Costa del Sol 17 – 23 August 2023 Issue 1989

SURPRISE GUEST

POPULAR local singer

Michael Harding (Mr Maph) was surprised and delighted to see international celebrities in the audience when booked to perform at a private house party.

Not only was he congratulated on his show by former Miss USSR Julia Lemigova, who is a now a member of the cast of Real Housewives of Miami, it turned out that she is married to another famous person who was one of his childhood inspirations.

Julia’s wife who she married in 2014 is none other than the tennis legend that is Martina Navratilova, who was and

still is such an important influence in women’s professional tennis.

Michael said that she

was a lovely lady to meet and was so humble despite her success and international acclaim.

LOVELY LADY: Martina Navratilova with Mr Maph.

Credit: Michael Harding

WHEN they refer to animals, world days are intended to highlight the status of endangered species and to raise awareness of threats in their native habitats.

Sometimes these days arise from initiatives such as the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, which proclaimed World Elephant Day (every August 12) in 2012.

The hunting of a lion in Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe) was the trigger for World Lion Day in 2015 which is celebrated on August 10.

On August 13 we remember the existence of the armadillo, a small mammal that by its appearance seems to have remained anchored in the past.

The Head of Veterinary Medicine of Selwo Aventura,

World Days

RAISING AWARENESS: Of endangered species in their native habitats.

rated with the favourite flavours.

Mijas countdown

THE countdown to the Mijas Fair 2023 has begun in earnest.

The festivities in honour of the patron saint of the town, the Virgen de la Pena, already have an official date and headliners for its musical programme.

Cecilia Sierra, confirmed that the Adventure Park celebrated each of the animals’ special days: “In addition to the usual food we treat the animals to ice creams incorpo­

“For example, in the case of lions, they enjoy blood from meat, while for elephants the ideal is fruit and different toppings.

“Our team of caretakers prepare the delights with great care, it really does help make really hot days more bearable.”

Mayor of Mijas, Josele Gonzalez, confirmed: “The Mijas Fair will be held from September 5 to September 10 and once again we will be bringing some top­level artists to the Municipal Stand so that residents and visitors can enjoy the best music completely free of charge.”

The councillor for Fiestas, Tamara Vera, said: “After the Las Lagunas and La Cala fairs, we are putting the finishing touch to the festival season in our town.

“The important thing is that our visitors and residents enjoy a fair that I know they look forward to all year round.”

IT has literally been a long, hard road for Marbella resident professional cyclist Luis Ángel Maté who is currently take part in the Volta a Portugal.

Now 39 years old he has enjoyed a steady but not overly successful career but on Tuesday August 15, he won the taxing second stage of the race which saw the cyclists tackling a mountain climb.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, this is his first stage vic­

The councillor added: “The Fiestas Department is already coordinating the details with other departments such as Urban Mobility so that everything goes perfectly and the people who decide to come to enjoy the festivities only have to worry about having a good time.”

tory in almost 13 years and is only the third stage success of his long professional career.

Now in fifth place overall in the race, this victory may be a springboard to greater success as he comes towards the end of his career.

Andalucia’s father

Warning flags

AS part of its ongoing fight to protect people on the many beaches that run from Manilva Costa through Sabinillas and on to Duquesa, the local council has come up with an innovative new plan.

Lifeguards fly different coloured flags to warn people about potential problems with the tide and swimming in the sea generally with green for clear, yellow for caution and red for danger.

Now, in order to help those who are colour blind, new flags are being flown which are not only coloured for those with clear sight, but contain different shapes which indicate the state of the water and any warning.

Red bears a triangle pointing to the left, yellow a slash and green a triangle pointing to the right.

THE mayor of Benalmadena, Juan Antonio Lara, delivered a floral tribute on the 87th anniversary of the death of Blas Infante on Friday August 11.

This is a traditional event organised in Benalmadena which serves to keep alive the memory of the father of the Andalucian homeland.

The municipality always celebrates it in the central Calle Blas Infante in Arroyo de la Miel, next to the monolith in honour of the greatest ideologue of political Andalucianism.

The town hall stresses the importance of sup ­

porting this type of event, not only to pay homage to Blas Infante but also to keep his legacy alive.

Politician, writer, notary and intellectual, Blas Infante Perez was the precursor of the collective impulse that made it possible to achieve the self­government that the Statute of Autonomy for Andalucia represents today.

He played a decisive role in shaping the Andalucian identity and gave the community its own symbolism through the creation of the flag, coat of arms and anthem.

Cycle success Simply Thriving

SIMPLY Thriving is set to start the season off with a bang in September with a lunch date at La Sierra on September 7.

Following on, Last of the Summer Wine will be held at Monaghan’s on September 28.

The October lunch is still to be decided but there will be a coach trip out to the Carvery in Montemar followed by the fantastic show Curtain Up in the Moonlight Bar in Benalmadena.

There will also be the Autumn Ball in November, a Christmas lunch special in December and don’t forget, we head for lunch every first Thursday of every month.

Image: Selwo Aventura

Councillor for Fiestas, Tamara Vera, and mayor of Mijas, Josele Gonzalez.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Mijas

EURO WEEKLY NEWS is thrilled to announce that our newspaper and website will feature in a TV programme to be filmed in Benidorm.

Hold the Front Page is a programme following two of the UK’s favourite comedians, Josh Widdicombe and Nish Kumar, as they embark on a journey as trainee local journalists attempting to get a story on the front page. Now they are coming to Spain for their training.

Josh and Nick are coming to Benidorm to receive editorial tasks from managing director Michel Euesden, who is the driving force behind Spain’s biggest free English language newspaper group.

They will then be accompanied on a sales drive to see if they can achieve in the world of fast­paced journalism.

Exploring some incredible regions through their local papers, the series is a warm celebration of the world of local journalism besides the people and communities the papers serve.

Being a people’s paper, Euro Weekly News is looking for a charity or community group who would like to be featured

NIBS EXTRA

Damp squib

THOSE who expected to see a great fireworks display to close the Manilva Fair on Sunday August 13, were disappointed when the local fire brigade advised the organisers that due to the risk of fire the display should be cancelled.

Recycling aim

WITH so many bars and restaurants in Benahavis there is always a great deal of waste created daily. Now the council has launched a campaign to remind businesses of the need to recycle glass in order to comply with existing legislation.

Fire control

EMERGENCY SERVICES were called out to a fire on waste land behind the San Pedro de Alcantara Industrial Estate on Friday August 11 but firefighters from Infoca and Marbella Fire Brigade quickly extinguished it.

Hold the front page

in the programme.

Please contact us by calling 951 386 161 or emailing news desk@euroweeklynews. com to tell us about your needs.

The series is broadcast on Sky Max, a flagship channel in the UK and Ireland, and can be enjoyed on demand on Now TV too.

Series one of the Sky Original show was watched nearly two million times.

Josh and Nish also have a strong and engaged social following of their own on Instagram and Twitter, through which they promote the programme to their combined audience of 1.6 million.

CPL Productions, a Red Arrow Studios company, is one of the most successful TV, radio and podcast production companies in the UK.

The company creates and produces engaging, modern entertainment, factual formats and scripted television.

From primetime entertainment to comedy, drama and factual entertainment, CPL’s impressive roster of shows feature some of the UK’s best talent for broadcasters including Netflix, Sky, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and E4.

Sports Fair Big Week

ALONGSIDE the San Miguel Fair celebrations, a sports activities programme will take place.

The mayor of Torremolinos, Margarita del Cid, confirmed: “This year we have worked on an intense programme, San Miguel Sports Fair, which will take place throughout the month of September.

“We are offering a total of 16 sporting events covering more than 10 different disciplines. We are seeking to involve everyone, young and old.”

Sporting events will take place from September 1 onwards throughout the whole month.

The councillor for Sports, Ramon Alcaide added: “On September 9 we are holding an event that has never been done before in our city: the strongman and strongwoman of Torremolinos.”

The bulky sports programme also includes the Traditional Games Party on Sunday, September 3 at the indoor tennis and paddle courts from 10.00am. This is a family activity that will replace the aquatic party, which this year due to the drought, cannot take place.

Anna Ellis

WITH Benalmadena’s big week upon us, the town hall has worked hard on upgrading the lighting and furniture in the town.

The councillor for Services, Juan Olea, confirmed: “Our priority objective was that Benalmadena Pueblo really shines in its big week.

“Then we want to make it shine every day of the year because a town that takes care of itself is the best investment for Benalmadena.”

He pointed out that his department

YOUR EWN HAS

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Festival Cala Mijas

has replaced benches in the Plaza de la Nina and the Mirador del Muro, next to the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzman. It has also incorporated LED lighting in this viewpoint and the staircase that connects to Avenida del Chorrillo.

In addition, work has been carried out to improve the lighting in Parque Los Limones and new litter bins have been placed in the children’s playground.

The councillor added that for the Fair they have been working flat out to ensure that everything was in order.

IT is only 14 days to the start of the Festival Cala Mijas which sees three days of different bands from around the world performing to expected large crowds.

Unlike Mare Nostrum in Fuengirola and Starlite in Marbella this is not a summer long event but the decision to host it has caused disagreement between local residents.

Some see it as a way of attracting visitors whilst others consider it an expensive extravagance. Time will tell who is right.

New benches are now in place.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Benalmadena

Josh and Nick are coming to Benidorm.

Credit: Sky TV

In memoriam Clive Saxby

MANY tributes have been seen following the recent passing of popular local Estate Agent, Clive Saxby, owner of MDL Marbella

Dream Living following a long illness.

One of the most heartfelt came from his friends and colleagues at MDL

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

who announced his death on their Facebook page, saying “Clive had a huge character and was a force of nature across the coast

A person with some knowledge of several fields (jack of all trades) can’t be a master in any of them. Source - In 1612, the phrase appeared in the book ‘Essays and Characters of a Prison’ by English writer Geffray Mynshul (Minshull), originally published in 1618.

for many years. His personality was as big as his heart and as a team, he will leave a huge hole in our lives.

“Our mission is to continue in his memory to be the best we can be, offering the best service possible to everyone we meet as he loved to see everyone succeed.

“Marbella Dream Living thank you for all your kind thoughts and respect shown to a truly great man.”

Another tribute appeared in Planet Marbella where writer and Talk Rado Europe presenter Giles Brown who clearly had a great deal of respect for Mr Saxby, called him “one of the best­ known, highly regarded and much­loved figures in Marbella’s Real Estate Industry.

“A consummate professional with an unrivalled knowledge of the market, Clive never lost sight of the fact that at its most basic, property is a business about people and the relationships that you build with your clients.”

Having lived and worked

for so long on the Costa del Sol, he was a professional who did a great deal to promote the Real Estate

Industry and to bring on young realtors, many of whom have since set up their own agencies.

Million Euro Makeover

THE mayor of Torremolinos, Margarita del Cid, has announced that the town hall plans to invest more than €1 million in improving the commercial areas of the municipality.

The mayor confirmed: “This is a commitment that involves building up the commercial activity of Torremolinos in a radical way.

“The work will emphasise both the aesthetic improvement and those aspects that allow this sector to be much more competitive.”

80% of Spaniards live in urban areas

FORCE OF NATURE: The late Clive Saxby.

“A jack of all trades is master of none.”

4 Years on the trot!

Anna Ellis

FOR the fourth consecutive year, Marbella hosted the Nautical Days of the Andalucian Federation of Sports for People with Intellectual Disabilities (Fanddi).

The event took place from August 7 to August 11 at the Inturjoven Hostel and brought together 24 young people from all over the autonomous community.

The councillor for Sports, Lisandro Vieytes, confirmed: “It is a source of pride for the city to once again host a campus in which these elite professionals demonstrate their

skills and continue to break down barriers.

“Our town has everything needed to enjoy a wide range of nautical activities

WOULD you like to learn how to dance

Sevillana style?

Now is the ideal opportunity as Fuengirola is offering free classes in its Sevillanas Dancing Express Course.

The dance classes will take place at 8.00pm in the Parque de España over the next five Tuesdays (August 22 and 29, and September 5, 12 and 19).

Dance teacher, Juani Guerrero, en­

such as sailing, surfing, paddle surfing and kayaking, which are complemented by cultural and leisure activities run by specialised in­

Dancing Queen

couraged “residents and visitors to come, both children and adults and enjoy dance classes in the great outdoors.”

“I recommend everyone comes with comfortable clothes and shoes and above all, to come with the desire to learn. If you put a little effort you learn quickly.”

Spain’s 3rd heatwave

structors.”

The association’s delegate in Malaga, Maite Cano, thanked the institutional support and explained that the organisation “organises competitions in more than a dozen modalities.

“It also promotes an initiative that returned to Marbella once again in which more than 20 federated sportspeople have had the opportunity to practice new disciplines.”

The delegate added: “This event has brought together young people from Malaga, Cordoba, Huelva and Granada.”

Sevillanas music and dance are typically lively and upbeat and are performed either by a single dancer or a couple. Though some flamenco purists argue that Sevillanas is a folk dance (and therefore not ‘proper flamenco’) it incorporates many of the steps and techniques of traditional flamenco forms and is often the first form aspiring flamenco dancers learn.

A SPATE of heatwaves stretching across southern Europe has pushed temperatures in parts of Spain to uncomfortable levels in recent weeks. Meteorologists warned it could be the “most extreme of the summer” and triggered widespread weather alerts.

In the third heatwave in a matter of weeks, much of the southern part of the country was on orange alert and red alerts over the weekend, with temperatures expected to surge above 40 Celcius.

The meteorological agency also issued maximum red alerts for parts of Andalucia in the south, the Madrid region in the centre, and the Valencian community.

The heatwaves recorded in Spain this summer have also worsened a prolonged drought, lowering reservoir levels as water evaporation and consumption increase, prompting some authorities

to impose restrictions.

Although many may think that summer temperatures have always been high in Spain, the prolonged heat has usually been broken by summer storms, enabling the land and air temperatures to cool down to a more comfortable level.

Advice during heatwaves is to keep out of the sun and stay in the shade. Traditionally, the Spanish close all of their shutters, keeping their homes in darkness during the daytime in order to keep the heat out of their homes.

One business, The Lemon Tree, located in the main square of Mijas Pueblo, said every day is different.

“The heat hasn’t really affected us, although today has been a bit quiet,” said the owner, Craig Latham on Friday, August 11.

“We noticed people are coming in earlier for breakfast, then heading to the beach but no set pattern.”

Image: Ayuntmamiento de Marbella

NAUTICAL DAYS: An initiative for sportspeople.

THE Marbella Half Marathon will be held on October 1 with a course that will follow the ever expanding coastal path.

This is one of the first major sporting events to be held by the city after the summer season has finished and it is deliberately held on a date when the fierce heat of summer has reduced, although this year if the weather follows the current pattern, it could still be very warm.

This year the race will start at the Marbella Arch and carry on to Puerto Banus along the beach front and runners will be pleased to know that the actual course will be flat all of the way.

Both federated and nonfederated runners may take part with categories ranging from under 20 to over 85, and those taking part can either run the whole course or can even

Half marathon

enter a relay team.

In addition, there will be a five ­ kilometre charity run with funds going to help the Sierra Blanca Foundation and Building the Future projects

Director of Run ­ On, which is arranging the event, Álvaro Lucena, con­

firmed that his objective “is to double the number of participants compared to last year” and wants “to attract the attention of runners from all over Europe”.

Participants can register to take part at the official website www.run­on.es.

Golf school

Anna Ellis GOLFERS will be delighted to hear that the Marbella Municipal Golf School has a new European instrument for training and practice.

The councillor for Sports, Lisandro Vieytes, confirmed that: “It is a privilege to have The Robo Golf Pro whose inventor is Scott Nei in our city.

“The new machine can not only observe different types of techniques, but also the specific swing of a certain professional golfer can be introduced and then amateurs can try to replicate it.”

The councillor added: “This improvement is in addition to those made recently, such as the inauguration of the Trackman System which is an advanced method. This method is the most professional and the best valued by golfers.

Pablo Mansilla, president of the Andalucian Golf Federation, said: “With this robot, we will see better results.

“We are very proud to have this exceptional machine which is unique in Europe here. We will continue to work on the school to raise the level so that Marbella will become a great champion in this sport in the future.”

Surprise closure

PARENTS of young children who attended the Mont 21 School in Marbella were amazed to discover through a Facebook post on Tuesday August 15 that the school was closing down.

The post stated “It is with deep sadness that we have today had to announce the temporary closure of our wonderful school due to the loss of our premises.

“We are devastated that the children will be unable to continue at their school in September.

“We wish to thank all our families and staff team for their help and support dur­

ing this difficult time and look forward to our planned return in early 2024.”

It was known that the private school which opened in 2009 and was a member of the National Association of British Schools in Spain expected to move to new green location sometime in 2024 where it would accept children aged from 16 months to 18 years.

What was neither known nor expected was that there would be a sudden closure just a few weeks before the new term starts in September, leaving so many children apparently without a place in any school.

MAJOR EVENT: Promoting the Half Marathon.

Credit: Marbella Council

Beautiful Benalmadena

Anna Ellis

THE councillor for Parks and Gardens of Benalmadena

Town Hall, Juan Olea, has now announced the first de tails of his Beautification Plan.

Initially, the plan involves the installation of vertical planters with flowers of differ ent shades in order to im prove the aesthetics of the municipality.

The town hall has now be gun the installation of a total of four vertical planters, two of them in the heart of Arroyo de la Miel, the first at the beginning of the Avenida de la Constitucion, opposite the

IN 2023, Malaga has remained one of the priority destinations for investment in the refurbishment or construction of hotels, although with slightly lower figures than last year when there was a boom in operations coinciding with the end of the pandemic.

The latest report from the consultancy firm, Colliers, corresponding to the first half of the year, indicates the province has registered an investment of €110 mil­

Priority destination

lion spread over four operations.

Three of them have corresponded to holiday hotel establishments located on the Costa del Sol, while another has been in a property in the centre of Malaga for conversion into a boutique hotel.

Oklahoma Audition Call

Pueblo, next to the Felipe Orlando Museum and the other in front of the Bil­Bil Castle.

If the result is positive, more will be installed throughout Benalmadena, the councillor added.

“These planters are very colourful and are very popular with our residents and visitors.

“We believe that this is the first stone of an ambitious project to beautify our town which is working in other municipalities such as Marbella and Estepona who have been awarded prestigious prizes for installing planters.”

Malaga currently accounts for 8 per cent of national hotel investment, which reached €1.383 million.

The Balearic Islands, are the undisputed leader of the semester with 15 transactions and €400 million (29 per cent of the national total), thanks to intense activity in hotel portfolios in the archipelago. The Canary Islands accounted for another 13 per cent of investment, with seven transactions worth €174 million.

THE first musical created by Rodgers and Hammerstein Oklahoma will come to the Salón Varietés Theatre in Fuengirola and run from Friday October 20 to Sunday October 29.

A cast of five males and three female leads and an ensemble of approximately 30 (including children) will be chosen. Strong roles for both leads and supporting male and female characters are available.

The directors are seeking teens and adults that are strong singers with acting and dance/movement ability.

Actors will be asked to perform a short cold reading from the script and/or perform a prepared monologue.

Those auditioning for lead roles should prepare 16 ­ 32 bars of a

Classical Musical Theatre (no pop or a Capella) piece for their audition.

