are already living on the island. Most of them are of working age, and the amnesty will allow them to contribute and access the system correctly.

What about foreign residents? The British Embassy, for example, has urged British expats to register on the padrón in order to make use of social services.

A foreign resident here has the same rights as a local and should receive the same treatment. That’s been the case for a long time. They pay taxes, have the right to vote in council elections and participate in our community, and have the same rights to use facilities.

Has there been an increase in gender violence?

In the past it was swept under the carpet, a result of a society where women were encouraged to take a submissive role. What has happened is that the issue has become more visible. We attended more than 400 women last year.

Are things improving overall, would you say?

All societies change, and change brings benefits as well as disadvantages. An example of the benefits is the inclusion and acceptance of, for example, the LGBTQ community, and awareness of disabilities. Lanzarote’s Cabildo recently reached the finals of the European Capitals Awards for Inclusion and Diversity, and we’re very proud of that achievement.

But there are also disadvantages. Technology, for example, has meant that we now have to tackle addictions to gambling and mobile use. Gambling has been called “the heroin of the 21st century”.

Any final message? Lanzarote is an island with a clear calling to be as inclusive as possible. All of us who live here are part of the same thing, and we need to care for each other, defend what we have and create a community.

The post Interview with Marci Acuña, Lanzarote’s Councillor for Social Welfare first appeared on Gazette Life.

Calls for Spain to suspend the EES scheme that has caused long queues at Lanzarote’s airport have increased following the decision of Greece to halt biometric registration until after summer.

Greece’s decision has prompted calls for other countries to follow suit, with the Canarian PP party recently calling for the Canarian Government to formally request suspension.

Reports that Greece has overtaken mainland Spain in summer holiday bookings from the UK since its decision, and the apparent lack of any EU action against Greece’s decision, has increased speculation that Spain may suspend the scheme. However, no official statements have been made at the time of going to press.

On Lanzarote, problems continue. On 4th May, a Ryanair flight to Edinburgh took off without 70 passengers who had not been able to reach the boarding gate in time due to a failure in the EES system. Ryanair is the only airline to leave large amounts of passengers behind on Lanzarote, and has done so on at least four occasions in recent years.

The EES scheme was introduced for two main reasons. Firstly, immigration control. The vast majority of illegal immigrants are “overstayers”, who arrive conventionally and overstay the 90- day limit established by the Schengen agreement. Until last year, most countries registered arrivals on their national database, but these details were not available to other countries if they crossed a border during their stay. Theoretically, passport stamping should solve this problem, but in practice it is not particularly reliable.

EES creates a database covering the entire Schengen zone, and is aimed at digitally monitoring every entrant from a third country. By the end of March, EES had already detected over 4,000 overstayers – a number that sounds significant but only accounts for 0.02% of the 17 million travellers in that time.

The other main reason for the EES is to speed up border controls, and in this its record has been patchy. While many airports report that the system is functioning well, others have experienced long queues of passengers. The queues are caused by several factors including staff shortages, technical difficulties with the machines and the arrival of several flights in short periods.

Unlike Greece, the Canaries receive tourists all year round and are not likely to be overrun during summer. However, the periodical queues that airports on Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote have experienced do not appear to be improving.

A decision to suspend EES, at least temporarily, would be welcomed by tour companies, airlines, much of the local business community and hundreds of thousands of British holidaymakers.

The post Will Spain Suspend the EES Scheme? first appeared on Gazette Life.

The Canaries should be an ideal place for the e-car revolution, with short distances, huge potential for renewable energy and no tax on new electric vehicles. However, up until now take-up on the islands has been slow compared to the rest of Spain.

Nevertheless, recent rises in the price of petrol and the arrival of affordable Chinese models are likely to spur renewed interest in electric vehicles. David Riebold shares his experience.

About six years ago some friends called, telling me that they had just bought an electric car, but had been called home suddenly – would I look after the car while they were away?

The slight hesitation I felt about being responsible for such an unfamiliar and fairly expensive car (a VW e-golf) evaporated as soon as I got behind the wheel. It was smooth, silent, odourless, with breathtaking acceleration, and charging with cheap overnight electricity cost a fraction of the price of petrol.

