Gibraltar Magazine-Feb 2011 by Rock Publishing Ltd

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business & finance

by Ian le Breton

Taxing Times: Do They Mean Good Times for Gibraltar? Gibraltar’s much anticipated new corporate tax law finally came into effect on 1st January 2011. There has been considerable discussion about the changes in the financial press, but what does it actually mean for Gibraltar? And why should a simple thing such as a new tax rate be heralded as such good news? I must start with my usual “health warning”. My work at Sovereign Trust means I am involved with these changes on a daily basis but what follows reflects my own personal thoughts. As readers will see, the changes have resulted from much discussion between the Gibraltar government and various international bodies but I will attempt to avoid entering into any “political” debate. My personal opinion is that this new regime is unquestionably good news for Gibraltar. There is now certainty and with a comparatively low corporate tax rate of 10%, I think the Rock should see an increased level of interest by firms considering where to establish their business. There are many implications — that extend far beyond my own horizon of setting up and managing companies — that will affect all of us here in Gibraltar. Read on.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

The original discussions that have resulted in the changes we are seeing now in 2011 actually go back 15 years — so we are at the end of a very long road. In common with other jurisdictions

A large number of firms within our financial services sector — banks, insurance companies and investment managers — are able to “passport” their services into the EU from Gibraltar

labelled as “offshore” or “tax havens”, Gibraltar has had to come to terms with the new realities imposed by such bodies as the European Union and the OECD. Although much of the debate was initiated by political policy in the United States, in my view the pressure exerted by the EU on Gibraltar and other financial centres in Europe — the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Monaco et al — has been much more significant. Here in Gibraltar, we depend on good relations with the EU. A large number of firms within our financial services sector — banks, insurance companies and investment managers — are able to “passport” their services into the EU from Gibraltar, so it was vital that we addressed the concerns raised across Europe about our previous “tax exempt” company regime. So what has actually happened? Simply put,

business & finance the new Income Tax Act, including the key provisions relating to company taxation, came into force on 1st January 2011. As the Gibraltar Chronicle put it on New Year’s Eve, “it ends all distinction between ‘onshore’ and ‘offshore’ business”. In his New Year address, Chief Minister Peter Caruana went even further, saying: “We are no longer a tax haven. We have become a mainstream, respected and reputable international finance centre and business location.” So in the future, it seems I can tell prospective clients that Gibraltar should no longer be categorised with the traditional list of offshore jurisdictions in Europe, the Caribbean or South Pacific. But can it be now be categorised alongside the truly international financial centres like London, New York, Zurich or Hong Kong? Would I be justified in making such comparisons or would this just be hyperbole on my part? As always it depends on your point of view. Of course Gibraltar cannot be compared with London in terms of size, but it can rightfully claim to have made the step up from “tax haven” to a fully-fledged European financial services centre. It’s perhaps too easy to dismiss our admittedly small finance centre when compared to the big boys. At a stroke the new company tax rules have excised the main criticism that used to be levelled at the Rock — that it was “unfair” or “discriminatory” because it provided non-residents with a more favourable tax treatment than that which was generally available. The difference in the recent past was that in some sectors a comparatively low tax rate was imposed. Gaming companies for example paid just 1%, while a number of firms in the financial sector enjoyed fully “tax exempt” status and paid no corporate tax at all. Local businesses in Gibraltar, on the other hand, paid the standard tax rate of 22%. This has now changed. All Gibraltar companies doing business here will now pay corporation tax on profits at the uniform rate of 10%. This is an extremely attractive rate — and it is imposed across the board. It cannot therefore be considered as a concession designed specifically to unduly affect the location of business activity in the EU. OK, so we have this new tax rate — that’s all very well and good one might say. Certainly, it’s a much lower rate than almost anywhere,

particularly in the EU. But will it be enough on its own to attract international businesses to our shores? Typically, the answer is probably not a simple “yes” or “no”. In my daily work I speak with many individuals looking to relocate due to high taxes in places such as the UK, and elsewhere. The new corporate tax regime is likely to have a significant impact on their thinking. The new rules are intended to propel Gibraltar into the European mainstream but, of course, tax isn’t the be all and end all — other factors will also play a critical role in persuading any international entrepreneur to relocate here. I have written in this column before of other areas such a person might consider — so what

The new rules are intended to propel Gibraltar into the European mainstream but, of course, tax isn’t the be all and end all — other factors will also play a critical role in persuading any international entrepreneur to relocate here

follows is not new but coming together with these new tax rules, it is no surprise that we are already seeing an upsurge in enquiries. Infrastructure. To begin with, the muchvaunted new airport terminal should be ready by spring 2011. There are those who feel that the project is too expensive but nevertheless it is a most impressive facility and new airline routes are already in the pipeline as a result. In addition nobody passing the airport recently can have failed to notice the increasing number of executive jets seen on the ramp. Businesses also require office space and this is a commodity in short supply locally. Plans announced recently by Ocean Village to develop a World Trade Centre of some 11,000 square metres at a new site in Marina Bay have been warmly welcomed by government and the business community. But it’s not just about infrastructure. We also have a well-regarded legal system and a good regulatory regime. And, as I have said on many occasions, what attracts me to Gibraltar is the well-trained, highly educated multi-lingual workforce. New businesses considering a move here from abroad will no doubt bring some of their own people with them but local employment will also benefit from any upsurge in interest. If you then go on to consider the increased taxation revenue that the Treasury will attract from all this new activity, then you begin to see why this new corporate tax regime is so important. When the EU agreed to Gibraltar setting its own corporate tax rate at the very end of 2008, a public holiday was called. At the time several people not working in financial services asked me what the fuss was all about. Two years on, the reality is finally with us. Let’s hope the results of all the hard work done to date are as positive as some are predicting. Taxing times indeed but this is one occasion when a new tax might just be what the doctor ordered. We watch with interest. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

isolas-stones-gibmag:Layout 1 1/17/11 3:30 PM Page 1

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Trusted since 1892 We offer the stability and security of advice that only the longest established law firm in Gibraltar can do. So whatever you’re planning, wherever you’re headed, we’re right behind you. For all your legal requirements, contact:

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higher education

On Thursday 3rd March 2011 there will be an information session (6pm- 9pm) at the Rock Hotel, Gibraltar for those interested in undertaking an Open University MBA

Going Global with an OU MBA The Open University Business School is triple accredited (AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB) and the MBA programme is highly relevant for today’s global managers in Gibraltar, having a strong international focus as well as addressing strategic analysis, interdisciplinary skills and independent judgement. The new programme, launched in November 2010, builds on the MBA’s flexible, distance learning approach and places greater emphasis on managing in a global context. The innovations include a stronger emphasis on the Open University’s practice-based learning model and increased academic support throughout the course. The MBA takes practice-based learning a stage further, with students being given the opportunity to implement immediately what they have learned. Richard Wheatcroft, Director of the Business School Masters programme, said: “The majority of our students are practising managers and the modules are designed so they can instantly see the benefits

of what they are learning — and so will their employers.” The MBA prepares students not only for their present roles, but for future positions as they climb the career ladder and take on more responsibility at senior management level. For example, some managers studying towards the MBA will not have extensive experience of financial management, although they will typically manage a budget or have some equivalent financial responsibility. But as they reach the senior levels of their organisation,

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

business services they will become personally and directly responsible for ﬁnancial management, whether they are working for a company, a not-forproﬁt or a governmental organisation. The MBA prepares them for this level of responsibility. During the MBA programme, students are given the opportunity to learn about the wider international context of management and apply it to their own roles and circumstances. They will also see how management methodology and ideas apply across different sectors. The structure of the programme now offers greater flexibility, allowing students to choose from a wide range of business and management subjects. The programme is designed to be completed in 3 years but students can take longer if required. The Business School recognises that students have busy lives, and the programme is designed to accommodate a range of learning styles. The Open University’s communications technology enables students to inte ract with one another and their tutors as well as engage with course materials in an online environment that provides high levels of support and guidance. The core of the new MBA is practice-based learning which

An MBA from the Open University Business School prepares students not only for their current roles, but for future positions as they climb the career ladder and take on more responsibility at senior management level draws on what you actually do in order to embed new management learning and techniques. Critical engagement throughout the new MBA means that confidence in your ability to manage effectively increases as your studies progress. This is the essence of practice-based learning, and is a powerful tool for management education and development. ■ To ﬁnd out more about the new triple-accredited MBA programme from the Open University Business School, please contact: m.wiggett@open.ac.uk or go to the information session at the Rock Hotel on 3rd March 6-9pm.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

2011 Year Books Now on Sale The 2011 editions of the Financial Services Year Book and the Maritime Services Year Book are now on sale. The Financial Services Year Book contains information on the Rock’s off-shore advantages in Taxation, Law, Banking, Company & Trust Formation, Insurance, Business, Property and Financial Services. It also includes a comprehensive A-Z Index for the visiting professional or businessman. The Maritime Services Year Book includes maritime legislation and maritime services in Gibraltar, a section on doing business in Gibraltar and an A-Z index of maritime ancillary services. On sale at bookshops and stationers in Gibraltar for £20 for Financial Services and £15 for Maritime Services. Mail order copies add £10 for postage from The Year Book, PO Box 555 Gibraltar. Copies are also available to download online at www.theyearbooks.gi. Please make cheques payable to “The Year Book”. ■

business & finance

Barclays goes green Banks are not normally known for their green credentials, so we were pleased to have the opportunity to talk to Lee Francis, Director, Business Management, at Barclays Wealth Gibraltar about the local branch’s latest initiatives towards creating a greener planet. “Yes, being a keen environ- thrilled to say that we are finally mentalist myself, I am happy to going ahead with our recycling make this announcement and am policy after much discussion,” Lee

says with genuine excitment. “I think there comes a point when every organisation needs to

think about their responsibility to the environment. Environmental pollution is one of the most pressing issues of this century,” he adds. “I remember the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, saying ‘Those who say tackling climate change is too expensive are wrong and the opposite is true. Because we will pay an unacceptable price if we do not act now’.” Lee’s personal passion for environmental issues have driven forwards the decision by Barclays Wealth locally to implement the recycling of cardboard, paper, batteries and ink toner cartridges. A strategy which comes at a cost to Barclays Wealth, but Lee thinks it is worth it. “It isn’t just about recycling within Barclays, it is also about raising awareness of recycling among our staff beyond work. We hope it will have a greater impact.” Globally Barclays Wealth’s key operations in the UK and Europe, Middle East and Africa are accredited to the environmental management system standards ISO 14001. “We have established targets for our key environmental impacts and monitor our performance against them,” Lee explains. “We are reducing the consumption of natural resources in our offices and data centre through the installation of efficient building and IT systems and ensuring we operate our facilities effectively. “At Barclays Wealth we are

It’s Party Time... Isolas and Fiduciary hosted their annual Christmas reception for clients in December at Bruno’s in Ocean Village. A large number of their clients enjoyed a Christmas nibble and tipple. “The opportunity to let one’s hair down and enjoy a couple of hours of ‘down time’ with our clients, many of them good friends, is always welcome at this time of year,”

commented Albert Isola, a senior partner at the firm. Joey Imossi, for Fiduciary added “It had been a bit of a gamble choosing Bruno’s as it had been closed for a number of months, but they promised they’d be open and they were!” Isolas and Fiduciary are grateful to all who attended for the pleasant company and look forward to inviting them to events in 2011. n GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

business & finance aware that, as a global financial services organisation, we have significant impact on the environment. We take this issue very seriously and our strategy for reducing this impact is integral to the way we conduct our business,” Lee explains with his undoubted enthusiasm for the subject. “So we at Barclays Wealth Gibraltar decided to go one step further to do our part to try to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. And I hope that we will set an example for other businesses in Gibraltar to start recycling and make their contribution to the environment and community in which they live.” So what are the consequences of not recycling? Most waste which isn’t recycled goes into landfill and the environmental problems caused by landfills are numerous. Landfills produce emissions, which are often toxic, and enter the air or the water. They may contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer and will harm wildlife. “Ink toner cartridges are a

“

particular problem,” says Lee. “As we know when we remove an ‘empty’ toner from a printer, if you shake it you can hear that there is always a bit of the powdered ink left inside. When placed in landfill and it rains for example, this ink is released and can enter our food chain. If you go to the landfill site in Los Barrios you will see cows grazing not too far away. We drink milk from these cows and eat their meat. Also think about waste batteries leaking acid and other chemicals.” In fact, it has been estimated that recycling just half of the world’s paper would avoid the harvesting of 20 million acres (81,000 km2) of forest land. Now that has to be a good thing. With Barclays Wealth leading what is hoped will become a pack of companies in Gibraltar dedicated to recycling, reducing and reusing, Lee is prepared to challenge other companies join the cause. After all, 77% of office waste is recyclable. And in the end, we will all benefit. n

I hope that we will set an example for other businesses in Gibraltar to start recycling and make their contribution to the environment and community in which they live

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

”

business & finance running into the thousands, it represents a significant saving. STM director David Erhardt outlined the scope of the STM QROPS Wrap, as its multi-jurisdictional QROPS is called, saying, “We plan to have a network of QROPS in numerous jurisdictions up and running by mid-2011. “We are setting up similar arrangements in Guernsey and Switzerland and will add other jurisdictions as needed.” Multi jurisdictional schemes can offer pensions in countries such as Malta, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Switzerland, New Zealand, Jersey and here in Gibraltar. Other jurisdictions can be added to cater for future market conditions. When choosing a QROPS provider, the individual must be fully aware of their choices and also which QROPS jurisdiction is best suited to their individual circumstances. Taxing issues Currently, there are frustrating issues over the taxation of pensions for the over-60s in Gibraltar, causing the voluntary suspension of transfers here since 2009. The multi-jurisdictional QROPS means Gibraltar residents can open a scheme in a jurisdiction such as Malta, for example, and then move it to Gibraltar when the issues have been resolved. The important thing to remember is that one QROPS does not fit all. Clients often need to respond to changes in QROPS legislation in different jurisdictions or changes in the tax regime either where they are living or where their QROPS is located. Multi-jurisdictional QROPS makes it easy to transfer funds across international borders without the huge costs associated with some schemes. The QROPS wrap is a step forward towards the creation of panEuropean pensions, which don’t Now, Gibraltar-based pensions currently exist but look likely in administrator STM Fidecs has the future. launched a multi-jurisdictional QROPS which allows expatriate UK Sensible savings pensioners to move their pensions Setting up a multi-jurisdictional between several countries without QROPS is a sensible choice for incurring additional fees. expats, providing the freedom to Portable QROPS means that remove the scheme around without tired expats who relocate to another eating into the funds whenever a suitable jurisdiction can take their transfer is required. As cross-border pension with them free of charge, QROPS schemes look set to become unlike many schemes which have far more common in years to come, extra costs hidden in the small acting now could help save money print. With transfer fees potentially for retirees straight away. ■

Transferring a pensions scheme overseas — a world of choice

Historically, Guernsey was the only option for expatriates transferring their pension scheme, irrespective of their requirements or personal circumstances. This is now changing with the establishment of new QROPS jurisdictions and a greater awareness of the issues involved, meaning clients now demand a bespoke solution. Maximising QROPS benefits – wherever you are To be effective, a QROPS must be held somewhere that works most efﬁciently with the taxation system of the country in which the scheme holder lives — for example, in a country which has a double

taxation agreement with their place of residence. Until recently, however, expatriates wanting to move their QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pensions Scheme) to another jurisdiction have had to pay hefty transfer fees.

Why have a multi-jurisdictional QROPS? The retired expat may want to move to another country for all sorts of reasons. The multi-jurisdictional QROPS provider may be able to offer the following beneﬁts: • No fees to move your QROPS between several jurisdictions • Your pension pot isn’t reduced by extra costs • Hassle-free management — no need to close one QROPS and open another • You can move your pension fund to where you need it.

The QROPS wrap is a step forward towards the creation of pan-European pensions, which don’t currently exist but look likely in the future GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

Personal service International approach

Not all QROPS providers are created equal… ĞƐƉŽŬĞ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ h< ƉƌŝǀĂƚĞ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ŚŽůĚĞƌƐ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƚƌĂŶƐĨĞƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ĂďƌŽĂĚ͘ YZKW^ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ƐĐŚĞŵĞ ŝƐ ĂŶ ĞǆĐĞůůĞŶƚ ŽƉƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ǁŝƚŚ Ă h< ƉƌŝǀĂƚĞ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ǁŚŽ ĂƌĞ ůŝǀŝŶŐ͕ Žƌ ƉůĂŶŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ůŝǀĞ͕ ŽǀĞƌƐĞĂƐ͘ ^dD 'ƌŽƵƉ ŚĂƐ ŶŽǁ ůĂƵŶĐŚĞĚ Ă ͚ŵƵůƟͲũƵƌŝƐĚŝĐƟŽŶĂů͛ YZKW^͕ ĂůůŽǁŝŶŐ h< ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ƐĐŚĞŵĞƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ƚƌĂŶƐĨĞƌƌĞĚ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ ĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ ŶŽ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů ĨĞĞƐ͘ /Ĩ ǇŽƵ ǁŽƵůĚ ůŝŬĞ ƚŽ ƚƌĂŶƐĨĞƌ ǇŽƵƌ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ƚŽ 'ŝďƌĂůƚĂƌ ďƵƚ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůǇ ĐĂŶŶŽƚ͕ ǁĞ ĐĂŶ ĂƌƌĂŶŐĞ Ă ƚƌĂŶƐĨĞƌ ƚŽ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ ĂƉƉƌŽǀĞĚ ũƵƌŝƐĚŝĐƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŶ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ 'ŝďƌĂůƚĂƌ͕ ĨƌĞĞ ŽĨ ĐŚĂƌŐĞ ǁŚĞŶ 'ŝďƌĂůƚĂƌ ƚƌĂŶƐĨĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ͘

^dD 'ƌŽƵƉ YZKW^ ŽīĞƌƐ Ă ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ďĞŶĞĮƚƐ͗

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career moves

Preparing an Excellent CV

Make finding your perfect job in Gibraltar less hit and miss with an excellent CV

The first suggestion I can make in terms of crafting that perfect CV is to diligently check spelling and grammar. This may sound obvious, but we recruitment consultants are surprised at how often spelling errors and/or poor grammar show up in a typical CV. More times than not these are simple oversights that could be eradicated with a diligent read through. Imagine yourself as a hiring manager looking at a CV that refers to “attention to detal” as was the case in a recent recruitment exercise conducted by a friend of mine. Turn on the spell check, read the CV through, it only takes minutes, but will make a real difference to the end product. You should also consider the length of your CV. Obviously there is no definitive answer as to the perfect length, but as a general rule a good CV is usually around three pages long. Recruitment consultants and hiring managers have many CVs to review and it can be off-putting if a CV is too long. To help those scanning CVs, use bullet points and put a concise and factual summary about yourself and what makes you a good candidate at the top of the CV. The information on your CV needs to be relevant to the job you’re applying for locally. You should be telling the reader why you are right for the job, but in a concise, engaging manner. Highlight why your skills and experience are relevant to the position and for extra emphasis try to replicate some of key words and skills referred to in the job specification or advert. Use the summary at the beginning of your CV to set out those relevant key skills. Summarise your work experience and education sections in chronological order starting

January has come and gone. Many of you will have resolved to better your careers in 2011 and now February has arrived the challenge is to stay focused and determined in order to fulfill those New Year objectives. Career progression in Gibraltar or even a complete career change is a serious business and the starting point should be to review the single most powerful tool at your disposal, your CV.

with the most recent. Hiring managers want to see what you are doing at the moment or in the recent past, not that you worked as a waiter after leaving school. Be sure to include your IT skills as these are essential for nearly any office job. Most hiring managers are looking for candidates who are familiar with the Microsoft Office suite which includes Word and Excel. Sometimes PowerPoint is also sought after. After that, the required IT skills are usually more specific to each role, but if you have extensive skills for a specific program and it is relevant to your area of focus then be sure to include them. References can be vital should you be selected to go through the interview process and possibly to the offer stage. You won’t necessarily secure a job with a good reference, but you can certainly lose a job with a bad reference. Don’t let it happen. Be sure to have at least two strong and current references available. Some think the “Interests” section is not important on a CV, but it can show more than you think. This section doesn’t need to show relevance to your area of focus, but is useful in terms of giving an insight into who you are as a person. It helps people to relate to you as an individual and gives an idea as to how you might fit within a team. People hire people and if they can relate to your interests you may

Imagine yourself as a hiring manager looking at a CV that refers to “attention to detal”

stand out from the crowd. As an example, if you put running marathons on your CV and it happens that the hiring manager ran the London marathon last year then they could possibly pick up on this as a common interest. You are not necessarily going to get the job because you run marathons, but it might help you to stand out as a candidate amongst other applicants with the same skill set. Professional interests are also very beneficial on your CV. If you work in the Online field and you have a blog the two go hand in hand. Don’t be afraid to include points such as an online profile or professional groups that you might belong to such as LinkedIn. Once you have taken in these suggestions and made the necessary changes, you can be sure that your CV will be an accurate and positive reflection of your skills when you apply for the next job in Gibraltar and something you can be proud of. n Text by Oliver Medina, Executive Manager (Financial Services and Banking), Select Recruitment (Gibraltar) a specialist eGaming, IT, accounting & financial services recruitment consultancy providing permanent, temporary and interim recruitment. Questions for next month’s article or info about Select Recruitment (Gibraltar) Tel: 216 21111 or email: info@srgrecruit.com. www.srgrecruit.com. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

events

Honorary Freedom of the City of Gibraltar bestowed The Honorary Freedom of the City of Gibraltar, will be bestowed on The Most Honourable the Marquis of Lothian PC QC (formerly Mr Michael Ancram QC) and Mr Andrew Stuart Mackinlay, as was unanimously approved at the Special Session of Parliament held on 5th July 2010.

photos: Mike Brufal

Andrew Stuart Mackinlay

The ceremony will take place at John Mackintosh Square on Tuesday 1st February 2011 at noon. The conferment will be carried out by His Worship the Mayor of Gibraltar, Mr Anthony Lombard LL.B. n

Marquis of Lothian PC QC

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human resources

“

I have a chap working for me who has been here for a long time and works well and gives 110%, but I have had some complaints about him from customers. Not just a few, but quite a lot

”

also receive your notice which would be one week if weekly paid or one month if monthly paid. There also has to be a valid reason and if she does make you redundant she cannot replace you in any way. n “I am pregnant and have been at my firm for five years. I am due to go off on maternity leave and my employer has said I am not welcome back as she will replace me. Can she do this? I thought by law she had a duty to keep my role open for me. I am very upset by this and have been treated quite badly due to being pregnant. Surely this cannot be right?”

Your employer has to keep your role open for you by law. You have a right to come back to work. I would speak to her about this and remind her of her obligations and see if you can make her see sense, if not then you will find a tribunal will go in your favour. n Talk to your employee — he may not be aware he is upsetting customers and it may be just his manner, which he feels is okay

GIbraltar’s HR Clinic:

Human Resources & Your Rights

“As an employer I have a chap working for me who has been here for a long time and works well and gives 110%, but I have had some complaints about him from customer. Not just a few, but quite a lot. It is normally about his personality not his standard of work or customer service. I am now wondering how to tackle this. I don’t really want to sack him as he is a good guy but I have to listen to my customers. What do you suggest I do?”

by Anna Moffatt

Real Questions Answered...

Each month Anna Moffat of Corporate Resources Limited takes questions from the general public on HR related issues and gives you the benefit of her experience. This is your chance to raise any questions about any employment related issue and receive some free advice from a suitably qualified individual. “I have been asked to leave by my employer for what I can only see as no reason at all. I have been employed by her for two and a half years. Can they do this and pay me just my week’s notice?”

No they cannot, unless you have been taken

down a disciplinary route and have warnings, if it is merely a decision to get you out of the firm, then no. She would have to make your position redundant and pay you accordingly, which would equate to two weeks for every full year worked plus if you are over 40 it doubles to four weeks for every full year worked. You would

Qualified with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Anna Moffatt, was heavily involved in the setup of the HR Forum, a body established in Gibraltar to promote awareness of HR procedures and legislation and to allow information sharing. Anna has been appointed Associate Director of Corporate Resources Ltd, one of Gibraltar’s longest established recruitment agencies. If you have employment questions you would like Anna to answer please email in confidence to anna@gibresources.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

community file As with any situation I feel it is best to speak to him as he may not be aware he is upsetting customers and it may be just his manner, which he feels is okay. Sit him down and tell him of the complaints and see if the two of you can work it out and perhaps teach him to behave in a more professional way or tone down his humour, if this is the issue. I am sure he would rather keep his job and be helped than lose his job over something like this. Sometimes people do not realise and think they are being clever and customers actually like their banter. n If you or anyone you know has any HR related issues which you would like advice on then please feel free to write to either the magazine on someone@ somewhere.com or directly to Anna on anna@gibresources.com. Not all questions/queries received will be printed, however we will endeavour to respond to all emails received. All advice given is done so in good faith and is provided as a guideline. We strongly recommend you seek sound legal advice.

“

I am very upset by this and have been treated quite badly due to being pregnant. Surely this cannot be right?

”

Heritage Matters magazine launched The Gibraltar Heritage Trust has launched its new biannual magazine Heritage Matters. Members of the trust will receive a copy of the magazine as part of their membership entitlement, but extra copies are available at a cost of £2 from the trust’s shop at 13 John Mackintosh Square. Heritage Matters aims to be a vehicle for the Trust to raise awareness about Gibraltar’s heritage and engage the public in wanting to find out more about Gibraltar. This is turn will foster the appreciation of our historic environment, required for its preservation and sensitive re-use in addressing the needs of Gibraltar’s modern society.

For further information on the magazine contact Claire Montado at the Gibraltar Heritage Trust on 20042844.

AI International Couriers Ltd

11 Engineers Lane PO Box 532 Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 73775 Airport office: (+350) 200 41076 Fax: (+350) 200 74389 email: gibsn@dhl.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEbrUARY 2011

Rabbi Abraham Levy

Spirituality Education & Community interview by Mike Brufal

Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy, 71, has spent his entire working life away from the Rock, and dedicated almost 50 years’ service to the Lauderdale Road synagogue near Maida Vale, London, achieving a vast array of honours and positions. In the UK there are two distinct but overlapping branches of Judaism. The Chief Rabbi Dr Jonathan Sacks is the head of the United Hebrew Congregation of the Commonwealth which encompasses Ashkenazi Jewry while Dr Abraham is, in effect, Chief Rabbi of the Sephardi community. Some 10% (30,000) of Jews in the UK are Sephardis. Abraham said “My own family was expelled from Castille in 1492 and went to live in Morocco until they moved to Gibraltar in 1704 after its capture by Admiral Sir George Rooke. My mother’s family (Hassan) has lived on the Rock for an equally long time. We are related to Don David Paciﬁco through my grandfather’s family, Serruya. The Paciﬁco incident was used by Lord Palmerston as the reason to send gunboats to Greece from whence derives the expression ‘gun boat diplomacy’.” Abraham was born in Gibraltar

and shortly afterwards evacuated to Madeira for the duration of the war. Upon his return he was educated by the Christian Brothers who he remembers with great affection. He was sent to the Jewish boarding school, Carmel College and went on to obtain the Rabbinic Diploma from the Jews’s College in 1967, then a Doctorate from London University on the thesis ‘Court Rabbis in 14th and 15th Century Castille’. His mother was the biggest single inﬂuence in his decision to become a Rabbi. “She used to say that as a single woman she desired to get married so she could have a son who would become a Rabbi.