Singing numbers from the show is acceptable but please bring accompaniment on a Pen drive or Bluetooth device.

The auditions will take place on Saturday August 27 from 11am2pm for singers and actors and Sunday August 28 from 11am to 2pm for dancers.

Any questions should be addressed to the Director Owain Griffiths by WhatsApp on 622 440 164.

As a special bonus, there is a discount on tickets for the opening night of the musical for a limited time only so call 952 474 542 to book tickets, but note that the box office opens on September 1.

Blas Infante roundabout, and the second at the beginning of Calle Las Flores.

The other two are planned in visible areas of the municipality, one in Benalmadena

Image: Ayuntamiento de Benalmadena

VERTICAL PLANTERS: Have been installed in the town.

Humanitarian aid

Anna Ellis

THE Fuengirola Local Police have carried out an average of eight humanitarian aid actions per day so far this summer.

Since the police force started the special summer measures on June 15, up until August 9, 360 actions have been carried out.

Most of these actions that occurred outside focused mainly on attending to drunken people, disoriented people and the homeless.

The most common ones attended to in private homes were: the care of elderly people who fell inside the building or domestic accidents, the care of people locked in lifts, in the same house or in one of its rooms,

as well as assistance for suicide attempts.

Local Police receive telephone alerts in their Communications Room and the police patrols closest to the scene are alerted.

It is these police officers who locate the exact spot or the home and intervene to

help the person get up or notify the medical services.

In the last few months, 330 actions were alerted to the police by telephone on 112, 092 or (+34) 952 580 900.

The other 30 were alerted and attended directly by police on patrol.

Record employment

MARBELLA is celebrating fantastic employment figures. In July, the city confirmed an employment record with 83,051 registrations at the Social Security Offices.

Data for the last 21 years is available and these figures confirm that there have never been so many people working in the municipality.

According to data from the Ministry of Social Security,

Enjoy bathing

DURING August, Estepona

Council is arranging assisted bathing sessions for people with reduced mobility.

Those people, who benefit from the Home Help Service programme of the Social Services Delegation, are picked up and taken in an adapted vehicle, donated by the Asdies Association for the Disabled in Estepona to El Cristo beach. This activity takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, helping some eight people in each session.

The beach has easy accessibility with changing rooms, showers, toilets, adapted amphibian chairs and crutches and those taking part can enjoy several hours of relaxation.

there were 83,051 contributors in Marbella at the end of July, 2,128 more than in June (+2.63 per cent).

The previous record for employment in Marbella was last June, with 80,923, which in turn surpassed the previous record, which dated back to July 2022, with 79,847 Social Security registrations.

If we take the year­on­year figure, there are 3,204 more

contributions than in the same month of 2022.

The month of July also closed with 53 more self­employed in Marbella, bringing the total figure to 14,286, which is also a new all­time high.

This makes six consecutive months of increase after January’s drop (­84) of self­employed workers in the municipality.

LOCAL POLICE: Receive alerts in their communications room.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Fuengirola

Robo Golf

THE Marbella Municipal Golf School has obtained a new machine (the first of its kind in Europe) to assist golfers in their training and to allow them a greater option to practise.

The Robo Golf Pro which was created by Scott Nei, a teacher at the Pebble Beach Golf Academy in the USA aims to help golfers perfect their swing as if that is correct, then it gives them a much better chance of reducing their handicap.

The way the machine works is that it is possible to programme in an example of the swing used by some of the most successful professional golfers and because of its construction will help those using the machine to follow their favourite’s style.

This purchase is another example of how the Golf School is embracing new technology in order to ensure that Marbella and its multitude of golf clubs continues to be a leader in the Costa del Golf scene.

The council, management of the Golf School and Range and the Andalucian Golf Federation are all working together to ensure that the school continues to offer a top class service.

IT has now been confirmed that the actor, Manuel Bandera, will be the town crier for the Feria de San Miguel 2023 in Torremolinos.

The opening of the Feria de San Miguel will take place on September 27 at 8.30pm in the Plaza de Espana located in the fairgrounds of the town.

Town Crier

The Malaga­born actor has a special connection with the town, which he frequented a lot during his youth and where he even worked as a waiter in a bar run by his cousin.

IF you have a business and need your cardboard collecting, Fuengirola Town Hall can help you out!

The free door ­ to ­ door cardboard collection service carried out 267 collections throughout June and July.

The councillor for Cleaning, Carmen Díaz, explained that “every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in the afternoon, the service operators go to those businesses that have joined this campaign and remove the cardboard they have generated.”

“To join this initiative, which already has 45 registered businesses, just send a WhatsApp message to 678 430 433, indicating the name of the establishment, address and contact person.”

took part in several plays.

He later moved to Madrid to study dance and physical education, which has allowed him to star in several musicals throughout his career, such as ‘Cabaret’, ‘Chicago’ and ‘A Chorus Line’.

In addition to musicals, in theatre, he has performed both classics, such as ‘Euripides’ and contemporary, such as in ‘Trap for Birds’, as well as historical dramas such as ‘Mariana Pineda’.

Collecting cardboard

operator will come to collect the waste.

The councillor added: “Keeping Fuengirola clean is a matter for everyone.

“To maintain the image of order and cleanliness that we all want, both residents, visitors and establishments in our city have a very important role.

Your message will then be answered with the day and time that the

“If we all join forces and avoid leaving rubbish bags in the bins or outside the ecological islands we will offer a much more positive image of the city.”

TOP SERVICE: Marbella’s new Robo Golf Pro.

Manuel Bandera has a long career. His first jobs were in Malaga, where he

Credit: Marbella Council

FREEE SERVICE: The councillor for cleaning, Carmen Díaz.

Actor, Manuel Bandera will be the town crier for the Torremolinos feria.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Fuengirola

Image: Ayuntamiento de Torremolinos

Record 91.21 per cent

IT looks like the Costa del Sol is experiencing records of all kinds in relation to tourism and now Torremolinos is on course to record an historical hotel occupancy for August.

According to the forecast of the Association of Hotel Businessmen of the Costa del Sol, AEHCOS, the town will record a hotel occupancy rate of 91.21 per cent in August.

This figure represents a growth of 3.42 per cent compared to that recorded in August 2022 when the forecast was 88.19 per cent.

Mayor, Margarita del Cid, happily confirmed: “We are experiencing a historic sum­

Anna Ellis

mer in Torremolinos.

“We are breaking records and are the municipality with the highest occupancy on the Costa del Sol and in Andalucia.

“Obviously, the effort made by the tourist industry in Torremolinos is the key that is

THE department of Fiestas has now opened the registration period for those interested in participating in the contest of King and Queen of the Mijas Fair 2023. Registrations can be submitted by young people registered in Mijas, aged 16 to 30 years, who have not won any previous contest or have not been awarded in any category in previous years of the contest.

Those interested in participating must formalise their registration by registering at any of

Tree of Wishes

THERE are some 6,000 people in Malaga Province in municipalities of less than 20,000 residents who receive a home help service supplied by the company Clece.

The Malaga Provincial Council and Clece have produced an innovative concept called the ‘Tree of Wishes’ to try to make life that bit better for those receiving help.

can write a wish that they want to come true.

Subsequently, a panel made up of staff from the Malaga Provincial Council and Clece will meet to consider all of the requests received and in October will choose the wishes of three clients to make them actually come true.

Hen Party

making us have record occupancy. These data also show a reality which is the extra effort that towns like Torremolinos have to make to maintain the quality of public services with a population well above its usual range every month.”

Mijas royalty

the mayor’s offices, both in Las Lagunas and La Cala, or at the town hall itself before August 23.

The contest of King and Queen of the Mijas Fair will take place in the Municipal House on the same day as the inauguration of the Mijas festivities, on September 5, and the jury’s decision will be announced after the end of the gala.

From now until the beginning of September, the more than 2,300 home help assistants employed by Clece will be giving to each of their clients, a card on which they

Apart from traditional home help services, Clece invited a number of their clients to visit their centre to enjoy air conditioned comfort during this time of extreme heat.

THERE can be very few people along the Costa del Sol who haven’t heard of singer Alexandra Avery either because they have seen her perform in different venues or because of her appearance on TV’s Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun.

Now her great friend and fellow TV star, the ebullient Valerie Williams has revealed that she attended a very special Hen Party organised to celebrate Alexandra’s forthcoming wedding to Lee.

Many of her friends arrived to help her celebrate and there was a quiz, a life drawing class with a nude male model, tarot card readings and plenty of food and drink.

TORREMOLINOS: Breaking occupancy records.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Torremolinos

CENTRE VISIT: Clients enjoy company and cool air.

Credit: Clece

Ababy’s fight for life

THERE can be no worse horror for any parent than when their baby starts screaming and because he or she is so young cannot explain what is wrong.

This was the dilemma faced by Rachel and Nick Samuel last January and they rushed their son Samuel to their GP who immediately referred them to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London where he was diagnosed with cancer.

Amplified MYCN Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer and treatment in the UK is not as advanced as in some other countries.

The poor youngster, now 18 months old has gone through six months of chemotherapy, stem cell therapy and an operation and happily at the moment, he appears to be pain free but the cancer cells can reappear at any time.

According to his grand ­

Pedal day

Family

mother Elizabeth Parker Gleeson who moved to Spain 24 years ago and is currently living in Mijas, rather than subject him to a further six months of chemotherapy in the UK (when he is currently cancer free), there is ground breaking treatment being developed in both the USA and Barcelona.

There is a possibility to send him to Barcelona in mid­

September where a sixmonth course of immunotherapy treatment which recognises the return of cancer cells is possible, but there is a massive cost of £300,000.

The family are appealing for financial assistance and have set up a crowdfunding page, which has already raised £77,000 and knowing the compassion shown by

the thousands of readers of Euro Weekly News in the past have reached out and asked that we publish details of their page which we are happy to do.

Visit https://www.crowd funder.co.uk/p/help­babyrobin­survive­cancer to read more about baby Robin Samuel and see how your donation can help to save him.

WITH cycling being such a popular sport and pastime on the Costa del Sol, the Estepona Council organised its 80th Pedal Day last weekend.

No less 113 cycling enthusiasts from the very young to the more mature took part and before starting the 4.2 kilometre ride, they all observed a one­minute silence in memory of Federico Martín Bahamontes, the first Spaniard to win the Tour de France who passed away the previous week.

A new Pedal Day is being planned to take place during September to commemorate the Year of the Bike and to encourage as many people as possible to get on their bikes and pedal. There will be a number of special events surrounding the ride as well as a selection of gifts for those taking part.

THE Mijas Council has decided to enforce a local bylaw concerning the wearing of appropriate clothing within the municipality.

This basically means that the Local Police have been instructed to stop anyone who is shirtless or wearing bathing costumes in any area except by the beaches or any other public area where such a state of undress is considered appropriate.

On the first occasion, officers will issue a warning to

Dress code

the persons involved but if there is a repeat, then fines may be issued.

Whilst many may applaud the decision, especially when one considers how inappropriate it may be in Mijas Pueblo, it seems coincidental that the enforcement has been announced just prior to the influx of visitors to the Festival Cala Mijas during a heatwave.

FAMILY APPEAL: Robin recovering from a nine hour operation.

Credit: The Samuel

Cash for sports

FUENGIROLA Town Hall has increased the financial aid to promote sport in the town to €200,000.

The councillor for Sports, Julio Rodríguez, explained that this municipal amount is dedicated to groups, individual sportsmen and women, event organisation and elite sport.

In total, 51 applications for aid were received this year, of which 26 met all the requirements, while another 25 have yet to provide any of the documents required in the call for applications in order to receive the subsidy.

Typical dishes 70% complete

Anna Ellis

THE work on the new sports pavilion being built in the southern extension of San Pedro Alcantara is now 70 per cent complete and is scheduled to open in early 2024.

Mayor of San Pedro, Javier Garcia, confirmed: “The new pavilion is a major, modern and versatile project that will respond to the demands of residents and clubs.

“The area around Calle Lyon, where the infrastructure is located, is being transformed into a large area of facilities including public housing, a multipurpose facility, playgrounds and a senior citizens’ centre.”

The mayor added: “The complex will have a central multi­purpose court, with an area of 1,700 square metres, which will be fitted out for handball, basketball, indoor football and volleyball.

“The court can also be divided into three transversal fields, both for basketball and volleyball.

“The ground floor will house a multi­purpose hall that can be subdivided into three classrooms by means of movable panels and a gymnasium will also be fitted out specifically for yoga, pilates

and other types of classes.

“In addition, the complex will offer 81 parking spaces, with three adapted for people with reduced mobility and five spaces suitable for charging electric vehicles.”

GET ready to immerse yourself in a world of corals, bioluminescence and amazing species with Sea World’s new exhibition: Night at Sea in Benalmadena.

Immerse yourself in the aquatic world and you will have the opportunity to marvel at the magical life that exists under the sea. Bioluminescence, magic or science? It is a phenomenon by which some organisms produce and emit light

BENALDMADENA enjoyed a special day at the Feria de Día on Monday August 14 with the free tasting of typical dishes.

The main dish of the event was fried eggs with poor man’s potatoes, huevos fritos con papas a lo pobre.

Patatas a lo pobre is a potato dish typical of the cuisine of Granada, Almeria and Murcia, in the south­east of Spain.

Its preparation is that of fried potatoes cut into slices and served in a heap, piled up with fried eggs on the side.

Some recipes add peppers and meat.

Its origin is not much of a mystery, as the phrase ‘a lo pobre’ (poor man’s potatoes) refers to a time of famine. Patatas a lo pobre originated in Andalucia and has since spread to all other parts of Spain, as it has proved to be a very successful dish for any side dish, or even for breakfast.

People who were going through a period of famine resorted to what is called recetas de aprovechamiento so that they could make the most of all the food left in the kitchen and not to waste a single crumb.

Night at Sea

thanks to a chemical reaction that converts energy into light. Responsible is the enzyme luciferase.

Why does the beach shine? This phenomenon occurs due to the presence of an algae called Noctiluca scintillans, also known as ‘sea spark’ which is responsible

for causing these light flashes.

In the large aquarium, you will find a wide variety of marine species brought from all over the world, such as the Mediterranean, the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic and other places such as the Amazon River and the Red Sea.

Sea Life hours during August are from 10.30am until 13.00pm, the park closes at 11.00pm.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Marbella

SPORTS PAVILION: A modern, versatile project.

Councillor for Sports, Julio Rodríguez.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Fuengirola

WHILST the Malaga Fair attracts thousands of people, a smaller but still popular annual fair starts in Cancelada, a suburb of Estepona tonight Thursday August 17.

Musical performances will be the main focus of the fair which runs until Sunday August 20 with more than 20 different events taking place.

There will of course be a day fair which will attract many visitors to the small and generally peaceful town just off the A7 motorway and most days there will be an afternoon and a late evening performance.

On Friday at 5.30pm the

Cancelada Fair

featured artist is local singer and guitar player José Fernández, known as ‘El Pirata’ whilst the flamenco theme will continue at 11.30pm with an appearance by José Ortega, ‘Manzanita’.

Saturday afternoon is the turn of Sótano Sur with the band’s tribute to the golden age of Spanish pop and then at 11.30pm the stage will welcome Manuel Cortés.

Things start earlier of Sunday as at 11am there will be a special appearance by popular Spanish female

singer Sonia Priego who has had several hits performing under her stage name of La Húngara and this show could be the highlight of the fair.

The music will continue on Sunday, at 5.30pm, with a concert by the group Compás Flamenco.

Apart from the music, there will be plenty of events and activities to keep the children both happy and entertained during the course of the fair.

Those of ‘a certain age’ will not be forgotten as there is a special lunch for the elderly, the traditional golf tournament at the El Paraíso Golf Club and on Saturday afternoon a free plate of paella.

On Sunday, at 12.30pm, a Mass will be celebrated in honour of the Virgin of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which will feature the choir of the Rocío de Estepona Brotherhood.

Animals led astray

WHEN we saw the headline of a story which said ‘Huge Staff Problems’ at The Roman Oasis Restaurant and Crazy Golf, a call to owner Paul Hickling had to be made.

Speaking to Euro Weekly he said “in these difficult times, we all need something to laugh about.

“We took Thor in about a year ago and I have never come across a worse trained dog as he does exactly what he feels like, so nothing about him would surprise me, hence the story.”

Paul, who is an author in his own right, shared the following with his Facebook followers with a very positive response.

‘Sad to say we’ve had to sack Thor the St Bernard, our golf course steward, after today’s despicable events.

When owners Paul and Kaat returned from a well­earned day off, he was found lying on Hole Number One completely paralytic, his brandy barrel empty and several empty bottles of wine, packets of cigarettes and a few spliffs littered around him.

Also, he led George the Cockatoo astray and he was, as they say, pissed as a parrot and was caught smoking yet again.

Silas, the guard dog was appalled but could do nothing as Obi, the huge Maine Coon cat and George and Thor with his 80 kilos pushed Silas into his kennel and locked him in.

Thor has now been sent to redog and we hope will recover, whilst we are trying to stick anti­smoking patches onto George’s feathers.

Paul has had to come out of retirement to fill in the gap leaving his cars, motorbikes, golf and all his harem until a replacement can be found. All is back to normal ready to welcome you all to crazy golf, great food and refreshing drinks.

As many will know, Paul spent lockdown creating a fantastic 18­hole miniature golf course which is open from 12 noon to 7pm, closed Wednesdays so visit https://romanoa sismanilva.com/ to find out more. Check out their Friday night music and bbq events, the next is on Friday August 18.

SHOW HIGHLIGHT: La Húngara performs on Sunday.

Free kid’s stuff

THE Parque de España in Fuengirola will host two shows aimed at a family audience, which will be free of charge and start at 9pm.

Although in Spanish, it is hoped that foreign schoolchildren who live in the area will be able to improve their understanding of the language as well as enjoy these performances which are both educational and full of fun.

Tonight, Thursday August 17 features the Afinal Theatre Company, originally from Brazil which has toured the world with a selection of different shows.

This time they are performing their work Mar which submerges the audience into the marine world, where, in

EVERY year the La Cala de Mijas Lions Club Diabetic Support Group holds its Autumn Bazaar and this year it will take place on Saturday September 2 from 11am to 4pm.

It is wrongly thought that there is a passage in the Bible which says ‘when lions lay down with lambs’, but in fact the actual passage refers to a wolf and a lamb. No matter, as for this event the Lions will be with

a non ­ scary way, there will be a subtle explanation of the dangers of pollution and predators as well as the importance of values such as love, friendship and cooperation.

Then on Tuesday, August 29, the Malaga com­

pany Petit Teatro will arrive at Parque de España with their play La Panda Pirata which focuses in an amusing way on the importance of recycling and the role that the young can play in looking after the planet for the future.

Autumn Bazaar

a donkey who is being brought to La Cala by the team from Donkey Dreamland, subject to it not being too hot so will be a real treat for the children to pet.

There will be a number of stalls selling different items plus a selection of goods from the Lions charity shop

set up along the terrace by Snack Attack and Bar Tuta situated in Jardines Botanico.

For those who might feel in need of some refreshment, it will be possible to obtain tickets costing €10 for a lunch special in advance from the Lions Charity Shop or Bar Tuta.

