Tax exile on Main Street

A friend moved to Gibraltar last week.

He’s gone there for tax purposes, which is a nice problem to have, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

To be fair, I've only been there once when a cruise ship I was on made a brief port of call.

Perhaps it was the fact that our itinerary prior to Gibraltar included more glamorous locations - including Cannes, Seville, Rome, and Barcelona - but I was a bit disappointed.

In my head I had an image of England circa 1959 (the year I was born), with red telephone boxes, quaint tea shops, and chocolate box cottages clinging to the rock.

The reality, which included over-crowded and slightly grubby streets, was very different.

It didn’t help that the day we visited coincided with the delivery - to the Department of Health in London - of a petition opposing plain packaging of tobacco.

The street petition (conducted at enormous expense) had been signed by over 235,000 people over a four-month period, the three-month government consultation having been extended by four weeks with a new closing date in the second week of August 2012.

When we booked our east Mediterranean cruise we had no idea the consultation would extend into the holiday season, but as it was my responsibility to make sure all the signatures were delivered on time and to the right place, it was quite stressful being on a ship, 1,500 miles away.

Thankfully (and not for the first time!) my colleague Jacqui took charge and all was well, but as soon as the delivery was confirmed (to my immense relief) I still had the job of issuing a press release announcing the number of signatures.

This I did via my laptop from a crowded coffee shop in Main Street which, as its name suggests, is the main shopping and commercial thoroughfare in Gibraltar. (For the full story see Hands Off Our Packs: number crunching.)

Only after the press release was sent could I relax, which probably explains some of my ambivalence towards the place. Nevertheless I’m keeping an open mind and hope to pay another visit - to see my friend - later this year.

Perhaps the presence of a resident who can show me the best places to visit will help change my mind.

Meanwhile I am also planning a trip to Zurich where my aunt Dorothy will celebrate her 100th birthday in April. Watch this space.