Health, Beauty and Conference Centre
For a stylish night out come and visit our newly refurbished Catalan Lounge and Bay View Lounge & Bistro.
International cuisine, live music, great atmosphere.
Come join the Latin Jazz Trio every Wednesday night from 7pm - 10.30pm. Relax mid-week style with one of our amazing cocktails or tantalise your taste buds with one of our tasty dishes.
c a t a l a n lounge & terrace Enjoy afternoon tea or drinks whilst enjoying popular tunes performed by the Valerga Brothers every Friday between 5.30pm - 9.30pm. Perfect for pre-dinner drinks before dining at Nunos our award winning Italian restaurant.
T: (+350) 200 76501 F: (+350) 200 42143 E: reservations@caletahotel.gi www.caletahotel.com Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, PO Box 73, Gibraltar
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editor’s note
AUGUST ISSUE T
he hottest time of the year has arrived and with it a host of summer activities available on the Rock. Fittingly, this edition is crammed with culture, drawing both, from big social events, and some of our most interesting and talented individuals. As always, we strive not to just give you the standard insight, but a look behind the story. They say August is the Sunday of summer so rest, relax and recharge your batteries to make the most of it because Monday is just around the corner! The beautiful cover presented to you this month is a photograph of a Gibraltarian model, Gina Morello, who participated in the spectacular World Bodypainting Festival in Austria. We investigate the extraordinary world of this face and body painting art further with local artist, Bianca Ratcliffe, who found her feet earlier this year at the Gibraltar festival (p. 51). Speaking to the freshly crowned Miss Gibraltar 2015, Hannah Bado, we discuss her winning red dress, Miss World apprehensions, and what it’s like to compete against very good friends (p. 67). As ever, music plays a prominent role in the magazine, featuring Dead City Radio and Tim Garcia, both of which are set to play
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at the Gibraltar Music Festival next month (p.57). Dance returns, with the famed Gibraltarian, Jonathan Lutwyche’s experience competing in Britain’s Got Talent in May (p. 62), and fashion takes a leading role with Runway Gibraltar offering an incredible insight into the industry for those with a passion for it (p. 71). Also, watch out for our feature on the UK’s Submarine Parachute Assistance Group and their training in Gibraltar. Our journalist, Nicole, had the incredible opportunity of joining them on their flight, as they carried out an exercise in the bay (p. 32). In honour of July’s shark week, and following how much fun we had writing about marine life in Gibraltar last month, seasoned diver Steve Warren explores the few documented shark sightings in the Bay of Gibraltar (p. 35). In travel, Elena describes thrills of spending the summer in Switzerland’s Locarno (p. 79) and yet again, Andrew Licudi supprises us, this time with a magnificent French intrigue that shaped the prices of wine we pay to this day (p. 84).
will affect readers (p. 21), Stephen Ball interviews the man behind the marketing for the World Trade Center (p. 24), and Mike Nicholls looks into the property demand and the new Eurotowers development, West One (p. 28). Additionally, we have teamed up with the Gibraltar SPCA and will feature those georgeous, yet abandoned dogs each month to help them find forever homes (p. 15). August is a fleeting month of long, hot days spent in the sand, and exploring new places on long awaited summer holidays. This issue really celebrates the diverse culture and talent we find here in Gibraltar. Catch up on anything you’ve missed, whilst being away, and discover the well-hidden artistic gems we proudly present to the rest of the world.
Anna
In business, Ian Le Breton outlines the Chief Minister’s annual budget address, clarifying many of the points and how they GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2015
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contents 8 NEWS 15 Adopt a dog 16 Around Town 18 Hello there: Lottery
FINANCE, BUSINESS, PROPERTY 21 24 26 28 30
The Budget Speech 2015 Making Something - The man behind the WTC Human Resources - CIPD Gibraltar Tax Budget Time Again The West One Rush
LIFE 32 36 42 44 46 48 20 # 10 August 2015 Cover: Georgina Morello
Submarines and Parachutes - SPAG Environment: Scouting for Sharks R U Hella Fleek? - Slang Tribute to a friend - Sir Robert Peliza History: The first assignment History: Whipping in Gibraltar
SCENE
© Dino Chincotta
Contributing writers: Ian Le Breton, Stephen Ball, Leah Carnegie, Louise Gonçalves, Mike Nicholls, Steve Warren, Eve Maddock-Jones, Elena Scialtiel, Reg Reynolds, Alex Orfila, Andrew Licudi.
The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by Rock Publishing Ltd Portland House, Suite 4, Glacis Road, Gibraltar T: (+350) 20077748 | E: info@thegibraltarmagazine.com Copyright © 2015 Rock Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine.
www.TheGibraltarMagazine.com
Magazine & website archived by the British Library
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The quality of a magazine reflects on the businesses that advertise within it. The Gibraltar Magazine is Gibraltar’s quality magazine packed with great, readable content. We don’t have pushy sales people, so get in touch if you have a business or strategy to promote in Gibraltar. We will explain your options within your budget and help you with artwork if you need us to. We are passionate about what we do and about our home, Gibraltar.
50 Body Painting - Re-inventing traditional art 56 Smoke and Mirrors - Dead City Radio 60 When the Rain Comes - Tim Garcia 62 Jonathan Lutwyche - Britain’s Got Talent 66 Claiming the Title - Miss Gibraltar 2015
LEISURE 70 74 79 82 84
Fashion: Behind the Runway Fashion: Runway 2015 Report Travel: Summer in Locarno Gardens: Gibraltar Beautified Wine: Intrigue in Bordeaux
86 Guides and Information 98 Coffee Time and Schedules
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Editor: Anna Kolesnik anna@thegibraltarmagazine.com Head Journalist: Nicole Macedo nicole@thegibraltarmagazine.com Distribution: Jordan Brett jordan@thegibraltarmagazine.com Accounts: Paul Cox paul@thegibraltarmagazine.com 7
news
BIODIVERSITY AT YOUNG ENTERPRISE NATIONALS
L
ocal Young Enterprise Company, BioDiversity were last month voted second runners up at the Young Enterprise finals. Competing for the title of UK Company of the Year, the homegrown company comprised of seven Bayside Comprehensive A level students offered their product, a children’s book with an environmental theme. The company’s mantra is ‘to positively impact the deteriorating environment we live in today’. They aim to shift society’s attitude towards the environment by targeting children, ‘the stewards of the world’. Their mission is teach them at an early age, to help them achieve their goal. Aimed at children between the ages of two and seven years, the story follows ‘Sammy the Sunflower’ facing life against environmentally unfriendly impacts. The book is printed entirely on recycled paper and comes with sunflower seeds
to encourage children to grow their own. The company has also developed a range of educational and fun apps and activity books to further push their message. At the Gibraltar Young Enterprise finals BioDiversity not only won the title, but also best innovation and production and the financial management award. Presenting their product in the UK, BioDiversity had the opportunity to feature on the BBC Breakfast show, where they insisted that their profit at that point was almost £3,700. The Adventures of Sammy the Sunflower has seen great success locally, with books now found in schools, local bookshops and the Garrison Library. The story has also had an incredible reach, with young students in a Barcelona International School being huge fans of the tale. The company is extremely active on Social Media and can be found on Facebook at /BioDiversity.ye
GRADUATION SUCCESS FOR GIBTELECOM APPRENTICES
G
ibtelecom, last month celebrated the graduation of the Communications Apprenticeship Scheme’s third intake. Michael Benitez; Kairon Morillo; and Craig Lima successfully completed their BTEC Diploma in Professional Competence for IT & Telecoms Professionals. The scheme was initially launched in 2008 and has
seen great success since. Speaking at the celebratory ceremony, Gibtelecom CEO Tim Bristow explained that the four-year programme was designed ‘to give young people valuable communications, IT and related skills. They will go a long way to serve not only Gibtelecom’s requirements but those of the wider community.’
Honouring the graduates with their certificates, Minister for Economic Development Joe Bossano explained that ‘when it comes to technical knowledge there is a need to acquire the necessary skills to meet new challenges, and that this is essential to ensure the continuing success of Gibraltar’s economy.’ Commenting on Gibtelecom he added that they had been a ‘key foundation of that economy as communications in today’s world plays such an important role.’ With the scheme having started in 2008, the first intake graduated in 2012. Sixteen apprentices successfully completed the scheme and all have taken up jobs with Gibtelecom. The initial stages of the course sees apprentices carry out a three month NVQ Level 1 is basic hand skills at GibDock, followed by structured training with Gibtelecom over the course of four years. The scheme also sees apprentices compete a street works and health and safety course with BT in the UK. A reception at the Rock Hotel followed.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
news
OPEN AIR SUMMER CINEMA LAUNCHED
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programme of classic, well-loved, family films will be shown open air, in the Commonwealth Park over the next few weeks. The project, organized between the Ministry of Culture and Environment, and Leisure Cinemas, will offer locals the opportunity to catch some of their favourite movies in beautiful surroundings.
Sundays will be dedicated to children and family entertainment, whilst Tuesday nights will cater towards older film fans, with the likes of Jaws, Superman, classic Bond films, musicals and sing-alongs to be shown. The line up in July included Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Stones in the Park concert film, The Lion King and Life is Beautiful.
The project commenced last month, with Greece having already been show. Films are free to watch and audience members are able to purchase refreshments and rent out picnic blankets against a small deposit. Films are currently shown on Tuesday and Sunday nights as from 10pm via a large screen at the North end of the park, allowing for spectators to sit on the lawn.
Screenings in an open-air venue are of course subject to cancellation due to adverse weather conditions, especially high winds which can sometimes be experienced even during the summer months. Organisers have noted that if they receive enough of a demand for a specific film, they will try and make arrangements, pending licensing approval.
Ceramic Tiles Op onal installa on service available @ÂŁ15m2 Floors, @ÂŁ20m2 Walls D&H Ceramics 60, Devils Tower Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 70100 Fax: +350 200 76018 Email: ceramics@gibtelecom.net Web: www.dhceramics.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
20% Discount on all Ceramic Tiles! Offer Available from August to the end of 2015 9
Special Offer: 2
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THE RECRUIT CLASS 2015 PASSING OUT PARADE
T
he Recruit Class 2015 passing out parade took place on the evening of the 1st July. Twenty weeks of training was finally met with seventeen successful Royal Gibraltar Police and ten Gibraltar Defence Police recruits marching under the command of Inspector Field, from the Piazza to Casemates Square. The Band and Corp of Drums of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment accompanied the recruits, together with The Lowland Band of the Regiment of Scotland. The Chief Minister, the Hon. Fabian Picardo followed by H.E. The Governor, Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton arrived. Accompanied by the Commissioner Of Police Edward Yome CPM and the Gibraltar Defence Police’s Chief Police Officer Rob Allen, the Governor proceeded to inspect the class.
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Recruits were presented with certificates by Mrs Naomi Hassan-Weisfogel of the Gibraltar Police Authority with the three awards going to: The Solomon Levy Award PC 59 Almeida Best Academic Award PC 108 Vallee All Round Recruit - GDP PC 55 Chrayeh In his speech, the Chief Minister highlighted the prestige associated with their forming part of the RGP and GDP. He congratulated the recruits and they advanced in review order for the Royal Salute. The class then marched around Casemates Square and saluted H.E. The Governor with an eyes right. Family members and distinguished guests celebrated at the Passing Out Reception, held at the IPA Club.
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
news
ACTION4SCHOOLS SIERRA LEONE CHARITY
L
OL Productions donated all the earning from their show ‘Show Time at Tea Time.’ held on the Sunborn to the Action4schools charity endeavour. The charity builds orphanages, schools and water latrines for children in Sierra Leone. The LOL Productions team handed the charity a cheque for £2500 after great success with their sold out show. The money will be used to provide a water well to a primary school in Sierra Leone. Formerly, Jimmy Bruzon, who heads the charity, worked under the AKIN Sierra Leone project providing school repairs. In 2013, he registered the Action4kids charity, with the aim that ‘action turns hope into reality.’ Their work involves providing schools with ‘a solid building,
a clean source of water, good quality furniture, good lighting and ventilation, books, stationery and sports equipment, a power generator, electrical fittings and very importantly latrines and adequate sanitation facilities.’ The LOL productions team ‘were thrilled at having managed to raise enough to provide a water well to a needy school in Sierra Leone.’ Organiser Jessie Hansen explained that with Action4schools they ‘can seen where the money goes to and the support given to schools is accountable and direct.’ A further donation of £500 was made recently to the charity, by the Gibraltar Students Association who raised the funds
CLIMBING THE THREE PEAKS FOR WOMEN IN NEED
T
he National Three Peaks Challenge involves climbing Scotland, England and Wales’ highest mountains; Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon respectively in less than 24 hours. Liz Quinn, Kerry Peters and Kerry Graham, all from the local insurance manager the Quest Group have committed to undertaking that task on 1st and 2nd August this year. In so doing, they are raising funds for the local women’s refuge, Women In Need and the British Heart Foundation. Quest has sponsored previous charitable expeditions, for example, Liz and Kerry Peters climbed Kilamanjaro two years ago whilst Kerry Graham ran last year’s London Marathon. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
from school projects over the last few months. A level students; Kelly Ballestrino, Lesley Posso, Samantha Bensadon, Nifa Sellirs, Michael Mansfield, Tino Canessa, Patrick McElwee and David Sanchez wished to contribute to the charity’s ongoing water well campaign.
Chesterton’s Jacky Carreras-Dyer hands over a cheque for £500 to Liz Quinn and Kerry Peters from Quest
This year, these three fearless females have combined to reach new heights. Liz Quinn told us, ‘Quest has a long standing history of supporting good causes and over the eleven years that we have been operating we have raised approximately £50,000 for a variety of charities. Each year, we try and make the event more challenging.’ Jacky Carreras-Dyer from Chesterton added ‘we have followed Quest’s charitable escapades for a number of years now and will always seek to support local causes, for example Women In Need, where we can. It is part of our business model to help the less well off in our community.’
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GIBRALTAR’S LYNX FC HOST UEFA FUTSAL QUALIFIER
O
ver two years on from being granted UEFA status, football in Gibraltar is thriving. Whilst the National team continues to compete for a space in the European Qualifiers, the Association has agreed to allow for Gibraltar to host a UEFA grade preliminary mini tournament as part of the UEFA Futsal Cup. ‘The first UEFA grade tournament to be help in Gibraltar,’ Lynx FC Marketing Director Jonathan Costa tells me, ‘this will be the second year a Gibraltarian team will be participating in this competition.’ This year the relatively recently founded Lynx FC, based on Europa Road, will come up against top quality teams from Finland, Norway and Scotland from 25th August – 30th. The club was founded by former boxer Albert Parody in 2007, and currently plays in the Gibraltar Football Association’s premier division. In 2009, the yellow and black clad lads moved into the second division, winning the championship and boasting an unbeatable record. The club underwent a process of major investment in 2013, building their almost crumbling premises into a state of the art club headquarters. Currently the team lies in the top three of the Premier League. They were one of the first clubs to be granted their UEFA Club License and during a tournament in May the club headed the D&H Ceramics 1st division futsal league table, just two DevilsGlacis TowerUtd. Road,Winning Gibraltarthe five a points60, above Tel: +350 200 70100 side, indoor game’s league opened up the Fax: +350 200 76018 opportunity to participate in the next level Email: ceramics@gibtelecom.net Web: www.dhceramics.com preliminary qualifiers, working towards the UEFA Futsal Cup. Outlining the futsal
D&H Ceramics 60, Devils Tower Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 70100 Fax: +350 200 76018 Email: ceramics@gibtelecom.net Web: www.dhceramics.com
team, Jonathan explains ‘we have many players that have slowly integrated into futsal from 11 a side. We also have players from the outside. We’re competing in a world where people have this as their main job; it’s their profession. We’ve got players here that have to find time for training because they’re working. It’s mind boggling how we can actually compete at that level.’ The team’s futsal manager Nick Rodriguez has a colourful history in football. The team includes national team player Duanne Robba, who plays defence and national team captain Christian Sanchez.
tournament, Jonathan explains. The GFA’s proposal to UEFA was closely analyzed. Their aim for the event is to garner as much exposure for Gibraltar, as possible, ‘ we need to make a good first impression and show off the beauty of the game as well, and what Gibraltar has to offer. We need to leverage off the UEFA exposure that we’ve been granted.’ Jonathan speaks of media coverage by magazines and news outlets in Norway, ‘I’ve made the most of selling Gibraltar,’ he insisted. I ask what the futsal standard is like in Gibraltar and Jonathan is adamant that it ‘is of a high standard. We wouldn’t be in this Op onal installa on service competition otherwise. We’re turning a lot available @£15m2 Floors, of heads. The teams are looking forward @£20m2 Walls to playing against us.’ The feedback locally has been immensely supportive and filled with pride. Many of the local fans will have never travelled to a UEFA game and will therefore be able to experience it for the first time in their lives.
Ceramic Tiles
The tournament will be held at the Tercentenary Hall, which Jonathan says qualifies under UEFA standards. In order to have been awarded the honour of hosting the preliminary qualifiers, Gibraltar had to meet a host of criteria, covering facilities and hospitality for both teams and fans, and the state of the venue. The GFA, who made the proposal to UEFA liaisingfrom August to the end of 2015 Offerare Available closely with them in the run up to the Ticket information will be available at a later date.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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community
P
uppies in pet shops may be hard to resist, but before you buy one of them, consider that every time you pay all this money for a puppy you know nothing about, a lonely dog in a shelter is deprived of their chance for a loving home. We have a moral obligation to strive to end the overpopulation of unwanted, homeless dogs, and buying from breeders and shops means supporting the market that treats animals as commodities.
MEET RUBY
If you see a case of abuse, please report this to the police as they have the power to intervene. After that, please forward details to GSPCA@mail.com to allow them to follow up. For any cases of abandonment please use the same contact details. Donations of blanket, food, beds and toys are always welcome. If you want to donate any items, you can drop them off at K9 grooming parlour opposite the ICC. To contact GSPCA, call Rob on 54013723.
MEET STAR
T
he Gibraltar Magazine has recently visited the local SPCA, or ‘Gibraltar’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ in full, to check on the condition of our animal welfare system and see how we can help. In the next issue of the magazine, we will write a full report from the visit and let you know how you can get involved. In the meantime, we are featuring two beautiful young girls who are looking for a forever home. Ruby and Star were born at the shelter. Their mum, Mable, came in expecting, had Star (left), and then despite being spayed, got pregnant again, giving birth to the gorgeous Ruby (above) six months later. The two sisters are very playful together, love life, people and other dogs. They are small cross breed terriers, dusty in colour and colourful in personality. Suitable for all ages, they would make wonderful pets together or separately. Being so small, they don’t need too much exercise but love and affection is mandatory. Star is 18 months old and Ruby just turned 1 year. Both had their puppy injections and come with green cards.
ADOPT A DOG TODAY
Can’t adopt? Foster. Can’t foster? Sponsor. Can’t sponsor? Voluneer. Can’t volunteer? Donate. Can’t donate? Educate. Everyone can do something to save a life. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Registered Charity No. 127
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around town
Š Core Photography
E
L
arly in the month, students left school for their summer break bringing about the initiation of the ever-popular Summer Nights programme of events, to run on Thursday and Saturday nights throughout the months of July and August. Performing on the inaugural evening was The Show Dance Co. & Transitions Dance Co.
Š Derek Booth
ast month, we honoured prominent businessman Sol Seruya at a memorial service four months after his passing, in March. The service drew a host of the most high profile local figures including the Governor, Mayor, government ministers, former government ministers, Jewish community president James Levy, and members of the Muslim community.
L
ast month also saw the inaugural Literary Festival event, launching the 2015 festival. Set for November of this year, Tourist Board CEO Nicky Guerrero thanked festival sponsors, press, civil servants, Garrison Library staff and other prominant figures in the community, for their support of the festival, promising to announce the line up of authors and speakers on the next couple of months. The Garrison Library garden setting proved a picturesque surrounding for the dinner.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
around town
T
© DM Parody www.dotcom.gi/photos
he Festival of Colours brought together a throng of dance music fans to Europa Point. Local deejays and international acts Tinchy Stryder, Stanton Warroirs, Andrew Galea and Miguel Campbell played to a vibrant crowd.
J
© ulookfierce.com
uly has surely been one of the busiest months of the year, thus far. It seems it was the month of beauty, with Miss and Mrs. Gibraltar and Miss Glamour 2015 crowned.
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hello there
Katie Debono, 25 Administrator, Sovereign Insurance
Mayte, 45 Senior Company Administrator, Fiduciary
Debra Pott, 46 Shop Owner, Chique Botique
I would donate a large amount to charity and give a good bulk to my loved ones. I would also buy myself a car and my very own island!
I’d pay off my mortgage, make sure my family were all taken care of, buy myself a couple of nice cars, and try to enjoy life with my family without financial pressure.
I would expand my business and help other small businesses in Gibraltar. I’d also help others by donating to charities, friends and family.
Also, I would donate part of the funds to children in need anywhere in the world.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF
Angela Johnson, 42 Company Director, Get Joost
Inez Fraga Smith, 11 Sacred Heart Middle School
Jennifer Halkett, 50 TEFL Teacher
I would seek professional advice on how to preserve and grow the sum of money I won so that I could give generously to family and friends and become a serious benefactor to charities we already support.
I would give it to charity and children in Africa who need it. I would also buy a big house so I can get a dog.
I’d buy two horses and a couple of greyhounds to race them. On a worldly issue I’d donate to poverty and cruelty.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
hello there
Jamie Ghio, 42 Senior Chart Agent, Gibraltar Chart Agency
Geoff Vibert, 40 IT Director, Cube
I would buy a nice car and then buy a house and have a big party for all my friends and family.
I’d buy a boat with a mobile working environment so the boat is my go anywhere office and home all in one!
Nicholas Rocca, 33 Hair Dresser, Urban Angels First, I would take me and my family on a lovely holiday. Then, buy loads of fast cars, and invest the left over money.
YOU WON THE LOTTERY?
Joe, 58 Sales Manager, La Casa del Havano I would use the money to go on a permanent holiday.
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Luca Ciccone, 27 Barman, The Ocean Restaurant I would give some to my family so they won’t bother me anymore. Then I’d take a flight to a Caribbean Island and build my own bar so I can work there for fun and not because I have to.
