The Gibraltar Magazine May 09 by Rock Publishing Ltd

interviews • arts • dining • finance • leisure • property • history • business • health

ibraltar magazine the

May 2009

Vol.14 No. 07 FREE

It’s Barbecue Season

Are you Frightened Yet?

At Home in Gibraltar The Boys are Back The End of the Beginning? and much more...

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interviews • arts • dining • finance • leisure • property • history • business • health

photo: Warren Vassallo

gibraltar the

May 2009

Vol.14 No. 07 FREE

magazine

It’s Barbecue Season

Are you Frightened Yet?

At Home in Gibraltar The Boys are Back The End of the Beginning? and much more...

The Classic Cars Rally (see article page 40) Volume 14 Number 07 • May 2009 The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by Guide Line Promotions Limited, PO Box 561, PMB 6377 113 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel or fax (+350) 200 77748 E-mail: gibmag@gibraltar.gi www.TheGibraltarMagazine.com Editor: Andrea Morton Copyright © 2009 by Guide Line Promotions Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine. Subscriptions £35.00 per year.

Magazine & website archived by the British Library

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

features 9 Poles Apart € 16 What is there to do in Gibraltar? 22 John Ritchie: Smiling Through 26 Political Evolution: Maurice Xiberras 30 Joe’s Fascinating Life 38 The Butterflies of Gibraltar music & arts 42 Photography at the Gibraltar Art Gallery 60 Freedom of Expression 63 Let’s Dance leisure & activites 34 Challenge 4 Ben 62 Shopping & Beauty 66 Half Marathon Man 73 What’s On May 76 The Real Deal: blues band 78 The Boys are Back € 80 Leisure & Tuition 94 Clubs & Activities Guide health & beauty 56 Health & Medical Directory regulars 74 Puzzle Page 92 Around Town information 68-69 City Centre Map 98 Gibraltar Information

44 46 48 50

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Property Overview: growing confidence € Wall Space: Seas of Light Outdoor Living: furniture Outdoor Living: Sizzle with Style, Contemporary Class Treading the Boards Light Fantastic Make Room for the Kids It’s Curtains for You Home Advice: Insure to be Sure

business & finance 8 Business & Finance Guide 12 The End of the Beginning? 14 Reaching the Summit € 18 Are You Frightened yet?: The EU and

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20 Corporate Events 32 25 Years of Success history & heritage 24 Escape from Gibraltar € 36 The Man Behind the Painting 70 Shopaholic Princess Adored the Rock 81 No Laughing Matter food & drink 82-91 82 The Perfect Barbecue € 86 Wine Column: the Chianti Code 87-90 Restaurant & Bar Guide 91 Beer Garden Barbecues

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

business & finance profile adventure

John Harrison’s

Poles Apart

by Frankie Hatton

One of the things that often strikes me about Gibraltar is the absolute diversity and cross section of people we seem to be home to. I’ve interviewed people who have spent virtually their whole lives on this six kilometre square lump but at some point in that time they went off for a few months or a couple of years, somewhere that seems almost at odds to their existence here. So it is with my profile this month, the man is John Harrison, probably a familiar name to many not least because his family have been in the insurance business here since 1960. John’s trip? Sailing maybe? Fishing off Sotogrande harbour? Okay, more demanding, how about the Marathon de Sables? Worse. Yes, worse. How does reaching the North AND South Poles grab you! Got your attention have I? John was actually born in Fraserburgh, Scotland but it was his grandfather’s business that brought him to Gibraltar. Originating in the UK’s Midlands his grandfather began Warwick Insurance Company and a branch opened here in 1960 called Rock Insurance. The family spent many times on holiday in Gibraltar and eventually, in the late 1970s, John himself came here to work for four years at the company. John spent four years training with Lloyd’s in London and eventually joined a company called Johnson & Higgins in Bermuda. As the Captive Insurance Manager John was in the Bermuda and the Cayman Islands for about four years before moving back to Exeter as a director of a commercial insurance brokers in the area. After years of working for other people, including family, John decided to branch out on his own and in 2000 he started the Ibex company as a response to his perception of an opportunity for growth in the ex-pat insurance market. The company now employs over 80 staff members with offices in Gibraltar, a branch in Spain and a

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

John Harrison — yes, really ... he’s in there!

new office opening in Lisbon. Being innovative in the way the company operated opened doors in Europe, notoriously difficult to do, including selling insurance through other companies. In Gibraltar, the Managing Director is Richard Hill, the policies are sold through Trafalgar Insurance Brokers and the office here is staffed entirely by local people with local knowledge and managed by Bill Pisani. The Spanish side has David Whitmore as the Managing Director and again is staffed by local bi-lingual people. I asked John how things were

“Of course with the kind of people we are it wasn’t going to be a beach trip or a weekend in Weymouth. After a bit of discussion and research we decided to canoe along the Cunene River in Angola”

mapping out with the current economic climate. “Well we aren’t sitting still, we’ve taken over two new businesses recently, one in Spain and the other in Tenerife. There are other negotiations ongoing outside Spain, as well as the possibility of becoming brokers for Lloyds being a target for the future.” Having a rough gist of where John came from and what he does I couldn’t help thinking to myself, “Where did he get the urge to walk to the poles?” So I asked him. “I’ve been taking trips for years with a group of friends. It all started about 15 years ago. We were sat around and someone suggest going on a group trip. Of course with the kind of people we are it wasn’t going to be a beach trip or a weekend in Weymouth. After a bit of discussion and research we decided to canoe along the Cunene River in Angola”. “Wasn’t that dangerous?” “It had its moments but we wanted to do things that are different, more challenging. Not extreme but I suppose in that direction. Most of our trips have been in Africa. It is still largely unexplored and natural.

adventure

John Harrison in warmer climes

“In reality I was a very keen skier as a youngster and one of the first things I did was what they call the ‘Haute Route’ which is a classic ski/walk from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn which took around 10 days. I tried parachuting for instance at the age of 18 and found I loved it — by the time I was 21 I’d done over 200 jumps. I was the same with scuba diving, only worse, because I totally love it. I was one of the founder members some 30 years ago of the Gibraltar Sub Aqua Club and have done more than 4,000 dives. I was also one of the 12 founder members of the British Hang Gliding Association and looking back at the equipment I’m surprised none of us were killed. I played a little rugby and cricket and I’ve even done some sailing being crew on the Lloyds boat Lutine on a round the UK trip.” “What was your most memorable trip in Africa?” I asked. “Well we decided to do the length of Africa in two stages. First from Cape Town to Nairobi in Kenya. Then after a break we covered the ground from Nairobi to Cairo going through one of my favourite places Ethiopia. It really is an undiscovered country, contrary to belief it isn’t so dangerous. The scenery is wonderful, in fact Lake Tana, which is a huge 100km by 90km lake, is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. The people are warm and friendly, on the whole the place is fantastic.” “So all this training in hot countries to prepare for your next trip?” “Hardly,” he answered. “We were thinking what to do next when one of the group back in April 2006 suggested we try for the North pole. Crazy maybe but we looked into it and contacted a guide called Alan Chambers — an ex Royal Marine who did the pole from Canada in 2000. Interestingly the current Governor Sir Robert Fulton was his Commanding Officer back then and he authorised the attempt on the pole. So we had a guide, we got all the equipment we would need and set off for an unsupported at-

tempt from Barneo which is a Russian Ice Base around 100 miles from the pole. “With no dogs or sled we had to carry everything, we were fit enough but mentally it was very taxing. We would find we’d walk for 10 hours and come to rest with the problem that in terms of the pole we had walked backwards.” “How is that possible?” I asked. John continued, “The geographical north pole sits where it sits but the Arctic isn’t a land mass it is just a massive sheet of ice. Subsequently this moves physically although you don’t realise it until you take your GPS readings. It took us three weeks to complete the trek and we were down to our last few rations by the time we got there. “In terms of beauty and enjoyment it was harsh. A bleak environment, we didn’t see any wildlife at all not even a polar bear which was disappointing. Temperatures were generally around -22 to -25 degrees Celsius and the only up was the fact that after being collected by the Russians (which was a skill in itself getting one of the oldest helicopters I’ve seen landed in such weather) we ended up back at the base propping the bar up until we could get our flight back out to civilisation. “One thing we did do though was meet Prince Albert of Monaco which was a bit offbeat but interesting. Then someone suggested we should do the South Pole too.” So in December/January, the Antarctic summer the group set off again with Alan Chambers as their guide. John says this was a very differ-

“One thing we did do though was meet Prince Albert of Monaco which was a bit offbeat but interesting. Then someone suggested we should do the South Pole too”

ent experience to the Arctic. The weather was colder, there was 24 hour daylight which in itself becomes a factor to deal with and mentally this was extremely challenging. “Patriot Hills, the Ice Base, is only open four months of the year because of the conditions. We had temperatures of -46/47 degrees Celsius and the ice runway for the plane is re-cut every year. The plane needs about 3km to stop so you can imagine their job every year. “The trip was tough as the scenery was always the same nothing of interest and very monotonous as well as the relentless cold. Leaving part of your skin uncovered would see you getting frostbite in 30 minutes and in one part of the journey we were told that in three days we had seven years’ worth of snowfall. It was very tough as normally the average snowfall is seven inches a year. “We made it eventually but unfortunately three of the team got frostbite, two of which have recovered the third is not so good but will recover, albeit with a physical reminder of his trip for the rest of his life. “Two days after getting to the Pole we were in Chile enjoying civilisation again. The funny things is we met Prince Albert again which was just weird but he has invited us to the Palace in Monaco for a dinner in the future.” I thought it a rather extreme way of getting an invite to a garden party but certainly novel. Finally I asked “Where do you go from here?” “Well it will take a while to recover from those trips and I’m not sure if I knew what I know now, I would have so easily agreed to do them. It was great but very dangerous. Still we are looking ahead as always, a warmer clime beckons this time so it’ll be a summer trip probably off road biking maybe the mountains of Morocco possibly Senegal.” Wherever John Harrison and his friends go you can be sure it’ll be an adventure. I wonder if he takes out insurance? n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

finance

by Ian Le Breton

Global Financial Crisis:

The End of the Beginning?

As I write the news is dominated by international summit meetings, impressive plans by world leaders to dig the world out of the financial crisis, and so on. This month I thought I would concentrate on how we got into this mess in the first place — and try to make some sense of it all. What caused it, who are the G20 anyway and what on earth is meant by “quantitative easing”? As always these are my personal thoughts, but I hope they may help to shed some light on what is happening across the world.

When I was growing up in Jersey, my grandmother always told me that the bad weather we experienced was “the fault of the Russians”. Granted this was in the late 1960s, when the cold war was at its height. But although I never understood the basis of her claims, who can disbelieve their grandmother? In much the same way, it is said that this worldwide crisis is all the fault of the Americans. Is this true? Well to an extent, one could answer yes. Certainly the way — now much criticised — that US sub prime mortgages were bundled into ever more complex securities and then sold on to banks was a major factor. Another cause was the related explosion in credit offered by banks around the world — especially in Britain and Spain — much of it fuelled by a long property boom. It all ended in tears and sadly it appears it will take several years to recover the situation. The “credit crunch” led to a complete crisis of confidence. Starting in early 2008, the bad news simply seemed to keep coming. We have seen banks failing or being taken over by governments, interest rates being slashed to near zero around the world and currencies collaps-

ing. In extreme cases the entire economies of a few countries have needed to be baled out by the IMF. The result of all this? Companies started laying off staff or filing for bankruptcy, bank credit dried up almost everywhere and a world wide recession was the inevitable result. Countries that had been experiencing incredible annual growth rates, notably China — suddenly experienced a significant drop in demand for their manufactured goods. The dire situation has been perhaps most obviously seen in the motor car