I was so delighted I expressed my enthusiasm on social media and was taken aback by the hostility of some responses. Someone I had known for 50 years even unfriended me, showing how emotionally charged the subject has become;

‘Lithium mining is destroying Chile’, ‘The battery will fail – or explode!’ – A quick search suggested to me that these fears are often wildly overstated, and I found myself wondering how such misconceptions can become so widespread — perhaps because established interests have every reason to slow down change.

Electric cars have been around long enough for such extreme criticisms to have faded, but a couple of valid objections remain – e-cars have a limited range and longer refuelling times. However, we live on a tiny island – a return drive from Órzola to Playa Blanca and back is well within the range of the battery.

Another objection was price: driving my friend’s VW made me want an electric car but I was quite unable to afford one.

Although an electric motor is much simpler, more reliable and vastly more efficient than a heat engine, small production volumes have prevented economies of scale. In the last few months, however, this has changed. Affordable e-cars are here!  

Some friends who know more about cars than I do bought the cheapest of the new Chinese models. They loved it, even preferring it to a more expensive European equivalent. So, I quickly accepted when I was offered one for just a bit more than 13,000 Euros! Four months later, I am still delighted.  

This is not the place for a discussion of the view that the world needs to move away from an oilbased economy as soon as possible, but if you live on Lanzarote the case for owning an e-car on this little island is especially strong.

Charging points are becoming more common and if you have a driveway or garage in your house then charging with cheap overnight electricity is easy – I’m lucky and can park and plug directly outside my house.

What has made the biggest difference for me, though, is pairing the car with rooftop solar. With so much sunshine year-round, the idea of driving on locally generated electricity is very appealing. My own system now covers most of my daytime charging, and the installation was straightforward.

I was intending to get some batteries to store up surplus power for the night but a local expert explained that our electric supply is too cheap to justify that expense. Nevertheless, battery technology is advancing fast and so that may soon be worthwhile.

It will not suit every home, but if you have a suitable roof, it is well worth considering. Even without solar power, the savings can be noticeable; and if you do have it, the economic advantage is irresistible.

The post Electric Cars Gain Ground in Lanzarote as Costs Fall and Interest Rises first appeared on Gazette Life.

Our readers regularly send us messages and emails regarding Lanzarote, here are some of your thoughts that we printed in the June edition.

Readers are reminded that views and comments expressed within the Ed’s Postbag page are those of the contributors and may not necessarily reflect the opinions or standpoint of our staff. It should also be noted that we are an independent publication free from political persuasion or governmental censorship.

CRAZY TOBACCO

Dear editor,

While staying in the Vik San Antonio recently we spotted a large Nicotinia glauca plant growing on the Los Pocillos beach. This plant is highly toxic, and especially dangerous for children.

I reported it the relevant authorities by email but have not heard back.

My wife Margaret and I both read your Lanzarote Gazette. It’s interesting and informative and good for Lanzarote’s image.

Well done and best wishes, Anto Kerins, Dublin

Ed: Thanks, Anto. Nicotinia glauca was introduced as an ornamental plant over a century ago and is now a fairly common plant on Lanzarote. Locally, it’s known as tabaco bobo (crazy tobacco) because of its ability to grow in the most unlikely and inhospitable places.

It’s classified as an invasive species, and there have been occasional attempts to eliminate it from certain protected areas of the island, but as far as I’m aware it’s not considered as a serious risk to humans.

The example you spotted appears to have been there for at least a year, suggesting that council gardeners have overlooked it.

BREXIT BONUS

Dear Editor,

With regard to the airport queues, maybe we could ask passengers whether they voted for Brexit in 2016 or not? Then those that did can go to the back of the queue and fully enjoy what they voted for, while those of us who had nothing to do with this idiotic decision don’t have to suffer as much for their stupidity.

Regards, David March

SORRY FOR DRIVERS

Dear Ed, The waste ground between the Aldi and C. Garajonay in Arrecife is a vital parking area, so why is it regularly closed off? Workers who work unsociable hours have to drive around looking for a parking spot.

Also, Av. los Corales in Costa Teguise is a disgrace. When will it be repaired?

I don’t have a car, I just feel sorry for drivers.

Many thanks, Les

Ed: I’d guess the waste ground is closed off to limit any potential liability for cars parked there, Les. As for Avenida Los Corales, Teguise approved a renovation plan which includes that stretch of road in December last year, so hopefully there’ll be some changes soon. Potholes often tend to get magically fixed before elections, which take place next May.