Jordan Brett, 19 Distribution Officer, The Gibraltar Magazine I’d invest in a football club and buy the best players in the world. Once we are the champions, I’d start my own line of products and donate the money generated from the company to several charities. 19
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finance, business, property words | Ian Le Breton
THE BUDGET SPEECH 2015 Delving into the budgetary briefcase
O
ne of the most enduring impressions for visitors to Gibraltar is its Britishness. And it’s not just the red post and telephone boxes. Anyone who happened to be outside our Parliament on 22 June this year, would have seen Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, arriving to deliver this year’s Budget address. The speech was even carried in a Westminster-style dispatch box. I thought I might delve inside that box for this month’s article. Typically, measures announced in Gibraltar’s Budget are analysed comprehensively (and very swiftly) in the excellent briefings provided by Gibraltar’s accountancy firms. So, I don’t propose to repeat the exercise some six weeks after the event. Rather, I thought it might be useful to consider the broader messages contained in the address. As we approach the next general election – this Budget is the last before we go to
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
the polls again – those with an interest in politics will be scrutinising closely the state of Gibraltar’s finances. Without straying into politics, I think it safe to say that this Budget, despite the temptations attendant on all politicians as they seek our votes, could by no means be described as a “giveaway” one. The Gibraltar electorate is far too savvy to fall for that sort of trick anyway. So, let’s start by taking a look at the highlights of the Budget speech, which in fact, more closely resembles a US-style “State of the Union” address than the strictly financial proposals contained in the British Chancellor’s version. Although the Chief Minister’s brief extends to other areas, I will restrict my comments to the budgetary element only. Inflation remains at very low levels although GDP is forecast to grow at double-digit rates to reach £1.64bn in 2014/15. Put another way, Gibraltar now
ranks third in the world in the International Monetary Fund’s per capita GDP ranking – behind only Qatar and Luxembourg. It is probably useful to look at this a little more closely. I have discussed GDP in some detail in previous articles. The acronym stands for Gross Domestic Product and, broadly speaking, represents the total value of a country’s output – including both goods and services (or “visibles” and “invisibles” to use economic parlance). This national figure is then divided by a country’s population size to produce a GDP share for each individual – the “per capita” sum. Some commentators may argue that to compare an economy of the scale of Gibraltar’s with other economies worldwide and conclude that we rank third is misleading. Other economies may certainly be larger and more diverse than ours, but the fact remains that our small territory has an annual output that must be the 21
finance envy of other small countries – and, I’m sure, quite a few larger ones too. According to the Budget, tax receipts were up across the board and that the government reported a net surplus of over £50m – a figure that stands up rather well in comparison to almost any other country you can think of in today’s uncertain climate. A “Budget surplus” – that is the excess of government receipts over payments – is a very rare creature indeed in a world where so many governments run deficits, both current and structural. Employment locally is now at a record high of 24,222 and average earnings have risen to £28,244. This is for me one of the best measures of our economic progress. This is all very reassuring but, as I have said on many occasions over the years, we should resist any feeling of complacency. Not every sector is growing and, whilst unemployment remains encouragingly low, the global economic situation has taken its toll. Gibraltar may be autonomous in respect of policy that lies outside the UK and EU ambits, but we are certainly not immune to external shocks. We cannot, for instance, influence interest rates, the value of the pound or the price of oil.
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We can take comfort that our economy as a whole is undoubtedly growing. Employment generation, especially new job opportunities, is to be welcomed given its positive “knock on” effect on the wider economy. Despite the global recession, for instance, the firm I work for has seen a significant uplift in business over the last few years. Our staff in Gibraltar has doubled in the ten years I’ve been here and today we employ more than 100 people. There will have been a corresponding increase in the tax being paid into government revenues and the money being spent on Gibraltar goods and services. If you multiply that by all the other businesses that have taken on staff, then it’s not difficult to see why job creation should be one of the key drivers to future success. Now, we turn to the proposed changes announced in the Budget. Individuals under the allowance or gross based systems will benefit from reduced tax rates or increased allowances respectively. For those new to Gibraltar, individuals can elect to pay under either system – there are even some allowances under the gross based system too!
There is plenty of assistance available to determine which version suits an individual best and taxpayers can switch easily from one to the other. I recommend that everyone should monitor any changes made year on year to ensure they are optimising their tax position. Businesses saw some important changes too. Capital allowances will be introduced for intangible assets – which cover things like patents, copyrights, franchises, goodwill, trademarks and trade names – while all newly-established businesses will be able to claim 100% of their eligible capital allowances in the first year of trade. An allowance for research and development expenditure is also on the cards. These allowances will enable Gibraltar businesses to offset more business costs before assessing their corporate tax liability, which is hugely helpful. And, with the possible exception of local audit firms, most com-
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finance
panies will also welcome the increase in the threshold for audited accounts being required by £250,000 to £1.25 million of turnover a year. More welcome news comes in the form of a proposed tax amnesty to encourage those with undeclared income overseas to “wipe the slate clean” by paying 5% of the amount in question before 21 December this year. After this date any outstanding amounts are potentially subject to a penalty of up to 100% of the tax in question.
My firm has been assisting clients around the world over the past few years as they prepare for the new system of automatic exchange of information between national governments. Since the G20 nations threw their weight behind the OECD’s transparency initiative in 2013, progress has been astonishingly rapid and within the next two years there will simply be nowhere to hide. The proposed Gibraltar scheme is particularly generous and anyone with GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
any concerns about their overseas assets should seek immediate advice. Finally, there was no announcement in the Budget about Gibraltar’s Category 2 residency regime, which is currently under review. I understand that the government is continuing to assess its overall offering for high net worth individuals seeking to establish local residence. The ability to attract and retain such people is highly important to small economies; not just for their consumption but for their expertise and entrepreneurial input. I look forward to some certainty in this area being confirmed in due course. Overall then, the Budget painted a very positive picture for Gibraltar although the ensuing debate on levels of government debt has, I think, signalled the start of what promises to be an intriguing debate as we approach the election later this year. Whatever your politics, the local economy – and its place in the wider world – is of huge significance to all of us and we should all continue to take an interest.
I close by extending grateful thanks to my good friend Darren Anton, Senior Tax Manager at KPMG Gibraltar, who assisted me with the figures quoted in this article and who continues to answer my questions after every Budget speech with patience and wisdom.
Ian Le Breton is Managing Director of Sovereign Trust (Gibraltar) Limited Tel: +350 200 76173 Email: ilebreton@ SovereignGroup.com
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business words | Stephen Ball Relationship Manager, Barclays
MAKING SOMETHING Pete Burgess, the man behind the WTC
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ast month, I wrote about the many development projects underway in Gibraltar, in particular the forthcoming Superyacht terminal. This month, the theme continues as I recently caught up with Pete Burgess, Head of Sales and Marketing for the World Trade Center, to learn more about this new development and to hear about his career to date. Construction of the new WTC is already well underway and is scheduled to open its doors mid-2016 with much of the preliminary work now complete. The building will comprise 15,158 SqM of Cat A office space, making it the single largest office building in Gibraltar, conveniently located just ten minute walk from the border. Once fully open, the WTC is expected to become the hub of the local business community, offering a world-class working environment. Tenants already signed up cover a range of industries from Asset Managers and International Auditors to Marine and e-Gaming operators.
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Construction of the WTC is timely as there is currently a shortage of new, modern office space in Gibraltar. This project, along with the many others currently in progress, will help to further enhance Gibraltar as an International Finance Centre, able to attract and support larger multi-national businesses. Gibraltar is an attractive location, enhanced by the ability to passport EU licenses which is vital to businesses operating in financial services (i.e banking, insurance and funds).
What is your business background?
As Head of Sales and Marketing, Pete has been instrumental in attracting many of the new tenants waiting to move in to the property once completed. It is already 80% pre-let or sold with just 3,000 SqM across twelve units still available, with just over a year remaining to final completion. Pete’s primary role over the next 12 months is to deliver all aspects of WTC’s business development activity to ensure the highest possible occupancy rate at property completion.
I did loads of holiday jobs from working in the dispatch department of Rimmel cosmetics putting small boxes into bigger boxes and sending them off round the world, to various construction sites. As a student in Brighton I worked in bars and nightclubs and my first “proper” job was on the First Leisure Graduate Management Programme. I was Assistant Manager, South Pier, Blackpool which was an education in itself.
I started off in Corporate Business Development with Avis, Accor Hotels and Saatchi & Saatchi before forming my own Sales & Marketing Agency in 1996. I have worked with a range of clients including RBS, Lloyds Private Banking, Lombard, ABN AMRO, BT, AMD, Alcatel, Fujitsu Siemens, Network Appliance and Neilson Holidays. What was your very first job?
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business my wife is reading this she will just have fallen off her chair. How did you first get involved with Gibraltar? I came to Gibraltar in 2009 and set up a Business Development agency here with a partner. We did some work I’m very proud of including writing a strategic plan for the development of Gibraltar as a financial jurisdiction on behalf of the Finance Centre Council, many of the recommendations of which have now been adopted. We also ran the first KPMG e-gaming summit which, I’m glad to say, has gone from strength to strength. Pete Burgess, Head of Sales and Marketing for the World Trade Center, Gibraltar
If you hadn’t chosen your current career, is there another career path you would have liked to pursue? Probably music. I played in a band for years and to this day I’m an embarrassment at Karaoke. All my kids play instruments and our house is full of music all the time which I think is great. I also have a sad fascination with houses so I’m probably a frustrated architect. What is the best thing about your job? Making something. It’s great to be involved with something that’s physical and real so that you can point at it and say “I helped make that”. Most of us never get the chance to say that.
looked at the possibility of taking the UK licence. In the end we decided against it as we didn’t believe we had the funds to get the distribution required. Hindsight is a perfect science… Any ambitions not yet fulfilled? Well, I haven’t appeared at Glastonbury yet... Best advice anyone has given to you?
In the world we live in today I would say “Blue Ocean Strategy”. The internet is turning assets into commodities and we need to understand the new monetisation model.
I may have covered this already on listening, but I was also given some advice years ago in a sports / social context that has also stuck with me. I was about to take over captaincy of the 1st team at Brighton Hockey Club. A guy who knew I was going to drop him said that even if we won every game and every completion we were in, there would still be a percentage of the club that thought I was doing a bad job. (Actually he put it a little more graphically than that!) It’s an old adage, but you can’t please all the people all the time. You can only do the best you can do.
Describe a time when you made the wrong decision.
What was the first record you ever bought?
This article isn’t long enough! There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes. That’s how you learn. Making the same mistake twice, however, that’s a problem. Actually, in the late 80’s, a friend of mine was on secondment in Vienna and we discovered Red Bull. At that time, it didn’t exist outside Austria and my friend and I
The first album was definitely “Slayed” by Slade from 1972. Hard to believe now!
What book do you think that every business person should read?
What movie (no matter how many times you’ve watched it) do you have to watch, when it comes on? I’m easily pleased with movies so give me a Star Wars or Indiana Jones and I’m there.
What is the single most important reason for your success? I think I’m good at understanding and identifying what it is that people really want and need, which is not necessarily what they tell you they want or need. Years ago I was given some good advice which was “You have two ears and one mouth: use them in proportion”. I think pro-active listening is a key skill and I have always tried to implement that advice. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? My family. No competition. From a business perspective it would probably be building my agency from nothing with almost zero investment. Having said that, if I had my time again I’d do it differently. I believed being debt free was the best route, but I now recognise that having the capital available to fund growth is more important. What is the least favourite part of doing what you do? Admin. I’m not a natural administrator. If GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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business words | Leah Carnegie The HR Dept.
HUMAN RESOURCES Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Gibraltar Branch has a new Chair
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ith a new financial year upon us, Lesley Louise has stepped into the post of Chair for the CIPD Gibraltar Branch (formerly known the HR Forum). After the AGM, we took some time out to interview Lesley on her new post and challenges.
We also aim to promote the HR profession in Gibraltar as a serious contributor to local business, as trusted and respected business partners. We do this under the umbrella of a professional and chartered body which has been setting the benchmark for excellence in people and organisation development for over 100 years.
What is the aim of the CIPD Gibraltar Branch?
And to run an annual conference on topical HR issues which will appeal to both HR and other business professionals across a wide range of sectors in Gibraltar. Our first conference in 2014 was a great success, and we hope to make this year’s even better. Keep Wednesday 21st October free in your diaries, we promise to make it an event worth attending.
In line with CIPD UK, we aim to champion better work and working lives. That is a commitment to find the balance between the construct of work itself and people’s experience at work (their working lives), to create a win-win situation for everyone. We believe that good people management and development is not only good for individuals, but it’s also crucial to the success of businesses and the local economy. We believe that happy employees will be more engaged, more productive which will have a positive effect on the bottom line. As I said before, win-win. 26
How does the branch add value to the community? The branch adds value to the community by raising awareness of the key issues surrounding the world of work, engaging with
policy and decision makers to find ways of making the world of work in Gibraltar a better, fairer and dare I say, happier place for more people than ever before. We also actively encourage our members to work towards obtaining CIPD qualifications and therefore Chartered status, supporting them in that goal thus giving employers and employees in Gibraltar a professional body to look after their HR employment needs. What is your role and committees role within the branch? The role of the Branch Chair is to lead the activities of the branch, but having said that, our committee in Gibraltar work so well as a team, sharing responsibility, I probably have an easier task in that respect than some CIPD Branch Chairs do. I act as the main contact for CIPD UK and will represent the branch at National CIPD events. There are twelve of us on GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
business profession. HR is still under-represented locally at Board level, and that is where I would dearly love to see a shift change in the near future. Creating aha moments of clarity for business leaders, when they realise that HR has a role to play in the development, execution and success of future business strategies. The world of work is changing and HR understands the constantly shifting, evolving and fluctuating needs of the next generation workforce. Our final challenge is ensuring that HR is leading the way on how best to develop people strategies that manage the workforce of the future.
© Nicky Sanchez
How can someone become a member and how does the branch support its members?
Lesley Louise, Chartered MCIPD
the committee, with Sylvia Kenna as Vice Chair, Pete Yeoman as Treasurer and Karen Mulhearn as Secretary. The other committee members are Lourdes Barea (ex Branch Chair), Mandy Serra, Jo Abergel, Leah Carnegie, Susan Beresford, Sarah Noon, Joseph Gomez and Darrien Ramos. The committee is broken down into four working groups namely: • Membership Taking care of our membership applications, fees and advising would be members of the benefits of becoming a member of our branch. • Learning and Development Researching and developing events and activities which our members want and need to enhance their skills and help to develop their HR knowledge and expertise
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• Event Management
The branch meets regularly throughout the year for training and networking events. It is open to anyone whose job involves an element of Human Resources, whether or not they are a member of the CIPD in the UK. Membership is £25 per year which allows our members to attend all of those events free of charge. We have a mentoring programme in place to offer support to those who want it, no matter what stage in their HR career they are. Contact: Gibraltar@cipdbranch.co.uk
Dealing with the logistics involved in the realisation of the L&D group’s plans. • Communication What it says on the tin, the communications group is responsible for communication with all members, potential members and other interested parties through our CIPD webpage, LinkedIn (Gibraltar CIPD Branch), Facebook (Gibraltar CIPD Branch (formerly known as the HR Forum)) and Twitter (@HRGibraltar ) What are the challenges for HR in Gibraltar? The challenges for HR in Gibraltar are many but I’d say that amongst the main challenges would be for companies to understand the added value of the HR
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property words | Louise Gonçalves
Tax Partner, Deloitte Ltd
TAX BUDGET TIME AGAIN What does it actually mean for you?
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t’s Tax Budget time again! A time where an array of economic statistics, changes in allowances, rates and duties are all delivered by the Chief Minister in his address to Parliament. Being the last Budget before the next Government elections, it is no surprise that there were high expectations of a promising Budget. Furthermore, given the impressive, mindboggling statistics ranking Gibraltar 3rd in the world for GDP per capita, a Government Budget surplus estimated at £51.3 million amongst other things, a positive Budget was surely on its way. But once you wade through all the Budget measures and information overload, what does it all really mean for you? Well, it is clear that there is an underlying theme of environmental awareness, time to re-think buying filament bulbs and twostroke motorcycles, the cost of these being increased due to a hike in import duty. 28
Thankfully, your electricity and water bills should not go up as these charges remain static, unless of course, the summer continues this way forcing additional air-conditioner/fan usage and random cold showers – of course the power supply interruptions may balance this out! Good news for all those waiting for the completion of Beach View Terraces and Mons Calpe Mews, they will benefit from a rates holiday in their first year, with a 10% increase thereafter until 100% is reached on the 11th year. Welcomed savings which can be used towards fitting out your new homes. Also, it is worth noting that local suppliers of flooring, carpets etc. may be more competitive than they have been in the past when compared to Spanish suppliers given the reduction in import duties in this area. We shall see if this saving is passed on to customers. The benefits of home purchasing are not only limited to these new developments, GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
property first time and second time buyers across the board will not pay stamp duty on the first £260,000 of the cost of the property, regardless of the total cost of said property. In the case of first time buyers, the home purchase allowance and deduction has been increased for both taxation systems respectively i.e. Allowance Based system and Gross Income Based system (“GIBS”). The GIBs also received an increased deduction for mortgage payments. Therefore, overall good news for those purchasing a new home or upgrading to their second, although note, however, that your housewarming parties may be a little more expensive, given the increase in import duties on alcohol, although, no doubt the parties will be worth it! If you have any spare funds left over, it may be worth keeping a look out for the tax incentives which will be provided linked to an investment in the savings bank. Or, you can go old school and set up a life insurance policy or increase the premiums of your existing one as the tax saving on these are no longer capped at 17%. In a nutshell, although not a flashy Budget, there are benefits to be had by most, if not all. I look forward to the housewarming party invites and with luck, maybe throw one myself.
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property words | Mike Nicholls
THE WEST ONE RUSH Why Property Development Should Be Welcomed
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ast month, some 90 apartments at West One, Eurotowers were sold in a matter of days. The market response to the launch was truly amazing, we all expected strong sales, however, we did not expect every studio apartment to sell within 48 hours and every one bedroom apartment in 72 hours. It may have set a new Gibraltar record for the speed with which the (open market) apartments sold. There remains pent up demand in the market place for properties priced such that the swathes of employees in Gibraltar who do not qualify for the local market due to the three year residency rule can purchase or rent them. Gibraltar needs more “West One’s” if it wishes to attract and retain employers who want their staff to live in Gibraltar not Spain, and at rents the employees can afford. This off-plan success follows the pattern of recent development launches. The lack
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of affordable property in the open market remains a real concern. Demand exceeds supply by some margin. The success of West One was not so much about the value in terms of price per square metre, it was the absolute prices of each unit. The smallest studio on the lowest floor was just below £105,000. Most of the buyers will have been investors. To achieve their target yield of 6%, rents will start at just over £600 per calendar month. In the open market, this is “affordable”. Look at the numbers. According to the Chamber of Commerce’s recent study, some 9,200 workers commute in from Spain each day. Say 25% would rather live in Gibraltar if they could afford to do so. That’s 2,300 employees of Gibraltar companies who need somewhere to live. Now let’s look at what they can afford. Gibraltar prides itself in hosting buoyant gaming and financial services sector
companies. Those companies will employ people of £15,000, £20,000, £25,000 per annum. That equates to approximate take home pay of £13,000, £17,000 and £20,000 (subject to allowances of each individual of course), or £1,083, £1,417 and £1,667 pcm. Next, we look at the supply side. None of these employees qualify for any of the 6,000 or so properties designated to the three year residency rule or the housing list. So to enter that market, they must become a resident first. Not that easy. Checking availability from all the local estate agents at the time of writing this article, there are just seven apartments in Gibraltar available to rent below £1,000 pcm. Of those seven, I suspect one or two have already been rented or are not actually available. The £15,000 per annum employee has no chance of renting and buying food. The £20,000 per annum employee can spend £400 on the essentials of utilities, food and clothing. I doubt GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
property employees. To sustain economic growth, Gibraltar seeks more, not less employers coming to the jurisdiction. You cannot have both (without a huge structural shift in the economy), economic growth with a consequent higher number of employees, yet, no more building of apartments for the additional workforce to live. Hence, to keep property rents down, more properties must be built, not just government housing for qualifying individuals, but property for the swathes of employees who work in Gibraltar, and contribute to the economy so much. We need more “West One’s”.
he or she can go out much though. The £25,000 per annum employee (just £3,000 below the Gibraltar average of £28,000 per annum) has £667 to spend a month on essentials, entertainment and perhaps a little saving for the future. West One will add sixty-five properties to the market at below £1,000 pcm. Perhaps 2,500 employees may be interested. In a conversation on Facebook’s ‘Speak Freely’ during the launch, a contributor was criticising the building of more property “it is unfair to keep building these type of properties just to keep non locals happy and turning Gibraltar into a massive concrete jungle in the meantime”. It is an often voiced opinion. However, what the people with this opinion must take into account is that most Gibraltar employers have a choice of location: Malta, Isle of Man, UK, to name the main competitive jurisdictions.
When an employer considers where to establish or relocate, it will consider many factors for example, tax, availability of the appropriate workforce, cost of the appropriate workforce, cost of commercial property etc. It will consider the sum it must pay its employees for them to be able to live locally. As seen above, you cannot employ someone below £20,000 per annum (perhaps higher) and expect them to live in Gibraltar unless they already qualify for local housing. Therefore, they must live across the border and face the administrative and fiscal consequences of that necessity. So if Gibraltar does not provide affordable property for the non-local workforce, employers may seek alternative jurisdictions. Most of the population supports economic growth. Because economic growth brings Commonwealth Parks, free buses, the subsidised Gibraltar Music Festival and attractive terms and conditions for public sector
And as an additional boost to the economy, once West One is fully occupied with employees who have moved in from Spain, that’s another 90 or so salaries being spent on utilities, food and entertainment in Gibraltar which is currently being lost to Spain. This means more jobs and more government revenue. So I do not understand the argument that these properties do not benefit locals. They are essential to attract and retain employers, who create employment that funds the economic activity that pays Gibraltar’s bills. Without such properties, Gibraltar will be priced out of its international market.