“

Certainly by the age of nine I knew I wanted to be a Rabbi without really knowing what a Rabbi had to do and certainly not knowing anything about the community I was eventually to lead.” Rabbi Dr Solomon Gaon and Charles Sebab-Montefiore appointed him as Assistant Rabbi at Lauderdale Road and he succeeded Haham Dr Gaon as Rabbi. 15 years later in 1980 he became the Communal Rabbi and Spiritual Head of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation, the oldest Jewish community in England, established in 1657. Dr Abraham explained the difference between a Rabbi and a Priest.

By the age of nine I knew I wanted to be a Rabbi without really knowing what a Rabbi had to do

”

“A Rabbi is a teacher and his job is to teach the true tenets of Judaism and make sure the members of his congregation are observing them. The majority of Rabbis tend to lead the religious services in the synagogue but they do not have to. The difference between a Priest and Rabbi is that a Priest is consecrated to perform sacred duties which cannot be undertaken by anyone who is not consecrated. A Rabbi has no duties to perform that cannot be done by any other Jew. The Rabbi is there in the synagogue and elsewhere to provide guidance for Jews so they are able to practise their religion correctly. The majority of non-Jews do not appreciate the word ‘Rabbi’ is a title of knowledge, nothing more, nothing less.” A difference between Sephardim and Ashkenazim has modern origins. Ashkenazi Jewry today includes different ideological groupings such as Orthodox, Reform, Liberal and Masorti as well as

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

gibraltarians abroad

Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy with the Lord Mayor of London

Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy with the King of Morocco

various branches of Hassidism within the Orthodox community. This does not take place amongst the Sephardim. “The Sephardim have been astute enough never to allow themselves to be split ideologically and this is crucial to our practice of Judaism in England today. I try to run a community of Jews and in this congregation are to be found people who are highly observant and people who practise infrequently. I aspire to keep them all under one roof rather than split them up into ideological groups,” he says, going on to explain the relationship between British Sephardi and Ashkenazi rabbis. “Because we live in a non-Jewish society we have had to create a hierarchy so there is a Chief Rabbi, who happens to be the spiritual head of the Ashkenazim. My work is different from the majority of other Rabbis because I also represent the Sephardi community on many committees and associations. I must stress that we work exceedingly well with the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi.” Rabbi Levy is adamant that a synagogue on its own is not able

to serve the needs of the community. Lauderdale Road is fortunate in attracting large endowments which have maintained the Synagogue and many ancillary services especially welfare organisations. The adjacent buildings have been converted into a Sephardi Centre which is open weekday evenings and attracts visitors from the community and throughout London to a variety of cultural, educational and religious events. Emphasis is given to showing the rich history of Spanish and Portuguese Jews. In 1983 Naima Jewish Preparatory School was opened and is now the leading Jewish day school for the Sephardi community. One of its aims is to teach its pupils to be both a good Jew and a good Englishman or woman. Dr Abraham is the honorary principal. In 1999 a synagogue was built for the school

“

with funds donated by Charles and Maurice Saatchi in honour of their parents who regularly worshipped at Lauderdale Road. When Lord Levene of Portsoken became Lord Mayor of the City of London he appointed Rabbi Levy as his Chaplain. One of his duties was to say Grace in Hebrew at various banquets, dinners and luncheons. In 1992 they marked the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. “What the Community wanted to highlight was the great contribution the Jews made in Spain. In Jewish history the time before the expulsion was known as ‘The Golden Age’ by virtue of the contribution the Jewish Community made to Spanish life by the work of its scholars, philosophers, doctors, writers and poets. We also wished to stress that our loyalty to

The majority of non-Jews do not appreciate the word ‘Rabbi’ is a title of knowledge, nothing more, nothing less

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

”

Spain has remained to this very day. We have preserved the 15th century Spanish language in our use today of Ladino,” said Rabbi Abraham. A highlight of the celebrations was a conference hosted by King Juan Carlos in the Zarzuela Palace and a service held in the nearby synagogue. Later that year, at a conference at the University of Alcala, Rabbi Levy made a speech in front of the King on behalf of the community which was broadcast on Spanish television. In 1993 King Juan Carlos of Spain made him a Knight Commander (Encomienda) of the Order of Civil Merit and in 2004 Queen Elizabeth II invested him with the Order of the British Empire. Relations with the Portuguese Government are excellent and the Portuguese Ambassador attends events at the Sephardi Centre. By coincidence the re-establishment of the Jewish community in Portugal was started by Moses Levy a direct ancestor of Abraham. Rabbi Levy has had excellent relations with the Moroccan Government and held meetings to discuss Jewish-Muslim relations with the

gibraltarians abroad

Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy with Prince Philip

late King Hassan and his son Mohamed, the present King. This year Rabbi Abraham is again the Lord Mayor of the City of London’s Chaplain; this time to Alderman Michael Bear who is the 10th Jewish Lord Mayor. He is paid £45 by the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen which is broken down into a salary of £20 dating from 1686 when the Reader of Guildhall Chapel was dismissed and it was agreed the Lord Mayor ’s Chaplain should perform that service for that salary. It has never been altered in value. There is also a £25 grant from 1846 as a payment in lieu of the benefit of making one person free of the City by Redemption. In 2000, when he was Chaplain to Lord Levene, a lunch was held at the Guildhall to mark the new millennium for the most notable people in the UK. The Queen was guest of honour. Some weeks before, Her Majesty had invested Momy, his brother, with the MBE and on being asked why she had

not visited Gibraltar since 1954 she said “I cannot as I do not want to upset my cousin King Juan Carlos”. Before the lunch Lord Levene introduced his Chaplain to the Queen adding he came from Gibraltar. She told him she had met his brother a couple of weeks ago and recounted

“

community. Rabbi Abraham had the honour of introducing members of his community to the Queen and Prince Philip. When he escorted the Queen to her car he told her he felt very emotional because in 1954 when the Queen visited Gibraltar it was his uncle, Sir Joshua Hassan, who took her around Gibraltar. The Queen replied: “Your uncle was a great man”. Dr Abraham was invited to St Mary’s College, Twickenham as part of the delegation of leaders of all the faiths to meet the Pope. This was an incredible experience. He also knew the former Papal Nuncio and attended the farewell reception for Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munoz given by the Archbishop of Westminster. Relations with a succession of Spanish Ambassadors have been excellent and recently he held a cocktail party in his house for the present Spanish Ambassador and Gerald Ronson the entrepreneur and philanthropist recently awarded the Order of Civil Merit. Close contact has been made with the former Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar who has launched The Friends of Israel Initiative which exists to remind

The most important work I have done is to see how I can get members of the Congregation closer to God and making them better Jews

the conversation almost word for word. A highlight of 2006 was the Prime Minister, Tony Blair’s attendance at a service in the Bevis Marks Synagogue to mark the 350th anniversary of the resettlement of the Jews in the British Isles. This was followed by a reception hosted by the Queen at St James’ Palace for the Jewish

”

European leaders and others that unless Israel is looked after the whole of Europe will suffer. A dinner was held in London to launch the Initative in England and Dr Abraham spoke. Jose Maria Aznar is also a tireless supporter of another organisation — the Association for the Welfare of Jewish soldiers. A fund-raising event was held at the

St John’s Wood synagogue — the former Spanish Prime Minister was speaker and Dr Abraham gave the vote of thanks. Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy has never forgotten Gibraltar and whenever the opportunity arises proudly proclaims he is a Gibraltarian. There is no official retirement date but the procedure to find a successor has started and he thinks the process will be concluded before his 75th birthday. Then he will graciously remove himself from the London scene and make frequent visits to the Rock. Looking back at many decades spent as Communal Rabbi and Spiritual Head of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation he said; “The most important work I have done is to see how I can get members of the Congregation closer to God and making them better Jews. The bulk of my work has been in the field of education and I consider the most important single act of my rabbinate has been the opening of the Naima School. “I am conscious of the tremendous challenges ahead. I always tell young people that although they might be successful in business and in their profession they should give time to their religion and develop this within their community. A life of merely making money will become boring but a life with a spiritual dimension and which includes making a contribution to the strengthening of the local community is both rewarding and fulfilling as is the fact of observing God’s commandments. “I always care about Gibraltar and, as I told the Archbishop of Canterbury recently, throughout the world many countries have organisations to promote, with varying degree of success, how Jews and Christians should get on whilst in Gibraltar there is no such organisation but it does it better than anywhere else in the world.” n

Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy has achieved a vast array of honours & positions: • Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy has been President of the Council of Christians and Jews; the Union of Anglo-Jewish Preachers; the JCD Charity, which was founded in 1947 to give Jewish children and their families in UK the opportunity to help children in Europe whose lives had changed dramatically in the aftermath of World War 2. • Deputy President, the London School of Jewish Studies (formerly Jews’ College), Vice-President the Anglo-Jewish Association; the British Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; the Jewish Care Home at Norwood Ravenswood; the Jewish Historical Society of England. • Vice Chair, Rabbinical Commission for the Licensing of Shochtim; Founder and Director of The Sephardi Centre. • Honorary Principal of the Judith, Lady Montefiore College which trains future Rabbis for the Anglo-Jewish community, located in Lauderdale Road. • Patron of the Jewish Museum; the Young Jewish Leadership Institute; the Association of Jewish Teachers Board of Deputies of British Jews’ Education Department; the Association for the Well-Being of Israel’s Soldiers; the Beit Morasha Jerusalem; the British Friends of Jerusalem College of Technology; the Centre for JewishChristian Relations; the Cambridge University Jewish Society; the Mikveh Project; the Jewish Council for Racial Equality; the Jewish Music Heritage Trust; British Friends of Sarah Herzog Memorial Hospital, Jerusalem; Yad Vashem, Hospital; Kosher Meals Service; the Jewish Medical Association, United Kingdom. • Member of the Standing Committee Conference of European Rabbis; the Ecclesiastical Authority; London Board of Shechita; and the Joint Ecclesiastical Authority of the Board of deputies of British Jews. • Honorary Chaplain to the Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

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business focus

There’s Something about Sacarello’s by Richard Cartwright

Craig Sacarello of Sacarello’s Newsagents

There are some businesses on Main Street and other streets that, if you’re old enough, simply ooze nostalgia. The little newsagents, Sacarello’s, with two steps down in our main thoroughfare is one example. For many it’s the ﬁrst port of call to check out how the world is ticking. Giovanni Sacarello arrived on the Rock from Genoa in the early 1800s and was nationalised British in 1853. However, it wasn’t until 1923 that the Sacarello paper shop was born. The present proprietor’s great grandfather opened up for business, but it was granddad Antonio who Craig Sacarello remembers running the business. “I remember him, when I was very young, running the shop and occasionally some of the older folk in town talk to me about him but my biggest influence in the business would of course be my father, Tony, who died nearly two years ago.” Craig is absolutely right, Tony was synonymous with Sacarello’s. Always there with a smile on his face and ready to chat to anyone. Tony was your typical ‘simpatico’ front of house businessman and ran the show for many years. “My dad was quite strict and liked to do things the right way. He had his way of doing things and managed the shop differently but he taught me to understand the business.” Sacarello’s started selling books,

newspapers, stationery and stamps but during Tony’s reign magazines were put on the shelves and they stopped selling the unprofitable stamps. “We’ve also kept going the distribution of newspapers and magazines to a number of outlets including the Imperial newsagency, Morissons (where our employee Lambrani spends many hours ﬁlling and organising the newspaper and magazine shelves there), our smaller outlet in the departure lounge at the airport and so on,” Craig explains. “So we are kept quite busy.” But since around 2004 his time has been shared between beingfrontline like his dad at the shop and looking after the other side of the business — providing office supplies of every type, from pencils and notepads to ofﬁce furniture. “Yes, that’s been taking the lion’s

share of my time these days,” he says and judging by the amount of office space being rented out nowadays, it seems like a clever business move. In 2011 Sacarello’s are opening an office furniture and supplies shop at Europort (where the Paint Shop used to be) which will provide a much needed choice for furnishing offices, especially as Europort is a key area for that type of activity. You can also find out more on www.sacarello.gi. They also hold the Dyson (vacuum cleaners) agency. Craig is certainly focused on the businesses under his control but it may never have gone that way. “I went to Stoneythurst College in the North of England and became interested in flying and went for a Flying Scholarship. While studying in Southampton University, I joined the RAF Air Squadron and

In 2011 Sacarello’s are opening an ofﬁce furniture and supplies shop at Europort (where the Paint Shop used to be)

attained a private pilot’s licence so I’m qualified to fly single engine aircraft.” It’s a good thing for us that Craig studied business related subjects and marketing while in Southampton and went down that road. If not, he may have ended up like his younger brother Gavin, who now flies passenger jets for Easyjet! And the link between Sacarello’s and flying is? Probably making and playing with paper planes out of all that spare or out of date stationery at the shop when they were children! Craig is not alone nowadays when it comes to running the business. Wife Rachel shares her time between looking after four kids, running a home and fulfilling her duties as finance director for the Sacarello business, and is very good at coming up with and planning great ideas. There’s plenty of help at the shop too. Craig speaks highly of his staff Kathy, Audrey, Tony, Nicky (his right hand man), Lambrani (who practically lives at Morrison’s and has been with Sacarello’s for more

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

business focus than 20 years) and the drivers. A lot of staff for such a small shop, but of course they’re not all there at the same time. “The important thing is to treat everyone correctly and lead by example,” Craig says. “I don’t shy away from getting my hands dirty and since I joined the family business I’ve worked my way up from the very bottom to the top. That is something which has served me well and should be born in mind by young people nowadays who often expect to go straight into a cushy job.” As regards the ‘two steps down’ feature at Sacarello’s, Craig says the shop is the only one on Main Street that’s below street level, which may have something to do with the way the building above was built. “But we like it here. My dad used to say ‘small is beautiful’ so there was never an inclination to move to bigger premises and, anyway, apart from the high rents paid these days on Main Street our customers are used to us being here and don’t seem to mind.”

“

It certainly is one of our Main Street retail institutions and I’m sure no one would like to see it move from that address. I thought the most enjoyable part of the day-to-day tasks that come Craig’s way would be serving his customers. Maybe that’s the time he can really relax, in a way? “That’s true. I love the one-to-one contact with the clientele even if it’s simply talking about the weather. I really enjoy talking to the older members of our community who recall the old days and share stories with me about my granddad and the way the shop used to be. Also our shop is popular for messages to be passed on to someone or other from a friend or relative who they know will pop in at some stage during the day. Some will ask if they can leave a package or parcel while they go on to do something else. We’re like ambassadors for Gib! You know, it’s times like these that make you think it would be too sentimental an issue to even think about selling up.” Managing Director Craig is

Dad used to say ‘small is beautiful’ so there was never an inclination to move... our customers are used to us being here

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

”

certainly kept busy outside his business commitments too. He’s chairman of Research into Childhood Cancer (RICC), a member of the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses (GFSB), an advisor for the Young Enterprise Scheme and no doubt welcome at home helping Rachel look after their young family.

Whether at home or in the workplace, Craig remembers his dad’s words to ‘grow sensibly’. At Sacarello’s, visibly at least, everything seems to be in the same place and much the same as when dad was around, except of course for the new, 35-year-old Sacarello boss and… the dates on the newspapers! ■

Happy

95th Birthday

Pepe Fabre!

by Kristin Mortensen

One look at Pepe Fabre and you would never guess that he is celebrating his 95th birthday this month. He is an avid sports fan, a dancing machine and is still sharp as a knife. After making Gibraltar his home for the past 95 years, Pepe has a lifetime of memories here, and I was lucky enough to take a stroll down memory lane with him as he recounted his fascinating stories. On 23rd February1916, Pepe was brought into this world. At the age of 12, Pepe’s family suffered the loss of his father, leaving him and his younger brother in the care of his mother. “My mother raised us very strict. I remember when I was 16-years-old I had

an 11pm curfew,” Pepe recalls. “I hated it at the time, but now that I look back, I am glad she brought me up the way she did because if it wasn’t for her, I’d probably be a delinquent.” His mother taught him a lot about responsibility and having a

strong work ethic. Pepe got his ﬁrst job as a messenger in the dockyard when he was 15. He worked there for six years until he got a job in radio distribution. On 28th April 1939, Pepe signed his name on the line to enrol in the Army. Less than ﬁve months later, Pepe

was invited to join the Gibraltar Defence Force only three days after WW2 broke out. He worked as a Quartermaster, specialising in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. Pepe enjoyed his occupation in the military where he climbed the ranks from a

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

personalities

“

My most exciting memory was during the war when an Italian plane flew over Gibraltar and we shot it down with a 3.7 gun Private, to a Sergeant, and finally a Commissioned Officer. “My most exciting memory was during the war when an Italian plane flew over Gibraltar and we shot it down with a 3.7 gun,” Pepe reminisces. Pepe served in the military until 1954 and was awarded the British Empire Medal for his time in the service. Pepe is a big fan when it comes to sports, especially water polo. He played centre-half on the Combined Services Water Polo team in Gibraltar. Of course this was before they had access to a pool, so they practised in the sea with catamarans. “Our team had the opportunity to compete in Rome,” Pepe says, “and we lost really badly, but we had one hell of a time!” In March 1946 Pepe and his friend, John Clinton, formed the Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association. Recently Pepe was presented an award on GBC for his contribution to sports in Gibraltar for many years.

”

Dancing is also one of Pepe’s favourite pastimes, and believe it or not, he still manages to put on his dancing shoes at least once a month. Between his membership at the Catholic Community Centre Sequence Dance Club and the DSA, Pepe is always moving and grooving on the dance floor. Swing dancing has become his speciality, but Pepe will dance to almost anything. Pepe spent most of his career working as an accountant, at first at the Rock Hotel and eventually the Caleta Hotel. While working at the Caleta, Pepe met Peter Adolph, the owner of the Subbuteo football game. Peter offered Pepe a job as the managing director of Subbuteo in Gibraltar and Pepe gladly accepted. They had a machine to make the figurines and people painted each one individually. Since they had all the resources available to make the Subbuteo sets, the two of them decided to open a Subbuteo shop in Irish Pepe Fabre in his military uniform

Town. As the popularity of the game spread, the ﬁgurines started being painted in Germany. Pepe closed the shop and was given £20,000 compensation. However, instead of selling the shop, Pepe renovated it and it became his very own accounting agency. “Finally, at age 84, I decided enough was enough. So I passed my clients on to other accountant friends and now I am just enjoying life,” Pepe says. Even though Pepe is retired, he is still busy as ever with his proactive involvement with the community. He has been a member of the Legion of Mary for 60 years, belongs to the Lion’s Club and Rotary Club, is the President of the Royal British Legion and is the Vice President of the Cavalcade with which he has been involved for 54 years.

The Governor presenting Pepe with the British Empire Medal GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

“

“The doctor told me that the reason I am so healthy is because I’ve never smoked, I never got married, I dance for exercise and I drink a whiskey a day,” Pepe laughs. So that must be the secret to life. At 95-years-old, we can only hope we are as full of life as Pepe. He continues to live each day as if it were his last, embracing his most treasured activities and surrounding himself with the people he loves. Pepe’s friend, George Williams, is arranging a birthday celebration for Pepe on 25th February. So far George has done a good job keeping the planned events a surprise. Although no one knows what George has up his sleeve, we hope there’s dancing involved! Happy 95th birthday Pepe, we hope it’s the best one yet! ■

The doctor told me that the reason I am so healthy is because I’ve never smoked, I never got married, I dance for exercise and I drink a whiskey a day

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

Sotherby’s International Realty

Gibraltar’s

Properties lush P by Tina Andlaw

It’s not only the sunshine that brings people to Gibraltar. Our beneficial tax regime is just as much an attraction and means qualifying individuals must purchase or rent luxury real estate on the Rock. Find out exactly what in the way of plush property awaits them. The market Diggers still chomp away and cranes swing sky-high in a bid to complete projects, funding for which was mostly agreed before the banking crisis. For now, high net worth buyers enjoy a ready supply of viewings to well-appointed properties from around £250,000. They may not be palatial but buyers and renters, particularly high net worth ones, don’t mind paying Gibraltar’s higher prices per square metre for smaller properties, when compared with other locations such as neighbouring Spain. Why? Simply because massive tax savings more than compensate for Gibraltar ’s relatively hefty prices. Consider high net worth individuals looking

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARy 2011

to rent in Gibraltar purely for fiscal reasons. Maggie Mifsud of Brian Francis Associates confirms, “For this type of property, the market is, for now, well supplied, mostly through units in developments such as Ocean Village, King’s Wharf and Anchorage, and it’s easy for young couples and single people to find the quality and style they need in Gibraltar.” However,

buyers and renters don’t mind paying Gibraltar’s higher prices per square metre for smaller properties

we cannot afford to be complacent. Owner of Chesterton, Mike Nicholls, forecasts, “We will have sufficient supply for another 12-18 months, after which we’ll have a problem again because there are no more new builds being considered.” This being the case, it seems that now is the time to buy: existing owners shrewdly await healthy medium to long term profits just as soon as demand outweighs supply. For landlords too, Gibraltar currently boasts an admirably buoyant market with rental yields this year averaging 4.5 - 6%, a respectable figure, in line with this year’s UK average of around 5%. Limited supply indicates that yields in Gibraltar could be on the up until such time as more units are made available. Local experts are convinced

property Gibraltar’s property market will grow substantially despite a degree of downsizing within some of the gaming companies. This decrease is adequately compensated by other new business in the gaming and financial sectors, the imminent establishment of Gibraltar’s prestigious World Trade Centre, as well as expansion from existing companies. Let’s dig a little deeper, beyond the properties

“

other in the same development both to incoming high net worths. There are only 19 properties in that whole development, whereas we could probably sell or rent one every six weeks or so, based on existing demand. It is these types of properties that are in short supply.” From all this, landlords and sellers must be clear. They need to identify carefully the type of tenants or buyers they are looking to attract: a high net worth individual who will not live in the property or one who will live there? The former will be price led, the latter will be quality led. Then the property will need to be prepared accordingly, bearing in mind that top notch facilities, presentation and orientation always mean a property will shift fast. At the pricier end of the market, it will probably need to attract tenants or buyers who will actually live there. So decent sized rooms, good qualSammy Cruz-Armstrong, Business Developer ity, new, neutral furniture and colour schemes, at Kristina Szekely Sotheby’s comments, “Sadly, along with dedicated parking spaces are all key Gibraltar’s shortage of top grade properties to success. (over 1.5 million pounds) is driving many wealthy people away to spend their money elsewhere — in Spain or other jurisdictions What are all the Categories and what is like Monaco or Malta, which has no residency HEPSS? Legislation has changed over recent years qualification for tax residents. In my view, Giin terms of the old Category 1, 2, 3 and 4 and braltar should aspire to Monaco’s standards in terms of accommodation, levels of service and HINWI status, leaving some people more than a little confused when we refer to high net worth lifestyle.” For now, in a similar way to Cat 2 apartments, individuals today. Unlike the old 1992 ruling property prices in this top price sector do look for High Net Worth Individual status, you are set to increase as supply also gradually dimin- no longer required to spend a minimum of 30 ishes. In late 2010, Mike Nicholls recounted, “In day per year in Gibraltar. Today there is no time the last two weeks we have sold a property on requirement as to how long you stay in any The Island at Queensway Quay and rented an- year, so in effect you need not spend any time reasons. It’s not surprising either how a swimming pool can sway opinions of those coming from the cooler climes to Gibraltar’s sweltering summers. All too often, pools are expected to be part of the deal: Ocean Village and Queensway Quay have taken pains to provide good quality swimming pools; while pools at King’s Wharf, Tradewinds and the Anchorage may appear more modest to many.

There are only 19 properties in that whole development, whereas we could probably sell or rent one every six weeks or so, based on existing demand

”

www.findaproperty.com

for tax saving singles, couples and absent tenants, to ones where entire families come to live. You’ll find that premium quality, family friendly property in the 1.5 to 2 million pound bracket is actually in relatively short supply. High earners with families who once lived in plush houses in London expect to at least replicate them when they move to Gib. But they are often disappointed in Gibraltar, opting instead for a home in Sotogrande plus a Gibraltar luxury apartments as a pied-a-terre simply to satisfy Cat 2 regulations. Indeed, family-oriented property, aimed at those who wish to use the property as a home, is hard to find as the usual expectations of quality and space can’t always be met in Gibraltar. And families with young children shy away from high rise penthouses for obvious

Property Ownership — Tax savings for all As a HEPSS or Cat 2 individual you’ll also benefit from Gibraltar’s general absence of direct taxation, which means: • No Inheritance or Succession taxes • No Capital Gains Tax • No Wealth Tax • No tax on savings and investment income • No VAT If you’re a home-owner in Gibraltar, in addition to “First Time Buyer” tax relief, you can also expect to obtain tax relief on mortgage interest and on certain qualifying life assurance premiums. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

property

HEPSS This replaced the old Cat 3 and 4 status. Earn over £100,000 per annum and you could qualify. Tax: is only paid on the first £120,000 of your income, with a tax rate of just 27.125%. You’ll need to own or rent Gibraltar Finance Centre approved residential property which you will use exclusively for yourself or your direct family, ie. your spouse, children, brother, sister, parents or in-laws. You could lose your HEPSS status if you are found to be renting out your property, as it must be deemed to be reserved for your “exclusive use”. Cat 2 (Category 2) To obtain Cat 2 status you’ll need to be nonGibraltarian and prove a minimum net worth of £2 million. Tax: You’ll only pay income tax on the first £80,000 of your assessable income. And under the Gross Income Based System, Cat 2s are only liable to pay a maximum of just under £30,000 p.a. tax (subject to a minimum of £22,000). Having satisfied the net worth requirement, you’ll then need to own or rent property in Gibraltar that is approved by the Gibraltar Finance Centre as a suitably appointed property.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARy 2011

Sotherby’s International Realty

in Gibraltar at all. Anyone looking to benefit from tax advantages should, of course, take the advice of a good financial consultant or tax lawyer when arranging their affairs. But generally speaking, here’s how it stands:

As with HEPSS status, it must be available for your exclusive use throughout the year. You cannot have been resident in Gibraltar (183 days in any tax year) during the five years immediately preceding your application. Neither can you have been resident in Gibraltar for more than 90 days in any three of the previous five years. Trade wise, you will not be permitted to engage in any business or employment in Gibraltar, except if you are the Director of a Gibraltar Exempt company or a company that does not trade in Gibraltar. For more information, contact

the Gibraltar Finance Centre for the definitive Category 2 guidelines circular. You’ll need to have private medical cover in Gibraltar as you will not be entitled to social services assistance. Once granted, your Category 2 status can be kept on indefinitely provided your certificate is sent to the Gibraltar Finance Centre for endorsement every three years. Application forms are available online at www. gibraltar.gov.gi/finance-centre/application-forms and take around 14 days to process.

property market

photos: Kevin Fitzmaurice-Brown

Where would you buy – Gib or Spain? Yesterday, attending a social gathering at a friend’s house in Sotogrande, I was introduced to a local Spaniard who had been told I was in the property business. After the pleasantries, he simply wanted my opinion on where I would invest in a buy-to-let property, Gibraltar or Spain? It took me a while to respond as there are so many factors to consider. Usually, buyers know at the outset in which jurisdiction they want to make their property purchase. In this instance, the friend of a friend was purely seeking the

best property investment as opposed to any tax or lifestyle consideration, and would happily consider Spain or Gibraltar depending upon the absolute merits of each. Neither funding nor the exchange rate was deemed to be a factor.

