About the British Bureau of Florida. [Established 1991].

OWNER Patricia Kawaja, ex-Londoner.
CELEBRATING DECADES IN BUSINESS since 1991. Florida’s unique British brand.

THE WORK OF THE BRITISH BUREAU since 1991….overview. It fulfills several roles—all with a British focus:
1]  Advising and assisting UK based individuals and businesses relocate to Florida, via our relocation team of experts.
2]  Public relations/marketing work for clients needing to reach the British community in Florida for various reasons.
3]  It functions as a resource for British expatriates,  providing solutions to the problems of the many Florida expatriates who contact us with an endless variety of unique UK-US issues.
4]  As the Florida Association of British Business office, serving our British professional/commercial  members in all parts of Florida and the UK.    See our members listed on this website.    To join FABB,   email your membership query to  britishbusinessflorida@gmail.com   Put “FABB membership” on the subject line.
5] The British Bureau publishes this website  www.britishflorida.com.   This is Florida’s only complete reference source to all things British.    
6] For 24 years, it was the Florida office of Union Jack Newspaper, the national publication for the British community in the USA.  The newspaper, published in California by 2 British brothers,  ceased business in July 2016.  

 ► FABB   [formed later in 1997]  is part of the British Bureau. 
REASON TO JOIN FABB IN FLORIDA:  If you are a British professional or business owner resident anywhere in Florida you benefit from joining FABB and having your British business listed on this website.  

►  IN OUR DIRECTORY ARE MEMBERS OF FABB,   British professionals in Florida or a business with a British owner or British-Florida connection. The directory changes often and represents a small percentage of British businesses and entrepreneurs operating in Florida.   Nobody else but the British Bureau maintains an in-office list of British-owned or run businesses in Florida. The British Consulate, which worked with FABB on some of its UK-USA missions prior to 2004, focuses primarily on UK companies with subsidiaries or branch offices in Florida and has a list of those.    We market and promote this website on behalf of FABB members.  All our members are British or Irish immigrants from the UK.  Some are UK-based Brits who are planning to move to Florida and FABB is assisting and advising them on all their needs.  We also have a few British members in Spain, Greece, South Africa, Dubai, France and the Caymans who are using our services to emigrate to Florida.

►  FABB HISTORY  The British community in Florida has become huge.  About 400,000 Brits live here permanently or temporarily. I.4 million British tourists visit Florida every year.  Since the late 1970’s, when the first Brits came over to Central Florida to see the newly-built Disney World, they have been flooding into the Sunshine State.  Delighted by what they found, thousands settled here, started businesses, bought homes and spread throughout the State. The British Ambassador to the USA recently stated that 1 out of 40 Brits come to Florida from Britain each year. By the early 1990’s, Ft Lauderdale and Orlando had become the area where most Britons took up permanent residence . According to US Government 1990 Census Figures, Broward County had the most British-born residents. Small British- owned businesses all over Florida flourished. This was reflected in the many British pubs opening up across the state—-to serve the burgeoning British community.  Brits must have their pub, wherever they live in the world!  By 2003,  Sarasota had developed a considerable British community.   Brits have also settled in large numbers in Jacksonville and now in Miami…attracted by the Magic City’s international ambiance. When Patricia moved the FABB office [and her home] to Miami in 2002, the Miami Herald did several features on FABB and the British Bureau.  But back to the beginning…..In August 1997 British-born [then] attorney Michael Towner from Liverpool, and Londoner Patricia Kawaja, owner of the British Bureau of Florida, formed a partnership to launch FABB.   Both were Ft Lauderdale residents, well-known and active in the South Florida British community.    In July 1999 the partnership was amicably dissolved and since then Patricia runs FABB with her relocation team and professional associates. She never had any business dealings with him.  Patricia Kawaja’s work with FABB and the British community has been featured in countless newspaper articles and TV shows. here and in the UK.  [See Clients and Media page on this website].

►  FABB MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES Florida and UK members in all professions.  [Explore the membership lists on this website].  Since early 2002, with the unprecedented demand from UK Brits to emigrate here, a major part of FABB’s work is now steering UK-Based Brits through the whole legal and business process of moving here.  Our expert team offers superb and trusted relocation services.  To reflect the times, since early 2006 FABB has become primarily internet-based, with few actual functions.  Members gain more business via the FABB office and FABB website than by attending functions in person.
FABB is Florida’s only professional organisation assisting Brits before and after their move to Florida.

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 £$  TIP:  WANT TO SAVE WHEN TRANSFERRING over UK CURRENCY?   DON’T USE YOUR BANK!  Use Moneycorp.  [ I use Moneycorp myself–FABB President.]   TO FIND OUT MORE:    Phone Moneycorp’s Kelly Cutchin on  [863] 207-6616 at their USA HQ in Orlando to ask all your questions.  Or email your query to Kelly Cutchin  kelly.cutchin@moneycorp.com   The pound is shaky.  That affects all expats in Florida who still have UK dealings. To transfer your precious funds, we highly recommend you use the services of Moneycorp.  At lower rates than any bank!  This will save you fees and grief, as we Londoners say!  What your own bank won’t do is save considerable  exchange fees, like Moneycorp.  THE BEST WAY:   Moneycorp, the UK company with an office in Florida and droves of satisfied Florida clients. It is the only UK currency exchange company licenced to deal in 50 states.   Many expat Brits here have used this currency service for years and report huge savings and satisfaction.   Moneycorp’s HQ is in England.   Posted by the Florida Association of British Business [FABB].  Moneycorp have been trusted members since 2005.