Candlelight Queen

THERE will be a candlelight string quartet tribute to the music of Queen at the La Concepción Historical Botanical Garden, Paseo de las Palmeras in Malaga City at 9.30pm on Saturday August 26.

The one­hour concert presented by the Résonance Quartet will include excerpts from no less than 15 of Queen’s most famous compositions including, of course, the iconic Bohemian Rhapsody. Tickets costing between €18 and €41 via the website https://feverup.com/ which also gives details of future concerts.

Scene from La Panda Pirata.

Credit: Petit Teatro

Summer moments, with a taste of la dolce vita Leisurely Lunch at Cipriani Marbella

Experience the classic glamour and unparalleled service of Marbella’s coveted lunch spot, Cipriani Marbella, at Puente Romano Beach Resort.

Sip a famous Bellini on the elegant, shaded terrace, and savour traditional Italian signature dishes from the celebrated Harry’s Bar in Venice.

The name is legendary worldwide. Now the Bellini cocktail and Carpaccio ‘alla Cipriani’ that were first invented and named by Giuseppe Cipriani Sr at Harry’s Bar in Venice have arrived in Marbella.

Bringing authentic Italian gastronomic glamour to Puente Romano Beach Resort’s exciting worldclass restaurant collection, this latest addition offers a tempting menu for lunch (and dinner) that reflects Cipriani’s Venetian origins.

As one review said: “There is an indisputable sense of sprezzatura that permeates each one of the Cipriani venues. They carry within them the type of movie star confidence that is only achieved after becoming a global icon and beating all the odds.”

Cipriani Marbella’s à la carte menu is built on the concept of simple Italian food made to perfection. It features signature dishes from the legendary Harry’s Bar in Venice, including Calf’s Liver ‘alla Veneziana’ with Fried Polenta, Baked Tagliolini with Ham, and Risotto ‘alla Primavera’ appealing to a variety of tastes. These Italian favourites use seasonal, premium ingredients and produce, many sourced from Italian farms, adding authenticity to the menu.

The stylish, timeless restaurant, featuring an intimate bar and restaurant decorated in Cipriani’s iconic nautical colours, with Murano glass chandeliers, blue and white terrazzo patterned floor, high gloss wood and contemporary black and white fashion photography adorning the walls. Cipriani Marbella also has a large garden terrace, perfect for long, leisurely lunches.

As the Cipriani motto goes, “To serve is first to love,” so guests can also look forward to impeccable service.

Lego exhibition

THE Costa del Sol’s long standing English language theatre, Salón Varietés in Fuengirola returns from its summer break in September.

There is a huge number of special performances planned for the next few months.

Currently the provisional list of shows is as follows:

Viva La Diva ­ popular local favourite Melissa Carver presents a selection of songs from productions such as Carousel, Cinderella and My Fair Lady collected from her many successes at Salón Varietés appears on Friday September 8.

Salón Varietés

THERE is no question that the world has fallen in love with a selection of plastic bricks invented in Denmark and given the brand name Lego.

There are films, theme parks, TV shows and exhibitions showing the versatility of these little bits of plastic and the largest Lego exhibition in Europe which is situated at the Malaga Nostrum Shopping Park, is open to the public seven days a week until October 8.

It took 15 lorries to transport all of the models to the site which now boasts spectacularly sized buildings, life­size figures, interactive models, interesting educational models and an enormous replica of a Boeing 747 created using more than one million pieces.

Star Wars fans won’t be disappointed as there is a special section just dedicated to that franchise as well as another featuring Gotham City and an­

other created to show off most of the comic world’s Superheroes.

It’s also educational with areas dedicated to the human body, history and world landmarks including the Elizabeth Tower which houses Big Ben the world famous bell which sits opposite the Houses of Parliament in London.

Those visiting the exhibition don’t just have to admire the 100 plus models but they can also create their own and maybe enjoy a selfie or two to show what they have produced.

Visit www.expopiezas.es to find out opening times and admission costs and there are a whole range of special discount offers.

With free parking for 3,000 plus cars at the shopping centre and a second exhibition of 3D trick photography, there is something for every member of the family.

The Cliff Richard songbook will be performed by Duncan Whittaker on Saturday September 23. It’s the turn of the Blue Stompers Band on Friday September 29. Relatively new but already very popular disco trio Boogie Wonderland on Friday October 6.

Directed by theatre mainstay Owain Griffiths, the musical Oklahoma! will run from Friday October 20 to Sunday October 29 with matinee performances on Saturdays.

This was the first of many successful musicals to be written by Rodgers and Hammerstein and opened on Broadway

in 1943 (and later transferring to the screen), winning numerous awards in America and Britain and even now playing again on the West End stage.

Memorable songs from the show include Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, People Will Say We’re in Love and Oklahoma, so prepare for an evening of genuine entertainment and real nostalgia.

There will be weekend specials featuring two of the Salón’s long­standing and much admired male singers, firstly Johnny G will bring his explosive show to Fuengirola on Friday

November 3 to Sunday November 5 whilst the wizard Welshman Ricky Lavazza performs on Friday November 24 and Saturday November 25.

In between it’s the turn of a comedy drama from David Vincent entitled Come Laughing Home which can be enjoyed from Wednesday November 15 to Sunday November 19. The final act to be revealed so far are The Honky Tonks who play on Friday December 1 and Saturday December 2. Visit https://www.salonvari etestheatre.com/ for perfor

mance times and to book tick

ets.

SALÓN VARIETÉS: Opens again in September.

Credit: Salón Varietés Facebook

The enormous Boeing 747.

Credit: Lego Exhibition Facebook

SOCIAL SCENE euroweeklynews.com

MANY people enjoy the chance to sample a range of different foods from around the world and the World Food Truck Championship will be taking place in the Plaza de la Constitución in La Linea de la Concepcion.

Taking place from Thursday 17 to Sunday August 20, not only will there be a wide selection of food to choose from but as an added bonus, each night sees a number of tribute bands playing free of charge.

Starting 8pm on Thursday night the children will be delighted by a selection of Disney numbers followed by a magic show at 9pm and a tribute to popular grunge band Nirvana starting at 9.30pm.

On Friday at 8pm there will be an appearance from five piece group La Bejazz who play flamenco, but with a feeling of jazz, at 10pm there’s a tribute to Catalan Rumba duo Estopa and then at 11.30pm the audience will enjoy the musical sound of hard rock from the Extremoduro tribute.

Saturday it’s back to the kids with the musical Aladdin at 8pm, followed by a touch of

Food trucks

flamenco from up and coming local musician José Carlos Poveda and the evening will climax at 10.30pm with a hot tribute to British superstars Queen.

On the final night there’s a tribute to vintage Spanish favourites Triana at 8.30pm and the last performance will see a salute to Barcelona born Loquillo an hour later.

This promises to be a very special event which will not only attract local residents, but

will most certainly appeal to food and music lovers across the border in Gibraltar.

Food truck events are increasingly more popular around the Costa del Sol but there is something of a local circuit around Cadiz Province for these World Championship Food Truck events and all have attracted large numbers of people to savour a selection of food from the Caribbean, South America, Europe and the USA.

Blast from the past

BUCKLE up for a musical journey through time in Marbella as the Fun Time event returns to Marbella Arena with a throwback party.

On Thursday, October 26 the venue will host a whole host of performers transporting guests back to the 70s, 80s, and 90s, where the tunes were infectious, and music ruled the world.

Legendary British band Smokie, will take to the stage with unforgettable hits like ‘Living Next Door to Alice’. Meanwhile Lou Bega will have guests grooving to his infectious tunes, including ‘Mambo Nº 5’ and ‘I Got a Girl’.

Jenny Berggren from Ace of Base will enchant the crowd with her unmistakable voice, performing favourites like ‘All That She Wants’ and ‘The Sign’. Rednex will also give an electrifying performance, featuring timeless classics like ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ and ‘The Spirit of the Hawk’.

Marbella Arena is not just about the music. Located in the old bull ring in Puerto Banus, the venue prides itself on offering a melting pot of in­

ternational cuisines, including Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Caribbean, American and Asian foods.

Every weekend, the venue also hosts a bustling street market, offering a treasure trove of traditional, antique and handmade products, along with live music.

Tickets to the Fun Time event start at €35 and can be purchased here: https://www.en

tradas.com/artist/fun­time­inmarbella/fun­time­in­marbel la ­ smokie ­ 3392092/?affili ate=FT9

LOCAL CIRCUIT: One of the trucks at the event in Algeciras.

Credit: Campeonato del Mundo de Foodtrucks Algeciras

Mambo No 5 artist Lou Bega will take the stage.

Photo credit: Lou Bega

Cosplay and Manga

THE municipality of Estepona is no stranger to the wonders on Manga which hails from Japan and at least once a year, beautifully turned out Cosplayers are known to congregate in the town.

This year, the Estepona Conference and Exhibition Centre in Avenida Litoral will be hosting the first Manga Festival of the Costa del Sol from Fri day August 25 to Sunday August 27.

There are three main themes to the event, Cosplay, KPOP and video games with prizes for those who partici pate in each section.

Entry is very inexpensive at €1 on Friday and €2 on Saturday or Sunday, but those who are dressed for the event will be al lowed in free of charge on the Friday and Saturday.

Costumed visitors (Cosplayers)

may be dressed as some of their favourite characters from Japanese Manga comics, although it would not be surprising if visitors chose to dress as video characters or those from Marvel movies, Lord of the Rings or similar.

Video Game players can expect to have access to a selection of games such as Mortal Kombat, Smash Brothers or Mario Cart and there are strict rules concerning participation although you may bring your own game control.

Kpop is a hugely popular musical sub­ genre which comes from South Korea and normally consists of groups of up to five boys or girls who incorporate rap and English into their music which includes synchronised dance routines.

There will be a competition for the best outfit, choreography and performance to a selection of music brought in by the participant and anyone under the age of 18 needs to have written approval for participation from their parents.

There will also be a number of interesting Manga displays as well as stalls selling a selection of different items from comics to memorabilia to costumes and much more.

Visit https://linkr.bio/pax cultural to sign up for any of the competitions.

BluesFest Estepona

FOR some reason, Malaga Province attracts a number of Spanish exponents of the Blues and three top bands will be playing at the Estepona FestBlues.

The concert starts at 10pm on Saturday August 19 at the Estepona Bullring and the headline act is the Richard Ray Farrell Band.

This dedicated blues guitarist and harmonica player who was born on the New York side of the Niagara Falls will be bringing his style of Blues to the Costa del Sol.

Playing harmonica and guitar he has performed and sung alongside many of the American Blues greats and his performance covers country, rock, ragtime, swing and, above all, the Blues paying tribute to both Chicago and the Mississippi Delta.

Despite his upbringing in the US, he actually moved to Paris as a teenager, earning a living busking and moved onto Spain where he busked, but was also part of

a Spanish Blues Band and is now a Malaga resident.

After settling in Spain, he started working with Jimmy Carl Black, long­time drummer with Frank Zappa and decided to move back to America, releasing a number of albums before succumbing to the call of Malaga.

Speaking about the music he loves, Farrell said “The Blues will never die, it’s not a fad, it’s a way of life.”

Also on the bill will be Eneko Alberdi y La No Solo Blues Band and Alberdi is a Basque guitarist who also lives in Malaga where he is involved in many different musical projects including Jazz, Blues and Rock (he is passionate about the guitar work of Jimi Hendrix).

The third band signed for this concert are the Gangberries, another local group who play a mixture of the Blues and Folk Rock.

Visit https://www.en terticket.es/eventos/festivalblues­estepona for tickets.

Credit: Six CC flickr

Cosplay is always vibrant and inventive.

THEY will be rocking with laughter as yet another comedian adds Gibraltar to their tour list and this time its Dara Ó Briain.

The Irish comedian and mathematician found fame in the UK with appearances on many TV shows including Mock the Week which ran for 18 series and documentaries such as Dara Ó Briain Meets Stephen Hawking. His latest venture Wonders of the Moon currently screening on Channel 5 combines his natural wit with a deep understanding of science and a need to explore and expand his knowledge of the world and space.

Gibraltar has become something of a magnet for English speaking comedians with sell out shows from Alan Carr, Jimmy Carr, Russell Kane, Sarah Millican as well as Nik Coppin and his irregular stand ­ up comedy events.

On his way back from an extended tour of Canada, Dara has added a late night show at St Michael’s Cave at 10.30 on Saturday October

Rock With Laughter

Guitar Festival

MALAGA will be hosting the second Pepe Romero Guitar Festival which runs through September with a selection of free and paid for concerts.

It’s organised by the European Guitar Foundation which was founded in 2016 by the Spanish soloist Vicente Coves and aims to highlight the roots, tradition and values of the Spanish guitar on an international basis.

The fact that Malaga City has become one of the most important artistic centres in southern Spain with such cultural icons as Pompidou, Thyssen and the Picasso Museum makes it the ideal location for this homage to the Spanish guitar.

14 as tickets for his original two shows on October 13 and 14 have already sold out.

Visit https://www.buy tickets.gi/events/dara­o­bri ain­sowhere­were­we­600 to reserve tickets costing £35 plus booking fee and including shuttle bus.

Then on November 10 it’s the turn of Jason Manford who will be performing two shows also at St Michael’s Cave at 7.30pm and

10.30pm as part of his new ‘Like Me’ stand up tour. Tickets which are also £35 can be obtained from the same source as the Dara Ó Briain tickets.

A man of many talents, he is a radio presenter, singer, charity fundraiser, host of TV quiz shows, musical and panto star and of course stand up comedian who has won several awards and was nominated for the prestigious Perrier Award at the

Edinburgh Festival.

Coincidentally both Jason and Dara respond to a sad tweet from an actress at this year’s Edinburgh event when she reported that just one person had turned up for her show.

Both commiserated and recorded that they had suffered similar shocks but said that this is how one learns the tools of the trade and how to cope with disappointment.

Arguably, second in status only to Segovia, Pepe Romero was born in Malaga in 1944 and, together with his brothers Celín and Ángel Romero, formed the Romero Quartet and by the 60s after performing at Carnegie Hall they were named The Royal Family of the guitar by no less than the New York Times and 60 years on, the quartet still performs.

The concerts that are due to take place start on Thursday September 21 with an 8pm appearance by Pepe Romero himself at the Unicaja Concert Hall Maria Cristina with tickets costing €20 per person.

The following day at 9pm Daniel Casares will appear with the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra at the Gibralfaro Castle, Plaza de Armas performing the Concert for Aranjuez and El Amor Brujo also at a cost of €20.

At noon on Saturday September 23, there is a free concert at Patio de Banderas of the City Hall of Malaga featuring talented young guitarist Ausias Parejo.

Visit https://malagaguitarfestival.com/programa.php for full details of all of the concerts throughout the month and how to purchase tickets.

IRISH COMEDIAN: An extra show by popular demand.

Credit: Dara Ó Briain

Food safety warning

John Ensor

ON Friday, August 11, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan) issued an alert regarding the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon of the brand JOALPESCA, with an expiration date of August 14, 2023, according to a news source.

The initial distribution was to the autonomous communities of Madrid, Castilla ­ La Mancha, Castilla y León, Catalonia, and Murcia, but other areas may also be affected.

“The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan) issued on Friday an alert on the presence of Listeria monocytogene in smoked salmon brand JOALPESCA with expiration date August 14, 2023,” Aesan announced. They learned of the situation through the Coordinated System for the Rapid Exchange of Information (SCIRI), follow­

ing an alert notification from the health authorities of the Community of Madrid.

The specific product in question is smoked salmon host c/p ­ e, of the Joalpesca brand, corresponding to lot E675C1528 three and weighing between 1kg and 1.5 kg.

The initial distribution was to the autonomous communities mentioned above, but redistribution to other areas is not ruled out.

Aesan advises against consuming the product. The information has been transferred to the competent authorities through the Coordinated System for the Rapid Exchange of Information (SCIRI), to ensure the withdrawal of the affected products. If you have consumed any of the products from the affected lots and are experiencing symptoms of listeriosis (vomiting, diarrhoea or fever), it is recommended to seek medical attention.

Anna Ellis

THE Special Scheme for the Self­Employed (RETA) closed the seventh month of the year with a monthly loss of 1,314 self­employed workers in Andalucia (­0.2 per cent), with Sevilla being the province with the largest loss (­0.6 per cent).

This decline was marked by the fall in enrolment in education (­4.6 per cent) and commerce (­0.2).

The total number of selfemployed workers has reached 3,344,562 self­employed workers in Spain and 570,615 in Andalucia.

The president of ATA Andalucia, Rafael Amor, confirmed: “The data known today on enrolment in Andalucia are within normality.

“Of the fall in self­employed workers, more than half are in education, a sector that tends to reduce its activity in the summer months.

“Nevertheless, we continue to be a leading region in terms of the number of self­employed, with more than 570,000.

“So far this year, one out of every three self­employed people who have registered in

Self-employed

Spain is Andalucian,” said Rafael Amor, who believes that the growth of the selfemployed in Andalucia is due to the fact that “Andalucia is a land of entrepreneurship and there are many facilities for starting up your own business.”

Comparing 2023 with 2022:

In the data on the self­employed, if we compare with July 2022, the Social Security data show that the communities with the greatest weight of tourism have increased their enrolment in Spain over the last year, while nine have lost self­employed workers, in addition to the two autonomous cities.

In other words, if we compare July 2022 with July 2023, the two archipelagos show an increase of 2.2 per cent in enrolment of the self­employed, and there is also a notable increase in the Autonomous Community of Valencia (+1.1 per cent), Madrid and Andalucia (0.6 per cent) and Catalonia (+0.2 per cent).

The average in Spain is an increase of 0.1 per cent of the self­employed, a total of 3,617 more self­employed.

Andalusia in this period added 3,404 self­employed workers, which demonstrates the strength of the community and its contribution to the positive data in Spain.

SELF-EMPLOYED: The numbers are decreasing.

SMOKED SALMON: Don’t consume this product.

By Antonio Flores

Manchester Building Society: over 200 owners of Spanish property are still stuck with their Spanish Lifetime Mortgages.

IF you are reading this article there is a chance that you are among the 200 odd owners of Spanish

property that took out a ‘Spanish lifetime mortgage’ with Manchester Building Society (MBS), now part of Newcastle Building Society, some years back.

Unfortunately for borrowers, all agreed instalments were halted due to a prohibition by its regulator, PRA, to grant further loans in Spain and elsewhere and left borrowers ‘high and dry’, still with an MBS mortgage registered against their property and therefore unable to sell it, in most cases.

Last year, a Velez Malaga Court fully accepted executive proceedings brought by Lawbird Legal Services against MBS, on behalf of a British client, demanding full payment of the agreed loan of €300,000 (with interest).

This is in addition to the over 50 rulings won in many other courts against different equity release providers around Spain.

Now, more claims are being filed through the Courts to terminate the mortgage loans due to con­

Diesel heist

THE recent wave of thefts from Spanish lorries on French roads has forced the Paris government to take urgent measures. Specifically, the French

gendarmerie has set up the emergency telephone number ‘17’ so that hauliers can report lorry theft and police checks can be carried out quickly.