Stabilisation in the markets and indications that banks are lending again leads me to be (very) cautiously optimistic

industry where some of the largest manufacturers in the world are now facing massive cutbacks or even closure. So it was against this picture of worldwide doom and gloom that the G20 summit was held in London in early April. What is the G20 and did the meeting achieve its aims? Formed in 1999, the G20 aims to give developing nations more of a voice in running the global economy. Its members include the eight leading industrialized nations (the G8) and 11 emerging market and smaller countries. Spain is not actually a member but was also included in the London summit, such that the delegates together represented almost 90% of the world’s economy. The summit was judged to have been a success — not least because an agreement was reached whereby a further US$1 trillion can be made available in various ways to stimulate the otherwise moribund global economy. In other words, the world is aiming to spend its way out of recession. The dangers of inflation returning are obvious but, in the meantime, the world must start spending (and borrowing) again.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

finance A trillion is an almost unimaginable figure — even using the American definition whereby a trillion is one million million (that’s a one followed by 12 noughts) — and is a vast international commitment. Already concerns are being raised in the UK about the massive national debt that is being created and the ability of the taxpayer and the government bond market to sustain it. We have heard much of the term “quantitative easing” in recent months. Most recently used in Japan in the early years of the decade, it refers to the creation of a significant amount of new money by a central bank to stimulate an economy. The central banks add this cash by buying up large quantities of securities from banks, thereby providing them with new money to lend. Put more simply, it is an indirect method of printing money. This does not necessarily mean that there are many more £50 pound notes out there, but the effect on the economy should be the same. Once again, however, it will all need to be paid for at some time in the future. We have already seen other actions by governments in Europe, the US and elsewhere in recent months. Interest rates have been slashed, except in those countries such as Iceland where this has simply not been possible. Domestic interest rates are directly related to the value of a country’s currency and this has therefore been a major factor in the fall of the pound against the euro in particular. Having said that, the eurozone is also in deep recession — some countries such as Ireland more so than others. For us in Gibraltar we can only hope that the pound recovers quickly from the near one to one rate we are currently getting when we need euros to spend

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

in neighbouring Spain. As I have written before, Gibraltar is to some extent less affected by the world crisis. The size and nature of our economy means that property prices have not collapsed and of course we are seeing a larger number of shoppers attracted by the relative fall in the exchange rate. But as local shopkeepers have pointed out, many goods in Gibraltar are sourced in Spain and of course must be paid for in euro. So the effect is not as positive as we might think at first glance. Couple that with cutbacks in several Gibraltar firms and one can see that even for an economy like ours with many more positive factors, the reverberations can still be felt. So will all this action by governments around the world actually work? No-one believes that everything in the garden will be rosy any time soon, but it is encouraging to see at least some green shoots in certain places. Stabilisation in the markets and indications that banks are lending again leads me to be (very) cautiously optimistic. There are difficult times ahead to be sure but this crisis is, above all, one of confidence. There is no doubt that we are seeing more government

Gibraltar is to some extent less affected by the world crisis. The size and nature of our economy means that property prices have not collapsed...

intervention in the financial markets than ever before. If this can be translated into a more positive sentiment and attitude across the world, we might just start to see things turn for the better. As Sir Winston Churchill once said about another world crisis: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Let’s all hope so. n

n Ian Le Breton is Managing Director of Sovereign Trust (Gibraltar) Limited. Tel: + 350 200 76173 Email: ilebreton@SovereignGroup.com

business

Reaching the Summit

As part of the agenda for the G20 summit, stimulus packages and further spending were high on the list of priorities, the American administration for one hoping to pursue and achieve the agreement of all parties involved to further spending as a way of delivering the world from the grasp of the continuing recession. Although observers around the world will have had different opinions on the success or otherwise of the summit, one thing is certainly clear: the governments of the world’s leading nations have found a common focus and, notwithstanding the perhaps limited benefit emanating from such talks, it is undeniable that the Summit could be a starting point from which the world’s economies can work to cure the various and serious ailments of the world’s financial system. There is widely held consensus that restarting the housing market and driving small business through greater investment and the unfreezing of credit will form two key aspects of any successful recovery plan. Important as the G20 Summit was in a world context, the eve of the summit played an even more significant role for Gibraltar than the summit itself. It was in London, on the occasion of the attendance by top US officials to the Capital that Gibraltar entered into the first tax information exchange agreement with the United States of America, a move which was entirely unavoidable yet wholly beneficial for Gibraltar as the prestigious financial centre it has become in recent years. The pomp and circumstance of the signing of the treaty between our Chief Minister, Peter Caruana, and the Head of the US Treasury, Timothy Geitner, must certainly have come as somewhat of an unexpected bonus for our Government which, not being able to script it

by Selwyn Figueras, Isolas

The G20 summit in London a few weeks ago was the first opportunity world leaders have had, since the arrival on scene of the economic crisis, to come together round the table under the world’s spotlight, where a clear focus and dogged determination to set the world on a new course towards a new age of prosperity, sustainability and growth emerged.

any better themselves, were presented with the golden opportunity of sitting the Chief Minister and the Head of the US Treasury together at the same table, American and Gibraltarian flags side by side, to enter into the historic arrangement. The first of a number of tax information exchange agreements which Gibraltar will enter into with other countries during the course of the coming months, the American agreement will see Gibraltar’s removal from a list of uncooperative jurisdictions which was brought into existence by the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act in 2000. The local government has confirmed that a further eleven agreements will be entered into with governments of other countries, bringing the total number of agreements to twelve in the near future, at which point it is expected the OECD will then remove Gibraltar from a recently published blacklist of jurisdictions. Some criticism has been levelled at our Government for having taken too long to enter into the tax information exchange agreement with the US and that, in fact, Gibraltar was one of the last jurisdictions to enter into this arrangement with them and, further, that the local Government had no choice but to sign up

Considering it was the first agreement Gibraltar was signing, we couldn’t have hoped for any better publicity, at a better time than the G20 summit

as the time frame for doing so was shortly to expire. While it may be true that the list did in fact come into existence in the year 2000 and that many of the countries on that list entered into tax information exchange agreements with the US very shortly thereafter, it is also true to say that Gibraltar was, at the time of the publishing of the list, a very different animal to what it is today. With the loss of the exempt company, our victory in the European courts in respect of our independence in fiscal matters, in addition to the imminent arrival on scene of our new flat rate corporate tax scheme, Gibraltar has fallen squarely within the lines of an internationally recognised and accepted finance centre with modern regulation, cooperation and compliance with all relevant international directives and regulations from all manner of international bodies. Furthermore, it is clear that Gibraltar was never, for one reason or another, ever in the cross hairs of the American Government’s sights, which was in fact trained on jurisdictions which had caused the fleeing of American jobs to other, mostly Caribbean, offshore jurisdictions like the Cayman Islands or the Bahamas. This move will no doubt prove to be another significant step on Gibraltar’s journey towards international acceptance as a legitimate and cooperative financial jurisdiction. Considering it was the first agreement Gibraltar was signing, we couldn’t have hoped for any better publicity, at a better time than the G20 summit. To suggest that the circumstances of the signing could have been brought about at the insistence of anybody but the Americans is ridiculous in the extreme and, frankly, if publicity like that should ever fall into our laps again, we’d be fools not to take it. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

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finance

WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN GIBRALTAR?

The Victoria Stadium (pictured) at Bayside and the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre have added a whole host of new facilities to Gibraltar’s leisure sector from ice-skating to rock climbing

What is there to do in Gibraltar? Much more than meets the eye. And more is coming. And soon!

People, especially the youth of Gibraltar, often complain it is boring here and can’t wait to move to or look elsewhere. Firstly, they are wrong if they cannot find recreational activities. A bored person is often a boring person. Certainly, he or she may be lazy and not willing to go out, find and enjoy what there is to do here. But expectations should be realistic. This is a small place, the size of a small market town in England where, typically, people travel to one of the larger provincial towns for much of their entertainment, so their own town is dead after 5.30 at night and often during the day too if it is also a dormitory town (where the work force finds its employment elsewhere too). But these same people would probably not cope with the stress of living and working in a big town and therefore be unable to enjoy what is on

CHARLES GOMEZ& COMPANY

offer there. Indeed, it is often observed that most Londoners, after a day’s work, simply crawl back to the suburbs and watch television. And as for those who consider living here and remark how small it is and short on leisure facilities, they too should be realistic. Alternatives like the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are

Whatever support is needed to cope with life, there is someone willing to form a group and put themselves out to help

hardly the world’s most exiting places. The government sponsored leisure investments are absolutely superb. The new sports hall and the former GASA swimming pool are great places to enjoy sports and swimming. The numerous health clubs from the one at the Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay right round to South District, including the top-class ones at Ocean Village and Atlantic Suites, mean everyone is within walking distance of one. The new leisure centre at King’s Bastion, right in the town centre, has an even newer and very affordable state-ofthe-art gymnasium. Further, at the King’s Bastion, there is an ice rink and bowling alley and two cinema screens with frequent changes of up-to-date releases to enjoy. Afterwards, or during, there is a decent café and bar in which to relax and watch oth-

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C l e a r S imple Legal Advice 16

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

leisure ers. Indeed you do not have to spend a fortune getting out and mixing or meeting others for a coffee. Even when not planned, you will meet friends at Queensway Quay, Marina Bay, Ocean Village, Casemates or Main Street. The number of self-help groups in such a tiny place is truly amazing, many as off-shoots of UK organisations; some less so. Whatever support is needed to cope with life, there is someone willing to form a group and put themselves out to help. On the Arts front, there are numerous associations although often headed by a prominent activist, always welcoming to newcomers and completely approachable. Of course the performances and exhibitions, in a variety of venues, are not of top international quality, but come pretty close to some West End performances, if not sometimes better. As for politics, there can be no other place on the planet where politics is rife with strong view points and differing opinions, very much focused on very everyday issues of current concern, be it a planning issue or item of government expenditure. And the views of outsiders with experience elsewhere are generally heard. The only people who seem to walk in Gibraltar are the tourists and day-tripping cruise ship visitors. Others should leave their great big tanks at home and try walking like people did when the frontier was closed for a generation. It’s a crying shame that those Botanic Gardens, which once were for the pure and exclusive enjoyment of the Governor’s wife and her lady

guests, and maintained with considerable love and at much expense, are simply ignored by all generations now. Dating by the young should be there, not under a bus shelter. And the old can get off the bus (Number 4) at Governor’s Meadow House, to gain easier access without the steps. The numerous hidden, or semi-hidden, pleasures of taking detours, on foot, away from Main Street, Queensway or Line Wall Road, are there to be explored and enjoyed. And think of this cheap way of improving your health! The architecture of Gibraltar is varied, interesting and colourful, and is in danger of such underappreciation, that the next generation will not protect it. Outsiders looking for a more superficially glamorous life-style in some sort of up-market ghetto, better get out a bigger (much bigger) cheque book and go elsewhere. If, instead, they want a real community with everything to hand and never a feeling of the isolation that can be seen on the faces of well-heeled women shopping aimlessly in SuperCor at Sotogrande, and even in the boutiques of Sloan Street, Brompton,

The numerous hidden, or semi-hidden, pleasures of taking detours, on foot, away from Main Street, Queensway or Line Wall Road, are there to be explored and enjoyed

Marylebone High Street and Fulham Road, Gibraltar has much more to offer than cheap fuel, cigarettes and fish & chips. Better shops are slowly emerging. More restaurants have opened and more are coming. New hotels will follow. The new airport will make access to Gibraltar from more destinations possible and driving in, less of a congested experience. n

Paul de Beresford is a UK-qualified tax practitioner specialising in residence & domicile re-location and can be contacted by email at beresford@ gibtelecom.net or on 200 400 93 or his office in Main Street (by appointment).