Spain, as we all know, is encountering severe financial difficulties. It is widely tipped to be third in line after Greece and Ireland to receive some sort of EU assistance to maintain its viability. Last September, Moody’s became the

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

property market third of the three major credit rating agencies to downgrade Spain reflecting the “considerable deterioration” in Spain’s public finances. Spain is the fourth-largest economy in the euro zone but has the highest unemployment rate, not only in the euro zone, but across the entire spectrum of advanced economies at around 20% (or 4 million). It has the third highest budget deficit in the euro zone at 11% of its GDP. The problem is so deep that Madrid introduced stringent austerity measures some six months ago to save 15 billion euros to avert a debt crisis. This included civil servant salary cuts and scrapping of bonus payments to new mothers. Added to the economic woes, Spain, unlike many other EU countries, entered the recession with a chronic over-supply of property which Madrid’s Ministry of Housing quotes as some 688,000 units whereas most commentators would suggest the real number is easily above 1 million unsold or empty properties. Furthermore, this number will increase as banks are forced to disclose their surplus stock arising from failed developments and repossessed properties. Analysing the property market in Spain can be confusing as official statistics on prices rely on asking price and not the sold price. This hides the severity of the price falls seen in the last two years. Official statistics will show an average price reduction year-on-year in 2010 of some 4%. Yet everyone knows the decline has been much higher. So surely my conversation with my friend’s guest should have been quite short. Gibraltar has year on year GDP growth of some 5%, a record budget surplus, near full employment, a general shortage of property and with the recent fall in corporation tax, further signs that companies are willing to relocate bringing further growth and prosperity. But the debate then becomes one of what will happen in the next few years. Have Spanish property prices bottomed out and can Gibraltar prices keep rising? Despite the downgrade in September, Moody’s said its outlook for Spain’s creditworthiness was “stable”, with the government expected to meet its deficit reduction targets over the next two years. And 2011 started well for Spain with a two day visit from the Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang. El Pais, the Spanish daily newspaper quoted him as saying “China is a responsible long-term investor, both in the European financial market and in the Spanish financial market. China has confidence in Spain’s financial market. It has purchased Spanish trea-

Gibraltar has some interesting properties for buy-to-let investors

sury bonds and will buy still more.” Excellent, China saves Spain! The real issue for local buy-to-let investors is whether Gibraltar’s growing economy positively impacts property prices within commuting distance, say Tarifa to Estepona. My own consultancy, MN Associates, is actively involved in the relocation of employees of incoming companies and many of these employees cannot afford to rent in Gibraltar and do not qualify for the lower cost properties, so are forced (albeit some quite voluntarily!) to live in Spain. So where there are quality properties available to rent for below €1,000 pcm which are walking distance to something, either Gibraltar, the beach, some bars or shops, some sort of life, these properties are being tenanted in Spain, by Gibraltar employees. Hence if one believes in the continued growth of Gibraltar’s economy, and that Spain’s economy has or is about to hit its lowest, then

perhaps my friend’s guest should invest in Spain after all? In many instances, one can now buy in Spain at lower than the build cost, which means land has a negative value in many cases. There are enough desperate sellers to take discounts of up to 60% against the 2007 peak. Even better opportunities arise when banks offload some of their stock with cheap mortgages attached. So keen are they to move the properties from their balance sheets that I have known them to offer properties at build cost with 100% mortgages at just 0.5% above 3 month Euribor ie an all-in mortgage rate of c 1.5% pa. This particular example was in a development in Duquesa, but there are further examples. But buyer beware! Beyond the general concerns of the Spanish economy, the impact of the recession is that thousands of apartment owners up and down this coastline cannot afford to pay their community fees, effectively the service charge to maintain the property. And to make matters worse, many of the owners are also in bankruptcy proceedings, so they can’t be forced to pay the community fees they owe. Claims against them just have to join the queue with all their other ordinary creditors, which could take years to resolve. So many developments deteriorate with services being cut back, maintenance levels reduced and repairs to buildings indefinitely postponed. So, despite the availability of such bargains in Spain, often with mortgages attached, and despite the availability of tenants, many of whom would be employed in Gibraltar, I did not recommend he invested in his own country’s real estate. For the brave-hearted, for those in it for the long term willing to take the rough with the smooth and ride out the storm (far too many metaphors but you get the drift!) there may be good rewards. But I do not see any get rich quick opportunities arising... yet! I am meeting this gentleman next week to show him some buy-to-let properties in Gibraltar. n

The real issue for local buy-to-let investors is whether Gibraltar’s growing economy positively impacts property prices within commuting distance, say Tarifa to Estepona

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

real estate

S.LEVY

M.B.E., E.D., J.P., F.R.I.C.S., F.R.S.H.

AUCTIONEER, ESTATE AGENT & VALUER

For Property Advice, Contact Us

19/2 Governor’s Parade, Gibraltar Tel: 200 74018

3 Convent Place Tel: 200 77789 or 200 42818 Fax: 200 42527 Email: slevy@gibraltar.gi

chartered surveyors

home insurance Eurolinx 21&22 Victoria House, 26 Main St Tel: 200 40240 Ibex Insurance The Tower, Marina Bay Tel: 200 44628

property services

Gibraltar Art Gallery 14 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 73898 Email: artgallery@gibtelecom.net

property directory

Irish Town Antiques Irish Town Tel: 200 70411 Seekers Ltd Property Solutions 10 Engineer Lane Tel: 200 44955 info@seekerspropertysolutions.com www.furnituresolutions.gi

commercial interiors construction

Bridge Solutions PO Box 598 Tel: 57185000 Fax: 200 77041

homes & interiors

Portman Ltd

Space Interiors 6 Ellesmere House, City Mill Lane Tel: 200 73992 www.spaceinteriors.gi

General Suppliers

Hire & Sale of Portable Cabin Units (Office, Toilet Units etc) Unit F17 Europa Business Centre PO Box 476, Gibraltar Tel: 200 73119 Fax: 200 45008 E-mail: portman@gibtelecom.net

transport services GibCargo Ltd Unit 3 North Mole Industrial Park Tel: 200 70787 Email: tom@gibcargo.com

marine services

TARIK

39-41 City Mill Lane, Gibraltar Tel: 200 78105 Fax: 200 42510

Full Bunkering & Yacht Refuelling Service Spain: 15/5a Virgen del Carmen Algeciras (Cadiz), Spain Tel/Fax: 34 56 630418 After Hrs: Gib 200 70982

• General Surfacing • Building • Building Renovations • Demolition • Painting & Decorating • Roadworks • Civil Engineering • Asphalt/Aggregate supplier • Comprehensive Plant Holding For prompt & competitively priced tenders contact AMCO P.O. Box 382 Tel: 200 40840 Fax: 200 40841

waste management Curtain Makers Home Interiors Fabrics Bedding Bring your own fabric or choose from our range The Fashion House Ltd 85 Governor’s Street. Tel: 200 52938 E-mail: thefashionhouse@gibtelecom.net Fax: 200 52988

36 36

Gibraltar: Tel: (350) 200 72836 Fax: (350) 200 72861 Cables: TARIK GIB TLX: 2343 TRATAR

Environment and Waste Management Service E.W.M.S. Governor’s Cottage Europa Advance Road Gibraltar Tel: 200 44220 Fax: 200 44221 E-mail: ewmsgib@gibtelecom.net

GIBRALTARMAGAZINE MAGAZINE••DECEMBER FEBRUARY 2010 2011 GIBRALTAR

property ﬁle

Want Beautiful & Functional? Use a Designer Achieving the stylish look of an interior designer requires a mix of training and talent. A good designer is an expert listener and works within a budget while helping the home-owner to achieve their requirements — whether for their own lifestyle or for their potential renter’s needs. Interior Designers come at a cost, but then so do expensive design mistakes made by homeowners, in terms of time and money. Some of the common design errors made by homeowners are bland or uncomplimentary colour schemes; the wrong scale furnishings; rooms not ﬂowing in a complimentary manner; materials and furniture that don’t meet needs or last; and lighting not used effectively. There are many more common mistakes, and getting it right ﬁrst time is particularly crucial to the buy-to-let furnisher, who wants to get the maximum rent for their

Creating a unified look takes skill and experience

property. On the other hand, using a design professional can, and should, be a good experience. They can bestow your home with continuity, function, and beauty. And all within a budget. In fact, working with a designer can often save you money directly by allocating resources wisely, eliminating mistakes, and increas-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

ing creative thinking about your project. The best way to approach a designer is with a good idea of what you want to achieve. Decide on a budget, collect colour swatches and pictures to show what you like and what you don’t. List furniture pieces you want to keep if it is an existing home. Communicate with your designer and be very frank

about your budget limitations (everyone has them). The more information you can give to your designer the better. However you choose to proceed with your project, whether you consult with a designer for a room or an entire home — you’re sure to learn a lot from them and end up with a more beautiful and functional living space as a result. ■

creativity

Mellow Yellow... The highest graded images from the Digital Projection Competition on the theme “Yellow”. This competition was judged by Prem Mahtani. Clockwise from Left top: Rainy Day Rafa Millan 38pts • Bermuda Buttercup Joe Molinari 37pts • Balanced in Yellow Maurice Hook 38pts • Flamenco Skirt Sal Fox 37pts • Yellow Field Roy McGrail 38pts • Taxi David Bartolo 38pts • Paper Trails Maurice Hook 39pts • Yellow M David Bartolo 38pts

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

creativity

Texture in Nature Highest graded images from the Monochrome Prints Competition on the theme “Texture in Nature”. Competition judged by Jim Crone. Clockwise from top row: Morning Dew Leslie Linares 36pts • Wood Roy McGrail 35pts • Soft Texture Javier Millan 36pts • Tree Stephen Hermida 37pts • Leaves David Bartolo 33pts • Autumn Feel Brian Gordon 32pts • Fruit Joe Molinari 31pts

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

Sammy Sings Soul by Kristin Mortensen

Photo: Paul Vallejo

Nine-year-old Sammy Lees sat backstage at her Sevillanas performance. As the last act cleared the stage, a voice came over the loudspeakers and announced, “Tonight we have a special performance by Miss Sammy Lees who will be singing The Little Mermaid.” The audience welcomed her with a boisterous applause as a nervous Sammy clenched the microphone on stage. The music started and Sammy belted out the lyrics to her favourite Disney ﬁlm as everyone stood in awe of this little girl with the voice of an angel.

The owner of a toy shop just happened to be sitting in the audience that day, and in return for her brilliant performance, offered Sammy a toy of her choice from his shop. Like any young girl, Sammy was thrilled she got a free toy — even if she was as red as a tomato on stage. Toys became the driving force and her biggest incentive to sing at every Sevillanas performance. Originally from Hong Kong, Sammy made Gibraltar her home when she was sevenyears-old. After her regular performances

at the Sevillanas, Sammy became known as brought. She took a break from singing until the “girl who sang Disney songs.” Her class- she joined the choir at Westside, which gave mates demanded she sing, and although Sam- her the boost of conﬁdence she needed. my loved singing, she hated all the pressure it Sammy decided to further explore her musical talent and joined the gospel choir where she learned a great deal about vocals and harmonies. The gospel choir opened her eyes to different types of music, as they sang English, African and Spanish songs. Her gospel group, Tears of Joy, raised funds through local companies to sing for the Pope in Rome. Shortly after her trip to Rome, Sammy decided to pur-

“

I got to the venue and I saw posters with my name on it. That’s when it struck me that it was all real

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

sue her own musical path. With R’n’B and Soul influence, Sammy started to compile her lyrics. She opened a Myspace music page and over time grew an extensive fan base. Among her fans was Keyo, a Spanish rapper from Malaga, who asked Sammy to write the lyrics and melody to his music. Her inspirational words had people turning heads and Sammy was asked to go to Seville to record her songs for Keyo’s album. This opened the doors to Sammy’s singing career as she performed with Kayo in the biggest club in Seville and at a festival in Marbella. “I got to the venue and I saw posters and flyers with my name on them,” Sammy says, “that’s when it struck me that it was all real.” As Sammy grew older, she became less recognised as “the girl who sang Disney songs.” She has done several performances on the Rock such as Summer Nights, Ocean Village events, GBC, Model Search and private parties. “I’m not everyone’s cup of tea,” Sammy admits. “Most people in Gibraltar like rock music instead of RnB and soul music, but this is who I am and what I sing.” In 2007, Lorraine, an American woman, asked Sammy if she wanted to perform at a conference for Domestic Violence Awareness Week in Washington, DC. With the help of the Gibraltar Government and Darren McComb, Sammy left for Washington DC for an eventful two weeks. “I thought I was just going there for a one-time performance at the domestic violence conference, but they had a whole itinerary mapped out for me,” Sammy

Photo: Paul Vallejo

music

“

One minute I was in Gibraltar singing at Summer Nights, and the next I was in Washington, DC performing in front of hundreds of people

”

explains. She stopped at local schools in the Washington, DC area, singing to students and educating them on Gibraltar. As if that didn’t put Sammy on the spot enough, she was asked to speak about Gibraltar at a cultural event in Fairfax County just outside Washington, DC. “They threw this at me at the last minute so I had absolutely nothing prepared for the presentation,” Sammy says. “Everyone else who spoke at the convention had their country’s local dish or their typical clothes, but I didn’t even have a map to show them where Gibraltar was.” The people were so impressed with Sammy’s performance at the Domestic Violence event, that they flew her down to Atlanta to record the song. During this spontaneous trip down south, Sammy was introduced to the producer of La Vista Records. Blown away by Sammy’s captivating voice, he had Sammy record a demo of her music. After two weeks of non-stop running around, Sammy returned to Gibraltar. “Going to America was like a dream come true,” Sammy explains. “ One minute I was in Gibraltar singing at Summer Nights, and the next, I was in Washington, DC performing in front of hundreds of people.” Since her trip to America, Sammy has been busy with two children, a fiancée and a job in Gibraltar education. “With two young children and a full-time job, it has been nearly impossible to devote myself to music the way I used to,” Sammy explains, “but my love for singing will never end.” n

fly to

the uk

from

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everyone must go!

flights

holidays

hotels

Conditions apply.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

culture club

GibDFAS Lecture, 16th February Eliott Hotel, David Hockney, Life & Works, by Ann Peerless

Hockney’s iPad Art. A future without Brushes? According to David Hockney’s recent book Secret Knowledge, technique is what Art is all about and in it he rediscovers the tricks of the Old Masters’ trade, like a detective on the trail of what went on centuries ago in those studios, in the days of portraits and commissions before the invention of photography. The Speaker of the GibDFAS lecture on 16th February at the Eliott Hotel, might well not discuss for long the impact of The Splash but rather concentrate on Hockney’s current output. Now in his 70s, and always an explorer in techniques, his work continues to be surprising at times but is always accessible. Hockney has already discovered the great potential of the Brushes app for his iPad! In 2009 he published works created with modern technological tools. His recent exhibition, Fleurs Fraiches, has its origins in smaller drawings made on his iPhone and then emailed to friends.

He describes the experience of using an iPad as the “privilege of making works of art, after which you don’t have to clean up” and is confounded by the reflex action of wiping his hands after working with virtual brushes. The result is his recent concentration on themes of detail, like flowers and objects, a significant departure from his contribution to the Pop Art movement and support of the American Dream with his luminous paintings of Californian swimming pools. On Wednesday, 16th February, the pre-lecture drinks reception starts at 6.30pm at the Eliott

Hotel where everyone will have the chance to meet Speaker, Ann Peerless, a frequent visitor to DFAS groups on the Costa del Sol, who has lectured at the V&A, the British Museum, the University of Kent, the Art Foundation and on cruises. GibDFAS expects some lively discussion among visitors and members of the Gibraltar art world. All welcome. If you decide to join GibDFAS during February you will pay the reduced rate of £35 which includes copies of the Nadfas Review and access to certain events. For further details, contact Claus Olesen: 200 02024 or email: claus.olesen@sghambros.com

GibDFAS last month - The Sacred Art of Tibet

GibDFAS Chairman Claus Olesen with Deputy Governor, Lesley Pallet

photos: Mike Brufal

Raffle winner David Evans receives his prize

Sarah and Jane of NADFAS

Claus with guests at the pre-lecture reception

Speaker Zara Fleming with Mr Seruya

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2011

sporting profile

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2011

community update

Violin Recital in the Ballroom... The Gibraltar Philharmonic Society is continuing its spectacular 2010-11 season with a Violin recital by a young and very talented violinist Ye Eun Choi. 22-year-old Ye-Eun Choi is rapidly establishing a reputation as one of the most promising violin talents to emerge from Korea and Germany in recent years. Since making her concert debut at age 10 with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, she has since performed internationally with orchestras such as the Montreal Symphony, Munich Rundfunk, Indianapolis Symphony and Indiana Chamber orchestras. Devoted to chamber music, YeEun performs at festivals around the world.

The violin recital will take place on 8th February at The Convent Ballroom from 8pm. Ye-Eun Choi will be accompanied by Etsuko Hirose on piano. A wonderful opportunity to see and hear such talented musicians on the Rock. Tickets priced at £20 each are now available from The House of Sacarello on Irish Town and The Silver Shop at 222 Main Street. Credit/debit card purchase is also available by phoning the Society on 20072134. A limited number of tickets are also available to senior citizens and students at a reduced price via the John Mackintosh Hall at 308 Main Street. The concert is sponsored by The Bonita Trust. n Born in Nagoya, Japan, Etsuko Hirose began studying the piano at the age of three, and at six years old gave her first concerto performance with orchestra of Mozart’s Concerto No.26. In 1999, she won First Prize at the Martha Argerich Competition, which marked the start of her solo career.

The Eyes Have It... GHA Ophthalmic Service introduces Smaller Wound Cataract Surgery The GHA now has technology so it can implement “smaller wound” cataract surgery at St Bernard’s Hospital. The GHA acquired the technology from its lens supplier Alcon who provided the instrumentation and software essential for the change to the new procedure. Cataract surgery is carried out for patients whose lens in their eye has become cloudy or opaque thus interfering with sight. This occurs particularly in elderly patients and in diabetic patients. The surgical procedure involves the removal of a patient’s natural lens and replacing it with an artificial one. This procedure is one of the most frequent eye procedures carried out in Eye Departments. There have been many changes in the procedure over the years and now it is a relatively straight forward day case procedure. This latest technology means the procedure can be carried

out with an incision 25% smaller than previously. The new incision is only 2.2 mm wide. The Minister for Health and Civil Protection, Yvette Del Agua, said “cataract of the eye is an age-related disease, and therefore this new technique will undoubtedly bring benefits to our elderly citizens.” “By reducing scarring caused from the incision, the post operative recovery is less complicated and recovery to the patient’s optimal vision can occur more quickly”, said Mr Mohamed Haroon, the GHA’s Consultant Ophthalmologist. Mr Trevor Galliano, Charge Nurse in the Eye Department said “This is yet another example of the vast improvement in Eye Department particularly since the move to the new Hospital, and we hope to have more improvements to come”. n GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

fashion

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GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE • • JANUARY FEBRUARY2011 2011

45 45

Wouldn’t you just love to know what will be in fashion next summer, and ahead of everybody else? Well for Lisa Guerrero, this is one of the aspects of her diverse job, at well known internationally established company, Marks and Spencer. She arrived in Gibraltar in 1985, to visit her (now late) father — who worked for a local construction company, managing the refurbishment of Dock One — not knowing at the time she would gain a role as Merchandiser for both M&S Gibraltar and Marbella.

Lisa Guerrero:

One Step Ahead of Fashion

“

Despite coming from a catering background, she also had managerial experience, and applied for a job at Marks and Spencer as a stock controller, at what was then a small business, in a prime location in the centre of town. “When I took the job, there was always an element of wanting to get into the fashion and buying side of the business. I worked my way up, and the role I currently have developed and grew. Last year we opened our first Marks and Spencer franchise store in Marbella, with its head office in Gibraltar from where everything is run,” Lisa smiles. “Our biggest market here in Gibraltar is the mature, sophisticated woman looking for her staple,

serviceable garments, knowing that they represent quality and value. Whether it be for work wear, leisurewear or lingerie, she knows she will be getting a durable yet fashionable product. However, as a lifestyle brand we endeavour to cater for the whole family. Marks and Spencer is a very well established retailer, renowned for its quality, value, service, innovation and trust,” Lisa enthuses. With an abundance of tourist trade as well, seasonal changes are also an important factor. Whereas UK stores already have their autumn collection in July, the Gibraltar store is still displaying its summer collection, which means customers are still buying bathing

costumes and summer wear! No two days are the same for Lisa, and she has already finalised the Summer 2011 collection, and is buying for autumn! “With women’s wear, a lot of our staple products like cropped trousers and

Our biggest market here in Gibraltar is the mature, sophisticated woman looking for her staple, serviceable garments, knowing they represent quality and value

46 46

”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2011 2011 GIBRALTAR

Photo: Lisa Guerrero by John J Wood

A chef by trade, Lisa had been to catering college, and decided to work at one of Gibraltar‘s local hotels as a chef. “Working as a chef gave me a buzz and I loved it, but my hours did not fit in with my personal life, so I decided to look for another job,” Lisa explains. Although she misses her job as chef, she still loves entertaining people and watching cookery programmes; “I want to get back in the kitchen this year and start experimenting again. Although there is a diverse contrast in my career paths, I get the buzz I used to get in the kitchen at my current job, by looking at sales, making them improve and seeing the results.”

by Jolene Gomez

Photo: Lisa Guerrero by John J Wood

jeans are bought well in advance, whereas other high fashion items we will buy nearer to the season,” Lisa confirms. The M&S buying system has changed, as head office realised that franchises internationally, would need to be in line with the UK buying system, so they didn’t miss out on stock and availability. “We are buying women’s wear all the time, as we need to guarantee stock to our clients. We buy on an internet-based system now, which is not ideal because the garments are not tangible, but still the range is huge, so we can bring clothes which compliment each other.” Lisa regularly attends buying conferences, which gives her an insight into what to expect in the forthcoming seasons. Because of the climate and the relaxed way of life, people in Gibraltar are fashionable and, let’s face it, women in Gibraltar love to shop! Buying conferences usually bring buyers and designers in the UK together. Designers have attended fashion shows in Paris or Milan well in advance, to start to look at key messages and trends which will be prominent in the upcoming seasons. They then devise their own trend wheel, and get the designers at M&S to work on original designs for M&S products. “From here I work through the trends, to know what I will be tapping into and what to look forward to when the actual M&S products are available. There is a lot of detail on how they pull together the available collections, and this provides an overview on how the collection will look in the store, which is ultimately what our buyers see,” Lisa explains.

“

There is a lot going on for Spring/ Summer! A definite return to the ’70s, with long flowing skirts and floral patterns galore! Pinks and soft colours will also be in, as well as tan and white cotton as a complete look, with maybe a few neutral colours added as well So what can we expect to be in fashion in Summer 2011? “There is a lot going on for Spring/Summer! A definite return to the ’70s, with long flowing skirts and floral patterns galore! Pinks and soft colours will also be in, as well as tan and white cotton as a complete look, with maybe a few neutral colours added as well,” Lisa confirms. There is also a return to the good old vest, and although slim leg trousers are going to be in, the kick flare trousers are back with a vengeance, and will be an emerging trend too. There will also be a nod to the ’50s, with tight belts marking the waist line, full skirts and short tops, in bright colours such as yellow, watermelon and blue, accompanied by some nice kitten heels, which Lisa confirms will be huge. “The ever popular animal prints will still be there, and continue to be there for autumn and winter. Trends like these come back every few years, in a different state or form! “There is quite a diverse pattern in upcoming fashion, with white at one end of the scale, and bright colours at the other. M&S tap into these trends, as we want to be in fashion, but still in keeping with a slightly more conservative edge, and not too brash and risky. Our middle aged buyers want to be fashionable, but not over the top,” Lisa smiles. But Lisa’s job is not all about buying clothes and looking at trends, as she carries the big responsibility of trying to get it right with the Gibraltar and Marbella markets, and of course making profits. “It is important that I distance myself from what I’m purchasing for M&S, and although personal taste comes into it, you always need to be objective and conscious of your market — who your customer is, what she expects in

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2011 2011 GIBRALTAR

”

Photos: Marks & Spencer spring/summer collection 2011

terms of quality and good value. Making sure the stock is out in the right place at the right time, is extremely important. “It isn’t all about fashion — at the end of the day I make a decision on what we sell, and I need

to research each decision on my experience.” But with nearly 25 years experience, it is no wonder she manages to get it right each time! n

47 47

Dr. Marco Vricella, HC Marbella Hospital

Marco Vricella, MD

-JGF $IBOHJOH $PTNFUJD 4VSHFSZ $MJFOUT PG %S .BSDP 7SJDFMMB BOE )$ .BSCFMMB )PTQJUBM UFMM VT UIFJS 4UPSJFT .BSDP 7SJDFMMB JT %JSFDUPS PG UIF "FTUIFUJD it was the cause of much unhappiness and 4VSHFSZ VOJU BU )$ .BSCFMMB 1SJWBUF )PTQJUBM POF PG &VSPQFqT NPTU FYDMVTJWF IPTQJUBMT )FSF UXP SFDFOU DMJFOUT UFMM UIFJS TUPSJFT PG IPX TVSHFSZ IBT DIBOHFE UIFJS MJWFT Breast Augmentation One of the most popular procedures is a breast Augmentation. Christine is a recent client; she explains, â&#x20AC;&#x153;After having four children I have always wanted to have a Breast Augmentation. I started going to the gym and began to like the look of my body, except for that one area. Nothing I did in the gym was going to change my breasts, so I ďŹ nally made the decision to go for surgery. I am so pleased with the results and the service, and the after care I am receiving! I love my new body and I have Dr Vricella and his team to thank.â&#x20AC;? Tummy Tuck & Liposuction Kate is a 49 year old woman with three grown up children. She says,â&#x20AC;? I had a kangaroo pouch any kangaroo would have been proud of, but

depression for me. My self-conďŹ dence was practically non-existent. After the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tummy tuckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lipoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; I am delighted. The surgery went so smoothly and my beautiful hospital suite was wonderful and the nursing staff were absolute angels. My body shape is now just what I wanted. Marco Vricella is a truly remarkable and gifted surgeon.... he has made my dream come true.â&#x20AC;? Luxury Care Having an elective procedure is made all the more relaxing when it is at the HC Hospital in Marbella.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The hospital is just two hundred metres from the sea and not only has two exceptionally well equipped operating theatres, but also a dedicated post-surgical care unit and eleven luxuriously appointed guest rooms.â&#x20AC;? HC Hospital Marbellaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HC Hospital has a highly professional and pioneering team of medical experts that provide world-class care across the hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ten exceptional medical units - Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine; Oncology; Preventive Medicine; Gastroenterology & Obesity; Gynaecology & Fertility; Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Orthopaedics; Urology; Cardiology; and Anti-Aging. For information on HC Hospital and to see a virtual tour please visit: www.marbellahighcare.com To ďŹ nd out more about Marco Vricella and read more client experiences please visit: www.ariamedicalgroup.com

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health risks

Dealing with Diabetes

by Julie Parker Diabetes Specialist Nurse, Gibraltar Health Authority

There are currently an estimated 300 million people living with diabetes and a further 350 million at high risk of developing diabetes worldwide. It is often difficult to imagine such a vast number of people so to put it into context that is double the population of the United States. Diabetes has been called ‘The plague of this century’ because predictions estimate that by the end of this century 1 in 2 people will have diabetes and ‘the plague’ in the Middle Ages affected half the population. We were taught at school that the plague was spread by rats, but computer technology shows the illness

spread throughout Europe at a rate of 12 miles per day, the same speed a horse and cart would travel, so it is suggested the plague was

spread by rats that hitched a ride on the carts delivering flour. Type 2 diabetes tends to affect overweight people so flour is implicated in the

The GHA is introducing a new structured education programme for people with Type 2 diabetes in the coming months

development of both illnesses! Changes in economic prosperity have led to increased portion sizes and a more sedentary lifestyle and this has meant an increase in obesity rates which is particularly noticeable in young people. However it need not be doom and gloom because it is simple to assess if you are at risk of develop-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

health risks ing diabetes by using this free risk assessment tool, that takes less than three minutes to complete http:// www.diabetes.org.uk/Riskscore/ Research shows diabetes can be delayed by 10 years or completely avoided if people control their weight and increase exercise levels, 20-30 minutes of daily exercise is recommended. What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic disease that arises when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that enables cells to take in glucose from the blood and use it for energy. Failure of insulin production, insulin action or both leads to raised glucose levels in the blood (hyperglycaemia). This is associated with long-term damage to the body and the failure of various organs and tissues. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of the insulinproducing cells in the pancreas. Consequently, people with type 1 diabetes produce no insulin and must therefore take multiple daily insulin injections in order to survive. Type 1 diabetes is a life-long chronic condition most commonly diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood and accounts for 10% of people living with diabetes. People with Type 2 diabetes cannot use the insulin that they produce effectively. They can often manage their condition through exercise and diet. However, in most

cases oral drugs are needed and sometimes insulin injections are required. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% of people living with diabetes worldwide. You may have also heard about less common forms of diabetes which affect women during pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes) and a type of diabetes that affects overweight children (Maturity onset diabetes of the young) Many people believe Type 2 diabetes is milder and less harmful than Type 1 diabetes, perhaps due to the fact Type 2 affects older peo-

The aim of modern diabetes management is to prevent problems where possible. There is more of an emphasis on patient participation, education and support ple and often involves treatment with diet and tablets. However, both types of diabetes can lead to the same dangerous side effects and both types of diabetes need to be managed effectively to avoid the risk of developing visual disturbances, heart problems, circulation problems and premature death.

