It depends on the variety of fig you've been given (what a lovely present!) If, as is quite usual to find, it's a Brown Turkey, then unless those blasts of air are VERY cold, or frequent, or really salty, I suspect it will survive well outside. Fig roots have a tendency to go deep, so a pot, however big might be a bit restrictive. Whether you get much or any fruit on it in Britain is entirely another matter! We have several huge fig trees, and we have horribly cold, and often long winters here, and they survive well, but we also get long, hot summers, and THAT's what makes the fruit! Good luck!

I believe in this country they do better with a restricted root run and some people even build a sort of brick lined well to plant them in.wish you lots of success with it.

I basically agree with Gattina & Steragram.

There is a couple of suggestions here;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Figs/Figs.htm

I had a customer who had a fig growing in a garden that was mainly north facing. But the fig was in sun, It was continually open to the elements and quite close to the sea. and it was doing really well. i haven't been to the garden for a couple of years, but I have heard that it produces fruit.

Thanks everyone. Great information ; )

When cycle touring in the South of France, I saw Fig Trees by the side of the rural roads. The Mistral Winds were awful but they were quite unaffected.