According to sources from Fenadismer, the transport employers’ association, in recent months there has been a considerable increase in theft from lorries on French territory, especially of diesel fuel from vehicle tanks. Hauliers normally fill up with fuel in Spain (an average of €3,000 worth of fu­

tractual default by MBS, on the following grounds:

• MBS have stopped making any further agreed payments.

• MBS have not given a solution to the property owners.

• MBS have not reviewed the existing mortgage loan proposal to adjust it to their inability to continue offering the promised cash.

• MBS will not address the current situation of owners that are unable to sell, offer a compromise or

terminate the mortgage loan.

Current judicial action is seeking a to nullify MBS mortgage loans, allow the property owner to retain the sums received so far as compensation and remove the charge from the house.

If you have a Manchester Building Society mortgage loan and you wish to know your options, get in touch with us for free online or office meeting with a one of the specialist lawyers.

el) just before crossing the border, as prices are much lower than in the rest of Europe, making them a prime target.

Spanish drivers who are victims of theft on the road, whether of fuel or goods, are being urged to

report any theft through the emergency telephone number.

Emergency number 17 connects the caller directly with the National Gendarmerie’s Operations and Intelligence Centre (CORG).

Drivers have been advised to remain with their lorry at the site of the theft to facilitate the French authorities’ intervention. By dialling the emergency number 17, a unit will be deployed on the ground for emergency action.

The gendarmerie has units on all motorways and main roads, so it can easily deploy a patrol to the location of the lorry to initiate the first actions and take the driver’s report.

Failing that, the force can indicate the nearest gendarmerie to contact.

This procedure is essential when it comes to making a claim with any insurance company, as reported by a national news outlet.

Gendarmerie has set up an emergency phone number

The complex case of David Hunter

IN a tragic and emotionally charged case, Cypriot prosecutors are appealing the manslaughter conviction of David Hunter, a British man who ended the life of his seriously ill wife. The case highlights the complex legal and moral considerations around assisted death, mercy killing, and the boundaries of the law.

David Hunter, a 76­yearold retired miner from Northumberland found himself involved in a legal battle after being accused of murdering his 74 ­ yearold wife Janice at their home in Cyprus in 2021. Janice was suffering from cancer and the prosecution alleged that David took her life intentionally. However, during the trial, David maintained that his wife begged him to end her suffering.

The trial concluded with a verdict of manslaughter rather than murder. The three judges that presided over the case ruled the act was not premeditated murder. He was immediately released from custody and he visited his wife’s grave the following day.

The Cypriot prosecutors’

decision to appeal both the verdict and the sentence introduces further complexity to an already heart­wrenching case. This appeal raises the possibility of David facing charges of premeditated murder once again. This case draws attention to broader discussions around euthanasia and assisted death.

In Spain the law allows individuals with serious and incurable illnesses causing intolerable suffering to request aid in dying, subject to specific conditions. This includes being of legal age, having proper medical information, making repeated voluntary requests over a period of time, and having Spanish nationality or legal residence in Spain.

Spain’s legislation underscores the complexities in

striking a balance between an individual’s right to choose and the need to ensure proper safeguards and procedures.

Public sentiment regarding euthanasia varies across societies. In Spain, surveys show that 86 per cent of the Spanish population supported the legalisation of euthanasia for terminally ill patients. The opinion held by a resident of Murcia, Encarna Sánchez Moreno, said “Personally, I believe that legalising assisted dying is about giving people the choice and control they deserve at the end of their journey. When someone’s pain becomes too much, having the option to pass away peacefully surrounded by loved ones is an act of empathy and understanding.”

Flag champions

SPAIN has, once again, been recognised as the destination with the most Blue Flag­accredited beaches internationally.

Blue Flag, an international certification awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education, recognises beaches, marinas and boats that are following the FEE’s sustainability guidelines.

Meeting and upholding a set of rigorous standards pertaining to the environment, education, safety, and inclusivity are prerequisites to attaining the Blue Flag status.

For over 35 years, Blue Flag has been the benchmark for sustainable beach and marine tourism, and the organisation is a key contributor towards the UN’S 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Being certified as a Blue Flag beach highlights an area

Coastal environment.

or team’s commitment to meeting sustainability credentials and showcases their dedication to working towards sustainable environment management.

Today, many beachgoers are more aware than ever of the environmental impact that human action is having on coastal and marine environments.

Beaches with a Blue Flag accreditation are a clear indicator to visitors and locals

that measures are being taken to limit the environmental impact of tourism in that area. As a result, the Blue Flag label is trusted by millions of travellers across the globe.

Since the accreditation began in 1987, Spain has received recognition for 729 of its beaches, with 10 beaches having acquired their Blue Flag for the first time and 22 beaches having regained their title in 2023

88.5 litres of beer per capita in Spain

Image: Turismo Santa Pola / Facebook

A CONTROVERSIAL CHOICE: Exploring assisted dying’s ethical landscape.

DENMARK

Danish royalty

COUNT NIKOLAI OF DENMARK was spotted down under in Sydney recently. The 23-yearold who was recently stripped of his HRH title is spending a trimester in Sydney with his girlfriend Benedikte Thoustrup. Although he is ‘very sad’ and ‘shocked’ about this decision he looks to be adapting well to his new lifestyle as a student and a model.

Stagebox struggles

COPENHAGEN’S Stagebox CPH, a once vibrant music venue, has declared bankruptcy due to a series of financial and administrative hurdles. The termination of its lease agreement following a subsidiary's bankruptcy filing left the venue without a space to host events. The venue's demise underscores the challenges of maintaining artistic ventures amidst financial woes.

FRANCE

Lorry theft

THE recent wave of thefts from Spanish lorries on French roads has forced the Paris government to take urgent measures by setting up the emergency telephone number '17'. This will allow hauliers to report theft of fuel or goods. Lorries on international routes from Spain usually have an average of €3,000 worth of fuel on board.

Cottage fire

A HOLIDAY cottage was devastated by a fire in the town of Wintzenheim near Colmar in the Alsace region of northeastern France. It was later confirmed 11 people died as a result. Ten adults with mild intellectual disabilities and one caregiver, all visiting for the summer holidays from the French city of Nancy were thought to have been among the victims.

ITALY

Killed by cheese

AT a warehouse in Romano di Lombardia, Bergamo, racking that contained 25,000 wheels of Grana Padano cheese collapsed crushing the owner, 75-year-old farmer Giacomo Chiapparini. The search for the elderly man was time-consuming, as rescuers had to painstakingly remove 25,000 wheels that fell over an area of 2,000 square metres.

Blue crabs

ITALY is Europe's largest producer of clams and ranks third globally, after China and South Korea. However, the influx of Blue Crabs endangers their seafood industry. Clam farms in the delta of the Po River have faced significant losses, with a marine biologist claiming that up to 90 per cent of young clams were consumed by the crabs.

PRESS EURO

BELGIUM

Steam mecca

A BELGIAN steam wagon will take part in a locomotive festival hailed as Europe’s ‘mecca of steam locomotives’. The Tubize 2069, named after the village 30km south of Brussels where it was constructed in 1927, will undertake the journey of almost 1,000km to Wolzstyn in western Poland to take part in the iconic Parade of Steam Locomotives.

Tubize 2069

GERMANY

Sandal icon

GERMAN sandal maker Birkenstock is poised to go public. Despite its name not directly translating to ‘sandal’ in German, Birkenstock has become synonymous with this style worldwide. Founded in 1774 the family-run business ceded control to L Catterton. Now, as it approaches its 250th anniversary, Birkenstock eyes a listing on the NYSE and is estimated between $6 billion to $10 billion.

True cost

GERMAN discount supermarket Penny implemented a bold initiative by adjusting prices to account for the actual environmental and health impacts of certain products. The move involved raising the prices of meats and cheeses, the price adjustments aimed to incorporate costs related to climate, soil, health, and water use.

THE NETHERLANDS

Slippery donation

RECYCLING shop workers in the Netherlands were in shock when a python was found amongst its donations. Fortunately, the furore caught the owner's attention who confirmed: "His name is Antonio, my son forgot to lock his terrarium. I gathered the bags that were ready for the recycling shop and donated them without knowing Antonio was inside.”

Bats 1 Companies 0

THE saga of wall cavity insulation and bats in the Netherlands has just seen a major precedence set following a landmark ruling. A court found that insulation company Best didn’t do enough to check whether bats could have been living in the wall cavity of a house they insulated and this will affect other companies in the future.

Surgery update

Storm Hans

A POWERFUL storm named Hans unleashed havoc across Norway, leaving a trail of destruction, casualties, and widespread disruptions in its wake. The torrential rains, gale-force winds, and thunderstorms led to a series of catastrophic events including two deaths, landslides, power outages, flooding and massive property damage.

Footballer flees

NORWEGIAN footballer Mathias Normann parts ways with Dynamo Moscow due to security concerns following a drone strike near his residence amidst Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Normann’s decision to continue to play in Russia had a significant effect on his career as the Norwegian Football Federation decided not to select him for Norway’s national team.

NORWAY FINLAND

Ugliest vase

EVER been gifted a vase so ugly that it's hidden away in a closet? The Lepaa 2023 garden exhibition in Finland is due to host the first-ever competition to find Finland's ugliest vase. Visitors will be invited to vote from categories including old-fashioned, modern, kitsch, humorous, souvenirs, self-made, heirloom vases, valuable vases, seasonal themes, and inventive.

Climate crisis

IN Finland's capital, residents are bracing themselves for devastating floods, torrential rains, and prolonged heatwaves. Helsinki’s climate division said: “We know trees do the best job at absorbing water, delaying the flow of storm waters, provide shade and cool the air through evaporation.' With roughly 200,000 trees in parks and 30,000 on streets, Helsinki is well-prepared.

IN January, it was revealed that Michael Flatley had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, some 20 years after his successful battle with melanoma. A defiant Flatley recently broke his silence: “It’s a long hard road. I will not be defeated. Somehow or other I will beat this. I've beaten cancer before, I'll beat it again.”

‘Ridiculous’ rules

THE national police service of Ireland has faced criticism for sending three cadets home from training due to tattoos on their lower arms. This incident has ignited debate over their strict dress code, especially amid a recruitment crisis. As the force struggles to meet recruitment targets, the dismissal of these cadets for tattoos is seen as a reflection of 'outdated' views, hindering efforts to address the shortage of officers.

Legal battle

THE Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday, August 9, that around €1.3 billion (US$1.5b) held in Portugal had been released by order of a court in Lisbon. This money was said to have been retained in the accounts of Venezuelan institutions and companies at the country's Novo Banco sine February 2019.

Tourists evacuated

WILDFIRES raged across some rural areas of Portugal last week, with 'three significant occurrences’, in Odemira, Cinfães and Mangualde'. Municipal emergency plans were initiated in Castelo Branco, Proença-a-Nova and Odemira. A total of 1,424 people were preventively removed from the São Miguel campsite, but were later allowed to return. Twenty villages were also evacuated.

IRELAND PORTUGAL SWEDEN

Gothenburg flooded

THE city of Gothenburg in Sweden was underwater last Tuesday after the River Göta burst its banks due to the presence of Storm Hans. This sudden increase in water levels caused sewage to flow into the river. Gothenburg's fishing harbour was flooded, with some 70-80 centimetres at its deepest point. In the city’s southern archipelago, all ferry traffic was cancelled.

City relocated

DUE to the discovery of what could be the largest rare earth mine in Europe, the Swedish city of Kiruna is to be relocated. It is home to approximately 23,000 inhabitants and 6,000 residents will gradually be moved to a new location some three kilometres to the east.

Credit: vzw / Facebook

BUSINESS EXTRA

Vegan beef

US vegan burger sales fell by approximately a third as Beyond Meat reduced its revenue forecast in a trend also noticed in the UK. After several years of brisk expansion boosted by private equity investment, meat substitutes have disappeared from many UK menus, with sales falling by 6 per cent last year.

Working week

ALMOST three ­ quarters of Spanish firms said the four­day week was “out of touch with reality.” A survey by human resources consultancy Adecco found that although companies had successfully adopted the 32­hour week, 73.5 per cent doubted its viability, while 60 per cent of the self­employed questioned the initiative.

Summer washout

UK retailers have slashed prices to tempt buyers as a cheerless summer and steadily­increasing interest rates discouraged consumer spending in July. Reports from the British Retail Consortium, consultants KPMG and Barclays noted that spending rose slightly in early July but fell once 7.9 per cent inflation entered the equation.

Yoghurt slump

DANONE registered a €10.8 million profit in 2022, 36.8 per cent less than in 2021 despite turnover of €768.9 million, a 9.6 per cent increase on 2021. The company attributed the dropoff to its Local First restructuring project that has given increased autonomy to each country’s Danone subdivision.

Home and dry

FASHION chain Superdry has secured fresh funding with restructuring and refinancing specialist Silco lending the clothing company £25 million (€28.98 million). The deal will provide Superdry with “improved liquidity to help accelerate a turnaround plan and cost­reduction programme”, a spokesperson said.

STAT OF WEEK €1.99 billion

turnover for La Liga, Spain’s top professional football division in 2022, 2.5 per cent more than the previous year, putting it in the black after three years of losses.

Britishvolt complications Open and shut cases

Linda Hall

THE Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has written to more than 20 UK banks, asking how many customer accounts they had recently closed, suspended or denied.

They were also asked to explain why they had withdrawn their services and were given until August 25 to respond. An FCA report is expected by mid­September.

Earlier, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had called on the FCA to step up its investigation into lenders’ large­scale “debanking” of clients for what he said were their “lawfully held political beliefs.”

Lenders will also be obliged to reveal how many complaints they have received from vetoed customers.

Although the practice is by no means new, it aroused public interest and outrage after Coutts debanked UK leader Nigel

SPAIN’S Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced fines for several airlines not providing a free­phone service for clients.

Even when this did exist, the unnamed airlines “put obstacles” in users’ way, the Ministry explained.

“This means they are not complying with their legal obligations to clients,” a Ministry statement said.

Regulations specify that an airlines' telephone should be accessible to all consumers and not linked to a special tariff or a certain area. It should be free and prefixed by 800 or 900, known technically as “automatic reversed charge.”

As air transport is a “basic service of interest”, companies were obliged to

Private talks

ACCORDING to reports in the Spanish media at the beginning of June, Elon Musk was in talks with the Valencia’s regional government to build a €4.5 billion gigafactory.

Sources close to the deal to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles explained that Tesla owner and chairman Elon Musk was allegedly “infuriated” after what he supposed was a “confidential negotiation” should have attracted so much media attention.

Two months later, the deal seems to be on once more and speeding up the compulsory purchase of land in Cheste (Valencia province).

Farage. The ensuing scandal prompted the resignation of Dame Alison Rose, chief executive of NatWest to which Coutts now belongs.

Farage, who has now launched a website to assist other people ousted by their banks, obtained Coutts documents which

showed that he had not met the bank’s “commercial criteria” for some time.

This requires customers to hold €1.16 million in investments or loans or savings of €3.48 million but the decision to close his accounts was also based on disquiet that Farage’s “views” endangered Coutts’ reputation.

The FCA said that closer monitoring by banks could be partly responsible for the recent increase in shutdowns. It is also suggested that banks have become too cautious and dependent on AI when investigating and flagging fraudulent behaviour.

Freephones not obstacles

introduced to protect consumers considered to be vulnerable.

Failure to observe these modifications will result in fines of between €150 and €10,000 for minor infractions and between €10,001 and €100,000 in cases deemed to be serious.

RECHARGE INDUSTRIES, the Australian company which rescued Britishvolt in February, failed to make the final payment on April 5. Although Britishvolt, based in Blyth (Northumberland), was worth £800 million (€926.18 million) before its collapse, Recharge Industries bought the business and its assets for £8.57 million (€9.92 million) in February.

“The final instalment remains unpaid and overdue. As a result, the buyer is in default of the business sale agreement,” Britishvolt’s administrators EY said.

“We dispute that we are in default,” declared Scale Facilitation, Recharge’s Manhattan­based parent company whose Australian offices were raided by police in June, following tax fraud allegations.

Lithium plans

CORNISH Lithium will extract an annual 8,000 tons of battery­grade lithium from a repurposed China clay pit at Trelavour Downs in Cornwall.

AIRLINES: Should provide freephone lines for customers, government said

make one of these lines available, the Ministry said.

This stipulation came into effect following modifications to the Consumers’ Defence Law during the last legislation,

Time to Zoom back

VIDEO communications platform Zoom, which made it possible to work remotely during the pandemic, wants its employees in the office.

At one stage the company said staff could work from home “indefinitely” but announced recently that it now believed a “structured hybrid approach” was more effective.

The US­based company will introduce the new policy in August and September, with staff living within 80 kilometres of their office working there at least twice a week.

In the US where Zoom is based, 12 per cent of workers were fully remote in July, while 29 per cent split their time between the home and the office.

Meanwhile, Stanford University researchers found that working from home is much more common in the US and English­speaking countries but less usual in Europe and Asia.

In cases where the benefits to an airline not providing a free­phone exceeded the amount of the fine, the sanction could be increased by between 200 and 400 per cent for minor infringements. When considered serious, the fine could be between 400 and 600 per cent higher.

Deal takes the biscuit

CEREALTO SIRO FOOD'S Palencia plant will remain open for another four years.

The Palencia installation was earmarked for closure last year in Madridbased Cerealto Siro Foods’cost­savings plans. The company has now reached agreement with 184 employees who agreed to a €130 per month pay cut in exchange for guaranteeing the immediate future of Siro's Venta de Baños factory.

Juan Manuel Gonzalez­Serna, founder of the indebted household name, sold a 75 per cent stake to Afendis Capital Management and Davidson Kempner Capital Management in 2022 for a reputed €80 million which included debt settlement, while he held the remaining shares.

The company is receiving £53 million (€61.36 million) in a funding package that has been provided by the UK Infrastructure Bank, the Energy & Minerals Group (EMG) and Cornish Lithium's largest shareholder, TechMet.

“The funding will help to support the development of the UK’s critical minerals supply chain and accelerate growth towards the commercial production of lithium, vital for the UK’s transition to netzero,” Treasury minister Andrew Griffith said.

The bright side

A EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK (BCE) survey revealed that the Spanish are generally more positive than other Eurozone citizens. They viewed with optimism their prospects regarding future earnings, property prices and economic growth, with consumer affairs the only area where they were more pessimistic. Spanish optimism regarding earnings increased by 3 per cent, compared with the 1.2 per cent Eurozone average, the BCE said. In the Netherlands, for instance, expectations regarding salaries shrank by 1.5 per cent but rose slightly in Germany by 1.2 per cent.

EXCLUSIVE: Coutts branch in Eton (Berkshire)

Photo credit: CC/Bill Boaden

Photo credit: Pexels/Victor Freitas

DOW JONES

Zielo sale

UBS is selling the upmarket

Zielo shopping centre, located in the affluent Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid) suburb which has Spain’s highest per capita income. The bank bought the shopping centre from real estate developers Hines in 2015 for approximately €70 million although market sources maintain that UBS now expects offers of around €60 million.

Next best thing

BUMPER sales for Next prompted a second profits upgrade in just over six weeks. After an exceptionally wet July did not dampen demand, the companywhich has around 550 stores in the UK and Ireland ­ said it expected £845 million (€978.6 million) in annual profits, £10 million (€11.6 million) more than it previously forecast.