AI International Couriers Ltd 11 Engineers Lane PO Box 532 Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 73775 Airport office: (+350) 200 41076 Fax: (+350) 200 74389 email: gibsn@dhl.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

finance

by Marcus Killick – CEO Financial Services Commission

“

History shows that generals, Each time they go to war, Talk about the one ahead But fight the one before - Anon

”

Are you frightened yet? The European Union and the post crash regulatory challenge

In a speech earlier this year the UK FSA’s chief executive, Hector Sants said: “There is a view that people are not frightened of the FSA, I can assure you that this is a view I am determined to correct. People should be very frightened of the FSA.” In the 20 plus years I have been involved in financial service regulation I doubt that I have ever been frightening, nor has it ever been my wish to. Irritating, I am sure; stubborn, without a doubt; wrong, absolutely, but frightening? Yet if we remove the rhetoric and the recriminations evident in so many reactions to the current crisis, it is clear that the regulatory world has changed and so, inevitably will the FSC’s approach to supervision. Some we will do of our own volition, others will be imposed from outside. From a Gibraltar perspective the first significant set of imposed changes are likely to come from Brussels. There were already a number of financial services related directives in the pipeline. These include the implementation of the Payment Services Directive and a change in the solvency requirements for insurance companies, the so called Solvency II Directive, which is due to be implemented by the end of 2012. To these can be added the post crisis changes. We have already seen an increase in the minimum depositors’ protection scheme to Euro 50,000 with a future further increase to 100,000. However the most significant of these are likely to come from the implementation of the EU commissioned report issued in February this year by the High-Level Group On Financial Supervision chaired by former IMF Managing Director and ex-Bank of France Governor Jacques de Larosiere (the Larosiere Report). The Larosiere Report contained a number of

recommendations on improving financial services regulation in the EU. It began however by assessing the causes of the current economic crisis. This included an analysis of the regulatory, supervisory and crisis management failures. One of those failures was an over reliance on a bank’s own risk management capabilities. Others included insufficient supervisory and regulatory resources with an inadequate mix of skills as well as different national systems of supervision. The Report recommended a number of improvements which, if carried out will see significant changes to the supervision and regulation of firms in Gibraltar. The first of these is a fundamental review of the way in which capital adequacy requirements are set for banks. The current requirements, known as Basle 2, underestimated certain risks and over estimated the banks ability to handle those risks, so failing to prevent the crisis. The report recommends that banks be made to have more and better quality capital. A capital “cushion” will be required to be built up in times of

The Report recommended a number of improvements which, if carried out will see significant changes to the supervision and regulation of firms in Gibraltar

growth which then can be used during the next deterioration. This will reduce risk but will spell a permanent end to the era of cheap credit. Those banks that trade for themselves as well as their clients (known as propriety trading) will have even higher capital requirements. Board members, particularly bank board members, will be scrutinised more closely to ensure they have the necessary competence to fully understand the firms activities, especially where the firm is engaged in complex financial activities. Regulators and supervisors will also have to be appropriately trained. A further recommendation for EU wide action, concerns hedge funds. In Gibraltar these are primarily formed using Experienced Investor Funds. If the recommendations are implemented these funds will come under greater oversight, particularly the larger ones for which the FSC will need to understand and assess their strategies, methods and leverage. We do much of this already but will have to conform to any precise requirements imposed upon us by the EU. Furthermore, following Madoff, we are likely to see more detailed obligations concerning the appointment and role of depositories and custodians Similarly any new requirements concerning remuneration and, in particular, bonuses in order to prevent them from inducing excessive risk taking will need to be adopted as will any requirement for larger firms to have an independent risk management function which the FSC will, in turn, be required to regularly inspect. Given the limited number of financial institutions here whose failure would have a systemic impact, a number of the more onerous likely obligations will not be required here as they are specifically aimed at such firms.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

finance Penalties for market abuse such as insider trading are likely to be harmonised across the EU. Depending on the harmonisation point the enforcement powers and punishments for such activities may become greater in Gibraltar. It also appears that the role of EU wide bodies in the supervisory process will be increased. Whilst the proposal of an EU wide regulator has been broadly rejected, a body (or bodies) whose role is to detect and deal with risks at an early stage is recommended by the Report. In addition to this the report sets out proposals for a “European System of Financial Supervision” (ESFS) to coordinate the application of common high level supervisory standards and guarantee strong cooperation between supervisors. This would involve the creation of three European Authorities: a European Banking Authority, a European Insurance Authority and a European Securities Authority. The Report emphasises that, as with national regulators, the ESFS should be accountable to but independent from political authorities. Indeed the need for regulatory independence is again made clear in the report. The impact of this focus on independence in Gibraltar will be limited as the FSC is already able to exercise its judgment and powers independently with respect to the enforcement of prudential and/or conduct of business rules and we are able to make our own independent judgements (e.g. with respect to licensing, on-site inspections, offsite monitoring, sanctioning, and enforcement of the sanctions), without being improperly influenced or overruled by the firms under supervision, Government, Parliament, or any

other interested third party. • Ensuring the consistency of prudential supervision thereby avoiding the risk of unfair Under the Report’s proposals the FSC would competition between supervised entities; continue to remain responsible for the supervision of domestic institutions. Passported firms • Evaluating the organisation, processes, would also continue to be supervised by ourcompetences and independence of the FSC selves together with the relevant home or host through peer reviews. These evaluations supervisor. However the new Authorities would would take place frequently; carry-out a number of new, specific tasks such • Ensuring that the FSC meets the necessary as the licensing and direct supervision of some standards, by being able to challenge the perspecific EU wide institutions, such as credit formance of our supervisory responsibilities, rating agencies; whether for domestic or cross-border firms, They would also have powers over the FSC and to issue rulings aimed at ensuring that we and other national EU regulators including: correct any weaknesses that may have been • Resolving disputes between the FSC and other identified. national supervisors; In extreme circumstances they would be able • Having the ability to take part in on-site in- on a temporary basis to acquire the duties which spections carried out by the FSC; the FSC was failing to discharge. These proposals are at an early stage and • Ensuring a true level playing-field for all cross-border institutions and facilitate the remain recommendations. However the momonitoring of the systemic threats they mentum being built up makes some, if not all, of the proposed changes inevitable. pose; Many of the EU proposals are sensible, yet I still fear we are in danger of simply gaining the tools to fight the last crisis. The next (and there will be a next) may be totally different in cause and nature and some of the measures taken now may exacerbate rather than assist the problem. Of course immediate action must be taken where urgency dictates, however some of the proposals are structural and can be done in a more measured way. However the political imperative to be seen to do something may prove irresistible. Let us hope that the “something” is not a supervisory Maginot Line. n

These proposals are at an early stage and remain recommendations. However the momentum being built up makes some, if not all, of the proposed changes inevitable

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events

Duncan and Naomi of Colorworks with Alistair of Cafe Solo

Charles Simpson of Triay & Triay with Cyril and Ludo of Newton Systems

Peter Isola with Naomi of Colorworks

Adrian and Suyenne Lima of Easi Print with Pete of Colorworks

Colorworks Media Centre Inauguration Last month Colorworks Media Centre was inaugurated in Irish Town. Well attended by the local business community, the event made for a relaxed and pleasant evening, highlighted by the attendance of the Chief Minister. Managing Director of Colorworks Design Ltd, Duncan Quigley said on the evening “We are so delighted to have everyone here tonight to celebrate our recent expansion. The last 12 months have been extremely exciting for us as a company, and although times are uncertain

Jeff Harding with Duncan Quigley of Colorworks

from a financial perspective globally, I think that our creativity and commitment to the interests of our clients, are testimony to the fact that a fair, hardworking approach to things, can carry you through.” Local advertising and marketing agency Colorworks Design Ltd became part of the Bland Group at the end of last year, and shortly afterwards undertook the stunning refurbishment of the old Blands Travel shop. The complete redesign of the site needed to incorporate a spacious client reception area, open plan graphic design studio, signage and print production workshops and a private meeting room, to facilitate all the requirements of the expanding company and their clients. The opening of Colorworks Design Ltd’s

Steven Davenport of the Rock Hotel

new Media Centre in the historical Cloister Building, has made an eyecatching yet sympathetic improvement to the beautiful colonial property, which is due for external renovation this spring. n

The opening of the Media Centre in the historical Cloister Building, has made an eyecatching yet sympathetic improvement to the beautiful colonial property, which is due for external renovation in the spring GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

events

Justine meeting and greeting

the PointONE boys

Justine and staff at PointONE

Learning New Skills at the PointONE Training Centre

PointONE launched its new training centre last month opening its doors for local organisations to view the facilities and discuss the range of courses now on offer. Owner/Director of PointONE, Justine Grimwood, who has been on the Rock for 18 years, and her Training Consultant Marie Rowe, identified the need for personnel to expand their knowledge as the local business sector has grown rapidly in recent years. Her decision to set up an enterprising ‘office solution service’ early last year has proved extremely successful, “Gibraltar has been experiencing tremendous growth in its economy and being such a desirable location more companies

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

are finding a base here. This becomes even more attractive when organizations are able to source locally based, highly qualified employees.” PointONE’s training is unique as it is in conjunction with the prestigious PITMAN Training brand — training based on solid, proven international standards. The European Computer Driving Licence is now becoming standard throughout Europe, and PointONE is the approved centre for this qualification. Candidates can undertake this training on a flexible basis to fit in with their timetable. Justine has also launched training courses for technical areas such as Health and Safety, and with new large projects planned throughout

Gibraltar over the next few years, launched Prince 2 Project Management and Risk Management Courses last month. With the addition of professional HR qualification CIPD, Financial Training such as AAT, ACCA and CIMA, they are able to offer more than 125 courses. Justine and Marie feel strongly that every individual has the right to learn new skills within their local area, and not feel intimidated or unsuitable. “Our centre is open to corporate clients, but is also open to people of all ages and skill levels, you will always be made to feel welcome and we will take time to discuss with each candidate to see what they want to achieve. We take the time to listen”. n

John Ritchie: Smiling Through The Credit Crunch, changing trends, steep prices or the simple feeling of ‘time to move on’ have their effects on businesses everywhere. Prestigious institutions are closing down, but not the Imperial Newsagency, opposite the Convent in Main Street, in place since 1919.

They say laughter is the best medicine, well perhaps that goes a long way to keep a business afloat during the lean times and probably, all the time. John Ritchie, the man behind Imperial, has outbursts of laughter practically every time he speaks! For the past 10 years John has been running Imperial, and always with a smile. “When I left the Army I took a year off and started to get bored. This business came up for sale and I went for it.” John says it’s been a steep learning curve, for him and wife Monica who was still teaching at the time, taking on board something they knew very little about. The Adamberry family had been running the store for many years and many still refer to it as such. “Yes that’s right, sometimes we’re serving someone and his or her mobile goes off and they’ll say, ‘I’m here at Adamberry’s’. It can niggle you a bit when it’s now a decade or so since we’ve been running the place.” But it is a fact, the Adamberrys were here for many, many years before John came on the scene. “This store was run or owned by a Mr Smith who had it as a silverware shop and the Adamberry boys’ father, Mr Adamberry, was employed here. He later became store manager and I suppose when Mr Smith moved on the Adamberry family, took over.” The rest is pretty much history. At some stage it became a newsagent, and there it still is today. But the personality behind the counter nowadays, who can often be found in his little ‘retreat’ at the back of the store fiddling with

his computer, has really been an army chap for much of his life. John hails from the south of the Rock — a place called Shorthorn Farm, where many of Gibraltar’s sea pilots lived in the ’50s, ’60s and beyond. “That was my dad, he was the pilot. I used to love playing in the gutter at the bottom of the estate with my Dinky toys and I can tell you we used to have great fun. There were no Play Stations then. We played outside in the open and enjoyed it.” After attending St Jago’s School John remembers working for Cellovision in the mid ’60s. “I used to do drawings for adverts, like a bit of a designer really. I remember one of the jobs I worked on was for Van Heusen shirts. Freddie

For the past 10 years John has been running Imperial, and always with a smile. “When I left the Army I took a year off and started to get bored. This business came up for sale and I went for it.”

Ryman and John Barea were my tutors.” Keeping his hand in the world of creativity and performance John became very interested in drama. School productions, Group 70, St Mark’s Youth Club and later the Gibraltar Regiment Drama Group were to take up his spare time. Even Shakespeare got to him. “I have done some acting during all those years involved with different groups but directing is what I was most interested in. With the regiment we won several awards and we did well.” Thespian John, in later years, attempted to raise the interest in drama on the Rock once again when he formed the Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association (GADA), John’s final foray into the world of play acting. “Although slow in getting off the ground, we got it started. The group was strong and I decided to move on. I don’t like the idea of hanging on in committees. I felt it was time to allow new blood take over.” Army life was something Major Ritchie (his rank on retirement) was to find quite fulfilling. “I did my National Service like everyone else and found it interesting. I was quite laid back and I don’t think I was particularly good during those four months of training. As I had done my National Service during the winter months, I can remember not being able to come to terms with our summer uniform when I joined the Permanent Staff. I just couldn’t get it right. “When I joined full time, the Permanent Cadre, there were just about 45 soldiers, that’s

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

business all in those days. It was very different to today; so much had changed by the time I left ten years ago.” John’s task in the regiment involved training the intakes, and those coming in for their 15 day compulsary stint. “I then went off to the School of Infantry at Hythe on a tactics and skill-at-arms course for four months, and on my return was put on the 9.2 gun up the Rock. Nothing to do with what I had gone away to train for!” But training was to become John’s experience in the main and working his way through promotions, made it to WO1 (RSM) and on commissioning to Regimental Training Officer. After a number of other posts he retired as 2 I/C — second in command of the Regiment. He recalls, “But the most rewarding appointment was OC G Company, the Regiment’s first regular Company. Here, apart from training, I was responsible for over 100 full time soldiers. That was a great time.” He’s always loved his Dinky (no longer in production), Corgis, and Matchbox, die cast toys and model-making with Airfix models and the like, so they’re now on sale in his shop. There have been changes since the Adamberry days! Greetings cards, some confectionery, plenty of stationery, magazines (good sellers) and of course local and UK newspapers — cheaper than in Spain and Sunday papers in the UK! “We were selling cigarettes also at some stage but individuals coming in asking for Winstons put us off the idea so we dropped the cigs. Now of course we have the ‘no smoking campaign’ so we’re not keen to be seen promoting the habit.