Mike Nicholls is Managing Director of Chesterton Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 67434 Email: mike.nicholls@ chesterton.gi
Only one real estate agent can tick all of these boxes: Ring-fenced Client Accounts for holding landlord & tenant monies
Saturday opening Independent from any property developer or legal firm in Gibraltar www.facebook.com/ChestertonGibraltar
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Tel: +350 200 40041 enquiries@chesterton.gi chesterton.gi 20 Ocean Village Promenade
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20 Ocean
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life photos DM Parody www.dotcom.gi/photos
SUBMARINES & PARACHUTES The Thrills of a Specialised Military Unit
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ibraltar has long proved its superior geographical location and weather conditions in relation to MOD training. The Rock’s thriving military base is still in frequent use by the UK Armed Forces with regular stopovers for Naval vessels at the Naval base. Similarly, Gibraltar offers incredible conditions for SPAG, the Submarine Parachute Assistance Group, a specialised unit of the Royal Navy made up of twenty-four men. Mostly volunteers, whose day jobs lie elsewhere in the Navy, the group is trained to assist submarines in distress by parachuting to their location via a military aircraft. As they ready themselves preparing their heavy equipment and chatting excitedly to one another, Officer Commanding Lieutenant Lofty Thomas tells me that the team ‘is on standby always at twelve hours’ notice, in the event of a submarine going down, either if it ends in distress on the bottom, or they have to abandon GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
from it on the surface.’ The group will aid any submarine, hailing from anywhere in the world. ‘The team in total is made up of twenty-four personnel, today we’ve got about eleven of our team parachuting with us.’ SPAG will generally carry out two parachuting exercises in Gibraltar every year. ‘We also do additional training on top of this, back in the UK. Coming out here is ideal for the weather conditions and the ability to re-man quickly into the aircraft using the Gibraltar airfield.’ The role is secondary for all the group members, ‘the main body of us are submarine escape and rescue instructors, however, we do have personnel from elsewhere in the Navy, predominantly submariners who joined our team in order to help us out.’ They all take on varied roles in the event of an emergency, each carrying specialised equipment with them on every jump. Joining the group in the air, in the ever awe-inspiring C-130 Hercules aircraft, a fervent pack of young Gibraltarian air
cadets shuffle impatiently in their seats, snapping as many selfies as they can muster, as the aircraft darts down the Western side of the runway and hurtles into the air smoothly and professionally. Circling the Rock, sharp beams of lingering evening sunlight radiate through the thick pains of glass separating the pilots from the outside elements. The cockpit is surely the most exciting place to be! Buttons and dials and knobs are plastered across almost every surface. With friends studying to be pilots in Malaga, I have a general interest in the flying process, and these chaps, who couldn’t be older than mid to late twenties, were making it look almost easy. Moving into the rear, to join the eleven SPAG members and the cluster of cadets, the ramp opens and the turboprop military transport aircraft dips drastically, almost skimming the water in the bay, as the SPAG members receive their four-minute signal. Silhouetted against a stunning background of the rear end of the Rock, 33
fifteen, explains ‘I’ve found it a very good experience to be honest; it’s not something you do every day. Unfortunately, the air cadets don’t really get to fly much these days, so this is a unique experience. It was even better than I expected it to be. My favourite part has been seeing the guys jumping out of the back.’ The consensus was unanimous; the group had shared a phenomenal experience, instilling in them an intense excitement for flying. The jump During the jump, five parachutists leap consecutively, merely hundreds of meters from the sea below. Their parachutes open swiftly, following six seconds of free fall. Lt. Lofty explains that during their first few jumps, team members are certainly nervous but with more practice, it becomes more about the job they are there to carry out. As the second faction wait for the six-minute signal, they hover patiently, ensuring their harnesses and parachutes are intact. I’m offered the opportunity to swap places with one of the lads, who is clearly trying to get a rise out of me. When they carry out exercises in the UK, SPAG often use Poole, in Dorset as it offers appropriate jumping areas and a nearby runway. The area in BGTW used for jumping is monitored by the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, who also pick up the parachutists, once the exercise is completed. The second exercise of their trip, carried out on a balmy June late afternoon, saw the they shuffle towards the ramp in single file, all carrying a mass of heavy equipment with them. SPAG was formed in the 1960s, it originally incorporated the Royal Marines before they discovered that the specialist knowledge needed for the submarine escape and rescue side was better suited for submariners so since 1965, the group has primarily been made up of submariners. The current group carried out ‘a long range insertion form the UK, using all of [their] equipment and personnel from the UK, straight into the Gibraltar bay. A good opportunity to test [their] long range capability.’ The few days in Gibraltar saw them carry out several sorties (a mission carried out by one individual aircraft) ‘to practice [their] parachuting and hone [their] skills’. The cadets’ first flight The Gibraltar Air Cadets are a faction of the main UK organisation, which is sponsored by the RAF. They aim to encourage an interest in aviation and the RAF, much like the army cadets do for youngsters interested in joining the Armed Forces when they hit sixteen or eighteen years old. In 34
the UK, young cadets are afforded real flight experiences, training with qualified pilots, and potentially helping themselves move up the ranks towards obtaining their Private Pilot’s License. The Gibraltar group, however, are not able to offer the same opportunities, with limited accessibility to aircraft. The Hercules continues to circle, lingering so close to the water, I’m sure I can feel the spray caused by the propellers. I take this opportunity between jumps to chat to the young cadets. ‘I’ve found it really nice as a first flight,’ sixteen-year-old Jamie Marquez tells me, ‘it was more fun than I thought.’ Fifteen-year-old Lauren Bula explains that she was finding the experience ‘really exhilarating’. ‘It’s kind of opened my eyes to what it would be like in the military and the RAF, because I want to be in the RAF when I’m older, and it’s pretty cool!’ I probe her on her favourite part of the flight, ‘when they opened the doors completely and they were all jumping out, and you could see the sea and the different angles of the Rock. It was really cool! The aircraft looks really complicated, there are so many wires.’ Jonathan Maclean, also aged GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
travel
Lofty tells me that Gibraltar is a great place for them to visit; ‘It’s somewhere different for us to train, which is useful both from the training side, and also for the team to come out here.’ Looking back at some of their experiences, Lofty explains ‘we’ve been called out a number of times, thankfully we’ve never had to deploy on to a submarine that was in distress, however, we were on standby for the Canadian submarine Chicoutimi in 2008 when she came into distress in the middle of the Atlantic, we were standing by in Ireland at the time, to be able to respond, should they need to abandon. Also, we’ve had to respond several other times where there have been false alarms and the question of safety of the submarine has been in doubt.’ The world’s militaries only offer two current SPAG teams, in the UK and Italy. ‘Several other nations are trying to bring SPAG teams about, such as Turkey etc.’ Lieutenant Lofty, who also goes by his birth name Rich, speaks of his day job as an instructor in submarine escape and rescue, ‘I teach all the junior submariners GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
coming through, before they join their first submarine, right the way up to commanding officers, they have to re-qualify every three and a half years in submarine escape and rescue, so my team’s role is to teach them everything they need.’ A former marine engineer and submariner by trade, Lofty previously spent three years as an engineer on a Trafalgar class attack submarine. ‘I’ll do this job for two years before going back into the fleet.’
When all the parachutists are in the water, the Hercules glides around the Rock twice more, commencing its sharp descent back to base at RAF Gibraltar. The cadets are giddy from the hour and a half flight, all busy discussing their future flying careers. Once the SPAG members are picked up and brought back to base, they will gear up again, for another practice.
© GibMag
group practice launching a large RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) out of the aircraft with them. Once they reach the theoretical submarine, they must communicate with the staff on board to establish the situation, and then re communicate the information back to the UK.
Gibraltar Air Cadets 35
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
environment words | Steve Warren
SCOUTING FOR SHARKS A depleting species
F
rom the Mediterranean Sea, the Rock of Gibraltar can look much like a shark’s tooth. Its northern pointed tip slopes back with the jaggedness of the small, serrated teeth found in blue sharks. In this instance, the Rock has long drifted out of our sight and there are no blue sharks to be seen. Skippering the cruiser Cri-Cri is local fisherman and diver, Nick Balban, with brother Shaun as first mate. They are members of the famed Balban fishing dynasty. If anyone can find sharks, it’s them. For two days we’ve been chumming with sardines, sending an enticing oily and bloody slick far into the deep Mediterranean. A tuna head hangs from Cri-Cri’s stern and a Mako Magnet – an electronic shark attractor – emits low frequency pulses into the water, designed to replicate the vibrations of distressed fish. It’s a hot July day and the sea is uncommonly flat. Once in a while, I slip overboard to check if a shark is circling unnoticed below. The water is the purest hue of azure and seems endlessly clear. These
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
are perfect conditions for filming sharks underwater, but there are none. As a child growing up in Gib in the early 70’s, my first sight of a live shark was at Catalan Bay. I was a pupil at St Peter’s when a small shark appeared just off the beach. A couple of men went in to snorkel with it, the headmistress, the formidable Miss Parody, marched the entire school down to watch. I never knew what sort of shark it was. Shark fishing competitions were also big events back then and I saw blue sharks displayed on the quayside of the North Mole, then towed out to be dumped. A friend of mine told me that ‘abundance breeds waste’, and this might go some way towards explaining why my three attempts to dive with sharks off Gib have all failed. For many divers, like myself, encountering sharks is a big draw, but it’s becoming much harder. Overfishing of sharks and their prey has seen to that. Just a few years ago, the abundance of shark species must have seemed like an 37
environment
Ocean Sunfish
inexhaustible food source, or perhaps they were seen as a get rich quick scheme. On a global scale, many shark populations have been decimated. The Mediterranean sharks have not been spared. James Lea is the research officer for Danah Divers and is affiliated with the University of Plymouth and the Marine Biological Association, where he is a Ph.D. student working on the migratory behaviour and spatial dynamics of various shark species and
Blue shark
the associated conservation implications. Putting the devastation into chilling perspective he recounts, ‘shark populations in the Mediterranean have experienced some of the most severe declines of any recorded, with sharks such as blue, hammerhead, porbeagle, mako and thresher having declined by 96-99% relative to their former abundance.’ A little sport fishing once in a while off the bay is not going to have much of an effect on world shark
Hammerhead shark
Thresher shark 38
populations. It is long lining deliberately for sharks and incidental kills that has so reduced their numbers. Blues, for instance, are migratory sharks and their far ranging travels put them outside effective international protection. Fewer sharks survive to enter Gibraltar waters and, as a species slow to repopulate, numbers continue to fall. There are simply far less sharks, either to catch or admire underwater. Still, divers do, very occasionally, see sharks around Gib. Local diver, Steve Henshaw encountered a blue off Europa reef in the 80’s. Some years ago, Phil Smith, the renowned Joint Services Sub Aqua Club instructor and Nautical Archaeological Society Tutor who, along with Dr Darren Fa, co – authored the guide book “Underwater Gibraltar”, reported several sightings of a small blue shark on Los Picos, a sea mount – literally an underwater mountain - with one side forming a steep cliff face that comes within 20 metres of the surface. It’s a siren to local divers and famed for being where the New Flame grounded. Off the Eastern side, Gib’s diving elder statesman and former Gibraltar Sub Aqua Club diving officer, Dennis Santos has also seen a blue while on diving exercises with RNVR Calpe. ‘I was standby diver and just before diving operations commence, the standby diver has to submerge to five metres to prove he can clear his ears. Well, just as I was about to go into the water, a shark circled the boat a few times. Of course, this did not prevent the chief diver from putting me in the water and there I was at five metres hanging off the end of a rope with my eyes popping out of their sockets as I searched everywhere around me for the elusive shark which by then had disappeared. I am sure it was a blue shark’. Though most summer sightings of sharks off our beaches can be attributed, according to Nick Balban, to sunfish, not all are mistaken identity. Occasionally, sharks do GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
environment venture inshore, as Richard Wait discovered. Rich told me, ‘I was spearfishing from Little Bay. I had a couple of fish in the bag. It was a small shark that came for the bag. I dropped it, swam for the rocks and headed back to the beach. I gave up spearfishing shortly after’. Blues are an easy shark to identify with slender bodies, long snouts and wing like pectoral fins but other species can be far harder to distinguish from one another. On Picos, Dennis once looked up to see a very large shark pivoting on its pectoral fins and describing tight circles overhead. Dennis is not given to exaggeration. He will say only that the shark was big and not a blue. So what was it? Many large shark species are known to visit waters near the Rock. We can exclude hammerheads, which I have seen in the Strait, though not dived with. The hydroplanes on the head for which they are named are unmistakable. And it wasn’t a thresher; as the ultra-long tail lobe is an instant give away. It is very unlikely to have been a sixgill – these sharks are usually found in deep water and thought to stay close to the bottom on the rare occasions they do ascend into the shallows. Besides, when sixgills do rise from abyssal depths, they tend to do so at night, and Dennis was day diving. Small basking sharks are large enough to fit Dennis’s description. Mike Ladley, now a well-respected shark researcher, encountered one when it blundered into his fishing line near North Front as a young boy, however, the behaviour Dennis reported is not associated with basking sharks. This might reflect that when divers swim with basking sharks, as I have done, they are usually feeding (they mostly eat plankton and are regarded as harmless) and follow a pattern that might be very different to how they act at other times. But it is hard to imagine a basking shark being as agile as the shark Dennis saw and the behaviour can be construed to suggest excitement, not an emotion one easily associates with baskers. Three other sharks might be suspects. Porbeagles are a heavyset, large shark, reaching three meters in length. In the UK, divers have occasionally seen them underwater but attempts to dive with them deliberately have been unsuccessful. Even when enticed by bait, they are skittish, leaving the area as soon as a person enters the water. Porbeagles often inhabit water near headlands and can be found just 15 metres deep, yet despite their proximity to swimmers and surfers, particularly in the summer months, they remain elusive. An exception to their shyness that may prove the rule occurred when a diver working below an oil platform in the GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Basking shark
Sixgill shark
British North Sea was approached closely by a porbeagle. Many shark encounters are one sided – the shark sees the diver but is never spotted itself. Other times, a shark will come within a few metres of the diver once or twice before moving off, its interest satisfied. This is nothing more than an inspection, not an attack or even a threat display. A mako is another candidate. It’s a little more streamlined than the porbeagle, but it is a close relative and in the surprise of an unexpected pass, few divers could readily tell the two species apart. Seen from below the two sharks would look even more similar. Makos are not timid around divers. In the Azores and South Africa, diving with mako sharks, which have been baited in, attracts divers looking for thrills with one of the oceans fastest predators.
A mako, its curiosity aroused, would seem much more likely to hang around the divers than a porbeagle. It’s simply a much more confident shark. There are also clues to the third possible candidate in an old diving magazine story from the 1970’s, when nets were laid by the Spanish near Gibraltar to catch migrating bluefin tuna. A diver from La Linea wrote about his experiences checking the Matanza nets and photographing the bycatch, the marine life snared by the nets accidentally. Bluefins are a magnificent fish. I was lucky enough to enter a school of bluefin in the middle of the Strait and once saw one less than 100 metres off Camp Bay pier. Bluefin tuna can be three metres long and weigh over 400 kg. They sit near the top of the food chain, but they do not top it. Few animals are big enough to feed 39
environment elsewhere white sharks have been shown to undertake substantial migrations (e.g. between South Africa and Australia), it appears the Mediterranean population may be relatively isolated. Genetic evidence suggests that white sharks from the Med don’t mix with others in the Atlantic or Indo-Pacific, and white sharks are known to regularly return to their own pupping grounds, so it’s possible those in the Med could be an isolated stock. This also makes them very vulnerable to exploitation as there’s limited opportunity for replenishment from elsewhere, perhaps explaining why local populations in the Med have depleted so quickly.’
Porbeagle shark
Mako shark
on an animal as fast and as big as a mature bluefin tuna. In the Strait of Gibraltar the orca, the largest of the dolphins and formerly known as the “killer whale”, is one. The other, first seen swimming through the nets of the Matanzas, then photographed dead as bycatch, is the great white shark. Is it possible Dennis Santos, by chance, encountered this near mystical super predator? It’s a tantalizing proposition. Great whites are certainly found in the Mediterranean Sea. They have been confirmed when caught in nets, hooked on rod and line, washed up on beaches or positively identified from tooth fragments left in watercraft and, once in a while, people. In the last reaches of the Atlantic, just off Tarifa, a great white lunged at a sailboard and took off the rider’s foot. Linking these two bodies of water is the Strait of Gibraltar. Theories had been advanced by some well-known white shark researchers that whites in the Med were vagrants from elsewhere who are lost on their journey. 40
They argued that the hot spots for great white sightings all revolved around seal and sealion colonies. With monk seals virtually exterminated in the Med, there was no food source to support an indigenous white shark population. Another theory suggested white sharks from the Atlantic travelled into the Med to breed and pup, possibly between Malta and the African coastline but Ian Fergussen was able to collate evidence proving white sharks do reside in the Mediterranean and, in fact, it was in the Med that the earliest records of white shark have been discovered. Aristotle was among those who made note of them and the Roman naturalist, Pliny described white sharks attacking sponge divers in the Aegean. We now know white sharks feed on fish, including Bluefin tuna; as well as mammals, and also travel across oceans. Why would the Rock be outside their range? It may simply be that a rare shark has become even rarer. James explains; ‘Although
Sightings in the Med tend to be tied to tuna fishing areas which may slew results. The tuna fisheries throughout the Med have declined. Accidental shark catches here may only prove the shark has been following the tuna, not that the shark was one of a local, resident population or that white sharks don’t exist away from the tuna netting locations. The shark may have a much wider range, but no longer runs the gauntlet of nets it might have done decades ago and goes unnoticed. No one is actually looking for sharks off Gib. But a lack of even chance encounters and our own failure to find any sharks deliberately is disturbing. If white sharks do pass through the Strait, even if only occasionally, why have they not been caught by local fishermen or seen underwater by divers? White sharks would likely break any fishing line used by local sport fishermen, even those trawling for bluefin. Most white sharks caught in European waters die tangled in commercial fishing nets as bycatch. Fishing with nets is illegal in Gibraltar waters, though it happens occasionally. Perhaps, they also run deep, possibly in the cooler waters and, perhaps, to avoid the pack of orcas that ambush the bluefins each year. The chances of scuba divers encountering a great white are also stacked against them. Most diving takes place from Camp Bay. Offshore diving isn’t so popular. Los Picos is the only seamount shallow enough for normal scuba diving. But, because of the depth, divers are limited to just a few minutes. So, in any 24 hour day, shark and divers probably have less than half an hour to come across each other. Moreover, Dan Beecham, a friend of mine and professional underwater cameraman highly respected for his work with sharks, including whites, advises that seamounts with strong currents are one of the best places to find sharks. Picos is renowned for its fierce tides, but divers dive it at slack. Anyone who has watched the Picos current effortlessly take a buoy with 50 kg of buoyancy GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
environment straight under the surface will appreciate the reluctance of most divers to dive it at any other time. Finding sharks, even in ‘shark infested’ seas can be very hard indeed. In some places, such as parts of the Maldives, it is easy to drop onto certain reefs and watch sharks patrolling their patch. Typically, these are the white tip reef sharks and the highly territorial grey reefs but you certainly don’t see them everywhere. Many shark species are not territorial and roam far and wide, driven by impulses we can only guess at and finding one of these by chance is a lot to ask for. Sharks have a range of senses that enable them to detect both prey and predators. These include excellent eyesight, an incredible sense of smell, vibration sensors and the ability to detect the electrical impulses that animals, including humans, generate. In many cases, sharks detect people in the water long before the diver ever sees them and move away. This makes sense because scuba divers especially, emit noisy clouds of bubbles with each breath. These send out strong vibrations and in Gibraltar, this is exacerbated because local scuba divers often explore in groups. Though vibrations from an injured fish attract sharks, they may be repelled by those from divers. This evasiveness may explain why sharks are so rarely seen by local divers, despite the hundreds of hours they spend underwater during the year. It is because many types of sharks actively avoid divers, and we have to turn the tables and use bait to lure them to us.
Bluefin tuna
To some economies, sharks are an important moneymaker. Not as ingredients for shark fin soup, but rather as an ingredient for tourists seeking excitement on holiday. In South Africa, white sharks are a protected species and a cage diving industry attracts day trippers, divers and film crews alike to see them underwater. Small fishing ports have quickly become tourist towns with a new income stream supporting locals profiting from visitor dollars. In the Bahamas, reef sharks arrive on time for shark feeds orchestrated by a diver in chain mail for appreciative on looking tour-
ists. Even in the UK, operators now offer snorkeling and diving with blue sharks. Gibraltar’s missing sharks are a barometer of the overfishing that has so depleted the world’s oceans and seas. We can do little to redress a disaster caused globally by a myriad of nations affecting sharks simply transiting past Gibraltar, but it teaches us the importance of protecting what we do have within our own territorial waters because if we don’t, our once bountiful marine species will, like our sharks, be gone too.
Great white shark GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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life words | Eve Maddock-Jones
R U HELLA ON FLEEK? Slang - a glaring misuse of register. Not.
S
lang is a genre of language acting in a somewhat informal, colloquial form of communication. Previously more common in speech than writing, the trend has spread further via the use of media communications to even encompass pictures, aka emojis. Whilst stereotypically associated with the younger adult age groups, it is a generational trend crucial for developing language itself. Through the apparently cryptic use of letters, numbers and pictures reiterating phonic sounds, it allows more to be said with fewer words. Speaking is the most historic form of communication having been recorded and present in all Homo sapiens societies. It’s this most basic instinct which has enabled development, evident when compared to our now more eloquent, and broader vocabulary of the 21st century. Slang acts almost as a mutation within language and should not be frowned upon. It is only from changes that advancements
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can occur. Of course, not all phrases are amiable; many are bawdy and vulgar, but these still add to the dimension of language and give it more depth. To have a variety of words or phrases for a single idea allows for greater self-expression. Take one of the most stereotypically popular topics of literature, music, film, stage, even daily life; love. There are an unfathomable amount of different ways to express and describe love due to multitude of different kinds, all of which is only achievable in explicitly defining the convoluted concept through the use of words. Slang aids the creation for new verbs and adjectives to allow us to express our ideas clearly to another person. Nobody can say that they do not use slang because within each society there are words exclusive to those individuals. Taking Gibraltar as a case study the local language here is generically described as “llanito”. Created as a hybrid of English
and Spanish to amalgamate both to form our own particular, individual language. Within this, there exists numerous phrases, informal and somewhat indecipherable to outsiders, for example: “Chochi” (girl) “Chuni” or Shuni” (cute), “Eres de lo que no hay” (you’re acting strangley) , “Estas empepinado” (you’re mad) and “Hasheando” (gossiping). These local phrases help delineate the uniqueness of being a Gibraltarian. Indeed, a parallel can be seen in England. In the eastern parts of London there’s a deep rooted culture expressed via ‘cockney-rhyming-slang’. The locals converse in a somewhat riddle like fashion; where “apples and pears” translates to “going upstairs”. Born from the, somewhat ingenious, technique of rhyming couplets, thus creating a hidden meaning. These vernacular phrases create an identity to that local community. This local terminology is representative of the class, culture and character of its members; borne from slang adaptations.
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life For those who remain opposed to the idea that slang is no more than chat room abbreviations of the online generation, consider this man; William Shakespeare. An iconic symbol in the English language who used slang, openly and frequently. Interwoven in his soliloquies written in iambic pentameter, Shakespeare wrote in series of rhyming couplets. This, simultaneously, resulted in him making up 10% of the words he used in his plays to make his rhymes fit the beat of the speech. Shakespeare embellished, manipulated and created words to fulfil the sounds he needed for the flow of his performances. Therefore, he adopted slang as he altered the rigid language to create a different meaning to it. Much of our terms of phrase commonly used today, such as equivocal, dwindle and even besmirched were creater by him. It’s estimated that in the entirety of his plays alone Shakespeare coined, adapted or originally created approximately 1700 words. Without his contribution many of the dimensions of our modern language would perhaps not exist today. This provides evidence of the greater, deeper meaning and importance of slang as opposed to being just for #hastags and vulgar “banter”.
absent letter, apostrophes act in the same way to elevate the flow of communication. The brain subconsciously fills in the gaps or extends the acronym’s meaning without the actual words being said. Slang may superficially appear as a lazy trait borne for an idleness to properly pronounciate and accentuate a person’s communications. Perhaps, it is those things but it’s also a sign of development. From it, new words you never knew you needed before become embedded in your daily vocabulary. New dictionaries are produced each year since new words are established in contemporary communications. So, next time you’re dunking your biscuit into your cuppa whilst on ‘the dog and bone’ to your m8 in the squad don’t get too cray about the jabbering rules.
