Residents in Abingdon talk about their prospects outside the European Union
ADVERTISEMENTAbingdon is in Oxfordshire. Almost 57 percent of voters in the region where it sits backed Britain staying in the EU. Brexit divides the community.
The politics of Brussels and Westminster may feel a long way from here, but Brexit is the talk of the town right now – amongst both leavers and remainers. Businesses want answers too.
Gary Cooper runs the ‘Fabulous Flowers’ flower shop in Abingdon – importing many of his blooms from across the English Channel.
"I think free trade is the most important thing for my business and the importing of flowers. Eighty percent of flowers in the UK are imported from Holland and lots of other stock is imported from Holland. We sell candles, we sell vases and we sell goods and we buy most of that from Amsterdam," he says.
Just down the road, Paul Blachut runs a Polish food store – one of three he’s set up since coming to Britain in search of a more lucrative life.
"We don't know what's going to happen because nothing is agreed so far. So I hope that Brussels and Westminster will find an agreement that will help us to keep that free trade movement and we will not be paying a lot of import taxes and duties," Paul Blachut, Blachut, Director of Polish Taste Oxford.
But Paul has more than trade on his mind. He’s still waiting for answers on immigration.
"Great Britain will not be as lucrative as it is at the moment, in the future. A lot of Polish and Eastern European people going back home to Europe. And if not to Poland, they go to other European countries. And we will see what the future will show. I just hope that we will find an agreement that the free movement of people will still be accepted," says Mr. Blachut.
But Paul will get little sympathy from Brexit supporters, who say any deal must now see Britain taking back control of its borders.