19 # 09 July 2014
dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • history • property • community
the gibraltar magazine
gibraltar the
July 2014 Vol. 19 # 09 FREE
Broadcasting to the World Save Our Skins
Getting Greener
COVER_2014may.indd 1
Supply Verses Demand Countdown to GMF 2014 Why We All Need a Role Model 23/06/2014 18:59
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19 # 09 July 2014
dining guide • business & finance • sport & leisure • history • property • community
the gibraltar magazine
gibraltar the
July 2014 Vol. 19 # 09 FREE
contents Business & Finance 8 Business & Finance Guide 9 The Rise and Rise of
Broadcasting to the World Save Our Skins
Getting Greener
Supply Verses Demand Countdown to GMF 2014 Why We All Need a Role Model
COVER_2014may.indd 1
23/06/2014 18:59
19 # 09 JULY 2014 Cover: Lavender growing in Gibraltar’s Commonwealth Park
The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by Guide Line Promotions Ltd PO Box 1124, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748
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Publisher/Editor: Andrea Morton Forde Copyright © 2014 Guide Line Promotions 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 @gibmag
Transaction Insurance We all need a role model GEMA joins GFC council Insurance Institute Dinner Career: Broadcasting to the world 24 Tourism Growth 28 Tackling Climate Change
14 17 18 20
Arts & Leisure 26 Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun:
Take 3 30 Commonwealth Park opens 40 Art File: Sky Blue Benjamin 43 Art File: Understated Social Landscapist 58 Gibraltar’s Got Talent 62 Chelsea’s running for Africa 80 Snooker in Gibraltar: The Future’s Green
Photo Call 84 Chindia in the Street — were
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you there? Calentita: a Family Event
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19 # 09
Health & Well-being 50 Health advice 52 Save Our Skins 54 Health Directory 56 Cancer: No Longer Taboo... Past Revisited 48 Antony and Cleopatra’s
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Gibraltar Connections Vera Lynn Sang Praises for Gibraltar Bananas
Appetite 46 Grilled Cheese, Mainly 88 Food & Drink Directory 92 Wine Column: Just Cruising Regulars 66 What’s OnThis Month 74 Puzzle Page 82 Question of the Month:
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Music Features 67 70 75 78
The Woman Behind Big Man Countdown to GMF 2014 Introducing Megan Dallas Brewing the Blues
Property 32 34 36 38
Decorating Crises Supply Verses Demand Ask the Architect Property Directory
A Question of Charity Around Town
Information 64 City Centre Map 88 Clubs & Activities 98 Gibraltar Information
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finance
Developing Business:
Transaction Insurance words | Ian Le Breton
Regular readers may remember that in past articles, I have written about several aspects of the insurance industry — in particular the growing importance of new insurance business to Gibraltar. After all Gibraltar’s insurance industry has expanded from just 13 licensed insurers at the turn of the century to over 60 today. That’s a lot of new business and a lot of new employment. I have set out in the past why Gibraltar is such an important insurance centre. As we know, Gibraltar’s financial services sector, including insurance, is very well regulated and the benign fiscal regime makes doing business here very tax efficient. Tie in these advantages with the speed of licensing, the ability to passport services across the EU, a highly trained, professional workforce and a legal system based on English law and the overall offering is unbeatable. I learned long ago that our insurance
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industry was certainly not limited to the traditional motor policies and “personal lines” — although these are very well catered for locally. Gibraltar is better known internationally for providing innovative insurance solutions that are increasingly in demand in an ever more sophisticated financial world. Take, for instance, transactional insurance business. It is a segment of the wider insurance market that demonstrates huge promise — and therefore is excellent news for Gibraltar. The principles are not difficult
to grasp and yet, for reasons I shall explain, the market has yet to reach its full potential. Geoff Trew, managing director of Sovereign Insurance Services at Ocean Village, told me once that almost any risk can be insured — provided one is prepared to pay the premium. His team works closely with leading transaction insurance practitioner Protean Risk whose head of Transaction Solutions, James Wilson, has also endeavoured to keep me up to speed in this fast growing field. It may seem obvious but transactional
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finance insurance seeks to offer protection to those involved in any sort of deal, arrangement or other financial transaction. If it were so easy, why has the market failed thus far to achieve its full potential? There are several reasons for this; read on. In the past, insuring “transactions” was simply not commonly done. Few people outside the industry knew of its existence, premiums were expensive and the coverage being offered was too restrictive. Combine these factors with limited knowledge and experience from insurers and the often lengthy lead times involved and, perhaps, one can understand the limited appeal. Fast-forward to 2014 and things have changed markedly. Demand and thus usage has risen significantly with the result that coverage has expanded drastically whilst premiums have reduced considerably. There is far more knowledge and experience to be found within the underwriting community and turnaround can now be measured in hours. So I thought it might be an opportune time to look at the sector. Work undertaken in the mergers and acquisition market — normally abbreviated to “M&A” — is particularly suited to transactional insurance. There is a difference between these two types of transaction although increasingly the distinction between a “merger” and an “acquisition” has become blurred. Legally, a merger is the coming together of two companies into one entity. On the other hand, an acquisition involves one firm absorbing another and establishing itself as the new owner. Either way, some form of insurance could be considered whilst the transaction is in progress. The global financial crisis over the last few years has of course had a dramatic effect on the level of M&A activity, which is only now seeing more positive signs of life. Indeed many would blame some of the more spectacular — and in hindsight ill judged — deals for exacerbating, if not in fact causing, the crisis in the first place. In recent months, the UK financial press has been dominated by what would have been the largest ever takeover of a UK company. The US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer was seeking to purchase its Anglo-Swedish competitor AstraZeneca in an eye-popping £69 billion deal. The deal fell through because AstraZeneca (and, of course, its shareholders) rejected the offer as seriously undervaluing the business. Ultimately then, it was a question of market economics but at the time, as readers will recall, there was a big political brouhaha. The proposed transaction failed but no doubt the advisers were well paid on all sides and this will have cost a great deal. This story broke at the same time that I was getting interested in transactional insurance and I wondered how much insurance protection might have been written. We shall never know the final bill but we can at least consider the types of “products” that might have been employed to manage the risk. Broadly there are three basic lines. Warranty and Indemnity (W&I) insurance provides cover for either the buyer or seller in a transaction (or conceivably both sides).
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The underlying insurance policy provides protection in cases where a breach of warranty occurs or a claim under an indemnity is made as set out in any Sales Purchase Agreement. Taxation liability is another “product” that is designed to reduce or eliminate tax exposure. For example, this might arise where underlying legal advice has been provided supporting a particular tax treatment that may be subject to a future challenge by tax authorities. Finally, contingency insurance is designed to cover a wide variety of legal or other “con-
Fast-forward to 2014 and things have changed markedly. Demand and thus usage has risen significantly with the result that coverage has expanded
tingent” costs. These risks need not necessarily relate to a specific transaction. An example could be where a commercial property owner is concerned that his tenants might be evicted because of a challenge by a public authority for breaching zoning regulations. Should they be forced to leave, the buyer might see his “contingent liability” turned into a real one as the rent roll plummets. All of this can be insured. Aside from M&A work, other areas where transactional insurance might be considered would include restructurings and workouts, financing or investments, liquidations and licensing agreements. In other words, transactional insurance could be included in a large part of the legal and corporate advisory work undertaken by Gibraltar firms and for which we have become respected globally. My good friend James Wilson believes that this market segment presents huge potential. Insuring transactions is clearly increasing in popularity but even so, less than 5% of all worldwide transactions are currently insured. Imagine finding a market where fully 19 out of any 20 possible commercial targets are currently available. It is not difficult then to understand the excitement being generated by this part of the insurance business. James went on to tell me that the majority of claims — approximately six out of every ten – that are made by such transactional insurance policy holders results from tax or financial valuation. When dealing with corporate M&A, transactional insurance enables parties to transfer risk — and these may relate to both known and unknown threats. A well thought out transactional insurance policy will facilitate a potential deal as well as providing tangible financial protection for the parties involved. Private equity purchasers were traditionally the main customers for this product. However it is clear that more corporates are now purchasing such protection, so it is to be hoped that the current 5% market take up can only increase — to the benefit of all concerned. As a keen proponent of any potential upside for Gibraltar firms this is clearly an area that I’d like to see local firms develop. There is definitely potential out there and, as the economic recovery becomes a reality in several key markets, the level of corporate activity in particular is likely to increase. Using transactional insurance serves a very useful purpose in facilitating such deals. I expect local industry players will become more involved in this exciting business, to the benefit not only of themselves but all of us in Gibraltar. n
Ian Le Breton
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n ADVERTISE
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.
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If you are an artist with an exhibition, or a club or charity with an event coming up, we’d love to hear from you. This is a community magazine and there is no VIP area. Everyone is welcome to contribute so drop a line, send an email or phone us.
n GET IN TOUCH
We’d love to hear from you. Sometimes we get a bit lonely in our office, and we like to get letters, phone calls and emails with your feedback and photos. We might even publish the best so keep them coming. This is your magazine so get involved. Email: info@thegibraltarmagazine.com Tel: 200 77748
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Publication of New Revenue Recognition Standard Just the Beginning, says KPMG The International Accounting Standards Board and the US Financial Accounting Standards Board published a new joint standard on revenue recognition in June. This replaces most of the detailed guidance on revenue recognition that currently exists under US GAAP and IFRS. Mike Harvey, Director at KPMG Gibraltar, commented: “Publishing a joint standard on revenue recognition is a major achievement for the standard setters, but for companies the real work is just beginning.” The new standard comes over five years after the standard setters published the first version of their joint revenue proposals. Mr Harvey continued: “The long project timescales have caused many companies to postpone thinking about how they will be impacted. It’s natural that some have taken a ‘believe it when I see it’ approach to news that
accounting requirements are about to change. But now it’s here, we have a new standard on one of the most important financial reporting metrics – revenue – and it will apply to almost all companies reporting under IFRS and US GAAP.” The new requirements will affect different companies in different ways. Mr Harvey explained: “Companies that sell products and services in a bundle, or those engaged in major projects — for example, in the telecom, software, engineering, construction and real estate industries — could see significant
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update Some aspects of the new standard will affect all companies. Mr Harvey continued: “The new disclosure requirements are extensive and might require changes to systems and processes to collect the necessary data — even if there is no change to the headline numbers in the financial statements.” The new standard takes effect in January 2017, although IFRS preparers can choose to apply it earlier. Jamil Khatri, KPMG’s global head of Accounting Advisory Services, con-
“All Gibraltarian companies need to assess the extent of the impact so that they can address the wider business implications” Mike Harvey, Director, KPMG Gibraltar
changes to the timing of revenue recognition. For others, it will be more a case of ‘business as usual’. All Gibraltarian companies need to assess the extent of the impact so that they can address the wider business implications, including communications with investors and analysts.”
~ Mike Harvey, Director, KPMG Gibraltar
cluded: “While the effective date may seem a long way off, decisions need to be made soon – namely, when and how to transition to the new standard. An early decision will allow companies to develop an efficient implementation plan and inform their key stakeholders.” n
The HR Forum A recognised CIPD Group
Human Resources professionals are encouraged to become a member of Gibraltar’s The HR Forum. Membership brings regular networking events with other HR professionals, development opportunities and the group is a great source of information on HR related topics. This is the first year that the HR Forum has achieved recognition by the CIPD. Membership starts from 1st July to 30th June each year and membership is on an individual basis. The annual membership fee is just £25. To join, all you need to do is contact the membership team on hrforumgib@ gmail.com. n For more information on The HR Forum visit the branch page of the CIPD website www.cipd. co.uk/branch/gibraltar.
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Why we all need a role model
Let’s face it, we all need guidance at times through life, especially during those crucial development stages and a role model can help you; they may also give you a different perspective when trying to solve a problem and may even change your outlook for the better. Looking at my own career, I have had a number of work role models over the years and they have helped me with areas such as dedication, discipline, courage and self confidence as well as several other attributes. My view is simple; if I adopt some of those habits that have made my role models successful, then I am more
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likely to achieve the same successful results as them. May I introduce you to John Anderson who is pleased to admit that he has had a few role models in his time who have, in my view, undoubtedly helped to make him a very successful all-around businessman. John has been the CEO of two
public companies and has been on the board of several. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of several public and private companies.
FTSE property company) and I was right in the middle of leading a Management Buy Out, when I was approached to see if I was interested in becoming CEO of an online gaming company with the So, John, how did you find objective of floating it. yourself in Gibraltar? At that time 888 (as it was to It was back in 1998 when I was become) was based in Antigua the CEO of Burford Group (a and the auditors and banks were
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movers & shakers in the Caribbean. I really needed to look at migrating the business to a more recognisable jurisdiction, so I looked at a number of options in Europe, including the Isle of Man, Channel Islands and eventually settled for Gibraltar.
you know if you are going wrong.
Had you any previous knowledge of Gibraltar? I knew a bit about Gibraltar as the first gaming licence granted there was to Ladbrokes, and I was also aware of the significant history associated with the Rock. I came in 2000. There were just two of us and we had an office in Marina Bay. I then went out to tender for the construction of a call centre. The company we hired went bust after one week, so I personally took on the project management of the new office development and began recruiting staff. Moving the operations from Antigua to Gibraltar was a difficult task but I’m proud to say that we only had fifteen minutes down time from switching off in Antigua and being fully operational in Gibraltar.
Any ambitions left? I am still involved with start-up companies. I tend to be attracted to companies because of the people involved. I am hands on and like to use my experience of business to help others.
So why did you choose Gibraltar? 1) The weather! 2) The Gibraltar Government were familiar with the industry making it far easier to get started here; 3) We could more easily attract the right people into the business What was your favourite part of the job? In the early days I enjoyed walking around the call centre and sitting down and plugging in the ‘cans’ and listening to conversations with customers, I could learn a lot and understood how good our staff were. 888 has the best customer service in the industry. I also like to demonstrate how good 888 are. I have taken bankers, investors and politicians around the operation, so that they could understand the industry by seeing it, touching it and feeling it. The difference in their view on our industry, after they have been shown what we do, is always amazing. You are an experienced CEO, what is the most important advice you would give? Do things correctly, no shortcuts; this is fundamental, especially in Gaming, as it is still misunderstood. Follow it all correctly, keep your eye on the ball, and understand your business. What was your first job? It was at the National Commer-
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What would you say is your biggest achievement? Probably the flotation of 888. com and the MBO of the Burford Group.
“
Favourite place in world? Rocky Mountains. The national parks are brilliant for scenery and hiking.
John Anderson
The manager told me ‘young man, if you keep this up and keep your nose clean, you could be assistant manager by the time you are 50’ so I packed my Rolling Stones albums under my arm and headed for London! cial Bank in Dundee. I was aged 17 and I remember going into the office on a Saturday. I had only been with the bank for a few months and as it was a Saturday they allowed you to “dress down” and that allowed me to wear a stripy tie! The manager came up to me and told me “young man, if you keep this up and keep your nose clean, you could be assistant manager by the time you are 50” so I packed my Rolling Stones albums under my arm and headed for London! I arrived in London and got a job at Ladbrokes as Assistant Cashier in their Head Office opening the post. I was with Ladbrokes for 26 years, the last nine of which I was on the Board.
”
What did you do differently from others? What made you successful? I have often wondered about that myself. I think it was when I got on the Board at Ladbrokes that things started to really change but basically it is hard work. You need to know what you are doing, understanding what and why you are doing it, not being afraid to make suggestions. Even if you are wrong you should have the self-confidence to admit it and get on with things. I learnt a tremendous amount from Cyril on these points. He used to say “there is no such thing as a bad question” and he was right. You don’t always have to make the decisions by yourself in that you can bounce things off other Who has influenced you most people as ‘two heads are better in your career? than one’. Keep learning and Cyril Stein was the Chairman improving all the time. There is of Ladbrokes for most of the time no magic, just do your job well. I was there. What an amazing guy. In my career I have been What mistakes have you made fortunate enough to work for two in business? great chairmen: Cyril Stein and When you look back on everyNigel Wray. Nigel is an investor thing there are always some things in many businesses. I learnt a lot which could have been done diffrom both of these men and will ferently. I am not perfect, but in always be grateful to them. business there are controls that let
City break or beach? Both! I went to Phuket in February and really enjoyed it, but London will always be my favourite city. First record bought? Conway Twitty It’s only make believe. My favourite music is Motown Favourite Film? Highlander – sound track by Queen Hobbies? I am a huge Arsenal Fan. I have a collection of 14 guitars which I play badly, but I find it therapeutic. Favourite Item in the wardrobe? I have quite a few leather coats and jackets. Any ambitions left? Spend time with my five children. Once you have achieved something you tend to think, so what? Always look at the next step and go to the next level as there is always something new to learn. That’s it for this month. I will be back again next month sharing insights from another local mover and shaker. n Paul Wharton is writing in his own capacity and none of the above is intended to express the views or opinions of Barclays Bank PLC.
Paul Wharton is Head of Corporate Banking at Barclays Wealth & Investment Management in Gibraltar having arrived on the Rock from the UK eight years ago. Paul has over three decades’ experience gained in various roles within Barclays, predominantly in and around London and is passionate about supporting the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) market which he sees as the lifeblood of the Gibraltar economy. Paul has won several awards for his work in Small Business Enterprise markets and has served on the London Board of the Prince’s Trust.
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events SGPB Hambros:
SOCIETE GENERALE PRIVATE BANKING HAMBROS
Cooking up a Treat for Citizen Commitment Week From 9th-13th June, Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros held its Citizen Commitment Week (CCW), an annual worldwide solidarity event. The CCW strives to demonstrate commitment through practical actions undertaken in partnership with charitable organisations working at local, national and international levels. It involves over 182,000 retired and current employees of Societe Generale, in 76 countries, including Gibraltar. Societe Generale encourages and promotes citizen commitment from all its employees at all levels.. By sharing the solidarity-based initiatives undertaken by their Foundation, a large number of opportunities are created for employees to make personal commitments, internationally. In Gibraltar, staff volunteered their cooking skills for the benefit of the charitable organisation, Nazareth House. Working as part of a team, the employee-volunteers provided professional support in a friendly, participative atmosphere. A total of 47 hours were volunteered over the five day period, the time being spent cooking a meal daily, delivering it to Nazareth House and helping the centre’s volunteers to serve it. In addition, staff was encouraged to wear smart/casual clothing to work all week with all proceeds from donations going to the group’s chosen charity of the year Alzheimer’s Society. That’s what team spirit is all about! n
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Tuesday kitchen cooks
Ana and Hazel
Roseanne serving
WE MANAGE YOUR WEALTH
SO YOU CAN ENJOY IT
YOU R PRI VAT E BANK E R W ORK S CL OSE LY W I T H A DE DI CATED TEAM OF INDU ST RY E X PE RT S. SOCI E T E GE NE RAL E PRI VAT E BANK I NG OFFER S Y OU HI GH QU AL I T Y SOL U T I ONS T O MANAGE YOU R W E ALT H I N A C OM PL EX EN V I RONME NT. SO YOU H AV E T I ME F OR T H E I MPORTANT T HINGS IN L IFE. privatebanking.societegenerale.com/hambros P a s t p e r f o r m a n c e s h o u l d n o t b e s e e n a s a n i n d i c a t i o n o f f u t u r e p e r f o r m a n c e. P l e a s e n o t e t h a t investments may be subject to market fluctuations and the price and value of investments and the i n c o m e d e r i v e d f r o m t h e m c a n g o d o w n a s w e l l a s u p. A S S U C H Y O U R C A P I TA L M AY B E AT R I S K .