Back to the paperchase

DIGITISING the health certificates required to export the UK’s fish and chilled foods to Europe would have saved £3 million (€3.48 million) in post­Brexit paperwork.

Now the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra, has told companies taking part in a 2022 pilot scheme that the trials will end.

The sector had welcomed the electronic certificates which would have reduced the paperwork involved, obliging lorryloads of chilled fish to pass through thirdcountry controls in Boulogne (France).

Grifols tightens its belt

THE Grifols family, which founded the multinational pharmaceuticals firms of the same name, saw their income dwindle by 97 per cent last year.

In 2021, the family­owned firm Deria, the laboratory’s principal shareholder, received €16.4 million in dividends.

In contrast, the company announced that there would be no shareout for 2022, owing to Grifols high level of indebtedness after

buying out German rival, Biotest, increasing its net debt to €9.42 billion by June 2023.

Deria, which has left 25 million shares as collateral with Banco Santander, received €454,784 in 2022, mainly from interest and providing services, but reported losses of €139, 177.

The company also revealed that some board members received €238,333 “in remunerations.”

Settling in

Producers had hoped that the digitised system would have been introduced first in the UK and subsequently in Ireland, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

Salmon is Britain’s biggest food export and Defra had left companies with ongoing red tape costs, said Salmon Scotland, which represents the farm­raised sector.

“These have already been racking up for more than two and a half years,” Tavish Scott, Salmon Scotland’s chief executive.

“The salmon industry is worth £760 million (€881.41 million) to the economy,” Scott said. “Other sectors selling chilled food, including poultry and cheese, could have also benefited from the digital certification,” he added.

The organisation called on the government to act quickly, given the impact of the extra paperwork and inevitable delays on perishable goods.

SPANISH multinational infrastructure giant Ferrovial recently signed off its first quarterly accounts in Amsterdam after controversially moving its headquarters from Madrid. The company is now seeking new offices in the Dutch capital which will be more central than those that were until now the headquarters of its Netherlands subsidiary, Ferrovial International SE, in Kingsfordweg near the A10 ring­road.

Racing ahead

LOTUS produced a record number of sports cars in the first six months of 2023 as it prepares for a new electric SUV under Chinese owner Geely’s expansion plans. Lotus, founded 75 years ago, produced 2,200 vehicles between January and the end of June at its factory in a former Second World War bomber factory in Hethel (Norfolk).

FARMED SALMON: Britain’s biggest food export

Photo credit: CC/Tim Harrison

Sowing the seed of discontent

WHY is everyone still screaming that Britain needs more diversity? The UK is now recognised as one of the most diverse nations on the planet. Instead of wasting energy by constantly complaining, why don’t those affected welcome this situation with open arms and start acting with some positivity?

As Shakespeare observed; ‘Methinks thou doth protest too much’. I can’t help becoming even more convinced that those who continue to condemn British society actually thrive on animosity, refusing to accept the truth in case they are deprived of something to vent their hatred on! Let’s just have a brief look at these ‘lack of UK diversity’ accusations.

To date, with very few exceptions, almost every family based commercial on British TV depicts a mixed marriage. Practically all the ads that use a number of actors, portray an (often ludicrous) cross section of casts with ethnic backgrounds. Neither of these situations is a true re­

flection of life across the UK and is therefore either a minority appeaser, or some form of majority brainwashing ­ and is also by its very definition blatantly racist! A large number of major league football teams are partially, or in some cases predominately ethnic.

Athletes, particularly runners, are almost all from immigrant heritage and any accusation of racism (predominately aimed at the indigenous population) is dropped on by the law like a ton of bricks. The long suffering British population has bent over backwards to accept and encourage diversity into a country which, after recovering from two World Wars, became open and ready to accept many from other less fortunate cultures. But to see its generosity and welcome rewarded by ‘no go areas’, terrorism, religious fanaticism, culture attack and nothing but insults and ingratitude ­ is quite understandably getting large numbers of them the terrible hump!

The ‘far right’ was initially blamed as instigators of this UK dissent, and was quite rightly chastised for it. Unfortunately, with the blatant, unchecked reversed racism of so called ‘comedians’, plus some of the disgraceful racist material of

SHAGGY DOG STORY OUR VIEW

Rapper culture, exponents of the not­so far right are actually beginning to think those a bit ‘further over’ may have had a point. Almost every award presentation is criticised for not including enough diversity among the winners. Well, possibly there weren’t enough who were worthy of awards!

We cannot fall into the trap of favouring people simply because of their ethnic heritage or gender. If we do, we will not only lower our standards, but also be in real danger of provoking even further disquiet by denying recognition of those who may be far more deserving.

This whole diversity and ‘woke driven’ human rights situation is sowing seeds of discontent that, if unchecked, will continue to grow and flourish into a full scale civil conflict that could leave large sections of the UK’s major cities resembling Beirut. An example of which actually landed in London’s Oxford Street this week!

Exactly the warning I wrote in this column 20 years ago, originally considered ‘another Leapy rant’. Oh really!

MANY Spanish laws which seem a good idea in principle seem to fall at the first hurdle as they are often impossible to enforce except individually.

The latest is the pioneering Animal Welfare Law which comes into force in September and has two major and possibly contentious obligations for dog owners.

Firstly, every owner will be required to obtain third party insurance valid for the lifetime of their pet and the intention is that should their dog be responsible for any injury to another animal or person, there will be an insurance policy in place which will ensure that the victim doesn’t lose out financially. Certain parts of Spain including Madrid already require owners to have such an insurance which also covers the owner against claims alleging their culpability for misbehaviour by their pooch and cost is currently from around €25 to €100 per annum depending on value of cover purchased.

Introducing such a law and enforcing it are two different things and it seems hardly likely that police officers will stop owners walking their dogs and demand to see proof of insurance.

Even if they did, then lack of insurance basically results in a ticking off and only in the most blatant of offences where a third party is injured is there any likelihood of a fine.

Animal shelters are overflowing with abandoned dogs and now that the new law also requires new owners to pass a ‘dog ownership’ test it hardly seems likely that the number finding forever homes can do anything else but drop.

Many lonely elderly people find companionship thanks to a dog but this is just another cost to add to the ever spiralling expense of ownership.

Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

I’m not letting go this time!

search of a business card to try and bend it into a shape that would do the trick which it did but not before getting some cardboard stuck in between my teeth!

BIG, SPLASHY WEDDINGS

NORA JOHNSON BREAKING VIEWS

I’VE been away for a few days and have been staying in hotels and have had a couple of health and safety issues. I had just finished a meal in the hotel restaurant and asked for a toothpick. The young lady went off then came back and told me they didn’t have any. “Why?” This is my standard reply when people say no to me. You ready for this - ‘health and safety’. “What? Are you nuts? How on earth can a toothpick be more dangerous than the steak knife you just gave me to eat the lousy overpriced tough burger you just served me and which I am having difficulty removing from my teeth?” As usual the person I was talking to was just staring at me blankly. I knew I was going to get no reason from her so I asked to see the manager. As my Polish is worse than my Spanish, I’m in the UK by the way not Poland, I was just told it was a head office decision along with removing all beer mugs with handles!!

To be honest I gave up pretty quickly for me and wandered back to my room in

The second incident is a blinder. I’m in my room, just had a shower and go to walk out of the bathroom. I open the door and as it opens it springs back, because there are two bathrobes hanging behind the door, and I stub my little toe. I am now rolling on the bed in agony calling the bathroom door every name possible. I look down and see it’s obviously broken as it’s kind of hanging there at a dodgy angle. I get dressed and manage to hobble down to reception as I need to strap it to the little piggy next to it. They open the first aid kit and I find a couple of plasters that will do the job. I then ask if they have any paracetamol to help with the pain. “Oh no sir we are not allowed to give out tablets - health and safety.” I said, “I just want a painkiller. I’ll sign a disclaimer.” Not a chance. Then I thought health and safety. They want health and safety, they can have it. I asked to see the manager and told him that he needed to see what had caused my broken toe. He said he will report it to the general manager and we will see what happens. Of course I will let you know. Because you know I’m not letting this go!

Currency concern

COINS are a very important part of almost everybody’s day­to­day activity in Spain. Of the ones in circulation, one­euro coins are arguably, one of the most commonly used. They are in circulation in greater quantity and are said to be the coins that move the most throughout Europe.

There is however thought to be a large number of counterfeit euro coins in circulation, a number that is said to be increasing every day and which must be stopped, hence this decision.

On June 22, 2023, an authorisation was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) for the Bank of Spain to withdraw some one ­ euro coins.

Specific guidelines were introduced that will help to decide which ones are withdrawn and which ones can continue in circulation. This new measure has been in force in Spain since July 1, with the clear objective of

avoiding possible scams and fighting against counterfeiting.

From now on, the Bank of Spain follows a new classification for the one­euro coins, with three different types:

• Suitable: Coins which can circulate without problem since there is nothing in them that makes one suspect that they may be false.

• Presumably counterfeit: Coins which in their shape, texture or design, show that they are not original.

• Unsuitable: Coins which

will be rejected in an authentication process, or that may have been altered. This includes deteriorated or badly damaged coins that cannot be determined to be authentic.

If you are unsure of a coin, take it to your bank where staff will check that the coin meets all the guidelines. It is also recommended that from now on, people should review all their one­euro coins, refusing to accept any that may be thought not to be suitable.

AFTER a few years of uncertainty, the wedding season’s back in full swing. Post ­ lockdown, everyone deserves a party but if, with the cost­of­living crisis, it’s a choice between a big wedding or house deposit, I know what I’d choose.

Expensive weddings are a rip off. The bride and groom are a salesperson’s dream and the more extras they can flog you the better their bonus. Anybody who considers a big party to be more important than a roof over your head is bad news. A wedding day only lasts 24 hours. A marriage lasts (hopefully) a lifetime. It makes far more sense now to spend potentially limited funds

on property as the length of marriage is invariably inversely proportional to the amount spent on the wedding...

Oh, and a few tips. Always get married early in the morning, so if the marriage doesn’t work out you haven’t wasted the whole day! And check the organist’s familiar with the wedding music because one hapless bride who’d asked an aged organist to play the theme tune from Kevin Costner’s ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ found herself galloping down the aisle to ‘Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen . . .’ Oops!

Nora Johnson’s 12 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers (www.no ra­johnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99;£0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

Views of a Grumpy Old Man

MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION

Mike’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

Nora

NORA’S LATEST THRILLER.

Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist.

Check all one euro coins.

Defending against digital light

IN today's digital age, we're constantly exposed to screens – be it our laptops, smartphones, or televisions. While these devices offer convenience, they also emit blue light, a silent perpetrator potentially harming our skin.

Recent studies suggest that prolonged exposure to blue light may lead to premature ageing, contributing to wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.

Protecting our skin from this modern ­ day threat is essential. Start by using skincare products fortified with antioxidants, especially vitamin C, which can counteract blue light's harmful effects.

A dditionally, consider investing in a good quality screen protector designed to filter out blue light. Regular breaks from screens, coupled with practicing the 20­20­20 rule – every 20 minutes, gaze at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds – can also be beneficial.

Ultimately, while screens have become an integral part of our lives, taking mindful steps can shield our skin from their unseen side effects.

2023 autumn nail trends are taking a dramatic turn, reflecting nature's vibrant shift. "Tortie with a Twist" emerges as a favourite, updating classic tortoiseshell designs with pops of autumnal colours.

Rich shades like burgundy, deep orange, olive green and muted gold are on the rise. Matte finishes are popular, giving a sophisticated and understated elegance meanwhile textured chromes add

Skin Cycling

"SKIN CYCLING" is the latest buzz in skincare circles. At its core, it's about understanding and responding to our skin's ever­changing needs. Just as our body craves different nutrients at various times, our skin has its own cyclical demands. Depending on factors like the weather, hormonal shifts, or stress levels, our skin might need hydration one week and detoxifying treatments the next.

By introducing a rotational skincare regime, skin cycling addresses these changing requirements. Instead of a fixed routine, products are switched out to align with current skin needs, ensuring it gets optimal care. It's a dynamic approach to skincare that embraces our skin's natural rhythms, promising a healthier, more radiant complexion.

Fall fingertips

depth and shine, mimicking the shimmer of falling leaves on sunny days. Additionally, abstract art and asymmetrical patterns have gained traction, allowing personal expression. This fall, it's about embracing both nature's earthy palette and imaginative flair on your fingertips.

400gms of fruit and veg an adult should eat each day

Dangers of the sun K powered wellness

HEATSTROKE can often sneak up on us during those blazing summer days. Recognising its signs is crucial for timely intervention. Symptoms can range from throbbing headaches and dizziness to an alarming lack of sweating despite the heat. Nausea, a rapid heartbeat, and flushed skin are also common indicators. If you or someone near you displays these signs, it's essential to act promptly. Move the person to a cooler environment, preferably indoors. Loosen tight clothing and use cool, damp cloths or a bath to help lower body temperature. Hydrate with sips of water, but only if the individual is conscious.

Most importantly, seek medical assistance immediately, as heatstroke can lead to life­threatening complications if left untreated. In the sunsoaked joy of summer, remember to always stay hydrated, wear protective clothing, and listen to your body. It might be telling you more than you realise.

AS we age, maintaining good health becomes paramount. A key player in this pursuit is Vitamin K. Often overlooked, this nutrient plays a vital role in supporting bone health and blood clotting.

Found abundantly in leafy greens like kale and spinach, it's a natural addition to a balanced diet. Including Vitamin K in our daily intake not only aids in reducing bone fractures but also promotes overall wellbeing. For the ageing population, it's a simple step towards a healthier future.

LETTERS

LAST week we discussed the latest figures surrounding the issue of 2.8 million television viewers who believe that they should not be required to pay the £159 annual charge for a TV licence as they no longer watch BBC channels or any kind of live television.

The rise of streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus and Paramount Plus have been giving traditional channels like BBC and ITV a run for their money over the past few years, with the above figure showing an increase of more than 360,000 people in the previous 12 months.

There’s been a significant uplift in the amount of people who watch live television through social media channels such as

Comments

Pay per view would sort out this antiquated policy, and then the BBC will see the exact figures willing to tune in to the channel.

I object to the BBC using the licence fee as their own bank account paying obscene wages such as £1.3 million to Gary Linaker for hosting a programme for one hour a week, and paying one of their news readers £350,000 for three days work and a total of 12 hours on radio which I never listen to.

William Hughes

Where have you seen these shows already? The licence is free for over 75s in receipt of Pension Credit. You’re on £52k a year so probably too rich to get pensions credit though.

Jase

The BBC has now become a game show channel and a repeat channel with nothing too exciting in the middle.

Les

The BBC send letters to intimidate people who don’t own a licence.

Anonymous

The BBC is a self serving and obsolete service. Yes, they have a few series that are good, but with over three billion from stealth enforcement of li ­

YouTube. According to TV Licensing.co.uk, even if you’re watching live TV through YouTube indirectly, you are still required to have TV licence coverage to be compliant with the law.

Toby Young, the Founder and Director of the Free Speech Union told the Daily Mail: “These figures show that the TV licence fee is not a viable funding model for the BBC going forward.”

He added: “The obvious alternative is to become a subscription­based service like Netflix and Amazon Prime.”

Perhaps, times are changing and preferences are evolving. Will streaming services eventually render traditional live television as irrelevant and outdated?

cence paying they should have! Why it still exists is beyond me and paying 44p is far to much for a generally mediocre service, that unless you want to be hounded by Television Licensing as if you were a criminal, you will pay under duress!

Rob

Why do we have to pay the BBC to watch all the other channels who pay their own way. Shocking.

John

Do away with the TV licence. We live in the 21st century, not the 20th century when BBC was created.

Stephen Nield

It’s disgraceful that the BBC charge pensioners £159 for a TV licence. Shame on you.

John

Repeats and more of them. Then there are the quiz / game shows giving obscene amounts in prize money, that and the astronomical salaries paid to some of their presenters. My husband is over 80, I am in my 70s, the only reason we watch BBC is no adverts, we are not into streaming, so watch more DVDs than TV these days, but still we have to pay the licence fee. We have just over the limit in pension between us not to be able to get pension credits.

Jacqueline Drew

British turn to streaming as 2.8 million claim they no longer need to pay TV licence fee

MARBELLA MOMENTS

BY NICOLE KING

I’M having a lovely summer and treating myself to a few staycation days whenever I can grab one.

Last week I visited Frigiliana for the first time. It’s very close to Nerja and is known as one of the most beautiful historic white villages in Andalucia. It was indeed quite charming and very historic. I found the tranquillity most re ­

Staycation

freshing and conducive to relaxing, so much so I decided to stay overnight to fully embrace the peaceful surroundings and spectacular views. It was also refreshing to pay just €10 for my 24 ­ hour stay in the car park!

I was invited by a friend to spend the day at Puente Romano Hotel and really enjoyed lounging by the pool and

brunching at Rachel’s Eco Love. I was pleasantly surprised that the food prices weren’t as high as one might think for such an exclusive location and although the hotel was busy it was also a tranquil setting and felt very five­star.

The day I spent at Ammo Beach Club was a little more upbeat, more of a party Marbella vibe, although I managed to relax there too.

Finally, I had the moment to start the first of the three Joan Fallon novels I’ve been looking at on my bookshelf for I don’t know how long. I started off with ‘Sophie is Still Missing’ and I’m really enjoying it: the style of writing, the storyline and the ease with

which you can identify with the characters. I read for four hours without taking a break except for a dip in the pool and a slurp of my melon cocktail. I used to read all the time but it’s been well over a decade since I last felt I had enough energy in my eyes and brain to read a book. Now I’m hooked and anxious to get onto the next of Joan’s Jacaranda Dunne Mysteries.

Ammo is a small pool club with artificial sand, located on the Paseo Maritimo in San Pedro. It has a surprisingly intimate and private feel to it when you get ‘inside’, and for the past couple of years I’ve chosen to spend the day there to celebrate my birthday as

www.nicoleking.es

Summer Flight School

THERE is a great new opportunity for budding young airline pilots and cabin crew living in or visiting the UK as easyJet has launched a new Summer Flight School.

According to new research by the airline, it claims that just under four in 10 children (37 per cent) still believe that a pilot is a job exclusively for men, so easyJet is inviting children aged seven to 12 to go behind the scenes at its training centre for hands on training experiences with real easyJet pilots and crew, to challenge these outdated stereotypes.

This innovative event introduced for the first time by the airline will offer children the opportunity to take the controls of an Airbus A320 flight simulator, learn what it takes to provide the best inflight service to passengers and find out from easyJet pilots and cabin

PILOTS: Never too young to consider your future career.

crew about their jobs and how they got there.

easyJet has launched the initiative after a poll of 2,000 British parents and their children found that two thirds (66 per cent) of British parents still believe there are misconceptions that being a pilot is a job for men rather than women and that most parents (86 per cent) believe that gender stereotypes of jobs start at primary school age.

The fact is however

that only around 6 per cent of pilots worldwide are women, so, easyJet has been focused on tackling this industrywide gender imbalance for several years and has nearly tripled the number of female pilots in its ranks since 2015.

easyJet’s Summer Flight School takes off from August 21 at easyJet’s London Gatwick training centre and free of charge places can be booked at https://easy jet.eventbrite.com now.

the sunbeds are really comfy, the food, service and cocktails are great, as is the music. I do so hope I’ll be able to treat myself to another day there before the season ends.

