Shareen Campbell and Phil Saunter, owners of Los Gatos and Bistro Les Chats in Wood Street, and the Swindon Business People of the Year, talk about life in the restaurant business 

Regular readers know we have developed an interest in American food and cooking for family reasons.

The ‘special relationship’ between our two countries dominated our New Year break. Not a burger and hot dog story, but a story of love, loss and beer… Seven years ago, Shareen’s daughter Rosa, born and raised in Swindon, fell in love with Jason, a camera man from Michigan, USA. Married in New York, their relationship flourished, as did ours with the States and its food, drink and culture.

Regularly visiting the UK, Jason developed a taste for real beer. Following years of enthusiastic home brewing, he gave up photography and worked for two flourishing American brewing enterprises.

Ale drinkers among you will know that the tables have turned and English micro-brewers are now being influenced by these American hoppy craft beers.

Rosa and Jason worked hard in America, bought a house, had a beautiful daughter and moved back to Michigan for work.

After five years, Rosa was ceremoniously presented with US citizenship by Stephen Spielberg himself. But she misses her family, so combined with Jason’s new career, they decided to return to the UK.

An American brewer is a sought after item and from the States, Jason secured one firm job offer and two provisional ones. So they packed up their lives for shipping.

The UK Government, however, had other ideas.

“No,” said the Border Agency to Jason, married for seven years to a UK citizen with a daughter who also has a UK passport, “you can’t work here until you have a visa, and you can’t have a visa unless you have enough money to support yourself.”

“But I have a job!”

“Too bad, you need the visa first. Your wife can come, but you can’t come with her until she’s worked here for six months.”

How many young couples do you know with savings of £62,500 – the minimum required for a partner’s visa? How could Rosa leave her husband for six months and return to work when she has the baby to look after. Should she leave the baby too?

Words cannot describe how we feel about this. I’m sure many of you are surprised. We thought the US was hard to get into!

But no, Rosa cannot live in her own country unless she leaves her husband behind. Shareen must continue to be a long-distance grandmother. And we must all do without Jason’s beer.

They are not the only ones affected.

Last year, more than 4,000 husbands and wives were refused permission to join their UK spouses because of these financial rules.

So much for British hospitality. So much for our ‘special relationship’. You get a better welcome in America.

Los Gatos can be contacted in 01793 488450 or go to www.losgatos.co.uk n Bistro Les Chats can be contacted on 01793 527082 or go to www.leschats.co.uk