Nazareth House volunteers
Issued by SG Hambros Bank (Gibraltar) Limited, which is regulated and authorised by the Financial Services Commission, Gibraltar. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014 © 2014 Societe Generale Group and its affiliates. © Hugo Stenson - FRED & FARID
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finance
GEMA joins GFC Council Gibraltar Finance Centre Council has welcomed, as a new member to the Council — the recently established Gibraltar Electronic Money Association (GEMA). GEMA brings together those eMoney providers that have established a presence and operation in Gibraltar. The proliferation of electronic payment and eMoney systems represents an innovative and significant area for growth to our financial services industry. The development of this new industry in Gibraltar will complement both the financial services and e-commerce business sector of our economy. Commenting on this development, the GFCC Chairman, Peter Montegriffo and Deputy Chairman, Stephen Reyes said; “We warmly welcome the establishment of GEMA and its application to join the Finance Centre Council. The evolution of this sector demonstrates the continued diversification of our industry. It
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also highlights how Gibraltar is able to attract look forward to working closely with GEMA new skills to augment the professional base and the other associations within the Finance already serving our international clientele. We Centre Council to grow Gibraltar’s offering to clients and our international reputation.” Speaking behalf of GEMA, Chairman Daniel Spier made the following comment; “We are delighted to join the Gibraltar Finance Centre Council and work together with its members. Our industry is growing at a tremendous pace and we believe Gibraltar could become a major centre for Electronic Money Issuers in Europe. Being a member of the GFCC will further assist us in growing Gibraltar as an eMoney hub for Europe.” n
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We believe Gibraltar could become a major centre for Electronic Money Issuers in Europe
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The future of Gibraltar’s insurance industry — the young members of the Gibraltar Insurance Institute
Gibraltar Insurance Institute Annual Dinner The Gibraltar Insurance Institute held its annual dinner at The Khaima, Rock Hotel recently. The venue was filled with members and guests covering the broad range of ages and disciplines that serve to create a diversity
unique to the Insurance Institute in Gibraltar. A roll call of members who were successful in their professional examinations was held during the President’s address. Neil Entwistle, this year’s President commented, “We were delighted to see the number of exams passed during the year and believe it is important to formally recognise professional achievement at our annual dinner. Our remit is one of
The top table
The President’s address - Neil Entwistle
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promoting qualifications and professional development and by recognising our colleagues successes, it was also fantastic to be able to showcase the career opportunity and professional examination pathway to our colleagues from the Department of Education”. Once again a record attendance and a great representation of younger members gave the dinner a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. n
Pre-dinner drinks by the pool
Organisers - Deputy President , Lorraine Moberley and Social Secretary, Samantha English
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finance
FSC and RGP sign MoU
of that fact. The MoU envisages officer secondments between the parties, whilst this has happened in the past; the organisations agree that this requires further development to share expertise, experience and to bridge gaps where necessary. On the part of the RGP the signing of the MoU is a step towards achieving one of obThe Chief Executive of the jectives set by the Gibraltar Police Authority in its policing plan: to develop partnerships Gibraltar Financial Services and co-operation with relevant organisations. Commission, Samantha The Minister for Justice, the Hon Gilbert Barrass, and the Commissioner Licudi QC MP, and the Minister for Financial Services, the Hon Albert Isola, welcomed the of the Royal Gibraltar Police, introduction of the MoU. Eddie Yome, have signed a Minister Licudi said: “Cooperation between relevant institutions that are capable of proMemorandum of Understanding viding each other assistance or knowledge is between their two organisations. crucial to deliver an efficient public service. This initiative highlights the type of profesThe purpose of the MoU is to formalise sional service that can be achieved to serve co-operation between the parties, in particular a common interest and achieve mutual aims with regard to the exchange of information to and objectives.” Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Financial Services assist in carrying out their respective functions. Commission, Samantha Barrass While there has always been an excellent relationship between the organisations and Minister Isola said: “I would like to conco-operation in particular cases, the MoU will gratulate the Royal Gibraltar Police and the underpin the existing working relationship Financial Services Commission on this very and formalise the necessary framework for that important initiative. The signing of this memoco-operation. The financial services industry is randum of understanding further underscores one of the pillars of the Gibraltar economy and and cements the deep professional relationship must be supported by both efficient regulation that has been in existence since the inception and policing — this MoU is further recognition of the Commission almost 25 years ago.” n
The purpose of the MoU is to formalise co-operation between the parties, in particular with regard to the exchange of information
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Helen Wade
interview | Mike Brufal
Broadcasting to the World
Television journalist Helen Wade, 48, from Gibraltar, also contributes to the New Statesman, the Mumsnet website, Good Housekeeping magazine and the quality, national press. She speaks four languages fluently — English, Spanish, French, Italian — and conversational Portuguese, and as a television journalist has travelled worldwide covering news stories. Multifaceted Helen is also connected to the theatre and is an accomplished musician. She married David Wade in 2000 in County Durham (where he is from) and they have two sons Liam, 6, and Aidan, 4. Helen, daughter of the late Adolfo and Aida Barea, began her education on the Rock at the Governor’s Meadow School under Miss Olga Vallejo, then St Joseph’s Middle School (Miss Lourdes Vallejo) and finally the girls’ comprehensive. During her years there the school moved into the new building in Montagu and became Westside, and Headmistress Sister Aoife was succeeded by Lalli Canessa. Helen was taught guitar from the age of seven by William Gomez and she became a member of the Gibraltar Guitar Ensemble, which
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played concerts in Gibraltar, and toured the North of England in 1981. Her love of music has remained with her since those early days and she is currently training to be a orchestral conductor as well as running a church and community choir in St Joseph’s, Epsom which is two minutes’ walk from her home. The choir sings at High Mass once a month and takes part in festivals and charity concerts. In May this year she took part in the Singing For Pleasure 50th anniversary concert held at the Victoria Hall, Bolton where, together with 900 other singers and a full orchestra, she sang Vivaldi’s Gloria. On finishing her A-levels Helen obtained a scholarship to go to university under the old “13 points” scholarship system brought in by
the AACR government. She’d turned down a place at New Hall College, Cambridge to read Spanish and French in favour of reading English and Journalism at Southampton University. As an undergraduate she joined the Film Club, and the Debating Society where she spoke regularly on subjects such as Feminism, Nuclear Disarmament, Thatcherism and the Miners’ Strike. Drama was another interest she had developed on the Rock with Stage Circle amateur dramatics under the direction of Dr. Leslie Zammit. Helen’s mother was an accomplished actress who played Lola in Elio Cruz’s La Lola se va pa Londres. Pupils awarded a Government scholarship, had to agree to work in Gibraltar for a mini-
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interview
The Gibraltar Guitar Ensemble
mum of three years unless the government was unable to provide a job commensurate with their degree. In Helen’s case the Government were unable to find her a suitable position so she was released from her contract. Before she could apply for a job in the international media, three years of post-graduate work experience was required in regional or local television, radio or newspapers. Ironically, she joined the Gibraltar Broadcasting Service (GBC) to gain this experience when George Valarino was General Manager. She “cut her teeth” in front of the camera reporting on and presenting local news and current affairs programmes and remembers with affection the help and guidance given by colleagues in the newsroom — News Editor Paul Canessa, Clive Golt and Stephen Neish. As soon as the three years were up she headed to Sky News in London, after hearing it was looking for a Spanish-speaking journalist, applied for the position, and was sent to Madrid to open a bureau. She was paid a retainer plus fee for whatever was broadcast. Her contract allowed her to work freelance for non-competing news organisations so she wrote a weekly financial news report for the Rothschild Group’s Madrid office. She arrived in Madrid knowing absolutely
no-one, so she applied to join the prestigious, Foreign Correspondents’ Club. On the application form she wrote ‘Gibraltar’ when filling in the box entitled Birthplace. The Club’s Secretary, who she remembers as ‘a rather unctuous Italian’, came up to her and said that some of the Spanish journalists who often attended Club events might feel offended by the word Gibraltar and he asked that Gibraltar be replaced by London as she worked for Sky News, based in London. She refused and was so incensed that she withdrew her application. She spent two-and-a-half years in Spain’s capital (January 1992 to April 1994) and interviewed politicians such as Felipe Gonzalez and Javier Solana as well as covering a range of stories from ETA bombings to the EXPO
It was not the danger that made her decline, it was the thought she would be reporting on a matter not in the best interests of Gibraltar
Helen with the Chief Minister at the Guildhall for Gibraltar Day in London
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’92 in Seville, plus the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales. In April 1994 she returned to London, largely for family reasons, as her father was seriously ill at the Royal Marsden Hospital. She joined Sky HQ at Osterley, West London working as a freelance reporter and producer on the Sunrise breakfast programme. In November that year she was head-hunted by ITN’s Nigel Baker who was building a team to launch Associated Press’ entry into television journalism. He’d heard about Helen from his wife who worked as a news editor on the foreign desk at Sky News. Today AP is the world’s largest news agency for press and television. Nigel went on to join the Thomson Foundation in 2012 having made AP the giant it is today in television news. Due to her language skills, Helen was dispatched to cover stories throughout Western Europe, Latin America and Francophone Africa. Her first assignment on joining APTN, however, was to return to Madrid and set up a television operation there within the existing newswire bureau. The remit for the Madrid office included Gibraltar and the Maghreb. It was during this period she found herself turning down an assignment for the one and only time in her career. The news editor wanted her to take a crew to Gibraltar to investigate and report on the tobacco smuggling story which was making headlines elsewhere in the British press. It would have involved boarding a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) and taking part in a smuggling run. It was not the danger that made her decline, it was the thought she would be reporting on a matter not in the best interests of Gibraltar. In 1995 she was based in Nairobi in charge of the AP television bureau from where she covered stories from Sierra Leone, Zaire, Uganda and Kenya. As a single woman she was assigned a 24-hour bodyguard who would sleep outside her hotel room, such was the danger of her moving about doing her work, talking to people, finding out information. During her “watch” the Iranian President, Hashemi Rafsanjani, arrived on a six-nation tour of African states, his first ever, starting in Nairobi. Helen was filming a “backgrounder” report to run on the day the Iranian President was due
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interview
Left: Helen on her way to her First Holy Communion in Gibraltar Right: Helen with parents Adolfo and Aida Barea in front of the TV; little did they know that one day it would be Helen’s voice they heard broadcasting from the BBC
to arrive, focusing on a remote Muslim community high in the Kenyan mountains, in Riruta. She had just finished filming when word came through that her bid to interview the Iranian Foreign Minister for this piece had been successful and she and her crew were summoned to go that same afternoon to conduct the interview. Although she was dressed modestly she did not have a hijab so on the drive back she stopped at a roadside vendor and bought the equivalent of a pashmina, which fulfilled the modesty regulations and she was allowed to conduct the interview. A day later the press were invited to film a big event hosted by the Iranian President for the Muslim community, as well as local dignitaries, in the grounds of the Kenyan Presidential Palace. Each accredited television journalist was allowed to ask President Rafsanjani a few questions in a room set up for interviews. They had all been instructed not to ask about a Syrian plane which had been shot down that morning by rebels of the PKK, hiding in northern Iraq. This Kurdish group were widely thought to be backed by Iran so news editors in London were urging their correspondents to find out the President’s views. When it came to Helen’s turn she asked a couple of soft questions and then came to the last one. She gulped, took a deep breath and asked for his comments on the atrocity. There was a stunned silence with officials trying to get her away from the President. But she refused to budge and looked him straight in the eye — he did reply with diplomatic words to the effect that the incident was very regrettable. She quickly left with her, by now, shaking cameraman. Next came the difficulty of transmitting the interview back to London. A slot had been booked at KBC Kenya’s state broadcaster to uplink the material via satellite to London but on arrival she found her way barred on instructions not to let her transmit the footage. Fortunately there was only one armed guard at the gate between her and the link. She drew herself up to her full height and in a commanding voice demanded to be let inside. Much to her surprise she was allowed in, transmitted the scoop which AP sold worldwide, especially
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to those stations whose reporters had been too intimidated to ask the question. Helen has always shown a healthy disrespect for authority. In June the following year she was sent to Belfast to cover the start of the Northern Ireland peace talks at Stormont. During this period she interviewed all the major players including Gerry Adams, Dr Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness. At times she admits it was hard to understand their accents, which made it difficult to ask supplementary questions. While she was covering the 12th July Orange Order march in Belfast she was hit by a missile which injured her shoulder. After finishing her report and sending it back to London she took a few days off and flew to Gibraltar to recover at her mother’s home. She spent the next three years working on European Union matters alternating between London and other European capitals. She covered a wide range of stories from UK politics, to Spanish Royal weddings, film premieres, interviewed the Dalai Lama, covered the divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and all the major stories coming out of Brussels. There were frequent stints on the Latin America desk too, including a spell at the Washington bureau which was responsible for North and South America coverage. Helen always wanted to work for the BBC and, in July 1997, she learned they were hiring staff and applied for a job as a reporter. This involved taking an entrance exam of 40 news and current affairs questions followed by an
Helen worked for BBC TV news and the greatest plus was an interview with a young rocket scientist who came in to talk about the fire on board the Mir space station in 1997. His name was David Wade
interview board. She remembers how, for about an hour, five men in suits sat behind a desk asking a range of quick-fire questions on subjects such as German reunification and European monetary union. She passed both tests and got the job, although it meant a substantial salary cut as the BBC doesn’t pay as highly as the commercial sector. Helen worked for BBC television news and the greatest plus was an interview with a young rocket scientist who came in to talk about the fire on board the Mir space station in 1997. His name was David Wade. There was an instant attraction and three years later they were married at St Peter’s Chapel, Auckland Castle in County Durham. Throughout her time at the BBC the range of stories Helen covered was huge, both for UK and International News desks. For for six months in 2001 she was attached to BBC World Service Radio. She became the BBC’s “go to” expert on all matters relating to Spain and Gibraltar and because of this, she was the first person to be deployed on the morning of 11th March, just as she was about to start reading the news, when the train bombs went off in Madrid. As is often the case on breaking news deployment, she was sent straight to the airport to board the first flight to Madrid (passport always in her bag for such eventualities). She was in Madrid for over a week with a team of around 50 BBC staff working across all outlets and programmes, in what turned out to be a huge, international story. The BBC won a BAFTA award for its coverage of the Madrid bombings. A year later she covered the July train bombings in London, also as a contributor to Antena 3 Television News and Onda Cero Radio, neither of whom had a correspondent based in London at the time. They had heard there was a reporter at the BBC who spoke Spanish and so Helen was asked ”would she mind doing a few live interviews for their news programmes?” The BBC authorised this as neither Spanish channels were competitors. They kept coming back for more and there followed a non-stop, hectic period in her life doing her full-time job, working 12 hour shifts for BBC Television News, and then taking time
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career to broadcast reports for the Spanish TV and radio networks. She took time off in 2007 for her first child, followed in 2010 by the birth of her second son and, as she decided that motherhood came before her career, she resigned from her full-time post at the BBC. However she’s kept her hand in doing assignments and special programmes when required as “the phone rings every time news breaks about Spain or Gibraltar”. Helen produced a special BBC Hard Talk programme with Hugo Chavez, then President of Venezuela, who, on a whim, granted the interview request submitted some time before — the programme team dashed to Venezuela that same day and were then kept waiting until midnight at the Presidential Palace before Sr. Chavez was ready to talk! Helen is now enjoying being a freelance journalist with the freedom to pick and choose which assignments she takes on, to fit with the demands of a young family. Her most recent article which projected her onto the front line of Gibraltar politics was her magnificent piece, headlined Gibraltarians have come into their own published in the New Statesman magazine, in print and online. She was commissioned by the New Statesman to write the 1400 word piece and after publication, the Chief Minister who was in Washington at the time, sent Helen a tweet saying ‘‘Excellent piece Helen! Written from the heart and a Gibraltarian one at that”. There was considerable interest in this article worldwide and several international news organisations followed up the story (NPR in America and CBC Canada
Helen is now enjoying being a freelance journalist with the freedom to pick and choose which assignments she takes on, to fit with the demands of a young family
to name two). Over the years Helen has seen the emergence of a distinctly proud Gibraltarian people, no longer subjected to colonialism and proud to be masters of their own destiny. She says in the penultimate paragraph of her New Statesman article: “In the 23 years I’ve lived away from my homeland, Gibraltarians have come into their own, confidently punching above their weight for such a tiny dot on the world map.” n
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charity
Barclays colleagues in Gibraltar show support for Teenage Cancer Trust Inspired by the story of teenager Stephen Sutton’s battle with terminal cancer, employees of Barclays in Gibraltar organised an event to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust. The local fundraising activity, organised in support of Stephen’s tremendous efforts to raise over £4 million for Teenage Cancer Trust, was led by Barclays Counter Services Manager Matthew Wright. Extending the team effort beyond Gibraltar, Matthew also arranged for activity to take place at Barclays offices in the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, London, Cyprus, Manchester and Glasgow in order to raise as much money as possible for the worthy cause. In Gibraltar, a ‘rowing machine challenge’ was quickly arranged by the Gibraltar Sports, Social and Charity Committee, in which colleagues were allocated a 20 minute slot to row as fast as they possibly could. Collection buckets were also placed in the Main Street branch where incredible support has been given by clients and the local community. Reflecting Stephen’s original fundraising target, Barclays em-
ployees set out to raise a total of £10,000. Through the collective efforts and generosity from colleagues and clients alike, the target has been exceeded with Teenage Cancer Trust receiving £10,200. Speaking after the event, Matthew Wright said: “Stephen was diagnosed with terminal cancer at such a young age. He managed to inspire so many people with his positive attitude and did not let his condition in any way dampen his outlook on life. Sadly Stephen lost his battle to cancer on Wednesday 14th May, however his legacy continues having raised over £4m for the Teenage Cancer Trust. “I was moved by his story and wanted to play a part in supporting his tremendous fundraising efforts. My sincere thanks go to our colleagues who took part in the rowing machine challenge and to all those who have donated to help further the crucial work of Teenage Cancer Trust.” n
Reflecting Stephen’s original fundraising target, Barclays employees set out to raise a total of £10,000 — the target has been exceeded with Teenage Cancer Trust receiving £10,200
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tourism ‘Growth on Growth’ for Gibraltar Tourism Gibraltar hotels, UK based tour operators and airlines all reported growth on growth in terms of visitor numbers to the Rock over the past year, at the second quarter meeting of the UK Gibraltar Tourism Association (UKGTA) One of the reported successes has been in the segment of overnight stays by leisure visitors. The value of GTB sponsored training programmes for travel agents in UK was also highlighted by participants. Additionally, the figures for air arrivals to Gibraltar from UK in the first quarter of 2014 are approximately 20% up compared to the same period last year. Minister for Tourism, Neil Costa said: “Tourism is a vital area for Gibraltar’s continued economic development and this is magnificent news for our community and further testament of the efficient policies that our administration has spearheaded.”