Also, highly recommendable is a visit to Boho Club Marbella. I was invited to a small wedding there, held in their Andaluz Patio, which made for the most romantic of settings.

Following the meal, also on the terrace, we then went through to the garden bar with sumptuous seating, exciting décor and a DJ. I can’t believe the first time I looked at my watch it was 2.30am, the evening just seemed to flow so that I hadn’t realised how much time had gone by.

I hope you’re also making the most of your staycation; happy summer everyone!

What holidaymakers worry about

John Ensor

HOW safe is your home when you’re on holiday? One in four travellers have returned to find calamities such as burglary or theft waiting for them.

A survey of 2,000 adults who have travelled within the past five years reveals a disturbing number of incidents at home, including theft of packages and perishable food turning bad. Conducted by Ring, the study found that a quarter of the respondents faced problems such as a flooded house or pilfered deliveries, and a shocking 18 per cent had their homes burgled.

In the poll, 15 per cent reported their garage being invaded during their absence. Other common issues included spoilage of food due to neglect in emptying the refrigerator, failure in handling waste disposal, and overlooking cancellation of subscription deliveries.

The managing director of UK, EU and International at Ring, Dave Ward, said: “Having

an extra layer of security at home when you go away on holiday can help give worried or anxious travellers added peace of mind. Investing in smart home security allows holidaymakers to check in on their home while away.”

A majority of 78 per cent expressed a desire for some mechanism to supervise their property when away. Precautionary security measures were taken by 38 per cent of those polled prior to travelling. Over a fifth (21 per cent) voiced unease about leaving their homes unattended, and 14 per cent felt a week was the longest they could stay

away without worrying.

On average, concerns about home safety begin after five­and­a­half days of being away. Currently, 38 per cent of the respondents own a smart security device equipped with a camera, and 15 per cent of them review it regularly.

A list of common home disasters faced by holidaymakers includes mouldy food in the fridge, dead plants, overflowing waste bins, decaying food left out, theft of packages or deliveries, forgotten lighting, burglary, flooding, garage break­in, and neglected subscription cancellations.

I’m enjoying relaxing and reading my book.

BURGLARY: Just one of many worries when on holiday.

Credit: easyJet Media Centre

I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM

PATIENCE and tolerance of frustrating situations have never been virtues I have developed. There are certain circumstances in which I feel agitated or even angry.

Standing in a queue in a windy tunnel waiting to board an aircraft is no longer an issue because I don´t fly any more. But I do still have to make phone calls. Recently I phoned HMRC in England concerning a tax refund. It took over five minutes to go through all the security procedures, a further forty minutes before I reached an operative. After answering many of the security questions again, I explained the purpose of my call. Another five minutes conversation before I was put on hold for another six minutes. Eventually we were getting close to a solution. Then the line was cut. I cursed. It has happened before.

I feel frustrated when stuck

in a traffic jam, even if I am not in a hurry. Am I not grateful to have a car in the first place?

I follow sport on television quite closely ­ especially tennis, football and Test cricket. Occasionally the connection is cut off ­ often at a critical point. I may have spent over two hours watching a thrilling two­and­ahalf hour movie when, ten minutes before the end, the screen

goes blank. The same can happen during the final set of a tennis match or in the eightyfifth minute of a crucial football encounter.

And I immediately feel cheated. It´s the same when power, water or the internet is cut off. I sometimes feel that at such moments the world is against me and that this is a serious problem. Then I try to put it in­

to proportion.

After all, I am fortunate to be able to watch television at all, and there are very rarely any technical problems. Billions of people can´t even dream of having a television. And if my water is occasionally cut off for a couple of hours? The same people may have difficulties finding any water fit to drink. And they don´t need electricity

because they don´t have refrigerators, fans, cookers or heaters. They can´t even switch on a light. They have no phones or computers and therefore no problems with the internet. And they don´t have the hassle of airports because the idea of travelling far beyond their immediate home is as inconceivable as having a car to drive.

On top of deprivation of the conveniences and comforts above, these billions of our fellow beings may be confronted with hunger, disease, persecution or war. They could have been enslaved or wrongfully imprisoned. Yet many of them accept their situation without even considering it a problem.

For me their life experience is a genuine problem. My own serious problem is that I allow myself to be irritated (and sometimes angered) by situations that, in the grander scheme, are fleeting trivial inconveniences.

A Guiness bout

IS a new era of Irish brewing on the horizon? Mixed martial artist Conor McGregor’s stout, Forged, was introduced in over 350 ASDA shops across the UK last week.

Forged Irish Stout, initially brewed in late 2020, soared to prominence as the premier Irish stout at McGregor’s personal pub, The Black Forge, not far from his residence in Dublin. Since then Conor McGregor‘s beer has been eclipsing its main competitor, writes Beer Today.

However, the brand has reached a critical stage. Recent procurement of a brewery by McGregor himself has allowed increased production, now allowing him to present his stout to a bigger audience.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over,” stated

McGregor. “This launch comes as a culmination of two years of hard graft from myself and the Forged Irish Stout team, and I’m immensely proud to finally get it into the hands of the British public. We’ve huge plans for Forged in the UK, Ireland, the US, and beyond, and I can’t wait for you all to join us on the journey.”

As Conor McGregor’s stout prepares to make its mark in the UK, it also holds the promise of a

broader adventure, with a major international launch event being planned for later this year.

121,070 communal swimming pools in Spain.

David Worboys’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors

Traffic jams test our patience but millions smile despite the difficulties in obtaining clean drinking water .

Photo credits: HuffPost &ameyawdebrah.com

IRISH STOUT: A pint of Forged.

Credit: ForgedIrishStout/Instagram.com

PETS

Fancy pet-sitting as a way to travel?

WE are always looking for new pet­sitters with experience of and a deep love of pets. We have house­sits in Spain, the UK and all over Europe in fact and we are in need of honest reliable pet­sitters to join our network.

If you are a pet owner our HousesitMatch sitters are checked, and they won’t charge you a cent for the house or pet­sitting services. Instead, they offer a fair exchange free accommodation for free pet care. It’s a win win! The house sitters are for free when you are a member of the Housesit match network.

If you’re planning a trip register now as a member of our network to find an affordable home and pet care solution. Whether your trip is short or long, you’ll know that sometimes you must leave pets at home. Young and senior pets in particular benefit from staying at home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Join our pet and house­sitting network, and the sitters come for free!

Choose Housesitmatch.com for affordable travel, home and petcare. These are the steps to take:

1. Register as a homeown­

er on HouseSitMatch.com

2. Choose a Standard account (£69 per year) to ensure you can help online when needed

3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the house

4. Post an advert for the dates when you want to go away. Sitters apply and you choose.

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. House­sitters see your advert, they respond and you

Need a pet or housesitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either a house-sitter or homeowner with a 20% discount using coupon code 20EWN – Reader exclusive offer.

To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

POLICE/FIRE/AMBULANCE: 112

Horses: Spain’s heartbeat

choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

Trustpilot Testimonials ­ 4.9

/ 5 Excellent

10 out of 10 for housesitmatch.com

I have had nothing but good and helpful service from the people who run this site, and my experience has been excellent. Tristram Cosgrave ­ Dog and cat owner, Malaga

How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesitmatch. com.

THERE’S something uniquely captivating about the sound of hooves on Spanish cobblestones or the serene sight of a horse grazing in a sun­dappled meadow. In Spain, horses are more than just a cultural icon or a means of transportation. For many, they are cherished members of the family, loved and pampered as any pet would be. Imagine the bond one feels when a horse, with its soulful eyes, gently nuzzles up seeking affection, or the joy of watching it frolic with sheer delight. It’s not just about riding; it’s the conversations whispered between a horse and its owner during quiet moments, the shared sunsets, and the mutual trust.

Caring for a horse is undeniably demanding. It goes beyond providing shelter and food. It’s about understanding their emo­

Owning a horse is a big responsibility and a worthwhile long term commitment.

tions, ensuring they have companions to play with, and tending to their health needs. Yet, ask any horse owner, and they’ll likely say the rewards far outweigh the efforts. Increasingly, city dwellers are finding ways to

bring horses into their lives, be it through weekend riding clubs or adopting retired racehorses. The trend underscores a simple truth: In Spain’s rhythm of life, the heartbeat often sounds like galloping hooves.

Ever thought of exchanging your love for, and experience with, pets to stay somewhere for free?

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

AIR CONDITIONING by Cool and Cosy. The family company that cares. Installation and repairs. Quality machines. Ecosense movement sensors supplied and fitted from 100 Euros. For other energy-saving products visit www.coolandcosy. es. 952 935 513. We are Junta de Andalucia authorised installers as the new law states (real decreto 115/2017). On the Costa del Sol since 1993 (303283)

Quality Air Conditioning Installations. Economical heating, & silent in operation. 28 Years installation history in Spain. EnviroCare. All Areas Covered. 952 663 141/670 409 759 info@envirocare spain.com www.enviro carespain.com (303385)

MR COOL – Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Heating Systems, Sales & Service – Call Christian +34 629 527 587 or Nick +34 618 678 853 –www.mrcool.es (304151)

COOL & HOT AIR installations in all makes and models. 2 year guarantee. Costa del Sol & Inland. Reasonable prices. Call/WhatsApp Frank 650 561 629 (304089)

SOLAR BLINDS

ACE OF SHADES – All colours available. Urbanisations catered for, electric and manual operation; also recovery service available, largest selection of colours and designs on the coast. Tel: 951 273 254 / 671 732 204 / info@aceofshades.design T1(101730)

SUNSHINE AWNINGS / BLINDS Awnings, Persiana, Shutter & Rejas Specialist. New & Repairs. 25yrs on the coast. 680 323 969 / 952 199 640 (303144)

ACE OF SHADES - Vertical, Venetian, Roman, Roller, Wooden blinds, various colours available, also black-out blinds. Tel: 951 273 254 / 671 732 204 / info@aceofshades.design (101730)

BLINDS, awnings, mos quito screens, curtains, vast choice. All areas covered. Coast and inland. 655 825 931 (302477)

MOSQUITO screens, sliding, pulldown, pleated, colours call Mosquito Nick 647 072 861 www.mosquitonick.ws (303679)

SOLAR BLINDS ES Ideal for large glazed areas to reflect heat / glare and stop furniture fading and still keep the view. SAVE HEAT IN THE WINTER to improve your living envi ronment. ian@solarsha detinting.com Tel Ian 958 496 571 / 644 546 176 (303296)

GENERAL BUILDER , Tiling, plastering, painting, electrician, plumber, carpentry. Reasonable prices. 635 913 885 (References available) (303486)

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PLUMBING & GENERAL BUILDING All your plumbing needs. Bathroom, kitchens, tiling & painting. Benalmadena based, travel no problem. Glen 669 073 773 or Paul 642 098 115 (290158)

HOUSE CLEARANCE SPECIALISTS , FULL OR PART CLEARANCE. ALL FURNITURE WANTED, WE PAY MORE. TEL 634 324 914 OR EMAIL houseclear anceman@hotmail.com (303118)

PRIVATE collector will buy your Gold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel - 678 716 693 (288662)

ALHAURIN FURNITURE

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METALWORK

NEW REJAS, GATES, Carports & Fencing, repairs & alterations. Work Guaranteed. Reliable. 19yrs on Coast. Steve the Welder. Call/WhatsApp 655 040 648 (303622)

EMPORIUM Buyers & Sellers of quality fur niture. Top prices paid. Also buy cars, campervans, boats & bikes. 697 511 071 (290142)

ALH RENT A CAR –SHORT & LONG-TERM RENTALS FROM €15 A DAY. INSURANCE INCLUDED IN OUR PRICES. - TLF: 638 846 909 or reservasal hrentacar@gmail.com (303303)

COLLECTIVE CALLING are urgently requesting donations of clothing, homeware & furniture, so if you are having a House Clearance, Please call us for FREE COLLECTION. We sell good quality items, which then supports low-income families and the homeless in the community. These items can be dropped directly to our charity shop Tienda Solidaria: Av. Pablo Ruiz Picasso, 4, San Pedro de Alcantara, alternatively, call us to arrange collection on +34 711 006 961

you can read it, so can your clients. Contact us and have your business grow at + 34 951 386 161

FILMS

in English

CHIMNEY SERVICES

CHIMNEY SWEEP . Clean reliable professional 608 377 497 (303436)

APEX CHIMNEY SERVICES , professional chimney sweeping and smoke testing. NACS Qualified. Clean and efficient Tel: Bob 696 320 202 (302584)

STARLIGHT Property Cleaning & Maintenance. All types of cleaning. Any size of property. All Areas. Residential & Holiday Lets. 682 636451 www.starlightspain.com (302566)

DECORATORS

CLEAN, CRYSTALLISE, SEAL THEN POLISH YOUR MARBLE TO HIGH GLOSS, NON-SLIP. PROFESSIONAL GUARANTEED, FAST SERVICE. 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE. ALSO REPAIRS DAMAGES TO MARBLE, CLEAN AND SEAL TERRACOTTA TERRACES, COVERS ALL COSTA DEL SOL. TEL: 671 244 683 (303059)

GATE REPAIRS

ELECTRIC GATE/GARAGE DOOR automation repaired. Free, no obligation quotation. Call Colin - 636 394 641 (290156)

GATES

GRAN TURISMO

THU: 17:50

TUE: 20:30

BARBIE

THU: 16:50

FRI, SAT, SUN, MON, WED: 15:50

TUE: 20:25

OPPENHEIMER

THU: 18:00

FRI, SAT , MON, WED: 18:15

SUN: 12:15

TUE: 21:40

BLUE BEETLE

FRI, SAT, MON, TUE, WED: 15:50

SUN: 12:30

MEGALODON 2 : THE PIT

SUN: 14:25

TALK TO ME

TUE: 22:35

RED DOG CINEMA NEM M NEMMA E NE

PLAZA MAYOR CINEMA Malaga Puerto Banus

OPPENHEIMER

THU: 17:00, 20:15

GRAN TURISMO

THU: 17:00, 19:30

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE : DEAD RECKONING - PART 1

THU: 22:10

ELEMENTAL

THU: 18:30

HOW TO SAVE THE IMMORTAL

THU: 17:00

TALK TO ME

THU: 17:15, 19:20

MEG 2 : THE TRENCH

THU: 17:15

CHURCH SERVICES

BENALMADENA Elim Family Fellowship. Elimfamilyfellowship.com or call 951 912 525 or 952 446 627. (10011)

CALAHONDA: Encounter Church (Elim), Family church with kids’ activities, Iglesia San Miguel, Sundays 4.30pm, Rev. David Hodgson, 695 115 496 (10012)

THE Ark Christian Church. We meet at The Ark Christian School, Calle Río Darro 2 y Plaza Juncal, 29651, Mijas Costa (the road behind the Mijas Aquapark) on Sundays at 11.00am. Pastor, Andrew Seale Tlf 682 713 491 www.theark spain.com (293850)

CLEANING MAINTENANCE

ADVANCED Cleaning Services. Professional carpet, upholstery cleaning, 27 years experience, wet/dry clean. Honest, reliable service 678 808 837 / 952 669 701 or email acservs@out look.com (290189)

UPHOLSTERY including leather cleaned also carpets. 685 524 921 (290189)

REYES PROPERTY SERVICES Est. over 25 years. Rental management. Tailor made for your all property needs. Call Wendy 635 630 370 wendy.bolitho@hotmail. es (303625)

INSURANCE

RAINBOW Pinturas. English Painters & decorators. All aspects. Interior/exterior, private residential, commercial & communities. Spraying: door, kitchens & furniture. Light construction. Call/WhatsApp: Daniel: 628 066 308 www.rainbowpinturas.com (302592)

ATD DECOR. British Painter. 30 Years’ Experience. Punctual. Great Rates. Call for free quote. 602 431 968 Facebook: @ATDDecorMalaga (304018)

DOMESTIC APP REP

DOMESTIC appliance repairs washing machines fridges cookers ovens water heaters gas electric professionally repaired 608 337 497 (303436)

WASHING MACHINES , Ovens, Boilers etc. All work guaranteed by ex Zanussi technician. Reliable rapid service. Joe 609 345 096 (303716)

DRAINAGE

BLOCKED DRAINS? Leak detection, CCTV survey, root removal, Tel 952 568 414 / 661 910 772 / drainspain.com (295026)

ELECTRICIAN

ALL TYPES OF ELECTRICAL work, re-wiring, fault finding. Professional & experienced. Frank Tel. or Whatsapp 650 561 629 (303497)

FLOOR POLISHING

MARBLE FLOOR (2.50€ / m2) WHY PAY MORE. WE

MARBLE FLOORS polished high shine non-slip. Fast Service Reliable, family-run business. TERRACOTTA CLEANED and sealed. No job too small. Cleansol 10am – 10pm 7 days all areas. 952 930 861 / 607 610 578 Discount code: EWN 1 CLEAN (206437)

MARBLE POLISHING, CRYSTALLISING, LASTING, HIGH SHINE. REGRINDING, RESTORATION OF SALTY, DEAD FLOORS. 27YRS EXPERIENCE. RELIABLE. REFS AVAILABLE. CYRIL. 645 840 199 (303697)

FOR SALE/WANTED

WANTED Gold, Silver, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel678 716 693 (288662)

FURNITURE

FURNITURE wanted, same day collection, also house clearance and removals. Also buy cars, campervans, boats & bikes. 697 511 071 (290142)

GARDENING

PROFESSIONAL garden services from Fuengirola to Estepona. All aspects of gardening and full maintenance and landscaping, free quotes, competitive prices. Contact Andrew 600 259 981 Andrew@gar den-professionals.com (295350)

IRRIGATION

IRIS-IRRIGATION and landscapes. TRENCHLESS NO DIG Irrigation installation, Cables, Fibre Optic, Electric & Lighting Cables. New Installations & problem-solving. Turf (supply and laying). Garden constructions. Tree surgeon. Clearing. Astro Turf (Free Quotation) 676 747 521 (303376)

ELECTRIC GATES /Garage Doors. Intercoms/access control systems and replacement remotes. New installs and repairs. For all your electric gate and garage door requirements call us on 605 356 469/952 786 178. The Garage Door Co & 2 Way Gates. tgdc@ hotmail.co.uk www.2way gates.com (295301)

GLASS CURTAINS

GLASS CURTAIN repairs, specialist in replacement of discoloured plastic strips that act as a seal between the glass panels. Call Julian 655 825 931 (302477)

HANDYMAN

HANDYMAN: General Building work, painting, wall/roof waterproofing & other jobs. Call Michael 622 755 666 (304055)

HEALTH & BEAUTY

BOTOX & fillers from €80. Skinny Jab & Fat reducing injections. Cover Coast & Inland. www.beautifulmarbella. es 609 347 086 (303371)

HEATING

Fires: Electric, Gas. Quality guaranteed. EnviroCare. All areas covered. 952 663 141 / 670 409759. info@envirocare spain.com www.enviro carespain.com (303385)

BARBIE

THU: 17:15, 19:30, 21:45 LAWYERS

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

VINYL WRAP

VINYL SOLUTIONS WHY REPLACE WHEN YOU CAN RENOVATE? Modern adhesive vinyl coverings in hundreds of styles and designs can renovate a tired kitchen, bathroom, wall panels, bedroom wardrobes, fridge doors. Turn a tired looking wood designed kitchen into a modern solid colour or metallic look without painting or replacing. Work carried out on site with 10 year warranties Contact Ian 644 546 176 for design brochure and samples. (303296)

HOT TUBS new used, bought, sold, hired. Also move & repairs. Used good Hot Tubs for sale. 691 973 131 / +44 7836 379122 (303337)

ALHAURIN FURNITURE EMPORIUM furniture wanted, same day collection, also house clearance and removals. Also buy cars, campervans, boats & bikes. 697 511 071 (290142)

MOTOR INSURANCE . For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 952 147 834, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 952 147 834 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726)

STAY SAFE! Abbeygate Insurance Call 971 277 455 For your security www.abbey gateinsure.com (291234)

ENGLISH LOCKSMITHS, SECURITY & SHADE EXPERTS. FREE HOME SECURITY SURVEY. 636 770 865 / 952 660 233

WWW.SECURITYOF SPAIN.COM CONTACT

DAREN (303056) T1

ENGLISH LOCKSMITH emergency & appointment, locks changed, patio doors & windows secured. All locks supplied insurance approved. Fast & reliable service. No hidden extras or nasty surprises. 657 466 803 www.a1lock smiths.es (290138)

SAN PEDRO. Sandra. Professional relaxing, tantric massage. Young, slim, work alone, unforgettable moments. Nueva Andalucia. 641 346 278

PURE RELAXATION in Nueva Andalucia with attractive independent masseuse. Tantric and other special massages in private apartment. For gentlemen and couples, with no rush attention to your needs 656 350 401

ENGLISH ELEGANT independent & affectionate lady in late 40s, gives a sensual golfers massage to relieve tension in her discreet private apartment. Satisfaction guaranteed. Call 680 177 569 (303709)

CASSIE. Mature English lady. Discreet and clean. 667 914 732 (FU 3025)

RIVIERA DEL SOL . Dana, Cuban masseuse, fun and spontaneous. My hands will offer you a unique experience, with a mixture of smells, sounds, sensations . Contact me without obligation 951274723, 650237145.