Thankfully, research has shown that people with diabetes can avoid complications and can expect to live as people without the disease if the disease is carefully managed and problems are avoided or ‘nipped in the bud’. One million pounds per hour is spent on diabetes care in the UK and the charity Diabetes UK spends around £6,000,000 each year researching new treatments and looking for a cure. The aim of modern diabetes management is to prevent problems where possible. There is more of an emphasis on patient participation, education and support for people when they are first diagnosed and on an ongoing basis. An annual review is recommended for all people with diabetes. This service enables patients to receive educational updates and to act on any new problems they may have encountered. Diabetes is a progressive illness that often deteriorates over time so it is likely to require treatment changes to manage it effectively. The GHA is introducing a new structured education programme for people with Type 2 diabetes in the coming months. The Desmond programme has been used in the UK for the past four years. Research shows it is appreciated by patients and has been shown to improve blood test results. It consists of a full day or two half day sessions to help people better understand their illness. Anyone interested in attending the course or making an appointment to discuss their diabetes can contact me at the PCC, a GP referral is not required. n

Julie Parker is the Diabetes Specialist Nurse and can be contacted through the Gibraltar Health Authority

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

health & medical directory

health& fitness Bell Pharmacy

McTimoney Chiropractor

Your Family Chemists

Gentle holistic treatment for all back or muscular problems and sports injuries Gillian Schirmer MA, DC, MMCA Clinic (Claudia’s), 1st Floor, 58 Main Street Tel: 200 41733 or after hours: 200

Here to help you by answering all your pharmaceutical questions Consult us at 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

CHEMISTS

Bell Pharmacy 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

PASSANO OPTICIANS LTD

Louis’ Pharmacy Unit F12, International Commercial Centre, Casemates. Tel: 200 44797

British Registered Optometrists

Chiropodists

38 Main St Tel: 200 76544 Fax: 200 76541 Email: passano@sapphirenet.gi

John W Miles BSc (Podiatry), MChS College Clinic, Regal House Tel: 200 77777

ChiropraCtors STEINER CHIROPRACTIC CLINICS

Chiropractic Health Clinic

Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc DC

Dr Steven J. Crump B.Sc, DC, MCC Open: Mon - Fri 9.30am - 6.30pm

Member of the British Chiropractic Association

Back to better health with Chiropractic for headaches, dizziness, neck and lower back pain, sciatica, osteoathritis and sports injuries. College Clinic, Regal Hse. Tel: 200 77777

Treatment of Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Limb Pain & Sports Injuries Tel: 200 44226

ICC Suite F5C 1st Floor, Casemates, Gibraltar Member of British Chiropractic Association

The Health Store

5 City Mill Lane, Gibraltar. Tel: 20073765 Suppliers of Glucosamine, Ginkgo Biloba and all vitamins. Body Building Products (Creatine etc) Open: 9am - 1pm & 3pm - 6pm

For all your Pharmaceutical needs

Louis’ Pharmacy Open: 9 - 7 Monday - Friday, Saturday 10 -1.30pm, Closed Sundays Unit F12, International Commercial Centre, Casemates. Tel: 200 44797

Dr Steven J. Crump BSc, DC, MCC ICC F5C 1st Flr, Casemates. Tel: 200 44226 Gillian Schirmer MA, DC, MMCA McTimoney Chiropractor, Clinic (Claudia’s), 1st Flr, 58 Main St Tel: 200 41733 After hours: 200 40026 Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc, DC Steiner Chiropractic Clinics, College Clinic, Regal Hse Tel: 200 77777

Health Stores The Health Store 5 City Mill Lane. Tel: 200 73765

Opticians / Optometrists Gache & Co Limited 266 Main Street. Tel: 200 75757 L. M. Passano Optometrist 38 Main Street. Tel: 200 76544

OSTEOPATHS Joma Ormrod (BOst.) (female) Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa Europort Tel: 200 48147

PERSONAL TRAINERS

JOHN W. MILES BSc (Podiatry), M.Ch.S

STATE REGISTERED CHIROPODIST Treatment of all Foot Problems • Ingrown Toe-nails including Surgical Removal • Biomechanical Analysis for Insoles / Orthotics including Children • Wart (Verruca) Clinic • Diabetics

Tel: 200 77777

College Clinic, Regal House, Queensway TEL: 54029587 FOR HOME VISITS

Need somebody to talk to?

7 days a week 6-10pm

64 52 what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

Simon Coldwell Complete Fitness Unit G3, Eliott Hotel Tel: 200 51113 Isabella Jimenez BSc (hons) 3/8 Turnbull’s Lane Tel: 54002226 email: jimenez.isabella@gmail.com

Physicians

Dr Norbert V Borge FRCP (London) 7-9 Cornwall’s Lane Tel/Fax: 200 75790 Specialist Medical Centre Unit F7 ICC Casemates Square Tel: 200 49999 Fax: 200 49999 Email: info@smg.gi www.smg.gi

Psychologist

Clinical Psychologist Tel: +34 661 007 261 Email: vivianabot3007@yahoo.es

SPECIALISTS

Specialist Medical Centre Unit F7 ICC Casemates Square Tel: 200 49999 Fax: 200 49999 Email: info@smg.gi www.smg.gi

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

health & beauty

Gibraltarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cancer Research Relay for Life forms part of a global calendar of events

Beautiful Cancer survivors on the catwalk in a previous show - clothes by Heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boutique

Cancer Research Relay for Life

Model for a Day?

Raise money for Cancer Research â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Teams and Cancer Survivors Wanted.

The hugely successful relay event, last run on This relay is not a competition â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at the event the Rock in 2008, is back again for 2011. Cancer itself or in the amount of funds raised â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but Research Relay will once again be a 24 hour teams are welcome to set their own challenges event, to be held at the Victoria Stadium from and raise as much money as possible. Saturday 4th to Sunday 5th June to raise funds The relay is also a celebration of Cancer Survifor Cancer Research UK. vorship. Cancer survivors will be invited to lead The Relay consists of members of different the relay as guests in the ďŹ rst lap of honour and teams walking around the running track over can later take part in a candle ceremony. Sur24 hours. At least one member from each team vivors are the living proof of the progress and must be on the track during the relay. success of research and the reason we should continue to support CanTeams are encouraged cer Research UK. to enter from all sectors Teams are encouraged to Forms to register as a of the community; groups Team or join the relay as of friends, families, work enter from all sectors of the survivor will be availcolleagues, sports associcommunity; groups of friends, aable at Cosmetic Angels ations or any others who may wish to make up a families, work colleagues, sports on the 1st Floor, ICC, or via email: relay@ team and take part. Busiassociations or any others gibtelecom.net nesses are encouraged to enter this event as it can Volunteers will also be a good team building exercise, and at the be needed on the day and in the run up to the event. same time raise funds for a worthy cause. Further information will be released as the date Teams of 8 to 15 members register for a fee of ÂŁ100 per team. This amount will also go to- draws nearer, and can be obtained by email (above) wards the total amount raised by the team. Once or by contacting Nicky Vinales Tel: 200 71819, registered, teams then go on to undertake their by visiting the local Cancer Research UK website: own fund raising activities as they wish, up to http://www.cancerresearchgib.com/ or via the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Facebook group Cancer Research Relay. the date of the relay.

Donkey Milk for your Skin Donkeymilk Skincare is now available in Gibraltar. Using natural ingredients along with essential oils and the amazing donkey milk, this skin care range nurtures your skin in the most natural way. More information on donkey milk products is available from www.donkeymilkskincare.com. Or visit Leon House, Secretaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lane, Gibraltar, where the range is available along with skin care consultations. Tel. Marlene Byrd 54001825. â&#x2013; GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ FEBRUARY 2011

Calling all cancer survivors! Would you like to be a model for the day at the next Bosom Buddies Easter Fashion Show on 14th April at the Convent Ballroom? Heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boutique will be providing the clothes for this event and any ladies wishing to take to the catwalk, size and age is no problem, will have the opportunity to rehearse and practise some catwalk techniques prior to the event. It is an emotional show but with a fun element for all concerned and the opportunity to do something positive for yourself after the ordeal of having cancer. Be brave once again and contact Sonia: songolt@hotmail.com before 14th February to participate. All money raised goes to cancer charities locally. â&#x2013;

! "

Paulette

Finlayson by Elena Scialtiel

take a chance on dance Paulette Finlayson is the prima ballerina of the very varied and jazzy Gibraltarian scene, but mostly a committed dance teacher: day in day out, she introduces her students to the magical world of dance, prepares them for examinations and involves them in flamboyant annual productions. It all started when she was just Paulette boasts of passing on her and coach students. In 2009, they all joined in cela little girl copying dance moves skills to her staff, Keri Scott and from the telly, mostly flamenco at Horace Bonfante, who now assist ebrating their silver jubilee with a the time, and listening to classical music which her dad Mario ‘religiously’ played every Sunday. And half a century later, she is the Principal of the Gibraltar Academy of Dance, established in 1984. Many pupils have passed through the Arts Centre in Prince Edward’s Road, where the Academy is housed, and

The school staged an original production where dancing and painting fused, with artwork coming to life in dance, and dance moves as picture-perfect as paintings

tribute to the bond with her father, her greatest fan and contributor in making her shows such a success. The school staged the original production Masterpieces, where dancing and painting fused, with artwork coming to life in dance moves, and dance moves as pictureperfect as paintings. No time for them to rest on their laurels though: as soon as the celebrations ended, the senior

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

dancing days students undertook their vocational examinations through the Royal Academy of Dance and obtained outstanding results. 2011 starts with rigorous preparations for the Gibraltar Stage Dance Festival in March and, in April, the preliminary selections for this summer’s European Dance Championships. Paulette is responsible for choreographing most of the dancers solo and group pieces. The task stretches her creativity to the limit, because she must be extremely sensitive in maximising every student’s potential, according to their natural talent, without risking outshining someone with unbalanced challenges or diversely spectacular routines when they compete against each other in the same category. Solo pieces bring out the best of each dancer, and give them the opportunity to own the stage, no matter how daunting the ‘stand-off’ with adjudicator and audience may be, while group pieces strengthen the teamwork and cement friendships. Paulette’s talent doesn’t stop at dancing and choreographing: she also designs and sometimes makes the costumes, props and has an input into the overall design and concept of the original productions. Creatively she takes after her father, who has been a great influence in shaping her life. Paulette’s parents recognised and supported her early display of kinaesthetic sense, which thrived when she joined the Mario Arroyo’s Youth Theatre: like in a modern Cinderella fairytale, her mentor became her lifeline and inspiration to pursue her ambition of becoming a professional dancer, no matter the economical obstacles. Later, Miss Psaila, a professional dancer who had trained at Doreen Bird School, spotted 11-year old Paulette in a GBC talent show and invited her to join her newly established dance school at the Community Centre. The dream soared, just to be crushed when Paulette, after being accepted at the Laban Centre, one of the most prestigious contemporary dance schools in the UK, found out her A-levels results were just one point short of being granted a scholarship!

Devastated as she was, she managed to save up for the first year, not knowing whether she would be able to continue the next, but determined to make the most of her dream. She shone so bright that the school director Marion North personally contacted the Gibraltar Government pleading for a grant not to stifle Paulette’s budding talent. So she stayed on seven years, paying her way to the top with an early morning cleaning job to allow her plenty of time for practise, classes, auditions and touring the country with the experimental company which later became the Transitions Dance Company. This gave her a wealth of experience as a performer, before turning to teaching, which was her ‘plan A’ all along. Once she established her dance school, originally called Turnout, she started teaching contemporary dance and fitness classes. This led her to attend summer courses in the UK for eight years at the Royal Academy of Dance to become thee first Gibraltarian to be fully registered with it. Classical Ballet forms the foundation of the training of dancers at the Gibraltar Academy and is a must for all students; this is complemented at a later stage with a strong contemporary technique in the diverse classes offered at the school. It is a wonderful way to introduce children to musicality, discipline and balance, it promotes good posture, fitness and most importantly how to take care of their body as their instrument of expression. Paulette compares the dancers’ body to a musician’s instrument safely stored in its case at the end of every performance. The difference is dancers cannot tuck their body away until their next performance, so they must master their technique to ensure maximum resilience and ward off injury. Nowadays Paulette is very comfortable standing in the wings to watch her dancers with pride, and she doesn’t take up the limelight anymore, unless there is a special character to play for fun, like wicked witches or queens, and even a Chinese emperor, long moustaches and all. n

Like in a modern Cinderella fairytale, her mentor became her lifeline and inspiration to pursue her ambition of becoming a professional dancer, no matter the economical obstacles GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

Sue standing at the highest point on Mt. Kilimanjaro

Climbing Mountains with Sue Lloyd If you had told Sue Lloyd five years ago that she was going to run a half marathon, she wouldn’t have believed you. If you had told her she was going to participate in a triathlon, she definitely wouldn’t have believed you. And if you had told her she was going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, she would have laughed in your face. After living in the Isle of Man for her entire lifestyle. her new life in Gibraltar. She rent12 years, Sue Lloyd had the opporSue quickly became settled in ed a flat in Atlantic Suites which tunity to move to Gibraltar. She had never been to Gibraltar and the little information she had was found online courtesy of Google. Yet her bold and adventurous personality urged her to take a chance and, a short time later, Sue relocated to the Rock through her job with Lloyds Bank. Little did she know her move to Gibraltar was just what she needed to change

“

I didn’t come in first place, I wasn’t the fastest runner, but I achieved what I had set out there to do – to prove to myself that I could run a half marathon

”

came with a gym membership as an extra bonus. She had never worked-out in her life, with the exception of an occasional walk, but thought she’d make the most of her stay and put her membership to use. As Sue’s workout routine progressed and her enthusiasm for becoming more active flourished, Sue’s co-worker, Carol Boddy, invited her to join her on her early morning jogs on the beach. Sue

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

sports profile

by Kristin Mortensen gladly accepted and from that point on they kept each other accountable to stick to a weekend exercise regimen. A few months later, Sue was selected to participate in the ‘UK Challenge’ as part of a team of six people from other branches of Lloyds Bank. Sue’s team consisted of three people from Dublin and two people from Geneva, leaving Sue as the only representative from Gibraltar. Their team competed alongside approximately 120 other corporate teams in eight different team-building events. Each team was responsible for raising £12,000, but with Sue aboard they went above and beyond raising a total of £20,000 from various events. The first training weekend was set amid the emerald countryside at Quantock Hills in Somerset, England. It was the first time Sue had competed in an exerciserelated event. “I don’t think I let my team down, but I know I could have done better,” Sue reflects. “I knew I wasn’t physically up to par and I didn’t want to hold them back in the finals.” Sue returned to Gibraltar and trained twice as hard so she would be in shape for the final event of the UK Challenge. The final event was held amidst the breathtaking scenery in Aviemore, Scotland. Sue’s dedication and hard work paid off and she was both physically and mentally prepared for the challenge. “Everyone on my team could see a big difference since the last time we trained together,” Sue says, “it was like I was a whole new person.”

Sue was impressed with her progress and decided her next goal was to run a half marathon. Sue’s “can-do” attitude had her running all over the Rock and she successfully completed the half marathon last April in Malaga. “I didn’t come in first place, I wasn’t the fastest runner, but I achieved what I had set out there to do — to prove to myself I could run a half marathon,” Sue cheerfully says. As if that didn’t challenge her enough, Sue started training for a triathlon which comprised a 750m swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run. Sue wasn’t a confident swimmer and even the thought of swimming in the sea made her panic. With help from Carol and her friends at the MOD, Sue was given access to a pool and swimming lessons. Her swimming skills were put to the test on the day of the triathlon when she swam the whole 750m off the coast of Estepona. “Completing the swimming part of the triathlon has been my greatest accomplishment thus far,” Sue says. “I think it was due to the fact I conquered my biggest fear.” Sue’s training didn’t stop there. She had friends who attempted to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest free-standing mountain, and was determined to reach the top. Sue, along with two friends from the Isle of Man, started their trek to the top last October. Six days later, Sue stood at the summit proudly waving her Gibraltar flag. “I took every piece of advice into account and got to the top just as easy as it is for me to hike the Mediterranean Steps in Gibraltar,” Sue says. “I was definitely pre-

Sue and team mates at the UK Challenge in Ardverikie

pared for the hike up, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the walk down with the steep slopes hard on my knees.” Sue describes the walk down Mt. Kilimanjaro as a completely different place than when she hiked up. Gibraltar’s generous Mediterranean climate creates an ideal environment to sustain a healthy lifestyle. Sue continues to exercise around Gibraltar and keeps pushing herself to do better each time. “Living in Gibraltar it’s so easy to do whatever you fancy exercise-

“

Sue with her friend, Kerry, at the Triathlon in Estepona GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

wise. All the ‘tools’ are right here from the Med Steps, flat and hilly walks, run and cycle routes, to the swimming pool, the sea and even indoor gyms,” Sue says. Sue’s upbeat personality keeps her striving to do her best, always with a positive outlook. When asked what she would do differently, Sue laughs, “take a warmer sleeping bag when climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.” With this attitude, it’s no wonder Sue conquers each task she puts her mind to with great ease. n

Living in Gibraltar it’s so easy to do whatever you fancy exercise wise. All the ‘tools’ are right here from the Med Steps, flat and hilly walks, run and cycle routes to the swimming pool, the sea and even indoor gyms

”

new editions

Plain Sailing with Yacht Scene Sailors’ Guide The Yacht Scene Sailors’ Guide 2011 Gibraltar is now available to purchase through mail order or view online. For the past 28 years, Yacht Scene has been the yachtsmen’s guide to Gibraltar and its adjoining waters.

This annual publication is broken down into colour-coded sections to help readers to easily ﬁnd information while at sea or on shore. Yacht Scene begins with nautical information such as weather and radio forecasts, regulations, tidal atlas of the Strait of Gibraltar and tide tables for Lisbon and Gibraltar. The next section features marina and harbour plans in Portugal, Spain, Morocco and Gibraltar, making it easy to plan your next stop. Yacht Scene is full of useful information on the beneﬁts of Gibraltar yacht registration, health services and restaurants on the Rock. It also has very relevant articles about buying and selling your yacht, insuring your yacht and events that any cruising yachtsman can take part in. There is a Gibraltar General

ACHT SCENE tar l a r b Gi

SAILORS’ GUIDE • 2011

s s ble a T n • nce lans o i t P ta ma Dis our • b for In bles Har al a c & Lo ide T ina T Mar tla

da Ti

£5.00

Yacht Scene • 1 • Sailors’ Guide 2011

It has very relevant articles about buying and selling your yacht, insuring your yacht and events that any cruising yachtsman can take part in

Cruise Ship Schedule

FEBRUARY 2011

DOA

Vessel

ETA

ETD

Pass

Tue 08

Indepen. of Seas

1100

1800 Internat.

Capacity From

3600

Cagliari

Cadiz

Internat.

1462

Alicante

Tangier

1800 Internat.

3600

Cagliari

Cadiz

FLIGHT SCHEDULE Day Mon

Wed 16 Louis Majesty

0730 1100

Tue

Sat 26

Indepen. of Seas

1100

Guide for all common needs while visiting Gibraltar. The ﬁnal section contains an A-Z index of Gibraltar’s marine services and supplies, to ensure your journey is as hassle-free as possible. For only £5, the Yacht Scene guide helps thousands of yachtsmen enjoy their time spent between the picturesque Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. You will ﬁnd it at the marinas, BIA (Irish Town), Sheppard’s Chandlery (Ocean Village), and good book shops. Also available mail order for £8. All cheques and postal orders must be made payable to Yacht Scene and sent to Yacht Scene, PO Box 555, Gibraltar. The Yacht Scene Sailors’ Guide can also be viewed online in full at www. yachtscene.gi. ■

Total Number of Vessels calling this month = 3 Approximate Number of Passengers calling in this month = 8662

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

GIBRALTAR FEBRUARY 2011

Flight No. Airline

Arr.

From

Dep.

Flight No.

EZY8903

● easyJet

10.50

Gatwick

11.20

EZY8904

Gatwick

ZB068

● Monarch

11.10

Luton

11.55

ZB069

Luton

ZB574

● Monarch

11.10

Manchester 11.55

ZB575

Manchester

BA490

● British Airways

11.50

Heathrow

12.50

BA491

Heathrow

EZY8903

● easyJet

10.50

Gatwick

11.20

EZY8904

Gatwick

ZB068(a)

● Monarch

11.10

Luton

11.55

ZB069(a)

Luton

BA490

● British Airways

11.50

Heathrow

12.50

BA491

Heathrow

EZY8903

● easyJet

10.50

Gatwick

11.20

EZY8904

Gatwick

ZB068

● Monarch

11.10

Luton

11.55

ZB069

Luton

ZB574

● Monarch

11.10

Manchester 11.55

ZB575

Manchester

BA490

● British Airways

11.50

Heathrow

12.50

BA491

Heathrow

EZY8903

● easyJet

10.50

Gatwick

11.20

EZY8904

Gatwick

ZB068(b)

● Monarch

11.10

Luton

11.55

ZB069(b)

Luton

BA490

● British Airways

11.50

Heathrow

12.50

BA491

Heathrow

EZY8903

● easyJet

10.50

Gatwick

11.20

EZY8904

Gatwick

ZB068

● Monarch

11.10

Luton

11.55

ZB069

Luton

ZB574

● Monarch

11.10

Manchester 11.55

ZB575

Manchester

BA490

● British Airways

11.50

Heathrow

12.50

BA491

Heathrow

BA490

● British Airways

11.50

Heathrow

12.50

BA491

Heathrow

EZY8903

● easyJet

13.00

Gatwick

13.35

EZY8904

Gatwick

EZY8903

● easyJet

11.25

Gatwick

12.00

EZY8904

Gatwick

BA490

● British Airways

11.50

Heathrow

12.50

BA491

Heathrow

ZB062

● Monarch

18.30

Luton

19.15

ZB063

Luton

(a) Operates from 15 February (b) Operates from 17 February

Brian T Richards, Air Travel Consultant info@briantrichards.com www.briantrichards.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

gibraltar’s talent

Gibraltar’s Got Talent participants and organisers

Gibraltar’s Got Talent: The Finals Twelve lucky acts have been put through to the live finals of the Gibraltar’s Got Talent show which will take place on Friday 11th February 2011 at 9pm at Ince’s Hall.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

The acts have gained confidence throughout the selection process and the finals look set to be a great success. With lots money raised for a very good cause. The finalists are duo Aimee Gabay (12) and Gianelle Stagno (12), singer Sarah Reilley (13), 8 year old dummer Nicholas Anson, vocalist Sandra Wink (19), singer Jaquima Rios (13), singing duo Julienne Balban (9) and Ellie Andlaw (9), vocalist Saxby Rose Macalister (16), dancing duo Saray Nuñez (11) and Zyanne Bebeagua (12), and four more solo singers Adam Rocca (9), Faith De La Rosa (13), Layla Ezzireg (17) and Janella Robba (12). The judges are Corey Alman (musician and member of the well known band Metro Motel), Nicole Montovio (dance choreographer and director of Mediteranian Dance Group) and Nadia Bear (stylist and beauty consultant). All money collected, including signing in fees, raffles and a percentage of entrance tickets will go towards the Lady Williams Centre (cancer support). Go along and support young local talent in what for some is their first taste of public performance. We are sure we’ll be seeing more from them in the future. n

Hockey is a very popular sport in Gibraltar, and we have been represented internationally many times by our sportsmen and women. But there is one hockey enthusiast, Nathan Stagno, who recently placed Gibraltar on the sporting map due to his excellent umpiring skills at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. And it seems Nathan has many international competitions to look forward to, and many international caps already under his belt.