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A cruise liner in the Bay
Cruise News Carnival UK Britain’s leading cruise operator of P&O Cruises and Cunard has announced that Gibraltar is the third most visited port of call for them in 2015 after Southampton (their home base) and the Portuguese port of Lisbon. Steven Young, Head of Port Operations and Services, P&O, Cunard, Carnival UK said: “We are very happy that Gibraltar is becoming more and more import-
ant as a port of call for our group. In recent years we have seen a steady increase in the number of visits and this is a trend we expect to see maintained.” P&O Cruises and Cunard operate in ports all over the Mediterranean with Gibraltar recording the highest activity in the cruise company schedules. Gibraltar has also been included as a port of call in the 2015 schedule of American cruise company Grand Circle Cruise Line, which
will be introducing a new small ship tour named ‘Classic Cities & Moorish Traditions of Iberia & Morocco’. The ten-day itinerary on board the 98 passenger all-suite Corinthian, comprises Lisbon, Portimao, Casablanca, Tangier, Gibraltar and Sevilla. The Rock’s inclusion in the programme came about thanks to the leading efforts of ship agents MH Bland in close consultation with the Minister for Tourism and the Gibraltar Tourist Board. n
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Laura Stevens, Series Producer (centre) with Producer / Director, Bella Falk, filming at Orchid Events for the new series of Gibraltar: Britain in the Sun
Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun: Take 3 First broadcast in June 2013 Channel 5’s Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun has proved popular with the UK public, keen to watch our real life characters going about their daily lives in our sun-drenched little chunk of Mediterranean Britishness. With viewing figures peeking at 1.9 million, the programme returned for a second series in January 2014, and the production team is currently seeking new characters for series three. We spoke to Laura Stevens, the series’ Producer, to find out what makes the show such a success. Tell us about Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun is an observational documentary made by ITV for Channel 5. It’s a warm and positive programme, which is now in its third series. This year we are going to be making 8 episodes, which will probably air in January 2015.
and who should apply? We are looking for locals and expats who are fun and interesting characters. If you have an interesting job, hobby or like going on adventures then please get in touch!
We imagine Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun was a surprise success, what do you think the appeal to the programme is for the British public? You and the Channel 5 Our series airs in the winter so team are back looking for when the weather’s cold and dull characters for the 3rd series in the UK it’s great to see some sun! of Gibraltar Britain in the Sun, There’s something for everyone in could you tell us what sort of ‘characters’ you are looking for the series; men, women and people
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of all ages. Our audience seem to have a real soft spot for Gibraltar and our characters — it’s great to see people living the dream working and playing in the sun. There’s so much going on in such a tiny place that viewers want to tune in each week to see what’s happening next. Could you give us some viewing figures? The Gibraltar, Britain in the Sun series has been hugely popular and is one of Channel 5’s best performing shows. Over a million viewers have tuned in to
watch each episode and even the repeats of the shows attract a huge audience! What are your aims when producing the new series? The third series will be made up of 8 episodes — that’s over 40 new stories! It will be filmed over a longer period so we will get a better passage of time for each story. We want the series to have a fresh feel so the team have come out to Gibraltar earlier in the year to cover new events and have spent time casting great new characters.
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regulation What do you and the team enjoy about your visits to Gibraltar and how long do you spend filming and researching each episode? The people of Gibraltar are what make our time out here so amazing, many of the characters we film with have become great friends too. We will spend around 12 weeks filming the 8 episodes and then we will be in the edit until the end of the year. I started my initial research for this series in the middle of April. What is your overall impression of Gibraltar as a place to live and work? Gibraltar is a great place to live and work — we feel so lucky to be on this production for the summer out here! The local people are so friendly and helpful and we feel really at home over her. The weather is obviously a bonus too! How would you see the programme moving forward, or is this intended to be the last series? If this series does well then I’m sure we’ll be back for Series 4! n
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Rock strengthens corporate governance The Corporate Governance Code set up by the Gibraltar Funds & Investments Association (GFIA) has been adopted into the regulatory process by the Financial Services Commission (FSC), the regulatory body for financial services organisations operating in Gibraltar. FSC endorses the Code as it aims to promote strong and effective corporate governance.” Following the FSC guidance, EIF directors not complying with the Code will need to provide justification in their annual return to the FSC. Choosing to not comply, while possible, will need further explanation to ensure effective corporate governance is being adopted across all EIF’s in Gibraltar. Speaking about the move, Nicola Smith, Managing Director of Hedge Fund Administrator Helvetic and a member of GFIA says: “When writing the Code over a year ago, GFIA intended to provide guidelines for EIF directors
Joanne Beiso, Head of Funds division at the FSC
Joanne Beiso, Head of the Funds division at the FSC stated: “The FSC will be asking EIF directors to confirm that they comply with the GFIA Corporate Governance Code for Collective Investment Schemes. The
Carports
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Alfresco
The endorsement by the FSC strengthens the Code and allows the FSC to monitor EIF directors
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Courtyards
to assist them in making appropriate and effective decisions. The endorsement by the FSC strengthens the Code and allows the FSC to monitor EIF directors and ensures transparency as to compliance with the principles of the Code across the jurisdiction. “Getting the right balance in regulation is a critical factor in the competition for funds considering where to domicile in the EU. The FSC has sent a strong message that Gibraltar funds are supervised and controlled in an effective way to ensure strong leadership in financial diligence and responsibility, while being flexible to allow for other methods of governance that may fall outside the Code but still prove effective. “The move also shows the strength of partnership between industry and the regulator in Gibraltar and the health of the financial sector in the territory.” n
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environment
A Greener Gibraltar Ahead Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo and Deputy Chief Minister, the Hon Dr Joseph Garcia, met with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of The White House. The CEQ is made up of President Obama’s principal policy advisers on environmental issues and initiatives. The Chief Minister briefed the Council on the steps Gibraltar was taking towards carbon neutrality. This included the change of the main power generation fuel from diesel to gas which will dramatically reduce emissions and the introduction of alternative energy sources for the first time. The point was made that environmentally-friendly technology was being planned for new Government housing projects and that solar-thermal had been introduced in the GASA swimming pool as well as into St Bernard’s Hospital. Wave energy is also going to be explored in more detail with the signing in June of Gibraltar’s first
contract for this type of energy. The potential export of US technology for these and other projects in Gibraltar was discussed as part of the commercial agenda of the meeting. Many of these technology-related exports resulted from contacts made during the recent successful Trade Mission of US companies to Gibraltar. At the meeting with White House staff, Mr Picardo also explained how the commercial relationship with US companies and HMGoG’s environmental agenda had already resulted in his official car now being an electric US Tesla and how, additionally, the Government’s motorised fleet now
Chief Minister & Deputy Chief Minister outside the West Wing of the White House
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environment Wave energy is also going to be explored in more detail with the signing in June of Gibraltar’s first contract for this type of energy includes a number of other hybrid vehicles. A number of initiatives to promote the wider use among citizens of renewable energy products were also considered, with ideas
from both sides forming part of the discussion. The Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Garcia, who chairs the Government’s Climate Change Task Force, outlined its work including the coastal protection measures that are being undertaken in different parts of Gibraltar. The meeting agreed on the importance of engaging the private sector in Climate Change initiatives and discussed the effect of incentives to promote greater awareness and up-take of new technologies. n
Climate Change Task Force: Working Towards A Carbon Neutral Gibraltar Charged with the task of achieving the Government’s aim of a carbon neutral footprint for Gibraltar, the Climate Change Task Force meets monthly at No 6 Convent Place. Although meetings of the Task Force are chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister, the Hon Dr Joseph Garcia, the Task Force includes Environment Minister Dr John Cortes who is driving the project together with his department. The Task Force includes a
mix of people from the private and the public sector, and representatives from the Gibraltar Electricity Authority, AquaGib, the Finance Centre, Gibtelecom and the Port Authority as well as the Chief Technical Officer and the Financial Secretary. These are balanced by members of the Boards from the Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses. The Task Force also benefits from having an independent environmental consultant, Geoff Lye, as a member. The Task Force has a number of ongoing work streams, including cleaner power generation, the introduction of renewable energy, uptake of energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of the economy to name a few. The Task Force is aiming to present its findings to the cabinet later this year with a view to publishing a Climate Change Strategy in the autumn. n
The Task Force has a number of ongoing work streams, including cleaner power generation, the introduction of renewable energy, uptake of energy efficiency and decarbonisation of the economy The Agreement being signed with Eco Wave Power in June 2014
Harnessing The Power of Waves At the beginning of June the Gibraltar Government signed its first power purchase agreement for the provision of renewable energy. The agreement with Eco Wave Power is for the provision of an initial 0.5MW energy device on the east-side, with a view to further expansion up to a full 5MW plant if the project is successful. Eco Wave Power is an international wave power developer, headquartered in Israel. Its tech-
nologies use uniquely shaped buoys to capture and convert wave energy into low-cost, clean electricity and the floaters will be specifically designed in accordance with our particular wave climate. The system will also have in-built storm protection and shock-wave protection mechanisms. Wave energy is being deployed more and more widely across the globe and Gibraltar’s unique location, coupled with the ability to reliably calculate and project wave patterns, mean that this is a very promising technology for the Rock. This agreement forms part of the Government’s overall plan for increasing the level of renewable energies in Gibraltar, with a view to moving away from our current dependence on fossil fuels towards a more sustainable energy future. n
Gibraltar’s unique location, coupled with the ability to reliably calculate and project wave patterns, mean that this is a very promising technology for the Rock
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green space
Commonwealth Park opens
Commonwealth Park officially opened last month to provide an oasis of calm, trees, green lawns and attractive gardens for everyone. “It is fabulous to see this become a reality,” said the Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo at a short opening ceremony in June. The park boasts over 130 trees, either Mediterranean species or from areas with similar climate, plus open grass areas, large water features and a bandstand. Rainwater is collected and stored in two huge underground tanks, for the park’s complex irrigation systems. The park has utilised local waste products to manufacture the 3000m3 of topsoil and its lighting uses LED technology to minimise ongoing costs. Construction work by GJBS started in early 2013. The total cost of the project is £5.6M but, after grants of £1.5M from the EU and £700k from the Kusuma Trust, the net cost to Gibraltar’s government is £3.4M. n
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finance
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Home Help
Q
Is your home in decorating crisis? Do you need help to tame the interior chaos? Meme of Denville Designs is here to tackle all your decorating and style problems... one room at a time.
I love sitting on my terrace in the summer evenings but need some ideas to make it a little more wow to entertain my friends. I have no electric points for fairy lights which is what I thought I could use. Any ideas? Joshan, Gardiner’s Road
Unless your curtains are 100% cotton and unlined, you should have them dry cleaned
sure they are put away during the day or they will melt in the sun! You can get great solar powered flower and plant containers that light up and are very bright and effective, too. Fill your terrace with colourful cushions and green plants to complete the relaxed chill out feel.
You don’t have to have electric to make your terrace wow in the I have had my curtains for evenings. Solar powered lights are just over a year and they very big at the moment and you cost me a lot of money but have lots to choose from. Also, I love using candles but make they really need cleaning. Can you
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the person you purchased your help me — I need to know where curtains from as many fabrics are can I take them or how I can clean now are 30º washable! them. Marianne, Atlantic Suites I work shifts as a nurse and I need to sleep during the Most manufacturers tell you not day. Now the summer to wash curtains, but if they are made of 100% cotton and they daylight is so strong my curtains let are not lined you can handwash too much light in. My curtains are them depending on the heading. new so I don’t want to spend too If your curtains are lined or have much and I don’t want to buy new any extra backing it is better to ones. Any advice would be great. have them dry cleaned. I would Collin, Ocean Village also recommend dry cleaning for any other materials. Check with If your window is small enough
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This may be a really silly question, but can you make bed headboards with removable, washable covers? I have a king size bed and my husband’s side gets slightly soiled. I don’t like leather or similar and I have tried to wash my headboard and it leaves water stains. Charlene, Watergardens Yes I can help! 70% of fabrics on today’s market can be machine washed so you have a good selection to choose from. At Denville Designs we can make a simple cover with Velcro to go over your headboard — what could be easier than that? Pop in to see us.
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decor
Q
My wooden garden furniture is very weathered and I can’t afford to buy a new set. Can it be restored? Maite, South Barrack Road
Yes, if you lightly sand it down and then treat with a specialised exterior furniture oil. The wood absorbs the oils and then you can paint it or vanish the wood to bring it back to life. Always read the manufacturer’s advice and it will look as good as new!
you could buy a simple blackout fabric roller blind which you can pull down only when needed to not spoil your lovely curtains. Or, if you have room, place some sunblock curtains behind your original pair. This works well if you have room to take curtain poles or tracks. I hope this helps. Send your home decorating questions to meme@denvilledesigns.com
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Wooden garden furniture can be restored to its former glory
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In the Gibraltar property market supply is outstripped by demand
supplyversesdemand At the time of writing it is Portugal v Germany in the World Cup. Meanwhile it is Supply v Demand in the Gibraltar property market. Germany are battering Portugal. Demand is battering Supply. (Football can be brought into any article with imagination!) But what can correct the Supply v Demand imbalance? “For most people, their home is the biggest investment of their lifetime. And, of course, they want that asset to increase in value over time. But a home is also a place to live and build our lives — and we want all families to be able to afford security, comfort and peace of mind. That means homes have to be affordable — whether you’re renting or buying. “The only way that can be achieved over the long term is by building more, so supply better matches demand. But we are a small and crowded island, keen to protect our green spaces and ready
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to object to new development. “So the British people want our homes to go up in value, but also remain affordable; and we want more homes built, just not next to us. “You can see why no one has managed yet to solve the problems
of Britain’s housing market.” So said, Chancellor George Osborne in his annual Mansion House speech just last month. He could have been talking about Gibraltar (except the reference to an “island” of course) as the issues are much the same.
Osborne announced a brake on demand which was to give the Bank of England new powers over mortgages including the size of mortgage loans as a share of family incomes or the value of the property
Osborne announced a brake on demand which was to give the Bank of England new powers over mortgages including the size of mortgage loans as a share of family incomes or the value of the property such that “if the Bank of England thinks some borrowers are being offered excessive amounts of debt, they can limit the proportion of high loan to income mortgages each bank can lend, or even ban all new lending above a specific loan to income ratio.” That solution sounds a little draconian in our relatively small mortgage market which I do not think is fuelled by easy mortgages (tried getting one recently?).
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property The real issue is supply. “We need to see a lot more homes being built in Britain. The growing demand for housing has to be met by growing supply. The alternative, as in any market, is that prices will rise so that homes become unaffordable to many of our citizens and take up ever more of their incomes.” That is the same challenge as Gibraltar faces. The government is addressing the supply issue in the local property market with construction underway of around 900 new apartments at Mons Calpe Mews and Beach View Terraces. This should help alleviate some of the pent up demand from the local housing list. However, what about the supply of open market property? “We have beautiful landscapes, and they too are part of the inheritance of the next generation. To preserve them, we must make other compromises. If we want to limit development on important green spaces, we have to remove all the obstacles that remain to development on brown field sites.” And that perhaps is the solution. How about a fast tracked planning
process for residential property of a certain nature on certain designated sites in certain areas? Or tax advantages on a zonal basis that could help target desired development? The Eastside Reclamation has recently become an area open for development and Expressions of Interest are invited by the Government for property development schemes. “Eastside Garden City” might just be the answer. Hope so. Gibraltar’s property market imbalance is not unique. We share it with the UK. Some of the causes and solutions may differ, however the fundamental solution is the same. “I will not stand by and allow this generation, many of whom have been fortunate enough to own their own home, to say to the next generation: we’re pulling up the property ladder behind us. So we will build the houses Britain needs so that more families can have the economic security that comes with home ownership.” And in case you missed it, Germany have beaten Portugal 4-0. And Supply will soon catch up with Demand. That’s what George and I think anyway. n
Gibraltar’s property market imbalance is not unique. We share it with the UK. Some of the causes and solutions may differ, however the fundamental solution is the same
Mike Nicholls is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Society of Accountants, a member of the Gibraltar Funds and Investment Association and a board member of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce. Mike operates the Chesterton estate agency in Gibraltar and runs a real estate investment solutions consultancy.
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Chesterton sales team witnessing bore holes being drilled
Site investigation works start on the Marriott Hotel & Victory Place offices Site investigation work has now started ahead of the proposed new development of the Marriott Hotel and Victory Place offices on the old Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club and Sea Scouts site on Queensway. The development, between Europort and the new Commonwealth Park, achieved outline planning consent in March 2014. Last month saw sections of the temporary car park cordoned off for test bore hole drilling for the foundations of the hotel and new offices.
Results will be used to define the design of the foundations. The developers plan to remove the landfill from the historically important ex-No 4 Dock which will become the car park beneath the 225 room Marriott Hotel. Alongside the Marriott, the developers will build an iconic building comprising 8,000 square metres of prime office space built to British Council for Offices grade A specification. At the time of writing, the sole agent, Chesterton, has sold or reserved 53% of the space off-plan, which is ahead of expectations. The city centre location and the opening of the new Commonwealth Park next to the site are key contributors to the success in sales thus far. The development remains subject to detailed planning consent and landlord approval. n
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Traditional verses modern methods
ASK RUTH
Ask the Architect
Your structural and design questions answered by Ruth Massias Greenberg of Gamma Concepts www.gamma.gi
Looking to make structural changes to your home or office? Need design advice? Want to know what you can and can’t do? Ruth is here to answer your architectural questions.
Q
tion to be compared here are light gauge steel framing for lightweight construction and blockwork cavity walls for traditional construction. One of the most significant advantages of using prefabricated structures is that on site assembly is much faster. This can lead to financial savings on site and offers For the sake of simplicity and the possibility of providing a dry clarity the two types of construc- site quicker. The design stages and I’ve heard there is a new way of building that uses lightweight prefabricated structures. Is this the best way to go for my project or should I stick to traditional building methods?