We’re also enquiring about replacing plastic bags with a ‘greener’ substitute.” The local environmental groups should be quite content with those objectives. The business is run by John and Monica and two young assistants. But finding really good staff has not been an easy task. “When we opened, my niece Jean joined us and stayed for nine years. She virtually ran the shop for me. We’ve been very lucky by and large with our staff. And now we’re very happy with Kris and Jenny who always smile at the customers but are terrible at aircraft and ship recognition when selling models! “I remember one chap who was asked by a customer for a full lottery ticket. He proceeded to rip the ten shares down the middle and handed the gentleman five of them thinking that lottery tickets were sold like raffle tickets that are ripped off from the identical number that

John has set his sights on publishing ‘A History of the Gibraltar Regiment’. “The idea is for the name of every single individual who served since way back when, to be included”

remains in the book. The man was not pleased. No, what I find most difficult when dealing with unsuitable staff is firing them. That is not a pleasant job.” Perhaps what makes Mr Ritchie happiest of all is his Morris JB classic car which took him four years to restore, at a cost of £3,000, and he loves to show it off at every opportunity — it’s his pride and joy. “It was an old delivery van left abandoned in Capurro’s Garage. I managed to contact the owner and he let me have it. It took me about four year’s to restore but it’s doing well.” You’ll sometimes see the olive green van, emblazoned with “The Imperial Newsagents” livery, at rallies, Morrison’s car park or parked outside the shop in Main Street when Amco is not ripping up our roads. “Yes, and we sometimes go on one of our outings to Spain. There are about 40 members in the Classic Car Association and vehicles must be at least 25 years old.” Enough to keep him busy? You would have thought so, but John has set his sights on publishing A History of the Gibraltar Regiment. “That’s right. I’d like it out to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Regiment. It’s my own idea and now that Monica is retired she’s giving me a lot of help with the project. The idea is for the name of every single individual who served since way back when, to be included.” With all that on his plate John is slowly coming round to the idea of retirement — more time for leisure and family. The Ritchies have two sons, Bryan who is an IT specialist, and Leigh, who is an airline pilot. n

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www.quadconsultancy.com 00 350 200 44517 email: career@quadconsultancy.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAy 2009

Escapefrom Gibraltar history

by Reg Reynolds

Coggeshall isn’t a name you would expect to strike fear into the hearts of men but an American privateer of that name terrorized British merchantmen during the American war of 1812-14

Much has been made of how the fledgling US Navy proved more than a match for the all-powerful Royal Navy during the war which started when an American army invaded Canada. The US Navy did score several memorable victories but in truth it was the privateers like Coggeshall who inflicted the greatest damage on British shipping. Throughout the conflict American privateers ranged the oceans of the world from the east coast of America to the Bay of Biscay and even as far as the China Sea. In the four years of the war they took a total of 1,350 prizes and by 1814 were, on average, capturing three merchantmen per day. George Coggeshall of Milford, Connecticut was different to most privateers — the two vessels he commanded, the David Porter and the Leo, although heavily armed and commissioned to capture and destroy enemy ships, also performed conventional merchantman duties, carrying commercial cargo and sailing for set destinations. Coggeshall had gone to sea when he was 13 and when war broke out he was 28 and had been a captain for three years. He relished taking the role of privateer in order to avenge his father who had been a successful shipmaster but was ruined during the American Revolution by the repeated confiscations of his cargoes by the British and the French. The youngish Coggeshall did his best for his father and country, using the superior speed of his Baltimore Clippers to advantage. Once the slower merchantmen had been overhauled boarding parties were sent aboard to subdue the crews and secure the cargoes. In this way Coggeshall captured dozens of merchant ships and relieved them of millions of dollars of cargo, all the while eluding warships of the Royal Navy. As the war neared its end so did Coggeshall’s freedom of the seas. On 1st December, 1814, off the coast of Portugal the Leo came across a fat prize in the form of a fully laden English packet. Normally it would have been an easy catch but as the Leo set to make chase under full sail her foremast snapped. Captain Coggeshall recorded the event in his journal: “I have no doubt that the mast was defective and that it should have been renewed before leaving port; and to this circumstance I attribute all the misfortune attending the cruise.” Coggeshall had little choice but to make for Lisbon for repairs. This would turn out to be a mistake. The Leo took on a Lisbon pilot and

Captain Wise, trusting the word of a gentleman, said they could travel without guards if they pledged not to attempt to escape

was riding into harbour with the tide when she was challenged by the 38-gun frigate HMS Granicus. Wrote Coggeshall: “We were all removed to the frigate and the schooner taken in tow for Gibraltar.” On arrival at Gibraltar the crew of the Leo was dispersed and sent to England in different ships. Coggeshall and his first and second lieutenants were kept as prisoners aboard Granicus in preparation for examination by the Admiralty Court of Gibraltar. The Captain of Granicus was named Wise but in respect to the custody of his main prisoner he proved rather unwise. “Captain Wise was a fine gentleman and always treated me and my officers with great respect,” recorded Coggeshall. “We messed in the wardroom, and I had a stateroom to myself and was as comfortable and happy as I could be in the circumstances. I used to dine with Capt. W. almost daily; he frequently said to me, ‘Don’t feel depressed by captivity, but strive to forget that you are a prisoner and imagine that you are only a passenger’.” When it came time for Coggeshall and his lieutenants to face the Admiralty Court Captain Wise, trusting the word of a gentleman, said they could travel without guards if they pledged not to attempt to escape. Coggeshall was happy to oblige for he had a plan and he took the opportunity to investigate the town. “We then (after the questioning) took a stroll about the town for an hour or two, returned on board and reported ourselves to Captain Wise.” For the next day’s examination Captain Wise made Coggeshall and the lieutenants the same offer — no guards in return for a pledge not to escape. This time Coggeshall replied, “You had better send a guard sir.” The Admiralty Court resumed where it had left off the day before by continuing to question one of Coggeshall’s lieutenants. This meant that Coggeshall and the other lieutenant were left in a holding room guarded by four Royal Marines — a lieutenant, a sergeant and two regulars. Apparently believing there was little risk of escape, the Marine lieutenant left his post. Seizing the moment Coggeshall approached the sergeant and invited him for a glass of wine. Leaving the two regulars behind, the sergeant, Coggeshall, and his lieutenant, repaired to a nearby wine shop which happened to have

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

history doors opening onto two streets. While the dozy sergeant stood guard at one door Coggeshall slipped out the other telling his lieutenant to follow and meet him at a designated spot. Coggeshall waited for ‘some minutes’ but his lieutenant failed to appear and so he set off on his own. Because his naval uniform was similar to that of the Royal Navy he was able to blend in with the crowd. “My dress was a blue coat, black stock and black cockade with an eagle in the centre. The eagle I took to remove and then it was ‘tout a fait’ an English cockade, and I had much the appearance of an English naval officer.” Coggeshall made his way to Land Port Gate where he was accosted by numerous watermen offering to convey him to his ship. He gazed out over the vast array of shipping in the harbour and spotting a Norwegian flag turned to a likely boatman and declared, “That is my ship.” Once aboard the merchantman he found the captain an agreeable conspirator. “I will be your friend,” vowed the old salt. “I will protect you. I was once a prisoner in England, I know what it is to be a prisoner. Rest assured, my dear sir, I will do all I can to assist you.” The Captain gave Coggeshall a pea-coat and fur cap transforming him into a Norwegian seaman. That evening the Captain returned from the town to report on the clamour and confusion that had been caused by Coggeshall’s escape. He told him the whole garrison was searching every hole and corner of the Rock. Coggeshall’s

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

two lieutenants had been placed in confinement and the Marine lieutenant had been arrested. Coggeshall spent the next day aboard the Norwegian vessel but was anxious to get to Spain. The Norwegian captain traded nightly with Spanish smugglers and that evening he arranged for a gang of contrabandistas to take his ‘brother’ ashore. “The gang that brought me to Algeciras was about 20 in number all armed to the teeth with long knives, pistols, swords etc., and had no doubt made their arrangements during the day with the officers and sentinels that were to mount guard that night.” Once in Algeciras Coggeshall sought out the house of the retired former US Consul to Gibraltar, Horatio Sprague. “He was of course surprised to see a man of my appearance walk boldly into his parlour. I soon, however, explained that I was not exactly

Because his naval uniform was similar to that of the Royal Navy he was able to blend in with the crowd. “I had much the appearance of an English naval officer,” he wrote...

what I appeared to be, that I was an American in distress, and throwing off my great fur cap and pea-jacket, looked somewhat more American.” Sprague invited Coggeshall to join him for breakfast and the two men hit it off immediately. They became friends and went horseriding together. One evening a young Englishman from Gibraltar joined them for dinner. Unaware he was sitting opposite the ‘man of the hour’ he told them Coggeshall’s escape had caused much excitement and speculation and the popular belief was that the Marine lieutenant in charge of the guard detail had been bribed. Coggeshall had sailed to Spain often as a young man and knew the country well. After two weeks with the Spragues he decided it was time to go. He set off for Cadiz, dressed as a Spanish peasant in order to avoid being attacked by brigands. Two months after making Cadiz, Coggeshall sailed to Lisbon. From there he embarked on a Portuguese ship for America and on 19th May, 1815 arrived at New York. The war was long over, having ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent on 24th December, 1814 (taking effect on 18th February, 1815). Coggeshall returned to a lucrative commercial life at sea until his retirement in 1841. An avid reader and keeper of journals he wrote several books including a History of American Privateers. George Coggeshall sea captain, privateer and escape artist, died on 6th August, 1861, aged 77. n

interview

by Mike Brufal

Maurice’s father Jose Xiberras, with his Model T Ford which he called El Natilla

Maurice Xiberras:

Maurice, as Minister, entertains Aurelio Montegriffo, member of the Opposition

Political Evolution

Maurice Xiberras was born on the Rock on 14th November 1936, 14 years ahead of this brother Peter. His grandfather had come from Malta to seek a new life in Gibraltar and acquired a gharry, the horsedrawn forerunners of today’s taxis, and in time was able to own race horses. Jose, Maurice’s father, became a gharry driver at the age of 12, and pushed the Services laundry his mother did at home on his bike up to Windmill Hill and was a stable groom. Jose then began riding his father’s horses. As a jockey Jose was above average and rode against Gordon Richards, Charlie Smirke and Steve Donaghue. Amazingly, some of the horses used to pull the gharries, race and were rented out to officers to ride, especially with the Calpe Hunt. Unfortunately Jose had a riding accident and lost his nerve which ended his jockey career. During the war Jose worked in the Old Quarry where he learned about the combustion engine and this set him on his way to acquiring five taxis in wartime Gibraltar. In 1935 Jose married Kitty Reyes who, up until then, was an unqualified teacher, teaching for many years at the Jewish School, one of her star pupils being Joshua Hassan. Many years later the political paths of Joshua Hassan and Maurice were to converge. Although Kitty gave up teaching to devote her time to her husband and children, Gladys and Maurice, she instilled in them the incalculable benefits of education and the attractions of the teaching profession. She succeeded as both became teachers. Kitty and family followed the traditional evacuation route to London where Maurice recalls a horrifying experience during a bombing raid. His mother then left the Government evacuation scheme and moved to Torquay to share a house with the Montegriffo family. Aurelio Montegriffo, many years later, was able to say in Gibraltar’s House of Assembly that he had held Maurice in his arms as a baby! Perhaps it was also fate that sent Maurice to Torquay as many years later one of his greatest political friends in the UK’s House of Commons was Sir Frederic Bennett, MP for Torquay. Maurice was introduced to the delights of reading at play school in London. Eventually the family rejoined the repatriation scheme and

returned to the Rock on the SS Stirling Castle. Maurice’s education continued in Gibraltar at the Sacred Heart School under the legendary Victor Scaniglia — a man who walked with a limp, aided by a stick, and with a leather strap stuck into his belt around his ample stomach. Victor was a committed teacher and many of his pupils passed the ‘11 Plus’ and went on to Grammar School at Plata Villa in Witham’s Road. Maurice walked to and from school and used the long walk to conjugate his Latin verbs and revise other essential parts of his homework. By chance his father had a contract to drive the Christian Brothers (the teachers) from their home at Sacred Heart to Plata Villa which led Maurice’s fellow pupils to think he had inside knowledge of what was going to happen at the school. Alas he did not. His father also used to drive the nuns to Chipiona for their holidays where they would go swimming in their long habits.