TOP 10 EMOJIS
TOP 10 ACRONYMS BRB - be right back BTW – by the way GTG - got to go IDK - I don’t know IRL – in real life LOL – laughing out loud ROTF – rolling on the floor (laughing) TBH – to be honest TTYF - talk to you forever YOLO – you only live once
In today’s modern culture, slang has taken on a more abbreviated trend. Now, sentence long phrases are reduced down to an acronym. The most socially common and popular are perhaps “YOLO” or “TTYF”. This technique of collecting words into a simple phrase has been a common language trend for years, presented by the familiar apostrophe in “don’t”, “wasn’t”. Indicating the presence of an otherwise
TEST YOUR LLANITO
XANKÂ (flip-flops - chanclas)
RAVA (rubber - goma de borrar) KAFETERA (kettle - hervidor de agua)
FLUX (money - dinero)
PALA (dustpan - recogedor) GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
PLOMERO (plumber - fontanero)
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life words | Elena Scialtiel
TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND Joe Caruana’s account of Sir Robert Peliza’s life and deeds
“
I wanted to portray the family man, the business man and the political animal,” writer Joe Caruana says about his latest book, and possibly opus magnum, a biography of his colleague and personal friend, Sir Robert Peliza, featuring over one hundred period photos, a collage of the evolution of Gibraltar’s public life and lifestyle in the second half of the Twentieth Century, covering WWII, the Spanish Civil War, the first elected Gibraltar City Council, the start of the Integration Movement and the closure of the Frontier by Franco. As the title suggests, ‘The Life and Times of Sir Robert John Peliza, KBE, RD’ is way more than the account of one lifetime: it also is a tribute to a giant of local politics, and the analysis of the dark times in Gibraltar history which spun the making of a nation. Although Joe claims that its launch during ‘election year’ is purely coincidental and 44
it is the culmination of over two years of scouring local and UK archives, this book is bound to send out ripples in the political pond, as it publishes facts that have been so far relegated inside Number Six’s secret archives and to which the author gained access only after lengthy negotiations. The main sources for this essay are, however, Sir Robert’s personal notes and the interviews that Joe conducted with people who knew him and shared his path in life, as well as his personal recollection of events, seen from a detached perspective and critical hindsight, filtered through the historical events that followed the Integration With Britain Party surprise defeat in 1972. Peliza wrote extensive notes but never organised them in a structured diary, so Joe had to skim trough pages and pages and pick relevant and meaningful notes. “The first problem I was faced with was the abundance of material to glean from,
and the lack of chronological order. I cross-checked everything with official documents and the versions provided by interviewees. I travelled the same political road as he did, and it wasn’t without opposition, so I asked myself why. Forty years ago people speculated and had suspicions, but my research finally brings the facts to light.” He indulges on depicting Peliza the human being and the man of honour, whose greatest dismay was being called a liar in the political arena, after he tried to do the best he could for his beloved Gibraltar with transparency and dignity. “Bob was first and foremost a family man: he had six children and he was present at the birth of all,” Joe sentimentally recalls. And he goes on telling how the notes indulge in describing their tiny features with fatherly pride. “He also was a captivating individual who left a positive mark on those who knew him, as I learnt from the GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
© Johnny Bugeja
life
Joe Caruana
people who gave me testimony about his personality and character. He was much liked in Gibraltar, regardless of agreeing with his political views.” There was life before politics for him: “He had a varied career in military, business and politics, starting from the Defence Force which he volunteered into during the war. For his bravery, he rose to the rank of Major and when he retired he was made Honorary Full Colonel. Later he was bestowed the Freedom of the City and the Gibraltar Medal of Honour and Knighted by HM The Queen.” And so, he stepped into politics and became the driving force behind the Integration With Britain Party which Joe Caruana joined and briefly tried to revive as a movement in the early noughties, when shared sovereignty talks were afoot.
“Gibraltar border 1977” by Elmar Reich GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Spaniards travelling to Gibraltar for work in the 60s
When the frontier had just closed and it fell upon Sir Robert to steer the nation through an unprecedented crisis: “Spain wanted to crush Gibraltar, and Bob’s optimistic attitude was invaluable. It was time for brave men, and he was an inspirational leader. After his curtain call, he stayed active in politics and was Speaker of the House of Assembly until 1996, a decade later he had a ‘heated’ exchange of letters with the Governor about the constitution referendum. “Previously undisclosed, I managed to research and publish the content of those letters,” Joe proudly says. “Now it is up to my readers to draw their own conclusions about them.” Joe recounts what he describes as the ‘tragic affair’ of the Integration party unexpectedly losing the 1972 elections, hypothesising a conspiracy theory of some sort. “I investigated it and came up with the idea that Peliza had fallen into the trap of the Foreign Office who did not want Gibraltar to become a region of the United Kingdom, as we were seen as an ‘embarrassment’ for being too pro-British and secondly because we stood in the way of appeasing Spain. The FCO, backed by some local fringes, particularly the business sector, supported a solution involving Spain – what became familiarly known as ‘El Arreglito’. But he revealed this plans, stood firm to the extent of going to an election and losing.” Personally affected by the events too, Joe claims that the FCO baited local politicians and connived to break up the party unity so that they lost the election: “Some said there was no conflict at all and he
was called a liar, which for Bob was more painful that the actual defeat – it was like a bullet in the head.” This is the fourth book in five years for Joe, as he had dabbled in history before, but always with some poetic licence, like in his previous publication, The Knight of Malta, not immune from criticism for having introduced an element of fiction. Gibraltar’s last noose execution was the topic of When the Hangman Came, a true murder story that took place in Gibraltar. He indulged in autobiography with The Spirit of the Phoenician, where some of the facts discussed were presented from his subjective point of view. Now, the question is: could he detach himself emotionally and deliver accurate historiography? Only time will tell, but as Joe says, writing is like painting, and every artist sees the same subject matter differently. He is challenging others to produce their own picture and compare it.
Sir Robert John Peliza, 45
heritage words | Reg Reynolds
THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT Gibraltar gives an early woman jounalist her big break
F
lora Shaw was a successful writer of children’s books but wanted to prove herself as a serious journalist and got her opportunity in Gibraltar.
In the winter of 1886, Flora learned that the Younghusbands, elderly friends of her family, were travelling to Gibraltar in search of a warmer place to live. She asked to join them and was hoping to finance the trip by selling articles, based on the assurance of W.T. Stead, editor of the London-based Pall Mall Gazette. Stead told her that he would publish any articles he considered worthwhile but he made no promises of a commission. Flora read and studied the history and culture of Gibraltar before sailing and when she finally reached the Rock, she kept busy visiting and learning everything she could about the famous fortress and its bustling multi-cultured town.
In her book, Battling for News: Women Reporters from the Risorgimento to Tiananmen Square, (Faber & Faber) Anna Sebba records: “She became fascinated by the Jewish quarter and insisted on being taken to a synagogue service even though her guide told her that this was a special privilege since women were ‘spared the burden of prayer’. Her curiosity to discover all of Gibraltar also led her to the cottage being used to detain Zebehr Pasha*, the former ruler of huge tracts of Sudan, then a political prisoner exiled from Egypt by the British army of occupation, and she scored a minor success through her interviews with him.” Shaw returned to London with a reputation of a serious and capable journalist; “an accurate reporter with a sound grasp of the facts.”
Her first journalistic work appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette on the 28th of June 1887. It revealed her patriotism and her strong belief in the British Empire and the colonial system. “…our guns stand row on row with muzzles threatening…English bugles bray between the cactuses. English soldiers swarm…we sound the war note as though we are still in the heart of the middle ages. They tell me… that English prestige depends on her Eastern Empire, her Eastern Empire on possessions such as Gibraltar…Our true Eastern Empire is the civilization that we have spread and that depends on other forces than the force of cannon. Fancy how the Spaniards must hate us!” Flora Louise Shaw was born at Woolwich, London on the 19th of December 1852. Her father was Irish-born George Shaw, a captain in the Royal Artillery, while her
*Zebehr Pasha was arrested in March 1886 on suspicion of treason against the British occupying forces in Egypt. He was released in August 1887 and credited the articles by Flora with playing a big part in obtaining his freedom. 46
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
heritage to be resourceful and brave but in the context and restrictions of the time. Her first children’s novel, Castle Blair, published in 1877, sold very well in both Britain and the U.S. and was reprinted in several languages. Oxford professor and critic, John Rushkin declared it to be “good, lovely and true”. Flora’s other well received novels were titled – Hector, Phyllis Browne, A Sea Change and Colonel Cheswick’s Campaign. As a popular writer, she was introduced to such towering literary figures as Thomas Carlyle and Robert Louis Stevenson. She also befriended Times’ correspondent, Charles Brackenbury and the above mentioned W.T. Stead, both of whom encouraged her to try her hand at journalism.
Castle Blair, 1877
French mother, Marie Josephine, was the daughter of the governor of Mauritius. Marie gave birth to fourteen children so Flora, the fourth born, had nine sisters (two died in infancy) and four brothers. When her mother died in 1865, she was just 13-years-old but found herself the female head of a large household. Always a talkative child with a love of storytelling, she read many a bedtime story to her younger siblings. When her father remarried in 1872, she was free to pursue her ambition to be a writer of children’s stories. She started her career with Aunt Judy’s Magazine and went on to write five novels. In her stories, girls are encouraged
Following her success in Gibraltar, Flora continued to write for the Pall Mall Gazette and the Manchester Guardian. Guardian editor, C.P. Scott was an admirer of her reporting skills: “She is a fine, bright, handsome, upstanding young woman, as clever as they make them, capable of any immense amount of work as hard as nails and talking like a Times leader all the time…She is imbued with the modern form of public imperialism. It is her religion.” In 1888-89, Flora reported to the Gazette and the Guardian from Egypt. While there, she met C.F. Moberly Bell, assistant manager of the Times, and on her return to London, he hired her to be ‘colonial editor’. In this capacity, she travelled throughout the Empire – Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada and wrote a fortnightly column titled Colonies.
Flora Shaw, 1852 – 1929
In 1900, while reporting on the Boer War, she quit the Times and on June 11th 1902 at Madeira, she married Sir Frederick John ‘Lord’ Lugard, the high commissioner of the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria. After some time at Government House with her new husband (Flora is credited with giving Nigeria its name), she returned to Britain to give lectures and work on historical narratives of Britain’s colonies. She accompanied Lord Lugard when he was made governor of Hong Kong in 1907, returning to Britain in 1912. Flora continued to be involved in politics until her death on January 25th, 1929 at her long-time home, Little Parkhurst, in Surrey.
John Miller Adye, 1885 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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heritage words | Reg Reynolds
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words | Reg Reynolds
WHIPPING IN GIBRALTAR
hen a soldier is unfairly sentenced to hundreds of lashes with a cat-o-ninetails you might expect him to desert but Private Charles O’Neil went on to fight bravely for Britain in the Napoleonic Wars. O’Neil arrived in Gibraltar in January, 1811, as a fighter with the 28th Regiment of Foot, nicknamed ‘The Slashers’. It would be his fourth and final regiment, the scoundrel having previously taken the King’s Bounty three times. He wasn’t punished for this but as it seems, he was never found out but he was court-martialed for failing to attend church services. The 28th had only been in Gibraltar a few days when on the first Sabbath, the regiment was paraded and ordered to attend the Church of England. The 18-year-old O’Neil was born in Dundalk, Ireland in 1793 and as he was raised a Catholic, he decided he need not attend. O’Neil wrote in his memoirs The Military Adventures of Charles O’Neil: “I had been brought up a strict Catholic, and there was a church of that persuasion in the place, that I intended going, I did not respond to the call but remained in my quarters.” 48
but bravery at Waterloo A sergeant was sent around to the barracks to see what the problem was. “I told him I could not attend the service of his church when there was one of my denomination in the place.” The sergeant told O’Neil that it was a “rule of the army and he must submit to it.” O’Neil refused and so the adjutant was sent to sort him out. O’Neil told the irate adjutant that he would gladly go to his own church but not the Church of England. Even though he knew the punishment would not be light, he wrote, “But what right has England, I asked myself, to compel those who fight their battles to worship as she worships. My conscience told me she had none.” O’Neil was court-martialed, found guilty and sentenced to three hundred lashes. It is hard to imagine today what it must have been like to receive such punishment. Modern movies portray sailors receiving ‘two dozen’ lashes as harsh punishment but often the sentences for sailors and soldiers alike were hundreds and even as many as a thousand lashes.
After 25 lashes, O’Neil was asked if he would repent but he refused and stoically bore out the full punishment. When Duke of Wellington famously said that he didn’t know if his soldiers frightened the enemy but they sure frightened him, he must have been referring to men like O’Neil. The young private was no fool and apparently pretty articulate. He wrote to the Duke of York and made such a good case that the army rules were changed so that soldiers could attend the church of their choice. O’Neil survived two of the bloodiest battles of the war, Badajoz (6th of March to 16th of April 1812) and Waterloo. Ironically, the Battle of Waterloo was fought on the Sabbath, Sunday, June 18th, 1815. O’Neil emigrated to Canada and then to the U.S., settling in Worcester, Massachusetts where his memoirs were published in 1851. His memoirs have since been republished as Private O’Neil: the Recollections of an Irish Rogue and are also available as an e-book. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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BODY PAINTING Re-inventing traditional art
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oving away from the traditional concept of art; static and frame bound, body and face painting is reaching new heights, transcending the old principles and making use of an entirely new facet of creativity. Having held its third annual face & body painting festival earlier this year, Gibraltar is no stranger to the art form. The movement continues to grow, through the presence of Gibraltarian, Georgina Morello, at the World Bodypainting Festival. Georgina (or Gina as she prefers to be known) has had a major involvement in previous Gibraltar events, which were the brainchild of her cousin, Hamish Dalmedo. Last month, she modeled in the WBF, for the second consecutive year. Held on the utopian Lake Wörthersee in Pörtschach Austria, the festival gives itself the proud title of ‘the founders of the modern day body painting art movement’. Boasting an incredible ‘fusion of creative influences’ including intricate painting, a fantasia of themes, music, master classes GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
and exhibitions. Gina’s eyes ignite as she discusses the ‘idyllic setting, transformed into a mystical, surreal environment that served as a perfect backdrop for the fusion of creating influences.’ Re-inventing traditional artistry Modeling for an Italian artist this year, her stint at the world festival came about following last year’s Gibraltar festival where she worked with internationally renowned body painting artists. A keen dancer, cheerleader and acrobat, Gina relishes in the opportunity to rouse a static piece of art, to bring it to life through an animated performance. Gina discusses one of the many categories; an art installation award brought the lake, and the body art, to life. Even the most old fashioned of art enthusiasts, who are more at ease stood in the musty, high ceilinged galleries of London or Paris, can appreciate the skill, patience and delicate intricacies involved in an art piece that often takes four or five hours to complete. With lots of nudity and open-
ness that could surely leave some feeling apprehensive, Gina insists that everyone soon becomes very comfortable, ‘it’s just blank canvases, everybody’s in a good vibe, they’re all in their element. Everybody’s enjoying the moment and embracing the festival, and wanting to share their expertise and knowledge.’ Body painting draws a unique appeal in that you can watch the artists at work and view the entire process. Over the two years Gina has modeled for different countries, ‘but next year’ she tells me, ‘we would love to take the Gibraltar team, because it’s not just about the main artists or the model, you need a team of people to help out and set up all the extras; accessories, backstage, music.’ Artists make use of assistants that can take over the painting for a couple of hours, allowing the artists to have a break every so often. Flicking through incredible photos from Gina’s trip, it becomes blatant that the artwork transcends the two-dimensional brushstrokes 51
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that shape the pieces to the lines and curvature of the models’ bodies, many of the pieces also incorporate staggering special effects features, from wings, to crowns, horns and elaborate head pieces, transforming figures into fictitious creatures. The surrounding forest comes alive with character. The week is split into categories
Joaquin by Gema Larios Calderon 52
ranging from the ‘World Face Painting Award’ to the ‘Installation Art Award’ and the favoured night contest for UV paint. Gina explains that many of the events were separated into brush and sponge and airbrush specific categories. During the judging, artists are interviewed on their chosen piece, quizzed especially on the concept behind the piece, the colours and the process. Following this, models participate in a photography shoot with all the international photographers that are tasked with capturing the artwork and immortalizing forever, before it’s swiftly washed off with a traditional dip in Lake Wörthersee. During her time representing Gibraltar in Austria, Gina also took part in a promotional shoot featuring different hair and styling products used at the festival. She comments that the most effective pieces were those that did not emphasize body parts, but instead hid them and made the body more difficult to recognise. Touching on the personal process, Gina contends that it was extremely hard work, ‘you need to be fully committed because you need to stand so still for so many hours, waking up early to set up with your artist, it’s very hot, you’re hungry, you can’t move and your back aches. You really have to plan everything because you can’t go back during the
process, you really need to move forward and just pose. You become the painting, and for a while you’re no longer human. I loved it. You’re transformed into something else so you take on another character.’ In normal circumstances, artists and models would work closely, even before the
Aaron Caballero by Claudine Embasaygues Santelli GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
art World Body Festival, to plan and practice their work. Artists study their model’s body and contours; their choice of artwork has to be adapted to the body shape of the model. ‘The judges are looking for the technique, the colour scheme, the imagination, the creativity, and the performance.’ Although Gina did not have the ability to plan in advance with her artist this year, last year she modeled for Lily Hopman of the Netherlands, who she was able to practice with during her time spent in Gibraltar at the Gibraltar Body Painting Festival. Gibraltar Body Painting Festival A significantly smaller event, the homegrown Gibraltar Body Painting Festival follows a similar mantra to that of the World Festival in that it this year offered full body paint demos and displays for onlookers in Casemates Square. Although not a great deal of local artists feature in the festival, ‘the People’s Choice Award’ affords them the opportunity to win a prize based on the piece that the visitors and onlookers prefer. Hamish explained that this ‘gives everyone a chance to take part, without the pressure of knowing that the “amateurs” are being asked to work against the “professionals”’. The last day of the Gib event follows ‘the full body paint competition’, during which participants are under pressure of a seven hour time limit. The final pieces were this year presented to a panel of judges comprised of Erasmo Daaz, a Spanish artistic director who specialises in body painting, lightpainting and photography, Emma Fay, an English artist who works with make-up and concept artistry, and Andy and Romy
1st place full body paint – Lynn Schockmel GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Jyza Sheriff by Lucia Chamorro Suarez
Mann, two German bodypainters. Judges scrutinised many of the same aspects as the World Bodypainting Festival; including brushwork, line work, theme, concept and overall look. The local artist 21-year-old local artist Bianca Ratcliffe took part in the Gibraltar festival for the first time earlier this year. Having just completed her course in media make-up and special effects at Bradford College, Bianca decided to specialize in body painting as ‘the body is the best canvas’. ‘With body painting you can express your art
2nd place full body paint – Angela Youngs
People’s choice award – Emma Fay
more,’ she enthuses, ‘my course involved prosthetics, media make up for TV, film and theatre. It looked into body painting, wig making and theatre masks. It went into all the different areas and in the last year I chose which area I wanted to specialize in.’ She was directed to the Gibraltar Festival through her research into world events and potential careers, and as one of the few local painters to partake in the festival, one of the biggest lessons Bianca picked up was managing the time limitations. ‘You learn that you need to have a lot of stamina for it.’ ‘Collaborating with models and photographers was great because it gave me new contacts and allowed me to
3rd place full body paint – Sandra Ramos 53
art followed an ‘Under the Sea’ theme, which Bianca challenged with two pieces; a mermaid and the figurehead of a ship.
© Dino Chincotta
Discussing the relationship between model and painter, her response is similar to Gina’s, ‘you both need to be comfortable. If they’re not comfortable it will come across in the photo shoot, or when you’re painting them they might not stay very still. The artist also needs to make sure the model feels comfortable, keeping them hydrated and helping them out. You have to be able to communicate with them. My models were amazing; they were really happy and confident. Confidence is the most important thing.’