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email your architectural questions to ruth@gamma.gi
fabrication of structures conducted off site will, however, take longer as the parts are first designed and made in the factory and are then delivered ready to be erected. A traditional builder will be able to start sooner as most of the materials used in traditional construction techniques are available from local merchants at short notice. In Gibraltar, where logistics and deliveries can be
challenging, ready access to materials is an important factor for consideration, i.e. if the delivery of the prefab elements is delayed the prefabrication method may not be as time-effective as the traditional method due to the availability of traditional materials. Another point to consider is that more local builders will be familiar with traditional forms of construction, although this is
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changing as lightweight construction becomes more commonplace. This is perhaps when the scale of the project becomes a factor, i.e. larger contractors working on bigger projects will more likely be familiar with light gauge steel construction whereas a smaller outfit may not be. Project-specific factors should be considered. For example, in Gibraltar, many projects involve constructing an extra storey or two on an existing building which is constructed of random rubble. The structural engineer may advise that a light gauge steel structure is necessary in order to avoid overloading the existing structure. Blockwork construction may therefore be eliminated as a possibility at the design stage. This also applies to the delivery of elements to the site. If the site is difficult to access it may be easier to deliver lighter components, so the use of lightweight prefab
structures would definitely be a big plus. On the other hand, blocks are individually smaller in size. The variety of sites in Gibraltar makes standardisation difficult. If you look at a Google Earth image of Gibraltar it is immediately clear that there are very few right angles or orthogonal buildings and sites in the territory. Furthermore, the individual peculiarities of sites, typically with leaning or un-square walls, oddly positioned drains etc., may be easier to deal with on a case-by-case basis using blockwork. The scale of the project will also be a factor. Light gauge structures may become more economically feasible as the scale increases, considering the design, fabrication and delivery process. Environmental factors should be considered depending on the site and orientation. Whereas it may be easier to obtain higher U-values for less thickness in light
gauge steel structures, traditional masonry usually has a higher thermal mass which helps regulate temperature in buildings. Future design flexibility issues should also be considered. Steel structures will come precisely designed to the form specified. It may be difficult to alter this in the future. Traditional blockwork lends itself to flexibility as openings can be created almost anywhere (within reason) with the addition of beams and lintels and taking into account the advice of a structural engineer. The costs of the two systems are often competitive and will reflect and be determined by the above factors. There are pros and cons to both forms of construction and the best way forward will depend on the project in question, its location and site factors. This issue is best discussed with your design team early on in the design process. n
Project-specific factors should be considered — in Gibraltar, many projects involve constructing an extra storey or two on an existing building which is constructed of random rubble
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decor
Stylishly Shady
If you are impressed by the stylish bandstand shade which was recently unveiled at the newly opened Commonwealth Park, you can now replicate the look on your own patio, terrace, business or pool. The Sail Shade Company offers elegant shades in a variety of colours and most importantly they offer UV protection of up to 97%. Great for protecting your skin from the damaging sun’s rays. All the designs are custom-made and very visually appealing. Visit www.theshadesailcompany.com to find out more about making your home just a little bit more shady! n
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Tel: 20066633 email: sales@savills.gi www.savills.gi
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Sky Blue Benjamin
words | Elena Scialtiel
Spring Art sensation Benjamin Hassan considers himself a hobbyist painter and is a man of few words, but he needn’t shout his talent from the rooftops either, because his artwork does all the talking. Actually it screams the beauty and history of Gibraltar from every canvas and the vivid colours that flow like liquid light on it, to compose landscapes blessed with either clean, architectonical linearity or a flurry of interpretative brushstrokes to form dream-like images before our eyes. “Gibraltar has so much charm and there is a story behind every corner that I just have to paint it,” he says. The most difficult decision seems to be
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which one to pick for his next project, but once he does, he commits to make that view truly his, and deliver a fusion of the place itself, embellished with the memories that Benjamin attaches to it. Booth, overall winner of the 2014 Spring Art Exhibition, is something Benjamin wanted to paint since he was a kid, as he always loved to run up that hill towards the red telephone box at the top. And even if there’s no longer an actual
telephone in it — that’s why he titled it just Booth — the feeling is still there and taps into the memories of every Gibraltarian that has ever strolled the Alameda Gardens and stop to breathe in the contract between the bright shiny red of the human-made contraption and the lush green of the sun-kissed nature. Booth is set on a warm afternoon, when one can indulge in the scent of the Mediterranean glory or enjoy the cool shades of blue laced in the diagonal dynamism of the pavement
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and matched to the cloudless sky, the simple yet solid solution to create an adequate background for the busy and flamboyant centerpiece. “I love the colour of the sky in Gibraltar,” he says, “it’s bluer than anywhere else I’ve seen.” Benjamin has lived in the UK, Canada and Israel, where he has painted pretty landscapes too, although there the sky is often hazy and the light isn’t as crisp as in Andalusia. No doubt that his best work flaunts Gibraltar as a subject matter and one wonders how overdue his overnight recognition in the local art scene actually is, despite his winning the Young Artist Award in 1998 with a general Rock view, and entering high-quality pieces year in year out. Like Booth, that might as well be the cine-
“
I love the colour of the sky in Gibraltar, it’s bluer than anywhere else I’ve seen
”
matographic set for a remake of The Wizard of Oz, with its gentle distortion of straight lines in the distance to accommodate the imaginary perception of space and time, Exterior of Nefusot Yehudah Synagogue banks on turning verticality into convexity and saturating the shades into a surreal pumpkin hue as if the whitewashed walls were bathed in sunset rays so dazzling the onlookers would squint their way to warped vision. And so the walls sway in unison with the millenary rhythm of the evening prayers that one can almost hear oozing out to the patio and nurture the vegetation before being conveyed towards the heavens by the slender palm tree that is one of Gibraltar’s most recognisable landmarks. Painting is relaxing for Benjamin and he likes to exaggerate colour in order to waive the photographic effect of a painted-on replica and deliver dramatic effects, like in the case
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“
Gibraltar has so much charm and there is a story behind every corner that I just have to paint it
”
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of his second entry in the competition, Alma Mater. Here traditional perspective is rigidly respected, but the ‘distortion’ is provided by the orange sky, violently surreal in contrast with clean lines and the triumphant medley of Mediterranean whites and blues. He likes to experiment with landscapes, while he keeps it strictly traditional with portraiture, which is usually commissioned to him to honour the memory of a relatives, or revered rabbis. The likeness and attention to detail speak volumes about his technical prowess. He accepts commissions for original works and sells giclée reproductions on canvas. He did study fine arts in university and learnt about the Masters — Rembrandt recurs as his favourite — and before that he took classes with Willa Vasquez in his childhood, when the passion for drawing kicked in. A freelance graphic designer by profession, Benjamin laments his lack of time for oil painting in between advertising campaigns and family commitments, even though his kids remain the subject matter of his choice. He also dabbles in artistic reproduction: check out his Girl With Pearl Earring and wonder what Scarlett Johansson would think of it! n Visit www.benjaminhassan.com for up-to-date information on his fine arts and graphic design.
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Lynda, the understated social landscapist words | Elena Scialtiel
It’s all about light and colour in her Impressionist-inspired landscapes, which fix on canvas a mood rather than true likeness. “I am not painting it as it is, but how I feel it,” says Lynda Alcantara, Spring Art Exhibition 2014 second prize winner and self-confessed ‘social painter’. Lynda is a Claude Monet fan, and her artwork echoes the great founder of the French movement, but it is streamlined to contemporary standards without compromising on the paramount role of brushstroke effect. And her favou-
rite tool is the palette knife, which allows her to create dimension and texture but does not overload the composition with excess detail. Upper Rock, her winning entry, transforms a common, almost cliché, subject matter — the misty view towards Jebel Moussa through stone-pines — into a sensorial déjà-vu of a stroll in the Mediterranean shrub. In its simplicity, it is so intense
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and effective that, just by standing there and watching it, you can smell the resinous scent, feel the warmth of early afternoon sunrays on your skin, and hear birds chirruping in the branches and taste the crunch of pine kernels. Lynda is not new at taking the local art scene by storm either: in 2010, she won first prize at the Spring Art Exhibition with her horizontally-stretching demure windswept Outback in which you can almost see the long grass blades sway in the breeze. That announcement came as a total surprise
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to her: “When my name was called out, I was taking a sip from my glass of wine and I almost choked on it!” In fact, Lynda had just landed in Gibraltar after a globetrotter life and she was relatively unknown on the circuit. Yet, her unassuming talent made her an instant star and she was encouraged to pursue her hobby further. “I’ve always liked to draw and paint, but I never had the time, between work and kids to raise and our constant moving around which made it difficult...” she says about her multi-
cultural upbringing around the globe, from her native Fiji to Nigeria, Edinburgh, Brussels, Bahrain, London, Lisbon, Paris and Madrid, following her father first and husband later. “I think I’ve beaten my personal record now, having resided six years at the same address here in Gibraltar! I’ve lived more than that in one city, but never in one house. Now I have no excuse for not painting.” Eventually, while in Madrid in the late ’90s, she made time for it and joined the studio of well-known artist Antonio Escobar Moreno: “It was a casual lesson, wine and tapas while sketching and painting... and we had fun while working.” So, art pretty much remains a ‘social’ thing for Lynda who likes to create while she is in the company of friends, unlike the majority of artists who usually shut the door to the world and get in isolated control. Isn’t it harder to concentrate with noisy (and nosy) people around? She admits that sometimes it is, but her friends always come up with original advice and she loves the buzz around her easels. That’s why she joined the Fine Arts Association portraiture sessions, where she can marry her life drawing and an educated excuse for socialising, although she sees it too fast and furious in just a couple of hours, and not enough time for oils to dry. Portrait isn’t her strongest suit but she enjoys dabbling in it and she prefers to paint ‘ugly people’, namely faces with irregular features, wrinkles or blemishes that add character to the final product and pose a challenge of capturing the soul behind them, expressing what actually makes them unique. Lynda’s production is vast and varied, but not commercially oriented. Watercolours or
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Art pretty much remains a ‘social’ thing for Lynda who likes to create while she is in the company of friends, unlike the majority of artists who shut the door to the world oils, she paints mostly for herself and it pains her to give any of her ‘babies’ away: “Thankfully, I have plenty of wall space at home,” she admits. “A painting doesn’t necessarily need to match the colour scheme or style of your furniture. Actually, it should stand out in contrast,” she advises against the commonplace criteria when it comes to picking decorative artwork for home or office. Artwork is a centrepiece and it must draw attention to itself, not blend with the background like a wallflower. “And art is getting larger and larger nowadays, isn’t it?” Lynda observes that this trend could actually work against less vast works. Yes, perhaps hers isn’t as in-your-face as loud gigantic abstracts, yet understated can still be the key to success. It may be a truism, but ‘less is more’ in size, and subject matters landed her a place at the Clarendon Gibraltar Day exhibition a few years ago, a proud moment indeed as all her three entries were selected for it out of dozens of hopefuls. She would love to pursue more open-air painting, but it isn’t always possible, so she takes hundreds of photographs on her outings
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and then she merges into her original view the light conditions from sequences of the same place snapped differently. She doesn’t try to reproduce any photo as it is, because her intentions are not competing with photography in any hyperrealism frenzy. Her poetics are about making a photo truly hers through the filter of her emotions. ‘Yachtie’ Lynda also has a predilection for seascapes, especially when populated by sails whose triangular shapes effectively complement the motion of choppy seas, into a dynamic triumph of blue with white spiky lines. She praises the local art scene as ‘varied and
active’ and she loves the friendly and generous atmosphere that pervades it. She laments however the lack of safe creative space: “The back of the Fine Arts Gallery is a start, but it is still crammed. Unless you have your private studio somewhere, logistics can hamper your creativity.” She advocates public facilities to be allocated to the Fine Arts Association as a ‘collective studio’ where artists can go and create, and most of all safely store their unfinished canvasses or sculptures. And she suggests the underutilised Lathbury Barracks: it is out of town, but there’s plenty of room and parking. n
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The Grilled Cheese Named Gibraltar words | Reg Reynolds
If you have a bar or restaurant on the Rock you might be wise to add the Gibraltar Grilled Cheese sandwich to your menu. There’s a good bet that tourists would enjoy ordering something to eat that has the name Gibraltar. I learned of this large and tasty grilled cheese through the website of the Grilled Cheese Academy which states of the Gibraltar “... it’s hard to out-tasty this bundle of goodness. The Gibraltar features a delicious assortment of Wisconsin Kasseri, prosciutto, spinach, and pickled red onions”. Another website, Nibbles, declares: “With Greek kasseri cheese and Italian prosciutto, this international-inspired grilled cheese will really wake up your taste buds—especially with the addition of home-made pickled onions”. It’s not surprising that Wisconsin should have its own cheese academy as the American state is famous for its dairy products and its cheeses in particular. Three of the State’s nicknames are ‘The Dairy State’, ‘Americas Dairyland’, and ‘The Cheese State’ and two of its slogans are ‘Smell the Dairy-Air’ and ‘Where They Cut the Cheese. ‘America’s Dairyland’ is displayed on State licence plates. Belying its name, The Wisconsin Cheese Academy is not a school and states on its website: “First of all, do not be fooled by our name. We are neither a cooking school nor an establishment of higher learning. We are, how-
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ever, an institution dedicated to deliciousness. Inspired by our love of Wisconsin Cheese, we are relentlessly committed to creating the tastiest and most sublime gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to ever grace plate or tempt palate. We hope you find your visit inspiring and, of course, mouth-watering.” Following is the adapted Academy’s recipe and instructions, four servings: 2 red onions thinly sliced 125ml red wine vinegar 125ml water
“
We are relentlessly committed to creating the tastiest and most sublime gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches
”
25g sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 12 slices artisan-type rosemary-olive bread 225g fresh spinach leaves 225g Kasseri cheese, shaved or shredded *Ingredients can be substituted as required. Place onion slices in medium bowl. Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour hot pickling liquid over onions and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Cool. Onions can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. Heat sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 slices of bread and sauté, pressing bread down with a spatula. When bread begins to lightly crisp, on each slice place some Kasseri, some spinach leaves, 1 slice prosciutto, and a few tablespoons of pickled onions. Top with another slice of bread and repeat layer of Kasseri, spinach leaves, prosciutto, and pickled onions. Top with remaining bread slices. Carefully turn sandwiches over; press together and cook until bread is browned and cheese is melted. n
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
23/06/2014 12:14
Dancers on the Podium in Croatia Dancers from Gibraltar attended the 12th International Dance Federation (IDF) World Dance Championships in Croatia at the end of May. The team shone in the disciplines of Fantasy Dance, Dance Show and Free Style, returning home with a total of 27 trophies, 14 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze. The IDF is a growing International body with over 30 member nations. The world championships dance sport sector is a huge event with over 2,000 dancers competing in disciplines such as Disco Slow, Belly Dancing, Hip-Hop, Bachata, and Musicals. 30 dancers represented Gibraltar at the event with around 70 chore- Gibraltar’s dancers: Minis - Gianella Ochello, Brianna Trinidad, Searie Mcglashan, Charlize Buhagiar, Rebecca Benggio, Kate Williamson. Youth - Robyn Celecia, Shannon Pozo, Jessie Horne, Theresa Rugeroni, Gabrielle Mcglashan, Rebecca Davis, Sonia ographies. Dancers competed in Basantani, Arianne Buhagiar. Juniors - Jonathan Lutwyche, Julia Horne, Monique Ignacio, Paula Rugeroni, Natalia Fortuna, Mini (6-9), Youth (10-13), Junior Megan De Haro, Anna Buhler, Amy Pozo, Amy Montovio, Julia Marsh, Anne-Marie Reading, Tara o’Reilly, Amy Ullger. Adults (14-16) and Adult (17+). Gibraltar Stephen Pardo, Nicola Dewar, Ileanna Martinez. Choreographers/coaches/arrangements: Anne-Marie Gomez and Zuleika Green. took solos, duets, couples, groups and formations and made it to the of the pieces were merely arranged Pula, Croatia. Anne-Marie Gomez the 1st day. by the coaches. GIDA President and IDF Official Auditions for any dancers who podium 27 times. With supporters, 64 Gibral- International Judge, judged some would like to be part of next year’s Many dancers had a great input into the work produced and some tarians enjoyed the success in of the Dance Show categories on team will be announced shortly. n
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Press shot of Keith Baxter, the man first chosen to play Mark Antony in Cleopatra
Antony & Cleopatra’s Gibraltar Connections
words | Reg Reynolds
A Welshman was the first choice to play Mark Antony to Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra but no, it wasn’t Richard Burton. Keith Baxter, who was born in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, was signed to play Mark Antony for the extravagant 1963 production Cleopatra. No sooner had filming begun when Taylor fell ill with pneumonia; by the time she was well enough to begin working again Baxter had other commit-
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ments and the role of Antony went to that other well-known Welsh actor Richard Burton. The film website IMDb explains under Baxter trivia that he: “Was chosen to play the role Mark Antony in the Rouben Mamoulian production of Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra and some minutes of him
on film still exist.” In 2001 Baxter was interviewed for ‘Cleopatra, The Film That Changed Hollywood’ and according to IMDb he repeated the story that when Taylor finally recovered from pneumonia and they moved the production to Italy he had other commitments.
I am not so sure the film changed Hollywood but it certainly changed the lives of Taylor and Burton who embarked on a tempestuous love affair and after divorcing their respective spouses, Eddie Fisher and Sybil Burton, married in March 1964. Burton would be the fourth and the fifth (they divorced in 1974, remarried in 1975 and divorced again in 1976) of Taylor’s eight husbands. In his autobiography My Sentiments Exactly (Oberon Books 1998) Baxter claims he was “sacked” from Cleopatra but he doesn’t explain when or why. Baxter did get to star with Taylor in the 1973 film Ash Wednesday which was also filmed in Italy. Burton wasn’t working at the time and while hanging around the set he became friends with Baxter. When not filming the three stars would dine out and party together. It is not known whether or not they discussed it at the time but both Taylor and Baxter had relatives buried in Gibraltar. Taylor’s much-loved Godfather Victor Cazalet, a Conservative MP, was killed in the 4th July, 1943 plane crash at Gibraltar which claimed the life of Polish Prime Minister-in-Exile Wladyslaw Sikorski. Officially the crash was determined to be an accident but conspiracy theorists believe the real cause was sabotage *[See note]. Baxter’s relative buried in Gibraltar was an uncle, his mother’s brother Kenneth Howell, who committed suicide in a Gibraltar hotel. In his book Baxter writes: “A framed photograph of Uncle Kenneth stood on my mother’s dressing table. He was dressed in a frock, looking rather prissy, but since he was playing Portia in the school play perhaps it was the expression he adopted for the role.” It seems Uncle Kenneth was gay at a time when homosexuality was a crime. Reluctantly he went to work in the family steel and iron business at Newport. Baxter writes: “Presumably, anxious to escape the claustrophobia of living in a small town, Uncle Kenneth persuaded his father to open a London office and settled in a flat in Gower Street where his instincts could find free license. He soon took up with the Serbian violinist Bratza and he was even acquainted with the great soprano Tetrazzini. He ate in raffish bistros in Soho and collected some good furniture. He was not, however, happy. “He made occasional trips back to Newport which he found impossibly bourgeois, reducing his gentle mother to tears by the
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words deploring his failure to fulfill expectations, but these were expectations other people had demanded of him. He had done what he wanted with his life; achieving fame and riches and he had experienced passion. Above all he had escaped from the mines, the Co-op, (Burton had worked in the Co-op as a teenager), and from a life of stultifying mediocrity that the young Richie Jenkins (Burton’s real name) must have feared would be his inevitable destiny.” Although Baxter (full name Keith Stanley Baxter-Wright) never achieved the fame of Taylor or Burton he enjoyed a glittering career on stage and screen and worked with most of the greats of the time including Noel Coward, John Gielgud, Margaret Leighton, Terence Rattigan, Ralph Richardson, Margaret Rutherford, Tennessee Williams, Maggie Smith and Orson Welles. He recently celebrated his 81st or 79th birthday depending on whether he was born on 29th April 1933, or 29th April 1935, as some claim. He doesn’t give the date in his book. n
Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra in the film of the same name
coldness of his manner, criticising her table, her clothes and her style. “In the summer of 1931 Uncle Kenneth went on holiday for several months to Gibraltar. He also spent some time in Tangier and fell ill. Perhaps it was the heat or the scented atmosphere, or the
himself in a frenzy with his razor.” I was unable to find a grave for Uncle Kenneth in the directory for the North Front Cemetery but Baxter wrote in his book that he visited his Uncle’s grave at the “English cemetery at Gibraltar.” After filming, Baxter remained
friends and in contact with Burton and Taylor and when Burton died aged just 58 (5th August, 1984) Baxter defended him against critics. “When Richard died, 11 summers after those days in Italy, the columnists exploded with weasel
*Note: In 1968 writer, critic and director Kenneth Tynan asked Richard Burton to take the role of Winston Churchill in his National Theatre production of Rolf Hochhuth’s play Soldiers. In the play Hochhuth blames British Intelligence and Churchill for the death of Sikorski. When Burton told Elizabeth Taylor about the role she, still emotional over the death of her much-loved Godfather Victor Cazalet in the same plane crash, said he would only take it “over my dead body”. Burton opted out by telling Tynan he couldn’t work out how to play Churchill.
