• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Brit living in Barcelona says that tourists and ex-pats have ruined city

Home> Lifestyle> Travel

Published 12:49 10 May 2025 GMT+1

Brit living in Barcelona says that tourists and ex-pats have ruined city

The irony clearly isn't lost on him

James Moorhouse

James Moorhouse

A British man living in Barcelona has claimed that tourists and ex-pats are ruining the city he fell in love with.

It's been well documented over the years that some Spanish locals aren't too keen on the stereotypical behaviour of English locals, which usually includes rowdy shouting, copious amounts of cerveza and showing off beer bellies the minute it hits 15 degrees.

Some in Mallorca even went to the extent of creating fake signs to keep Brits away from the beaches, and you have to applaud the audacity but given the less than fair weather we suffer almost year-round here, some of us just want to enjoy relaxing in the Spanish sun.

It's almost been a rite of passage over the years for Brits to go on holiday to Ibiza or Benidorm, but you can easily appreciate how those who live there year-round might be upset by some of the antics they see.

Advert

Campbell Peter Bluett, 32, moved to Barcelona in 2020 to work in the bar industry after falling in love with the Spanish way of life, which is easy to understand if you love eating at 10pm and napping when it gets hot.

Barcelona is a hugely popular spot for tourists at the moment (Getty Stock Image)
Barcelona is a hugely popular spot for tourists at the moment (Getty Stock Image)

But now, he feels that tourists are ruining life in the city due to the party culture they bring with them and the lack of respect shown for local culture.

Speaking to The i Paper, he said: “A lot of people come for the party and don’t respect the city in terms of taking care of it, and can be noisy in the small barrios [districts], which bothers the neighbours. You’ll see signs in the streets that say ‘silence at night'.

“There’s a big contrast between the locals and the visitors because most people that come and go don’t treat this beautiful city with respect. Local communities feel disrespected by the negative impact the level of tourism and ex-pats are having on the city, from a perspective of a local.”

Advert

He claims he has also been forced to move house 13 times in the five years he has lived there due to prices skyrocketing in the wake of the pandemic.

Mr Bluett added: "Soon after [the pandemic] things skyrocketed and there is a deep underlying issue of the property market becoming monopolised by rich sharks buying outbuildings and converting them into small expensive studios or flats to be used for Airbnb visitors or as short-stay accommodation for Erasmus exchange students or travelling nomads.

The Brit has noticed the cons of tourism in Barcelona (Getty Stock Image)
The Brit has noticed the cons of tourism in Barcelona (Getty Stock Image)

“This action makes it tough for locals or international locals to survive in an economy where wages are low and prices continue to rise.”

He's been lucky enough to have found a friend to live, with who offers just €400 (£340) for a room in a two-bedroom shared apartment in the Gothic quarter - though, as Mr Bluett says, 'this is not a common find'.

Advert

The ex-pat has clearly made efforts to immerse himself in Spanish culture, but is clearly disappointed that other visitors to the country don't bother to learn anything beyond hola.

He fears that local people who are the 'beating heart and soul of this city are sacrificing their comfort to home visitors that are here to walk all over' Barcelona.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image

Topics: Cost of Living, Travel, UK News

James Moorhouse
James Moorhouse

James is a NCTJ Gold Standard journalist covering a wide range of topics and news stories for LADbible. After two years in football writing, James switched to covering news with Newsquest in Cumbria, before joining the LAD team in 2025. In his spare time, James is a long-suffering Rochdale fan and loves reading, running and music. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@JimmyMoorhouse

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
11 hours ago
14 hours ago
15 hours ago
  • 10 hours ago

    Woman who sold all her possessions to live on cruise reveals how she feels about huge decision

    77-year-old Sharon Lane will be onboard her new home for the next 15 years at sea

    Lifestyle
  • 11 hours ago

    Man who lived on baby food for a week reveals shocking impact it had on his body

    Michael Alves survived on just pouches, purees and formula drinks.

    Lifestyle
  • 14 hours ago

    Secret rules on board adult's 'spicy cruise' as hidden meaning behind wearing black ring revealed

    Spicy cruises have loads of rules out at sea

    Lifestyle
  • 15 hours ago

    McDonald's fans desperately want these 10 discontinued items back on menu, according to new study

    The study covered 70 items you can no longer get at McDonald's

    Lifestyle
  • Exact amount you'll need in savings at age 30 in order to be able to retire has been revealed
  • How much average person in UK has in savings by age as 'exact amount you need in 30s' revealed
  • Couple who bought two Teslas and drove 500 miles a week left in shock after comparing their energy bills
  • Five conditions to be eligible for £100,000,000 Mastercard payout as Martin Lewis MSE issues update