He just made the deadline and when asked which university he would like to apply for, replied that he had only heard of Oxford and Cambridge

Xiberras had no academic pretensions but was instead besotted with sport — hockey, football, cricket, basketball and athletics. He did minimal homework and rarely prepared for exams. His idea of heaven was to spend his spare time playing football with a tennis ball in a small space between the Naval grounds. His comrades in academic and sporting arms included Eddie Ellul (his future brother-in-law), Pepe Holliday (on occasion), Albert Brookes, Tito Chincotta and Richard Patterson. Maurice’s A levels were taken in 1955 and, by chance, all the bright scientists fared badly. He found himself the pupil at the top of the examination table but thought nothing of the honour and even less about the possible Gibraltar Government scholarship to university. On the final day an application could be made he was playing cricket when Charlie Cavilla came up to him and said “You must rush up to the office in Irish Town and apply”. He just made the deadline and when asked which university he would like to apply for, replied that he had only heard of Oxford and Cambridge. The civil servant advised him to try somewhere else and jocularly asked him what is the capital of Scotland. He replied Edinburgh and that is how he came to be awarded the Gibraltar Government scholarship to read Spanish and Latin at Edinburgh University. This decision revolutionised his life and he became an “intellectual” the day he arrived. He left the Gibraltar Grammar School with the ethos engrained by the Christian Brothers that all their pupils were the intellectual cream of Gibraltar society who must dedicate their lives to improving life in Gibraltar and above all serve the community. Grammar School pupils

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

interview were the future leaders of Gibraltar. As an Irish religious order the Brothers also subconsciously inculcated the thought that life in Gibraltar should be Gibraltarian rather than merely ape the English. Before going to university Maurice completed his national service with the Gibraltar Defence Force under the wise guidance of Colonel Charlie Norton, Domingo Collado and Frank Carreras. Joe Pitaluga, later to be a member of the Gibraltar delegation in the Starsbourg Process, beat him to win the much coveted Willy Thomson Key. Ironically, years later Maurice was the Minister responsible for negotiating with Governor, Admiral Sir Varyl Begg, for the abolition of conscription and the GDF and the creation of the Gibraltar Regiment. As part of his university degree, Maurice spent a year in Madrid on his government scholarship where he deepened his lasting appreciation of Spanish culture and literature. At Edinburgh, he was awarded a First Class Honours degree. A successful application was made for a Commonwealth scholarship, intended for a Master’s Degree in Education at Belfast, but this was scaled down as he required a teacher’s certificate in order to join the profession. At the back of his mind was a return to the Rock to make a difference to the education system. Maurice’s first teaching job was at Downside School in the UK, and at the end of his year, headmaster Dom Wilfrid Passmore, offered him a considerable financial inducement to join the permanent staff. He declined and returned to Bristol University as a lector and was soon promoted to assistant lecturer, while working on a prospective PhD thesis: Progressives and Traditionalists in early 20th Century Spain. Fate intervened when his father broke his legs in a motoring accident and so he returned to Gibraltar. In 1962 he became the first lay teacher in the Grammar School, although Alfredo Hermida taught art. He became Vice President of the Gibraltar Teachers’ Association, and was involved in organising a one-day strike for parity of wages with the UK. In addition to teaching he helped out with the sports teams and played football, cricket and hockey for the Grammarian Association. As the crisis with Spain unfolded, the Grammarian Association, with Felix Pizarello as chairman, decided to defend Gibraltar in a quasi-political manner. It was among the first lobbying groups and provided the first intellectual forum on the Rock. During 1967-68 some

Maurice entertaining a TUC delegation which includes Vic Feathers and Jack Jones

100 speakers from Westminster, Fleet Street and the Coast flew out to address its members and engage in lively discussion with wide audience participation. In 1967 Maurice married Shirley Ann Torres and they had two sons: David, later a teacher, who served with the Royal Marines Reserve for 15 years ending up as a Captain, and Paul who was a gifted amateur footballer. Around this time the Pro Integration Movement was formed and the original members, besides Joe Bossano, included Julio Gonzalez,

As the crisis with Spain unfolded, the Grammarian Association, decided to defend Gibraltar in a quasipolitical manner. It was among the first lobbying groups and provided the first intellectual forum on the Rock

IWBP delegation to the 1968 Constitutional Conference which, with the help of Sir Frederic Bennet MP, resulted in the Preamble to the 1969 Constitution. Bob Peliza, Julio Gonzalez, Maurice, John Cardona (glasses)

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Maurice in 1970, presenting Vic Feathers, Chairman of the UK Trade Union Council, with a Gibraltar plaque

Henry Busto, Roger Walker and Jose Toss (Bossano’s uncle). Maurice, as a consultant along with fellow teachers Eddie Picardo and Alfie Guerrero, rewrote the manifesto drafted by Bossano and Busto. With Bossano having left for the UK the Pro Integration Movement began to look for candidates to contest the General Election. The Integration with Britain Party (IWBP) was very much a party of the Left, advocating parity of living standards with the UK. Bob Peliza was brought in to lead the party as he represented the Centre. Xiberras joined the IWBP executive committee in 1965 risking disciplinary proceedings (as Civil Servants, teachers were debarred from political activities). The consensus was that the British Government was getting soft on Gibraltar so many believed the Gibraltarian identity could best be protected through integration to make the ties indissoluble. In 1968 Maurice was a member of the IWBP team at the Constitutional conference chaired by Lord Shepherd. He also became a close friend of the IWBP constitutional adviser Sir Frederic Bennett, the Conservative MP for Torquay. Bob Peliza encouraged Maurice to leave his job, join the IWBP and stand in the 1969 election. This meant a considerable sacrifice as he had no private means, a wife and one son, and lived in a teacher’s flat which he had to vacate. He was also encouraged to make this dramatic move by Conservative MP, Sir Harry Legge

interview

Gibraltar’s politicians entertain a visiting CPU delegation at the Rock Hotel

Bourke, who told him that although he had a great future as a teacher this must be given up for the greater good of Gibraltar. At the time, members of the Opposition earned £20 a month but it was possible to find a job to augment this small stipend. In the election he came second to Bob in the Opposition section of the poll and after the alliance with the Isola Group was appointed a Minister on a monthly salary of £52.50 . He became the first full time Minister largely because of the fraught labour situation and his responsibilities included Labour, Housing and Social Security. By 1970 he was the de facto deputy Chief Minister and deputised for Bob in his absence. Bob called a snap election in 1972 which became known as the contest of the ‘Big Lie’ — Bob misjudged the mood of the electorate and lost. In Maurice’s view, Bob Peliza was correct in his interpretation, since there was irrefutable evidence, which has been strengthened by later publications, that Sir Joshua was willing to consider ‘a Lease’. In 1972, now in Opposition, he was given a job by Albert Ramagge in Ramajim on £20 a week but with the bonus he could take time off to deal with his political workload. Maurice recalls his friendship with the Moroccans alongside whom he worked and with Matthew Ramagge who often stood in for him. At the same time Bob Peliza left local politics and moved to the UK leaving Maurice as leader of the Opposition. During the 1974/75 season he became the coach/manager of the Gibraltar Hockey Association which was the most successful period in Gibraltar’s hockey history. The team beat Switzerland, Austria and Wales and drew with England and Poland. The IWBP split in 1976 due largely to the infamous Roy Hattersley press conference when the British Minister ruled out any prospect of integration. Back from the UK, Joe Bossano had entered the House of Assembly as an IWBP member, and had taken a prominent part in achieving parity of wages with the UK alongside Jose Netto and Bernard Linares. Groundless rumours were started that Maurice was about to follow the Government line and agree to a loosening of British sovereignty. By this time Xiberras had

decided, for family reasons, to leave the Rock. He says he told Joe Bossano that when this happened he would like him to take over the leadership. The party would then move from slightly Left of Centre to the extreme Left. Ironically, after Maurice had prepared the ground for parity of wages whilst Minister of Labour. Bossano dramatically struck the nationalist stance which bordered on the anti-British — Xiberras was adamant he would not go down that road, and accepted that the IWBP was split irretrievably and the IWBP was dissolved within site of an election victory. In the 1976 election Bob Peliza, Peter Isola and Maurice Xiberras stood as Independents whilst Bossano stood with his newly created Gibraltar Democratic Movement. Sir Joshua topped the poll with Maurice second with 6,029 and Bossano fifth with 5,021. With four GDM members in the House, Bossano was appointed Leader of the Opposition. But during 1977 Bossano lost the support of his elected members, who left the GDM and, together with Bob and Peter, voted for Maurice to become Leader of the Opposition. As Leader of the Opposition, Maurice accompanied Sir Joshua Hassan, the Chief Minister, to Strasbourg to start the eponymous process; this involved meetings with the Spanish Foreign Minister, Marcelino Oreja, in Paris and London as part of the British delegation, the first official Spanish Government recognition of Gibraltar’s

Throughout his political life, aside from the Spanish Government’s attempts to subjugate Gibraltarians and to obtain sovereignty over the Rock, Maurice sees the biggest danger as those who advocate independence for Gibraltar and its inhabitants

elected representatives. Dr David Owen was the youthful Foreign Secretary. Determined not to give an inch on the sovereignty issue, including agreeing to negotiations on sovereignty with the post Franco Government, Maurice found himself in bitter and even personal behind the scenes confrontations with Dr David Owen and Sir Joshua Hassan, who were already making overtures to begin discussions on sovereignty with the post Franco Government. Maurice says he was determined to hold Sir Joshua for as long as possible without airing their differences believing this was the most effective way. In 1977 the Chief Minister first put forward the ‘three flags two voices’ solution. Douglas Hurd purports he was the originator of this phrase but this was claimed by Sir Joshua in a 16 page document of which eight were about the proposals, the rationale being that the British Government was about to leave Gibraltar. The ‘three flags’ phrase was code for nominal joint tripartite sovereignty. Xiberras was instrumental in the formation of the Democratic Party of British Gibraltar went on to win six seats — Peter Isola, Gerald Restano, Bob Peliza, Wille Scott, Tony Loddo and Andrew Haynes — in the 1980 election. His family situation being no longer tenable, Maurice resigned in 1979 and left Gibraltar. He returned to teaching and after a spell in Ealing moved to Hampton School where he spent 12 happy years before retiring in 2002. He became a Combined Cadet Force contingent commander and was instrumental in getting the Lady Eleanor Hollis School to join the CCF. This brought females into the single sex school which is now a leading UK secondary school. Hampton School also funded Maurice’s six-year training as an analytical psychotherapist and he continues to practise in retirement. Xiberras decided to stand again in the 2003 election and joined Daniel Feetham’s Labour Party. This was his last shot to place Integration on the political landscape. The electorate thought otherwise and he lost his deposit. Since then he has been a close follower of Gibraltar politics and has contributed many articles, letters and interviews to the local media. Throughout his political life, aside from the Spanish Government’s attempts to subjugate Gibraltarians and to obtain sovereignty over the Rock, Maurice sees the biggest danger as those who advocate independence for Gibraltar and its inhabitants. Since his participation in the 1968 Constitutional Talks, he says he realised independence or potential independence would mean the end of Gibraltar’s relationship with the United Kingdom. He cannot conceive a future for Gibraltar without the close relationship with the UK. Xiberras says he has great admiration for the present Chief Minister for his conduct of foreign affairs, now that he has turned away from previous thoughts of a ‘Dovish’ nature — Peter Caruana has successfully developed the theme of Gibraltar for the Gibraltarians outside of independence. If integration is now impossible, unless the UK Parliament is able to conceive a different relationship with its Overseas Territories along integrationist lines, then this is the best alternative, Maurice feels. “The British future of Gibraltar is even more important than integration, and Caruana has made it more secure than it has ever been.” n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

MAY 2009 Date Fri 01 Sat 02 Sun 03 Mon 04 Tue 05 Wed 06 Thu 07 Fri 08 Mon 11 Tues 12 Wed 13 Fri 15 Sat 16 Sun 17 Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Mon 25 Wed 27 Thu 28 Sun 31