He returned to his hotel in Gibraltar. In the early hours of 8th September he threw himself from the window and his body was found on the terrace unabashed sensuality of the Souk which made him feverous. He returned to his hotel in Gibraltar. His room was on the upper floor overlooking a terrace. In the early hours of 8th September he threw himself from the window and his body was found on the terrace. The inquest found that he was dead before he fell. He had slashed Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, 1963 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
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“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavours and furniture polish is made from real lemons” Alfred E. Newman fictitious mascot of Mad magazine
If Life Gives You Lemons... In 1747, a naval surgeon named James Lind cured scurvy with fresh lemons. The first man to reach the top of Mt. Everest, Edmund Hillary, said that his success on the mountain was greatly due to lemons. This small evergreen tree, native to Asia but now abundant in our Mediterranean region, has a lot more health benefits too, so don’t just save it for the G&Ts.
Lose inches and be Beach Body Beautiful in just 6 weeks
Despite being acidic, lemons are one of the most alkaline-forming foods making them great for to restore balance to the body’s pH. We all know that lemons are rich in vitamin C and flavonoids that work against infections like the flu and colds, but did you know your liver loves lemons? “The lemon is a wonderful stimulant to the liver and is a dissolvent of uric acid and other
poisons, liquefies the bile,” says Jethro Kloss in his book Back to Eden. Less glamorous, just like lemons clean your bathroom, lemons clean your bowels. They work by stimulating peristalsis in the bowels, helping eliminate waste and increasing regularity. The citric acid in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones. It isn’t just the flesh of the
Come along to the Wellness Centre and join our group for just £99 for 6 weeks and drop a whole dress size just in time for summer, the safe way with Nutritionist Claudia Norris Call 20076604
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well-being lemon which has health benefits either — lemon peel contains phytonutrient tangeretin, which has been proven to be effective in brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease. The juice of lemons also destroys the bacteria which causes malaria, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid and other deadly diseases. Research has shown the symp-
In fact, lemons contain 22 anticancer compounds, including naturally occurring limonene toms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy, improve due to the rutin, found in lemons. In fact, lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including naturally occurring limonene — an oil which slows or stops cancer tumours growing in animals, and flavonol glycosides which stop cium, copper, iron, magnesium, cell division in cancer cells. Lemons also contain fiber, fla- phosphorus, potassium. So there you have it, many reavonoids, B-complex vitamins, cal-
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sons we should all be adding lem- lemon first thing every morning ons to our diet. Enjoy a glass of — and keep adding slices to your warm water with the juice of one G&T. Chin chin. n
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Save Our Skins As the sun starts to sizzle it is time to think about protecting ourselves from the strong summer rays, crucial for keeping ourselves looking good and preventing skin cancer. The Gibraltar Magazine spoke to Linda Castro, Dermatology Specialist Nurse at the Primary Care Centre, to find out more about protecting our vulnerable skin from harmful UV rays. Climate change and lifestyle factors in Gibraltar appear to have been taking their toll on our skin. “We are trying to get the accurate numbers of skin cancer now, but from when I started we have seen an increase in skin cancer — a substantial increase — and if we compare it to the UK, the last 20 years the amount of skin cancers has quadrupled,” Linda explains. “We don’t know how much exactly has it increased here, but there has definitely been a big increase.” So should we be following UK guidelines, tailored for a more northern environment, as is so often the case here in Gibraltar? “For people in Gibraltar we do
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not recommend the UK guidelines of protection factor 15 we recommend the minimum of factor 30, which is more in line with the Australian Guidelines as our sun exposure is higher and a lot stronger,” Linda emphasises and surprisingly, perhaps, goes further in her recommendations. “If you already have some signs of skin damage we recommend
you go much higher. We recommend people use sun protection all year round, and that sunscreen is not only used on the beach, but becomes a part of everybody’s life. The minute you walk out the door, you should be wearing your sunscreen, when you go to the beach you should put your cream on every two hours, or after you have been swimming.”
“If we can teach the children to do it now, so that they don’t get burned and are sun aware...then we may be able to reduce the numbers of skin cancer in the future”
If you think you are safe as long as you liberally smother yourself with factor 50 think again, Linda also emphasises the need for added protection especially in the heat of the day. “The public also needs to consider using appropriate clothing,” she says. “They should wear protective clothing, such as hats, long sleeves and sunglasses. Also they should keep to shaded areas, especially in the summer between 11am and four in the afternoon.” Raising awareness of skin protection is important to Linda Castro and the busy team at the Primary Care Centre. Linda deals with large numbers of people and
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a daunting workload, but she says she enjoys her job. “I deal with everything and anything related to skin,” she explains. “My work is quite varied but very interesting because of it.” Preventing skin cancer is of special interest to the team and Linda is keen to explain why. “It is very important as Malignant Melanoma is the fifth most common skin cancer in the United Kingdom according to cancer research in 2010. If it is not diagnosed early it kills. “One comprehensive study looked at the incidence of Malignant Melanoma in European countries and found that there is a very high incidence in Nordic countries where the population has very pale skin and high sun exposure especially in the summer,” she adds. “They found a high genetic link in this population. “In Gibraltar we have a unique genetic make-up due to intermarriage and migration from other European countries. This increases our genetic chances of developing Malignant Melanoma. If we then combine this with our high sun exposure, we can see that our risks increase. “The importance of protecting ourselves from the sun exposure cannot be over emphasised. This will protect our population from Malignant Melanoma and other sun induced skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.” In Gibraltar there are already a substantial number of skin cancers managed by the dermatology department and the surgeons in the hospital and Linda emphasises the
“In Gibraltar we have a unique genetic make-up due to intermarriage and migration from other European countries. This increases our genetic chances of developing Malignant Melanoma” need to do all we can to reduce their occurence. Although Linda explains that there is no difference in what you should be doing to care for children’s skin compared to your own, she emphasises that “If you
get burned as a child, then this increases your risks when you get older. Everybody should protect themselves, but if we can teach the children to do it now, so that they don’t get burned and are sun aware, and they look after their
skin when they are young, then we may be able to reduce the numbers of skin cancer in the future. We cannot change the damage that has already been done on someone’s skin,” warns Linda. While most of us are aware of
The team from left to right: Dr Robin Graham-Brown, Ayshea De La Cruz, Linda Castro, Dr Robert Burd, Frances Catania, Nuria Campos and Dr Jose Ferrera.
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Isabella Jimenez BSc (hons) Unit 5, 1st Floor, ICC Tel: 54002226 email: jimenez.isabella@gmail.com Zaneta Kwiecien Sport Rehabilitator GSR, BSc (Hons), OMT Medical Acupuncturist Tel: + 350 62967134 Email: zaneta@sportongib.com
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GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• JULY JULY 2014 2014
20/06/2014 15:56
skin care if you don’t prepare yourself for the sun.” The range of sunscreens available can be confusing, and Linda advises that they should contain UVA and UVB protection and should be European approved. “Everybody should use sun protection when they are out,” she repeats. “We should all remember that the skin is the biggest organ of our body and it protects everything else. We should treat it with the respect that it deserves.” And by this she doesn’t just mean in the sun. “If people have dry skin they should be using emollients regularly. There is a wide choice of emollients out there and as long as they are European approved, Levante,” she adds, “if we have there is no reason why you can’t In case of sunburn Linda advises: cloudy days, the UV rays are choose the one that you like and “Use a lot of emollients, drink a lot still getting through, so even if feels comfortable on your skin.” of water and if you do get severely you feel chilly in the cloudy and She does add, however, that per- burned you should seek medical help” windy weather, you should be fumed products are best avoided, wearing the sun protection. You “because you never know who can actually get some nasty burns is going to have problems with allergies.” Which leads us neatly to Linda’s skin allergy studies. “I have done some courses in skin allergies where we have discussed allergies all over the world actually. What is important to know, is that there are genetic links between allergies and other diseases and within this they found that there are a lot more problems occurring regarding allergies,” she shares. So how does Linda put her knowledge and expertise into practise with her own skin? “I use a lot of emollients. I use protection factor 50 for sensitive skin. I don’t go to the beach, because I am not a beach lover, I just go to the pool with my sun protection, of course not in the main hours, and I tend to stay in the shade most of the time,” she admits. What would Linda’s message be for the people who are spending time at the beach this summer? “Remember to be respectful and look after your skin. Tanning in itself is also damaging to the skin, so the more you protect it the less you will damage it. Have fun, but be sensible. Tanning is the body’s two consultant dermatologists natural way of protecting the skin, who come to visit every two which means you’ve already had months from Leicester, we have a the UV exposure. Linda Castro has recently GPwSI [GP with Special Interest] “We live in sunny Gibraltar and been awarded second place in who works here on site with me we are all exposed to UV radiation. the British Journal of Nursing’s and we have an administrator If you are over tanning you are 2014 Awards. and a team leader. I manage the spending too much time in the “The Award was given for the chronic diseases such as acne, sun,” Linda warns us. work that I have done in the last psoriasis and eczema as well as In case, despite the advice, few years in the management cryotherapy and light therapy. we do get burned anyway, what of the nurse lead clinics, it was “Part of my role is advisory should we do? actually given as a part of recog- for people with skin condition. “You should use a lot of emolnition of the nursing work that I The cryotherapy clinic is where I lients, drink a lot of water and if did,” she explains. diagnose and treat different skin you do get severely burned you Linda works in Gibraltar’s lesions. The main area that we should seek medical help,” she Primary Care Centre. “I am the are looking at is preventing skin advises. n clinical nurse specialist, there are cancer,” she explains. n using skin protection while sunbathing Linda explains that most people don’t think it is important to protect yourself from the sun when you are walking down the street. “The other problem is the
“The other problem is the Levante, if we have cloudy days, the UV rays are still getting through”
About Linda Castro
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Skin Tag & Thread Vein Removal Laser Clinic Permanent Hair removal Pigmentation and anti-aging Visiting Surgeon varicose veins, sebaceous cysts, innovative haemorrhoid surgery Cosmetic Surgeon Breast implants and augmentation, face-lifts, tummy tucks
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Cancer: No Longer Taboo…
words | Sonia Golt
It is refreshing to see that in our society the word ‘cancer’ is no longer taboo. People now understand this is just an illness like any other and the patient needs to openly talk about their treatment, or personal experiences, which also helps others in the same predicament. The new openness is possibly due to the increasing percentage of people who are cured. Science and research have helped our society accept that having cancer is not the end of life but can actually sometimes be the beginning of a new life — a cancer diagnosed patient can often see life from a different perspective and actually begin enjoying it more. Cancer affects one in three people at some point in their life. As a result of improvements in treatments more people are living longer. This means there will be more people living with cancer and therefore needing support, and so the Cancer Relief Centre in South Barrack Road opened. I visited this beautiful building with wonderful views the other morning for a tour of the premises, and was pleasantly surprised to see cancer patients of all ages getting together to focus on a variety of social issues and hobbies, and enjoying a relaxing break! The centre provides services that many can
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benefit from, including families or loved ones. Although predominantly a place for support, advice and information, there is the added provision of therapeutic complementary therapies and specific services for carers — and all the services are free of charge. On a medical level the centre offers three Cancer Support Clinics — Oncology, Palliative Care and Breast Care. Added to this are five
‘Pampering’ services include beauticians and makeup artists who offer advice on skin care and makeovers for those suffering from the visible effects of cancer
week ‘Breathe Easy’ programmes for those suffering from breathlessness, and counselling to help patients cope with the psychological impact of their illness. Cancer is not an easy ride but with the help of professionals at the centre life does start to look brighter. It is a place where you realise you are not alone and that can help too. We all love to be pampered but pampering can be expensive — at the centre it is available free of charge in the form of aromatherapy massage by special therapists who go out of their way to help patients and carers. The ‘pampering’ service also includes beauticians and makeup artists who offer much needed advice on skin care and makeovers for those suffering from the visible effects of cancer or who simply need to feel and look good. Hair loss can be a traumatic side effect of chemotherapy so the centre has a volunteer service for patients called ‘Head Smart Service’ where patients can try on beautiful wigs
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There are many things to do there as patients recover and become well enough to benefit from social interaction. Patients are invited to spend the day and offered creative activities
Wig-tastic — Sonia tries on one of the many stylish wigs at the Cancer Relief Centre
in different colours and there is a volunteer hairdresser who comes in to cut the wigs in the style chosen by the patient and advises on the use of scarves and care of the scalp during and after treatment. I tried on one of the wigs and the quality, natural feel, and the new look would instantly boost moral, plus the wig can be taken home free for as long as needed. Many have the wrong impression of the centre, seeing it as a hospital, but this is certainly
not the case. There are many things to do there as patients recover and become well enough to benefit from social interaction. Patients are invited to spend the day and are offered creative / recreational activities with lunch served and transport provided each week. This is a superb way of seeing others going through similar issues and help find solutions and a more positive attitude to life after cancer. We all know that being ill is difficult in itself,
but having little possibility of doing things you like due to financial problems can be an added burden and so the Rehabilitation Centre has a Financial Assistance scheme to help those in financial difficulties due to their illness. If you would like to visit the centre to see for yourself, it is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. It is always a pleasure to meet up with the charming Irish lassie, Grainne McKenna, who runs the centre. Kate is the resident Cancer Relief Centre Nurse on a part-time basis, and her background as a chemotherapy nurse allows her to provide support and advice to those going through cancer treatment. But things do not stop here — many cancer survivors, over 50, who are now fully recovered have become amazing volunteers without whom the centre simply could not function! We can all work together in this and it is wonderful to see local cancer charities contributing, or using the facility for a variety of things. Charity begins at home and with this word “cancer” on the agenda, unity is a must. n
Cancer Facts ● Cancer survival rates in the UK have doubled in the last 40 years. ● There are more than 200 types of cancer, each with different causes, symptoms and treatments. ● Breast, lung, prostate and bowel cancers together account for over half of all new cancers each year. ● There have been large increases in the incidence of many cancers strongly linked to lifestyle, such as kidney, liver, skin (malignant melanoma). ● Cancer is the number one fear for the British public, feared ahead of debt, knife crime, Alzheimer’s disease and losing a job. ● Cancer can develop at any age, but is most common in older people. More than a third of cancers are diagnosed in people aged 75 and over. ● 45% of people with cancer say the emotional effects are the most difficult to cope with, compared to the physical and practical aspects (Macmillan Cancer Support)
If you need someone to talk to or have any questions contact: The Cancer Relief Centre, 5 South Barracks Rd, Gibraltar Email: info@cancerrelief.gi Telephone: 200 42392 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
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Lauren Olivero
Ashley Baglietto
Elisha Lang
The Beat Girls
✶
Eden Andrades
Kirsty Vinent
Rebel Mix
✶
✶ Gibraltar’s Got Talent - The Finalists
10+1 finalists will be competing for the Gibraltar’s Got Talent title on Saturday 19th July 2014, 9pm at the Inces Hall Theatre.
Jonathan Lutwyche
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The 11 finalists for Gibraltar’s Got Talent 2014 are Kirsty Vinent (Wild Card, this year named the +1), Rebel Mix, Marco De La Chica, Eden Andrades, The Beat Girls (Golden Ticket Winner granted by audience on auditions which sent them straight to the finals), Jonathan Lutwyche, Lauren Olivero, Elisha Lang, Ashley Baglietto, Rebecca Acris
Faith Scruton White
and Faith Scruton White (Golden Ticket Winner granted by panel of judges during auditions which sent her straight to the finals). Judges for the finals certainly have loads of talent too — the people tasked with the difficult decision are Nolan Frendo (lead singer with Jetstream), Dany Gonzalez Rios (lead singer with Metro Motel), and James Ablitt
Marco De La Chica
(rap artist, lyricist, performer and globe trotter). The final will be hosted by Keiron Lynch who was 1st runner -up in Gibraltar’s Got Talent 3 and Maroua Kharabouch - Miss Gibraltar 2013. Tickets for the final (19th July 9pm) are on sale now at Music Corner priced £20.00. Cheer on your winner. n
Rebecca Acris GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
23/06/2014 10:36
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GACHE & CO LTD EST. 1830
• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers 266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757
travel & hotels CRAFT CLASSES - PHONE FOR INFO
newsagents/books
Health & Beauty Salon
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• Aromatherapy • Sugar Waxing • Facials • Manicures • Pedicures • Reflexology • Luxury Organic 2hr face & body treatment Open: Mon-Fri 9.30-9 Sat 10-3
Excellent Prices • Centrally Located • Easy Access • Parking • Bar • Restaurant
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FROST LANGUAGE CENTRE (registered in Gibraltar)
Professional Spanish Teacher All levels, singles, groups or Skype
pets & accessories
Tel: 200 73786
Protect Your Dog Against Fatal Summer Diseases Heartworm, Leishmaniosis, Tickborne Diseases Phone Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic for details 200 77334 Emergency: 8977
Call Margaret Tel: 0034956173384 Mobile: 0034609717296 Email: margaretjf13@gmail.com
photography
Archive editions of The Gibraltar Magazine now available online at www.thegibraltarmagazine.com GIBRALTAR MAGAziNE • JULY 2014 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
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Vera Lynn Sang Praise for Gibraltar Bananas words | Reg Reynolds
Dame Vera Lynn made chart history last month when she became the oldest performer to have a Top 20 record in the UK’s Official Album Chart.
At the grand age of 97, Dame Vera’s album Vera Lynn: National Treasure (Decca), released on 6th June, the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, reached No. 13 in its first week. Three weeks later, at the time of this writing, her album still held that lofty position. This year Dame Vera celebrates 90 years in show business, having made her professional debut at
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the age of seven. Other records she holds include, being the first British artist to top the US Charts with Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart in 1952 and in 2009, aged 90, be-
coming the oldest living artist to have a No.1 hit on the UK Album Charts with We’ll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn. Of her recent success Dame
She maintained a cheerful demeanour throughout it all and the soldiers, who she came to call “her boys”, adored her for it
Vera remarked, “I am delighted of course! It is wonderful to hear these songs again that were at the top of the charts so long ago, and it’s warming to think that everyone else is listening to them too”. Dame Vera is best known for her emotive, morale-boosting World War II songs White Cliffs of Dover and We’ll Meet Again. She was the definitive sweetheart of the armed forces so you
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“I spoke to my mother this evening, and she really can’t remember much about her visit to Gibraltar.” In her autobiography Some Sunny Day (Harper 2009) Dame Vera wrote of her journey to Burma: “We went first to somewhere on the coast — I don’t remember where — and, soon after midnight the next night, took off for Gibraltar in a Sunderland flying
We can thank Dame Vera for her part in boosting the troops’ morale with her inspiring songs boat. It was my first ever flight, and I didn’t enjoy it. I was air-sick the whole time. It wasn’t that I was nervous; it was just that I had an upset tummy. It was like going to sea for the first time, and the weather wasn’t all that good. Because we couldn’t fly direct across Occupied France and technically neutral Spain, the journey took us far out into the Atlantic and lasted seven long hours. We hung about when we arrived at Gibraltar all day, and I took the opportunity to send some parcels
would expect that at some time in her wartime travels she would reach Gibraltar. And she did, unfortunately today she doesn’t remember much about her visits to the Rock. That is not surprising considering her age and the fact that the events took place 70 years ago. Vera Lynn (she wouldn’t become a Dame until 1975), joined ENSA *[see note] a few days after her 27th birthday in March 1944 with aims of travelling to the Far East and the primary goal of entertaining the guerrillas fighting in Burma. She was joined by her accompanist Len Edwards. A few months back I contacted Dame Vera through her daughter Virginia Lewis-Jones, requesting any memories she had of Gibraltar and if she had ever performed there. The reply from Virginia was disappointing.
