In 2002, 99 per cent of Gibraltarians voted to remain under UK sovereignty, which dates back to 1713, in a referendum.
The Union Jack is proudly flown and pubs sell real ale, fish and chips and full English breakfasts.
The government was forced to arrange a daily ferry to keep the local Morrison’s supermarket stocked with British goods such as sausages and bacon after Brexit.
Non-EU imports such as goods carried by British lorries travelling from Dover must now be checked in and out of the bloc.
That was impossible at the frontier so a daily ferry is put on from Algeciras, the nearest port with the infrastructure to check the goods back out of the EU.
“It’s been a hugely cumbersome, bureaucratic and time consuming procedure for us in a small administration,” Dr Garcia admitted.
Relations with Gibraltar have warmed in a way unthinkable when Madrid was branding it a tax haven and a colony.
Spanish diplomatic sources said they hope to get a deal done by Christmas and cement an area of shared prosperity
But Gibraltar has its red lines, including that the EU border guards are from the bloc’s Frontex agency and not Spain.
“The future of Gibraltar is British, British, British and nobody should make any mistake about that,” said Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar’s First Minister, this week, as he ruled out any “Spanish boots” on the ground.
Meanwhile, under the mass of its most famous landmark, Gibraltarians are preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.