A number of British expats in Bahrain have chosen to ignore the FCO request for them to leave, instead opting to move to safer neighbourhoods instead.
According to reports, there has been a significant spurt of activity in the property rental market, specifically in the quieter areas of Bahrain.
Western expats in Bahrain traditionally live in the affluent, busy, areas in the North West. However, this area is where much of the recent trouble has emerged, forcing the expats to rethink their arrangements.
A report by the Bahrain property firm CB Richard Ellis has detailed the expat exodus from the affected areas: “Many expatriates, especially those with families, found the recent problems, which were very audible in this area, to be deeply troubling, and as a result there is likely to be some movement to quieter locations not so visible or audibly affected by political difference”.
The report highlights the areas of Riffa Views and Amwaj Islands as being of particular interest, however it also claimed that the true extent of the numbers moving will become clearer in the summer months. This is because families with children will perhaps wait till their children have broken up for school holidays.