ALMOST APRIL FOOLED

Hi Ed,

You just about got me with the ‘Love Locks Work’ article in your April edition until I saw the Councillor’s name – Primero de Abril. Until then I was about to send a response questioning the existence of “The Cabildo Councillor in charge of Symbolic Fastening Devices in Tourist Zones’ only to have to reign it in at the end and, instead, smile and give you a big thumbs up on your wizard wheeze.

Nice one Ed.

Richard Perry, Puerto del Carmen

Ed: Cheers, Richard. We try and get the Councillor to appear every April – previously he’s been responsible for introducing shark nurseries to resort beaches, proposing Lanzarote’s bid for the Winter Olympics and controlling the “Viagra cactus” of La Graciosa.

EES “NOT PUNISHMENT”

I often see people complaining that the EU are punishing British people for Brexit. It’s not true, though. I flew into Spain from Tunisia recently and had to face exactly the same delays on entering the Schengen zone. The queue took about 45 minutes and I was the only British person in it.

Obviously, British tourists make up the vast majority of non-EU visitors to Lanzarote, and local and national authorities could have planned for this better, but it’s not punishment, just poor preparation. Yours, G. Dixon

The post Reader’s Letters – June 2026 first appeared on Gazette Life.

A hearty and filling peasant dish originally eaten by goatherds on the island of El Hierro, this tasty vegetarian soup adds flavour to the potatoes with smoked semicurado cheese. An egg is added for each diner.

Recipe provided by El Enyesque del Archipielago restaurant, CC Costa Mar, Avenida de las Playa 75, Puerto del Carmen.

INGREDIENTS

• 300-400 g of semi-cured smoked Herreño cheese, diced or grated (you can use any smoked goat cheese)

• 3-4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 onion

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• 1-2 ripe tomatoes, peeled

• Fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley to taste

• 3-4 eggs

• 1.5 to 2 litres of water

• Extra virgin olive oil

• A few saffron threads

• Sea salt

• 1 tspn Pimentón dulce (sweet paprika) (optional)

METHOD

1. To make the broth, bring water to the boil in a large pot. Crush garlic, onions, tomato, saffron, pimentón, salt, oil and herbs roughly in a mortar or give them a quick whizz in a blender. Add to the water with the chopped potatoes and simmer for 20-25 minutes over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

2. Once the potatoes are cooked, add the diced or grated smoked cheese. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes so the cheese heats through and releases its flavour.

3. Then add the eggs to the broth. You can do this in two ways: directly into the boiling broth, letting them cook for 3 minutes until the whites are set, or beat the eggs and add them in a thin stream, stirring constantly so that egg “threads” form in the soup. 4. Finally, turn off the heat and adjust the salt if necessary.

The post How to Make El Hierro Cheese Soup first appeared on Gazette Life.

Unión Deportiva Lanzarote finished the RFEF 3 (fifth tier) season in a disappointing 9th position, safe from relegation but a distant seven points from a playoff position.

The season began well, with the Rojillos (The Reds) topping the table from early October for a month. Things began to fall apart in the new year and with only one away win all season results were never going be good enough to challenge for a play-off finish.

At home Lanzarote lost just one match, ironically that was to the only side that Lanzarote managed to beat away from home, the eventual leaguewinners CD Atlético Paso.

Last month, goalkeeper Ruymán Fernández was voted “Player of the Season¨ by the club’s season ticket holders and members. On the final match of the season Ruymán was presented the “Nina Gil” trophy in front of the fans by former club legend, Pedro Cruz.

The players and management are now on their summer holidays but as always work has already begun to form a team capable of promotion to Spain’s fourth tier for next season.

The players will return to training in July to prepare for season 2026/27 which usually begins early September. Fixtures aren’t normally released until the end of July

For more info go to www.lanzarotefootball.com, Lanzarote Football Club on Facebook, email info@mercancialanzarote.com or call 649 963 943.

Lanzarote strips can be purchased at the club stall in Teguise Market each Sunday morning, or at the Club Shop in Costa Teguise, CC Nautical, local 25 (opposite Pueblo Marinero and behind Café Oppa). The shop is open 10 am to 1pm Mon-Fri and also 5-7pm on Weds.