Vessel ETA ETD Pass Capacity From To Saga Ruby 0800 1400 British 665 Palermo Lisbon Princess Danae 1400 2100 International 420 Casablanca Portimao Thomson Destiny 0800 1700 British 1595 Funchal Cartagena Amadea 1200 1800 German 584 Cagliari Portimao Corinthian II 1300 1800 American 114 Casablanca Seville Atlantic Star 1300 1900 Spanish 1200 Lisbon Casablanca Thomson Spirit 0800 1800 British 1214 Malaga Casablanca Ventura 0800 1330 British 3100 Alghero S’thampton Grand Princess 0800 1700 American 2600 Ajaccio S’thampton Oceana 0830 1400 British 1950 Alicante S’thampton Coral 1630 2030 International 756 Tangier Ibiza Braemar 0730 1400 British 750 Dover Ibiza Crown Princess 0800 1700 American 3100 Casablanca Barcelona Thomson Destiny 0900 1800 British 1595 Portimao Malaga Atlantic Star 1300 1900 Spanish 1200 Lisbon Casablanca Seadream II 1800 2200 American 110 Indep. of Seas 0900 1600 International 3600 S’thampton Cagliari Spirit of Adventure 2000 2359 British 420 Malaga Oporto Arcadia 0800 1330 British 1968 Zakinthos S’thampton Kristina Regina 0800 1900 Finnish 245 Almeria Malaga C Columbus 0700 1300 German 400 Cartagena Tangier Nat. Geo. Explorer 0900 1500 American 148 Motril Portimao Queen Mary 2 0800 1300 International 2620 Lisbon Civitavecchia Voyager of Seas 1100 1900 International 3114 Lisbon Cagliari Queen Victoria 1230 1800 International 2000 Ajaccio S’thampton Atlantic Star 1300 1900 Spanish 1200 Lisbon Casablanca Ventura 0800 1330 British 3100 Cartagena S’thampton Discovery 1200 1800 British 751 Almeria Cadiz Coral 1700 2030 International 756 Alicante Tangier Oriana 1230 1800 British 1975 Valencia S’thampton Azamara Journey 0900 1700 American 700 Barcelona La Corunna Atlantic Star 1300 1900 Spanish 1200 Lisbon Casablanca Coral 1630 2030 International 756 Tangier Ibiza Bleu de France 0800 1300 French 600 Malaga Ajaccio Aurora 0800 1330 British 1975 Corfu S’thampton Total Number of Vessels calling this month = 35

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

interview

by Sonia Golt

Joe’s fascinating life

In Gibraltar, because we see each other around town on a day-to-day basis, we think we know each other, but what we often really know is just the very basics of each person, and little more. It is not often we sit and listen to other people’s stories and in this interesting profession of journalism, it is a privilege to get to know people better — every person has a story to tell! In this interview, we talk to Joseph Caruana, Entrepreneur, Politician, Casino Croupier, Singer, Social Worker and Painter. Joe has decided to document his story and share it with us all in his book Spirit of the Phoenician. On the back cover of his book, soon to be launched, he expresses the following sentiment: “It is often said that young persons who leave their homeland for far-away places do well, this is true in Gibraltar and this is such a story, it is not typical because of the chances and changes I took as a young man. It was a fast life. Nothing was planned, nothing was manipulated, it just happened.” Joe’s family comes from Malta and in his book he gives a biographical account with historical notes on his family. The story starts with a mythical account of the Phoenicians as the

possible ancestors of the writer and journeys through time. As it says in the book, Malta, “fatherland of the Caruana’s and Phoenician colony, the stronghold of the Knight Templars,” and home of the “adventurous Maltese people who travelled the Mediterranean as did the Phoenicians with some of them luckily ending up on a tiny Rock called Calpe, in the Bay of Carteia, or the bay of the high mountain, Gibraltar, which is where our restless story starts and finishes.” “The story of the ‘Said’ and ‘Caruana’ families takes us to Port Said, in Egypt, the birth place of the writer’s father and home of his grandmoth-

er’s relatives at the time when the Suez Canal was being built and for long after.” It is a story that also takes us to War-torn London during the Blitz and the peaceful countryside of Northern Ireland, then onto the school scenario in Gibraltar after the wartime repatriation. Joe’s career happened by pure coincidence and as he puts it, “It started by being ‘usefully misemployed’ as a junior electrician that ended with an engineering career in Mechanical Tool Design. Then an unexpected visit to glamorous Billingsgate Fish Market led to the opening of the first retail outlet for frozen fish

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

interview in Gibraltar.” In the book, his “first and only”, he takes us through his personal joys and tragedies abroad. He talks about his work in Gibraltar, especially when he started the first drug rehabilitation centre, Camp Emmanuel. The book is richly illustrated with photos never seen before and quite a revelation. We asked Joe how the idea for writing a book came about? “My brother, Bishop Caruana, had been urging me to write my life story. He thought, with all my travels, I had lived an interesting life, therefore I should put all of this down on paper, if only as a point of interest to my family, my grand- and great grandchildren. So this was the intention in the beginning — just a ‘family story’.” So if it was a family history originally, what else is in the story line now? “The story is really about my family, starting from my great grandparents of Maltese origin on the Caruana side. However, as a young man I had a fantasy that we must surely be descendents of the Phoenicians, the great sea-farers and merchants who travelled all over the Mediterranean. Somehow I saw my family mirrored in this exotic and romantic background. Therefore, I thought I would start the book with the title Spirit of the Phoenician and begin with the oral tradition of how the Caruana’s came to be in Gibraltar. “I saw a very romantic love story in the travels of my grandfather Guisseppi (Joseph). He fell in love with a young girl in Egypt, in what became Port Said. The ‘Said’ were businesspersons,

suppliers of water and provisions to the work force in the project of the building of the Suez Canal. They owned the barges and tugs that anchored in a bay which became known as the Bay of the Said. ”In the 1860s, a port was built in the proximity of the Bay of Said, known as ‘Port Said’, built by an architect called Batha Said. My grandfather wanted to marry his girlfriend, however she was too young and her parents insisted she wait until she came of age. My granddad then came to work and live in Gibraltar leaving his love behind. “When the time came, he crossed the Mediterranean once again to fetch his bride. They married in Malta and came back to live in Gibraltar. Here they had three children. Grandma was homesick and wanted to visit her parents in Port Said. They travelled once again the full length of the Med. “When the time came to return to Gibraltar,

“My granddad then came to work and live in Gibraltar leaving his love behind. When the time came, he crossed the Mediterranean once again to fetch his bride. They married in Malta and came back to live in Gibraltar”

they could not as there was an epidemic and both Port Said and Alexandria were quarantined. They stayed behind for many years until the epidemic was over. My dad was born during this period! Dad was about 10 years old when, finally, they returned to Gibraltar. This was my grandpa’s fifth crossing of the Mediterranean.” Joe, now you have taken up writing, what do you hope to achieve as a writer? “I hope to achieve several things. The first is a story for the family; the second is to put straight the record of the Political intrigue that went on during the 1969-1975 era, a milestone in the political history of Gibraltar. I would like to vindicate the position of the Integration with Britain Party during the ‘Big Lie’ Election of 1972 and at the same time the good name of Bob Peliza who was my Chief Minister at the time.” Joe’s editor has been Jennifer BallantinePerera and because of the heritage value of the story he says he hopes to “get a grant from the Ministry of Culture and the Museum Heritage Trust.” The book will be published late May or early June and a part of the proceeds will go to charity — 50% to Nazareth House. We wish Joe lots of luck with his project. Gibraltarians have very interesting ancestries and in a way, we owe it to our children and children’s children to inform them of where their family background lies. Joe’s book is an example to be followed. May we see many other great family surnames in Gibraltar explained in print for future generations to learn more about their family’s history. n

Gibraltar Association of Stockbrokers and Investment Managers For information on the member firms of GASIM who provide investment and stockbroking services to private individuals, company managers, lawyers and accountants visit

www.gasim.gi GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

business focus

25 years of

success

Group 5’s 24 hr control room

Security guard on duty

Safety deposit boxes

As superintendent in the Royal Gibraltar Police, Hector Payas had a great career cut out for himself, so it came as quite a surprise to his colleagues and superiors when he decided to take a leaf out of Sinatra’s book and “do it my way” as he aptly puts it.

That was back in the early ’80s, and this month, Group 5 is celebrating its 25th anniversary — a company which Hector set up in 1984. Initially on his own, sharing an office and secretary with a friend in rented accommodation on Irish Town, the business has grown over the years to incorporate just over 50 employees. “I remember when I employed my first security guard,” said Hector thoughtfully. “Early on, I was approached by Galliano Bank which has now been taken over by Jyske Bank, to handle some of the secure transport. After that I was asked to take on Bailiff duties by the court. It all snowballed after that.” Hector makes no bones about the reputation he has in Gibraltar as being a hard handed person with a hard handed business, so I was quite surprised by the relaxed and quite jovial atmosphere in the office, both from him and his staff. “There’s no point in letting life get you down, and I always try to see the humorous side of things,” Hector pointed out. “Although work is work and it has to be done, all our staff work hard and enjoy it too. Many companies have a hands on boss, but I like to think I’m a hands and feet on boss.” He chuckled as he lent back and placed his boots on the table to demonstrate the fact. To be fair Hector and his staff

have worked hard over the last 25 years to take the business to where it is today. Still offering the original services of detective work and cashin-transit, the company moved to Leon House in the early ’90s where it now offers, amongst other things, a 24 hour manned control room adjoining a large two floor security deposit room at their head quarters in Leon House — the only one in Gibraltar — which also deals with installation of burglar alarms, fire alarms, panic buttons, CCTV systems, door entry systems and traffic barriers which are all hooked up to their central control room. They always have a roaming guard on patrol and any incident is relayed directly to him from the control room, and Group 5 is always promptly on the scene. By the very nature of the business, the Group 5 team find themselves regularly dealing with people with problems and they do try to help clients rather than lay down the law, often through their loans department which can step in to offer a solution. “Our debt collection department doesn’t immediately repossess property from defaulting persons if payments are overdue and, in many cases, even when there’s a court order in place,” Hector explained. “We invite the person involved to come in and talk to us first and we try to find out what the

“Many companies have a hands on boss, but I like to think I’m a hands and feet on boss.” GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

business focus problem is. Usually we are able to offer a solution to resolve the issue through our different services. For example, extending them a loan so they can make an urgent payment and buy them some time to find their feet.” This company philosophy came into play early on, when Hector was asked by the court to act as bailiff to repossess property from people defaulting on their hire purchase agreements. On one occasion he visited a client to discover they owed just £800 and were about to lose their property because of the debt. He personally lent them the money and what could have been a disaster situation from the hirees point of view, was amicably resolved. Hector saw the potential to help people in these dire situations, applied for a money lending licence and added the service to the company’s portfolio. Today the company successfully helps both individuals and companies re-finance when the need arises.

“We are extremely client orientated, and although sometimes we have no option but to go down the last-resort route, we make every effort to find a way to help. Unfortunately, many people only hear about the hard handed side to the business — like clamping!” Hector told me with a glint in his eye. “Well, if you park on private land when you know you’re not supposed to, you can’t really expect to be rewarded for it, can you?” As Hector jokingly took a call from someone code-named ‘009’, I wondered how the company handles situations which don’t have a solution and repossession is the only option. “We do try to avoid that scenario at all costs, but it inevitably happens,” Hector mused. “But even so, we don’t go about our job in a nasty way. We’ve had several situations where a home has been repossessed and we have offered our garage so they could temporarily store their possessions while

“We are extremely client orientated, and although sometimes we have no option but to go down the last-resort route, we make every effort to find a way to help”

Hector Payas, Director of Group 5

they found somewhere permanent to live. So, even in these cases we’ll try to go the extra mile to help. “Obviously it is a traumatic situation for many people and we do have to deal with some quite aggressive people. I’ve had people in the past threaten to kill me, but I just ask them to get in the queue — it wouldn’t be fair on all the others who have been waiting longer!”

The key to Group 5’s success seems to be in its approach to not just giving a service, but in adapting that service to the client. So just remember, if you do get a knock on your door from a security guard handing you a court or other document, those same people might just be able to give you some professional guidance and help, backed up with over 25 years of experience. n

24hr Vault - Security Boxes. 24hr Central Security Section. 24hr Alarm Monitoring Service. Provision of Security Guards. Protection of Persons and Properties. Clamping Service - Private Property. Cash and Valuables in Transit. CCTV and Alarm Installations. Investigations. Solicitors Enquiry Agents.

DETECTIVES & SECURITY INTERNATIONAL LTD G R O U P

SECURITY

IT CENTRE RED

Ground Floor, Leon House 1 Secretary’s Lane Tel: 200 73377 Fax: 200 77856 Email: detectives@gibtelecom.net

FIRE SECURITY ELECTRICAL

Gib Eye GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Credit Centre. Loan Facilities and Debt Collection.