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home and to buy some bananas, the first I’d seen since before the war. Then we were off again, at the apparently propitious hour of just after midnight.” Vera Lynn risked her life in occupied Burma. She often performed outdoors within range of Japanese guns. Her schedule was gruelling with 5.30am wakeup calls and long days visiting hospitals and outposts and hot, humid nights singing to the troops. She travelled by jeep over treacherous terrain and suffered more air-sickness on frequent short flights. But she maintained a cheerful demeanour throughout it all and the soldiers, who she came to call “her boys”, adored her for it. Her Burma host and lifelong friend Captain Bernard Holden recalled “her courage and her contribution to morale” when she was awarded the Burma Star in 1985. During the arduous tour she also entertained troops in India and what is now Bangladesh. Returning to the UK Vera and her escorts again stopped at Gibraltar. She wrote in her book: “Tomorrow would be 6th June — D-Day. We left for Gibraltar, where I bought bananas to take home, and from this point on, with the air over Europe thick with activity, which no insignificant flight could be allowed to interfere with, timings had to be precise. Any mistakes in our
timetable could hold us up for as much as a week. We were all anxious — anxious to know how the invasion of Europe would go now that at last it had started.” Well we know how that turned out and we can thank Dame Vera for her part in boosting the troops’ morale with her inspiring songs. Maybe the Gibraltar bananas played a small part in keeping up her own morale. Vera Lynn was born Vera Margaret Welch on 20th March 1917 in London, the daughter of a plumber. She grew up in the East End and by the age of eleven was touring music halls throughout the country. In the 1930s she was lead vocalist for various bands and in the 1940s and ’50s had her own radio shows. Today she has taken up painting watercolours, mainly of flowers and plants in her garden. In three years time she will be 100 and quite possibly will have another hit in the charts. I wonder if she would consider covering that delightful 1923 Eddie Cantor hit — Yes We Have No Bananas. n
you go” basis allowing buyers to walk away with their artworks once the purchase has been completed if they so desire.
For this purpose artist are encouraged to submit artworks that are “affordably”priced and not exceeding £500. n
*Note: The Entertainments National Service Association was an organisation set up in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes.
First Edition of the Fine Arts Summer Show The Fine Arts Association is organising an exhibition with a difference. Under the title “The Fine Arts Summer Show” the exhibition will feature works by a number of accomplished artists from Gibraltar and abroad and opens to the public on 7th July at The Fine Arts Gallery, Casemates. The exhibition aims to make art more accessible to the general public and all works will be available on a “pay as
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charity events
Chelsea Edwards
Running for Happy Africa On 13th July 18-year-old gap-year student Chelsea Edwards from Gibraltar will be running British 10km London Run in aid of the Happy Africa Foundation. “I chose to run in aid of the Happy Africa Foundation as they give the money to the Moshi Education Project which I worked on during my time in Tanzania,”Chelsea explains. “Last year, in November, I volunteered inTanzania for two months. I spent one month volunteering with African Impact on the Moshi Education Project. This was the most amazing
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Tanzania. “The Project in Moshi is beautifully inspiring,” she says. “All sponsorship money will go towards giving children, teenagers and even Massai men a good education and the opportunity to learn English which will open doors to many opportunities to improve their quality of life and raise themselves and their families out of poverty. Specifically the money will go to buying stationary, books and crafts activities for the school and the centre for children with disabilities where volunteers also help out. Sometimes money will also be used to pay the local teachers who earn very little for their hard work,” she adds. Money may also go into other projects such as building farms. “I helped to build a farm for the elderly home where we volunteered so we could improve their diet and cut spending on food so more money was freed up to be used on improving other services in the home (such as the toilets or showers which also need work and money). These small projects ensure the sustainability of projects but also require money to maintain them. Currently they are using funds to build a new roof but money is always needed for bits a bobs and smaller projects. “You can be sure that with the excellent and trustworthy African Impact team your money will be being used for maximum benefit for the projects and community and they will ensure your money goes a long way,” she assures would-be sponsors. She lists the new projects currently being looked at to use the money she is raising now as; finishing off a roof they are building on top of one of the class rooms; providing resources for the new healthcare project where clinics and education on prevention of spread of diseases are available (such as HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria); creating a new farm in the school (Second Chance Education Centre) to improve the children’s diet; re-vamping a nursery school which currently has no books, pencils or a playground. “One of the project managers I keep in contact with said that they are going to try to use the money I am raising to work on this new nursery school,” Chelsea says. “They will not be working on this project until around July when they have more resources. I finish fundraising then and they can start using the money.” To raise money, in addition to the London run in the July, Chelsea held a fitness event — This Time for Africa! — at the end of May in Med Dance Studio on Prince Edward’s Road and is currently planing a “Raise the Roof” party in the Island, Ocean Village, on 5th July. Chelsea will also be selling all her old things on Facebook and at car boot sales until she finishes fundraising and all money will go to the charity too. Chelsea’s original goal was to raise £1,000 but as she has already surpassed this she is now just trying to raise as much as she possibly can — “From now on the sky is the limit!” she says. She adds that her ultimate goal is to “give something back to a community of people who gave me so much in terms of my experience.” n
and inspiring experience of my life and I will carry the memories with me forever.” Now Chelsea has a place to study medicine at university she has found she has more time on my hands and decided to challenge herself to run the British 10km London Run and give 100% of the money raised towards the Moshi Sponsor Chelsea at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ Education Project which she worked on in ChelseaEdwards
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Adopt Don’t Buy
As part of its commitment to the local community, Argus Insurance recently donated £500 to RICC. Argus General Manager, Tyrone Montovio is pictured with RICC Chairman Craig Sacarello
Give a Dog a Home If you are interested in adopting call the GSPCA on 540 19968 or 540 29927
Journalism/Creative Media Workshop for Teenagers
y
ACHT SCENE tar l Gibra SAILORS’ GUIDE • 2014
This will include some journalism and video interviews with a TV crew and will take place on Monday 14th and Thursday 17th GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
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July 10.30am to 12.30pm at the Bayside Sports Centre. Limited places. For further details on this and future workshops please contact education@childline.gi Additionally, Childline Gibraltar will be working alongside Sports Development Unit leaders throughout the summer programme to organise a series of workshops and activities aimed at increasing awareness of topical issues. n
get your copy now
£5 + p&p (£8 total)
£5.00
Yacht Scene • • Sailors’ Guide 20 4
Lo ca Tid l In fo e M Tab rmat arin les io a& •D n• Har istan Tidal bo ce Atl T ur as Pla able ns s
Childline Gibraltar is offering a free, exciting workshop for teenagers aged 14+ using a variety of media and focusing on issues affecting young people.
Yacht Scene 2014
Send cheque to PO Box 555 Gibraltar
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That Nail Place Nail Extensions Gel - Acrylic - Fibreglass
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• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers
266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757
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GUIDED ROCK TOURS 19 Waterport Wharf Main Office Tel: 20070052 Fax: 20076986 Radio service: 20070027
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take-away or reserve a table
Tel: 200 46993 7 days 11am - 3pm, 6pm - late
Tel: 200 73786
184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun) Accountants Durante Carboni Jardim..............X3 ESV Hassan & Co........................ I4 Business/Financial Services AI Couriers..................................K3 Barclays...................................... M4 Jyske Bank.................................. L4 Sovereign Trust...........................N4 ITMS............................................ J9 Business Services Waste Management......................a6 Business Supplies Beacon Press...............................N6 Image Graphics...........................N3 Stitch Design................................P3
Queensway Quay (next to Waterfront)
Motoring & Car Sales A. M. Capurro & Sons Ltd ........ N6 Computers & Cableing Image Graphics........................... N3 Newton Systems.........................M5 PC Clinic..................................... U3 Fashion/Clothing Marble Arc....................................J4 Food & Drink Amin’s The Office....................... K5 Bridge Bar .................................. B5 Buddies Pasta Casa..................... Q4 Cafe Rojo.................................... K5 Café Solo..................................... G3 Casa Pepe.....................................Z6
K8 Z6
TASTY INDIAN CUISINE
Get Stuffed................................... A3 House of Sacarello........................L5 Just Desserts...................................I4 Lord Nelson................................. H2 The Lounge ..................................Z6 O’Reilly’s Irish Pub......................B5 Picadilly Gardens.......................... b4 Pick-a-Bite.....................................J6 Saccone & Speed...........................J4 Solo Express................................ H4 Star Bar........................................ K5 Verdi Verdi................................... H4 Waterfront.................................... Y7
Roots.............................................T4
Hair & Beauty Salons Claudia’s Clinic............................ K4 Joya’s Gents Hairdressers............ N2 Renaissance Beauty.......................J4
Legal Services Hassans........................................ Q6 Isolas.............................................E4
Jewellery Sales/Repair Essardas.........................................L4 Jewellery Repairs..........................L4 Matthew’s Jewellery......................I3 Radhika.........................................L4 Leisure Complete Fitness ������������������������� R3 Dolphin Safari ����������������������������� A3 Ocean Village Gym �������������������� C4 Atlantic Suites Gym & Spa...........J9
Medical / Health Bell Pharmacy..............................N3 Claudia’s Clinic............................K4 Dr. Crump, Steven, Chiropractor I4 Health Food Store........................O4 Louis Pharmacy...........................H4 McTimoney chiropractor.............L4 Sport-On - Sports Therapy...........K3 Steiner Chiropractor.....................K7 Pet Services / Supplies Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic..........H4 Property Sales / Estate Agents BFA..............................................G4 Chesterton....................................D5 Savills............................................J5 Solomon Levy .............................U3
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General Services Balloqui ......................................P4 LP Borge.................................... X3 Denville Designs........................M3 Greenarc..................................... X5 Larbi upholstery......................... R3 Shopping — General Image...........................................E6 Originarta ....................................)2 Recruitment RecruitGibraltar ������������������������ O6 SRG Europe.................................I3 Transport / Marine Services Gib Cargo................................... B8 Tarik Oil..................................... C8
Learn Guitar
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Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711
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For info or to book a lesson
O2 Tel: Adam 58181000 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
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events
kindergarten in Yeba, Ethiopia through Father George Grima.
has managed to send 6000 euro for Phase 1 of construction but they need urgent funds to continue the building process, as the kindergarten also has a feeding programme for the children. Donations are urgently needed — call Shane Smith on 54006862 or email: shaneryanemily@gmail.com.
On 11th July this year four ladies and six men (competitors signed up in January due to random drug-testing right up to the competition date) will compete to raise funds for the poorest of the poor in the village of Openga, Gambella — one of the most poverty stricken areas of Ethiopia. So far the team
Tickets £7.00 are available from Allan’s Gym, Bray Properties, Gibprotein, Zest Wine Bar, and by entrance on the door. For more info contact Shane. n
Bodybuilding for Poverty Mr Natural Gibraltar Bodybuilding and Miss Figure Championships will take place on 11th July at 9pm John Mackintosh Hall. The first Mr Natural Gibraltar Bodybuilding and Miss Figure championships were held in 2013 and the money raised was used to construct a
July 2014
This Month’s Events 11th July Mr Natural Gibraltar Bodybuilding & Miss Figure Championships (see above). From Saturday 12th July Summer Nights every Saturday & Thursday. Kids activities and live entertainment for all the family at Casemates Square. For further
information contact the Ministry of Culture Tel: 20048063 Email: minculture@gibtelecom.net Friday 18th July Gibraltar Botanic Gardens Tours — The Alameda at Night — led by Keith Bensusan 9.30pm. Price £5 adults, children free of charge. For further information Tel: 20041235. Reggae legends, Steel Pulse, live at the Victoria Stadium. Doors open 7pm. Tickets £28.00 from Music Corner or www.steelpulsegibraltar. eventbrite.com. Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th July The City Fire Brigade Social Club Beach Football Tournament at Eastern Beach, in aid of GBC Open Day. For further information Tel: 58009911
Steel Pulse will be live in Gibraltar on 18th July
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Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th July Gibraltar International Regatta For information and registration contact the Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club Tel: 20078897. n
All money from the drug-free bodybuilding and miss figure championships in July will go to the orphanage/kindergarten construction.
260 Photos... If you have an interest in photography go along to the Annual Competitive Exhibition of the Gibraltar Photographic Society which currently on at the Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery, Casemates, and runs until 11th July 2014. There is a total of 260 photographs on display, taking up all five vaults of the Gallery and is sure to provide inspiration to anyone with a camera. The Exhibition comprises three sections: Section A - Monochrome Prints Society Members. Section B - Monochrome and Colour Prints - Beginners of the Society. Section C - Colour Prints - Society Members. The Adjudicator of the Exhibition was Mr Brian Beaney FRPS BPE2 from the Royal Photographic Society of UK. n
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events
Scheherezade:
Brandon King, Scheherezade Nath King and Paul Isola of Big Man Entertainment
words | Elena Scialtiel
The Woman Behind Big Man They say that behind every great man, there is an even greater woman. So, who is the woman behind Big Man Entertainment? A larger-than-life character, of course. Scheherezade Nath King is the co-founder of ‘Big Man Entertainment’, the newborn production company that is bringing to Gibraltar iconic reggae band Steel Pulse on the 18th of this month, the first of just three European dates in their worldwide tour. Bombay-born Scheherezade is well-travelled indeed — she lived in Dubai, Vegas, Arizona, Sydney, Muscat, Shanghai, Paris, Reykjavik and London before settling in Gibraltar — and she is a seasoned personality in the live entertainment circuit, with years of experience in India, the UK and the Netherlands, but she is a debutante on the local scene. And she is kicking it off in style, with this unmissable concert that appeals to all age brackets, whether or not reggae is their first love. Actually, this is geared for an adult public, from their early 20s to 50s and beyond, who
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wants to go down Memory Lane to the beat of their student years’ anthems, where the band was formed almost 40 years ago, but there is no age limit either end, and multi-generational attendance is warmly encouraged. The event is family-friendly: with doors opening at 7pm and drum roll at 8.30 prompt,
“
It is a concert with just one main act. No support, because Steel Pulse have such a vast repertoire and need no introduction
”
this two-hour set at sunset perfectly wedges between after-work tapas and wild-night clubbing, bringing together those making it the grand finale to their evening and those indulging in a high-voltage appetiser. Scheherezade says: “This event has been carefully created for the people of Gibraltar. It is a concert with just one main act. No support, because Steel Pulse have such a vast repertoire and need no introduction. We have kept our ticket prices low, so that this event can be attended by the whole community. We do not have any VIP areas, as this goes against the concept of the show and the band. We also want to keep it short and sweet for those who don’t have too much time to spare, i.e. parents leaving their children home with baby-sitters, and early in the evening for those who cannot stay up to the wee hours, but still want to enjoy their live music.”
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“This seems to be the summer of reggae in Gibraltar,” she continues, “and we would like Steel Pulse to be the cherry on the cake of a varied programme. We appreciate the festival format that other organisers are doing a sterling job with, but for our first venture in Gibraltar we wanted to keep it straight forward, while securing an exceptional act to define who we are and what we are capable of.” This is just the first of many events she is planning for the next three years: “Looking ahead is essential in this profession. I’ve been working on this one for almost one year, since shortly after I settled in Gibraltar. There is a lot of waiting involved. And lot of patience. And you always need your plan B, in case your expectations with one particular group fall through.” She didn’t waste time, as soon as she moved here from London with hubby Brandon, returning home after over a decade in the metropolis. After so many years in the fast lane for both, she in the music industry and he in sports betting, they decided to slow down and pursue the Mediterranean dream that Scheherezade had nibbled at every summer holiday. “After all, I am Indian, and I missed the sunny weather. Plus, I love Gibraltarian food and lifestyle: the sense of community and the spontaneous social interaction. In London everybody is so busy that one almost needs to schedule advanced appointments with relatives and friends, while here you just buzz yourself in. We always have guests in and out, and this is how Big Man Entertainment brainstorms. We don’t even call ourselves a ‘company’, we are just a collective of people who work together and combine our creativity
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and see where it leads us.” The idea sprang up from her eagerness to put her touring experience to good use and Brandon’s ‘encyclopaedic’ knowledge of music. He was the inspiration for the name too: “Brandon is my big man — after all, he is known as the King of good times!” Soon the dynamic duo became a trilliant trio with the induction of Breed 77 charismatic frontman Paul Isola, Brandon’s childhood buddy, who brings talent and strengths to the mix. Not that Scheherezade would need it, since she enjoys a network of contacts in the UK and India, from her glory days on the road with the most sparkling Bollywood stars, when she worked as an event organiser and manager for the London office of India’s oldest record label Saregama. She supervised advertising, PR’ing, spon-
“
We don’t even call ourselves a ‘company’, we are just a collective of people who work together and combine our creativity and see where it leads us
”
sorship, accommodation and catering, visas... and she was always so busy that she hardly managed to watch an entire show start to finish. There are plenty of anecdotes to tell, but she limits herself to the time she touched 16 venues in two weeks and a half, or the time she had to chase after some artists who were chasing girls, or the 77-year old ‘reclusive’ diva who just left her hotel room for rehearsals and shows. Topical to her exotic name, Scheherezade started her career as a voiceover artist and dubbing technician when the American show I dream of Jeannie was translated in Hindi. She was just 16 at the time and voiced one of the children in it as a filling role, although her main task was sound mixing. She went on training as a fashion photographer in the pre-digital era, but when film developing became obsolete she switched careers and interned as an event planner as she had already dabbled in the field. She is confident that Steel Pulse will attract an audience from all over Andalusia and beyond (tickets are being sold on line, as well as retailed locally and in Tarifa). Hopefully this will become a further jewel in the crown of Gib’s reputation as the trendiest hub for timeless classics and ascending stars. However, she laments how Gibraltar is ‘summer dependent’ for lack of indoors venues suitable for gatherings of this magnitude, and so the stadium-filler season is concentrated in just four months, although nothing else would be stopping the party to go on all year round. n For further information visit www.bigmanentertainment. net and www.steelpulse.com or like their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/entertainmentbigman.
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Maxi Priest
How it will the festival differ to GMF 2013? The GMF is a family event, so we have approached it in a similar way to last year. That is to say, we are assembling a lineup that we are confident will offer ‘something for everyone’, regardless of age or musical preference. With The Script and Rita Ora heading the bill, this will be our biggest show to date! One of the most significant differences will be the layout. With construction due to start on Gibraltar’s World Trade Centre, we are changing the location of the Radio Gibraltar Stage. But all four stages and the food court and market area will remain inside the Bayside Sports Complex. It was a challenge, but it’s taking shape now and actually we think this will be a better setup for us. We look forward to sharing the official #GMF14 map with your readers very soon! Anything else new? We are working on some exciting innovations, but before we release details we need to finalise our lineup — at the time of going to print we still have a few announcements to make. Already, though, we’re genuinely excited about the calibre of our bill. With classics like Rog-
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er Hodgson of Supertramp and Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, and chart toppers like John Newman, Clean Bandit and James Arthur, tickets are selling very well. The VIP area has been fully sold out for some weeks now. We expect to surpass last year’s 10,000, which would be great! What was the feedback from last year’s event? The feedback from last year was heartwarming- a lot of hard work goes into producing the GMF, so it’s very rewarding to hear how happy people were last year. We’d like to thank them for helping to make it so cool — the atmosphere was special, and that has a lot to do with the crowd. So, thanks guys! Year on year, we try to learn from what worked well and what could work even better. We get lots of feedback from GMF fans on our Facebook page, and we take into consideration everybody’s comments. As long as local music fans continue to talk to us about what they’d like to see, hear and have access to on the day, we’ll continue to develop the GMF. Most will agree the 12 hours of music on multiple stages in the 2013 edition was a significant improvement on GMF 2012. We are on track to make GMF 2014 bigger and better! n
Countdown to GMF 2014 Rita Ora, Clean Bandit and Maxi Priest join a world class bill, topped by The Script (the festival’s biggest act to date), and featuring Roger Hodgson (formerly of Supertramp), chart sensation John Newman, Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley and X-Factor’s James Arthur. Some of the local performers who will join the international stars in front of a home crowd are Adrian Pisarello and the EC Band and Georgia Thursting.