The post Goalkeeper Ruymán Wins Player of the Season Award first appeared on Gazette Life.

Many passengers arriving at Lanzarote’s César Manrique Airport continue to experience long queues and delays following the introduction of the EES scheme. But Lanzarote is not alone…

In the Canaries, Tenerife South and Gran Canaria have also experienced long queues, while elsewhere Lisbon Airport suspended the registration of biometric data for three months. Delays and technical problems have also led to France and Belgium postponing the introduction of the scheme, which should have been fully operational by April 10th.

Problems have generally arisen from shortage of staff at busy times and technical hitches with the new EES machines.

Earlier this year, the Airports Council International (ACI) commented: “There is a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that non-EU travellers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience. This must come to an end immediately.”

Shortly afterwards, the EU announced that member states could introduce contingency measures allowing them to postpone the scheme for up to 150 days, but that there would be a final deadline in September. However, there has been no discussion of possible postponement in Spain or the Canaries, and the deadline for suspension was on the 10th April.

Two days after that date, the ACI demanded that “border control agents must be allowed to fully suspend the EES when waiting times become excessive.”

Lanzarote’s year-round season means fears of a summer rush are not so strong, but the island has been having its own problems since well before EES was introduced. In July 2024, border officers at the airport were ordered to stamp all passports of third-country nationals after it was revealed that airport authorities had told them not to do so “to make the passage of British tourists easier.”

This order followed a court case which revealed that senior officials in the police had fraudulently increased staff numbers in order to pass an airport inspection in 2023. Complaints about staff shortages from the border agents themselves initiated the case, and although more staff have been contracted since, it is unclear whether numbers have been sufficient.

The introduction of the EES scheme has only added to the problems, as thousands of British passengers at Arrecife have had to register their fingerprints and a facial scan on arrival, in addition to having their passports stamped. For many, this goes smoothly, but problems are still occurring on busy days when several planes from the UK land in few hours, such as Thursdays and Saturdays.

Locally, Lanzarote’s Cabildo and tourist federation have called for immediate solutions to the queues, but responses from the Spanish Interior Ministry, AENA and the EU have generally failed to acknowledge the problems.

The post Calls for EES scheme suspension first appeared on Gazette Life.

More and more tourists are heading to Lanzarote’s wild areas, and the island is feeling the strain.

25 years ago, most tourists visited Lanzarote’s protected areas on guided coach tours, and few ventured to the wilder parts of the island alone. But nowadays, factors such as publicity on social media and an increase in hire car use have led to a huge influx of unsupervised tourists.

At first, these curious tourists were welcomed. Authorities have always encouraged visitors to discover more of the island and, as a result, car parks, footpaths and information panels were installed at the Volcán del Cuervo and Montaña Colorada. But the increasingly chaotic scenes in those car parks and reports of visitors wandering freely off the paths, have led to a backlash and demands for greater control.

As a part of that control, two shuttle buses arrived on the island last month to be used to ferry tourists to Volcán del Cuervo, Montaña Colorada and Caldera Blanca, where existing car parks will be closed. The buses will operate from the parking area at Mancha Blanca, and visitor numbers will be limited by quota. The system is expected to be up and running by summer.

Meanwhile, calls for a similar park-and ride system serving Lanzarote’s most popular tourist attraction, the Fire Mountains of Timanfaya, have become stronger.

Timanfaya regularly sees long queues of vehicles waiting to enter the Fire Mountains, causing frustration for visitors and inconvenience for locals. Last month, Benjamín Perdomo, an opposition Socialist councillor at the Cabildo, said “It is unacceptable that, time and again, we see images of endless queues, cars invading protected areas, and a total lack of control. It is utterly irresponsible.”

The queues have also been denounced by representatives of the National Park, and the Guardia Civil’s wildlife wing, Seprona, both of whom have demanded immediate action from the Cabildo.

Another issue arising from the increasing amounts of adventurous tourists is the demands on emergency services. Walking and trekking have become far more popular on the island in recent years, and reports of rescues in areas such as Caldera Blanca and Montaña Roja in Playa Blanca occur almost weekly.

The post Controlling the tourist crowds on Lanzarote first appeared on Gazette Life.