25 CELEBR

AT I N G

YEARS

events

Rotary Club supports

Challenge

Ben

Rotary Club of Gibraltar has announced its support for the launch of Challenge4Ben which was established in memory of Benjamin Poole, RM who died on 28th July 2008 whilst on exercise to become a member of the UK Special Forces. His father, Nick Poole, has for many years been connected to Gibraltar and has enlisted the support of the Rotary Club and Joint Forces Gibraltar to promote the ethos of Challenge4Ben. Throughout his life, Benjamin always set himself demanding challenges. At College he was one of only a handful of students to complete seven ‘Round the Island’ annual walks in Jersey. He graduated from university in 2003 and was offered a place at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, but decided to sign on with the Royal Marines. He successfully passed out of training, won the Charnock Trophy for marksmanship and was also awarded the ‘King’s Badge’ for the 812 King’s Squad. The King’s Badge is awarded to the best all round recruit in the squad and carried on the left shoulder in every rank throughout one’s military career. The ultimate aim of Challenge4Ben is two fold. Firstly to encourage people of all ages to undertake some form of demanding personal challenge that requires commitment, courage and stamina - mental or physical, and secondly to raise funds via these challenges for worthy causes. Nick Poole has set himself a challenge to single-handedly sail to Gibraltar from Jersey in his 18ft Drascombe Lugger, Rozelle

“In Gibraltar all funds raised through challenges will be divided 50% to a charity of the fundraiser’s choice and 50% to ‘Help for Heroes’.” 34

to arrive at Ocean Village early in September for a Grand Arrival Ceremony. He will be accompanied by a rib and the 1800 mile journey is expected to take between 7-9 weeks. The President of the Rotary Club, Bea Adams, said “In Gibraltar all funds raised through challenges will be divided 50% to a charity

Nick Poole, single handedly sailing form Jersey to Gibraltar in an 18ft Drascombe Lugger

of the fundraiser’s choice and 50% to ‘Help for Heroes’ as we did with the Joint Forces Open Day in November.” To make a donation or to register

your challenge please email: julie@ mossfon.gi or telephone Julie on 200 47764. Information can also be sourced from Bea on 54010278 or 216 24120 n

suspense and emotions in a 3 day local production shot on location Producer Martin Nuza has been busy with his latest short film for Gold Productions Studios called Sui Caedere. Shot on location in an old hotel in San Roque over the period of three very extensive days, the film is set in an old country mansion at the turn of the century. The film tells the story of a young woman who misses her beloved husband in the loneliness of her big, isolated mansion. One night, she starts hearing strange noises and begins to feel she’s not alone. Suddenly, a mysterious woman wearing a bride’s dress starts to haunt her. Scared and helpless, the young woman runs and hides while trying to find out who the bride is, but what she doesn’t know is that the bride’s identity might be linked to her own past. Martin Nuza chose Gibraltarian actress Kathryne Estella to play the main role of the young woman, mainly for her talent in acting and interpretation. “I am very pleased that Kathryne agreed to play the main role, as the story flows emotionally with her first class dramatic and emotional portrayal of the young woman. Her determination was overwhelming and she

gave us 100% throughout the three days of shooting. She is a very talented young woman indeed,” he explained. The ten-strong cast and crew members literally lived in the real haunted mansion in San Roque during those three days, working nonstop and around the clock. “It was very creepy, as we were making a suspense, mystery film inside an actual haunted house where more than one of us heard unexplained noises and felt strange presences. The temperature would

drastically drop and all of the sudden it would be ice cold on set whilst seconds later it would be normal again. In a way this gave the actresses that extra help of realism to their roles,” Nuza says. The film is based on an idea by Ms K. Estella and Ms S. Mcphillips, directed by Mr F. Gabaldon and co-starring a new and aspiring young actress called Ms Virgina Aguirre Amaya. Further information at www.goldps.com or sending an email to Martin Nuza at martin@goldps.com n

“It was very creepy, as we were making a suspense, mystery film inside an actual haunted house where more than one of us heard unexplained noises and felt strange

presences”

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

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“Victory Towed Into Gibraltar”, painted in 1853 by Clarkson Stanfield

Clarkson Stanfield:

The Man Behind the Painting Christmas was three weeks and two days away when Clarkson Frederick Stanfield was born in Sunderland on 3rd December, 1793, but twee talk of the lad being an early Yuletide gift for his parents, James and Mary, was muted by the fact that he was the fifth child of that union. The novelty had long worn off.

Jim and Mary were an artistic pair. James Stanfield was born in Dublin in 1747, and his first ambition was to be a priest. He went to France, though goodness knows why, when Ireland was bursting at the seams with seminaries. It was futile. Youthful Irish testosterone, priestly ambitions, and the worldly temptations of Paris do not mix. Somewhere along the way he failed the medical, and the celibate life was out. He moved to Liverpool and found a job on a slave trader’s ship, only to find himself disgusted by its activities. Odd, isn’t it? A little like a man attending a boxing match who reels out of the venue horrified and clearly shaken, muttering, “Good Heavens, I didn’t realise the fellows actually HIT each other!” The blinding revelation that Africans were actually people, and that kidnapping them and selling them in the market place like freshly harvested vegetables was wrong, drove James into the ranks of the abolitionists. Wondering what to try next, he took stock of his talents. He could talk the hind legs off a donkey, and

he could fashion a sentence in speech and on paper. The answer was obvious — he took to acting and writing. He met and married Mary Hoad, who supplemented her meagre acting income by giving painting lessons. No doubt she tried very hard to get children 1 to 4 wielding the brush, but it

Due either to nostalgia for his abortive naval career, or to fool people into believing that it had been longer and more adventurous than it was, he started painting maritime scenes in oil

wasn’t until young Clarkson was born that she finally scored a hit. He not only enjoyed painting, but showed a precocious talent for it, so at the earliest possible moment he was shipped off to Edinburgh to work as an apprentice for an artist who specialised in painting coats of arms. Skilled work, but repetitive and tedious. Clarkson suffered the boredom for two years, and then fled, signing on as a cabin boy on a merchant ship. He was just 15 years old. Four years later, in 1812, the press gang slipped him the King’s shilling in an unguarded moment, and he woke up with a sore head to find himself in the navy. Afraid of bringing such disgrace upon a fine theatrical family, he took to calling himself “Roderick Bland”. In late 1814, due either to bumbling incompetence, or a sudden blinding flash of brilliance, he fell out of his ship’s rigging and made himself unfit for service. The navy discharged him, but did not refund the shilling. Keenly miffed, he signed on to a merchant ship bound for China, and was away for a year. Back in London in

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

art history

by Dave Wood 1816, his apologists say that he signed on for another trip but for unexplained reasons the ship never sailed, leaving him terminally unemployed. Yeah, right. In 1816 the London docks were full to bursting with merchant ships so desperate for crew that they would take on a one-legged blind man as lookout, and the failure of one ship to sail put Clarkson Stanfield chronically out of work? It seems far more likely that either word had got around among the capital’s captains that Stanfield was about as much use on board as a chocolate fireguard, or that he was swinging the lead. Whatever the case, his maritime career was over, and he took to earning a crust by painting scenery for theatres in London’s east end. At least he was no longer in danger of drowning, except in debt. In 1818 the 24-year old theatre backdrop dauber married Mary Hutchinson. She bore him two children — a son, Clarkson William, and a daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Sadly, shortly after the birth of their daughter in 1821, Mary Hutchinson died. Stanfield waited until late 1824, or early 1825, before marrying again, this time more successfully. His new bride, Rebecca Adcock, gave him ten more children — eight boys, and a couple of girls. Their second son, George Clarkson Stanfield, is a bit of a nuisance for historians. He inherited his father ’s painting skills and, talented but lacking originality, painted the same kind of pictures. Consequently, the works of the son are frequently confused with the works of the father. Suspicious, really. George Clarkson Stanfield may have legitimately carried his father’s name, but it was not compulsory to use it. Had he simply signed his works “George Stanfield” rather than “George Clarkson Stanfield” the confusion would not have arisen. Either he was very proud of his dad, or he wanted people to become confused and buy his paintings thinking they were his father’s work. For by the time George was old enough to be painting professionally, his father was widely renowned. Theatre owners loved him for two reasons. His paintings were of high quality, and he worked lightning fast and tirelessly. The speed with which he could knock off an impressive piece of evocative scenery became legendary. But he began to branch out. Due either to nostalgia for his abortive naval career, or to fool people into believing that it had been longer and more adventurous than it was, he started painting maritime scenes in oil. He met another painter named David Roberts. The two became friends and rivals, and in 1823 they were jointly hired to provide the scenery for the Drury Lane theatre, a state-of-the-art establishment illuminated by the new-fangled gas lamps. It was Stanfield who truly impressed, as a Times review of 27th December 1828 showed. After a few harsh words about the inadequacy of Drury Lane scenery before the arrival of Roberts and Stanfield, the reviewer described the improvement as “nearly miraculous”, and placed most of the credit on Stanfield who, he said, brought “every necessary qualification”

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to the scenic department: “a knowledge of light and shade which enabled him to give to his scenes great transparency and a ready and judicious taste for composition, whether landscape, architecture, or coast, but more especially for the last.” I am uncomfortably aware that, up until this point, I have been sorely taxing the patience of my readers. “Yes, yes, yes,” I hear them say, “that is all well and good, Mr Wood, but what does this have to do with Gibraltar?” Thank you all for your forbearance, which is about to be rewarded. One of the Drury Lane productions featured the story of Lord Nelson, and Stanfield’s scenery was particularly impressive. The Times reviewer wrote, “The view of Lord Nelson’s ship the Victory, is the most gorgeous specimen of naval architectural painting that we ever saw… The view of Gibraltar, bristling with fortifications is uncommonly fine. It exhibits an extent of space… and a grandeur of elevation which seem to say ‘I am invulnerable’.” As a painter of scenery, Stanfield was going from strength to strength, but few galleries were given to hanging theatrical scenery on their

He rapidly gained a reputation, and his maritime pictures drew the greatest praise. In 1829 he became president of the Society of British Painters, and by 1834 he was finally able to give up his day job

walls, and fewer people still were eager to buy them. Stanfield was eager to establish himself as a “real” artist, and alongside his day-to-day work for the theatre, he steadily increased his easel work. It was a shrewd move. He rapidly gained a reputation, and it was his maritime pictures that drew the greatest praise. In 1829 he became president of the Society of British Painters, of which he had been a founder member six years before, and by 1834 he was finally able to give up his day job. No more painting the scenery for Drury Lane, although he did go on painting backdrops for the remainder of his life, but only as a favour to his friends. He had found his niche, and since it was a very profitable niche, he sensibly burrowed deeply into it and stayed there. He travelled widely across Europe, but although he was an inveterate sketcher, he stored most of what he saw in his head until he could get back to his studio and get it down on canvas. Two of his paintings are of particular interest: The Battle of Trafalgar, painted in 1836, and especially, Victory Towed Into Gibraltar, from 1853. By all accounts, Clarkson Stanfield was a man of great charm and irrepressible humour who made friends easily. One of his closest friends was the author Charles Dickens. The two met in 1837, when Stanfield was 42, and Dickens only 24, but despite the difference in age, the two men remained firm friends until Stanfield died in 1867. In fact, Dickens was one of the last people to visit the artist on his deathbed. The celebrated creator of David Copperfield and so many other immortal characters was moved to write of his friend, “He was the soul of frankness, generosity and simplicity. The most genial, the most affectionate, the most loving and the most lovable of men. Success had never for an instant spoiled him.” In 1842, Dickens and Stanfield had visited Cornwall with a couple of friends, and Dickens remembered the trip for the fact that he had seldom laughed as much in his life — mainly due to the antics of Stanfield. When Dickens proposed to write a play about a disastrous expedition to the Arctic by Sir John Franklin, Stanfield enthusiastically painted the scenery for the second and third acts. Dickens used them as wall decorations in his house. But Clarkson was not a perpetual clown. He had a serious side to his character, and after the death of his son, Henry, at the age off 11 in 1838, he became steadily more religious, and finally embraced Catholicism (as did his wife, Rebecca), to the dismay of many in his family. His friends remained friends, but learned to avoid the topic of religion when talking to him. For the last ten years of his life, Clarkson Stanfield was in poor health. His legs troubled him, and he suffered so badly from rheumatism that he was frequently housebound. Often the pain in his hands was so great that he was unable to work, and when his old friend David Roberts died in 1864, he sank into depression, haunted by the spectre of his own mortality. His doctors advised him to give up painting his large, ambitious oils, but he ignored them (often the best reaction to the well-meant warnings of doctors) and forced himself to carry on. When death finally stilled his hand on 18th May 1867, an unfinished painting stood on his easel. He was 73 years old. n

The Butterflies nature

by Rebecca Nesbit

of Gibraltar text & photos by Rebecca Nesbit

Two-tailed Pasha

May is a wonderful time of year for the butterflies of Gibraltar. The weather is getting warmer and the vegetation is fresh and lush. Over 50 butterfly species have been recorded here, from the tiny blues to the mighty Two-tailed Pasha. The Spanish Festoon is a butterfly to watch out for at this time of year. Its small, delicate wings are a complex mesh of yellow, red and black. Numbers vary between years, but a trip to the Upper Rock Nature Reserve should

Swallowtail

reveal them feeding on flowers at the side of the path. Swallowtails are some of Gibraltar’s largest and most impressive butterflies. They are yellow with bold black patches and a pattern of large

blue dots at the bottom of their hind wings, with a single red dot and two pointed tails. Their large green and black caterpillars are as impressive as the adults, but when they first hatch they resemble bird droppings to avoid detection by hungry birds. You may be lucky enough to see a Scarce Swallowtail on the Upper Rock. At first glance they are similar to the Swallowtails, but they are paler yellow and the black is in slender stripes down their wings. A butterfly taking off with a flash of flame orange will be a male Cleopatra. When they’re resting they never open their wings, so you only see their pale yellow underside. The females lack the bright orange patch on their wings and are such a pale greenish yellow that they almost appear white. The Speckled Wood is an extremely common brown butterfly, seen in dappled shade everywhere from the Upper Rock to the Cemetery in town. They have small wings chequered orange and brown, and with four small black spots each containing a pin prick of white. One of the reasons that Gibraltar is so important for butterflies is that it is on a migration route between continents. Like birds, butterfly species that spend the winter in Africa cross the sea each spring at the shortest crossing point. That is why you often see Painted Ladies at Europa Point; these exhausted butterflies have flown in off the sea and stopped to feed on the first flowers in Europe. One of the most surprising migrants is the Long-tailed Blue. It has a wingspan of just 3cm and a delicate tail on each of its hind wings.