Clean Bandit
Clean Bandit is a quartet combining classical strings with modern electronic dance music. The four Cambridge University graduates have been developing their sound for the
last five years, but in recent months caused quite a stir in the charts. The band’s single, Rather Be, rocketed to Number One in January and is the UK’s second best selling single of 2014 so far.
Maxi Priest
Maxi Priest earned his place among other reggae greats such as Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Dennis Brown in spreading reggae far and wide. His joyous brand of reggae and lovers’ rock, infused with R&B, brought him a level of success no other British reggae singer can match. His hit, Close To You, topped the US Billboard charts in 1990, making him one of only two reggae acts to have a Number One hit in America. n
Clean Bandit
With just weeks to go for the Rock’s biggest annual musical event — the Gibraltar Music Festival on 6th September — we spoke to Owen Smith, Jonathan Scott and Dylan Ferro, GMF Producers, to find out what’s in store for this year’s festival.
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RITA ORA Rita Ora, one of the most successful British hit-makers of all time, will be performing at the Gibraltar Music Festival on 6th September. Rita recently scored her fourth No 1 single with I Will Never Let You Down and today she becomes the biggest name to be added to the bill for 6th September since The Script were confirmed as the event’s headliner. 2014 is shaping up to be the year of Rita Ora. She was unstoppable and dominated the UK charts with the release of her Number One certified platinum debut album, ORA. The Roc Nation/Columbia signing has now topped the charts again with her newest single. Produced by chart-topping, Grammy nominated, multi-platinum producer Calvin Harris, I Will Never Let You Down is a fitting introduction to her sophomore album, which is scheduled for international release later this year.
Rita had a phenomenal rise in 2012, which continued in 2013. She was the only artist to have three Number One singles in a row and proved herself as a force to be reckoned with on the stage, from her European tour with rock giants Coldplay, supporting Drake and playing every major UK music festival, along with her headline ‘Radioactive’ tour across the UK. n
GMF 2014: Tickets VIP tickets are sold out, however, General Entry and Reserved Seating tickets are still on sale. You can get yours at Vijay and Music Corner on Main Street, as well as at Gib Oil petrol stations, the Alameda, Ocean Village Express shops and online via the Festival’s website: www.gibraltarmusicfestival.com
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VICTORIA STADIUM www.gibraltarmusicfestival.com
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VICTORIA STADIUM
Gibraltar
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puzzle page
SUDOKU Just for fun!
by Alan Gravett 2
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Jotting Pad Send completed crossword to: Clipper, Irish Town, Gibraltar.
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FIRST PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Clipper
One entry per person. Closing date: 16th July Last month’s winner: Suzanne Garcia Rosia Dale
LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Prozac, Omaha, Urania, Affair, Tuno, Overlord, Yellowpages, Dubmusic, Utah, Enrage, Armies, Sword, Status. Down: Perjury, Owngoal, Analogous, Offer, Abalone, Abrade, Embargo, Expectant, Gourmet, Sealegs, Adders, Urged.
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Across 1. Skin hanging from the throat of cattle etc. (6) 4. Holiday maker staying in a tent (6) 9. Taking heed (7) 10. Items worshipped (5) 11. The lowest point (5) 12. Satirical novel by Samuel Butler (7) 13. Those taking part in a sporting event (11) 18. A learned person (7) 20. Simultaneous firing of several guns etc. (5) 22. A small bay (5) 23. Football team based in Liverpool (7) 24. Gardening tool (6) 25. Type of polecat; investigator (6) Down 1. Pour from one vessel to another (6) 2. Connected to electricity (5) 3. Initially (2,5) 5. Quick; not dead (5) 6. Forecaster (7) 7. Increasing (6) 12. Former home of the newspaper industry in London (5,6) 14. Shakespeare’s Moor of Venice (7) 15. Harsh (7) 16. Help (6) 17. Brass instrument (6) 19. Greek mythological river causing forgetfulness in those who drink its water (5) 21. Not 3 down! (5)
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Introducing Megan Dallas The diminutive figure of Megan Dallas walked onto stage at June’s Love Fest holding her guitar and lowered the mic — then blew the early crowd away with her unique arrangement of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean. New to the Gibraltar music scene, this was Megan’s first big gig but the first of bigger gigs to come... Megan, a 23 year old accountant who thought about studying music at university “but I thought that an accountancy degree would give me the best grounding for any career I chose in the future — even music!” stood on the Gibraltar stage simply dressed and with an air of vulnerability. No props or glitz and glamour, just a girl with a guitar — and a unique, great voice. We caught up with Megan backstage after the show and she gave us an insight into her music and her inspiration.
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When I saw the music scene here I really thought it would be a great place for me
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© DM Parody 2014 (www.dotcom.gi/photos)
Megan, you are a newcomer to the Rock’s music circuit, please could you give us some background info — where you grew up, how you came to be in Gibraltar, how you began musically. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and spent my later school years in Wales before moving on to University in Aberdeen. I was going to stay in Aberdeen after graduating, but my father lives in Gibraltar and I wanted to be closer to my family. I also saw it as an opportunity for something new — and when I saw the music scene here I really thought it would be a great place for me. I was always exposed to great music when I was growing up. My Dad listens to a lot of blues music, and he taught me to play the 12 bar blues on the piano when I was around six years old. I then used to sit in my room with an old keyboard we had lying around and make up my own songs. My singing really started when I was seven years old, but I was more interested in classical music then! I remember listening to a Charlotte Church album and thinking “that’s what I want to do”! Although by the time I was a teenager, I was far more interested in pop, jazz, and soulful music. I sang in all the school choirs growing up and just tried to expose myself to as much music
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music scene in as many genres as I could. Along the way, What musical styles do you find yourself I picked up the flute and piano. most drawn to as a listener? I love soulful music, new or old, and I’m How would you describe yourself as a always drawn to the passion people portray singer, songwriter and musician? in their music. I love to listen to songs where It’s so hard to describe your own sound! the artist has really laid their emotions out and But, I think I would probably describe it as told their story. “soulful pop”. I play the acoustic guitar and I like having a more soulful sound to my vocals. You did a great arrangement of Michael For me, music is an expression of who I am, so Jackson’s Billie Jean for the Love Festival when I’m performing I try to be free with my — what are you striving for when you choices of how to sing a line. I like being able create a unique arrangement and what to put my emotions into the music. made you choose that song? My song writing is really important to me, I heard several different versions of the song and all my songs are written from personal online, and thought it would be great to put experience. A really big part of it is being able my own spin on it. The lyrics tell a great story, to find the connection with the lyrics and mel- as most of Michael Jackson’s songs do, which odies, for me and for the listeners. really drew me to the song. I like stripping Growing up, music was always a huge part songs down to just a really simple arrangement of my life and it is as important to me now to bring a new focus to the lyrics and the meanas it was at the very beginning to be able to ing behind the song. So my thought process is understand the music that I’m playing. Being usually “how would I tell this story?”, and the able to read music as well as write it. I think arrangements come from there. this is really important to building my skills as a musician and songwriter. Tell us about your experience of performing at the Love Festival. What music / musicians most influence The Love Festival was an incredible experiyou? ence and an amazing day. I love that there are I love all kinds of music and try to listen to so many festivals lined up for the summer; as much variety of music as I can. Gibraltar can really put itself on the map as a I find myself drawn to artists that play their own instruments and have really soulful voices: Lauryn Hill, Gavin DeGraw, Marc Broussard, Tori Kelly and Alicia Keys just to name a few! What aspect of making music excites you? Simply, I play because I love it. I love being creative, and having an outlet to express myself. It’s a great feeling the moment when an idea comes to life and you get to play your song for people. Nothing compares to that.
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I like stripping songs down to just a really simple arrangement to bring a new focus to the lyrics and the meaning behind the song
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destination for great music. The crowd were really supportive, and it was the first time I had been able to showcase some of my original music, so it was amazing to get their reaction! I had such a good time up there, I didn’t really want to leave! I just have to say a huge thank you to Dion and Chris for taking a chance on me! You played guitar at the Love Festival but we understand you are a great jazz pianist too — which instrument do you prefer? I have played the piano for a lot longer, and it was my instrument of choice for accompaniment, so it was difficult to get used to a new sound and new style of playing when I picked up the guitar last summer. The guitar for me is really such a great instrument, since it’s portable and easy to pick up — especially if you are a budding songwriter or performer! But the piano is a wonderful instrument as well — it’s too hard to choose! What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given and by whom? It isn’t a piece of advice that I received, but watching an important person in my life follow their dreams despite what other people said was exactly what I needed. It really showed me that you can achieve anything, and that you should never be deterred from following a passion. Any future performances that the Gibraltar public should watch out for? I am playing at Unplugged at The Rock on the 1st July and The Performers Club on 19th July. Hope to see you there! PS: It is rumoured we will be seeing Megan on an even bigger stage this September. Watch this girl!
Gibraltar Music Scene Local Bands to Join the stars at the Gibraltar Music Festival siblings Abi, Louise and Matt Orfila from a local family based in Kent. They are all accomplished musicians and songwriters in their own right. They have their own distinctive sound blending three part harmonies with a folk/pop feel. The band is regularly featured on BBC Radio Kent and have played with some major artists, including The Wanted, Alexandra Burke, and Eliza Doolittle.
Headwires and Orfila are two local bands who will perform alongside the stars on 6th September at the Gibraltar Music Festival. Headwires is a young Indie Rock band founded in late 2011. The trio works hard on original music, which is a combination of
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sounds influenced by the individual musical tastes and personalities of Evan Torrente (vocals and bass), Patrick Murphy (guitar & backing vocals) and Daryl Payas (drums).
Hot on the heels of the release of their debut EP, Organs, in early June, the band is thrilled at the prospect of performing for the largest audience in Gibraltar. Orfila is an acoustic folk trio consisting of
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© DM Parody 2014 (www.dotcom.gi/photos)
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music scene
Brewing the blues words | Elena Scialtiel
Fray your daisy-dukes, tie your bandannas, grease your leathers and wax your chromes: the Harley-Davidson rally is back in town on 2nd August.
And beer won’t be the only brew for the Casemates crowds to quench their thirst with: a Strange Brew will flow from the concert stage, for some two hours of great music under the sun. “Only mad dogs and Strange Brew can take on the sweltering midday heat!” drummer Tony Tycott says about the gig, their third in a row at this annual event, which is kind of consecrating them as the official soundtrack and mascot of superbike riders in Gibraltar. In fact, this four-strong blues band fits the bill to portray H-D bikers: young at heart, greying
ponytails and beards, leather waistcoats, rugged jeans, trilbies and... guitars aflame. Strange Brew formed over two years ago and debuted at the 2012 rally, but its members are all seasoned musicians with varied previous experience in bands, whether amateur or professional. Their core is a fusion of vocalist Lorry Doyle and bassist Clive Yeats, who have been jamming together for years as the East Side Blues Band, so called because they rehearsed at the old motorcycle club south of Sandy Bay. Guitarist Stan Muscat joined them later and
proposed a name change to something catchier and less geographically specific. After ruling out Strange Fruit, the name of a fictional 70s’ band protagonist of a rollercoaster reunion in the 1998 movie Still Crazy, they agreed to keep the ‘strange’ part as well as the assonance, and eventually settled on Strange Brew, the title of the 1967 hit single by psychedelic rock power trio Cream. These two references well epitomise the band’s spirit: playing timeless classics to perfection, they are not passé, they are not retro — just perfectly ‘vintage’ which appeals to all audiences. They mostly sing the blues, because Lorry’s gravelly voice and advanced finger-picking are born for it. “We come from the blues era, and this is what we like and we do,” Clive says. “And Lorry is just like a black man sitting on a porch somewhere in Mississippi picking at his guitar.” With an average age of 50-something, the foursome describe themselves as ‘good ol’ boys playing rock’n’roll’, and aren’t afraid of the competition of boy bands, in an age where ageism seems to dictate that you cannot rock anymore if you are one day past 30 — unless you are staging a reunion tour after a decade-long hiatus, of course. First of all, they cover 20th Century great anthems and steer clear of contemporary pop hits: “We play well known songs, but not too well known: those you haven’t heard in a while and have to think about a bit before you click what they are and start signing along. We like Santana, the Doors, Peter Green and Gary Moore amongst others.” Second, they challenge teenage musicians to make it through thick and thin for 20 years or more: “It is always good to see new talent rising, and we support it all the way, but the flash-in-pan effect is always lurking around the corner. It’s easy to start a band when you are 17, but can you make it last when life gets
photo: Gill Sanne and James Culatto
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photo: Gill Sanne and James Culatto
in the way?” A band is commitment, camaraderie and companionship: “A band is like a marriage,” Stan says. “You need to love each other, and consider them your friends, not just your band mates, especially when you play for love and not for money.” “Oh yeah! I love these guys!” Clive barges in, starry-eyed. “We must be prepared to praise each other, criticise each other and of course accept each other’s criticism, if we want to progress as a unit.” And Tony adds wickedly: “I hate them! But we spend so much time together nevertheless. Not just rehearsing, but also socialising. And if we don’t have time, we make time. For instance, I play in two-and-a-half bands, and I commute, but I always make a point to be there on time.” With so much experience under their belt (or guitar sash), one might wonder why they haven’t yet released their own album. “Writing a song is relatively easy,” Clive says. “You jot down some words that rhyme, you strum a riff, and you can call it a song. Technically, yes. But writing the right song to stick in people’s mind is not easy at all. You need a catchy tune and meaningful, but easy-to-remember lyrics. Lorry is the poet and he has some lyrics for us, while Stan is
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They work the stage like true pros, walking about, improvising sizzling guitar solos and pretty much everything but rolling on the floor and kicking the air in rocking rapture
working on riffs, but we are not ready yet to go public with it.” It is pretty much a band effort and every member has his say on how the composition comes along. As it is reinterpreting the great classics to mould them into ‘true brew’: “We don’t need to compose and perform our song after all, as our signature is the way we ‘brew’ any song we cover and we make it truly ours.” Whether you play in front of 10 people or tens of thousands, you need the same stamina to give the best of yourself, they say. Strange Brew is first and foremost a live act, as they work the stage like true pros, walking about, improvising sizzling guitar solos and pretty much everything but rolling on the floor and kicking the air in rocking rapture. Sadly, they aren’t the best known bluesy
ensemble in Gibraltar, and haven’t been invited to any of the local summer festivals this year. They are regulars at Nelson’s jamming sessions, where they can count on quite a posse, and they occasionally pop around at the Rock on the Rock. They lament however that live music venues in Gibraltar are limited in number and in space, and when the great outdoors fail us in the wintry rains, performances are contained in tiny rooms where the sound echoes and tends to become the background noise to food and sports on TV. Strange Brew have a fan page on Facebook, a few live-recorded videos posted on YouTube and Fandalism, where they earned nine flames... “So we must have done something right, mustn’t we?” n
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Snooker in Gibraltar
The Future’s Green As a global shift in play sees China overtake the UK as the epicentre of snooker clubs, the Gibraltar Billiards and Snooker Association celebrates its own 20th anniversary. Local snooker coach Lee Prickman told us more about the Association and recent improvements for snooker in Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar Billiards and Snooker Association was formed two decades ago to promote the sport in Gibraltar and provide a connection between enthusiasts. Affiliated to the European Billiards & Snooker Association, in the build up to its 20th anniversary the local association has been busy improving facilities at its headquarters “The Crucible” and is now looking for sponsors to promote the game, and help the players to be able to compete internationally. Coach, Lee Prickman describes
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the changes as “a massive step forward for snooker in Gibraltar,” adding, “We have spent most of the last two summers improving our headquarters at Jumpers Bastion, which I must say has made the place unrecognisable.” Lee understands the importance of good facilities to spur interest in the game. He became involved in snooker as a boy when his uncle had a small table in his house. “I played on that and I fell in love with the game,” he says. “I first played on a full size table in a club 33 years ago, when I was
12 years old.” Lee practised hard and played in local competitions for the next five or so years and then played competitively on the amateur and then semi-professional circuit all over the UK, including qualifying for televised tournament stages, until he was 21 years old. Now focussing on the Gibraltar game, Lee explains that the GBSA was formed in 1994 to expose, grow and expand snooker in Gibraltar through a governing body, to bring everyone together who has interest in the sport, and
to provide the chance to compete locally and internationally. The GBSA aims to offer Gibraltar snooker players the best environment and facilities, he adds. It is an open association and welcomes newcomers with an interest in snooker. “Anyone can join in! Our facilities are open for anybody who is enthusiastic about snooker to come and play. We need good facilities and the Government is also trying to help,” he explains with infectious enthusiasm. “We are still in the process
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sport file of arranging and organising new tables from the UK and all sponsorship would be gratefully received. The new tables are absolutely paramount to the improvement of the game here in Gibraltar, and to give our better local players the chance to play on match standard tables that are similar to those used at international competitions.” As the 2013/14 leagues drew to a close, plans for next season were already underway. “We will have two or three divisions next season and we are looking for sponsors for all of them,” he says. “We give reports to local papers to promote our tournaments. In the Premier Division there are better players
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Regardless of standard everyone can enjoy playing and competing on their own level
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who have the potential to play abroad and represent Gibraltar in the European Championships. We are now in the process of looking for a sponsor for our Premier Division,” Lee adds. His genuine passion for the game inspired Lee to offer coaching sessions in Gibraltar, combining his love for snooker with his knowledge and skill in sports psychology. Lee offers coaching and lessons to anyone interested in improving their game, regardless of age or standard of play, for individuals, pairs or small youth groups. “It all comes down to the technique, to the visualisation of the shot.” A reason players in professional sport do not win tournaments is the pressure of competition. “This is what it comes down to and the psychology of the sport in general is that you are able to perform at your peak when it matters,” he explains. “My coaching teaches people to be solid in their technique so when they are playing they are not afraid and under pressure. “Visualisation and other techniques like Neuro-Linguistic Programming that I can instill into people, can help to block everything else out and to be completely focused at that particular moment. Anyone who is interested to book a session can just drop me an email,” Lee smiles. Lee put his techniques into
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practise recently to win the Gibraltar’s Singles League 2013/2014. He also plans to represent Gibraltar internationally in the European Championship. “We have a snooker league that runs for approximately six months of the season, which I have just recently won. This league is also our ranking system which denotes who is chosen to represent Gibraltar internationally. “Our intentions are strong to go on to represent Gibraltar internationally.” Despite the association’s international ambitions, Lee is keen to emphasis that the GBSA is for everyone with an interest in the game. “There are two divisions at the moment with the possibility of extending this to three, so regardless of standard everyone can enjoy playing and competing on their own level,” he says. “Throughout the year we have locally sponsored competitions and are now looking for sponsors for the 2014/2015 season. We have a good standard of players at present — myself ranked number one, and Steve Webber, Rich Ammonds, Mukesh Bakhru, Francis Beccera, Andrew Olivero and, not least, our own Chairman Sean Galligan.” However, if you thought snooker is a man’s sport, Lee disagrees and encourages ladies to join as well. “By far our best lady player is Nicky Correa and more women player like her are needed in Gibraltar. We are not a dinosaur club and we will endeavour and continue to offer the best possible facilities and equipment to both men and women. Despite China’s proliferation of snooker clubs, Europe is still one of the largest snooker playing regions in the world and, it seems, the future of snooker in Gibraltar is bright as more and more players join in. “We will continue to offer competitive snooker options both locally and internationally to all our existing members and new ones alike. We are hoping to have a surge of local younger snooker enthusiasts which is the only way to have a constant and up-andcoming flow of talent at grass roots which we can encourage and mould into what we hope will be future champions,” Lee concludes. n
Coach Lee Prickman outside the GBSA Headquarters at Jumpers Bastion
GBSA Coach and Secretary Lee Prickman with Chairman and Treasurer Sean Galligan discussing the next snooker season at Casemates Square
To book a coaching session, to become a sponsor for the GBSA, and for all other enquiries send an email to Lee Prickman at info@gibraltarsnooker.com For more info on the association and leagues/tournaments visit the GBSA website www.gibraltarsnooker.com
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t Chelsea Edwards Medical Student I like a lot of charities but The Happy Africa Foundation is particularly close to my heart because of the time I’ve spent in Tanzania, where I’ve met lovely Masai children. I am now helping to raise money for The Moshi Community and Education Project to build schools and offer education to everybody.
