Every now and again, particularly if our flow of scone posts slows down a bit, we get a communiqué from one of our foreign correspondents. In this case the ‘foreign’ may be something of a misnomer since they are better know to all as our ‘Trossachs correspondents’. Needless to say, all our correspondents have a roving brief. Unsurprising then to find them straying far far away from Loch Ard. They are visiting one of the last vestiges of the Great British Empire … Gibraltar.

This is their story. As most of you probably know, this ape covered Rock on the southernmost tip of Spain is more British than Britain. So after circumventing the Winston Churchill car park, passing by Morrisons, M&S and Costa Coffee, enveloped in the all-pervading smell of ‘English’ fish & chips. Then … as if to complete the picture, our intrepid travelers came on this startling sign. It pointed them up a steep hill to the Aragon, a typical “English” pub . We all know that no self respecting English pub would be without it’s scones.

After their uphill travails they were very much looking forward to some refreshment however the picture of Catherine of Aragon on the menu should have been a warning. Unbeknown to them she had already had a scone. If we can quote directly from the report “poor old Catherine’s face says it all!! Losing her first husband and then marrying his wee brother who chucked her for Anne Boleyn she now has, as a testament, an establishment that sells hot doughy scones with synthetic cream and a carton of rather insipid jam”. ‘Nuff said.

The wonder of Gibraltar

The scone disappointment did not deter our reporters from digging into the background of Gibraltar and it’s weird British outpost status. Apparently it is the 3rd richest territory on the planet.  It has a per capita income of €53,000 and an unemployment rate of less than 2%. In contrast, the neighbouring province of Cadiz has a per capita income of less than €7,000 and unemployment of 40%. A third of the Rock’s income comes from tobacco sales and a further 25% from on-line gaming. Gibraltar is also an important financial centre with over 70,000 registered companies. What are the chances of most of them being registered there for reasons of tax avoidance. Answers on a post card. We now fully understand why eurosceptic, Liam Fox, was stressing the importance of Britain maintaining sovereignty over Gibraltar in the event of his desired Brexit.

So there you have it. Will the sun ever set on this last bastion of the Empire? Just when you thought Catherine had more than enough problems, she will now, forever, be associated with awful scones. Many thanks to our reporters … where next?

GX11 1AA        tel: 35020078855        The Aragon Bar TA