CALAHONDA . Leila, Arab masseuse, expert in the art of seduction and tantric massage. Authentic masseuse who manages to transmit the physical and emotional pleasure with the 5 senses. Tantric massage, sensual or body to body to perfection. Make an appointment. 650237145 (303656)

CALAHONDA . I am Mery, a young, simple and natural girl who hides among her shy appearance the best kept secrets of relaxing, descontracture and stimulating massage. I massage both men and couples. 650237145. by appointment only (303656)

NEAR Elviria. Viky, undoubtedly I am the most sensual and, sweet latin masseuse you have ever met. Tantric sensitive massages very special, body to body with oil! I will make you feel very relaxed with a good massage and the end will be your choice. 951274723, 650237145 (303656)

ASIAN MASSUER offers relaxing full body massage. Home Visits. WhatsApp 641 980 066 for details (304166)

CALAHONDA. I am your ideal masseuse if you want to enjoy a massage, relaxing and sensual, I will use all my charm and my secret techniques of relaxation and mutual connection. Dana –650237145 (303656)

MARBELLA CENTRE - the ideal place for relaxing massage in the city centre. Available 24h and prices from €50. For reservations and information call 620 366 817. (302600)

ESTEPONA area. Kannika sweet Asian masseuse. Various massage. For more service details WhatsApp me 602 427 095 (FU 2891)

FUENGIROLA Paula 30 years old beautiful, soft sensitive massages, deep body relaxation techniques 641 244 707 (FU 2908)

UKRAINIAN/ THAI slims, friendly, beautiful hands massage. Marbella. 604 428 812 (FU 2980)

JAPANESE massage. Marbella. Relaxing, less stress. 664 177 216 (MI 559)

MARBELLA Tantric ritual massage with aromatherapy to leave completely renewed. 642 751 070 (2907)

MASSAGE! Outcalls everywhere in Costa del Sol! Independent lady offer sensual massage. 604 256 336 (FU 3049)

SARA Venezuelan, professional relaxing therapeutic & sensitive massage. I can visit you. For more information contact me 632 770 051 (303021)

THAI Benalmadena Costa. Body-body full massages. Visits, Hotels. Whatsapp 689 387 448 (MI 568).

BENALMADENA: Sandra Spanish Masseur and Amalia - duo massage & relaxing. Incalls & Outcalls. 24hrs. Tel. 673 88 75 47 (304209)

NEW FUENGIROLA center, beautiful blonde Sofia, 20 years old, massages and relaxation. 603 366 841 (FU 3046)

FUENGIROLA. Relaxing massage made by alternative gender masseuse. Violeta Chiropractor. 660 867 374 (FU 3048)

ASIAN lady tantric sensory generate self esteem body technique, fantastic relaxation massage Marbella. 603 208 080 (MI 567)

SAN PEDRO DE ALCANTARA - Camilla Masseur 33private apartment - 603 804 443 (303731)

COLOMBIAN Yeraldin, I do massages and something else. I am independent 45 years old I am in Nueva Andalucía 611 245 461 (FU 3047)

FUENGIROLA center. Naomi beautiful mulatto 19 years old massage and relax. 603 366 841 (FU 3046)

ASIAN Touch try something different combination Oriental European, absolutely relaxing massage relief pain stress, luxury place. Marbella. Elviria. 633 705 558 (MI 567)

MARBELLA CENTRO: Valery, Portuguese, mature, blond, sweet unique sensual massage. Independent. 685 221 959

ASIAN MASSUER offers relaxing full body massage. Home Visits. WhatsApp 641 980 066 for details

FUENGIROLA private apartment 4 new friends in the city treat yourself. Total discretion. 603 366 841 (FU 3046)

OLGA Mature Masseure relaxing & sensitive. Outcalls & Incalls. 24 hrs. Marbella – Tel: 632 467 580 (304040)

FILIPINO MASSAGE CENTRE , where hearts of Asian proffessional massage daily. 604 421 973 (MI 567)

MASSAGE and fun... Exotic male tantric masseur. Simply unforgettable. 602 098 606

ASIAN PROFESSIONAL Massage, sensual, relaxing & therapeutic, to release tension & stress. Fuengirola. Call 613 592 062 (304091)

RELAXING Massage for Men & Couples. Feel free from tension & stress Call Dany 603 202 758 (304056)

BUTTERFLY - Massage, is the ideal place for people with high sensitivity, with a taste for body to body interaction, who enjoy the sensuality and magic, feeling the warm hands of an attractive masseuse running through their body. Our masseuses have been chosen not only for their physical attractiveness, but also for their sensuality and massage skills. Only by appointment

PROFESSIONAL MALE muscled masseur. Full-body relaxing, deep tissue and therapeutic massage. In/outcalls. WhatsApp me 607 595 906 (304067)

FUENGIROLA - Johanna Brazilian 45yrs Mature Masseur. Relaxing Massages. Best relax guaranteed. Tel: 617.818.615 (296396)

JADE BRITISH lady offers sensual massage service for gentlemen & couples. Discrete premises. Estepona area. Call 665 896 519 (304058)

BENALMADENA Private Villa: DANIELA from Colombia 19yrs Masseur. New on the Coast. in C/ Imperio Argentina N.1 in Benalmadena. Incalls Outcalls 24hrs. Tel. 662 52 78 15 (304209)

951274723 ,

650237145 (303656)

CALA DE MIJAS . Looking to get out of your routine? Excellent professional masseuse and with exclusive attention for people who want and wish to relax and live a unique experience. If you are looking for discretion and good treatment, here I am. I’m Sara and I hope you ask for your appointment as soon as possible because I am very busy.

650237145 (303656)

RIVIERA DEL SOL . Close your eyes and let yourself be carried away by your imagination. I am waiting for you in an atmosphere suitable for relaxation and sensuality, without noise, with candlelight and soft music. Before you start, you just have to relax, breathe slowly to free your body and mind... I’ll take care of the rest. Miriam, qualified masseuse with many years of experience. Book your appointment. 650237145

LOS BOLICHES - Carolina Pretty Masseur, 45yrs Relaxing Massage, Guaranteed relax634.703.111 (296396)

BENALMADENA lovely lady, offering you a very relaxing body massage. Call for an appointment 634 209 427 (304159)

FUENGIROLA. Japanese Shiatsu & Zen Ki relaxing and therapeutic massage. Excellent service guaranteed. Home Visits. WhatsApp for appointment 693 988 340 (304051)

WWW.LAILALYNCH1.COM

Heated pool, Jacuzzi and private bar. Inland private retreat with a full massage service. 662 913 428 (FU 3033)

ESTEPONA . Susana, Latin Girl sculptural body, trained for deep relaxing massage. 697 705 304 (FU 2786)

ASIAN wellness massage Nice area west Marbella. Guaranteed results. 623

554 233 or 623 594 698 (301500)

BENALMADENA: IRINA Russian Masseur, model, slim, Russian, Spanish, English. Incalls & Outcalls 24hrs. Tel. 673 88 75 47 (304209)

BENALMADENA Masseur, massage, jacuzzi, outcalls 24hrs. Incalls & Outcalls. 24hrs. Tel. 673 88 75 47 (304209)

BENALMADENA: MariaColombian Masseur - blond long hair, Incalls & Outcalls 24hrs. Tel. 673 88 75 47 (304209)

BENALMADENA: Alicia Spanish professional & relaxing Masseur.. Incalls & Outcalls. 24hrs. Tel. 673 88 75 47 (304209)

FILIPINA /Thai, exclusive prostatic, deep, hard, soft massage pleasure to body mind therapy, exotic proffessional relaxation, clean, good atmosphere. Elviria. Marbella. 679 126 231 (MI 567)

VANESSA Benalmadena excellent massage services. Relaxing & therapeutic. Home premises. Call me 624 811 098 (304156)

JESSICA 28 Estepona. Full tantric massage High class service. Private apartment. 711 030 670 (304094)

ESTEPONA CENTRE . Sweet Asian masseuse, beautiful, personality. Relaxing, full body massage and more. Details

WhatsApp 678 315 756 (FU 3035)

MATURE Spanish lady gives special & sensual massage. For more info call 671 616 980 (304168)

FUENGIROLA . Marisa, 38 years old, mature, all kinds of massages. Only WhatsApp. 631 659 408 (FU 3045)

PROFESSIONAL massage on the table. Fuengirola. Irina, blonde. 46 years old 631 432 046. Whatsapp (FU 3044)

MISCELLANEOUS

GOLD & SILVER Bought & Sold, Rolex & Patek Philippe Watches Tel - 678 716 693 (288662)

ACE OF SHADES - Don’t let the bugs get you! Available in enrollable, slider and pleated. Large choice of colours including wood effect. Tel: 951 273 254 / 671 732 204 / info@aceof shades.design (101730)

MOSQUITO Screens for windows, doors and a high-quality sliding patio door screen. All finishes available. Quick service. All areas covered. Call Julian 655 825 931 (302477)

MOSQUITO screens, sliding, pulldown, pleated, colours, call Mosquito Nick 647 072 861 www.mosquitonick.ws (295855)

CAMPER VANS , CARAVANS, MOBILE HOMES, BOATS AND ALL PLANT, DIGGERS, DUMPERS, MOTORBIKES, CARS AND COMMERCIALS WANTED. BEST PRICE PAID, CASH TODAY, ANY REGISTRATION WITH OR WITHOUT PAPERS. PLEASE CALL 678 808 837 (290189)

CARS, VANS, ANY RESGISTRATION, INSTANT CASH, FINANCE / EMBARGO UK OR SPANISH 685 524 921 (290189)

CARS, VANS UK OR SPANISH BOUGHT FOR CASH. FREE COLLECTION IN SPAIN / UK. PLEASE CALL 678 808 837 OR 952 669 701 (290189)

FOR SALE –

ROBERTSON CARS... would like to thank all of my past, present & future clients for their continued support over the last 35 years here in Spain. Stay safe and outdrive everyone. If contacting Samantha in the afternoons, please only Whatsapp on 608 658 785 or Email therobert sonclan@gmail.com as I am driving mostly & unable to take your calls.

ROBERTSON CARS SALE HOT HOT HOT – BARGAIN -THE TIME TO GO TOPLESS IS NOW - AUTOMATIC / CABRIO MERCEDES SLK ONLY 57,000kms 2006 Stunning Silver only used as holiday car with 57,000KMS (Approx 35,000miles) 2 Seater Convertible have fun in the sun. Comes with New ITV until 2024 and history, Electric Roof folds into boot. Selling Under Book Price only €10,995. Classy Great Shape Cabrio. Mercedes, need I say more… See photos on my web page – www.robertson cars-spain.com or text me whatsapp 608 658 785 Email: therobertsonclan@gmail.com

ROBERTSON CARS HOT HOT HOT AUTOMATIC / DIESEL MERCEDES C220 ESTATE 2013 ONLY

82,000KMS YES APPROX.

50,000 MILES Electric Big Sunroof, This Is no Ordinary Mercedes this is my own much loved super good looking Striking Shade of Grey Mercedes. New ITV This Week till Augugst 2024. Sat Nav, Electric everything, Parking Sensors, Fabulous Airconditioning. Samantha’s Hot Bargain at 17,995€ www.robertson cars-spain.com or text me whatsapp 608 658 785

Email: therobertsonclan @gmail.com

ROBERTSON CARS HOT HOT HOT BE SMART GO SMALL, PARK ANYWHERE

-AUTOMATIC / CABRIO

SMART CAR Silver with Black Electric Hood, hood can be half opened or fully down, go top-less, 2 seater. Small Car Big Personality. Park

anywhere, little beauty she has her own car cover. Huge Service History originally from Germany, now Spanish Plates. Low KMS. ITV, Air-condition , Electric Windows and Locking, 2 Keys. Outstanding Condition, ONLY €5,995 Perfect Runaround. See Photo on my web page – www.robertson cars-spain.com or text/Whatsapp me: 608 658 785 Email therobertsonclan@gmail.com

WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 952 147 834. (200726)

CAR SERVICES

MOBILE MECHANIC will come to your home or work. Servicing, repairs, ITVs & diagnostics. Call Mick on 617 553 072 (303499)

ENGLISH bodyshop, fully equipped, Mijas Costa. No Job Too Small. 952 667 074 (303219)

IMPORT/TRANSFER

CARS TRANSFERRED, history checks, Imports and Embargo problems. Change of use and lost papers. Change your car to Spanish plates, simple efficient service. Cars bought and sold. Please call 678808837 or email carsinspain@live.co.uk (290189)

WANTED

WANTED CARS AND VANS, FREE COLLECTION, SAME DAY 685 524 921 (290189)

CARS, VANS BOUGHT WITH / WITHOUT PAPERS. CASH WAITING 678 808 837 (303115)

ALL CARS / Commercials wanted, runners or non-runners. Cash. Buyer collects. Transfer included. 605 109 796 (302707)

CARS , Vans, Bikes wanted. Any Reg, Anything Considered Call or Whatsapp 687 049 592 (303750)

WANTED, wanted, wanted!!

All cars, all years, all models… from exotic to classic. Spanish, English, Dutch plated. Call us on 951 977 329 or 606 647 597. (302517)

TO YOUR TASTE. REASONABLE RATES BY NEGOTIATION.COVERS GIB TO NERJA.SEE YOU TUBE. ENQUIRIES davechristian clark@gmail.com (304085)

MALE/Female Viagra, cialis, kamagra jelly all areas. Mixed trial packs available. Delivery or mail order available 604 385 476. viagra4you19@ gmail.com

WE ARE LOOKING for a couple with their own CamperVan or Static to look after a villa in Alhaurín el Grande area. Electric, Water & Septic tank facilities. Own private permanent area. For more details call Mark +447831 344 300 (304095)

UK & IRISH Passport renewals including photos. Complete Service. Cath’s Cards. 952 885 759. www.cath scards.es (290153)

COCKROACHES , ANTS, insects, fleas, mice, rats, wasps, termite specialists. Fumigations, bars, restaurants, houses, etc. Sanitary department officially registered certificates. Serving the coast since 1985. Only legal English owned pest control company on the coast. If you want the best then phone N.P.S. Paul 676 700 370 (1296213)

KENNELS

CAT & DOG World Kennels and Cattery. 952 112 978 / 630 197 435. www.catand dogworld.com (304069)

ADANA THE ANIMAL SHELTER IN ESTEPONA. We always need volunteers to walk and socialise with our dogs and help with cleaning. We also need good homes for our animals that you can see on www.adana.es. Kennels open every day 10-1.30, Camino de Casares, near Parque de los Pedregales, Estepona. (5 minutes from the Poligono) For more information call 952 113 467, available from 10.00am until 2.00pm. (93319)

ANIMEX Foundation offers free will upgrading when leaving something for abandoned animals. Contact animexfoundation@gmail.com or call 692 166 434 now for this absolutely free service (288287)

ARCH - The Andalucian Rescue Centre for Horses, registered charity 8448, the Centre is open to visitors every Sunday from 9am until 2pm. Working closely with the Spanish authorities, we rescue, rehabilitate and rehome abused and abandoned horses and donkeys. Come and meet our current rescues, learn about our work and how you may be able to help. Run solely by a small team of dedicated volunteers, the Centre is located between Alhaurin el Grande and Coin in Comm. de Viña Borrego behind Venta Miralmonte. For more information and directions see our website www.horserescuespain.org, our Facebook page Centro Andalusi de Rescate de Caballos or tel. 610 845 491 or 656 935 613 (93322)

SEPE the horse and donkey charity is open to the public at weekends from 10.00 to 5.00. Volunteers are much needed in all departments and are welcome at any time. For our riding for the disabled classes, we are also in need of extra helpers. We are nationally registered by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior (164640) but only with your support can we give the equine a voice. If you can just commit to 2 or 3 euros a month it will really help make a difference. You can find us at Lauro Golf Equestrian Centre, Alqueria, Alhaurin de la Torre. Tel. 608 258 950

clear-out, please contact us on 605 227 155. If you would like to know more about rehoming, please call 653 257 875. Visit our website www.sos-ani mals.org or please phone Sandy on 952 385 923 or 666 814 056 if you would like to make a donation or help in any way. (93317)

DAVID CHRISTIAN-CLARK PLAYS POPULAR SPANISH GUITAR FOR YOUR EVENT. OVER 30 YEARS PRO EXPERIENCE BACKED BY A DIPLOMA FROM GUILDHALL LONDON. SPECIALISES IN WEDDINGS. ECLECTIC PLAYLIST TAILORED

ACE CHARITY ‘El Refugio’ in La Cala de Mijas is a registered charity. We have on average 275 dogs in our care and we receive no help from the town hall or the Andalucian government. We desperately need foster homes and adoptants for our many dogs, especially the small ones and puppies who do not do well in a big shelter. We are grateful for any help offered, including donations of food and blankets. Visiting times are from 13.00 to 15.00 and you can always turn up or make an appointment by calling Denise on 669 018 736. Our website is www.ace-chari ty.org where you can view all the dogs in our care. (93320)

info@sepeonline.net

www.sepeonline.net (93321)

SOS ANIMAL REFUGE we have dogs, young and old looking for homes. Some of our dogs have been with us for some time and would love to find a cosy spot to curl up in and a knee on which to rest their heads. If you have room in your heart and home we would love to hear from you. We do not put our dogs to sleep - no matter how old, they are safe with us. For day to day needs and to pay for veterinary care, we much appreciate the support we receive. We desperately need items to sell on our market stall to help raise funds and are happy to come and collect. So, if you are having a

PLUMBING PROPERTY

PLUMBING. Leak detection & blocked drains. Tel 952 568 414 / 661 910 772 / drain spain.com (295026)

WWW.INTERMARBELLA.COM

Costa del Sol Property Sales & Long term rentals wanted. All areas / All budgets / All types. Spain +34 951 708 422. UK +44 208 144 5008. Email info@intermarbella.com (303052)

THINKING of selling your property or interested in a current valuation? We have clients actively looking for properties from Torremolinos to Calahonda. List with us and let us sell your property. Call Joe 626 864 683 (304019)

PROPERTY FOR SALE

WWW.INTERMARBELLA.COM

Costa del Sol Property for sale. All areas / all budgets / all types. Spain +34 951 708 422. UK +44 208 144 5008 Email info@intermarbella.com

SELLING UP?? Why not give us a call and let us give you an honest and realistic valuation of your property. List with us and let us take the stress out of selling your home. No sale no fee!! English agent on the ball with clients waiting. Please call 685 524 921.

