Chris, he's not British: Brits wear knee socks, and jesus sandals made from rubber tyres and old belts. Or, trainers with no socks at all, thus giving the trainers a life expectancy of one season. Epitome of cool.
But yes, they (tourists) do pay for their presence, in a way, by providing laughs for the locals. God help the locals when they go and become tourists elewhere. Next week IVA/VAT (value added tax) goes up to 21%. Brilliant idea: suffocate what little business there is that's just hangin' on, and drive the rest into the black economy. I really wonder if any tourists will be coming back next year, with or without fancy footwear. For the locals, I hope they do; for myself, I hope they don't. Split loyalties, then.
Whhhhhh...
Rob C