experiment with new styles.’ Generating new contacts also allowed Bianca to follow up on different techniques, which she explored further, over the three-day event. Workshops touched upon different painting skills, including working with UV lighting, stenciling for precision and shading, and airbrushing. ‘It was mostly about meeting new people and displaying my work. When I posted photos on Facebook, it was great to get feedback, especially constructive criticism to be able to improve my work. Some of the artists have been painting for thirty years so they could tell me where I’d gone wrong in certain areas and what I could do to improve it. ’ As a beginner, having only just made the painting shift from paper to skin, Bianca says that other artists ‘were really excited to get involved with me and show me their different ideas and techniques, and ways in which I could develop my painting skills and find it easier. They showed me different tips on how to be faster and keep to the time limit. The artists insisted that the one quality you need for body painting is patience, it takes a really long time and you can’t expect to become brilliant at it over54
night. Just keep on practicing and over the years you will get faster and your precision will be better.’ Having gone back to Leeds to continue her course after the festival, Bianca incorporated everything she’d learned into her final pieces. It is blatant Bianca has a passion for the art form when she states, ‘the human body is a great a canvas, you can paint something small or big, you can make it look 3D or appear like the skin has been ripped off. You can completely transform a person into a character. It’s completely open to your own creativity.’ The Festival posed an opportune time to learn about, and purchase, new products, ‘the product promotion stands were excellent because there is nowhere that sells body painting products in Gibraltar. The companies brought their products over to try and sell as much as possible.’ Reflecting on the final day, culminating in a photographic shoot by local and international photographers, Bianca explains, ‘the hair, the accessories, the photographers, the models, the artists, the whole collaboration is what makes the final image so brilliant. It all comes together perfectly.’ Festival work
Commenting on Gibraltar’s small body painting community, she describes them as lovely, adamantly believing that the group will grow as the annual festival continues, and interest snowballs. All the artists present their own extraordinarily unique styles. ‘They’re all different in their own way, but all brilliant. The hair and accessories they use in their pieces play a big part in how it looks over all’. Body painting, Bianca explains, can present a host of career opportunities, from promotional work, to festivals and club nights. Before returning to the UK to carry out a further course in Spa Treatment, Bianca will spend the rest of her summer practicing on herself and friends. She hopes to progress and develop her technique, to one day be able to take up a season job in Ibiza, body painting at club nights. ‘I’d love to see the festival grow. Hopefully, more international artists will come over next year. In the competition, what the judges look for is the ‘wow factor’; to be able to have fine detail, but still make it very bold. The ones that stand out the most show great creativity and detail and technique. All other features also fit well into the theme, helping to shape the character. The ‘wow factor’ is the most important aspect. Bianca urges anyone interested in getting involved in body painting to take part in the festival workshops. ‘It’s a great place for beginners, and for people who just want to improve.’ Set for April 2016, any interested parties can contact Hamish Dalmedo on da000980@hotmail.com for more information on either the upcoming events, or the Gibraltar Face and Body Painting Association.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE James AUGUST & Daniel 2015
music words | Elena Scialtiel photos | Stefano Blanca Sciacaluga
SMOKE & MIRRORS Dead City Radio to rock the GMF
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he ‘hardest’ hard rock band to grace the Gibraltar Music Festival this year, according to frontman James Culatto, Dead City Radio is the local group which will build up the mood for the grand finale of Kings of Leon, Madness and Kaiser Chiefs. Being cast for the Festival came as a surprise for the recently formed band. In their half-hour slot, they are tipped to play their hit ‘Keep Em Coming’, whose video features dizzying shots of the Rock on the Rock Club’s sancta sanctorum, and other tunes popular with their fans, but also have a couple of surprises lifted from their forthcoming EP, to premiere on the prestigious Radio Gibraltar stage. James, besides being the group’s voice and rhythm guitarist, is also its lyricist. He writes ‘meaningful lyrics’ inspired by his own life experiences or stories he hears: “I write stuff that people can relate to, and even if they don’t empathise with my mes-
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sage, they can give it their own interpretation and eventually they will say ‘oh yeah, I understand where he is coming from’. You need to make a connection with your audience if you want them to appreciate your lyrics.” He modestly admits he is no poet and doesn’t see his lyrics as stand-alone poetry, without the melodies his band composes, but he always likes to tell a story in a way that prompts some soul-searching. “I don’t rhyme love with above,” he says: he’d rather go for the unlikely pair trust/ lust, as he does in Smoke & Mirrors, or for explicit lyrics to put a harrowing message across, like in Keep Em Coming. This song is about stopping giving in to peers’ pressure and taking life in one’s hands, and it was originally composed for his previous group, Voodoo Monkey, who went on an indefinite hiatus two years ago. Soon, James got the itch, or a tickle in his throat, for being out of work and play and
founded a new band, which, after some changes in its line-up, has settled into a four piece, with Michael Gomez (formerly Moonshine) on drums, Robin Batchelor (James’s pal from Finger Lickin’ Good old days) on lead guitar, and Daniel Ghio (Orange Peel, Karma 13) on bass guitar. Actually, Daniel will be the first musician ever to have to spread himself across two GMF acts, as Karma 13 will be on stage the previous day. “We are playing on Sunday 6th September, and we are exactly where we want to be: the Radio Gibraltar stage.” They admit they are not main stage material, but they aren’t chillout seaside stage material either. So, a bit like Goldilocks - and James’s core fan will surely remember his ‘lion mane’ years! - he is ticking off his bucket list this special gig that is the coronation of almost thirty years on stage. After Voodoo Monkey, James enjoyed a spell with Finger Lickin’ Good, a great 57
cover band, but he wanted to uncompromisingly play originals, and the nightclub circuit was no longer enough for his talent. So, Dead City Radio was born and debuted last November at the Rock on the Rock Club, having spent one year to perfect their repertoire and define their sound. James describes the band as ‘riff guitar driven’, but definitely not ‘horror’ as the band name would suggest at first. This was designed randomly because of the congenial ring to it, with no allusion whatsoever to any radio that broadcasts only mainstream chart toppers, as some observers may have hastily and mistakenly implied. “I want to thank the ROTR for launching us and hosting our rehearsals. I believe it is a common thought among Gibraltarian musicians that without the Club, musicians wouldn’t have the time, the place and the tools to work towards their power of self expression and truthfulness, and would have to put their musical integrity on one side, to play covers as crowd pleasers to attract patrons.” Since then, they hopped from big stage to bigger stage: they had gigs with Headwires, Midriff, Adrian Pisarello, and celebrated the Club’s tenth anniversary in an epic Hard’n’Heavy bash at Lathbury Barracks, 58
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rubbing elbows with legends like Saxon and Skindred. Now, they are working at their first EP Smoke’n’Mirrors, whose title song has already been released on SoundCloud. The storyline is about a man in a boat adrift over choppy seas and the land he spots ahead. “The boat represents his state of mind, the ocean his failing relationship and the land a stable relationship. The question is: will the boat take him there?” Dead City Radio introduce a freshly composed song at every concert, to tease their fans with novelty and to keep them hooked with classics. They also like to share the stage with artists of different styles: for example, they will have a gig with singer/songwriter Paddy Taylor at the end of August, just one week before both acts take the GMF plunge. “Paddy has been a musical revelation this past year: we admire his talent, he is a good friend of ours and we are honoured to play on the same night,” James says, guaranteeing that the juxtaposition of their different approaches to live music playing will rock the Rock on the Rock Club once again. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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music words | Elena Scialtiel
WHEN THE RAIN COMES to the Gibraltar Music Festival with Tim Garcia
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e will be singing about rain on the Radio Gibraltar Stage at the Music Festival this September within a varied bill of local artists, posing some serious competition to the international acts on the main stage.
As part of the winning package at the last Rock on the Rock’s Singer/Songwriter Competition, Tim Garcia landed the opportunity of performing at the GMF Seaside Stage and later, co-organiser Jonathan Scott offered him to upgrade to the Radio Gibraltar stage. He grasped it at once and demanded to have veteran Afterhours featured as his support band to offer fans a better orchestration to his popular acoustic versions. “Hey, it’s Afterhours, one of the most experienced bands in Gibraltar! How can I not feel honoured and humbled for playing with them? And hey, it’s the GMF! I will be snapping selfies with legendary rockstars!” Tim quips about this offer he couldn’t 60
refuse. “Band member, Robert Perez was one of the judges at the competition, and we discussed the possibility to record my original entry When the Rain Comes, a song about someone who seems perfect to the whole world, but they are not and actually, have a dark secret so when they crash, everybody is surprised, even if they should have actually known it all along.” The track is being broadcast exclusively on Radio Gibraltar, and one thing led to another until Tim and the band decided to record more originals together. They are currently working on the When the Rain Comes video which they hope to release prior to the GMF. “The script is there, we have picked locations and actors, but it is the time to actually shoot it we’re lacking right now,” says busy corporate and commercial law Hassans partner and family man Tim, who has been spreading himself thin with other projects, like replacing the soul and R’n’B band Soulmates’ male lead singer Craig Macdonald after his over-
seas move, and singing the Miss Gibraltar contestants through their live eveningwear routine. “Often, I leave home early in the morning and I am not back until midnight. I am very fortunate that my partner is supportive in taking turns for our parenting duties, as she has her own creative projects to pursue. When Soulmates offered me the spot, I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough time to honour the commitment, but I was flattered they did, so I did not want to let them down and accepted when I was told they rehearse together just once a week and the rest is homework in one’s own time.” Their big summer bash happened at the end of June in Puerto de Santa Maria at the European Harley Davidson rally, with an estimated attendance of 50,000. Tim has composed ten original songs ready to be recorded with Afterhours GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
© Charlene Figueras
arrangement, and to be released as singles through the usual music channels: “I’d like to think they have the potential to become international hits, but for now I would just be happy to see them appreciated by the local audience in further live gigs, where some of them already premiered in a much simpler style.” Tim is, first of all, a poet and he takes great care in wording his songs. He describes himself as a ‘frustrated writer’ and always starts composing from a concept, adding a melody to convey it effectively. “A good melody can stand the test of diverse music genres, and I don’t limit myself to pop or easy-listen rock. For example, my romantic ballad When We Kissed started with a poprock arrangement, but the band advised me to try it in reggae and it worked even better, so we developed that way.”
© Figgy Photography
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Under Siege on the other hand, is a power ballad with patriotic and historic connotations, where lyrics are significant and must resonate over the drum rolls and bass riffs that mimic the chaos and hectic rhythm of the battle.
Graduated with honours at the 2013 Gibraltar International Song Festival where he performed Radio with Sammy Lee on back vocals, former power trio Fuse frontman Tim Garcia was the revelation of the inaugural edition of Stagestruck in 2007, and also dabbled in a dramatic role in a theatrical production about a mad genius mathematician directed by now Minister John Cortes. “I don’t rule out auditioning for future productions if opportunity knocks, but at present, it is my music that takes centre stage, alongside my young family,” he says.
© Figgy Photography
Tim gets inspiration everywhere and he jots down verses and ideas on his phone any time it strikes: “The hardest part is not having as much time as I would like to for my song writing when I have to prioritise other commitments. So, I put it aside for when I get some spare time, and the hardest of all is doing justice to everything and keeping focused at rehearsals. Sometimes, I am so stressed, I wonder if I am still enjoying it. My dad used to quote a documentary about Paco de Lucia which told how much he enjoyed playing his guitar as an amateur, and how he would play for hours, but when the hobby turned into a profession, it felt like the shine had been taken out of it.” 61
dance
JONATHAN LUTWYTCHE The Britain’s Got Talent Experience
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iterally taking a leap of faith into the unknown, local contemporary dancer, fifteen year old Jonathan Lutwytche signed up to audition for this year’s season of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ on a whim, after catching a late night advert calling for participants. ‘To apply you didn’t have to send any information except what you do, your name, and where you’re from. I completely forgot about it. A couple of weeks later, I got an email saying I had an audition in London!’ Perched in a hushed corner of Café Solo, Jonathan beams at me from the opposite side of the table, a backwards baseball cap planted on his head casually and comfortably. He recalls his experience taking part in the UK talent show competition, with pride and awe. The initial audition took place in the London ExCel Centre, and was ‘for producers only.’ The first auditions are carried out across the UK, with around 40,000 participants having taken part this year. ‘At my audition there must have been
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a good couple of thousand people, there were lines everywhere, outside, inside, upstairs, and they just kept going.’ I probe him on some of the most interesting auditions he witnessed. ‘For my first audition, I first saw the little girl who did karate and thought “wow”, then she was in the semi-finals with me, which was nice. There were also those two jugglers who did crazy things and juggled everything. They were so young.’ Dance History Having made it to the Semi Finals, missing a spot in the finals by a narrow margin, Jonathan is wholly grateful for the experience. A proficient and talented dancer, he boasts a number of world championship titles, and has, for the second year in a row, been offered a summer scholarship at the Geoffrey School of Ballet in New York. His dancing history traces back almost ten years, when he took his first couple of classes, having grown up with older sisters who were both involved in
dance in Gibraltar. ‘I did one show but I didn’t really like it, I must’ve been there for a couple of months before I left. When I was about nine, I tried again because some of my friends went to dance school. I stayed longer, around five or six months, it wasn’t anything special. I was quite bad back then.’ His eagerness for the sport came after a school production in Bishop’s Fitzgerald Middle School. ‘I always did gymnastics, from a young age my sisters taught me. After the production I went to a few dance classes and I loved it. It was really what I wanted. Now I’ve been there for three years.’ Jonathan dances with Danza Academy under the steadfast guidance of his coach, Anne Marie Gomez, who also heads the Gibraltar International Dance Federation Dance Association. Anne Marie travelled to London on a number of occasions, throughout the lengthy, Britain’s Got Talent process. Jonathan talks of the amazing support he received from his Dance School compadres throughout his time at BGT. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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The BGT Process Following the initial audition, participants who made it through the first stage carried out a second audition, not to be shown on television. ‘From there they said “ok we’ll let you know” and then they called in December. From there I went to the judge’s audition and that was an amaz-
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ing experience.’ The judge’s audition was broadcast on ITV in early May, startling many Gibraltarians who knew Jonathan and had no idea he was to appear on the nationally well loved show. He had managed to keep the entire process a secret following first audition in December 2014. ‘I got the four yesses, but once you
come of stage they give you a form saying that just because you got the four yesses, doesn’t mean you’re through. They say yes to so many people then they have to cut it down. They tell you they’ll call you by a certain date, they said “if we call you, it’s to see if the judges want you to come over for the semi final” they sent
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dance Duo - Steven Pardo & Jonathan Lutwyche - Adult World Dance Champions 2014
me an email on a Friday night at about one in the morning saying I had flights on the Saturday morning.’ Having flown to London, he joined 300 others that had received four yesses. The group was cut down to the top forty acts. Put up against four other acts on stage, in front of the judges, David Walliams told Jonathan that he was being sent home, to practice for the semi-finals. ‘They also filmed me telling my Mum! It was just a great experience. I had to keep all of it a secret. I had so many contracts. After a lot of filming beforehand, the semi finals happened. I must’ve done around six hours of filming for that one minute forty-five they showed before my performance. I did so much more that they didn’t show.’
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Choreography & Music I probe him on the pieces he chose to perform at both his Judge’s audition and the show’s semi final. ‘For the audition it was a piece I’d danced to a long time ago in a competition and I’d really liked the song. This was a Danza Academy choreography competition that I entered with that solo. Originally, it was about a cancer patient and I won first place. I really liked it and thought I’d use it in the audition. I worked on it. I wasn’t going for the theme of emotional dancing at first, but obviously, they liked that side so from there my dance teacher helped me polish it and make it better.’ Three weeks of intense deliberation led to Jonathan choosing Christina Perri’s ‘Human’, for his semi finals performance. ‘Brian Friedman was the Creative Directive and he really liked the idea of the wall and the shadow. I kept that idea. Originally, I
had the song “Impossible” by James Arthur, but then thinking about it, I changed it. One night, I was just browsing Youtube and I came across “Human”. I’ve always loved that song and we thought it went well with the idea of the shadow. From there, me and Anne-Marie and Zuleika started choreographing some things for the piece, and we sent the video over to Brian. He really liked it, he just changed a couple of things and finished it in 45 minutes.’ Famed celebrity choreographer, Brian Friedman is known for his work with Britney Spears, Cher, Beyoncé Knowles and Mariah Carey. Jonathan counts it a privilege to have worked with him and been able to share the experience with his coaches and dance friends. The week of his performance in the semi finals, his dance team (GIDA) were competing at the International Dance Federation World Dance Championships in Italy. ‘They couldn’t even watch it in Italy. The whole team was waiting for it to come out on Youtube! I really wanted to go and represent Gibraltar, but obviously, I couldn’t. This was a bigger opportunity. ‘ Immense Local Support Now, a household name on the Rock, Jonathan was also recognised often during his time in London. Having spent time in modest Yorkshire town ‘Brighouse’ visiting friends in early May, I was approached by a friend’s dad informing me that a ‘Gibraltarian lad’ had been dancing on Britain’s Got Talent the night before. ‘He was very good,’ the family insisted. Thirteen million viewers watched the semi finals, spreading Jonathan’s reach nationwide. ‘It’s been crazy,’ he explains, ‘so many
GIDFDA Adult group displaying their talents at a recent show held in the John Mackintosh Hall GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Britain’s Got Talent smart phone app but unfortunately, it was in vain, as the votes were not counted. ‘For me, the strangest thing is when people look at me and I’m thinking, “you’ve seen me before” you don’t have to look at me like that, I’m the same person.’ Speaking about what he’s been up to since the experience, Jonathan tells me about working on the annual ‘sports day’ and gym display for St. Paul’s First School.
When questioned on the potential of entering another major competition, a distant glimmer flashes through Jonathan’s eyes. ‘I don’t think I’ll do Britain’s Got Talent again because I’ve had the experience already and I’m happy with what I’ve done. It has been a long process since my first audition seven months before the semi finals. It was a lot of work with lots of meetings. I have been thinking that I really want to do ‘Got to Dance’, that’s a UK show as well.’
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people recognise me, even in London people asked for a photo with me. When I came back to Gibraltar everyone was so supportive. I’m so thankful that they tried so hard to get me through, even though their votes didn’t count. It just shows that Gibraltar has an amazing community.’ During the semi finals, social media was awash with local messages of support for Jonathan, many on the Rock voted for him to continue through to the finals, via the
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CLAIMING THE TITLE Miss Gibraltar 2015 Hannah Bado
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wenty-two years old and a teacher by trade, Hannah Bado, with her smooth, dark complexion and eagerness to assist local charitable causes, has already grasped the responsibilties, in her new position as Miss Gibraltar 2015. Many insisted that the competition was tough this year. Fresh out of University, Hannah explains that whilst entering the famed Gibraltarian pageant had been on her bucket list for years, coming back to Gibraltar to kick-start her teaching career, she believed that this was the perfect time to enter. ‘I think that most young girls always dream of becoming Miss Gibraltar. I feel more mature now, having gone to University. I’ve always done modeling in the past, and some charity work, including FLIP, which was a threeyear programme where I raised a lot of money for Cheshire Homes. I knew I could handle the challenge and commitment of being Miss Gibraltar.’ Hannah spends her down time with friends and family, and keeping fit. Now that she has finished
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teaching for the summer, she is adamantly dedicating her time entirely to her Miss Gibraltar duties; from attending a multitude of local events, to preparing for the Miss World 2015 pageant in December. Having gone up against her peers and former school friends, she notes that the girls ‘were all on the same wavelength. We all wanted to go out there and try our best. As much as we were all nervous wrecks, we helped calm each other down and support each other. We got along well and were at an advantage in the sense that we all knew each other. All being similar ages helped us. It is hard, especially this year as everyone insists the competition was so high, and I know it was. Not only were the girls all beautiful but they were really nice and educated people. It was a tough competition but we didn’t ever let that get to us and get to our relationships. Although it was a competition, we didn’t act competitive towards each other.’ Seven contestants contended for this year’s pageant;
Hannah, Bianca Pisharello, Natalia Nuñez, Adrienne Rumbo, Ashleen Snape, Melenie Lett and Jade Pau. The crowning moment Reflecting back on the night; an impressively put together event, held at Alameda Gardens Open Air Theatre, Hannah recalls her most memorable instance being the crowning. ‘The crowning moment was literally the best moment of my life. Apart from that, I remember when I came out of the disco ball and having to pose and turn; the reaction from the audience was so incredible and that gave a really good feeling.’ She wistfully describes the crowning as ‘a dream’. ‘As I know Shyanne, and we’d been practicing so much backstage, it just reminded me of a rehearsal. I just thought that it wasn’t actually happening. I was overwhelmed. When they announced my name, especially with the music and the lights, it was so dramatic. I got such an amazing reaction and just an incredible feeling.’ I probe her about working with 67
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very well known local showman, Christian Santos who produced the show and she lights up. ‘Everybody asks me this question. It was great! He really knows what he’s doing and he’s incredible in the sense that he tries to personalize his approach to everyone. He makes you become the best that you can possibly be. He gives you great advice; he was the one that told me to go for a red coloured dress, he prepares you for the interview, he prepares you for losing. You know what he’s like, you can have a laugh with him and it was constantly an enjoyable time when he’s around.’ The red dress The Miss Gibraltar Pageant has become a Gibraltarian institution. The initial contest
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was held in 1959, organised by the Vox newspaper, and won by Viola Abudarham. After a four-year slump following the initial pageant, the show was revived with new guidelines. It has run consecutively each year since, in conjunction between the producer and the Ministry for Culture. Many have come to regard is as their favourite night of the year. The focal point of the evening is perhaps the dresses, which are only brought to light in the final competition round. It is one of the most rousing aspects of the contest for many of the contestants. I ask Hannah about her choice, an extraordinarily bold vermilion number, ‘I didn’t want red originally,’ she recounts, ‘ I thought ok, red represents my personality more, it’s more of a vibrant and
risky colour. Also, because I’m so dark it would suit me well. I looked everywhere online and couldn’t find any that I liked until my mum came across a wedding dress that was red and big and puffy at the bottom. I wanted a low back, I think most girls always dream of the low back in the Miss Gibraltar contest, and so I contacted Dorcas Hammond, I gave her all my ideas and she made my dress.’ Looking back so fondly on the three month process, I question why Hannah would urge girls to sign up and participate in the pageant, ‘ I would recommend it to anyone because not only do you challenge yourself personally, but everyone’s different and everyone gains something different from it.
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scene You can become a more confident speaker, or you can walk better on the catwalk, or do a photoshoot which maybe you’ve never done before. I think it gives you so much confidence and confidence is the best quality for a woman to have, in my opinion. You can gain something out of it for sure.’ Time keeping is most integral aspect, Hannah claims, ‘you need to make sure you’re on top of all your appointments, to make sure that you’re eating the right things and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and going to the gym, keeping up with your normal job, and rehearsals. For me personally, what I gained form the experience is realizing I can handle anything that comes my way. It was a big challenge managing time and I know that I’m capable of anything if I put my mind to it.’ Favoured moments throughout the entire process include the assault course challenge the contestants carried out early into their rehearsals. The team building activity was one of the first opportunities they had to develop friendships and get to know each other. ‘We hadn’t really bonded as a team yet. Rehearsals are very intense and you’re constantly walking for two hours, you don’t sit down, you don’t chat. That was the first day we actually bonded. As it was team building we had to help each other and motivate each other. It was really tiring and challenging and then of course apart from that, I really enjoyed the photoshoots with Joanna Kustra. I absolutely love doing photoshoots. She was great to work with.’ An aspiring model, Hannah looks towards the Miss World shoots to develop her portfolio. She most looks forward to working with different photographers. ‘My photos will be sent to Miss
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World and you never know, that might help me get somewhere.’ I ask her whether she’s apprehensive about competing in the Miss World Pageant, which will this year take place in China. ‘I’m only apprehensive about travelling there by myself, I’ve never travelled so far before even though I’m not afraid of flying or anything, just being away from home for a month. I’m not worried about it in general but looking forward to it so much, I’ve never been to China. Meeting new people and experiencing a new culture will be amazing.’ Charity goals Her ultimate goal as Miss Gibraltar 2015 is to reach out to as many charities as possible. ‘People often tent to stick to just one charity, which is great, everyone
has their own preferences, but I want to come up with a target of money and share it between maybe five or six charities and just reach out to as many people as possible and help out a range of charities so I can touch a range of people within the community.’ She added, ‘it’s just such an honour to represent Gibraltar, I don’t sing or dance, so I’ve never been abroad to represent Gibraltar and to know that I’m going to be the face of Gibraltar and represent my people is something that is just really special.’ Passing down the torch, Miss Gibraltar 2014, Shyanne Azopardi has advised Hannah to ‘just be [herself].’ ‘I know Shyanne was such a great Miss Gibraltar and she was active in everything that she’s done. People have told me to just try my best and not compare myself to anybody else.’
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BEHIND RUNWAY Breaking into the industry
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he Runway concept first came about in Malta in 2011. Having been involved in fashion and modeling for over 18 years, initially as a fashion journalist, the vibrant Shideh Olafsson developed the concept, affording local designers, models and photographers the opportunity to work with internationally renowned industry front-runners. At a press briefing fittingly held in suave new night club Eclipse, she tells us that this is the only fashion event of this nature held in Gibraltar, and she is right, Runway carries a prestige that is certainly unparalleled to other events that may offer amateurs fashion fans such an incredible break. ‘Being such a small place, Gibraltar doesn’t really have the opportunity that Runway can provide for people. It is quite secluded, in a way. International designers weren’t coming here; models weren’t getting the right amount of exposure or the experience. Once I visited Gib a few times and saw there was absolutely nothing like this, I thought it was so necessary.’
