Scottish pub owner in Tenerife says tourists 'abandoning island after EU rule change'

British holidaymakers are being forced to give up their winter homes in Tenerife due to changes in European Union rules and rising flight costs.

The relationship between foreign residents and locals on the island has been strained recently, with activists going on hunger strikes and a massive protest of 120,000 people in Santa Cruz drawing international attention.

Lisa Robertson, who manages Jags Bar, a Scottish pub in Playa de las Americas, says that many Brits who split their time between the UK and Spain are already leaving due to new post-Brexit regulations.

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These rules stipulate that UK citizens must leave Spain after 90 days, causing those with second homes to travel more frequently between the two countries - a financial burden too heavy for many to bear.

"I know at least four people who have sold their houses over here because they can't come out as much as they used to be able to," Lisa, who has lived in Tenerife for nearly 14 years, told the Express, reports the Express.

"There's one couple in particular who used to do eight months [in the Canaries] and then six months in Scotland. But because they can only stay for 90 days they just sold their holiday home."

Jags Bar, a popular spot for Scottish visitors in Tenerife, is known for serving Tennent's lager on tap and broadcasting horse racing from Ayr. However, Lisa, a local resident, has noticed a significant decrease in the number of Scots frequenting the bar due to recent changes.

"I knew a lot of people who would come [to Tenerife] for months at a time and be here every night. I haven't seen them [since the rules changed]. There are lots of people like that. It's quite hard," she said.

The changes have also impacted staffing at British bars on the island. "It's also affected staffing as well. If you speak to any British bar on the island they are screaming for staff."

A visit to Tenerife's many British pubs reveals an older demographic behind the bar, as venues now require staff to have pre-Brexit citizenship or legal work rights in Spain.

"The younger ones can only come for three months and three months only," Lisa explained. "I can't take them on."

Rising rental prices on the island have also hit Brits living in Tenerife hard.

"I know families of four who've moved to one-bedroom flats because it's cheaper," she added. "They've been in places for years, but the landlords have put the rent up so much they can't afford it."