“

I was already an umpire, but also played for the National side, from 1996 – 2003, being one of the two hockey umpires in the world to have done this, the other is a friend from Chile

”

Nathan Stagno:

by Jolene Gomez

Nathan’s passion for hockey sparked in school, where he played for both St. Anne’s and Bayside teams, as well as the College of Further Education, and later Grammarians. “Now I play for Collegians Hockey Club, in the veterans team. I was already an umpire, but also played for the National side, from 1996-2003, being one of the two hockey umpires in the world to have done this, the other is a friend from Chile,” Nathan explains. Still enjoying being a player on the field, Nathan says it helps him keep up with the flow of the game, as well as helping him keep fit too. “I normally train four times a week, plus playing and umpiring over the weekend, so this equates to six times a week. On a normal match day you can run between six and eight kilometers,” Nathan confirms. He started to umpire aged 18, and his first international match was at a European Cup competition in Cardiff in 1997. “It was a great experience, and one I will never forget. Right now, I enjoy umpiring more than playing, and the higher the standard of the players, the easier it is to umpire.” To become an umpire, you need to be assessed by an umpire manager and obtain the necessary marks at three international games. “Our examination consists of what you do on the pitch, and each assessment counts towards your qualification. You also need to keep up to date with the latest rule book!” There are four types of umpiring levels — national umpires, F.I.H. umpires (which we have two in Gibraltar, Brian Buckley and Paul Ruiz), Grade 1 umpires and, the list where Nathan is included, the World Panel List. He claims to have no favourite hockey players, but on being pressed to give names, he says his son Kayron always seems to surprise

Our Top Class Umpire 60

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

history file

him with his game, and taking in his father’s footsteps has developed into a great player, and perhaps future umpire? Watch this space! With over 80 international caps to his name, Nathan has had a few nasty encounters too, while trying to keep the match under control. “The Junior World Cup in Rotterdam, which was a battle for 3rd and 4th place, when I disallowed a goal to India, for example. I initially gave the goal, but my colleague umpire said the ball had been lifted dangerously by an Indian player. After the game I was told my decision was the correct one, but still there were a few tense moments during the match!” His favourite tournament, however, was umpiring at the Commonwealth Games last October, where he had the privilege to umpire five games, including the men’s final. “The Commonwealth Games in India were incredible. I was given the chance to umpire the final, as I proved myself to be one of the best umpires in the tournament. I was told in front of the other umpires that I was selected to do the final, and I had done four other games, which required a very high standard of umpiring,” Nathan beams proudly. Umpiring the final in front of

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

19,000 people, including his wife, Audrey, the Hon. Minister for Sport, Edwin Reyes, Joe Hernandez, Harry Murphy and Joe Schembri, who were all there to see him umpire his best game — his proudest moment — and he is very grateful for their support. Nathan is working with a large group of youngsters — the future of hockey in Gibraltar — trying to develop junior hockey. “We are also working on our senior side, and maintaining a steady flow of training and commitment,” Nathan explains. “We are working with the government for the lighting of the pitch, as this would bring more people playing more hockey during the week. Our facilities are great in Gibraltar and we can host any kind of European, club or national tournament.” When he is not involved with hockey, Nathan enjoys spending time with his family, and

“

he assures us that without their support, he would not have been able to be in the top 14 umpires of the world. “Although I don’t have many hobbies aside from hockey, I have to mention travelling with my club, the Collegians Veterans, on tour!” Nathan smiles. Besides looking forward to the London Olympics in 2012, Nathan has already been appointed for two tournaments this year, the Euro Hockey League in Holland, which is the equivalent for the Champions’ League in football, and the European Nation’s Championship in Monchengladbach, Germany, which is among the top eight competitions in Europe. We look forward to our top local umpire continuing to take the hockey work by storm, by umpiring high-class hockey, around the world. n

The Commonwealth Games in India were incredible. I was given the chance to umpire the final, as I proved myself to be one of the best umpires in the tournament

”

history file

by Reg Reynolds

Dr Chalmers Mitchell at London Zoo with Emperor Haile Selassie of Abyssinia 1924

The Distinguished Zoologist, his Gibraltar Cell & Sikorski Followers of this space will be aware that I have an abiding interest in the death of Wladyslaw Sikorski. Throughout I have maintained that the Polish leader’s untimely demise in an air crash at Gibraltar on 4th July, 1943 was sabotage and that the assassination was carried out by members of British Intelligence acting on orders from the Kremlin. Now I believe I have found the final link in the chain to prove my case. During the Christmas holidays I was thumbing through a book, The French Secret Service by Richard Deacon, when I came across this passage concerning a Soviet spy code-named Zoologiste: “…that was the code-name of none other than Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, the eminent zoologist of Christ Church College, Oxford. He had been knighted in 1929 and was indeed a friend of Malraux *[See note] when he was living in retirement in Malaga. Chalmers Mitchell was not the ‘Fourth Man’,

that is to say he was not the man who recruited Philby, Blunt et al, but he certainly furthered the Soviet cause both in Britain and Spain far more than was generally realised… Sir Peter organised a small Soviet cell inside the fortress of Gibraltar, one which was maintained with the help of civilian contacts undetected throughout the war and which some still link to the plane disaster in July 1943, when the Polish Commanderin-chief, General Sikorski, was killed.

So here we have a trusted member of the British establishment acting as a spy for the Soviets and organising a Communist cell in Gibraltar. This would be at the same time that the most infamous of British spies, Kim Philby, was the head of the Iberian Section of MI5 with responsibility for all ‘intelligence’ in Portugal, Spain and Gibraltar. It all adds up. Stalin wants Sikorski dead, Philby has the necessary power to make things happen and Chalmers Mitchell controls a Communist cell which has the means. I know there are many who like to blame Winston Churchill for ordering the assassination of Sikorski but can they explain why and how this would have benefited the war effort? Sikorski was the strongest and most able Polish leader at the time and held a profound and favourable influence over the thousands of brave Poles fighting with the Allies on land, sea and in the air. In fact the 1943 trip which included Gibraltar was intended as a morale booster for Polish troops. The German writer Rolf Hochhuth in his 1967 play Soldiers, Necrology on Geneva, blamed Churchill for the assassination. But Hochhuth based his claim on a meeting with an officer from British Intelligence. The problem is that the officer he met, although undoubtedly a member of British Intelligence, would have been following orders from Philby who was a pawn of Stalin. And Stalin had personal reasons for wanting Sikorski dead. Not only had Sikorski led a Polish army to victory during the PolishSoviet War (1919-21) but shortly before his death he was demanding an investigation into the unexplained disappearance of many thousands of Polish officers. Sikorski was a senior officer at the Battle of Warsaw when the Russians suffered a resounding defeat and subsequently were forced to sign the Treaty of Riga (1923) which guaranteed Polish independence. Estimated Soviet losses in the battle were 10,000 killed, 30,000 wounded, 66,000 taken prisoner and 500 missing compared to Polish losses of 4,500 killed, 22,000 wounded and 10,000 missing. In his book World War II Behind Closed Doors (BBC Random House)

Sir Peter organised a small Soviet cell inside the fortress of Gibraltar, one which was maintained with the help of civilian contacts undetected throughout the war Wladyslaw Sikorski

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

history file Laurence Rees writes: “Significantly this whole Polish affair was not just a general humiliation for the Bolsheviks but an individual humiliation for the Commissar of the Southern Front — a man called Josef Stalin. When Marshal Tukhachevsky, the Bolshevik commander, called for reinforcements Stalin had failed to send them. In 1925 Stalin even attempted to conceal the blot on his early career by removing the relevant documents from the Kiev archives.” It is not often mentioned but when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939 the Soviets also invaded and annexed the eastern half of the country. When Hitler invaded Russia in 1941 and the Soviets joined the Allies, Sikorski agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations which had been severed after the Soviet pact with Germany. But in early 1943 Germany announced the discovery of mass graves of Polish soldiers in the Katyn Forest. The victims had been bound and shot through the neck. Stalin blamed the Nazis for the atrocity but in April, 1943 Sikorski demanded an investigation by the International Red Cross. Stalin promptly broke off diplomatic relations and a little more than two months later, the thorn in his side, the man most likely to fight for Polish independence at war ’s end, was most conveniently dead. The Soviets refused to acknowledge involvement in the Katyn and other massacres until 1989. It is estimated that 22,000 were killed. They are generally referred to as officers but as Polish conscription at the time required most university graduates to sign on as reserve officers the dead included much of the Polish intelligentsia, including doctors and professors. Which in cruel irony is just what type of person Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell was.

Born in 1865 in Dumferline, the son of a Presbyterian Minister young Mitchell achieved an MA at the University of Aberdeen before moving to Oxford where he specialised in natural sciences. He was a lecturer at Oxford until 1903 when he was elected secretary of the Zoological Society. He brought a period of prosperity to the London Zoo and was responsible for the development of Whipsnade in Befordshire where animals live in large open spaces rather than in cages. Mitchell retired and moved to Malaga in 1934 and during the Spanish Civil War actively assisted the Republican cause. He was forced to flee the approaching Nationalists and was rescued by a British destroyer dispatched from Gibraltar. During World War II he worked in British Intelligence and was responsible for distribution of propaganda on the German fronts. On the evening of 30th June, 1945 Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, CBE, Doctor of Science, and Fellow of the Royal Society was struck by a taxi while crossing the street in London. He died in hospital on 2nd July, two days short of the second anniversary of the death of Sikorski. His death is often described as happening in ‘mysterious circumstances’ but I have been unable to discover just what those circumstances were. I do believe, however, that this is one assassination Churchill might have ordered. If there are any surviving members of Mitchell’s Soviet cell, or if anyone has any information regarding it, I would appreciate hearing from them. n

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*Note: Andres Malraux (1901-76) was a French adventurer and author who, during the Spanish Civil War, with Mitchell’s help, organised an air force for the Soviet-backed Republicans.

Stalin promptly broke off diplomatic relations and two months later, the thorn in his side, was most conveniently dead

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

memories

The Dog that Joined the Royal Navy

In Hero of the Fleet Bill Stone tells of one of the most unusual recruits in the history of the Royal Navy — a dog named Nuisance. Nuisance was a Great Dane born on 1st April, 1937 in Cape Town and sold to the owner of the servicemen’s club in Simonstown, home base of the Royal Navy’s South Africa Station. For some reason Nuisance was mad about sailors. He had no interest in other uniforms and no liking of naval officers but developed an affection for ordinary seamen. Some believe he was attracted by the bell-bottom trousers, but it is more likely he appreciated the meat pies and other rations he was given. The sailors were happy to have Nuisance as a friend and he returned their affection by adopting a protective nature. He would lay at the top of the gangplank of a ship to greet the sailors as they came aboard and he would travel with them on the train when they went for a “run ashore”. On the return journey Nuisance would bark as the train approached the base station. When a sailor was the worse for drink Nuisance would tug him by the sleeve and guide him off the train. Unfortunately some civilians objected to the big dog travelling on the train. Sometimes conductors would put him off at a station but he would always get back on. Finally South African authorities decided that because Nuisance took up so much space he should be required to pay a fare. But service volunteers travelled for free and the problem was solved by recruiting Nuisance into the Royal Navy. He was enlisted with the rank of Able Seaman under the name ‘Just Nuisance’, his trade was given as ‘bone crusher’ and his religion as ‘scrounger’. He was presented with a proper sailor’s hat which he didn’t like and only wore on special occasions. Once Nuisance was kidnapped by the Australian Navy but when the Aussie ship upped anchor and began to sail away he jumped overboard and swam for shore. Sadly Nuisance, named because of the damage he caused as a puppy with the overzealous wagging of his tail, only lived to be seven years old. One newspaper reported he was injured when he jumped from a moving car and had to be put down because of damage to his spine. But other’s put his death down to cirrhosis of the liver brought on from all the beer he shared with his sailor pals. AB Just Nuisance passed away on his birthday, 1st April, 1944. He was buried with full military honours and a statue was erected in his honour.

Bill Stone with Harry Patch

The Oldest Sailor’s Gibraltar Memories William Stone, the last veteran to serve in both World Wars, passed away two years ago in January but fortunately he penned his memoirs before passing and I recently acquired his book titled Hero of the Fleet. The book’s jacket states: “William Stone died on Saturday, 10th January 2009 aged 108. He received a hero’s funeral. Born in rural Devon, he joined the navy during the First World War, travelled the globe just before the British Empire’s light began to fade and saw action in the most significant sea battles of the Second World War.” I found the book to be an easy read and was pleased to find that ‘Bill’ Stone’s reminiscences are interspersed with historical information about the events, places and battles he experienced. Stone served in the Navy for 27 years and saw the world. He was lucky enough to make the round-the-world ‘Empire Cruise’ aboard HMS Hood and fortunate not to be aboard her when she was sunk by the Bismarck in May 1941 with the loss of 1,418 lives (he later befriended one of the only three survivors). Naturally in all those years Bill visited Gibraltar several times and, also naturally, I was interested to read about the visits. Bill was born on 23rd September, 1900 into a farming family in Devon. He had two older brothers in the navy but his father wouldn’t let him join up until he was 18 and by the time WWI ended he had yet to see combat. He trained as a stoker and his first ship was battlecruiser HMS Tiger. It was aboard Tiger

in the summer of 1919 he made his first visit to Gibraltar. “In Gibraltar the main street was lined with shops that looked like Ali Baba’s caves. The name of the game was to haggle, to beat the vendor down to his best price. That’s what the old hands had advised us to do so we did. At times it looked as if the sellers were about to lie down and die, our demands were so outrageous to their ears.” Bill remembers buying Eau-de-Cologne for his mother and a black Jacobs pipe for his father. He frequented ‘two large beer halls’, the Trocadero and the Continental, at the latter the ladies’ orchestra was a favourite attraction of the sailors. Tiger was back in the Med again in 1921 and Bill writes about taking part in regattas and races between the ships of the squadron and other inter-fleet competitions such as boxing. He also recalls being out for a ‘keep fit’ run on the Rock and passing by a wellknown brothel. “The girl on the door spotted me as a sailor and greeted me with shouts of ‘Over here, Jack,’ but I kept running.” In January 1923 Bill joined HMS Hood, which at the time was hailed as the mightiest ship afloat. It was aboard Hood at

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

memories

by Reg Reynolds Gibraltar he learned of the up-coming roundthe-world cruise, a dream assignment for any young sailor. To earn extra money Bill had taught himself to be a ship’s barber and soon found it was a good way to pick up the latest news and gossip. It was while cutting a commander’s hair he overheard a conversation about what a tight squeeze it would be for the Hood to pass through the Panama Canal. “That was the first time I heard mention of the Empire Cruise,” Bill writes with a young man’s enthusiasm of the 10-month cruise that lasted from 27th November 1923 to 28th September ‘24. Dubbed the ‘World Booze’, the sailors of the Special Service Squadron, consisting of Hood, HMS Repulse and ships from the light cruisers squadron, visited dozens of ports in Africa, Asia, Australia, America and Canada logging 38,152 miles. By the end of the cruise, 1,936,717 people had come aboard the ships. Bill seems to have been particularly lucky in the ships on which he was assigned to crew. After the world cruise he sailed to South America aboard HMS Chrysanthemum and spent two years on South Africa Station aboard HMS Carlisle. The good times ended with the outbreak of war in September 1939. Bill, with the rank of Chief Stoker, Petty Officer and 22-years service was due to retire in 1940 but he stayed on until the end of hostilities. As a result he was involved in some of the biggest events of the war including: the evacuation of Dunkirk, the invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Italy and the Russian and North Atlantic Convoys. During this time he would have been in Gib often but his last mention in the book comes shortly after his then ship, the cruiser HMS Newfoundland, had been torpedoed. Newfoundland was sailing for Malta when she was torpedoed by the Italian submarine Ascianghi (soon after sunk by destroyers).

Although the damage was heavy, only one sailor was killed and Newfoundland limped into Malta for temporary repairs before making for Gibraltar. Most of Bill’s ships had been coal-fired but the Newfoundland ran on oil and refilling the oil tanks was his responsibility. “When we got to Gibraltar I was told to fill the tanks to 99% instead of the usual 95% as we were going on a long trip. I still thought we were going home and, as I couldn’t go ashore at Gibraltar because I was in charge of the oiling, I gave one of our stokers a ten-shilling note to buy me some oranges and bananas to take home.”

The good times ended with the outbreak of war in September 1939. Bill, with the rank of Chief Stoker, Petty Officer and 22-years service was due to retire in 1940 but he stayed on until the end of hostilities The Newfoundland had been at sea for a few hours when the Captain announced the ship was in fact headed for the United States. So Bill had to eat the fruit he had bought specially for his wife and daughter. Although he was destined to spend another eight months away, Bill was lucky enough spend it in wartime Boston where there was plenty of food, drink and entertainment. Bill was finally demobbed in September 1945 and he settled down with his wife in Devon, making good use of the barbering skills he picked up in the navy by opening up a barber shop. He lived out his final years happily, attending the annual reunions of the Hood and

Last Tracer Link Lost The last surviving member of Operation Tracer, a World War II stay-behind mission which was to be put into action in the event of Gibraltar being captured by the Axis Powers, has died at the end of 2010 aged 96. Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander Bruce Cooper’s involvement in the top secret operation, meant he had a cover job in Gibraltar as the dockyard doctor and as a censor of servicemen’s letters. A report in the Telegraph says “Life on the Rock in wartime was agreeable, and the team underwent regular training. Cooper would enter the Rock Hotel through the front door dressed as a surgeonlieutenant RNVR and leave by the back door as an Army sergeant, then disappear into a tunnel.” In the event of Gibraltar’s fall, Cooper and five others were to be sealed in a cave with enough supplies for a year. Their job would be to observe the Strait through two slits, and report by wireless. The cave was never used as Gibraltar didn’t fall. n

the Newfoundland and enjoying the celebrity his likeable personality and amazing longevity had brought him. His book is a good read and a fitting testimonial to an ordinary sailor who lived a long and extraordinary life. Hero of the Fleet (Mainstream Publishing, pp 256, £7.99).

Where in the World...

Well Gibraltar Magazines have certainly been getting about in the last month or so, travelling the globe with our readers. Picture left is a happy couple reading their Gibraltar Magazine on the other side of the Pond... but you’ll just have to guess where it is! (The clue is on the horizon). On the right is September’s edition enjoying a festive sleigh ride in Lapland with a reindeer and Amelia and Jack Skillicorn — 250km north of the Arctic Circle line. Keep those photos coming readers... we love to see them.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

our governors

Alexander Godley

Interesting Times At 18, the future is a seductive mystery. We are boarding a train clutching a ticket that bears no destination. When the train leaves the station we have no idea where it might take us, or how long the journey will be, but we are neither bored nor afraid, for we have the firm belief that far from being a mere passenger, we are simultaneously the driver, the stoker and the chief engineer. We are in control, and eager to be on our way. That, surely, was how 18-year old Alex Godley felt as he walked through the gates of Sandhurst Academy for the first time in 1885. He was going to be a soldier, like his father, and he was going to be a good one. A leader loved and respected

by the men he was destined to command. There was a spring in his step, the air was fresh and invigorating, and if he had heard of New Zealand and Gibraltar, he had never given either of them much thought.

Yet looking voyeuristically from a distance, it sometimes seems society is little more than a factory working night and day to produce the goods, the people, it needs to continue functioning — people who are granted the comforting illusion that the roles they will fill are the result of self-determined choice and not pre-determined fate. When Queen Victoria was on the throne, the British Empire was at its height. There was a need for a steady supply of colonial administrators, soldiers and military governors and the factory (Society) was fired up to produce them. Alex Godley may have thought, as he turned up for his first day’s training at Sandhurst, that he was exercising freedom of choice in selecting his career, but in truth he never had a chance. Alexander John Godley, to give him his full name, was born in Chatham, Kent, on 4th February 1867. His father, William Godley, was a British army captain with Irish ancestry, and although Alexander was born and educated in England, he would later emphasise his Irish roots at every opportunity. Before entering Sandhurst to be moulded into a British Army officer, he received his schooling at Haileybury College. It didn’t take him long to receive his commission. Only a year after arriving, wet behind the ears, at Sandhurst, he emerged, to his great delight given his fierce devotion to his Irish roots, as a lieutenant in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. By contrast, his promotion to the rank of captain had to wait a full decade. When it came, in 1896, Godley felt the need for action stirring in his loins, and volunteered to help put down a rebellion in Mashonaland. In doing so he encapsulates the curiously blinkered world view of the 19th Century imperialist. The 1890s were characterized by a mad scramble on the part of the European nations, notably the British, Dutch, Portuguese and Germans, to grab as much of Africa as they could and to raise their national flags above their respective conquered “territories”, with no consideration for the natives they were killing and displacing, and certainly none for the tribal divisions that had previously existed. Africa was simply virgin land to be seized and carved up willy-nilly by whoever got there first. Thus, in 1890, Cecil Rhodes, founder of the British South Africa Company, and the man who impudently gave his name to a sizeable chunk of the stolen land (Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe), raised a military force he called the Pioneer Column to grab control of Mashonaland before his rivals could do the same. This he did with a mixture of force, bribery and shameless skullduggery. Nothing very noble in any of that, but the mere addition to the Empire of another splodge of red on the map was enough to make the average Briton’s chest swell with patriotic pride, and if the natives proved troublesome and fought back against the appropriation of their land by these pale-faced aliens, it was not counted as resistance but as “rebellion”. It was, after all, precisely as God had planned it — something the more enlightened of the natives would understand as soon as the missionaries got in there and explained it to them. So off to Africa went 29-year-old Captain Godley to show the pesky natives what was jolly well what, and when he returned a year later, having done precisely that, it was as Brevet

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

our governors

by Dave Wood Major Godley. He was accepted into the staff college at Camberley, but his mind was elsewhere, and he couldn’t really concentrate on his studies. He had tasted action in South Africa, and he wanted to get back there, especially since there was big trouble brewing between the British and the Boers. Putting down native revolts was one thing, but what every red-blooded European soldier of whatever nationality or stamp really longed to do was to give the imperialist opposition a bloody nose. Finally the itch became too irritating while he sat at a desk in Camberley. He left the college before completing his course, and headed back to what the Victorians loved to call the dark continent. No doubt he played his part diligently enough in South Africa, but since most biographies compress the two or three years he spent there into a single line noting, in essence, he was there and then he came home, we may assume nothing of major interest befell him. The same might be said for the following decade. A brief stint as a major in the Irish Guards, a spell in Aldershot, promotion to colonel in 1906, but nothing to mark him out as more than a competent soldier in a humdrum job. Then, in 1910, four years before he began pointing at young men in the street and telling them they were needed by their country, Lord Kitchener took a trip to New Zealand to give the colonists the benefit of his advice on military training. Clearly he was not wildly impressed for he instantly recommended the establishment of a new staff corps to apply a highly polished boot to their raggedy backsides. The man chosen for the job was the newly promoted (if only temporarily) Major-General Alexander John Godley — his five-year mission to mould the New Zealand Defence Forces into a tightly disciplined fighting force that could be fitted in, when required, to the rest of Britain’s worldwide military network. It should, and could, have been Godley’s finest hour, and in some ways it was. He had a genius for organisation, but his nose-in-the-air attitude made him deeply unpopular with the men he had been sent to command. No doubt they would have resented the imposition of an outsider from the old country, whoever he was, but the fact his wife Laura was equally resented, despite the fact she founded a convalescent hospital at Alexandria, suggests they shared an unfortunate tendency towards patronizing arrogance. Godley was still commanding the New Zealand forces when war broke out in 1914. Unfortunately, his flair for getting the paperwork straight and ensuring the inkwells at HQ never ran dry did not extend to inspiring leadership in the field. Future chroniclers, almost to a man, declared his contributions in combat to run the gamut from the inept to the disastrous. In August 1915, during the Gallipoli campaign, he managed to screw things up so badly during a bayonet charge at a mountain pass known as “the Nek” that the battle became known colloquially as “Godley’s abbatoir”. In spite of this, when the ANZAC (Australian

Lieutenant-General Sir William Birdwood, Commander, Mediterranean Expeditionary force; Field Marshal Lord Kitchener; Major-General Alexander Godley, Commander, New Zealand and Australian Division; and Major-General John Maxwell, 13th November 1915

and New Zealand Corps) troops were posted to France later in the year Godley was still at their head with the enhanced rank of Lieutenant General. Earlier disasters, including the slaughter at the Nek, seem to have taught him nothing. The climax of his ineptitude seems to have come on 12th October 1917 at Passchendaele, during the third Battle of Ypres, when his weak leadership was roundly blamed for the death, injury and disappearance in action of more than 2,700 New Zealand troops. Having repeatedly displayed general incompetence as a commander in the field, it might be imagined his superiors would have quietly shunted him to the sidelines where he could do no more harm, but that is not the military way. He stayed in charge of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force for the rest of the war, and didn’t relinquish command until November 1919. It should be noted, in his defence, that in spite of his indifferent performance in field command, he did not lack courage. He was mentioned in dispatches on at least ten occasions. In the wake of the conflict, the allied troops occupied the Rhineland, and with the guns silenced, natural organisers were once again at a premium. Godley was back on firmer ground. Bizarrely, or perhaps not, this almost universally derided battlefield commander found himself appointed, in 1920, as Military Secretary to the Secretary of State For War. In 1922 he was back on the Rhine as Commander-in-Chief of the occupying British forces. In spite of his undoubted attributes, for when not under fire he had many, it seems at this distance an odd decision. He remained aloof, and

his reputation as a severely flawed leader in the field would have made for highly unflattering barrack room derision among the men he was sent to command. It is unlikely his presence generated any degree of warmth and respect. The men would no doubt have been less than impressed by the overseer of “Godley’s abattoir” being raised to a full Generalship in 1923. In 1928, by then in his early 60s, he was finally pushed gently sideways to become Governor of Gibraltar. Europe had been at peace for a decade, and relieved of the uncomfortable necessity to push scores of young men uncertainly into battle, Godley was at his organising best. He held the post for the best part of five years, before retiring in May 1933. Too old to fight in the Second World War, he nevertheless did his part by commanding a platoon of the Home Guard. To say so inevitable conjures up visions of Arthur Lowe as the pompous and bumbling Captain Mainwaring of Dad’s Army, but that would be unfair. Nobody said he was bumbling. Godley survived the war, and lived on until 1957, dying peacefully on 6th March. n Alexander Godley was Governor of Gibraltar from 1928 to 1933

In spite of his indifferent performance in field command, he did not lack courage. He was mentioned in dispatches on at least ten occasions GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

puzzle page

SUDOKU

by Alan Gravett 1

Win a lunch for two at

The Cannon Bar

13 14

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Send completed suduko to: The Cannon Bar, 27 Cannon Lane, Gibraltar. One entry per person. Closing date: 20 February 2011 Last month’s winner: Ferdinand Monteverde, Portland House

Send completed crossword to: The Clipper, Irish Town, Gibraltar.

FIRST PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Clipper

One entry per person. Closing date: 20 February 2011 Winner notified in next issue of The Gibraltar Magazine. Last month’s winner: Louise Montero, Montague Gardens

Across 7) Reap; collect (6) 8) & 2) Rev. Awdry’s famous creation (6, 3, 4 ,6) 9) Nuisance (4) 10) Spiced liquid to soak food before cooking (8) 11) Informal “seat” filled with pulses (7) 13) Convenient (5) 15) Salesman’s patter; play/game in German (5) 16) Second attempts, usually after a draw (7) 18) Old German title, equivalent to Marquis (8) 19) Ex-England footballer now on Man. Utd’s books (4) 21) Genus of which the pineapple is the best known; pineapple in several languages (6) 22) Make these to correct a mistake (6) Down 1) Entry point (4) 2) See 8) 3) Rules determining proper use of language (7) 4) Long-legged wading bird (5) 5) American revolutionary naval hero (4,4,5) 6) With frankness (8) 12) Clarifies (8) 14) More than a few but not very many (7) 17) Figure of German legend who makes a deal with the devil (5) 20) Whirlpool; boy’s name (4)

Jotting Pad ...

