Richard and Tarnya Norse-Evans have lived in the Canary Islands for 19 years but find themselves missing aspects of Britain
A British couple who moved from north London to Lanzarote 19 years ago say they often feel the need to get away and return to the UK, and that moving abroad can involve unexpected sacrifices.
Richard and Tarnya Norse-Evans, both in their early 50s and with a background in design and tech, relocated to the Canary Islands in 2007 to enjoy more nature, time at the beach and surfing, and to raise their son in a pristine environment.
After the sale of their London-based digital agency in 2005 and the birth of their son Joss, they longed for change and spent time travelling around Asia before settling in Lanzarote. They bought an old farmhouse and within a few months had converted it into a “volcanic vineyard accommodation” called Finca Malvasia.
New Feature
In Short
Quick Stories. Same trusted journalism.
However, according to the couple, unlike the vision that many may have about living the expat dream on a sun-kissed island, it is not a never-ending, castaway holiday. In fact, all of the sun, beach and laid-back vibes can be restrictive, especially when it comes to work and running a business.
“We certainly do not live a permanent holiday, work life still goes on regardless of the weather,” Richard told The i Paper. “The grass is always greener, wherever you are… in London you want to go to an island, in Lanzarote you want to see a city.”
Richard said setting up a business abroad brought its own challenges, and paperwork in Spain can be tricky, “so expect to wait for permits” and “learning the language is a must to navigate legals and permissions”.
In Lanzarote, tourism accounts for nearly 80 per cent of GDP, with the sector a major source of jobs on the island. Unlike other tourist hotspots, the weather is mild year-round, meaning there aren’t low seasons where jobs and revenue dry up.
Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote (Photo: Jean-Francois Fort/Hans Lucas/AFP)
The couple sought help from a lawyer as they had never operated in the hospitality sector before, but Richard said that once the business was up and running and they became fiscal residents, there were no big differences in running a business in Lanzarote compared with the UK.
But while life in the Canary Islands can be paradise, there are plenty of things the couple miss about the UK.
“When you live on a small island you need to see and do something different, because here you don’t get to go to the art galleries, visit people, go to the city or eat in different restaurants,” Richard said.
The couple, who also own a creative production company for film and photography in Lanzarote, travel widely, and say going back to London can be refreshing. “It’s important as a creative family to see what’s happening off the island. We love both places and it is great to be able to go back and forth,” Richard added.
Richard and Tarnya Norse-Evans and their resort in Lanzarote (Photo: Richard Norse-Evans)
Although Lanzarote’s warm weather is “great”, the couple say they often miss the nippy British winters and “love putting on a coat and Wellingtons and getting out in a forest for a good stomp and an English pint in a pub”.
Richard says that when their son was born they were “at a crossroads in London”, and, despite loving it, were spending more and more time away to surf and enjoy nature. They didn’t leave for any negative reason but just wanted to spend more time doing the things they loved.
Lanzarote turned out to be a perfect place to bring up Joss, who attended a private bilingual school. Their work allowed them to be finished by 3pm, pick up their son and surf, motocross or horse-ride for the rest of the day.
The couple live in a villa close to the finca, which allows them to stop by regularly and ensure all is well with their guests. The whitewashed resort, located in a three-hectare estate of grape vines and fig trees, features a villa and several apartments and suites arranged around a shared pool. Guests comes from all over, but mainly the UK, Germany, Belgium, Holland and France.
Your next read
The property also produces around 7,000kg of grapes a year, which they sell to a local wine producer.
Living in Lanzarote doesn’t stop the couple from continuing to travel, with their local residency and UK passports meaning zero visa restrictions in coming and going between the island and the UK.
The couple say the cost of living in Lanzarote is much lower than in the UK, and they have access to cheap flights to take them back to Britain and further afield. “With a four-hour flight we can be back in London quickly and enjoy the best of both worlds,” Richard said.