NEWLY REFURBISHED

VILLA for sale in El Chaparral La Cala De Mijas. Stunning sea & mountain views. Ready end of August. Offers around €695,000. Visit www.casacoli na.co.uk or Tel 00447798691758. Private sale.

PROP MAINTENANCE

STARLIGHT Property

Cleaning & Maintenance

All Areas. Residential & Holiday Lets. Persiana repairs, Decorating, Electrial & Plumbing repairs. 682 636451 www.starlight-spain.com

PROPERTY TO LET

WWW.INTERMARBELLA.COM

Costa del Sol Property Long Term Rentals All areas / All budgets / All types. Spain +34 951 708 422 UK +44 208 144 5008. Email info@intermar bella.com (303052)

REMOVALS/STORAGE

15 CUBIC metre van returning to the UK 1st September 2023. Space available each way. Tel. 639 928 090 (303394)

MAN AND VAN

MAN & VAN , 20€ ph. Removals, Rubbish & House Clearances. Paul 634 112 677 (294214)

2 MEN, Van €30 p hour. House Clearances & Storage. 651 081 610 (303336) moveit-storeit.com Tel David 696 810 618 (294932)

STORAGE, Storage, Storage. Man & Van Services. Call/Whatsapp 690 155 340 (302418)

MAN AND VAN removals / storage service. House clearances Collections and deliveries Waste removal NO JOB TOO SMALL Call Mike on 604 380 570 (304093)

NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL

PROFESSIONAL LOCAL REMOVALS AT AFFORDABLE RATES. 1/2 DAY FROM €90. FULL DAY FROM

€175. WE ALSO PROVIDE A FORTNIGHTLY DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE TO UK AND EUROPE (INCL SCOTLAND). WORLDWIDE SHIPPING TO USA, AUSTRALIA, ETC AND FULL STORAGE FACILITIES. TEL (0034) 952 578 507 OR (0034) 637 892 278 / EMAIL garymoveit@ yahoo.co.uk (303055)

JDS EURO TRANSPORT & REMOVALS - Regular trips throughout Europe. Call or WhatsApp Julian 0044 7884 908 929. See Facebook Page for recommendations (301271)

moveit-storeit.com Tel

David 696 810 618 (294932)

STORAGE

moveit-storeit.com Tel David 696 810 618 (294932)

ROLLER SHUTTERS

ACE OF SHADES - PERSIANA (security shutter) electric and manual, various colours available including wood effect, we also offer a repair service. Make your home more secure! Tel: 951 273 254 / 671 732 204 / info@aceof shades.design (101730)

ROLLER shutter repairs, 7 days a week, conversion from manual to motorised, new installations. All areas covered. Coast and inland. 655 825 931 (302477)

SWIMMING Pool Heating Pumps, Pool Covers, Rollers, Filtration Systems. 28 years installation history in Spain. Envirocare. All areas covered. Quality Guaranteed. 952663141 / 670409759 info@enviro carespain.com www.en virocarespain.com (303385)

TAROT CARDS READING

Powerful magic man African SPIRITUALIST with 30 years’ experience, all tips of magic. Bring back your love? remove all negativity voodoo dolls, black magic & bad spirits and depression? etc. result in 24h – Tel. 664 478 051www.suwarehspiritualleader. com (304208)

OFFICIAL TRANSLATIONS

All Languages. 952 789 204 Mobile 654 613 094 sanpe drotranslations@gmail.com (302734)

REPAIRS to TV’s, LCD, LED, -Videos, Hi-Fi, & Microwaves, Mag Boxes, UK channels installed. 35 years experience. Free Estimates, Can Collect. John 952 491 723 or 600 706 201. (304059)

UPHOLSTERY

INSURANCE

WE are looking for receptionist for adult massage house. We have in Fuengirola and Elviria. If interested please contact +34 611 30 41 02. (303660)

SITUATIONS VACANT SOLAR

SOLAR Hot Water heating: FREE HOT WATER. 28 years installation history in Spain. Envirocare. All areas covered. Quality guaranteed. 952 663 141/ 670 409 759 info@envirocare spain.com www.enviro carespain.com (303385)

SOFT FURNISHINGS

CURTAINS, blinds, cushions and much more. Free estimates and home visits. Tel 657 369 343 or rosan nacarmella8@gmail.com (301301)

SWIMMING POOLS

POOL MAINTENANCE , & Repairs, including heaters & regrouts. Friendly & reliable service. Malaga to Estepona & inland areas. 678 791 495 / 951 536 389 www.sparklenrip ple.net (303027)

ADVANCED Cleaning Services. Professional carpet and upholstery cleaning, 28 years experience, wet/dry clean. Honest, reliable. 678 808 837 / 952 669 701 acservs@out look.com (290189)

UPHOLSTERY including leather cleaned also carpets. 685 524 921 (290189)

CARPETS AND SOFAS cleaned. Reliable, fast service. Family run. Cleansol 952 930 861 / 607 610 578. 10am10pm 7 days, all areas Discount Code: EWN 1 CLEAN (206437)

WATER HEATERS

ELECTRIC & Gas Water Heaters. Quality Installations. 28 years installation history in Spain. EnviroCare. All Areas Covered. 952 663 141/670 409 759 info@envirocare spain.com www.enviro carespain.com (303385)

Bentleyesque styling and imposing

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack

FOR a brand new marque, Genesis, the luxury arm of Hyundai, has made an impressive start and with their first all­electric model, the GV60, the good news continued. As part of Hyundai, whose own EVs are good sellers and very popular, the technology base for Genesis is a proven one.

All Genesis models are head turners, it’s a mixture of Bentleyesque styling and an imposing stance that sets them apart from other luxury models. They have the ability to immediately make you feel that you are in something rather upmarket and special. There is a real feeling of quality in everything you can see and touch with some splendid detail touches from quilted stitched seating to slim linear air vents.

The GV60 has three ver­

sions ­ Premium, Sport and Sport Plus ­ with prices starting at £53,905 and standard equipment across the board including full LED lights with high beam assist, double glazed soundproofed glass with solar glass at the front, wireless phone charging, smart cruise con trol, power seats, heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats and artificial leather upholstery.

On the road the GV60 feels and drives like it looks, premium luxury. You expect

Facts at a Glance

• Model: Genesis GV60 Premium

an electric car to be quiet but there’s usually a hum from the electric motor and a

• Engine: 77.4 kwh battery – 229 PS – Rear-wheel-drive, single motor

• Gears: 1-speed automatic

• Price: €62,518/£53,905

• Performance: 0-100 kph (62 mph) 7.8 seconds/Maximum Speed 185 kph (115 mph).

• Range: 321 miles on single charge

• Emissions: 0 g/km

Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets

touch of road and tyres noise. Not in the Genesis! It is one of the smoothest and quietest cars you’re ever likely to travel in, even by EV standards. It’s also one of the most comfortable and even the lead­in model test model performs well with the benchmark 62mph passing by in 7.8 seconds.

There’s a decent range with the lead ­ in Premium version covering 321 miles and even in real world driv­

ing around 290 should be possible. As ever though that changes with the weather conditions and where you’re driving, in the depths of winter I think mid ­ 200s in range would be realistic.

Likes include being able to turn off the dreaded lanekeep easily and quickly, excellent levels of space inside, solid build quality and a light and airy feel compared to many rather claustrophobic interiors. One thing that surprised was the lack of a rear wiper. I’m sure Genesis would say it doesn’t need one but, trust me, if you’re in the wrong kind of weather it needs a rear wiper.

It may not be mainstream but that can be a distinct advantage in terms of exclusivity, and I suspect any buyers venturing into a Genesis, EV or otherwise, will be smitten.

Safety at its best

IN today’s fast­paced world, the safety of our loved ones remains paramount so it comes as no surprise that family car buyers in both the UK and Spain prioritise safety features. Combining research, user reviews, and safety test results, we present the top five family cars that make no compromises on protection.

First on the list is the British­engineered Land Rover Discovery, boasting an outstanding safety package and unparalleled on­road stability. It’s an obvious choice for families seeking a blend of luxury and reassurance. Spain’s very own SEAT Tarraco isn’t far behind, with its advanced driver­assist systems and a five­star Euro NCAP rating.

It promises a comfortable and secure ride

through Spanish sierras and British byways alike. The Volvo XC60, with its Swedish engineering, has always been a frontrunner in safety. Features like its Pilot Assist make long drives a breeze while ensuring optimal protection. For those who prefer compact models, the VW Golf continues to be a benchmark in its class. Its robust safety suite is both comprehensive and innovative. Rounding off the top five is the Peugeot 3008, which, besides its chic design, brings an array of safety tech to the table. Selecting a car is not just about style or speed; although that is an important factor, it’s an investment in safety and with these choices, families in the UK and Spain can journey with peace of mind.

Exit of the estate

BRITAIN and Spain have begun witnessing a notable shift in their car markets with the gradual decline of the estate car. Once the quintessential choice for families and professionals alike, estate cars are seeing reduced traction amidst changing consumer preferences. Modern buyers are increasingly leaning towards SUVs and crossovers, drawn by their spacious interiors, elevated driving positions, and perceived safety advantages.

Meanwhile, the rise of urban living in major cities across both nations has also played a role. Compact cars, easier to manoeuvre and park in

congested areas, are proving more practical than the longer­bodied estate cars. Environmental concerns are further influencing buying patterns. As the push towards electric and hybrid vehicles gains momentum, many of these models are not being produced in estate variants. While it might be premature to declare the absolute demise of the estate car in Britain and Spain, the indicators suggest a change in the wind. The era where estate cars dominated the roads may be giving way to a future where they represent a nostalgic, albeit cherished, chapter in automotive history.

GENESIS GV60: Feels and drives like it looks - premium luxury.

Rapid rise

ACCORDING to the latest data from the Auto Trader Retail Price Index, which is based on circa 800,000 daily pricing observations across the whole retail market, UK second ­ hand car prices are accelerating at their fastest rate in eight months.

Emergency measures

BREAKING down in Spain can be daunting, but the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) offers guidance.

Firstly, ensure your safety by turning on hazard lights and put on your high visibility vest before placing the warning triangle at a safe distance (approx 50 metres from your car).

If you have the new V16 warner beacon light, place this on the roof of your car without getting out of the vehicle and you will immediately become visible.

Call your insurance recovery company or if required 112 for assistance and provide your location, details, and vehicle type. Stay in your car if

it’s on a busy road. If you’re on a motorway, exit your vehicle from the right side and wait behind the safety barrier, if safe to do so. The DGT emphasises staying visible and following their guidelines for a safer breakdown experience. Remember, following these steps can help ensure your safety and prompt assistance.

With an average retail value of £17,756, June marks a year ­ on ­ year (YoY) price growth of 3.2 per cent on a like ­ for ­ like basis and the 39th consecutive month of YoY growth.

Over that period, the average retail price of a used car has increased by circa £3,900.

Although retail prices in June softened slightly on a month ­ on ­ month (MoM) basis, decreasing0.3 per cent in May, this is near to seasonal norms, with prices falling as much as ­ 0.9 per cent

over the same period in 2019.

Auto Trader’s Director of Data and Insight, Richard Walker, said: “The used car market has enjoyed a strong first half of the year, with the rise in retail values doing little to dampen consumer demand. Although the current health of the economy does add a degree of uncertainty for the months ahead, based on what we’re currently

remains an optimistic one.”

tracking across the market, our outlook for the rest of 2023

Prices are rising at their fastest for eight months.

Image: fongbeerredhot Shutterstock/New Africa

12.5 years, the average age of a car in Spain

England v Spain Final

IS it finally England’s time to shine on the world stage? The Lionesses have made history by reaching the Women’s World Cup final for the first time, defeating Australia 3­1.

On Wednesday, August 16, England triumphed over Australia at Sydney’s Stadium Australia, with goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, and Alessia Russo. The victory was a significant achievement against the Matildas, a team that had been a thorn in England’s side in recent years, according to a news source.

Facing a boisterous home crowd, England’s women showcased a masterful performance. Australia had been the only team to defeat Sarina Wiegman’s squad in the last 37 matches, but England’s clinical play ensured a spot in the final against Spain.

Toone’s 36th­minute goal was the opener, but it was equalised by Sam Kerr’s brilliant solo effort. However, Hemp and Russo’s goals sealed England’s passage to the final, displaying both skill and determination.

The match saw Wiegman stick with the same starting XI, while Australia’s star Kerr was fit to play. Alanna Kennedy, however, missed the game due to illness.

The first opportunity fell to Kerr, who

was stopped by England’s goalkeeper Mary Earps. England then missed a chance to lead when Georgia Stanway’s volley was saved by Mackenzie Arnold. England’s attack was in fine form, with Russo hitting the side netting and Australia struggling to contain their opponents. A moment of brilliance from Russo set up Toone’s goal, silencing the 75,784­strong crowd.

Australia’s energy increased after halftime, but England remained in control. A missed opportunity by Mille Bright was

Disaster at Real Madrid

LA LIGA giants Real Madrid suffered an enormous blow on the eve of a new season when Thibaut Courtois injured his knee in training. The Belgian international goalkeeper reportedly sustained a torn cruciate ligament during a recent session. In an official statement, the Spanish club confirmed: “After the tests carried out on our player Thibaut Courtois, he has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The player will undergo surgery in the coming days.”

As the new season started in Spain on Friday August 11, the injury to 31­year­old Courtois leaves Carlo Ancelotti with a major headache. Such an injury and the recuperation after an operation could see him out for most of the season.

Real Madrid kicked off the new campaign on Saturday with a tricky away fixture against Athletic Bilbao in the Basque Country.

The Italian coach has his 24­year­old Ukrainian reserve goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who has been at the Bernabeu since June 2018, and has faced a difficult task in hoping to dislodge Courtois who has appeared 230 appearances in all competitions for Madrid.

Whether Ancelotti has confidence in the player’s ability to step up to the first team on a regular basis remains to be seen. The fact that he is reported to have contacted De Gea probably answers that question anyway.

It has already been reported by several news outlets that Los Blancos have made an emergency call to David De Gea’s representatives, according to Melissa Reddy at Sky Sports.

World Basketball Champions

THE Spanish basketball team suffered a narrow defeat to the United States in the FEB Centenary Tournament in Malaga.

The two nations clashed in Malaga’s Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena on Sunday, August 13, with the US winning 88­98.

Sergio Scariolo’s players held their own for most of the game against the North Americans, who were the favourites on paper.

Despite the loss, this game served as a superb warm­up for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 which is being hosted jointly by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10.

Spain will be looking to retain the prestigious Naismith Trophy that they earned after defeating Argentina 75­95 in the 2019 tournament final that was hosted by China.

After a thumping 99­79 victory over Slovenia last Friday, the Spanish are hitting form at just the right time ahead of the tournament. They beat Venezuela in Madrid last week as well.

Willy and Juancho Hernangómez demonstrated their NBA quality on their first appearance back in Europe for a while. In only his third match in the national top, Aldama shone again, while Juan Núñez took another step forward.

punished by Kerr’s stunning 25­yard strike. England’s response was swift, with Lucy Bronze’s cross and Russo’s header threatening the Australian goal. A defensive error allowed Hemp to score, and the scrappy goal was a fitting testament to England’s journey to the final.

The Lionesses had to endure some late scares but continued to attack. A dazzling run from Hemp set up Russo’s goal in the 86th minute, securing England’s place in the first­ever Women’s World Cup final against Spain on Sunday.

The United States gave no quarter and demanded a perfect 40 minutes from Spain. They are desperate to reclaim the crown they lost in China four years ago. Spain fought to the very end under the direction of Juan Núñez, who once again demonstrated why Scariolo has not hesitated to include him in his final World Cup squad.

Although the challenge was enormous when facing the defender of the year, centre Jaren Jackson, Willy Hernángomez was the beacon of the Spanish attack.

The United States demands excellence and when it was not reached, the visitors opened the gap. As a result, Spain lost eight points with four minutes to go. This proved to be a distance that was already impossible to overcome despite a final attempt by the valiant Spanish players.

Football transfer shock

PSG and Brazil star Neymar Jr is re portedly considering a lucrative of fer to join a club in the Saudi Pro League.

Fabrizio Romano, the respected football transfer expert tweeted: ‘EXCLUSIVE: Al Hilal have present ed an important proposal to Ney mar Jr in the recent hours. Sources describe that as “huge bid” #AlHi lal Negotiations are underway to reach full agreement ­ Neymar, tempted by this possibility. Work in progress to part ways with PSG soon’.

Neymar has not hidden his desire to leave the French club recently, with his preferred destination of Barcelona. Conflicting reports from Camp Nou suggest that there is some sort of internal conflict surrounding the possibil ity of his return to the Catalan club.

The Brazilian was left out of Luis Enrique’s squad for PSG’s Ligue 1 season opener against Lorient on Saturday August 12. It is thought that they will not stand in his way should he decide to move, with a fee of around €80 million ru moured to be the asking price for the South American.

Should Neymar accept the offer then he would link up with Rúben Neves, the 26 ­ year ­ old Portuguese international midfielder who joined from Wolves.

The former Chelsea and Senegal defender, Kalidou Koulibaly, also accepted a lucrative offer from the Saudis, as did Sergej MilinkovicSavic, the 28 ­ year ­ old Serbian international midfielder who made the switch from Serie A giants Lazio.

Al ­ Hilal are also believed to have reignited their interest in Fulham’s Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovi ć . Previous bids were rejected by the Cottagers, leading to the player threatening to never play for the London again.

It was Romano again who broke this news when he posted: ‘Understand Al Hilal are also trying to re ­ activate Aleksandar Mitrovi ć deal while they negotiate final details of Neymar Jr deal #AlHilal Deal depends on Fulham as they always rejected Al Hilal proposal for Mitrovi ć with strong position ­ they still want to keep

THE LIONESSES: Through to the World Cup final for the first time.

Neymar considering lucrative offer.

Credit: Saudi Pro League/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0