As to food being cheaper in Turkey, how is that a surprise? I’ve eaten better food in Hackney, and cheaper too. I’ve also eaten better food in Barcelona, and cheaper too. See, it doesn’t really mean anything. Culturally naff, provincial? Well maybe a little… but is this really the Generalitat’s fault? Gaudi’s always been overrated.

Barcelona really isn’t that bad. It’s not the cultural capital of the world, it’s not the planet’s financial centre, it’s not as cheap as Burkina Faso. But it has a generally good quality of life, a decent average climate (though this June is turning out very strangely), a large number of young, qualified Europeans (though I’ve had trouble hiring the perfect candidate, same as I might anywhere), a big port, OK beaches, etc etc. If you want Barcelona to be London, a place that everyone is now referring to as ‘the greatest city in the world’, you’re going to be permanently disappointed.

That reconfirms my theory that all current Catalan politicians are either corrupt or idiot and that the time is ripe for me to go back

Watch out you don’t damage the property of your “Volksgenossen” in the Balearics in the process, should you indulge these atavic antics again. They might not appreciate having their “Gartenzwerge” blown to smithereens and turn down the Kriegskredite, thus rendering final victory over the Catalan Ethnofascist State virtually impossible.

How much consultancy is C&W getting from Barcelona to justify phoney studies like this?

“Geneva is geographically in the heart of Europe , while when it comes to quality of life – a key factor in attracting expatriate workers – it comes second only to Barcelona.”

European Cities Monitor 2007 reveals that London has increased its lead over Paris…
9 Oct, 2007, London
LONDON INCREASES ITS LEAD OVER PARIS AS TOP CITY TO LOCATE A BUSINESS IN EUROPE

London has the best hotels and Barcelona the best expatriate accommodation.

Behind London and Paris comes Frankfurt, and then the closely grouped cities of Barcelona, Amsterdam and Brussels, with Amsterdam just overtaking Brussels this year.

The three biggest risers in the ranking are all regional cities: Geneva, Lyon and Manchester. Elaine Rossall, the author of ECM and C&W’s Head of Business Space Research & Consultancy, explains: “Regional cities are increasingly becoming more business oriented, and are proving that you don’t have to be a capital to attract business. They are also benefiting from a more cost-conscious business world, with, as the survey shows, a third of those interviewed saying that to offset rising operational costs they would either relocate to another destination in the same country or another lower-cost international destination.”

“Geneva is geographically in the heart of Europe and has excellent communication links with other cities and countries, while when it comes to quality of life – a key factor in attracting expatriate workers – it comes second only to Barcelona.”

Europe’s Best Cities to locate a Business – ECM 2007

2007 Ranking

1 London

2 Paris

3 Frankfurt

4 Barcelona

7 Madrid

http://www.cushwake.com/cwglobal/jsp/newsDetail.jsp?Language=EN&repId=c12300059p&Country=GB

Once again, you confuse customers with suppliers. Companies need to try to address the customer needs and if that costs money and it is not viable, they should withdraw that market. That’s market economy.
The Catalan speaking market is, by far, more attractive than many others in Europe, with only one difference, the lack of solid borders makes it very difficult to reinfoce the customer requirements and businesses take advantage of it. They are so convinced of the powerless status of those “regional” customers, that they defy them, they insult them and they mistreat them before the joy of the central government and other imperial powers.
Scheisse