Residents of the French port, dismayed at the rhetoric of Brexit, now want to see the town’s huge refugee camp moved over the Channel

On the corner of the Boulevard des Allies, the thoroughfare that runs parallel to the port of Calais, the sense of dismay and regret was palpable.

“Naturally the English people are still welcome to come to buy their cheap alcohol, but maybe the French and English were not the best of friends after all,” said Adeline, 20, a nurse who was born in the port.

The prevailing sentiment among locals in the corner of continental Europe closest to Britain was one of bitter sadness.

“It is a big surprise. We were supposed to be building a future together,” said hotel worker Mathis Robert, 33, jabbing his finger towards the white cliffs of Dover, 20 miles away across the channel.

“I thought we were closer. We have English friends who live close to Vannes [in Brittany] and they are also extremely upset,” said retired English teacher Genevieve, who has lived all her life in Calais.

Many of the port’s residents paraphrased a central slogan from the defeated Remain camp, as if repeating it might undo an unwelcome development. “We’re stronger together, it’s obvious,” said 45-year-old taxi driver Frank.

Xavier Chauberi, 42, who works at the Eurotunnel terminal at nearby Coquelles, admitted to being horrified at the venom of the referendum debate in the British media. “It’s crazy that this has happened. Maybe it’s an island mentality thing. Great Britain is one of the biggest members of Europe and what does it mean for us now?”

Inevitably, talk turned quickly to the border. Less than 12 hours after the news came that Britain had voted to leave, the mayor of Calais urged the scrapping of a deal that allows the UK to carry out immigration checks in France.

Natacha Bouchart said it was now the moment to renegotiate the Le Touquet agreement, which places border controls – and with them the hopeful refugees aspiring to settle in Britain – on the French side of the Channel. Bouchart, stipulating that Britain must “take the consequences” of its vote, wants the Jungle, the sprawling refugee camp on the outskirts of Calais, to be moved across the Strait of Dover.

For many Calais residents, the Jungle is the hottest issue in town. Standing in the central Place d’Armes, architect Nico Cousineau, 34, said: “I am very curious about what they will do with the border now. We want it moved to Dover.

“The migrants have caused many, many problems for us, including insecurity and perception issues. Many people, including British, avoid the town because they think it is unsafe.”

Yet in the vast refugee camp itself, where an estimated 6,000 people are camped within a six-minute drive of the town’s central square, news of the referendum result was greeted with indifference by many. Most said it would neither deter them nor make them more determined to reach Britain, though several admitted they would welcome any attempt to move the camp across the Channel.

Fawad Khan, 29, who last year fled a Taliban stronghold in Wardak province, close to the Afghan capital of Kabul, said: “It makes no difference. I will keep trying to get to my cousins in Southall like I do every day.” During his eight months inside the jungle, Khan estimated he had made more than 200 attempts to illegally gain entry to the UK. “Hundreds of my friends have made it there,” he beamed.

Aemal Niazi, 19, from the east Afghan city of Jalalabad, said that after four months of travelling to reach Calais he would not give up, whatever the ramifications of Brexit: “I have family in Birmingham and I intend to get there.”

Some were relieved to hear of the UK’s decision. Eritrean Hlebi Araya, 25, from Asmara, hoped it meant he could not be deported to countries like Italy. “Perhaps if there is no agreement with Britain they cannot send us back again into Europe.”

For others, the decision – and the resulting reaction of the global financial markets – meant that overnight the UK had become a place that might not be able to support their ambitions.

Engineer Ali Khan, 26, from Jalalabad – listening to Brexit reports on a small radio in the middle of the jungle on Friday evening – said the turn of events might dictate a change of plan. “For the UK it is very bad, very bad for its people. I might try somewhere else: Sweden, maybe Germany.”

There was however, at least one unrepentant Englishman in Calais. Among the crowd in the Place d’Armes was Lee Davidson, 40, from Dover, who had voted Leave. Asked if he felt anything had changed, he smiled: “Nothing really, the beer still tastes good.”