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Nicaraguan, Agrarian, Avon, Tell, Stanley, Ersatz Count, Twelfth Night, Agog, Fret, Hogmanay, Chisellers Down: Charles, Rain, Genetics, Again, Honest, Stitches, Edward, Upgrade, Latch, Grass, Egil

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

street performers journey south. He fell in love with Gibraltar and decided he would stay and work. Although the majority of us have seen Richard as we scurry down Main Street to get to work, most of us probably don’t know his story. In 2008 Richard found himself in a predicament when Gibraltar passed a law forbidding street performers. After pleading with authorities every day for many months, they finally gave him permission to stay. Richard lives on the other side of La Linea and makes the 7km walk to Gibraltar most days with Snoopy. “I choose to walk to Gibraltar every day because if Snoopy can sit all day for me, surely I can walk for him,” Richard says. Gibraltar is a stop off point for many tourists and a main pit-stop for cruise ships, especially during the warmer months. “The summer is the best time of the year because there are lots of tourists coming in on the cruise ships and also from buses up the coast,” Richard says. “In the summer I make an average of £50-£60 a day and during the winter things are a lot

Just when Richard thought he wasn’t cut out to be a human statue, a group of curious spectators crowded around and the sound of coins clinked in his satchel slower so I make about £5-£15 a day.” Not only does Richard have the patience and persistence to be a human statue, he is also speaks Czech, Polish, Slovak, Russian, English, Spanish, French and German. So what’s a man who is fluent in eight languages doing workby Kristin Mortensen ing as a street performer? “I like being a street performer because I like the interaction and communication I have with people,” he replies. “And the best part is that I don’t have a boss telling me what to do. I can work when I want for however long I want.” While Richard has found an unconventional job that he enjoys, it’s not always big smiles At age 25, Richard Semara left his home in Czech Republic with and generous ‘hellos’. “The worst part is when only the clothes on his back and a few coins in his pocket. He didn’t people criticise me for being a human statue,” Richard explains. “I am doing my job to make know where he was going, but he knew there had to be more to life a living just like everyone else.” than working long shifts in a dingy bar. The next time you see Richard and Snoopy on the street, don’t be shy— give them a cheerOn his nomadic journey down South, a motionless standing, Richard’s limbs became ful “hello” as you pass by. n silver human statue stood in a comical pose numb due to lack of circulation and beads of alongside the main street in Avignon, France. sweat rolled down his painted face from the Richard stood from afar, observing this man’s scorching sun. And just when he thought he quirky behaviour and the tourists who passed wasn’t cut out to be a human statue, a group by dropping a coin or two into a hat that lay of curious spectators crowded around and the beside him. Richard became intrigued by the sound of coins clinked in Richard’s satchel. human statue and decided it would be an easy From that day on, Richard owned up to the title of a “human statue.” way for him to make some money. Chances are you have probably seen Richard However, Richard soon realised that it looked a lot easier than it actually was. “Com- once or twice waving at children, ringing a bell ing up with a character was hard enough, but or saying hello to people walking down Main finding a costume was even harder,” Richard Street. He is always dressed from head to toe admits. “I finally settled on wearing all white in white and is accompanied by his sidekick, because it’s one of those colours that automati- Snoopy, a big black dog. Six years ago, Richard came to Gibraltar on a cally makes you smile when you first see it.” The first day on the job, Richard set up on a friends suggestion. With nothing to lose, Richbusy street corner in Avignon. Five hours of ard and Snoopy packed up and continued their

Life as a Statue

Richard and Snoopy GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • APRIL 2009

community update

Beetle Mania New Weevil from Gib named after GONHS member

A new species of weevil has been described as Torneuma bensusani, with Gibraltar as its type locality. The weevil was described by Dr Peter Stüben of the Curculio Institute, the world authority on cryptorhynchine weevils of the Western Palaearctic, and named after Dr Keith Bensusan, head of the GONHS’ Invertebrate Section, and responsible for Research and Collections at the Botanic Gardens. It was published in Weevil News, a journal of the Curculio Institute. Although one species of plant has in the past had a Gibraltarian as an official ‘authority’ to the naming, this is thought to be the first time a living species has been discovered and named after a Gibraltarian. Keith found the first specimen of the species in Gibraltar with his colleague Charlie Perez. He then found several more in Ceuta (North Africa) while searching for subterranean ants with Rhian Guillem, before Peter Stüben visited

Gibraltar and found an additional specimen. Peter Stüben had visited Gibraltar in August 2010 to sample some of the Rock’s habitats for weevils along with Keith, Charlie and their friend and colleague Pepe Torres from La Linea, all members of the Curculio Institute. Part of the reason for Peter’s visit was to locate more specimens of the new species of weevil, which is flightless, blind and subterranean!

Torneuma bensusani, a new species from Gibraltar

In Gibraltar, the species has been found to coexist with the apparently more numerous Torneuma baeticum, a species only known previously from a single specimen collected from Sierra Bermeja, near Estepona. In 2011 the Curculio Institute will

Although one species of plant has in the past had a Gibraltarian as an official ‘authority’ to the naming, this is thought to be the first time a living species has been discovered and named after a Gibraltarian

Peter, Keith, Pepe and Charlie on the Upper Rock

The Royal Stamp The first Gibraltar stamp issue of 2011 will commemorate the engagement HRH Prince William and Miss Kate Middleton.

begin a Europe-wide ‘Molecular Weevil Identification Project’ in an effort to build a molecular and image database for all species in Europe (some 2500 species). Anyone interested in the Curculio Institute and its work can find more at: www.curci.de

The Waterfront’s Charity Cheques...

The stamp sheet will feature an official photograph of the Royal couple taken during the press conference announcing their engagement. Gibraltar is proud to be one of the first countries to issue a stamp of the Royal Engagement and will become the first Commonwealth country to feature Miss Kate Middleton on a stamp. This stamp will form part of a set, which will also include a Royal Wedding stamp sheet, which will be issued later this year and will feature an official photograph of the Royal Wedding. The stamps and related philatelic items will be available from the Philatelic Counter at the Main Post Office in Main Street and through the Gibraltar stamp website www.gibraltar-stamps.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

The Waterfront restaurant on the quayside at Queenway Quay marina raised a total of £830.00 from the charity stalls at their Christmas Market; these included a tombola, a treasure hunt and mulled wine and mince pies. The money raised from this fun event was divided between two charities — Childline and the GBC Open Day. Photographed left is the cheque being presented to Gloria Stimson, the Childline representative and Tracy Newton-Blows, a trustee of Childline, by Andrew Kimberley, Manager of the Waterfront Restaurant. n

GSPCA

gibraltar society for the prevention of cruelty to animals

Creature Comforts The GSPCA was founded to help the abused, abandoned and neglected animals in Gibraltar. Today, with no government funding and no help from the RSPCA in the UK (or, indeed, any other financial help) the GSPCA relies solely on your generosity and support. The Gibraltar Magazine spoke with a few members of the GSPCA . We don’t hear much from the GSPCA. How was 2010? It’s been a busy year for us all. As well as a total committee reshuffle, we helped people in need pay their vet bills and paid to board their pets when needed. We took in abandoned, abused and neglected animals and paid for their vet treatments and upkeep. The GSPCA seized a number animals in abuse cases. One dog was locked in a bathroom and fed only on soup. She came into the clinic weighing a mere 6 kilos (the correct weight for her breed should have 15 kilos) and she had been beaten and was terrified of people. The GSPCA paid for her rehabilitation, she was then homed. Another dog was thrown from a window. The GSPCA paid for her operation to mend her broken legs; they paid for her rehabilitation and then found her a home. Another small dog

was left to starve to death, again, beaten and abused, this dog had a broken jaw, a broken leg and an eye missing. He is still undergoing rehabilitation. Then there is our Princess, so badly beaten and neglected that a slight raise of voice sends her into a blind panic and running for cover. She has been known to be so terrified that she stayed under the bed for two days shivering. That’s only a few cases, there are plenty more and along with the vet clinic we helped to find homes for over 100 abandoned and unwanted dogs and cats!

financial assistance. Last year our donations bought in less than £700 and each dog to rehome costs over £100 that’s without the training and rehabilitation when needed. Do you get any official funding? Sadly no, and as we are made up of volunteers we have to find the time to fund raise and raise awareness. We all have full time jobs so you can imagine how difficult it is.

So you are not actually connected to the RSPCA in the UK? No. The RSPCA is entirely separate. It allows That’s shocking. What happened to us to use its leaflets from the UK campaigns the owners? if we want to although we do have to pay for Nothing at all. They remain able to get another them. They have offered us assistance in the pet. Unlike the RSPCA in the UK, we can’t afford past and are always on hand for advice should to prosecute the abusers as we don’t receive any we need it.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

charity You mention rehabilitation of animals, what does that involve? Once our vet, Mark Pizarro, has solved the physical problems, the animals need their psychological problems sorted. Some of the more serious abuse cases have trust issues with humans for obvious reasons; others just need a lot of training before being re-homed. They are first taken to the vet clinic for a physical check up then, if it is needed, the GSPCA will call Positive Dog Training to take the dogs into the centre for training and work. This can take a few months. For how long do you keep the cats and dogs? They are kept for as long as possible until a suitable home can be found. If the dog is thought to be impossible to rehome, such as an elderly, sick or aggressive dog, the staff at the vet clinic will call Shady Paws or the GSPCA to see if the dog can be moved to either PDT, Shady Paws or a foster home. If a cat cannot be homed, the clinic will call someone to take on the cat until it is homed. The animals are only ever put to sleep when there is really no other option available. he or she finds a home. To keep a dog is not cheap for the kennels they need to pay water, What is Shady Paws and PDT? electric, food and staffing costs as well as the Founded in Spring 2010, and soon to become little extras that crop up. The best thing to do a charity in its own right, Shady Paws visits if you need to re-house your pet is to look for shelters and works to take in the unwanted, a suitable home for it yourself. Or read up on abandoned, and ”unhomeable” animals who the animal before purchasing it, so you will be would otherwise have to be put to sleep. Classed less likely to need to re-home it. as “unhomeable” due to age, incontinence, neurological behavioural issues or illness these If I want to adopt a pet how do I go about it? animals can continue to live out their lives in You can visit the vet clinic and the staff will be peace thanks to Shady Paws. More informa- happy to show the animals waiting for homes. tion on them can be found at www.shadypaws. For ongoing up-to-date information you can join webs.com the Gibraltar SPCA Facebook group and Positive PDT is Positive Dog Training. This is a group Dog Training Gibraltar group. You can also visit of behaviourist and trainers who take in prob- the website www.gibraltarspca.webs.com and lematic dogs and retrain them at a special dog check out the animals for homing on the site. psychology and training centre. PDT offers day care, boot camp and boarding as well as training What reasons do people give for having to re classes and one-to-one training. Their website home their dogs? is worth checking out www.positivedogtrainThe most common excuse is a house move. inggib.co.nr The owners have decided to move to a place that does not allow pets. Or they have had a baby Is there really much animal abuse and neglect and now don’t want their pet; or the dog grew in Gibraltar? too big. The most upsetting one though is, they Yes, it happens here as in any other country. got a puppy and can’t cope with two dogs, so, People can help stop the abuse by calling the the dog they have had for a few years has to find GSPCA in confidence 540 19968 a home. It’s never the new, cute, easy to home puppy that needs to be re homed. What about putting dogs up for adoption? You will be charged for boarding the dog until That’s so sad for the animals. Do they all find

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

Reading up on a pet’s needs before you take it into your home will reduce the risk it may need re-homing later

homes in the end? Honestly. No. But that’s why the GSPCA along with other rescue centres in Europe are getting together and working as one big team this year. That sounds interesting, what’s in store for 2011? We have a really exciting year planned but we really need the people of Gibraltar to help us this year. We are arranging with Shady Paws and Spanish Stray Dog Rescue, to start sending animals to waiting homes in Germany, France, Holland etc. We will vaccinate and chip the dogs then drive them to their destinations. This should save having to put any dogs to sleep in the future but we really need sponsors and donations no matter how small. How can people donate? There are loads of ways to donate. You can donate online by visiting www.shadypaws. webs.com and click on Help Shady Paws, you can send cheques or postal orders to the GSPCA, PO Box 778 or pop a cheque, cash or postal order into either of the Gibraltar vet clinics. Please state if you want the money to go to the new travel scheme. For more information on any of the topics discussed or to find out how else you can help, call Charley on 540 19968. n

social scene

Gibbook.com founder and administrator Alfred Ballester

Gibbook.com: the social network for familiar faces Think global. Now think local. Now think Yanito, and you have the recipe for the free social network designed as one-stop portal to all that is red and white. Although it does not restrict membership to geographical or birthright grounds, and anyone interested in Gibraltarian life can join up, Gibbook.com was launched in late November 2010 not to compete with, but as one cosy, warm, familiar, healthy and passionate alternative to, the likes of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, with the extra bonus of the specific local slant: members, advertisement, weather, diary, news, and discussions, which colloquially flow in a saucy mixture of English and Spanish. Gibbook.com offers one innova-

tive facility: live video and audio for the chatroom, which means users can upload music, and actually make themselves seen and heard laughing out loud, instead of just typing LOL! Strong of his six-year experience in the field, and his keen

interest in anything that brings people closer as a community, founder and administrator Alfred Ballester, a 30-year old marketing agent for a local gaming company, is very proud of this achievement. He describes it as ‘a new form

An expensive and time-consuming hobby maybe, but a fancy one indeed, in a day and age when everyone is hooked on gadgets for mobile and electronic communication

of entertainment on the Rock’, whose implications are all the pros of hanging out with friends face to face, without having to physically drive to each other’s house, or to the pub on a stormy night. Does it sound alienating, stripping Third Millennium’s Homo sapiens of the ability of traditional social interaction? Perhaps, but plenty of websites out there do it already, so why not narrow it down to the devil we know? Anyway, it is up to the individual to find the right balance between reality and virtual reality. The devil’s advocate might argue that Gibbook.com is redundant, considering the success that Facebook is having locally, with new groups about Gibraltar popping up every day. Yet, Alfred believes it isn’t: statistics prove whoever is hooked to the fad tends to have accounts with more than one social network, and to post comments, videos and photos on one or the other, depending on the friends they have in them. Furthermore, because everyone knows everyone in Gibraltar, the forum is guaranteed to be kept urbane, free of the cyber-bullying some people experience on worldwide sites, since it virtually polices itself, and anyone can report abuse and possibly be personally acquainted with the abuser. Although pseudonyms are common on Gibbook.com to the point it is tricky to connect to friends, because often you cannot actually work out who is behind the wacky profile photo and the cryptic nicknames, the administrator can access everyone’s real data and issue warnings to anyone who misbehaves and kick them out if recidivist. Even if it is designed to be a safe, friendly and casual environment for Yanito eyes only, the website is available worldwide to anyone with an interest in Gibraltar, which prompts Alfred to remind everyone not to post confidential information on it or, worse still, party political slander. Gibbook.com wasn’t built up from scratch, but uses a platform provided by a reputable UK company, whose marketing director Alfred knows personally, hence it can be operated from Alfred’s laptop, as a hobby. An expensive and time-consuming hobby maybe, but a fancy one indeed, in a day and age when everyone is hooked on gadgets for mobile and electronic communication. Not at all the stereotypical

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

social scene

by Elena Scialtiel

nerd, Alfred is not interested in informatics — although he knows what he’s doing thanks to a course in HTML programming — but in the sociological and economical ramifications of search engine rules, for example how a firm or an individual can drastically improve their rankings just by re-wording their homepage pitch, or strategically placing links and pictures. He admits Gibbook.com still has to overcome teething problems: the web design could definitely use a boost, because the format is plain and somehow confusing, but the main features were set up from inception, while the infrastructure is bound to grow, the more users it gets, and the more suggestions they put forward on what they want and need from it. He measures its success not only on the number of subscriptions (anyone can just sign up just out of curiosity and then forget about

it!) but on the amount of members logged in daily, and the time they are actively logged in for. And it’s a ‘virtual circle’: the more users sign up, both individuals and associations, the better the service will get, since he hopes Gibraltarian firms will take advantage of Gibbook.com’s popularity to advertise on it and help out with maintenance costs — without making it a free-for-all spamville... So far, small adverts can be posted for free, and cultural events will always be, with the purpose of reaching out to the widest possible audience. Pretty much work in progress, Alfred dreams that Gibbook.com will be one day grow to be a virtual Main Street where everybody can meet up and chat. In the meantime, proud of the hundreds of subscribers in less than a month, he’s donated £250 to the GBC Open Day. n

Even if it is designed to be a safe, friendly and casual environment for Yanito eyes only, the website is available worldwide to anyone with an interest in Gibraltar

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

events

It’s Never Too Late to Create To see a man full of enthusiasm for life at the age of 78 is a lesson to learn and to hear that his Portrait and Figure Paintings that have sold like hot cakes at the Picture Gallery in town in the past and have won him the first prize at the Gibraltar Spring Festival in 2007 is something to admire because Dennis Ellery never got hold of a paintbrush until he was 65 years of age. His paintings during school years had been unremarkable, and he showed not the slightest interest in any form of art. He remembers none of the teachers picked him out from the other students! Still circumstances in life led him to an unimaginable first class and enjoyable hobby. On leaving school, Yorkshireborn Dennis joined the Royal Air Force where he worked in the ICI unit and became the first commercial computer programmer in the UK. On leaving the Services he worked as a programmer for the prestigious Coopers and Lybrand firm and later set up and manage the computer operations of the merchant bank of Samuel Montagu,

“

later absorbed by HSBC. Dennis came to painting late in life. On retirement he and wife Sally sold their home in the UK and spent the following eight years cruising around Europe and North America aboard their yacht. “We berthed in Gibraltar and I was confined to bed, recovering after having a serious back injury,” he explains. “It was Sally’s idea to get me a sketch pad and pencil to while away the hours and to combat the frustration and boredom. I started to draw with the greatest reluctance but soon I was absorbed and obsessed with art.” Once recovered Dennis and Sally decided Gibraltar was the place to stay. They sold their boat and

It was Sally’s idea to get me a sketch pad and pencil to while away the hours... I started to draw with the greatest reluctance but soon I was absorbed and obsessed with art 78

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

brush strokes

by Sonia Golt found a place to live locally as well as a studio. Dennis’s life long interest in yachts and yachting seemed the natural thing to adapt to his paintings, so it was initially marine subjects that filled his canvasses. One of Dennis’s early painting depicted the Titanic, inspired by an article in the Times newspaper about a Titanic postcard up for auction. The story described how a 16-year-old girl, Edith Brown, had written the postcard, intending to post it to her sister-in-law in South Africa, before boarding the doomed liner. The postcard instead remained forgotten in her coat pocket. She escaped the sinking ship on one of the lifeboats and when she arrived in New York she realised she still had the postcard, undamaged, in her pocket. Her father and sister died in the disaster and so she went to live with her sister-in-law, delivering the card personally. Years later at auction, it became the most valuable postcard in England. “This story gripped me,” Dennis explains, “and I painted the Titanic from the postcard. The writing on the card and the photo of Edith Brown are also in the same painting.” Dennis received very positive comments about her portrait, and since then has produced portraits for a series of local personalities, such as Carmen Gomez (as Miss Gibraltar), Kevin Dobson drama and sports enthusiast, and Momy Levy the first Civic Mayor. He won the Gibraltar Spring Arts Festival in 2007 with a painting of Adrian Cabedo, a well known local artist himself. In fact, the speed of Dennis

“

Ellery’s development as an artist is due in no small measure to the patience, persistent advice and perceptive critism, as well as the very occasional grunt of approbation, from Adrian Cabedo. Dennis has the luxury of dedicating most of his day to painting. “I like to look at every detail and I take my time and rejoice in it so I may only do one or nearly two paintings a month, not more. I spend a lot of time researching the person I will paint so it gives me an idea of how to paint them better, get life into the painting so somehow the character of the person comes through.” Dennis regrets that the “light of an artist is not as appreciated nowadays... not the level of interest today of that shown during Victorian times when it was something many people supported and commissioned as they wanted to have paintings of themselves in their homes.” Although Dennis does sell his paintings and takes on portrait commissions, he says “nowadays, with digital photography and not as much art shown in schools, the interest has waned and it is not easy to make a living as an artist any more. I used to sell steadily at the Picture Gallery locally but they are now closed. “Painters cannot paint what they wish to paint if they want to sell,” he adds. “For example locally they have to paint pictures of the Rock or views of Gibraltar to be able to sell.” n Dennis has a studio on Horse Barrack Lane and anyone interested in seeing his paintings can email sadee@gibtelecom.net to arrange a visit.

Nowadays, with digital photography and not as much art shown in schools, the interest has waned and it is not easy to make a living as an artist any more

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

events

Time to Party at Savannah

Modern

Relaxed

Dining

Open: 10am - late Closed Sundays + Saturday lunch

Open for morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner

Irish Town Tel: 200 51738 to reserve

Savannah - February 2011 Events

• Friday 4th - DJ Rookie • Saturday 5th - Shot Party • Friday 11th - Playboy Valentine’s Ball • Saturday 12th - Valentine’s Dinner Dance with the Valerga Brothers - to book 200 66666 • Friday 18th - DJ Rookie • Saturday 19th - Shot Party • Friday 25th - DJ Rookie • Saturday 26th - Elite & Extreme Productions presents Viva La Diva Party 3 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

food & drink

New Grading Scheme in Place Commerce and Gibraltar Federation of Small Business websites). Consumers will be able to see the ratings for all the participating businesses. Gibraltar is the first area outside the UK to adopt this type of scheme. The scheme will allow consumers to make informed choices about the places where they eat and from which they purchase food. This scheme also aims to encourage businesses to improve hygiene standards and therefore enhance their reputation by obtaining a high grading. n

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A new Environmental Agency scheme of inspecting and rating food businesses is now in action called ‘Grading at a Glance’. Under this scheme, each food outlet is given a hygiene grading or ‘score’ that reflects the inspection findings and food businesses may display this on their premises where consumers can see it (displaying the score is voluntary). These scores of participating premises will also be available online (on the Environmental Agency’s website, Gibraltar Tourist Board’s website, Chamber of

Queensway Quay Marina

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

On aEuropean Tour by Chef Scott Casey

This month Fifty-Five chef Scott Casey brings us recipes from all over Europe. First, cross the border to Spain with the warm Catalan Style Seafood Stew, then head North to France for a delicious Blue Cheese Souffle with a Walnut and Celery Salad, and finish in England with a Delectable Treacle Tart. The good news is you don’t have to leave Gibraltar to indulge in this international feast — you can make it all in your own kitchen!

Spain

Catalan Style Seafood Stew Serves 4 200ml 2 2 2 small 200g 2 small 4 3 tbs 1 tsp 2 tsp 2 tbs 2 4 300ml

Extra Virgin Olive oil Red onions finely diced Desiree potatoes, finely diced fennel bulbs, finely diced good quality chorizo, finely diced red chillies, deseeded & finely diced garlic cloves, crushed fennel seeds, ground smoked paprika saffron threads (more if desired) fresh thyme leaves, chopped fresh or dried bay leaves vine ripened tomatoes diced good quality fish stock

100ml good quality white wine 12 mussels, beard removed, cleaned 12 tiger prawns, deveined 100g salmon, diced 100g any sort of white fish, diced 4 tbs finely chopped flat leaf parsley 1 tsp lemon juice Salt and pepper Method: In a large stainless steel pan, add the olive oil, onion, garlic, chorizo, fennel, potato, chilli, thyme, smoked paprika, bay leaves and fennel seeds and sauté over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and continue to cook for a further 5-8 minutes until the tomato begins to break down and resemble a thick sauce. Then add the fish stock and white wine and bring to the boil. Add all the fish and cook until the mussels open and the other seafood is

cooked. If any of the mussels don’t open, discard them. Season with salt and pepper to taste and, at the last moment before serving, add the lemon and chopped parsley Serve with some nice crusty bread.

France

Blue Cheese Souffle with a Walnut and Shaved Celery Salad Serves 4

For the Souffle: 60g softened butter, plus extra for greasing the moulds 20g finely grated parmesan, plus extra for the moulds 1 golden shallot finely diced 35g plain flour

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

recipes For the sweet pastry: 315g softened unsalted butter 225g caster sugar 1 large egg 5 egg yolks 550g strong plain flour

250ml 2 tsp 4 egg 75g 5

hot milk dijon mustard yolks good quality blue cheese egg whites

For the salad: 1 clove of garlic cut in half 2 tsp dijon mustard 20ml tarragon vinegar 60ml walnut oil 2 medium stalks of celery, washed and shaved with a vegetable peeler 1 red onion finely sliced 2 tbs finely shredded basil leaves 1 tbs chives cut into 2 centimetre lengths 70g toasted walnut halves

with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Serve a nice pile of the salad on a plate beside the souffle and enjoy. Note: be careful not to burn yourself on the souffle mould.

England

Delectable Treacle Tart Serves 9

For the filling: 1kg golden syrup plus 150g more for good luck in a separate bowl 100g dark treacle 2 lemons, zested and juiced 400g fresh white bread crumbs Method: Lightly butter 4 souffle moulds (available 2 tsp ground ginger from BIA on Irish Town) and then gently line the moulds with the finely grated parmesan. Pre-heat the oven to 180° Celsius. To a small pan add the butter and finely chopped shallot, and cook gently for about 2 minutes or until the shallot is soft. Then add the plain flour and cook for a further minute being careful not to brown. Add the milk and whisk until well combined and a smooth lump free sauce consistency. Then remove from the heat and stir in the mustard, any left over parmesan, egg yolks and blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool. Then we want to whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form (meaning that when you lift the whisk out of the egg whites they should just hold shape and form small peaks). Add the egg whites to the cheese mix in 3 parts being careful not to over mix and to maintain as much air in the mixture as possible. Divide the mix between the 4 moulds and bake for 15 minutes on the bottom shelf of the oven as it will rise (or should rise) quite dramatically. Meanwhile for the salad rub the cut side of the garlic clove around the inside of a mixing bowl, this will give a distinct but light garlic flavour to the salad without being too overpowering. Add the mustard, vinegar and walnut oil. Whisk well until combined and season

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

Method: To make the pastry, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Combine the egg and egg yolks and add this mixture, a little at a time, to the creamed butter and sugar being careful not to over mix and curdle. Sift in the flour and combine. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Remove the pastry from the fridge and let soften just enough to be able to work with and roll out. Cut it in half and roll out on a floured bench surface. You can re-freeze the other half of the pastry for another time. We want the pastry to be about 3mm thick. Then carefully lift and place the pastry into a non-stick flan or pie tin or baking dish. Place a piece of greaseproof paper on top of the pastry and fill with uncooked rice and bake at 180° Celsius for 10 minutes, then remove, take out the grease proof paper and rice and bake for a further 5 minutes until golden. Set the pastry case aside For the filling combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, ground ginger, golden syrup and treacle in a pan over a medium heat. Once combined and slightly simmering add the breadcrumbs stirring well to dissolve lumps. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the sticky mix. Then add the extra golden syrup, set aside for good luck, to the mix. Pour this mix into the pastry case and bake for 30-40 minutes at 180° Celsius. Serve with some whipped or clotted cream once cooled slightly. ■

Valentine’s Special

Love at first sip:

Valentine’s Day Cocktails for that Special Someone If you’re planning a romantic dinner this Valentine’s day, don’t skip out on the most essential part— the cocktail. A great drink can complement any meal and last well into the night. Impress your loved one with your great bartending skills and flirty concoctions with these recipes. If you’re feeling extra creative, add embellishments to suit the mood. Carve hearts out of fruit or garnish with chocolate-covered strawberries.