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The Runway concept The Gibraltar branch of Runway came about in 2013. ‘My family moved to Estepona in Spain so Runway Gibraltar was born. Initially, it was my idea but it’s always been Naomi and I who have put it together here.’ Naomi Quigley, of Colorworks was approached to help organise the first event. Her knowledge and background in marketing proved integral in helping the show flourish. The 2015 show took place at the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre. The evening line up was comprised of new collection displays by international designers Sadie Clayton, who is described as ‘one of the UK’s most talked about emerging designers’ and Romero Bryan who has been worn by the likes of Kelly Rowland and Alicia Keys. Also displaying his designs was local Paul Perez, whose original collection won him the New Designer Competition in 2014. The competition has run each year and offers aspiring Gibraltarian designers the opportunity ‘to shine on a world stage’. Their pieces are judged by the Brighton
Fashion Week team, with the winner having their line showcased on the catwalk at Brighton Fashion Week, to a gathering of buyers, designers and press. ‘We bring over international designers and put them on a catwalk with local designers. We bring over international models and put them on a catwalk with local ones. The same for photographers and make up artists. It’s this amalgamation of amateur vs. professional and because of that people get their breaks and it’s really cool. The locals get to work with professionals. So far, we’ve launched Shorji and she’s become a full time designer. Paul Perez did wonderful things, all because he won last year. The opportunity is never ending and it’s really rewarding.’ Fashion is a particularly inaccessible industry for many people and is known for its ruthless nature towards newcomers. ‘If you want to make it, if you want to be something, you have to be an intern, you have to do it the long way round and then, 71
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Shideh Olafsson directing the show
hopefully, in five years, you’ll get to intern for someone big. This way you’re cutting all of that out and you’re getting to work with someone big immediately. Even the backstage helpers are all trying to get into fashion school, they now get to speak to big international designers and ask how it works. We’ve even had some that have gone and interned for some of them, just from working backstage. We really hope that every single Runway makes something out of someone.’ With pumping deep house music swelling from the speakers above, young local and international models mingle amongst the press and, occasionally, eager volunteers pop their heads through the doors of Eclipse to enquire about how they can help out during the show. Among the bunch are local girls who have cut their teeth in magazine shoots, and some who have never walked before, but displayed a natural flare for the job. ‘I just think that a lot of people think pageants are what models should be doing, and it’s very sad. The thing is, it’s very different. Certainly, the models we have have never done pageants and they’re not allowed to. I think there is potential here but it’s gone the wrong way, it’s not being used. This is our third year here and nobody has come along and done anything like it. That’s amazing to me. Usually, you do something and five minutes later someone’s trying to copy. What that’s telling you is that there is just not enough opportunity. These girls aren’t getting any kind of exposure or practice or anything and some of them really want to be a model full time. They’re never going to get to if they keep going down the pageant route.’ Choosing the right models Shideh’s history in the industry spans multiple areas, from acting as an editor for a fashion and lifestyle magazine in New 72
Zealand, to working in fashion PR and eventually setting up her own modeling management company and fashion PR firm. She manages a host of successful international models, one of which she discovered during Runway Gibraltar’s first show. Taking us through the model selection process, Shideh explains that there is an initial casting. ‘I set the standard for the models and they’re international standards. I don’t care that we’re not on a catwalk in Paris or Milan, I still want the models to be the right height and shape, and look healthy. We want them to have good skin and to walk properly. We fly in a few international models and we have a local casting. We go through the walks and make sure of everything. For the local designers, I choose who walks for whom and the international designers chose who they want. These international designers
Bhavna Suri, Runway Gibraltar 2015
models this year, it’ll be harder than ever. Backstage, it’s not only mayhem though, it’s so international! You’ve got these people speaking all sorts of languages and everyone is so different. It’s just a weird, cool feel. You get these guys from London who are just so London-ey and you can feel their presence. This is why these kids come and do it year after year.’ Discovering Bee One of the biggest discoveries of Shideh’s management company was Bhavna Suri, who was working at the Ocean Village Health Club in 2013, following her family’s move to Spain five years ago. Cheery Bhavna (known better as Bee) politely chats to us, taking us through her journey, ‘I knew Naomi through friends and she contacted me one day about coming to do the first Runway, so from there, I did the show and then again the second year. In between that, Shideh took a liking to me and got me some more modeling work. I did a few shoots in and out of Spain with a few designers and then Shideh started setting me up with agencies abroad and she sent my stuff off, wanting to see what kind of response I’d get from around the world and funnily enough one of the first places to come back was India. I’m actually half Indian, so I said yes, definitely!’ Hailing from Suffolk originally, Runway kick started an incredible career that has led to Bee posing for Vogue and Elle India. ‘I was supposed to go for a three month placement and I got out there and it kind of just really took off. Luckily, with my look being half Indian half English, it really worked out there. I started doing fashion week and my name started getting established
are not going to put their clothes down the catwalk when things aren’t going to fit properly, that’s just not fair on the amount of work they’ve done.’ She explains that the designers put the models through hell. ‘It doesn’t matter that we’re in Gib, we’ve had the lighting brought in because there’s nothing here that can handle it. They’re white so you can see every detail of the hair and make up and buttons and everything. This is a real fashion show.’ The backstage process is, by now, a welloiled machine. Shideh’s backstage manager has worked on a spectrum of international shows, including the past two editions of Runway. ‘She organises all of the clothes, she labels everything, we take photos of all of the girls, we put them up in the line they’re supposed to go in and we have a rehearsal before each show. It is full on and the changes are so quick, you have about twenty seconds to completely change each outfit and hair and makeup. It’s really full on and with only twelve
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fashion so I decided to stay. It’s been an amazing journey! The next part is, Shideh is looking into moving me to Australia in September. I’m looking at carrying on viewing other places, getting more experience and seeing what more I can do.’
Although Gibraltar is not a hugely fashion central location, Runway show plays an integral role in the annual calendar of events and is much anticipated by many whose taste for fashion and modeling, and interest in upcoming trends, is rarely satisfied on the Rock.
Bhavna Suri, VOGUE India
Read our fashion columnist Alex’s review of the night, and the winning designs, on the next page.
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Bee has developed an affinity to Gibraltar where she first stepped onto the catwalk. ‘It’s so great to be back!” She beams comfortably, appearing genuinely excited for the upcoming show and spending the evening with the other models and organisers. ‘It’s really nice to be here where I started and talk about what experiences I’ve been able to have. For me, Runway was a great building block and it’s such a great thing for the girls to be able to have that opportunity and have the chance to meet the right people, with designers coming over from London for the show. I know there was another model from Gib that ended up going to work on a shoot with one of the international designers.’ Bee credits the highlight of her career thus far, to the major magazine editorials, ‘getting to meet the designers was amazing. There are international designers that work in India, from all over the World. Everyone knows these magazines, especially, if you’re interested in fashion, so for me it was such a milestone to say that I’ve been in Elle and Vogue. I’m humbled and glad that I’ve had that experience, but I can still come back and see everyone and know that this is where I started. I’m super appreciative to Shideh for getting me out there.’
Bee’s tale certainly gives hope to other young, aspiring models, of which there are many on the Rock. On what Runway taught her to prepare for a vibrant modeling career, Bhavna notes, ‘you do have to have that confidence to be able to show through the clothes. My first walk was at Runway so I obviously got that experience. Having lots of international designers here really shows you how to properly walk. I know in Gib there’re a lot of pageants and the walk is very different.’ One of her favourite modeling moments, Bee recounts, was walking for huge Indian designer, Rohit Bal. During the show, she recalls Christian Louboutin sitting in the front row. ‘When I first went to India I had an expectation of what it would be like, but it wasn’t what I thought at all. It is a very beautiful country and there is a lot of professionalism. There is a very good high standard in the industry. There is so much opportunity, whereas in London, to get into Vogue, many people find it such a struggle because there is so much competition. In India, if you’ve got the right look and they like you, you’re in there.’ After having spent a year and a half in India, her next pursuit is to see what she can achieve elsewhere.
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fashion words | Alex Orfila
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fashion words | Alex Orfila photos | Juanlu Rodriguez
RUNWAY REPORT The highlight of Gibraltar’s fashion calendar
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he terraces of King’s Bastion were transformed into a haven of brilliant lighting, sounds and lots of fashionable people, most of whom could be seen fanning themselves elegantly against the 30 degrees July heat. The encroaching levanter mist could not dampen spirits in this eclectic coming together of all areas of the industry - from elite makeup artists, international models and fashion veterans - in our very own backyard. However, as delicious as the canapés were, as exciting as the prospect of being forced into taking yet another goody bag was, do not be fooled, as enticing as these perks were, we were all here for one thing and one thing only, the fashion. The crowd was teeming with excitement and, from my front row seat, it was easy to gather an understanding of the amount of work that had gone into this production. From the lighting, the rows of photographers, and the Runway backstage team -
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clad in black from head-to-toe - who could be occasionally glimpsed scooting across the stage seeing to last minute details, it seemed this was a finely tuned machine in which all roles, however minor, had to be expertly executed in order to ensure success. I almost found it hard to believe that I was sat just down the road, in King’s Bastion, when the atmosphere was much more becoming of an exclusive fashion event on some decadent rooftop in let’s say, Milan or some other famous Fashion Capital. Shideh Olafsson, the creative brains behind the Runway brand, describes its ethos as a platform for amateur designers, models and photographers to come together in a production where they are given a rare opportunity to work with industry experts. Therefore, quite fittingly, a previous winner of the New Designer Competition, local designer, Paul Perez opened the show with a speech describing his journey and
how his career has flourished following his win, before introducing the young designers who would be partaking in this year’s competition. The winner of which shall have the opportunity to showcase their entire collection before a panel of experts at Brighton Fashion Week. Gabriella Sardeña For the opening collection we saw the first entry of the New Designer competition courtesy of local designer Gabriella Sardeña. The Models were dressed in pretty shirts, statement stilettos and feminine pleated cuts in colours of pale blue, pink and flirtatious candy stripe patterns. However, there was a rebellious and almost pop art note to the collection in the form of graphic prints of lips and eyes featured on some of the garments. Blasting from the speakers was the tune “I eat boys like you for breakfast” which seemed to reinforce this rebellious edge all the more. 75
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Gabriella Sardeña
Claire Poggio The second collection was Claire Poggio’s. She is a local designer who has been taking sowing classes from the age of 15 and her skill and attention to detail was present in every detail of her collection. Her outfits consisted of minimalist grey tailoring with a sporty edge. Amidst the grey and muted tones, we saw injections of neon colour and bursts of florals. With florals, sheer backs, glamorous hoods and sporty tailoring, one could imagine this attire fitting appropriately in both a garden party or a very chic gym. Kayla Debono
Although all three collections were solid contenders, there could only be one victor and after displaying such artistic vision and craftsmanship, it is no surprise that Gabriella went on to be named the winner of the New Designer Competition. When speaking to Gabriella, she opened up about the inspiration behind her collection, describing it as reflecting the contrast between innocence and raw femininity. She wanted to portray the colours of sweets with an almost candy crush vibe teamed with elegant feminine tailoring. Unsurprisingly, the very talented Gabriella shall shortly be enrolling in Central Saint Martins whose past alumni include fashion
designer heavy weights such as Stella McCartney, John Galliano and the late Alexander McQueen, to name but a few. She said she is very positive about the future and tremendously looking forward to enrolling in Central Saint Martins and show casing in Brighton Fashion Week. She excitedly waits to see what is next on the horizon, which in my humble opinion will, undoubtedly, involve a successful career in fashion. Shortly after the winning new designer was named, there was an interval in the outdoor lounge of Boyd’s in which guests were treated to live entertainment, courtesy of the exotic tunes of The Hula Hulas. The trio was performing well known classics armed with a laid back Beach Boys vibe as well as a trombone, a guitar and, of course, a ukulele. The music simply added an air of upbeat liveliness to this already bustling summer evening.
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The third entry to the New Designer Competition was Kayla Debono’s. Her collection could be described as a beautiful summery haze of corals and warm tones. Think bold colour blocks with statement make up to match as models were sent down the runway with bronzed
and shimmering faces. Her last look was flawless and I’m sure I wasn’t the only girl in the crowd left lusting after the regal floor length terracotta coloured gown with print detailing down the middle.
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fashion Paul Perez
Sadie Clayton
On return to our seats, last year’s winner Paul showcased his latest collection and once more we were transported to a distant rooftop elsewhere, somewhere that didn’t quite feel like Gib but more like a city were the fashion elite would congregate. The models walked the runway clad in Paul’s trademark minimalist style in neutral tones of beige, greys and this year an injection of subtle mint. Think easy wrap around dresses in light weight fabrics and textures. Separates are effortlessly teamed together as we see floaty tops paired with clean cut culottes, which is no surprise as culottes seem to be having a serious comeback throughout the industry.
Now, the international designers were to follow. First up was Sadie Clayton, an international fashion designer whose career sky rocketed shortly after displaying her collection in London Graduate Fashion Week in 2013, which saw her winning an Innovation Award. Her designs are almost industrial at times and this may be as a result of the colours and materials used. Think copper and metallic tones brought together in a look which is perhaps robotic, certainly futuristic and most definitely awe inspiring. Throughout her collection, she experiments with structure, most notably with footwear which brought to mind McQueen’s Armadillo inspired shoes which were donned by Lady Gaga in her “Bad Romance” music video.
Paul’s collection also consisted of men’s fashion and he was the only designer to show a menswear collection during the event. This look too consisted of minimalist designs which packed a punch and we saw clean cut paneling, sharp collars and a continuation of neutral tones with a scattering of checkered patterns. And of course, almost every look in his collection was accentuated with his go to accessory, the statement ring necklace which has become synonymous of the Paul Perez brand.
It is no surprise that Romero Bryan, the London College of Fashion graduate and fashion world veteran, has dressed the likes of Kelly Rowland and Cameron Diaz, as his regal designs embody all the traits of haute couture. The collection consisted of an opulent combination of draped gowns, frills and modern silhouettes in the form of
Romero Bryan
With fabulous fashion, great entertainment and a buzzing crowd, I find I cannot fault this event. This was my first year as a Runway attendee, and I must admit that I was quite skeptical about the event in previous years and whether it would take on in a small place like Gib. However, I can honestly say that I was glad to have been proven wrong and I would urge all fashion fanatics on the rock to pencil this into their diary for next year, I most certainly will.
Sadie Clayton
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Paul Perez
Romero Bryan
jumpsuits and parachute dresses. Modern definitely meets classic. Romero Bryan is a visionary whose looks are striking and push boundaries whilst still maintaining the timelessness of feminine style. Luxurious tones come to the fore in this collection bringing precious stones to mind, think diamond metallic, ruby reds and black onyx. His gowns all have the wow factor and experiment with texture. One piece that stood out particularly, was a white, floor length gown embellished with crystals, which evoked a futuristic bridal look. Not a collection for shying violets, must be worn with metallic high stilettos and tons of attitude. It is therefore no surprise that Romero Bryan is the go to designer for so many A-listers.
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I WANT CANDY
Channel Runway’s New Designers winning collection in candy stripes, feminine hues and bags of attitude...
EYE CANDY Think pink with MAC eye shadow, in a shade which is very aptly named “ROCK CANDY”. MAC £13 STRIPES Stripes, but not as you know them. Don’t be afraid to experiment with colour and move away from nautical stripes. Topshop £50
STATEMENT STILETTOS
PLEATES PLEASE If stripes are not your thing then you can instead embrace the pleats in this collection, we are lusting after this dress in strawberry pink.
Say it with your shoes, why not step out of the comfort zone which dictates that shoes should always be neutral. Try something different with these statement stilettos. Topshop £46
Mango £48.99
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travel words | Elena Scialtiel
SUMMER IN LOCARNO Cinema, cheese and chocolate
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hot summer, buzzing with culture amidst cobblestone streets and green-shuttered pastel façades, great shopping, great wine-and-dine venues, landscaped waterfront, exhilarating boat rides, alfresco restaurants, panoramic views of mountains and blue waters from the cable car climbing up a steep hillside spiky with vegetation... This is not an excerpt from the latest Gibraltar Tourist Board promotional brochure, Locarno in a nutshell is the Swiss resort that shares with Gibraltar an enviable geographic position at the crossroads of navigated waterways, and the warmth of its people and climate. At the Northern tip of Lake Maggiore, close to the sandy banks area where the Ticino River enters it, Locarno enjoys a warm climate despite being encased deep in the Canton Ticino Alps, which reflect in the lake with a breathtaking backdrop of GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
greenery in summer and immaculate white in winter. You can get there by highway, by train or by boat. The most scenic route (surely, not the fastest, but who wants to hurry in a place where time slows down?) is the Centovalli Railway from Domodossola. A 52-kilometre ride through picturesque valleys, waterfalls and alpine meadows, secure on its rails that perch over viaducts or slither within the depths of chestnuts woodland. A network of mini cruise liners sails across the Lake and takes tourists to and from the charming Brissago Islands: check out the daily departures from the ‘imbarcadero’, which features a maze of old-fashioned wooden piers and stand-alone berthing poles, and enjoy your leisurely sail over the icy waters, framed by jagged peaks and terraced vineyards. If you prefer ‘terra firma’, but without
missing the thrill of the views, take a stroll along Muralto lakeside park, where swans and mallards swim along the willows at the tiny Marina. The luxuriant manicured gardens are in bloom all year round and bestow a cosy air of spring even on the crispier winter day. Further along, you will find the Visconti Castle, built in the Thirteenth Century and rumoured to have been given a facelift by Leonardo. An impressive grey-stone fortification, today it houses the archaeological museum and boasts a varied collection of Roman glass. Nearby, you’ll find the funicular railway station to the Monastery of Madonna del Sasso, that attracts pilgrims climbing on foot or on their knees, rewarding them for their devotion with spectacular views and a bowl of hearty soup. The legend tells that the church was built on the site where Our Lady had appeared 79
Madonna del Sasso sanctuary
to an ascetic Franciscan friar retired in a cave. The complex, in Renaissance style, hosts valuable artwork, like the wooden sculpture of the Virgin of the Rock, dating back to the late Fifteenth Century, and the Compianto, depicting the Deposition in a dynamic group of statues whose postures effectively immortalise the sorrowful scene in the ‘poor’ media of painted wood. Just opposite the sanctuary, you’ll find the cable car to Cardada mountaintop, a skiing
and paragliding paradise in winter, and bird-watching, orienteering and mountain biking in summer. If the dizzying views aren’t enough from the 1,340-metre height of this Pearl of Lake Maggiore, hop on the chairlift to Cimetta for a climb of over 300 metres and a 360⁰ view over the region. Plenty of rural accommodation available there for your ‘Heidi’ weekend, with delicious homegrown organic dishes, fresh berries and the staple polenta con brasato!
Cardada, Cable Car 80
Locarno town centre breathes an atmosphere of internationality, particularly in August when the International Film Festival is in full swing and the charming Piazza Grande brims with spectators and celebs. In its sixty-eighth edition, this year the Pardo d’Oro (Golden Leopard) will be awarded on 15th August, after an eleven-day marathon of movies, documentaries and features to keep the critics on
Visconteo Castle GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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Piazza Grande
their tiptoes. Not as red-carpet-fashion focused as its Cannes counterpart, but more prestigious for the artistic and cutting-edge standard of entries, this festival makes headlines not only in Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, but also in Hollywood where it is watched closely as a trendsetter for the year ahead. When not encumbered by rows of seats and giant screens, Piazza Grande is the lovely pulsating heart of city life, lined with arcades and cafés on one side. Like in Gibraltar, the old town is draped uphill, with winding alleys: stop and look up now and then, not just to admire the impressive Cardada towering above, but also to appreciate the frescoed walls of historical buildings and typical roof brickwork to endure any snowstorm.
Cuisine is eclectic, but the Mitteleuropa trend favoured by German tourists is mellowed by a definite Italian influence, and beer is happily out-staged by the local red wine production, mostly from Merlot cultivars. What best to soak it up than some cheese and toasted bread? Tessinerbrot is a loaf made to share out of one-portion rolls piled up together, and its dough contains oil to keep it softer. Dunk it in raclette, dress it with aromatic zincarlin and top it with nutty sbrintz crumbles.
Pardo d’Oro
The menu offers a variety of fish from the lake, marinated in herbs and fried or baked, and risotto with wild mushrooms or the rich sausage lugànega, to warm up the coldest wintry dinner.
Swiss chocolatier
And, of course, finish it off with a bite of artisan-made chocolate bar, or one (or two..?) cream-filled bonbons. Plenty of chocolateries around to choose from! Travel to Turin Caselle from London Gatwick to catch a train to Domodossola and commute to the Centovalli line. For further information, visit www.centovalli.ch, www. lagomaggioreexpress.it, www.ascona-locarno. com, www.pardolive.ch, www.ticino.ch, www. cardada.ch
Centovalli Railway GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Tessinerbrot 81
garden
GIBRALTAR BEAUTIFIED Dreaming up your outdoor spaces
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garden is like another room in your home, and should be treated so. This is the mantra of Creative Gardens mastermind, James Attwood. With years of experience and a wealth of impressive horticultural knowledge, Creative Gardens’ vision is to make Gibraltar significantly more aesthetically pleasing, through plants and a creative vision. ‘I’m just trying to make Gibraltar a nicer place. I see so much horticultural potential here’ he tells me.
he worked for many years as a horticultural advisor for a leading nursery chain. Now, he heads the Creative Gardens team who take on jobs transforming spaces into a horticultural dream. From your standard sized balcony, which are aplenty on the Rock, to larger developments, he creates a vision that will best suit the area. He brings his creations to life through three dimensional computer generated videos and images that give clients the ability to view their finished garden.
James has always had an eye for landscaping, after spending years of his childhood gardening with his grandfather. When he was sixteen, he made the choice to move to study horticulture at college where he achieved a national diploma. He then went on to graduate with a BSc in Horticulture at the University of Reading, where he majored in landscape design and garden history. From there, he travelled to Darwin, Australia where he worked as a landscape architect. Returning to the UK a year later,
‘There is such a myriad of plants that can be used in Gibraltar, they just don’t seem to be widely used. Here, we seem to strive to bring our gardens more in line with UK gardens, and in the UK, we strive for gardens containing Mediterranean plants. There is a wonderful crossover but I don’t think it’s widely implemented. It feels that we are a little bit behind here, for example automatic irrigation is not a new concept, yet it doesn’t seem to be implemented as effectively as it could be.’
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Gardens in Gibraltar The cardinal rule at Creative Gardens is to ‘listen to what the client wants because everybody’s different. What I try and do is create that extra room in somebody’s house with the intention of it looking after itself. All the systems will be in place for the garden to be relatively self sustaining i.e. it will water itself, the plants selected will be appropriate to the conditions.’ ‘Each one of our gardens is unique; there will never be two exactly the same. Some people have different colour ideas, some people want themes, and it’s our job to bring their idea to life. I guess what separates us is that we can do computer generated images of the finished garden, which holds us to our design and the client can see exactly what they’re going to get,’ James explains. He works closely with suppliers in Spain and the UK where he can source less commonly used plants. ‘I focus less on the botanical names, because this can confuse people when faced with GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
garden
a planting list, and instead provide clients with an image of the finished result, and that seems to be proving quite popular.’ Whilst many might think that there is not an abundance of private gardens and green spaces in Gibraltar, James debunks that myth quickly, ‘Gibraltar is like a blank canvas, there’s a lot of horticultural potential here.’ Most people have access to a balcony or small space, and then there are vast swathes of concrete. You can easily build a garden on a concrete slab, it just requires a little bit of creativity. ‘We’ve got such a massive carbon footprint, and very little to counteract it, which is a shame. Even buildings with vertical faces can have plants planted up them as well, every little helps.’ A question that lingers on the mind of any garden owner, or botanical enthusiast in general is ‘the secret to a better garden’. James believes the secret is that ‘it’s never complete. A garden like a person matures over time and their tastes and styles change. A garden is a reflection of this process.’ James notes that garden maintenance in Gibraltar, is no more difficult than in the UK, despite the heat. ‘Plants require four basic fundamentals, water, nutrients, air and light; if you provide all of them, you’re there. For example, if there is an increase of heat then the plant’s transpiration increases and it loses more water, if it doesn’t have water in the first place, it will wilt. As long as you provide those four basic ingredients, it will thrive.’
