While the special relationship between Britain and the US may currently require some emergency marriage guidance, one unlikely saviour could be the humble crisp butty. As the new Channel 4 series Escape To Florida demonstrates, despite political tensions between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump over wars and trade deals, the bonds between ordinary people across the Atlantic remain remarkably strong.
The Crisp Butty: A Diplomatic Marvel
In the Best Of British pub in Clermont, Florida, an American customer is seen raving about one of the UK's finest exports. 'This great little crisp sandwich,' she says, enraptured after tasting the pub's delicacy. 'Oh my God! It was so good.' This simple snack, consisting of potato crisps between buttered bread, has become a symbol of cultural connection.
Expat Life in the Sunshine State
A staggering 400,000 Brits have made their home in Florida, and the show follows several expats who have been lured by the weather, sandy beaches, and unique local customs. 'Everybody in Miami Beach has a stroller,' says Neasa Gallagher, who moved from Ireland six years ago. 'But there's never a baby in it – it's always a puppy.' She recounts seeing a dog riding a motorcycle with its owner, wearing motorcycle goggles, noting that 'nobody bats an eyelid at anything here.'
Neasa, 39, works with her sister Sidhbh (pronounced 'Sive'), 45, a plastic surgeon based in the US for 18 years. Sidhbh initially trained in general surgery but kept her plastic surgery ambitions quiet. Her expertise now lies in 'genital surgery and body contouring,' and she has invested a seven-figure sum in a new office with a private bathroom overlooking Miami – 'a loo with a view.' Patients often undergo multiple procedures, such as breast and tummy work or arm lifts, costing around $20,000 (approximately £15,000). Sidhbh notes that as a doctor in America, 'you get paid the best in the world.'
From Retirement to Pub Ownership
For Martin Thomas, 50, the move to Florida was initially about retirement. He sold his successful car dealership in Manchester, which counted Cristiano Ronaldo among its clients, and moved to Florida in January 2020. But after Covid wiped out his savings, he opened the Best Of British pub in Clermont. 'So many places profess to being an English pub in the US just by throwing a Union Jack up or sticking a picture of Churchill on the wall, but they're still serving chicken wings and tacos,' he says. His pub offers authentic British fare: English breakfasts, fish and chips, liver and onions, with imported bread from Yorkshire, Heinz baked beans, Walker's crisps, and Cadbury's chocolate. They sold over 3,000 Cadbury's Easter eggs. However, tariffs have doubled costs; a packet of Walker's crisps now costs $2.70 (around £2).
Historical Ties and Changing Times
Denise Noles, originally from London, moved to Florida in 1976 when the exchange rate was $2.50 to the pound. She bought a house for $17,000 and recalls that 'nobody understood a word I said.' Now 80, she still works as an estate agent. Her daughter Justine Assal, 54, a business consultant awarded an MBE in 2015 for services to UK-Florida trade, notes that Brexit has affected British property buying due to unfavourable exchange rates. 'It's better now to repatriate the funds by selling the property and putting the money back into pounds.'
Justine lives in a five-bedroom, $2 million property in Orlando, with her mother Denise and stepfather Bert in a ground-floor flat across the pool, and her son Christian above. They all get along well. Denise previously lived in Tampa, where alligators would cross the road from canal to ocean.
Miami's Glamour and Surgical Enhancements
Sidhbh lives in an apartment ten floors above her sister Neasa, overlooking Miami Beach, with views of dolphins and manatees. The area is 'very bouji, full of gay couples in their forties, where everyone works out really hard and looks awesome.' Celebrities like David Beckham, Cindy Crawford, and Enrique Iglesias frequent the area. Sidhbh has treated high-profile patients but cannot share before-and-after photos due to privacy concerns. Both sisters admit to surgical enhancements; Sidhbh has had body contouring, and Neasa received free liposuction and a thigh lift from her sister.
Freedom and British Pride
Living abroad offers a sense of freedom. 'In Florida you have room to be as full-on and ridiculous as you want,' Neasa says. People go clubbing before work, heading to Club Space at 4am for coffee. Yet expats' love for Britain has only grown. Martin says, 'As soon as the plane flies towards Manchester and over Saddleworth Moor, it feeds my soul. I tell every American that their country is only the second best country in the world.'
At Martin's pub, Premier League matches are aired, and a back room hosts afternoon tea. 'Sometimes you'll have Liverpool versus Man United at the front of the pub, while at the back we'll have American ladies dressed in their finery for afternoon tea. By the end of the afternoon you'll have all these American women singing You'll Never Walk Alone,' he laughs. 'It's quite a sight.'
Escape To Florida airs Monday to Friday at 4pm on Channel 4.
