How Britain’s EU party town soured on Brussels
Reportage on a UK town's shift from pro-Europe party town to Brexit-backing heartland
In 1973, the sleepy English village of Ivybridge threw a week-long party to celebrate the UK joining what would later go on to become the EU. There was even a specially written anthem to accompany the festivities.
Time has moved on and 46 years later, local people are thinking about a new party, this time to celebrate Brexit.
Today, it is difficult to imagine there was a time when European flags adorned a British high street, parties for the single market raged and the UK’s membership was dubbed “for the benefit of humanity”.
But that is exactly what happened in 1973.