The winning entry, a recreation of the Union Jack with flowers and a model of the Rock (above), was created and planted in the garden. James’ previous experience more than qualifies him to make use of any space. His Convent designs also incorporated Tulbaghia violacea ‘silver lace’, which had likely never been incorporated into the garden before. James says that it is well suited to the conditions in Gibraltar and now used widely around the Rock. Roses seem to be making a bit of a return to Gibraltar as well,’ he tells me. Tips of the trade One of James’s biggest tips to garden owners, during this season, is Epson salts. Bought at any pharmacy, they contain high levels of magnesium sulphate. The magnesium enables plants to photosynthesise, due to its effect on the chloroplast. Sulphur helps form part of proteins, hormones and vitamins. In essence, Epson salts, which are usually used in body scrubs, enhance flower production and vitality of the plant, thus increasing yield and taste. James suggests that plant owners add one tablespoon per four litres of water to water the plants with, every two weeks. James can be contacted via Facebook on ‘Creative Gardens Gibraltar’ or via email at info@creativegardensgib.com
Creative Gardens
Gardens and pools Creative Gardens’ work in transforming spaces also includes the garden furnishings element. James excitedly explains to me that an upcoming job will see them install a water feature in a client’s garden that includes water and green walls and customised decking planters. He also heads Rock Pools Gibraltar, that specialises in a swimming pool and spa maintenance service. James qualified as an ILAM technician a few years ago, having carried out a course meeting European standards. He insists that it was an obvious progression as ‘most gardens have pools and most pools have gardens.’ He is qualified to manage and maintain communal pools and private pools alike. A Gibraltarian on his mother’s side, James has a vested interest in Gibraltar ‘and would like to see it flourish. Do you know what I’d love to see in Gibraltar? It wouldn’t take long, and it’s easily done; a floral clock. I want something different that will stand out and say, ‘welcome to Gibraltar’. Having worked on the Convent garden for two years James was responsible for developing the Diamond Jubilee garden, which integrated the Olympic rings, honouring the 2012 London Olympic games, as well as the former Governor Adrian Johns’ crest. During the 2012 royal visit by the Earl and Countess of Wessex, James presented his display garden to them. He also facilitated the former Governor’s competition in 2013 for school children to design their own garden. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
BEFORE
Making the most out of any space
AFTER
FOR A FREE CONSULTATION James Attwood B.Sc. (Hort) Tel: +350 54018134 Web: www.creativegardensgib.com 83 Email: info@creativegardensgib.com Creative Gardens.indd 1
03/06/2015 10:33
wine words | Andrew Licudi
INTRIGUE IN BORDEAUX How the wine classification system was created...
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or many, Bordeaux remains the world’s finest region for the production of complex, age worthy wines, invariably made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or a blend containing one or both of these grape varieties. Since the days of Thomas Jefferson, a knowledgeable wine enthusiast, draughtsman of the Declaration of Independence, and future president of the United States of America, who in 1787 toured the vineyards of Bordeaux and invested in its wines, this region has remained the hub of the fine wine investment market. In recent times, the region has been instrumental in propelling the price of Bordeaux’s finest to astronomical levels leading to greed and intrigue, amongst some producers, worthy of a novel by John Grisham. Since before the time of Jefferson, it was known that some clarets were better than others but no formal classification of Bordeaux’s wines existed until Napoleon III, wanting to show off France’s finest
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wines at the Exposition Universelle of 1855, ordered that a classification system of Bordeaux’s wines be drawn up. The tricky job of deciding which was a fine wine and which was less so, was left to a group of brokers who concluded the only fair way to accomplish this unenviable task was to set up bands of quality, with the only criteria being the price that each wine was achieving at the time. Far from being simple, this task caused unimaginable confrontations, accusations of self-interests and ill feeling amongst owners, inevitably of the opinion that their wines should be placed in a higher band. The accusations were not totally unfounded, as it is known that some wines were added or altered, in pencil, after the list was supposedly finalised. What eventually emerged, was a list of around 60 wines in five quality bands which has remained almost unchanged to this day, with the only notable exception of Mouton Rothschild. It was raised from second to first growth
status in 1973, after a 50 year-long battle by its aristocratic owner, Baron Philippe Rothschild, who made it his lifelong ambition to right a widely acknowledged wrong. His wines, up to 1973, displayed the words “First I cannot be, Second I do not deign to be, Mouton I am”. Surprisingly, in my opinion, the list remains a good indication of quality, giving credence to the theory that great wine is a function of “terroir”, an expression invented by the French to denote the combination of vineyard, climate, soil and so on, in other words, factors which cannot be changed by producers, however talented or well-heeled they may be. Some wines have since outperformed their quality band, for example, Lynch Bages, which is a fifth growth, now achieves higher prices than most second growths. (Lynch Bages is sold in very limited quantities by Anglo Hispano). Nevertheless, the jewel in the crown of Bordeaux are its first growths, of which there are five: Lafite, Latour, Mouton GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
wine Rothschild, Haut Brion and Chateau Margaux. These remain the backbone of the wine investment market, though other growths are also traded and provide a less risky option, particularly if the buyer is happy to drink the wines in the event that the market underperforms! Ironically, top Bordeaux producers need poor vintages, so when the “vintage of the century” comes along, the buyers will be queuing to pay whatever outrageous price certain producers demand, hoping that they, in turn, will make a killing in due course. 2005 was considered a very good vintage, followed by unexceptional years, until 2009 came along. When 2009 was declared one of the best vintages of all time, all hell broke loose! No Chateau wanted to be the first to declare opening prices. Rumour and counter rumour abounded. Some of the lesser growths took advantage of this delay tactics and quickly declared prices, selling out in hours. Others decided to sell in tranches, increasing prices as more and more investors ploughed into the market. The Chinese, unsophisticated wine investors at this time, fuelled the flames even further with their ready cash. Greed took over and many a Chateau abandoned traditional buyers for eastern gold. Decades long producer, middleman, buyer relationships
were strained, sometimes irreparably, though many producers, like Langoa Barton, refused to increase prices significantly, ensuring that their loyal customers were looked after, a strategy which has since paid dividends. The first growths went for serious amounts of cash, so much so that security at the Chateau’s had to be beefed up, as wine waiting to be delivered to their new owners could be worth as much as £10k for a case of twelve bottles. Unfortunately for Bordeaux, before the wines could be delivered (but had been paid for already), the 2010 vintage came along and was declared by wine critics to be an equally good, or better, vintage than 2009. This was not what producers wanted and buyers were unwilling to be led into another buying frenzy. Many wines remained unsold and the 2009 vintage was undermined, resulting in buyers from the east being scared off and perhaps never to return. P.S. I have received an email from a London merchant, offering Bordeaux wines at prices which would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Real bargains (as low as £15 per bottle for lesser classed growths), leading me to believe that Bordeaux must be awash with unsold, but wonderful wine.
A friend of many artists, after the war, Baron Philippe invited painters as prestigious as Georges Braque, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso to illustrate the Mouton Rothschild label. From 1973, Château Mouton Rothschild’s motto was changed to: “First, I am. Second, I used to be. Mouton does not change.”
Wines to try at least once in your life JJ Prum 2012 Riesling The Cellar – Irish Town - £16.00 German wines have yet to recover from the days when most available of them were bulk produced rubbish. This is a shame, as many German producers are now making exceptionally complex wines. Increasingly, I find myself drinking and buying more German Riesling than any other wine. They do need bottle time, at least five years, or they will taste quite insipid. The transformation with bottle age is magical and it’s hard to believe that such simple duckling initially, can turn into such a wonderful swan. Until such time as the millionaires discover German wines, these remain a great hunting ground for the well informed aficionado.
‘Shooting in the bar during the heat wave’ by Honoré Daumier, 1855 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
JJ Prum is a top notch German producer and member of the VDP. Look out for these three letters when buying German wine. Caution if it hasn’t! I have had some very old vintages of JJ Prum’s wines and they can be seriously complex. This Riesling is JJ Prum level entry wine but should still provide immense pleasure in due time. 85
appetite
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restaurants
Café Solo Modern Italian eatery set in 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,
Cafe Rojo Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Brunch (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. Lunch 12-3pm, dinner 7-10pm; dishes such as Marinated Tuna Steak & Sesame Crust; Roasted Lamb Shoulder; pastas or risottos such as Roast Pumpkin, Mushroom, & Spinach Curry, 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: Tues - Fri 10am- late, Saturday lunch 12-3pm, afternoon drinks & desserts, dinner 7-10pm. Closed Sundays & Mondays. Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738
Casa Pepe
Nunos Italian
Nunos Italian Restaurant, overlooking the Mediterranean, is popular with hotel guests, tourists and local residents. This 2 rosette rated, AA restaurant is renowned for its eclectic interior, intimate atmosphere and fine cuisine. Savour a wide selection of freshly prepared Italian delicacies, including bread, pasta, meat and fish, followed by delicious desserts. In the summer months, the hotel offers alfresco dining for private parties in the Garden Grill. Sitting nestled in the colonial garden you can enjoy a mouth-watering menu of charcoal-grilled meats and freshly prepared salads in candlelit surroundings. Open: Mon-Sun 1-3pm lunch, 7–11pm dinner Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay Tel: 200 76501 Email: reservations@caletahotel.gi
Café Solo Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 44449
Solo Bar & Grill
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! Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 to book your function or event. Open: 12-8pm. Solo Bar & Grill Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828
Sacarello Coffee Co
A delightful terrace, bar, restaurant on the prestigious Queensway Quay Marina. Wonderful location for business meetings, weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions. Specialising in fresh fish caught locally with daily specials including seabass, dorada, sole, and bream, plus a very comprehensive a la carte menu. Also available are tapas and raciones (double size tapas) to share (or not!) prior to a main course. Mixed paellas also available, as well as fish cooked in rock salt, whole suckling pig and baby lamb to order. Open: Tues-Sat lunch & evening, Sunday lunch only, closed Mondays.
Located in a converted coffee warehouse, and famous for its great fresh ground coffee, homemade cakes/ afternoon tea, plus full menu and excellent salad bar with quiche selection, specials of the day and dishes such as lasagne, steak and mushroom Guinness pie, hot chicken salad, toasties, club sandwich and baked potatoes. Holds popular art exhibitions with the Sacarello collection and guest artists. Very busy at office lunchtimes (1-2pm). Sacarello's is available for parties and functions in the evenings. Open: 9am-7.30pm Mondays - Fridays. 9am-3pm Saturdays
Casa Pepe, 18 Queensway Quay Marina, Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe@gmail.com. Visit: www.gibtour.com/casapepe.
Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625
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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. Daily specials on blackboard. No smoking.
Get Listed! Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar? To get your business listed here
call 200 77748 or email info@thegibraltarmagazine.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
food & drink
directory Get Listed! Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar? To get your business listed here
call 200 77748 or email info@thegibraltarmagazine.com Get Stuffed Very popular takeaway, sandwich bar and hot food. Serving all fresh and homemade sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta, pies, cup cakes, plus hot/cold drinks and smoothies and a different special every day. Outside catering for corporate parties. Open: 8am - 4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat. Get Stuffed Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006
Just Desserts Bright and airy, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All home-made food including daily specials, vegetarian options, desserts and small cakes. Eat in or take-away. Try their daily roast with everything on, or their all-day breakfast. Pensioner’s lunch - 2 course meal for £5.25. Friendly, cheerful and fully licensed. Open: from 7.30am Monday to Friday Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014
Mumbai Curry House Indian cuisine, eat-in/take-away, from snacks (samosas, bhajias, pakoras) to lamb, chicken and fish dishes such as korma, tikka masala, do piaza. Large vegetarian selection. Halal food. Outside catering for parties/ meetings. Sunday Mumbai favourites such as Dosa & Choley Bhature. Open: 7 days a week 11am - 3pm, 6pm -late. Mumbai Curry House Unit 1.0.02 Ground Floor, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711 Home delivery: 200 50022/33
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
The Lounge Stylish lounge and gastro bar on the quayside at Queensway Quay with very reasonable prices and food from 10am until late. Popular quiz on Sundays (from 7.30pm) and a relaxed friendly atmosphere... always plenty of people / yachties to chat to. Events (matches etc) covered on large TV. Great place to chill out. Open: 10am Mon - Sat until late and from 12pm on Sun (get there early for a seat for the quiz). The Lounge Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118
Oasis Eatery
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informal food Raj’s Curry House Raj’s tasty Indian cuisine is now available to eat in or take away, from his new fully refurbished premises in Queensway Quay next to the Waterfront. Serving authentic dishes such as Creamy Butter Chicken, Bhuna King Prawn or Chana Masala, and so much more. There is something available to suit all tastes. Pop in or telephone for food orders or table reservations. Open: food served 7 days 11am- 3pm, 6pm-late Raj’s Curry House Queensway Quay. Tel: 200 46993
Solo Express
Located in Governor’s Parade, just across from the Elliot Hotel, and offers hot/cold drinks plus a delicious homemade selection of baked items such as cakes and quiches, also sandwiches and wraps, bagels and cupcakes. Vegan/vegetarian items. Oasis is on Facebook and Twitter and you can pre-order online which is handy for a quick lunch. Special orders taken for a range of bakery goods. Fully licensed for beers and wine. Terrace seating. Open: 8am to 3pm
Located next to Pizza Hut in Casemates and in Eurotowers, serves a variety of salads/ baguettes (white, brown, ciabatta) filled with a deli selection such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham, cheese and coleslaw; or humous, avocado & roast red pepper. Salads fresh and tasty (Greek, Waldorf, cous cous, tuna pasta etc), great value. Jackets, quiches, coffee plus cakes (flapjacks, muffins) available all day. Eat-in area. Soups in winter.
Oasis Eatery Govenor’s Parade Tel: 200 65544 www.oasiseatery.com
Solo Express Grnd Flr, ICC, Casemates & Eurotowers
Pick a Bite Morning coffee and daily lunch specials, one of largest selections of traditional home made food, to eat in or takeaway. All the old favourites — spinach pie, croquettes, quiche, spanish omelette, shepherd’s pie and more. Delicious sandwiches, baguettes, ciabatta melts and wraps, with a variety of fillings. Salads, snacks and soups. Cakes and muffins for those with a sweet tooth. Friendly, cheerful and very reasonal prices. Terrace seating. Open: Monday to Friday 8am - 3pm. Pick A Bite 10 Chatham Counterguard Tel: 200 64211
Picadilly Gardens Relaxed bar restaurant located near to the Queen’s Hotel and Cable car, it has a cosy garden terrace, which is great for drinks, tapas and food al fresco. English breakfast, tapas, hamburgers, fresh fish, paella by pre-order, prawns, squid, clams and a variety of meat dishes. Eat in or takeaway. Open: 6:30am till late. Piccadilly Gardens Rosia Road, Tel: 20075758
The Tasty Bite Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, filled baguettes, burgers, chicken and everything else you can think of! Try the quiches, tortillas and jackets spuds with all kinds of fillings. This little place gets busy with those popping out from the offices for lunch so get there early. Open: Monday - Saturday. The Tasty Bite 59a Irish Town. Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321
Verdi Verdi All day coffee plus all homemade and delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes, fresh baked bread and desserts. A selection of bagels (try the smoked salmon and cream cheese) and salads to eat in or take away. Try the light homemade pizzas, or the falafels and humous. Daily special soups are fabulous and filling. Ask for Idan's hot homemade chilli relish — sweet and scrummy. Open: Mon/Thurs: 7.30-6, Fri 7.30-5, Sun 10-3. Verdi Verdi ICC, Casemates Tel: 200 60733
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food & drink
directory All’s Well
Gibraltar Arms
Traditional pub in fashionable Casemates area. Named for the 18th century practise of locking gates to the city at night when the guard called ‘All’s Well’. All’s Well serves Bass beers, wine and spirits plus pub fare. English breakfast all day, hot meals such as pork in mushroom sauce, sausage & mash, cod & chips and steak & ale pie plus a range of salads and jacket potatoes. Large terrace. Karaoke Mondays and Wednesdays until late. Free tapas on a Friday 7pm.
On Main Street opposite the cathedral, enjoy a meal, coffee or a cool beer on the terrace and watch the world go by! Bar decorated with rare military plaques from regiments and navy ships visiting Gibraltar. Full breakfast menu served from 7am, draught beers on tap include Old Speckled Hen bitter, Murphys Irish stout, Heineken lager and Strongbow cider.
All’s Well Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987
Gibraltar Arms 184 Main Street. Tel: 200 72133 Visit: www.gibraltararms.com
Bridge Bar & Grill
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bars & pubs O’Reilly’s Traditional Irish bar with full HD sports coverage and Irish breakfast from 7am (Sunday from 9am). Guinness on draught. Food includes salads, jackets, beef & Guinness 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. O’Reilly’s Ocean Village. Tel: 200 67888
Jury’s Café-Wine Bar
Star Bar
Located on the water ’s edge, Ocean Village, just across the bridge from O’Reilly’s. This bar & grill is a fusion of an American themed menu with Tarifa chill out style. Open for breakfast from 9am serving healthy options, freshly squeezed orange juice and Italian Lavazza coffee. Try the spicy Caribbean rum ribs, southern fried chicken bucket, the popular Texas burger or a selection of tasty salads and homemade desserts. London Pride, San Miguel & Carling beer on draught, live sports.
Next to the Law Courts, with a terrace seating area, Jury’s has a selection of Ciabattas, paninis, baguettes and wraps, plus popular sharing dishes, such as Your Honour’s platter. Jacket potatoes, main courses, pasta and some innocent salads too. For those with a sweet tooth, there are tantalising homemade desserts, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as well as Lavazza coffees and frappes. Open: 7am-midnight Mon-Sat, 9am-midnight Sun.
Gibraltar’s oldest b a r, j u s t off Main St. Small cosy and famous for its full English breakfast from 7am (9am on Sunday). A full menu including fish & chips, until 10pm. The home of Star Coffee, draught beers include Heineken, Old Speckled Hen, Murphys and Strongbow cider. Managed by Hunter Twins from Stafford, England, also home to Med Golf & Tottenham Hotspur supporters club.
Bridge Bar & Grill Ocean Village Tel: 200 66446
Jury’s Café & Wine Bar 275 Main Street. Tel: 200 67898
Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Visit: www.starbargibraltar.com
Cannon Bar
Lord Nelson
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.
Bar/brasserie in Casemates. Done out like Nelson’s ship. Starters & snacks include f re s h m u s s e l s, blue cheese and rocket bruschetta, potato skins, spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses from chilli con carne and chicken & mushroom pie, to crispy duck burrito and fish & chips. Jackets, burgers and kid’s menu. Live music on stage nightly. Spacious terrace. Open: 10am till very late.
Cannon Bar 27 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 77288
Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie 10 Casemates Tel: 200 50009 Visit: www.lordnelson.gi
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The Three Owls 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. The Three Owls Irish Town. Tel: 200 77446
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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
RESTAURANT BAR GUIDE &
Grand Casemates Sq Tel: 20044449
take-away or reserve a table
Tel: 200 46993 7 days 11am - 3pm, 6pm - late
Queensway Quay (next to Waterfront)
TASTY INDIAN CUISINE
Get Stuffed! Marina Bay Tel: 200 42006
Take-Away, Sandwiches & Hot Food Different Special Every Day salads, soups, pastas, pies, cupcakes, all home made Open 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat
184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)
Queensway Quay Marina, Tel: 200 61118
Casa Pepe Open: Mon-Sat 11am-late, 18 Queensway Quay Marina Tel/Fax: 200 46967
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 MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Indian Cuisine to Eat In or Take Away
Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711
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Business services financial services
accountants
business services
NatWest 1 Corral Road Tel: 200 73200 Mortgage Hotline: 200 44166 Barclays Regal House, 3 Queenway Corporate Banking: 200 41222
33 Main Street Gibraltar
Gibraltar International Bank PO Box 1375, Ince’s House 310 Main Street, 200 13900 Jyske Bank 76, Main Street, P.O. Box 143 Private Banking: 20072782
legal services Hassans Tel: 200 79000 www.gibraltarlaw.com Tel: +350 200 76173 E-mail: gib@SovereignGroup.com
ISOLAS Tel: 200 78363 www.gibraltarlawyers.com
Computer / network giving you a headache? Call us for a swift, reliable cure. 17 Convent Place Tel: 200 4-999-1 Fax: 200 4-999-2 www.pc-clinic-gib.com Email: info@pc-clinic-gib.com • Support Contracts • Network Installation & Troubleshooting • Web Design • PC Repairs, Upgrades & Construction • PC Maintenance
T: +350 200 68450 E: info@ramparts.eu www.ramparts.eu
186 Main Street, PO Box 453, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 61053 Fax: + 350 200 60953 www.corinthian.gi
Spring | Law Specialising in Wills, Estate Planning, Property Transactions, Employment Law and Company/Commercial Legal Advice
Did you know, we have a Gibraltar messenger service too? We collect, deliver... and wait and return if required.
Save yourself time and money, call us
Please contact: Chris Keightley-Pugh LLB TEP Tel: 200 64001 Email: chris.keightleypugh@springlaw.co.uk
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2015
Savills. Flying the flag for our clients’ properties all over the world.
With over 600 offices and associates globally, we are perfectly placed to find you the perfect buyer.
Sammy Armstrong Savills Gibraltar Suite 1B, 1/5 Icom House, Irish Town GX11 1AA sarmstrong@savills.gi + 350 200 66633
savills.gi
Property, Building & Marine Services
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2015
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Health & Medical Services
CHEMISTS Bell Pharmacy, 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989 Louis’ Pharmacy Unit F12, International Commercial Centre, Casemates. Tel: 200 44797 CHIROPRACTORS Dr Steven J. Crump BSc, DC, MCC ICC F5C 1st Flr, Casemates. Tel: 200 44226 Dr 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 House Tel: 200 77777 HYPNOTHERAPY Rose Favell Central Clinic, Horse Barrack Lane. Tel: + 34 655 699 841 www.hypnotherapygibraltar.com HEALTH CLUBS Atlantic Suites Health Club & Spa Tel: 200 48147 Ocean Village Health Club Tel: 200 44242
HEALTH STORES Holland & Barrett 160 Main Street HEARING CENTRE Oigamas Hearing Centre Unit S3h 2nd Floor, ICC Casemates Square Tel: 200 63644 Email: info@oigamas.com OPTICIANS / OPTOMETRISTS Gache & Co Limited 266 Main Street. Tel: 200 75757 L. M. Passano Optometrist 6 Pitman’s Alley. Tel: 200 76544 PERSONAL TRAINERS Simon Coldwell Complete Fitness Unit G3, Eliott Hotel Tel: 200 51113
Bell Pharmacy
Your Family Chemists Here to help you by answering all your pharmaceutical questions Consult us at 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989
PASSANO OPTICIANS LTD British Registered Optometrists
6 Pitman’s Alley Tel: 200 76544 Email: passano@sapphirenet.gi
Zaneta Kwiecien Sport Rehabilitator GSR, BSc (Hons), OMT Medical Acupuncturist Tel: + 350 62967134 Email: zaneta@sportongib.com SPECIALISTS Specialist Medical Clinic 1st Floor ICC, Casemates. Tel: 200 49999 Dr Vricella, Cosmetic Surgeon College Clinic, Regal House Tel: + 34 951 276 748
Chiropractic Health Clinic
Beauty Therapy
Dr Steven J. Crump B.Sc, DC, MCC Open: Mon - Fri 9.30am - 6.30pm
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
STEINER CHIROPRACTIC CLINICS Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc DC 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
Primary Care Centre 2nd Floor International Commercial Centre Casemates
Claudia Norris Dip(BCNH) MA(Hons) Nutritional Therapist Find out how diet is affecting your health and energy levels. A natural approach to weight loss, digestive problems, hormone imbalances, and more!
