SUNSET, and a blood-orange sun sinks over a calm turquoise Mediterranean as Jeff and Chrissy Parkin meet my wife Elaine and me for a snack at Tropico Beach Bar near Mijas, Costa Del Sol.
Chrissy has done her regular four mile walk with the dogs and Jeff has just played a gruelling tennis match, which he does three times every week.
They told us why they chose to leave Huddersfield and move here. They arrived in January 2001, having sold up everything except a few personal belongings. So after almost four decades in business in Rawthorpe, this lively couple decided to migrate to Spain, seeking, as they put it, ‘a better life’.
The couple met on holiday in Morecambe. Chrissy, 15 at the time, lived with her parents in Crosland Moor and Jeff lived in Stoke-on-Trent working as a skilled builder.
They fell in love and within three years managed to buy a shop with house attached. It seemed the right move for Chrissy, as a trained hairdresser, to open ‘Femina Hair Fashions’ salon. It soon became a thriving part of the Rawthorpe community.
After getting married in 1965 the tireless couple became avid squash and tennis players. Chrissy became Kirklees Ladies’ Squash Champion, along with running dozens of half marathons.
Jeff, meanwhile, was playing the sport at top level, meeting with well known champions like Jonah Barrington, James Wilstrup and Derek Ibbotson. Jeff was Yorkshire Vets Team Champion two years in succession and a leading Yorkshire league player.
It was in 1967 that they went on a summer holiday to the Costa Brava where they immediately fell in love with Spain, its culture and the people.
Some years later while on their way to the airport after staying with some other Yorkshire friends on the Costa del Sol, they saw a ‘for sale’ sign on a nearby villa. Jeff and Chrissy both took an instant liking to the house and, within five minutes decided they wanted it!
It was 15 years ago that they bought the attractive three bedroom villa in Torrenueva, about 30 minutes’ drive from Malaga airport. A shell of a swimming pool was installed and Jeff completed all the remaining work, including tiling and terraces. He also created a comfortable two-bed apartment beneath, along with several other extensive changes.
They enjoy attending charity events and Chrissy works voluntarily in a nearby Lions Charity Shop. Jeff, a keen golfer, has just been appointed as a marshal at Marbella Country Club which entitles him to free sessions!
Do they miss Huddersfield? “No” is the instant reply. “Apart from our son Steven and many close friends; having said that – we see as much, or more of them now, as they all come over to holiday with us.”
They say they witnessed Rawthorpe change from a lovely village to a sprawling housing estate. Jeff admits he misses the mates he played rugby with for the YMCA for 10 years. They return occasionally, but only when necessary.
Salvie, a sprightly Yorkshire terrier, was rescued by them as a three-week-old puppy being mistreated by a Spanish family and would probably have died had he not been taken in. He joins Bonnie, his playmate, a Westie, Jeff and Chrissy brought over from the UK. They enjoy frequent long walks and seem to go everywhere the couple go.
“So you won’t go back then?” “No, never. It’s great out here with loads to do and we have many more new friends. OK we have just had the coldest, wettest winter on record, but the old log fire and many UK TV programmes available fill those nights if we decide to stay in.
“We have had our share of problems like finding all the main drains clogged with tree roots seeking water, causing us to dig up the drive and terraces to swap old clay pipes with tough plastic ones.
“Also a little later, noticing that all the internal doors were infested with termites which meant that Jeff had to replace them all, including wardrobe doors, with new ones.
Have they ever thought about setting up in business in Spain? “No interest whatsoever. Besides, we wouldn’t have the time.”