Raspberry Crush

This romantic cocktail is a sultry start to any evening. The ginger liqueur spices things up while the raspberries are delightfully refreshing. 3/4 oz ginger liqueur 1/2 oz simple syrup (equal parts water & sugar, heated and stirred until sugar dissolves. Cool and refrigerate to use as needed) 4-5 raspberries 2 oz gin Soda water

Muddle raspberries in a pint glass, add ice followed by the simple syrup, gin, and ginger liqueur. Shake and pour into a highball glass. This drink is truly a cocktail of angelic proporTop with soda water and garnish with addition and can very easily become a new favourtional raspberries. ite for everyone. It is both sweet and dry, with a tinge of flavours that are both intriguing and refreshing and it is ideal for any romantic celThe Tequila Rose used here gives the drink its ebration. pink colour and luscious strawberry flavour, while the chocolate liqueur and single cream 1 part St. Germain elderflower liqueur add richness. It is a very creamy, sweet 2 parts vodka, citrus vodka, or gin 3/4 part fresh lemon juice cocktail and is light on the alcohol. 1/4 shot simple syrup 1 part crushed strawberries (frozen is fine) Top with rosé sparkling wine/champagne Strawberry for garnish

Berry Delight

Besame

Shake and strain over fresh ice in a glass. Top with champagne and garnish with a strawberry.

Flirtini

Get a little flirtatious with this pineapple flavored rendition of a Champagne Cosmopolitan. Mix this up just before serving so that the Champagne doesn’t loose it’s bubbles. 1 oz. Tequila Rose 1/2 oz. light rum 1 oz. chocolate liqueur 1 oz. single cream

2 pieces fresh pineapple 1/2 oz. Cointreau or triple sec 1/2 oz. vodka 1 oz. pineapple juice 3 oz. Moet & Chandon Champagne Cherry for garnish

Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Muddle the pineapple pieces and Cointreau in Shake well. Strain into a chilled the bottom of a mixing glass. Add vodka and pineapple juice. Stir well. Add champagne. cocktail glass.

Cupid’s Arrow

This mint infused cocktail mixes sweet and sour with its blend of succulent fruit and mouth-watering sour mix. 1 1/2 oz. raspberry vodka 1 oz. sour mix (equal parts lime juice and simple syrup) 6 mint leaves 3 blackberries (defrosted from frozen) Soda water

GoodnightKiss

The bitterness of blackcurrant berries used in the creme de cassis is offset by the smooth, richness of the almond amaretto in this Champagne cocktail. A perfect end to a romancefilled night. dash of amaretto almond liqueur dash of creme de cassis chilled Moet & Chandon Champagne

Muddle blackberries, mint in a shaker. Add ice, vodka, and sour mix. Strain into a glass. Pour the amaretto and creme de cassis into a flute and gently top with Champagne. n Add a splash of soda water.

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

Traditional Pub Serving Traditional Pub Fare, Bass Beers, Wines & Spirits

VISIT US AND STEP BACK IN HISTORY

Casemates Square Tel: 200 72987

Full menu served inside or on our terrace including British Fish & Chips, Jackets, Salads, Burritos, Homemade Pizzas, our special Fresh Local Mussels and much more. Visit us and buy yourself a souvenir, T-shirts, beer glasses, lighters etc Live music every evening, join our Jam Sessions on Wednesday or Sunday. GLMS Music Venue of the Year. Ofﬁcial Home to Gibraltar Rugby Club Free WiFi

10 Casemates www.lordnelson.gi Tel: 200 50009

• Pizza • Pasta • Salads • Fresh Juices • Cappuccino • Ice Creams

NOW OFFERING DAILY SPECIALS Grand Casemates Sq Tel: 20044449

restaurant bar guide & turn to pages 86-89 for full restaurant and bar listings

SMITH’S

U4 FISH & CHIPS HADDOCK W4 PLAICE • COD FRESH FRIED IN CRISPY BATTER

295 MAIN ST Tel: 200 74254

Get Stuffed!

Marina Bay Tel: 200 42006 Take-Away, Sandwiches & Hot Food Different Special EveryDay salads, quiches, pastas, pies, mufﬁns, all home made Open 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)

Indian Cuisine to Eat In or Take Away Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711

To advertise in this section call

200 77748

email: gibmag@gibraltar.gi

Wembley Bar 10 South Barrack Ramp. Tel: 200 78004 • Hot & cold bar snacks • Function room

Award winning breakfasts from 7.30am Great meals & snacks all day Evening Steak House menu Med Golf Clubhouse Tottenham Hotspur HQ Parliament Lane Tel: 200 75924 GIBRALTAR 2010 2011 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• JUNE FEBRUARY

BUDDIES pasta casa

Come and enjoy real Italian meals in Gibraltar’s leading pasta house 15 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 40627 for reservations

now also in Casemates

Just A Nibble Licensed Cafeteria Let the ‘A’ Team serve you up a snack or a meal. Daily Specials • Varied Menu

Open from 9am First Floor ICC, Main Street THE PLACE TO MEET

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to Saturday 19.30 to 22.30 and lunchtimes for group bookings.

restaurants

The Mexican Grill and Bar Unit 2B The Tower, Marina Bay Tel: 200 46668 The Mexican Grill and Bar serves all the favourite Mexican dishes from Nachos, Quesadillas and Chimichangas (rolled flour tortilla with spicy chicken, chilli beef or vegetables, deep fried, served with Mexican rice and salad and guacamole, salsa or sour cream), to Burritos (like Chimichangas but oven baked), El Gringos Chilli con Carne, or Cheese Holy Mole Enchiladas. Don’t forget Big Eat Homemade Burgers (5 to choose from) and from the grill barbecue combos, steaks and chicken. Salads and sides to order. Open: lunch and dinner 12 noon to late

14 on the Quay Unit 14, Queensway Quay. Tel: 200 43731 Open for lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails and dinner, 14 on the Quay offers a relaxed atmosphere inside and al fresco dining for every occasion. The international menu changes on a monthly basis to offer a wide variety of choice each time you visit and you can wind up your evening with a refreshing cocktail as you watch one of the marina’s spectacular sunsets. Open: 12 midday - late every day, Sundays 12 midday - 4pm Brunos The Boardwalk, Marina Bay. Tel: 216 25555 A modern marina-side restaurant which offers a selection of classical, contemporary and local dishes. Choose from a variety of starters such as baked goat’s cheese or smoked mackerel pâté before your main dish with choices of meat, fish or vegetarian options. Alternatively you can go for the favourites which include home-made burgers or pizzas through to steamed mussels or chicken Caesar salad to name a few. Bruno’s other offering is their tapas selection where you can choose any three dishes served with homemade crostini for just £6.50. If you have any special dietary requirements, just ask the staff and they’ll be happy to accommodate you wherever possible. Open: 10am until late (kitchen until 11pm) l Café Solo Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 44449 Modern Italian eatery set in the lively Casemates square. Everything from chicory and crispy pancetta salad with walnuts, pears and blue cheese dressing, or king prawn, mozzarella and mango salad to pastas(eg: linguine with serrano ham, king prawns and rocket; smoked salmon and crayfish ravioli with saffron and spinach cream) to salads (eg: Vesuvio spicy beef, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers and red onions; and Romana chorizo, black pudding, egg and pancetta) and pizzas (eg: Quatto Stagioni topped with mozzarella, ham, chicken, pepperoni and mushroom) and specialities such as salmon fishcakes, beef medallions and duck. Good daily specials menu on blackboard. No smoking inside. Free WiFi. l Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738 Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Red comfy arm chairs in separate area for a relaxing drink or coffee. Brunch menu (10am-12pm) includes ciabatta, granary, foccacia sandwiches with fillings such as pear and blue cheese, smoked bacon and brie, cheese and honey roast ham, delicious desserts (chocolate mousse in a must). Lunch 12 - 3pm and dinner 7-10pm includes Roast Pumpkin, Mushroom, & Spinach Curry; Marinated Tuna Steak & Sesame Crust; Roasted Lamb Shoulder; pasta dishes such as Langoustine, Lime & Coconut; Pear, Walnut &

Blue Cheese; and Creamy Mixed Seafood; and salads such as Warm Goats’ Cheese, Fresh Spinach & Chargrilled Aubergine; and Roast Duck, Chorizo & Pancetta Salad. Open: from 10am. Closed all day Sundays, and Saturday lunch. Casa Pepe 18 Queensway Quay Marina. Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe.gib@gmail.com Situated right on the water front at Queensway Quay, Casa Pepe has a comprehensive a la carte menu which includes dishes such as melon & Serrano ham, stuffed piquillo peppers and filled mushrooms to start, followed by a choice of salads, rice and noodles and fish, poultry and meat dishes which include King Prawns Macarena (cooked with fresh ginger, tomatoes, mangos and bananas served with basmati rice, fried bread and bananas), Medallions of monkfish cooked with white wine and lobster sauce, duck breast Armanac-style (with Cognac, mushrooms and pine nuts), Medallions of pork loin cooked with Serrano ham and dry Jerez sherry, and fillet steak Malagueña cooked in creamy garlic mushrooms and sweet sherry sauce topped with prawns. Wide range of tapas/raciones also available. Open: Monday to Saturday 11am till late. Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay For a reservations Tel: 200 76501 E-mail reservations@caletahotel.gi Overlooking the Mediterranean from Catalan Bay, Nunos’ Spanish chef with Three Star Michellin experience offers a variety of Italian cuisine. The restaurant has now moved from its location on the lower floors and can now be found at the reception level of the hotel. A quick peak at the menu reveals the chef’s celebrated Salmorejo is on the menu, as are his baby squid burgers (Insalata di Calamari). From the main dishes you can choose from a variety of fresh fish and meat dishes. Or you could go for the house speciality of fresh, home-made pasta where you can choose from a wide range of options. Open: Monday

Maharaja Indian Restaurants Tuckey’s Lane. Tel: 200 75233 Queensway Quay Marina. Tel: 200 50733 With two restaurants, one in the town centre and another on the quayside of Queensway Quay, the Maharaja restaurants have been a well known name in Gibraltar for nearly 40 years. Whilst each restaurant offers a slightly different menu, you’ll find traditional Indian cooking in these recently refurbished restaurants with plenty of choice to cater to your taste. The Maharaja offers vegetarian, seafood and meat dishes throughout its range of starters and main dishes, and don’t be scared to ask them to spice up the dishes just to your liking. The extensive wine list covers reds, roses, whites as well as cava and champagne for that special night out. And if you’re planning a night in, you can use their take-away service. Open: Maharaja Tuckey’s Lane: Monday 10am4pm, Tues - Sun 10am-4pm & 7pm-midnight Maharaja Queensway Quay: Tues - Sun 12-4pm & 7pm-Midnight Savannah Lounge 27 Heart Island, Ocean Village Tel: 200 66666 www.savannah.gi Aimed at Gibraltar’s dining and night-life scene, Savannah has been created with fun and style in mind. Offering contemporary European cuisine a wide selection of drinks, cool decor and good music. The venue hosts regular events with invited DJs and shows from abroad. Open: Sunday-Thurs midday-midnight, Friday and Saturday midday-5am. Solo Bar & Grill Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828 Solo Bar and Grill is a stylish and modern eatery — perfect for business functions or lunches — and part of the popular Cafe Solo stable. Serving everything from Goats’ Cheese Salad, Mediterranean Pâté and Cajun Langoustines to Beer Battered John Dory, or Harissa Chicken, and Chargrilled Sirloin Steak. This is a delightful venue in Europort with a cosy mezzanine level and terrace seating — well worth a visit, or two! Open: 12-8pm. Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 to book your function or event.

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

The Waterfront Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 45666 Website: www.gibwaterfront.com The Waterfront is a very popular long established restaurant located on the quayside at Queensway Quay Marina. Serving drinks, snacks and A La Carte menus. There are different areas for eating; inside the main bar area or within a large chandelier light covered terrace, or formal and informal dining on the water’s edge. A newly extended bar area, featuring the new Balcony Bar upstairs offers plenty of relaxing, warm, cozy space to enjoy bar snacks and drinks. The seasonally inspired menu brings you market fresh dishes from the land and the sea. The classic winter warmer dishes are ever popular as the weather changes and dishes that remain firm favourites in Gibraltar are always available. Waterfront also specialises in aged steaks; this in house dry aging process involves wrapping the meat in muslin cloth to draw out the moisture over a period of 21 days, resulting in a more concentrated flavour and fantastically succulent, tender steaks. A wide range of Movenpick ice cream and scrumptious homemade desserts is also available. Open: 9 till late 7 days a week, year round. The Water Margin 5 Ocean Village Promenade Tel: 200 73668 Gibraltar’s premier Chinese restaurant serving freshly cooked traditional Chinese dishes in the beautiful Ocean Village marina. Check out the outstanding aromatic crispy duck, the special duck slow cooked with honey and chilli or the freshly caught seabass delicately steamed with ginger and spring onion, popular with families looking for a relaxing night dining. No microwave oven or flavour enhancer (MSG) used in this establishment — it’s all freshly cooked and delicious. Home delivery service. Open: 7 days a week, evening from 6pm, lunch from 12:30pm

informaleating Amin's The Office 30 Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 40932 Sit down, informal and friendly restaurant. Amin is well known in Gibraltar for his Moroccan, Spanish and international cuisine. Open early for breakfast at 7am right through the day. Try the Moroccan soups, couscous, lamb tagines and kebabs. Open: 7.00am to midnight.

Business lunches, parties and kids parties also catered for (for party and office platters phone or fax order by 5.30pm day before - minium orders for delivery £12). Open: Mon - Fri 8.30-7, Sat 9 - 4, Closed Sun. Picadilly Gardens Rosia Road. Tel: 200 75758 Relaxed bar restaurant with cosy garden terrace just across the road from the cable car. English breakfast, churros, tapas, hamburgers, fresh fish, prawns, squid, clams and a variety of meat dishes. Eat in or take away. Menu of the day only £6. Open: early to late.

all homemade sandwiches, salads, quiches, pasta, pies, muffins, plus hot and cold drinks and smoothies and a different special every day. Outside catering for corporate parties. Open: 8am - 6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat. Just A Nibble 1st Flr ICC Tel: 200 78052 Full licensed cafe serving English breakfast, vast range of toasties, rolls, and snacks. Meals include, Bob’s famous chicken curry/chilli con carne, and a great new range of pies (from Bob’s chicken and leek to steak and kidney plus a whole range of tasty alternatives) plus all the old favourites; jacket spuds, burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, and daily specials. Ideal meeting place. Open: Monday - Saturday from 9am. Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014 Bright and airy, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All home-made food including daily specials, vegetarian options and desserts. Eat in or take-away. Try their daily roast with everything on or their all-day breakfast. Non-smoking restaurant with terrace smoking area. Friendly, cheerful and fully licensed with sensible prices. Open: 8am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Mumbai Curry House Unit 1.0.02 Ground Floor, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711 Home delivery: 50022/33 Good Indian cuisine for eating in or taking away, from snacks such as samosas, bhajias, and pakoras to lamb, chicken and fish dishes with sauces such as korma, tikka masala, bhuna, do piaza... in fact all you would expect from an Indian cuisine take-away. Large vegetarian selection. Halal food is available, as is outside catering for parties and meetings. Sunday specials include all Mumbai favourites such as Dosa and Choley Bhature. Open: 7 days a week 11am to 3pm, 6pm -late.

Buddies Pasta Casa 15 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 40627 Italian specials in pleasant ambience. Large selection of starters from garlic bread to calamari. Main courses include spinach caneloni, spaghetti alla carbonara, fusilli al salmone, and peppered steak to name a few. Tasty desserts and variety of wines. Open: Monday - Thursday 11am - 5pm, Friday Munchies Cafe 24 Main Street. Tel: 200 43840 Fax: 200 42390 11am-3pm and 7pm-11pm, Sat 11am-4.30pm A great sandwich bar/cafe offering an unusual range of sandwiches on white or granary Get Stuffed bread, plus salads, baguettes, soups, desserts, Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006 Take-away, sandwich bar and hot food. Serving homemade ice-cream and hot/cold drinks.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • February 2011

l Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625 Converted coffee warehouse, ideal for coffee, homemade cakes/afternoon tea, plus menu including excellent salad bar, specials of the day and dishes such as lasagne, steak and mushroom Guinness pie, hot chicken salad, toasties, club sandwich and baked potatoes. Art exhibitions. Available for parties and functions in the evenings. Open: 9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri. 9am-3pm Sat Smith’s Fish & Chips 295 Main Street. Tel: 200 74254 Traditional British fish and chip shop with tables/seating available or take-away wrapped in newspaper. Menu: Cod, haddock or plaice in batter, Cornish pasties, mushy peas etc. Also curries, omlettes, burgers. Open: 8am-6pm Monday-Friday. Breakfast from 8. Located: Main Street opposite the Convent. Solo Express Grnd Flr, International Commercial Centre & Eurotowers Solo Express, located right next to Pizza Hut in Casemates and in Eurotowers, serves a good variety of salads and baguettes (white, brown & ciabatta) filled with a wide deli selection of things such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham, cheese and coleslaw; or hummous, avocado and roasted red pepper. The salads are fresh and tasty and include Greek, Waldorf, cous cous, tuna pasta, etc and are great value. Jacket potatoes, quiches, tea, coffee etc plus cakes (such as flapjacks and muffins) are also available throughout the day. Eat-in available. Soups in winter. Free Wifi. The Tasty Bite 59a Irish Town. Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321 Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, filled baguettes, burgers, chicken, kebabs and everything else you can think of! Open: Monday - Saturday. Three Roses 60 Governor’s Street. Tel: 200 51614 Charming, recently refurbished bar with a cosy, homely atmosphere situated just above Main Street (near Eliott Hotel). Offering lunch, tapas, special montaditos and several South African dishes such as Boere Rolls, the bar has three screens for live football matches. The Three Roses has a function room for booking at no cost and charity organisations are particularly

welcome. Monday nights Salsa dancing. Open: midday - 11pm Monday to Saturday. Sunday’s closed unless Chelsea are playing.

O’Reilly’s Leisure Island, Ocean Village. Tel: 200 67888 Traditional Irish bar with full HD sports coverage and Irish breakfast from 7am (Sunday from 9am). Guinness on draught. Food includes salads, jackets, beef and Guinness ale pie, Molly’s mussels, drunken swine, Boxty dishes (potato pancake wrapped around delicioius fillings), sandwiches, rolls, Kildare chicken and much much more. And just like in Ireland there’s no smoking inside, so a great atmosphere for all.

Verdi Verdi 44 Cornwall's Lane. Tel: 200 60733 Verdi Verdi offers morning and afternoon coffee as well as all home-made vegetarian and vegan dishes, fish, fresh baked bread and desserts. A wide selection of sandwiches to eat in or take away. Delivery service available. Delicious coffees Open: Mon & Fri: 9am - 3pm, Tues - Thurs: 9am -3pm & 7-10pm, Sun: 6-10pm. Sat Closed

bars&pubs All’s Well Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987 Traditional pub in fashionable Casemates area. Named for the 18th century practice of locking the Gates to the city at night when the guard announced ‘All’s Well’ before handing the keys to the watch. All’s Well serves Bass beers, wine and spirits plus pub fare. English breakfast served all day, hot meals such as pork in mushroom sauce, sausage & mash, cod and chips and steak & ale pie are complemented by a range of salads and filled jacket potatoes. Large terrace. Karaoke every Monday and Wednesday until late. Free tapas on a Friday 7pm. Cannon Bar 27 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 77288 Jane is still there and still packed out with tourists and regulars! Word has it that she nearly managed to escape, but wasn’t allowed to. The famous fish and chips, the odd French speciality, there’s always something happening in the Cannon! Located between Marks & Spencer and the Cathedral just off Main Street. Quiz night on Tuesdays, get there early as it is definitely the place to be on a normally quiet Gibraltar Tuesday. The Final Whistle 4, Cornwall’s Parade Friendly sports bar with six screens. If it’s live, it’s on, and often more than one game on at a time for full sports coverage. Fun atmosphere with special offers during premier matches. All sports fans welcome. Open 10am until late, 7 days a week.

right on Main Street. Everything from all day breakfast to Irish fillet steak roll, burritos, and the popular fresh local mussels. Draught lager, bitter, cider and Murphys plus free WiFi. Terrace seating right on Main Street to watch the world go by. Open: from 8am (10am Sundays) until late. Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie 10 Casemates Tel: 200 50009 www.lordnelson.gi E-mail: reservations@lordnelson.gi Attractive bar/brasserie in historic Casemates building. Done out to represent Nelson’s ship with cloud and sky ceiling crossed with beams and sails. Spacious terrace Starter s& snacks include fresh local mussels, blue cheese and rocket bruschetta, Lordy’s potato skins, spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses cover a range from chilli con carne and chicken and mushroom pie, to crispy aromatic duck burrito and British fish and chips. Try one of the salads or Nelson’s platters. Jacket potatoes, burgers and children’s menu. Credit cards accepted. Live music Venue of the Year, with live music on stage every night. Free Wifi. Open: from 10am till very late.

The Lounge Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118 Stylish lounge bar right on the quayside at Queensway Quay with very reasonably priced drinks and light bites from 10am until late. Free WiFi, popular quizzes on Sundays (from 7.30pm) and a relaxed friendly atmosphere... always plenty of people / yachties to chat to. Events (matches etc) covered on large screen The Gibraltar Arms TV. Great place to chill out. Open: 10am from 184 Main St. Tel: 200 72133 Monday to Saturday until late and from 12pm www.gibraltararms.gi on Sundays (get there early if you want a seat Good food served all day at this typical pub for the quiz).

Savannah Lounge 27 Heart Island, Ocean Village Tel: 200 66666 Aimed at Gibraltar ’s dining and night-life scene, Savannah has been created with fun and style in mind. Offering contemporary European cuisine a wide selection of drinks, cool decor and good music. The venue hosts regular events with invited DJs and shows from abroad (see ad for details). Open: Sunday-Thurs midday-midnight, Friday and Saturday midday-5am. The Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Reputedly the oldest bar in Gib, this small cosy bar opens early for breakfast (English or toast & cereal). Lunch/evening menu includes fillet steak, fish and chips and salads. Home of Med Golf and Tottenham Hotspur FC supporters club. Outside seating. Open: from 7am every day. Located: first right off Main St (walking from N to S). The Three Owls Irish Town. Tel: 200 77446 The Three Owls is a traditional bar serving best of English beers. Three separate bars/floors: ground floor — big screen TV, pool table, poker machines, bar — open from 10.30am daily. First floor ‘Hoots’ bar, two match pool tables, poker machines, dartboard, bar, open from 5pm daily. Second Floor the ‘Nest’ — American pool table, poker machine, card table, bar — open from 7pm daily and also at weekends for the Rugby Union matches. If you are looking for a sociable game of pool or darts this is the place to be. Wembley Bar 10 South Barrack Ramp. Tel: 200 78004 Popular bar for hot and cold bar snacks, function room, in south district. Fridays 10am for breakfast. Air conditioned. The home of the Real Madrid Supporter’s Club. Open: from 11am - midnight Sunday - Thursday, 10am - 1am Friday, and from 11am - 1am Saturdays.

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

wine column

The Art of Communication Trying to control seagull numbers is a hopeless task unless it is carried out over a very large area. Apparently seagulls have a sort of satellite communication system which alerts them to any spare nesting or roosting sites within a radius of some 100 kilometres. So unless there is effective clearance from Cadiz in the West to Malaga in the East, Gibraltar will continue to suffer from these unpleasant pests; it is no good trying to get rid of them on our own. The moment there is room for a few more birds the whisper goes round and they will quickly fill up the spare spaces. Ruminating on this annoying capacity of Mother Nature to provide all pests with mobile phones to tell each other of newly-found delights — think of wasps at a picnic, cockroaches in a dirty corner of a kitchen, mosquitoes as you get into bed, office smokers round an outdoor waste bin — it occurred to me that motorcycles have the same ability in relation to parking spaces, especially parking spaces originally designed for cars. It only needs one car to move out of a space for it to be immediately filled. The first motorcycle will, of course, park in the middle of the space, to ensure that no car can then fit into it; the others will arrive shortly afterwards. Where do they come from? How do they have this unerring instinct? What is wrong with the bay specifically for motorcycles (apart from the fact that it may be as much as 20 metres away)? This ability of extra-sensory communication is normally limited to those beings such as seagulls, insects, smokers and motorcyclists. However, there does also seem to be a form of super-communication among wine-lovers. This is not necessarily caused by over-consumption of the product. It is, instead, a nose for a bargain. It requires considerably more training, knowledge and experience than the ability simply to see an empty space on the side of the road, but it can empty the shop’s shelves of the relevant wine at the same speed as motorcycles fill up the relevant space in the road. The first usual indication of the bargain to be found is not, it must be admitted, extra-sensory. It comes from a glass at a friend’s house, in a restaurant or, possibly, from a whisper during a chat in the pub. It can happen by just looking at a label, inspecting the price and then trying it out; just occasionally wine-makers do not realise what a jewel they have produced. An example is Anglo Hispano’s Argentinian Zarzuela crianza. I gave it the briefest of mentions in this column about 10 months ago, and served it to a few friends. The word got out, somehow. It still exists — but the price has gone up considerably. It remains an excellent wine, but no longer a bargain. Unfortunately, the sellers of wine have their own systems to tell them when they may be underselling. Then there are the mistakes that are easily made, even with all the years of experience. Morrison’s have recently been selling a bottle marked ‘claret, la Garderie, grand vin de Bordeaux’ etc, which ticks all the right boxes. Wait — it is only 2008. A bit young perhaps, but it may still work. Check the price: £2.99. Whoopee! In like Flynn, you grab as many as you can carry, hoping no-one else will feel the pulsating waves emanating from your brain.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • February 2011

The remainder of the bottles might disappear before you can return for a second helping. You open a bottle and pour a small glass. A sniff. Hmm, a bit tart perhaps, but that is only to be expected in one so young. A taste. Oh dear. It is thin, weedy, dead. There is nothing in it. Not even the faintest hint of blackberry. I do not doubt that it is all it says it is, but on this occasion the wine-maker realised his mistake

It can empty the shop’s shelves of the relevant wine at the same speed as motorcycles fill up the relevant space in the road

‘My last Duchess’ which reveals his disenchantment with his earlier hopes. It just may be that, 99% of the time, you get what you deserve — or what you pay for. But every now and then there is something extra to be found. A seagull has just screeched as it left a perch. A motorcycle has just (very noisily) left a parking space. I am seeing, in my mind’s eye, a bottle of Muga Riserva 1996 at £21.00. These portents will lead me immediately to the relevant wine merchant. You will, if you close your eyes and wait for the indications to be registered in your own mind, realise where this delight is to be found. Failing that, try Saccone and Speed. It is not a bargain but it is worth paying for — and what you deserve. n

and reduced the price accordingly. My perception of a bargain was all wrong — and yet, on my next visit to the same shelves, most of the bottles have disappeared. My perception was wrong. But no other wine buyer picked up my mistake by virtue of my brain waves of general disappointment. My theory falls down. Further research needs to be done. Perhaps the seagulls have mobile telephones to reveal new homes. The motorcyclists p re s u m a b l y screech at each other about s p a re p a r k i n g spaces. There is no other obvious explanation. Unless... We all want to believe in something. A man’s reach must exceed his grasp or what’s a Heaven for? Browning also wrote

A ro u n d To w n .. .