Skin Tag & Thread Vein Removal Weekend & Public Holiday Opening Hours (use Irish Town entrance) Saturday: 9am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm Sunday & Public Holidays: 10am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm
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Laser Clinic Permanent Hair removal Pigmentation and anti-aging Visiting Surgeon Cosmetic Surgeon Breast implants and augmentation, face-lifts, tummy tucks
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
leisure
home
shopping
pets DON’T SHOP - ADOPT!
CRAFT CLASSES - PHONE FOR INFO
Do something special call 5401 3723
Quality Kitchen Ware Gibraltar’s Best Stocked Cook Shop 46 Irish Town Tel: 200 75188 Fax: 200 72653
Registered Charity No. 127
GACHE & CO LTD EST. 1830
HORTICULTURAL CONTRACTORS Tel: 200 43134 Fax: 200 50648 Convent Gardens, Convent Garden Ramp
lessons & tuition
● B.Mus and PGDip in Classical Guitar Performance
266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757
Gibraltar Taxi Association
Learn Guitar Classical Guitar Tuition
• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers
Protect Your Dog Against Fatal Summer Diseases Heartworm, Leishmaniosis & Tickborne Diseases! Phone Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic for details 200 77334 Emergency: 8977
hair & beauty
That Nail Place
GUIDED ROCK TOURS
Nail Extensions
19 Waterport Wharf Main Office Tel: 20070052 Fax: 20076986 Radio service: 20070027
Gel - Acrylic - Fibreglass
Airbrushing Nail Art Body Jewellery
Unit F22A 1st Floor, ICC. Tel: 200 73211
● Beginners or advanced including ABRSM graded exams ● Half hour lessons £15 or £20 for one hour
Health & Beauty Salon
● Lessons from 5.30pm at OriginArta, 29 Governor’s Street
• Aromatherapy • Sugar Waxing • Facials • Manicures • Pedicures • Reflexology • Luxury Organic 2hr face & body treatment Open: Mon-Fri 9.30-9 Sat 10-3
For info or to book a lesson Tel: Adam 58181000
Don House Arcade Tel: 20077311
FROST LANGUAGE CENTRE (registered in Gibraltar)
Professional Spanish Teacher All levels, singles, groups or Skype Call Margaret Tel: 0034956173384 Mobile: 0034609717296 Email: margaretjf13@gmail.com
Tel: 200 73786 7 days a week 5pm-9pm
Need somebody to talk to? GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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Clubs & Activities Arts & Crafts Cross Stitch Club: John Mackintosh Hall, 1st Floor, Mon 6-8pm, fee £1. Gibraltar Arts & Crafts Association: Children - Mon-Thur, 3:45 p.m. - 7 p.m., Sat, 10am - 12pm. Adults: 20073865 Knit and Natter Group: Tues 11am-3pm, Thurs 5.30-7.30pm, at Arts & Crafts Shop, Casemates balcony. Free to join and refreshments provided. Tel: 20073865. The Arts Centre: Prince Edward’s Road, Art classes for children and adults. For more info call Tel: 200 79788. The Fine Arts Association Gallery: At Casemates. Open 10am-2pm, 3-6pm Mon-Fri, Sat 11am-1pm. The Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society: Affiliated to UK NADFAS meets third Wed of month at 6.30pm at Eliott Hotel - lecturers & experts from the UK talk on Art etc. Contact: Chairman Claus Olesen 200 02024 claus.olesen@sghambros.com. Membership Ian Le Breton 200 76173 ilebreton@SovereignGroup.com Board Games Calpe Chess Club & Junior Club: meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall Thursday, Juniors: 5p.m. - 7 p.m. / Tuesday & Thursday 7p.m. - 10:30 The Gibraltar Scrabble Club: Meets on Tuesdays at 3pm. Tel: Vin 20073660 or Roy 20075995. All welcome. The Subbuteo Club: Meets in Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall. Dance Adult Dance Classes: Wed evenings at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Contact Dilip on 200 78714. Art in Movement Centre: Hiphop/Break Dance,Contemporary Dance, Pilates, Capoeira, Acrobatics, Street Kids & Tods, Modern Dance. Performance and Film opportunities. Judo & Jujitsu Classes: Tue/ Thur with Sensei Conroy. All ages. Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. www. artinmovement.net FB: Art In Movement A.I.M, tel 54025041 or 54007457 Ballet, Modern Theatre, Contemporary & Hip Hop: Classes held weekly at Danza Academy. Training from 3 years to Adult Advanced. 68/2 Prince Edward’s Rd Tel: 54027111. Bellydance Classes, all levels, Tue 8-9pm at the Ocean Village Gym (non–members welcome). Contact 54005593. DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing: Sessions at Central Hall Fri 8.30pm, beginners 8pm. Tel: 200 78901 or tony@gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome. Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing: Mon at Catholic Community Centre 8pm. Tel. Andrew 200 78901. Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Flexibility, Hip Hop & Dance Theatre: Classes weekly at Urban Dance Studio, 2 Jumpers Bastion. Tel: Yalta 54012212 or Jolene 54015125. Rockkickers Linedance Club: Governor’s Meadow 1st School. www.rockkickers.com Salsa Gibraltar Salsa: Classes on Tues at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate. Beginners 7-8.30pm. Intermediates 8.30-10pm. Tel: Mike 54472000 or info@ salsagibraltar.com Zumba Classes at Urban Dance: Jumpers Bastion, with certified instructor Tyron Walker. Tel: 20063959 or 54012212 or Twitter: @UrbanDanceGib 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. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643. Garrison Library Tours: at 11am on Fri, duration 1h 50mins. Tel: 20077418. History Alive: Historical re-enactment parade. Main Street up to Casemates Square every Sat at 12 noon. Music Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir: Rehearses at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Tel: 54831000. The Calpe Band: Mon & Wed. For musicians of brass/woodwind instruments
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of all standards/ages/abilities 7-9pm. Tel: 54017070 or thecalpeband@gmail.com Jazz Nights: Thurs at 9pm at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel. Tel: 200 70500. Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award: Exciting self-development programme for young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. Contact mjpizza@gibtelecom.net, North Moll Road. Email. P.O. Box: 1260. Social Clubs The Rotary Club of Gibraltar meets the Rock Hotel, 7pm Tuesday evenings. Guests welcome. For contact or info www.rotaryclubgibraltar.com Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes: (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, 72/9 Prince Edward’s Road - Provincial Grand Lodge, Thu/month, 7.30pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8.30pm. Buena Vista 9975, monthtly, Social Lodge. www.akearn1.wix. com/raob-gibraltar, william.tilley.lodge@ hotmail.co.uk, Clive, tel: 58008074 Special Interest Clubs & Societies Creative Writers Group: meets up on Tuesday mornings at 10.30 in O’Reillys Irish Bar and it is free to attend. Tel: Carla 54006696. Gibraltar Book Club: For info Tel: Parissa 54022808. Gibraltar Horticultural Society: meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, J.M. 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. Tel: 54008426 or Facebook: facebook.com/gibphilosophy Gibraltar Photographic Society: Meets on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Wellington Front. Induction courses, talks, discussions, competitions etc. For details contact the secretary on, leslinares@gibtelecom.net Harley Davidson Owners’ Club: www.hdcgib.com Lions Club of Gibraltar: Meets 2nd and 4th Wed of the month at 50 Line Wall Road. www.lionsclubofgibraltar.com St John’s Ambulance: Adult Volunteers Training Sessions from 8-10pm on Tues. Tel: 200 77390 or training@stjohn.gi The Royal British Legion: For info or membership contact the Branch Secretary 20074604 or write to PO Box 332, Gibraltar. UN Association of Gibraltar: PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108. Sports Supporters Clubs Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club: Meets at Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check game is televised. Great food for a lunch if KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club: Meets match days upstairs at Time Out Café, Eurotowers. Gooners of all ages welcome. For info/news visit www.GibGooners.com Tel: 54010681 (Bill) or 54164000 (John). Gibraltar Hammers: Meets 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 gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association. Tel: Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661. Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions through 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 BWF& BE) junior club/tournaments, senior leagues/ recreational. www.badmintongibraltar.com Ballet Barre Fitness: Adults on Wed 10am & Fri 6pm at The Arts Centre. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com
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. Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory. Tel: 56382000 or 20042788. Cheerleading: Gibraltar Cheerleading Association, girls and boys of all ages. Chearleading and street cheer/hip hop at Victoria Stadium. Recreational / competitive levels. Tel: 58008338. Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Arturo 54025033. Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket, National Governing Body & Associate Member of ICC. Governs International & Domestic Men’s, Women’s, Boys’ & Girls’ cricketleague & cup competitions and in-school coaching. www.gibraltarcricket.com, info@ gibcricket.com, Twitter: @Gibraltar_Crick Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (full member of WDF & affiliate of BDO). We cater for men, ladies & youth who take part in leagues, competitions and a youth academy for the correct development of the sport. Tel: Darren 54027171 Secretary, Alex 54021672 Youth Rep, Justin 54022622 President. Email: info@ gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association leagues/competitions for all ages OctoberMay. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 20042941 www.gibraltarfa.com Gaelic Football Club (Irish sport): Males any age welcome. Get fit, play sport, meet new friends, travel around Spain/Europe and play an exciting and competitive sport. Training every Wed on the MOD pitch on Devil’s Tower Road at 7pm. Andalucia League with Seville and Marbella to play matches home and away monthly. Visit www.gibraltargaels. com or secretary.gibraltar.europe@gaa.ie Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/training for adults/juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730 for info. Iaido: teaches the Japanese sword (Katana), classes every week. www.iaidogibraltar.com Iwa Dojo, Kendo & Jujitsu: Classes every week, for kids/adults. Tel: 54529000 www. iwadojo.com or dbocarisa@iwadojo.com Judo and Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Budokai Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. Tel: Charlie 20043319. Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion. Tel: 54011007. Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association - Karate training for junior & seniors at Clubhouse, Shotokai karate centre, 41H Town Range. Monday: 9:30 p.m. & Wednesday 9:45 p.m. Karate: Shotokan karate midday Mon beginners, other students 8.30pm. Thurs 8.30pm. In town at temporary dojo or privately by arrangement. Contact Frankie 54038127 or info@fhmedia.co.uk. Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211. Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior/junior leagues. Tel: 20041874. Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association. New members welcome. Tel: 54002652. Pilates: Intermediate Pilates: Tues & Fri 9.30am, beginners Pilates: Fri 10.50am at the Shotokai Centre, 41H Town Range. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com Gibraltar Pool Association: (Member of the EBA) home and away league played on Thurs through out the season, various tournaments played on a yearly basis both nationally and internationally, Tel: 56925000 gibpool@gibtelecom.net, www.gib8ball.com Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions from 4 years of age, weekday evenings. Tel: 56000772 or Sally 200 74661. Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union
training for Colts (w+), seniors and veterans. Play in Andalusia 1st Division. Contact: secretary@gibraltarfu.com Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club at 200 78897. Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation. Rifle, Europa Point Range (Stephanie 54020760); Clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Louis 54095000). Snooker: Members of European Billiards & Snooker Association - facilities at Jumpers Bastion with 3 tables. Professional coaching for juniors/seniors. Organised leagues/tournaments and participation in international competitions. Tel: 56262000 / 54000068, or info@gibraltarsnooker.com Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult and junior tournaments and coaching. Tel: 200 44922. Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs. Voluntary sports clubs: Noah’s Dive Club and 888s Dive Club. Tel: 54991000. Commercial sports diving schools available. Time - Thursday 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.. Telephone, Jenssen Ellul - 54027122 Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo. Pool open Mon&Thurs: 7-10am, 12.30-4pm. Tue, Wed, Fri: 7-10am, 12:305pm. Sat: 3-5pm. Sun: closed. Mon to Fri from 5-6pm groups training. 6-7.30 squad training. Mon, Wed, Fri 7.30-8.30 swimming joggers, Tues & Thurs 7:30-8:30 junior Water polo. Mon, Tues & Thurs 8:30-10pm Adult water polo. Tel: 200 72869. Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association training and playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Tel: 56070000 or 20060720. Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: Mari 20044142 or www.gibraltartaekwondo.org Tai Chi: Tai Chi for children and adults. Mon-Thur 6.30-8pm at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre and Sat 9am-1pm at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range. Tel: Dilip 200 78714. Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club. Junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues and competitions. Tel: Louis 200 77035. Ten-Pin Bowling: At King’s Bowl in the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre every day. Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Tel: 200 52442. Triathlon: Hercules Triathlon Club organises swimming, running and cycling training sessions and competes regularly in Andalucia and Internationally. Contact chris.walker@york.gi or Facebook “Hercules Triathlon Club” Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association training, indoor leagues, beach volleyball competition, 3 v 3 competition, juniors and seniors. Tel: 54001973 or 54885000. 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: Meet at Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street. Tel: 20042237. Trafalgar Theatre Group: Meets 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome.
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
Information 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 under 4 free, vehicles £2. Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times, tours available by taxi/mini bus. 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.
The flora and fauna on the Upper Rock are consid-
ered of great conservational value. It’s the perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing between Europe and Africa. 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 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 anyone who could tell him how to mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. Sgt. Major Ince suggested tunnelling and there are over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock with various exhibitions inside. 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 civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one 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 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
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friendly gifts, plants and seeds. Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking.
Support Groups
Nelson’s Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction).
ADHD & Learning Difficulties (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Parson’s Lodge: Rosia Road. Narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years. Housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a unique sandwich of armour plate/teak, known as ‘Gibraltar Shields’. 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. 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 The John Mackintosh Hall 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. Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am7pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. Closed 1pm - 2pm. Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar Rd, 9am - 7pm daily (free).
Business Information Financial Serv. Commission . . . Tel: 200 40283/4 Chamber of Commerce.Tel: 200 78376 Federation Small Business Tel: 200 47722 Company Registry.Tel: 200 78193 Useful Numbers Airport (general info.). . Tel: 200 12345 Hospital, St Bernards . . Tel: 200 79700 Weather information . . Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update.Tel: 200 42777
Disorder) Meetings at Fellowship Bookshop Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Road. Coffee, chat, books and resources on display. Tel: 54027551 or 54014476. Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues & Thurs at Nazareth Hse Tel: 200 73774. A Step Forward support for single, separated, divorced/ widowed people, meet 8pm Mon at St Andrew’s Church. Mummy & Me Breastfeeding Support Group those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have breastfed to get together for coffee, chat / support. Partners and older children welcome. Meets 1st Wed / month at Chilton Court Community Hall at 1.30pm. Enquiries and support 54014517. Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone 8008 - 7 days a week 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Thur 9:30am-4:00pm, Fri 9:30am- 3:30pm. (Summer Hours 8:30am – 2:00pm) Tel: 20040006 Email: info@cab.gi or visit us at 10 Governor’s Lane. Free & confidential, impartial & independent advice and info. COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease challenges of individuals, families and care partner. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month. 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. Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends who are concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meet alternate Thursdays at 9pm at Nazareth House. For info 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 72 Prince Edwards Rd Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relationship counselling,
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.
including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic
Registry Office Tel: 200 72289 It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon.
Mummy & Me Breastfeeding Support: Meets every Thursday
Rock Tours by Taxi Tel: 200 70052 As well as offering normal fares, 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.
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. 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Parental Support Group, helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and grandchildren. Tel: 200 46536, 200 76618, or 54019602. Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Meet Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: Yolanda 54015553
John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends.
SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, a UK charity, to assist serving
Gibraltar Public Holidays 2015
widowed or single people. Meet Weds 9pm, Catholic
New Year’s Day Thursday 1st January Commonwealth Day Monday 9th March Good Friday Friday 3rd April Easter Monday Monday 6th April Workers Memorial Day Monday 27th April May Day Friday 1st May Spring Bank Holiday Monday 25th May Queen’s Birthday Monday 15th June Late Summer BH Monday 31st August Evacuation Memorial Monday 7th September Gibraltar National Day Thursday 10th September Christmas Day Friday 25th December Boxing Day Monday 28th December
and ex-Service personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. Email: Susan GIB-CST-JSWPA@mod.uk With Dignity Gibraltar support for separated, divorced/ Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/activities. Women in Need. Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hrs).
Emergency Services Emergency calls only: Fire/Ambulance �������������������������������������Tel: 190 Police �������������������������������������������� Tel: 199/112 Emergency Number Tel: 112 Non-urgent calls: Ambulance Station ������������������� Tel: 200 75728 Police......................................... Tel: 200 72500 Emergency Nos: .............. Tel: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Rock Publishing Ltd, Gibraltar. Tel: (+350) 200 77748
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Coffee Time 1
8 5 7
3 2 9
4 8 7
6 9 2
9 3 5
4
5
6
7
11) Worker in stone (5)
15
22) Girl’s name; a lady’s maid biblically (7)
14
23) Cooked perfectly and figuratively perfectly (2,1,4) 24) In an impossible position (7)
17
16
18
19
20
21
Down 1) Brush (5)
22
2) Flightless birds (5) 3) The T in T Rex (13)
23
4) Biblically, he was a lion-den dweller (6)
24
5) Palace, (now a museum), in Beijing (9,4)
Crossword Competition Closing date: 20th Aug
First Prize Lunch for 2 at The Clipper
Last months winner:
Mary Gerrard King’s Street
6) Frolic (6) 7) Good morning in Lisbon or Rio de Janeiro (3,3) 12) Italian sparkling wine (4) 14) Story (4) 15) Major plateau in Spain (6) 16) Beasts of burden (6) 17) Vast expanses of water (6) 19) Military brown (5) 20) Shared out (5)
August 2015 Schedules Flight No From
Arrives
Flight No To
Mon easyJet EZY8901 Gatwick 10:55 EZY8902 Gatwick British Airways BA490 Heathrow 16:10 BA491 Heathrow Monarch ZB068 Luton 19:10 ZB069 Luton Monarch ZB574 Manchester 20:10 ZB575 Manchester easyJet EZY8903 Gatwick 20:35 EZY8904 Gatwick Tue easyJet EZY8901 Gatwick 10:55 EZY8902 Gatwick British Airways BA490 Heathrow 16:10 BA491 Heathrow Monarch ZB068 Luton 19:00 ZB069 Luton Monarch ZB446 Birmingham 19:10 ZB447 Birmingham easyJet EZY6299 Bristol 20:30 EZY6300 Bristol Wed easyJet EZY8901 Gatwick 10:55 EZY902 Gatwick British Airways BA490 Heathrow 16:15 BA491 Heathrow Monarch ZB068 Luton 19:00 ZB069 Luton Monarch ZB574 Manchester 20:10 ZB575 Manchester easyJet EZY8903 Gatwick 20:35 EZY8904 Gatwick Thur easyJet EZY8901 Gatwick 10:55 EZY8902 Gatwick Royal Air Moroc AT990 Tangier 12:55 ATT991 Tangier British Airways BA490 Heathrow 16:15 BA491 Heathrow Monarch ZB446 Birmingham 19:10 ZB447 Birmingham easyjet EZY6299 Bristol 20:30 EZY6300 Bristol Fri easyJet EZY8901 Gatwick 10:55 EZY8902 Gatwick British Airways BA490 Heathrow 16:10 BA491 Heathrow Monarch ZB068 Luton 19:00 ZB069 Luton Monarch ZB574 Manchester 20:10 ZB575 Manchester easyJet EZY8903 Gatwick 20:35 EZY8904 Gatwick Sat easyJet EZY8901 Gatwick 11:40 EZY8902 Gatwick British Airways BA490 Heathrow 16:10 BA491 Heathrow British Airways BA492 Heathrow 17:15 BA493 Heathrow Sun easyJet EZY8901 Gatwick 10:55 EZY8902 Gatwick easyJet EZY6299 Bristol 11:35 EZY6300 Bristol British Airways BA490 Heathrow 16:15 BA491 Heathrow Royal Air Moroc AT990 Tangier 16:35 AT991 Tangier British Airways BA492 Heathrow 17:15 BA493 Heathrow Monarch ZB446 Birmingham 19:00 ZB447 Birmingham Monarch ZB574 Manchester 19:10 ZB575 Manchester easyJet EZY8903 Gatwick 20:20 EZY8904 Gatwick Monarch ZB068 Luton 20:40 ZB069 Luton
98
10) Consumed liquid (7)
22) Standing (7)
12
Notes
Day Airline
9) Go too far (7)
18) In ones birthday suit (5)
13
Flight
8) Alligator pear (7)
15) Very heavy burden (9) 10
9 5 6
1) Chided severely (7)
13) Where an Egyptian river spills into the Mediterranean (4,5)
9
11
4 5 1
3
8
Just for fun 9 2 3
2
Across
Cruise
Departs
DOA Vessel
ETA ETD Pass
11:25 17:00 19:55 20:55 21:05 11:25 17:00 19:55 20:00 21:00 11:25 17:00 19:45 20:55 21:05 11:25 13:45 17:00 20:00 21:00 11:25 17:00 19:45 20:55 21:05 12:10 17:00 18:15 11:15 12:05 17:00 17:25 18:15 19:50 19:55 20:50 21:25
Sat 01
09:00 23:59
British
1,975
Tue 04 Anthem of the Seas
13:00 20:00
British
4,180
Wed 05 Azura
09:30 14:30
British
3,076
Thur 06 Ventura
08:00 13:30
British
3,100
Tue 11 Adventure of the Seas
12:00 18:00
International
3,114
Wed 12 Explorer of the Seas
12:00 18:00
International
3,114
Thur 13 Seven seas Mariner
10:00 23:59
American
Mon 17 Thomson Dream
08:00 18:00
British
1494
Tue 18 Anthem of the Seas
11:00 16:30
British
4,180
Wed 19 Tere Moana
06:00 22:00
American
Wed 19 Viking Star
08:00 14:00
International
928
Thur 20 Explorer of the Seas
07:00 14:00
International
3,114
Sat 22
09:00 17:00
American
1,080
Tue 25 Tere Moana
09:00 21:00
American
Tue 25 Oriana
09:00 14:00
British
1,975
Wed 26 Britannia
08:00 14:30
British
4,372
Wed 26 Caribbean Princess
09:00 16:00
British
3,080
Fri 28
Aurora
08:00 13:00
Brithish
1,975
Fri 28
Horizon
11:00 19:00
Spaninsh
1,400
Oriana
Crystal Serentity
Capacity
700
95
95
www.gibraltarport.com
www.gibraltarairport.gi GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE AUGUST 2015
3