Mike Da Silva Press Officer, Gibraltar Squash Club
A Question of Charity
My favourite charity would have to be GibMissionAfrica, we have recently done a cardio marathon at the Squash Club to raise some money for the great work they do. We spent 12 hours on the bicycles to help bring proper education to children in Ethiopia.
compiled by Nina Sostaric
We all drop our change into the tins on our Friday flag days, but which charities are our favourites and why? It seems the kids have it...
t Raju Surti Owner, Raj’s Curry House I don’t have a favourite charity per se, but I donate money to a lot of family members and friends back in India. I am now actually in a process of forming my own charity. I believe it is very important to help poor people gain access to food and education.
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Duncan Quigley u Company Director, Colorworks My favourite charity would have to be RICC — Research Into Childhood Cancer — because cancer itself is a horrible disease and it is even worse when it occurs in children.
t Alison Baldachino Administration Officer My favourite charity is Leukaemia Research where I also volunteer and work in the committee. My son contracted leukaemia when he was 8 months old and he had bone marrow transplantation in the UK. He is now 6 years old and luckily, he is fine.
Yvonne Smiddy u Digital Artist I support Childline Gibraltar, because as a mum I think it is critical to look after the vulnerable children in our community.
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events
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photo call
CHINDIA in the STREET
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Just some of the crowd of dance and music lovers who filled the street and eateries for the Chindia in the Street show, presented as part of the Gibraltar World Music Festival, at Chatham Counterguard
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CALENTITA!
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Gibraltar’s foodies were out in full force on Saturday 21st June for the annual Calentita event in Casemates Square and Market Place. Bigger and better than ever, this event just keeps growing in scope and popularity and is a testament to the diversity and richness of our culture in both food and people.
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appetite
e to wher drink eat & the on k Roc
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
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
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. Casa Pepe, 18 Queensway Quay Marina, Tel/Fax: 200 46967 Email: casa.pepe@gmail.com. Visit: www.gibtour.com/casapepe.
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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
chorizo, black pudding, egg and pancetta) and pizzas (eg: Quatto Stagioni topped with mozzarella, ham, chicken, pepperoni and mushroom) and specialities such as salmon fishcakes, beef medallions and duck. Daily specials on blackboard. No smoking. 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
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 Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625
Get Listed! Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar? Get your business listed here
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food & drink
directory Get Listed! Do you own a restaurant, café, or bar in Gibraltar? Get your business listed here
CALL 200 77748 for details 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 B r i g h t a n d a i r y, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All homemade food including daily specials, vegetarian options, desserts and small cakes. Eat in or takeaway. 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 • JULY 2014
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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. Pool table. 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
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 Oasis Eatery Govenor’s Parade Tel: 200 65544 www.oasiseatery.com
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
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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 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. Solo Express Grnd Flr, ICC, Casemates & Eurotowers
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 baguettes 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 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. All’s Well Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987
Bridge Bar & Grill
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. Bridge Bar & Grill Ocean Village Tel: 200 66446
Cannon Bar 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. Cannon Bar 27 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 77288
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Gibraltar Arms 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. Gibraltar Arms 184 Main Street. Tel: 200 72133 Visit: www.gibraltararms.com
Jury’s Café-Wine Bar
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. Jury’s Café & Wine Bar 275 Main Street. Tel: 200 67898 Jury’s Café & Wine Bar
Lord Nelson Bar/brasserie in Casemates. Done out like Nelson’s ship. Starters & snacks include fresh mussels, 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. Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie 10 Casemates Tel: 200 50009 Visit: www.lordnelson.gi
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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
Star Bar
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. Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Visit: www.starbargibraltar.com
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
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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
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) Queensway Quay Marina, Tel: 200 61118
184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun)
restaurant bar guide &
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
Indian Cuisine to Eat In or Take Away
Unit 1.0.02 Grnd Flr, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711
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
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Just Cruising On By
words | Peter Rodney
Normally, on getting on board any sort of boat, it is with a view to going somewhere. That may be just round the buoys in a yacht race; it may be a ferry from one country to another. It is therefore odd to board what appears to be a seaworthy craft which is going nowhere. The Sunborn floating hotel is a strange thing but, if one forgets her original purpose, she is very pleasant. A wine-tasting, hosted by Anglo Hispano for the Marqués de Cáceres range of wines, was held on board last month. The wines were good, the tapas to go with them were splendid — and a little bit of me wondered just how much profit margin there was on each bottle in order to be able to afford this sort of junket. But that was the little imp on my left shoulder whispering into my ear. The angel on my right reminded me that every business needs a marketing budget — it is up to them how they spend it (and if that spending enhances
I was sitting with various restaurant proprietors who agreed that it was good; their problem was that it would be difficult to apply the standard 100% mark-up my enjoyment of life then so much the better). We all know (and sort of love) the standard Marqués de Cáceres Rioja at about £6.00 (retail – £12 or more in restaurants). It is a standard in restaurants, when nothing else is immediately recognisable, and quite safe. I knew they did a crianza and a reserva as well (rising in price accordingly) but had not realised they also have a range of whites and a premium red called ‘Gaudium’. The latter is £38.25 (less whatever discount you can persuade Anglo Hispano to give you) and — on a special occasion — worth it. The blurb they hand out with the Gaudi-
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wine I drone on about the advantages of Barbadillo (and now the Verdejo) because of my necessity to find a wine I can drink at a price I can afford um has the usual guff: ‘Fleshy, long-lasting flavours of blackberries and blackcurrants are swathed in rich, smooth tannins’. Quite so, but when I buy an expensive wine I don’t want to be told it may be reminiscent of Ribena — I want grapes. Leaving that aside, it is very good stuff. I was sitting with various restaurant proprietors who agreed that it was good; their problem was that it would be difficult to apply the standard 100% mark-up and expect to sell it — £75 or so would be asking a bit much, even for a treat. Sadly, I had to agree that I would be unlikely to pay that sum. However, the saving made in not buying it in a restaurant will enable you to buy two bottles to enjoy at home … . There were also a couple of whites on display. The verdejo at £4.75 was delightful. Fresh and crisp with, apparently, ‘notes of minerals, lemon rind and green apples’. Never mind the last bit, it will slip down a treat at a summer lunchtime with a langostino or two. Importantly, it does not seek to be noticed. It is just there and can be sipped quietly without interrupting the conversation. We have a real contender – at last – to Barbadillo and at a similar price. Much was made of another white: ‘Deusa Nai’. An Alboriño from Galicia this is priced at £8.15. Hmmm. Even the blurb describes it as coming from ‘a rough land with a harsh and adverse climate’. This does not instil confidence in the product. To be fair, it was OK. And it may be that I should have given it more time to open
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up in the glass but I was not very impressed. That was just me — others found it very pleasant. Making a virtue of necessity is sometimes seen as hypocritical, sometimes as noble. I drone on about the advantages of Barbadillo (and now the Verdejo recommended above) because of my necessity to find a wine I can drink at a price I can afford. This then becomes a virtue because I can genuinely say that I recommend it. How noble of me. I was, however, rather amused at the splendid application of the saying by Marqués de Cáceres. Most of their vines are planted too close together to permit collection by machine. The latter is, of course, a much more economical (and often better) method of harvesting than laborious and back-breaking hand-picking. However, they make a big play of the fact that most of their grapes are hand-picked, conjuring up images of dusky maidens gently caressing the grapes in their smooth hands before passing them on, with a bright and slightly suggestive smile, to the handsome basket holder who receives the offering with great care and carefully deposits them so that no harm should come to their delicate skins; as he passes on he lightly kisses the equally delicate skin of the dusky maiden, raising a blush the colour of the grape and so on and on. (I didn’t realise how easy this stuff was to write – Mills and Boon here I come.) Anyway, Marqués de Cáceres grapes are mostly handpicked which may or may not be a virtue but is certainly a necessity. I propose to carry on cruising round the wine shops to find the bargains of the summer. The wine shops generally remain static (although a visit to My Wines can result in the place appearing to move up and down with the waves). I cannot tell why this should be when the Sunborn remains unmoving. n
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Tues-Fri 10am - late Sat lunch 12pm-3pm Afternoon drinks & desserts Dinner 7pm-10pm Closed Sun & Mon
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d n u o r � ow� �
This page: photos taken at this year’s Gibraltar Love Festival - the organiser’s tell us this will definitely be an annual event (though aiming for first week of July next year) so it is something to add to our busy music calendar
We at The Gibraltar Magazine just love this issue. It really shows what an exciting, diverse and vibrant place to live Gibraltar is. We have an enviable social and cultural scene with world class events taking place in our intimate and friendly town. When taking the cover photo for this month’s edition, children were rolling in the green green grass of Commonwealth Park and we are starting the countdown to National Week and the Gibraltar Music Festival which people are travelling from afar to attend (it really is just weeks away now folks!). This month we have a photographic exhibition (260 photos) in the Gustavo Bacarisa Gallery until 11th July; a natural bodybuilding championships (11th July) for orphans in Africa; reggae legends Steel Pulse (one event we would advise you not to miss) are on at the Victoria Stadium on 18th July; our very own Gibraltar’s Got Talent talent show is staged on 19th July; there’s a beach football tournament on 19th and 20th July; and the international regatta takes place on 26th and 27th July... phew, what variety indeed. Of course Summer Nights start up again from 12th July in Casemates and that will be the place to be seen every Saturday and Thursday through July and August with live music, kids activities and what we do best — socialising. Enhanced of course by the return of our students from universities for the summer season. If all this sunshine and light leave you wanting to fill your walls with artworks, then pop along to the Fine Arts Gallery from 7th July. They are holding the first edition of the Fine Arts Summer Show in a cash-and-carry style exhibition with a difference. If you see something you like, pay the money and walk away with the piece there
Photos this page: a selection from the Three Kings Cavalcade
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Enjoy the craft stalls at Casemates on Saturday mornings The Corpus Christi Procession, after the open air Mass in the Piazza, to the Cathedral of St Mary the Cowned — after which Bishop Ralph Heskett held his farewell reception for all members of the diocese in the Catholic Community Centre (photos: Mike Brufal)
and then! Not only that, all artwork will be under £500 - so art will be affordable as well as spontaneous to purchase. What a great idea! If you are a teenager (14 plus) and interested in journalism and creative media then contact Childline Gibraltar to sign up for their exciting workshop which will take place from Monday 14th to Thursday 17th July (10.30am - 12.30pm) at the Bayside Sports Centre. More details by email: education@childline.gi. It could be the beginning of a wonderful career. Just a couple of restaurant notes this month. firstly from Cafe Solo who have a new menu with many of the old favourite plus some great new dishes such as special bruschettas which we can personally vouch for! Secondly, Cafe Rojo has now reopened (1st July) after Annette, Luis and the team took a well earned holiday in July. Lucky so and sos! Well that’s it for this month. See you on Main Street - or in the Park!
1st Holy Communion
Above and right: Surprise 30th birthday party at Cafe Rojo - remember Cafe Rojo reopens on 1st July after a well deserved break. Annette, Luis and the team will be back and full of fresh ideas. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JULY 2014
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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: Offers a variety of classes & workshops for children and adults Mon - Fri 3.30-7pm, Sat 2-3pm. For more info call Tel: 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 5-7pm (junior chess) 8-11pm (Calpe Chess) on Tues. Entrance Free. 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: Classes for children Street Dance, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Pilates, Capoeira, Judo & Ju-jitsu. At Wellington Front from 4pm onwards. Tel: 54005785 or 54000027 or visit www. artinmovement.net 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. 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 of all standards/ages/abilities 7-9pm. Tel: 54017070 or thecalpebnd@gmail.com Jazz Nights: Thurs at 8pm at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel. Tel: 200 70500.
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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 Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road. Tel: 200 59818. Quizzes The Lounge: Friendly quiz on Sun from 8pm on quayside at Queensway Quay. The Clipper: Quiz nights on Tues at 8pm. Social Clubs Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes: (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, Jumpers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Mon/month, 8pm. Executive Meeting, last Mon/month 7pm. Knights Chapter, 2nd Mon/month 7.30pm. Examining Council, 3rd Mon/month 7pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8pm. Buena Vista 9975, Wed (fortnightly) 7pm. Por Favor 9444, Wed (fortnightly) 7pm. Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm. Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm. www. raob.org Special Interest Clubs & Societies Creative Writers Group: Meets Tues at Eliott Hotel bar at 8pm, aimed at learning to write fiction/non-fiction, for pleasure or publication. 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 gibphilosophy@ live.co.uk Gibraltar Photographic Society: Meets on Mon at 7.30pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc. 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. Tel: 56280000. 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. Visit www.badmintongibraltar. com for info.
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. Tel: Uriel 200 79359. 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 development of the sport. Tel: 54027171, 54014547, 54021672, and 54022622 or 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, 41H Town Range. Tel: 57479000. 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 for 4 years of age and upwards, weekday evenings. Tel: 56000772 or Sally 200 74661. Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union
what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com
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training for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans. Play in Andalusia 1st Division. Tel: 200 72185. 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. 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, 12:30–5pm. 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.
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Support Groups ADHD & Learning Difficulties (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity 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 6pm - 10pm. Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@ cab.gi or visit 10 Governor’s Lane. No appointment necessary, no charge. Gibraltar CAB outreach clinics at St Bernard’s Hospital every Tuesday. Advisors available at 1st floor reception, Zone 4, 9am-3pm. Free, confidential, impartial. 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 Mon - Thur 8pm-9pm 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 3/8 Serfaty’s Passage Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relationship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717. Gibraltar Society for the Visually Impaired. Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service). Hope. miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817. Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Overeaters Anonymous support group for compulsive overeating problems. Tel: helpline for meetings info 200 42581. 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: 200 51623. SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, a UK charity, to assist serving and ex-Service personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. Email: Susan GIB-CST-JSWPA@mod.uk With Dignity Gibraltar support for separated, divorced/widowed or single people. Meet Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/ activities. Tel: 54007181 or 200 79957. Women in Need. Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hrs).
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Med Golf on Tour This year’s Med Golf tour, sponsored again Guinness, took place in Vilamoura on Portugal’s Algarve from 13th to 17th June. Everything about this trip for the 16 golfers was a roaring success. Med Golf Director and winning Captain, Andy Hunter, commented “Previous outings to Scotland and Ireland were unique but this was our best tour to date and unfortunately over in a flash, Monte Rei Golf in particular was truly world class!”
Two teams led by captains John and Andy Hunter battled it out in the hot and humid conditions on three of the best courses in the area; Oceanico Old, Oceanic Victoria and Monte Rei. The teams competed in a Ryder Cup style event. The first day saw Denis Lafferty from Saccone and Speed, who kindly sponsored the event through Guinness, smash the first ball of the event down the first fairway as tradition dictates. John’s team took the lead overnight at 3 points to 1, all to play for still. Andy’s team came out fighting with a 4-nil victory on day 2, taking the competition score to 5 to 3 in Andy’s favour. The next day on Monte Rei, one of the top courses in the world, An-
dy’s team played well winning overall by 10 to 6. During the time away, Denis confirmed Guinness is to sponsor the next Med Golf Tour and plans are already in place for a trip to the same area with a couple of new courses on the agenda. You can join Med Golf for a current special rate of £29 for 12 months which includes European insurance, handicap monitoring service and 15 fun competitions on different courses throughout the year, culminating in the Sunborn Med Golf Masters on San Roque Old Course in August. Join Med Golf online at www.medgolfgroup.com.
The Gibraltar Ladies’ Pool Team at Bridlington, UK this year for the European Pool Championships.
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information 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-ibnZeyad (“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.
T
he flora and fauna on the Upper Rock are considered 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.
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 friendly gifts, plants and seeds. Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking. Nelson’s Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction). 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. Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. Closed 1pm - 2pm. Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar 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 73026 Hospital, St Bernards ����������������Tel: 200 79700 Weather information ������������������������Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update Tel: 200 42777 Gibraltar Museum Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane open 10am-6pm (Sat. 10am-2pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: Adults £2/ Children under 12 years £1. Exhibitions also at Casemates gallery. Registry Office Tel: 200 72289 It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon. Rock Tours by Taxi Tel: 200 70052 As well as offering normal fares, 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. John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends. Bicycle Racks Bicycle parking is provided at the following locations: Europort Road, Casemates Tunnel, Land Port Ditch, Fish Market Road, Commonwealth Car Park, Reclamation Road (by English Steps) + Line Wall Road. Gibibikes is a scheme for public use of bikes taken from stations around the Rock. Visit www.gibibikes.gi for info. Public Holidays 2014 Gibraltar & United Kingdom New Year’s Day Wed 1 January Commonwealth Day* Mon 10 March Good Friday Fri 18 April Easter Monday Mon 21 April Worker’s Memorial Day Mon 28 April May Day Thurs 1 May Spring Bank Holiday Mon 26 May Queen’s Birthday Mon 16 June Late Summer Bank Holiday Mon 25 August Gibraltar National Day* Wed 10 September Christmas Day Thurs 25 December Boxing Day Fri 26 December *Gibraltar only
Gibraltar Postcode - GX11 1AA 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
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Emergency Services History Alive Every Saturday morning the
Rock’s past is brought alive by a troop of soldiers in 18th century period uniform. The soldiers march from Bomb House Lane at 12 noon to Casemates. At Casemates they carry out a “Ceremony of the Keys” and then march back up Main Street to the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned.
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
The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar. Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748
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atural History & Heritage Park admission 9.30am to 7pm by tickets (includes entrance to sites - St. Michael’s Cave, Monkey’s Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Military Heritage Centre, ‘A City Under Siege’ Exhibition and Moorish Castle). Facilities closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Adults £10, children 5-12 years: £5, children age 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.
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The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Guide Line Promotions Ltd, La Bayuca, 21 Turnbull’s Lane, Gibraltar. Tel/Fax: (+350) 200 77748
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