All photos not captioned... Fun at the Cavalcade in January

Well it’s February and this is the month of luuuurv so what better way to start than with news of engagements. Following in the footsteps of Wills and Kate, Chris and Michelle of the Lounge Queensway Quay got engaged recently... and about time too. Congratulations to lovely couple Caroline and Giovanni who also got engaged last month... Ain’t love grand! Romancing the Rock... There is lots happening around the Rock for all you love struck couples, so get out there and share a little love. Fifty-Five kicks off the Valentine’s themed events with an Amiee Jay lingerie Ladies’ Night on Thursday 3rd February (plenty of time to order before the big day!). Savannah at Ocean Village’s Leisure Island gets the Valentine’s weekend started with a Playboy Valentine’s Ball on Friday 11th February, followed on Saturday 12th with a Valentine’s Dinner Dance with the Valerga Brothers — to book your table call 200 66666. On Sunday 13th February from 8pm the Lounge at Queensway Quay will be hosting a fun Valentine’s Mr & Mrs night. Just how much do you really know about your partner? Go along to the Lounge and find out! Guaranteed lots and lots of laughs in a fun atmosphere. Then on the actual day, Monday 14th February, Fifty-Five on Main Street (Tel: Louise 200 79655 for membership details) has a Valentine’s Dinner with live entertainment from those old smoothies the Kings of Swing. Louise also let us know that if you miss that, there is a Traditional Sunday Lunch on Sunday 27th

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Engagement at Cafe Rojo

and February sees the launch of their amazing Afternoon Teas. Also on Monday 14th the Waterfront restaurant at Queensway Quay marina have told us they will present a special Valentine’s Day menu (see www.gibwaterfront.com). Manager Andrew says they will be decorating their tables and making it nice and romantic with candles and themed music... ahhh how romantic. Also at Queensway Quay (what a romantic lot they are down there!) Mike at 14 on the Quay says he will have a four-course Valentine’s special menu on both Saturday 12th and Monday 14th with cava and canapes on arrival. In town at Cafe Solo manager Frank says in addition to him working (which is special enough) there will be some Valentine’s delights on the specials board on Monday 14th to complement their regular menu. So there you have it... absolutely no excuse for not treating your beloved to a perfect evening out, whatever your style or budget.... Spread the luuuurv.

Chris and Michelle (centre) of the Lounge celebrate with friends

Rocking the Rock For those who like Rock rather than Romance... the Silhouette Showgirls will be playing at Rock on the Rock Club, on Friday 10th February. Entry fee is £3 and doors opens at 10pm. Come and join this five-piece progressive rock band from Wiltshire, to hear tracks from their upcoming debut album to be released in March 2011. Not to be missed! Do you want the bad news or the good news? Just to let you know, the bad news, Cafe Solo will be closed for a week from Monday 28th February, the good news, for a fabulous refurb. We have had a sneak peek at some of the interior ideas and we think it is going to look rather lovely. n

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Congratulations Caroline and Giovanni

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clubs&activities Arts & Crafts The Arts Centre, Prince Edward’s Rd. Art classes for children (5-6pm Mon, 5-6.30pm Tues, 5-7pm Thurs), adults (Mon - Tues 6.30pm-8pm, Wed 6.30pm-8.30pm, life painting Wed 7pm9pm). Tel: 200 79788. The Fine Arts Association Gallery 1st Floor above Gibraltar Crystal, Casemates. Open 11am-2pm, 4-6pm Mon - Fri, Sat 11am - 2pm. Arts & Crafts Gallery (next door) opens Mon - Fri 9.30am - 5pm (summer) -6pm (winter), Sat 9.30am - 3pm. The Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society Affiliated to the UK NADFAS organisation meets third Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm at Eliott Hotel - lecturers & experts from the UK to talk on Art etc. Contact: ChairmanClaus Olesen: 200 02024 claus.olesen@sghambros. com. Membership Ian leBreton: 200 76173 ilebreton@SovereignGroup.com The Poetry Society meets on 20th of each month. Tel: Audrey Batty on 200 44355 . Board Games Chess Club meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall 8-10.30pm Tues. The Gibraltar Scrabble Club meet John Mackintosh Hall Mondays. Bank holidays changed to Thursday same week. 7pm-11pm All welcome. Tel: 200 73660 or 200 75995. The Subbuteo Club meets Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall 7.30 - 11pm. Dance Adult Dance Classes Wednesday evenings at the Youth Disco Room, Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Cha-Cha, Salsa and Merengue. Lessons £5 and all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or dance@trainingtm.net Salsa Gibraltar Salsa classes held Tuesdays at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate. Beginners 7-8.30pm, £5 per lesson. Intermediates 8.30-10pm, £6 per lesson (all profits going to the charity Help Us To Help Them). Contact: Mike 54472000 Email: info@salsagibraltar.com website: www.salsagibraltar.com Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing Mondays Catholic Community Centre 8.30pm (beginners 7.30). Over 15s welcome. Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at the Catholic Community Centre at 8pm, beginners at 7.30pm, Wednesday. The DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at Central Hall Fridays 8pm, beginners 7.30pm. Tel: 200 78282 or e-mail manvio@ gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome. Senior Citizens Teatime Dances at The Youth Centre, Line Wall Rd on Mondays 2 - 5.30pm. All senior citizens welcome for coffee, tea and biscuits. Entrance free. Classical Ballet classes for children 4+, Spanish dance and hip-hop at Liza School of Dance, 3rd floor, Methodist Church, 297/299 Main St. Classes Weds & Fri from 6pm at Chiltern Court (4Cs). Tel: 58111000. Modern, Contemporary, Hip Hop & Flexibility classes held weekly at Urban Dance Studio for Performing Arts, No. 2 Jumpers Bastion. Contact Yalta (54012212) or Jolene (54015125). History & Heritage The Gibraltar Heritage Trust Main Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq. Tel: 200 42844. The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association Dedicated to preservation of Rock’s transport/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles. Members/vehicles meet 1st Sunday of month, Morrison’s car park from 10am. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643. Music The Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir rehearse on Monday & Thursday 7.30 - 9pm. New singers of all ages welcome. Tel: Lili 200 40035, 54006727 St Andrew’s Music Academy Musical Monsters Club, musical workshops. Group musical activities for kids 3-7 years. Singing, rhythmic games etc. Tel: 200 42690 email: samagib@ hotmail.com Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an exciting self-development Programme available to all young people worldwide equipping them with

Don’t be bored... do something fun! life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. To date over 5 million young people from over 100 countries have been motivated to undertake a variety of voluntary and challenging activities. Contact Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road. Tel: 200 59818 Quizzes Cannon Bar quizzes are held on Tuesdays starting with a warm up, then two other quizzes, including a theme quiz. Starts at 8.30pm, all welcome and prizes are given. Free entrance but a donation to charity is requested. Tapas served after the quiz. The Lounge friendly quizzes take place on Sundays from 8pm right on the quayside at Queensway Quay. Social Clubs Scots on the Rock: Any Scots visiting the Rock can contact Charles Polson (Tel: 200 78142) for assistance or information. Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, Jumpers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Monday/month, 8pm. Executive Meeting, last Mon/month 7pm. Knights Chapter, 2nd Mon/month 7.30pm. Examining Council, 3rd Mon/month 7pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8pm. Buena Vista 9975, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm. Por Favor 9444, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm. Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm. Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm. Special Interest Clubs & Societies Gibraltar Horticultural Society meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, John Mac Hall. Spring Flower Show, slide shows, flower arrangement demos, outings to garden centres, annual Alameda Gardens tour. All welcome. Gibraltar Philosophical Society devoted to intellectually stimulating debate. Frequent lectures and seminars on a range of topics. Contact 54008426 (after 6pm) or email gibphilosophy@ live.co.uk for further information. The Gibraltar Photographic Society meets on Mon at 7.30pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc. Harley Davidson Owners’ Club www.hdcgib. com UN Association of Gibraltar PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108. Creative Writers Group meet every Tuesday at the Eliott Hotel bar at 8pm. The workshop is run by Carla, Tel: 54006696 and is aimed at learning to write fiction and non-fiction, for pleasure or publication. Each session is £5.00. Sports Supporters Clubs The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club meet at the Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check the game is televised. Great food for a lunch if the KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. For info call Mario on 56280000. Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club meet on match days at the Casino Calpe (Ground Floor). Gooners of all ages welcome. Tel: Bill 54010681 or Dion 56619000. Website: www.clubwebsite. co.uk/ArsenalGibraltarSC/. Gibraltar Hammers meet on match days at the Victoria Stadium Bar, Bayside Road. All league games are shown live. All West Ham supporters and their families are welcome. For details visit www.gibraltarhammers.com or e-mail gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association club for beginners, juniors and squad at Bayside School in evenings. Tel: 200 Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661. Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions throughout year for juniors, adults and veterans. Two main clubs (Calpeans 200 71807, Lourdians 200 75180) training sessions at Victoria Stadium. Badminton: Recreational badminton weekdays at Victoria Stadium (Tel: 200 78409 for allocations). Gibraltar Badminton Association (affiliated to IBA & EBA) has leagues and training for adults and secondary school. Tel: Ivan 200 44045 or Linda 200 74753. Basketball: Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA) leagues/ training for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727 or Kirsty (minis) 200 49441.

Billiards & Snooker: Gibraltar Billiards and Snooker Association (member IBSA) round leagues and competitions at various venues. New members welcome. Tel: Eddie 200 72142 or Peter 200 77307. Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome to join. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory (200 75513 w, 200 42788 h). Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Eugene 58014000. Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket Association (member ICC) runs leagues/competitions at Europa Point/ Victoria Stadium. Junior/senior training. Tel: Tom 200 79461 or Adrian 200 44281. Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Tel: Uriel 200 79359. Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (member WDF) mens/ladies/youth leagues/competitions. Tel: Darren 54027171 “Secretary”, Dyson “Youth Rep” 54024149, Justin “President” 54022622 Email: info@gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association leagues/competitions for all ages October-May. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 200 42941 www.gfa.gi. Senior Tel: Albert 200 41515, Junior Tel: Richard 58654000, Women’s Tel: Brian 200 52299. Recreational football for over 35s Tel: Richard 200 70320. Golf: Med Golf tournaments held monthly. Tel: 200 79575 for tournament venues/dates. Gibraltar Golf Union has competitions through year, EGU handicaps. Tel: Bernie 200 78844. Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/training for adults and juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730. Judo: Gibraltar Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. Tel: Charlie 200 73116 or Peter 200 73225. Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion (Rosia Rd). Tel: Tony 200 79855 or club 200 47259. Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association sessions for junior/seniors, gradings and demos at Karate Clubhouse, 41H Town Range Tel: Andrew 200 48908. Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211. Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior / junior leagues. Tel: 200 41795 or 200 41874. Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association plays at Giralda Gardens, Smith Dorrien Ave. New members welcome. Tel: 200 70929. Pool: Gibraltar Pool Association (member EUKPF) home and away league played on Thurs through season. Tel: Linda 200 74753. Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions for 4 years of age and upwards, weekday evenings. For more information contact Sally Tel: 200 74661. Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union training sessions for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans. Play in Andalusia 1st Division Oct - April. Tel: James 200 72185 Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: RGYC 200 48847. Sea Angling: Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers (members FIPS-M & CIPS) Superb calendar of events with four clubs participating. Tel: Mario 200 72622 or Charlie 200 74337. Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation (over 14s). Rifle, Europa Point range (Joe 200 74973); clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Fidel 200 71990). Skating: Gibraltar Skating and Xtreme Sports Association. State of art ramps for Xtreme/aggressive roller blading /skate boarding. Leisure skating facilities provided within excellent rink (when not used for roller hockey training). Tel: Eric 200 70710 (after 5). S n o r ke l l i n g & Spear Fishing: Over 14s for snorkelling, over 16s for spear fishing. Tel: Joseph 200 75020.

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult/junior tournaments/coaching. Tel: 200 44922 or 200 73260. Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs. Voluntary sports clubs: Tel: Phil 200 44606, Noah’s Dive Club Tel: Leslie 200 79601, 888s Dive Club Tel: Martin 200 70944. Commercial sports diving schools also available. Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming Mon - Fri 7-8.45am, 12- 4pm, 8- 9pm. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo (Rebecca 200 72869). Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association (members ITTA) training / playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Lizanne 200 45071/54020477 or Eugene 58014000. Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: 200 Mari 44142. Tai Chi: Children’s fun Tai Chi at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range, Saturdays 11-12am. Beginners Tuesdays & Thursdays at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre. 6.30-8pm. Adults £5, Children £2, all proceeds to GibMissionAfrica Charity. Contact Dilip on 200 78714 or rocktaichi@traningtm.net Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club, excellent junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues / competitions. Tel: Frank 200 77035. Ten-Pin Bowling: Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Contact Charly on 56014000 or Paul on 54029749. Triathlon: Gibraltar Triathlon Union (members ITU) Chris 200 75857 or Harvey 200 55847. Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association (members W & EVF) training, leagues, competitions for juniors/seniors. Tony 200 40478 or Elizabeth 58306000. Yoga: Integral Yoga Centre runs a full programme of classes from Mon-Fri at 33 Town Range. Tel: 200 41389. All welcome. Theatrical Groups Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street E-mail: gibdrama@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 200 42237 www. geocities.com/gibdrama Trafalgar Theatre Group meet 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome. Theatrix: Contact Trevor and Iris on Tel: 54006176 or email theatrixgib@yahoo.co.uk Clubs, Associations, should submit details to The Gibraltar Magazine gibmag@gibraltar.gi

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

support

events

Support Groups/ Associations Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues and Thurs at Nazareth Hse Tel: 200 73774. A Step Forward support group for single, separated, divorced or widowed people. Meet 8pm Mondays at St Andrew’s Church. Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone 8008 - 7 days a week 6pm - 10pm. Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@ cab.gi or visit 10 Governor’s Lane. No appointment necessary, no charge. Gibraltar CAB outreach clinics at St Bernard’s Hospital every Tuesday. Advisors available at 1st floor reception, Zone 4, 9am-3pm. Info and advice is free, confidential and impartial. COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease day-to-day challenges of individuals, families and care partner. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month. Contact Sue Reyes Tel: 200 51469 Email: copeadsupport@hotmail.com Dignity At Work Now. Confidential support and advice for those who are being bullied at work. Tel: 57799000 Mon - Thur 8pm-9pm Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends who are concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meetings are held alternate Thursdays at 9pm at Nazareth House. For more details Tel: 200 70047 or 200 73465. Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 8.30pm at the John Mac Hall, except for July and August. Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 3/8 Serfaty’s Passage Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relationship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717. Gibraltar Society for the Visually Impaired. Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service). Hope. miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817. Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Overeaters Anonymous support group of those with compulsive overeating problem. Tel: helpline for details of meetings 200 42581. Parental Support Group, helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and granchildren. Tel: Richard 200 46536, Jason 200 76618, Dominic 54019602. Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Weekly Meetings Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: 200 51623. SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, is a national charity, to assist serving and exService personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. E-mail olivero@sapphirenet.gi With Dignity Gibraltar support group for separated, divorced, widowed or unattached people. Meetings Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/activities. Tel: Flor 54007181 or Marie 200 79957. Women in Need. Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hours).

A tour of the Botanic Gardens is always worthwhile

What’s On This Month: February Monday 7 February Gun-Salute HM The Queen’s Accession to the Throne at The Tower (Berth 41) 12.00 noon. For further information Tel: 20055083

Tuesday 8 February The Gibraltar Philharmonic Society Violin Recital by Ye Eun Choi accompanied by Japanese pianist Etsuko Hirose at The Convent 8pm. Tickets £20 available from the House of Sacarello, Irish Town and the Silver Shop, 275 Main Street. For further information Tel: 20072134 Friday 11 February Gibraltar Rock on the Rock Club Rock Band, 31 Town Range. Tickets £3.00 available at the door. For further information contact Tel: 20052081

Saturday 12 February to Friday 11 March Art Exhibition Display of works by Gail Francis-Tiron at the Fine Arts Gallery - Grand Casemates Square Mon to Fri 11am to 6pm, Saturday 11am to 2pm. For further information please contact Tel: 20040186 www. gailfrancistiron.com Saturday 12 February Gibraltar Botanic Gardens Tour meet George Don Gates (at the south end of Grand Parade) 10.30am. There is no fee but donations are welcome. For further information contact Tel: 20072639 Email: alameda@wildlife. gib.gi Saturday 12 February Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society Monthly Outing

- La Janda “Birds of open ground, raptors”. Meet 8am – Spanish side of the frontier. For further information contact Keith Bensusan Tel: 54001111 Email: kbensusan@ gonhs.org Tuesday 22 February to Friday 4 March Art Competition for Young Artist. For further information, contact the Ministry of Culture Tel: 20047592 Email: minculture@gibtelecom.net Friday 25th February Glamour Creations 6th Annual Dream Girl Beauty Pageant. For girls aged 10-14. At John Mackintosh Hall Theatre. Ticket £15 from The Nature Shop, Casemates Square. For info Tel: 54000377 or email: glamourcreations@hotmail.com

Med Golf 2011 schedule 28th February 27th March 17th April 15th May May t.b.c. 19th June 31st July 28th August 3rd September 19th September 23rd October 20th November 11th December

Valle Romano, Johnnie Walker Trophy La Canada, The Gala Casino Trophy Marbella, The Famous Grouse Trophy El Paraiso, SG Hambros Ireland Tour, sponsored by Guinness Almenara, Restsso Trading Co. Trophy Estepona, The Halsbury Travel Trophy Montecastillo weekend away Finca Cortesin, Med Golf Masters Rio Real, The Cadbury Trophy Montenmedio, The Barclays Trophy Estepona, The Lord Nelson Trophy Alcaidesa New, Aage Hemple

Med Golf www.medgolf.gi Tel: 200 79575 medgolf@gibraltar.gi

Religious Services Baha’i Faith Tel: 200 73287 www.gibnet. com/bahai email:bahai@gibraltar.gi Bethel Christian Fellowship Tel: 200 52002. Queensway. Sunday service 11am. Church of England Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Tel: 200 78377. Sung Eucharist, Sunday 10.30am. Sunday School. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Suite 21a Don House, 30-38 Main Street. Tel: 200 50433. Sundays 10am. Church of Scotland St Andrew’s, Governor’s Pde. Tel: 200 77040. Worship

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011

& Sunday School 10.30am. Bible Study Tues 7.30pm. Evangelical Bretheren Assembly, Queensway Quay. Sun 11am, Tues Bible Study 6pm, Thurs Prayer Meeting 6pm. Hindu Engineer’s Lane Tel: 200 42515. Jehovah’s Witness 6 Europort Avenue Tel: 200 50186. Jewish 10 Bomb House Lane Tel: 200 72606. Methodist 297 Main St Tel/Fax 200 40870 email minister@methodist.org.gi Minister: Revd Fidel Patron. Sunday 11am Morning Worship, 8pm Evening Service. Prayer meetings Monday+ Wednesday to Friday

7pm and Tuesdays 8pm. Communion celebrated on 2nd and 4th Sunday mornings of the month, and other special occasions. Alpha Course: held Thursdays 8pm. House Groups meet for Christian fellowship, prayer and study on a regular basis Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Sunday School meets Sunday mornings alongside morning worship. Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned, 215 Main St Tel: 200 76688. The Cityline Church 13 Castle St Tel: 200 75755 email: citylinegib@yahoo. com. Meet: Tues 8pm, Sundays 11am.

information

dmission 9.30am to 7pm by tickets (includes entrance to sites - St. Michael’s Cave, Monkey’s Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Military Heritage Centre, ‘A City Under Siege’ Exhibition and Moorish Castle). Facilities closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Adults £10, children 5-12 years: £5, children age 4 and under free, vehicles £2. Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times, tours available by taxi/mini bus. The Natural History & Heritage Park is also reached by cable car (leaves Grand Parade 9.30am-5.15pm Mon-Sun. Last cable down: 5.45pm). 50p per person to walk with no entrance tickets.

he flora and fauna on the Upper Rock are considered to be of great conservational value. It’s a perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing between Europe and Africa, but botanists will also be interested to see over 600 species of flowering plants, including some unique to Gibraltar. Watch out for colourful lizards, non-venemous Horseshoe Whipsnakes, butterflies and pipistrelle bats. Info on flora and fauna is found at the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society’s information centre at Jews Gate. St. Michael’s Cave: The cave comprises an upper hall with five connecting passages and drops of 40-150ft to a smaller hall. A further succession of chambers, some at 250ft below the entrance, is reached through narrow holes. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is used as an auditorium for concerts and theatre. The cave was prepared as a hospital in WWII, but never used. A further series of chambers ending in a mini lake is called Lower St. Michael’s Cave and can be visited with a guide. The Monkeys’ Den: There are around 160 monkeys in the Park and around 30 can be seen at the Monkey’s Den. Often called apes, they are tail-less Barbary Macaques and Europe’s only free living monkeys. £500 fine for feeding the monkeys - don’t do it! The Great Siege Tunnels: Tunnelling in the Rock began during the Great Siege (1779-1783) when France and Spain made an attempt to recapture the Rock while Britain was busy with the American War of Independence. Governor General Elliot offered a reward to any man who could tell him how to mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. It was a Sgt. Major Ince who suggested tunnelling and there are now over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock with various exhibitions inside the tunnels.

of the earliest British building on the Rock. Original graffiti, drawn by duty soldiers to stop themselves falling asleep, is still visible, the earliest dating back to 1726. The Moorish Castle: actually just part of a Moorish town and castle which was built up during the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, spearheaded from Gibraltar in 711AD by Tarik-ibn-Zeyad (“Gibraltar” is a corruption of the Arabic words “Jebel Tarik” - Tarik’s mountain). The part we see today, The Tower of Homage, dates back to 1333AD, when Abu’l Hassan recaptured the Rock from Spain. Natural History & Heritage Park Walks: Med Steps is a stunning walk with the steep climb at the end rewarded with spectacular views of the Rock and Spain. Another recommended walk is St Michael’s Cave through to Charles V Wall but walkers should be relatively fit for both. It is also pleasant walking along the upper rock roads. Brochures available free from all Tourist Board offices. Botanical Gardens: Opened in 1816, the Alameda Botanical Gardens fell into disrepair but are currently being restored to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a stroll beneath pines, dragon trees and palms, and see many of Gibraltar’s native plants as well as exotic species. The shop sells environmentally friendly gifts, plants and seeds. Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking. Nelson’s Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free of charge with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction). Parson’s Lodge: Rosia Road. A narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of underground tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years. Once housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a

unique sandwich of armour plate and teak, known as ‘Gibraltar Shields’. TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. Flat Bastion Magazine Flat Bastion Road, Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar. To visit contact: F. Gomez Tel. 200 44460, P. Hodkinson Tel. 200 43910. Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. Closed 1pm - 2pm. Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar Road, open 9am - 7pm daily (admission free).

Business Information

Gibraltar Financial Services Commission ......Tel: 200 40283/4 website: www.fsc.gi Chamber of Commerce.......Tel: 200 78376 Federation Small Business.Tel: 200 47722 Company Registry...............Tel: 200 78193

Useful Numbers

Airport (general info.)..........Tel: 200 73026 Hospital, St Bernards..........Tel: 200 79700 Weather information.................Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update.......Tel: 200 42777

General Information

Gibraltar Museum.............Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane Open 10am - 6pm (Sat. 10am - 2pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: Adults £2/Children under 12 years £1. Exhibitions also at Casemates gallery. Registry Office...................Tel: 200 72289 It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours of arrival. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon. Rock Tours by Taxi............Tel: 200 70052 As well as offering normal fares, Gibraltar taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Upper Rock, Europa Point and other sites of interest. It is the best way to see the Rock’s major features in a short time.

Emergency Services Emergency calls only: Fire/Ambulance.......................Tel: 190 Police...............................Tel: 199/112 Emergency Number...............Tel: 112

The Military Heritage Centre: Housed in one of the Rock’s many historic batteries, the Military Heritage Centre displays information on the development of Gibraltar’s military defences through the ages. A City Under Siege Exhibition: Exhibits depicting the lives of the civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one

History Alive

Every Saturday morning the Rock’s past is brought alive by a troop of soldiers in 18th century period uniform. The soldiers march from Bomb House Lane at 12 noon to Casemates. At Casemates they carry out a “Ceremony of the Keys” and then march back up Main Street to the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned.

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Gibraltar Bus Company Routes

Tourist Board.....................Tel: 200 74950 Gibraltar Tourist Board, Duke of Kent House, Cathedral Square, Gibraltar. UK Tel: 0207 836 0777 giblondon@aol.com John Mackintosh Hall.......Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends. Bicycle Racks Bicycle parking is provided at the following locations: Europort Road, Casemates Tunnel, Land Port Ditch, Fish Market Road, Commonwealth Car Park, Reclamation Road (by English Steps) + Line Wall Road.

Public Holidays 2011

Gibraltar & United Kingdom New Year’s Day Mon 3rd January (in lieu of Sat 1st January) Commonwealth Day * Mon 14 March Good Friday Fri 22 April Easter Mon 25 April Royal Wedding Fri 29 April May Day Mon 2 May Spring Bank Holiday Mon 30 May Queen’s Birthday * Mon 13 June Late Summer Bank Hol Mon 29 August Gibraltar National Day * Mon 12 September (in lieu of Sat 10 September) Christmas Day Mon 26 December (in lieu of Sun 25 December) Boxing Day Tues 27 December (in lieu of Mon 26 December) *Gibraltar Only Spain Fixed: New Year’s Day 1 January, Epiphany 6 January, St Joseph’s Day 19 March, Labour Day 1 May, St John 24 June, St James 25 July, Assumption Day 15 August, National Day 12 October, All Saints 1 November, Immaculate Conception 8 December, Christmas 25 December Moveable: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Corpus Christi Non-urgent calls: Ambulance Station..........Tel: 200 75728 Police...............................Tel: 200 72500 Gibraltar Services Police: Emergency Nos: ....Tel: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598

The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, 1st Floor 113 Main Street, Gibraltar. Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748

Natural History & Heritage Park

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2011 July 2004

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