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nature

Spanish Festoon

Cleopatra (female)

These tails are to confuse birds; they look like antennae so that a bird trying to catch the butterfly at the head end will just take off a chunk of wing, leaving the butterfly’s body unscathed. The Two-tailed Pasha has to be Europe’s most spectacular butterfly. Its enormous wingspan of up to 10cm and its powerful flight make it unmistakable. Its wings are black on top with striking orange edges; underneath they are a deep chestnut brown with a bold white stripe. They first appear in May and then disappear over the summer. But the offspring of this spring generation emerge as adults in the autumn, often in spectacular numbers. They can be seen on the Upper Rock and in the Alameda Gardens, and I have even known one drink from a beer glass in Casemates Square! You don’t need to look far for Gibraltar’s butterflies at this time of year; you can often see them in the most unlikely places. However a walk in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve will certainly prove particularly rewarding, and not just for butterflies; flowers are in bloom and birds of all sizes are coming through on their spring migration. n

They first appear in May and then disappear over the summer. But the offspring of this spring generation emerge as adults in the autumn, often in spectacular numbers GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Long-tailed Blue

Scarce Swallowtail

Speckled Wood

Classic

vehicles

area 52 album launch

It’s been a long time since there was such hype surrounding a Gibraltarian band releasing an album. However, on 17th April, Area 52 released their long awaited debut album much to the delight of a sold out crowd at the Catholic Community Centre. The album ‘Just like any other Friday…’ has been on the cards for some time and is well worth the wait. Stand out tracks include Stay and the sing a long anthem Smile. The album itself gives off vibes of past masters such as the Police with intertwining bass and guitar lines, memorable melodies and Swiss time precision drumming. We caught up with vocalist/guitarist, Stephen Mclaren and asked him how it felt to be finally releasing the album: “It feels great! because this is something we had to do in order to start a fresh and new chapter in the Area 52 story, it has been in the works for a time now ’cause we’ve had a few negative stumbling blocks along the way, but that is all water under the bridge now and we are happy and relieved that we’re finally doing this.”

The Classic Cars Rally is back this year on Saturday 16th May, with up to 100 vintage cars gathering in Casemates Square from 10am. Only vehicles 25 years old or more will be participating, with the possibility of a couple of others, which are considered of special interest, being allowed. Cars will start arriving from 10am onwards to be displayed in Casemates Square. At 11.30, the vehicles will parade up Main Street to congregate again at midday at the Entrenchment Block, Lathbury Barracks. The cars will then tour in smaller groups up the Rock, stopping for a photo shoot on the way before arriving at Princess Caroline’s Battery where they will be given a tour of the World

If you were one of the unfortunate ones to miss out on the big launch concert then be sure to go to the Area 52 myspace page and keep up to date with where and when they are playing next. www.myspace.com/area52x1 n

War 2 Tunnels. The event will be rounded off by lunch at the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre. The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association has also organised a day out in Spain for the Sunday with a drive through the Alcornocales Nature Park and then along the scenic Costa de la Luz. They’ll be holding a competition en route to test the observation skills of the driver and navigator too, which sounds like fun. So, call in at Casemates on Saturday 16th May to see an incredible selection of classical headturners. n

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

street scene

architecture

There are many marks on our buildings which tell us a little about their history from firemarks to dates and initials, and Ordnance Survey benchmarks but some markings are a bit of a mystery... like the Ns. There are two Ns carved into masonry along Main Street (one on Mothercare and one at 120). We can’t find any other letters except ‘III’ on the corner of Tommy Hilfiger. We’ve asked around but no one seems able to explain them. If anyone knows the purpose of the ‘Ns’ please let us know! n

Benchmarks Benchmarks were carved into buildings by Ordnance Survey to mark a defined height relative to sea level which corresponds to OS maps. The symbol, a broadarrow with a line on top (the one pictured is on St Andrew’s Church), is placed the other way up for points below sea level.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

the arts Photography: Donovan Torres

photography at the Gibraltar Art Gallery

The Art Gallery on Cannon Lane will be holding its first ever photography exhibition during the first two weeks of May. Moren Butteweg hangs her art at a recent exhibition

Focusing specifically on local talent, the gallery will be showing off the works of Donovan Torres, Moren Butteweg and Poppy Cruz, each of whom have their own particular angle to their art.

Donovan Torres

Donovan Torres has grown up influenced by art and photography and is constantly (and, he admits, sometimes annoyingly) aware of where the sun is, what is blocking or filtering it. Similarly indoors he can’t help but check the positions of light fixtures, how much daylight is present and how objects and people appear in the setting. He studied Audio Visual Technology at Stevenson College in Edinburgh followed by film, television and new media at the University of California in Los Angeles. Now back in Gibraltar he still works on his still photography between freelancing as a camera operator for GBC. Moren Butteweg

Moren Butteweg

Sotogrande based photographer Moren Butteweg produces unique images combining her creative talent with today’s photographic technology. The result is original, stylish and fun. Using the computer to ‘play’ with the photographs and images she creates startling visuals, capturing the sitters’ personal characteristics. She then transfers them on to either canvas, acrylic (Perspex), wood, paper or other surfaces. These portraits and pictures make a highly

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

the arts original gift for most occasions. Moren also offers a full range of photographic services to include weddings, corporate events and other social functions. Her latest work Conspiracy Cabaret is inspired by the Orwellian prophecy of a New World Order, and will take you on an adventurous, mind-boggling, and eye-opening journey from ancient time to the present day, inviting you to take a closer look... and question everything!

Photography: Donovan Torres

Photography: Poppy Cruz

Poppy Cruz

For Poppy Cruz, this is her first exhibition. Since she was given her first camera twenty years ago, photography has become an ever present part of her life. “It’s a wonderful way of meeting people, particularly children, who have got to be the most natural people to photograph.” She comments. Her first move from being a keen amateur to semiprofessional came about from being invited to photograph friends children and families. After that came her first wedding shoot which

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she found exhilarating although slightly daunting. Now she loves wedding photography, and finds it an honour to be able to participate and be present at these occasions. Poppy works at Loretto Convent which gives her ample opportunity to be amongst her favourite subjects for photography, and she’s looking forward with just a touch of trepidation to the reaction to her first creative photography exhibition.

als, and the general public, whereby you can build up a catalogue of professional portraits which you can then use on any occasion you need to supply a photo for print. Primarily aimed at business professionals, this means you can rest assured that your image will be portrayed professionally in any printed material. The gallery will work with you to decide on the best photographer for your needs as well as location or studio as necessary. n Contact The Gibraltar Art Gallery on 200 73898 As a new service, the gallery is offering com- or email artgallery@gibtelecom.net to find out how missioned portfolios for companies, profession- a professional portfolio can work for you.

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IN GIBRALTAR

rty e p proerview ov by Justin Bray Bray Properties

Whilst it can be argued that confidence is a state of mind, there can be no denying that Gibraltar has taken significant steps in recent years in strengthening its position as a leading offshore centre, and the benefits of this are beginning to flow. The recent G20 summit (a much expanded platform of the G7 & G8) brought together an array of countries from around the world keen to strengthen the implementation of standards by offshore financial centres and with it a reduction in offshore tax evasion — and understandably so at a time when governments around the world need every tax penny legally due to them to fight the global recession. Whilst news of this probably sent a shiver of fear amongst many offshore jurisdictions, Gibraltar, unlike many other finance centres acted prudently and signed the Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with the USA — an accord which the US government viewed as serving an example for other financial centres around the world. The TIEA is the first of its kind for Gibraltar and provides for properly regulated exchange of information between the United States and Gibraltar on all types of taxes in both civil and criminal matters. As with all agreements to exchange information, only specific tax authorities are allowed to receive and send information and the tax authorities must safeguard the confidentiality of information exchanged pursuant to the TIEA. As part of the European Union, Gibraltar already complies with EU standards on financial regulations and exchange of information, but with the signing of the TIEA, Gibraltar has re-affirmed its commitment to cooperate and comply with international laws and the OECD standards. Gibraltar’s ability and willingness to evolve instills further confidence in its finance centre and the Euro’s continuing strength against Sterling is a contributing factor in attracting an increasing number of foreign investors and companies to the Rock. This has been of immense benefit to the local rental market and will continue to do so as more companies relocate to Gibraltar and bring new personnel with them. It has also kick-started the resale market which despite going through a sluggish phase in the last quarter of 2008, has since then shown a 5% increase during the first three months of 2009 as more investors, companies and families are drawn to the Rock. All the signs point to Gibraltar’s continuing growth in spite of the global recession and as Gibraltar has never claimed to be impervious weathering the worst of the global recession so many investors know from experience, the time to the global economic downturn, but its count- far and there is an increasingly palpable feeling to buy is before the market starts to boom again, and that time is now. n less advantages have stood it in good stead in of confidence in Gibraltar’s future.

Growing Confidence

With Summer nearly upon us and the Levante cloud not such a frequent occurrence, the last couple of months have shown the clouds of uncertainty over the future are slowly but surely lifting from the Rock.

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l waalce sp by Elena Scialtiel

Entering Seas of light: Dominie’s homecoming solo

Everything is set at the Fine Arts Gallery for the homecoming of Dominie Young who, since the age of seven, when her first exhibited painting was displayed at the John Mackintosh Hall, has always wanted to stage a Gibraltarian solo. Titled Light Waves, her exhibition will open on 27th May, featuring 12 watercolour and 12 oil paintings — possibly with the extra bonus of limited-edition autographed prints! — inspired by coastal light and the way photons travel in

waves, the paintings are depictions of beautifully illuminated foaming tides that embrace, with spray, the shimmering boulders and the golden sands sparkling in the sunshine. What you ‘sea’ is what you get seems to be the

subtitle of Dominie’s ode to the briny, which if she cannot see she feels ‘lost’, and ‘content’ when she knows it’s near. She loves its fluidity, everchanging shapes, regular and yet unrepeatable cycles of eddies and ebbs that she can freeze in time on canvas when it seems just right to her, happy to have seized the moment and, at the same time, sad for all the lost moments ‘never to be again’. To capture the ideal frame, Dominie uses digital photography and computerised image manipulation, indispensable in her creative process — after all it’s impossible to get the ocean to pose, so a sequence of snaps must be shot and the perfect one immortalised on screen first and then transposed on canvas. But there’s more to this multifaceted artist than the marriage of water and light particles in muted transparent nuances — she also goes for semi-abstract landscapes like vivid flights of fancy. She paints what she would like to see in her ‘journey of exploration’, during which her values have changed considerably, yet keeping constantly true to herself (the person she solely paints for). She looks ‘deeper within’ in a quest of self discovery, to consequently bare her soul before her public. Painting is ‘second nature’ to Dominie: she cannot envisage life without it, for her art is the way she gets in touch with her innermost emotions which she stretches towards new challenges, not afraid of refreshingly switching

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

at home IN GIBRALTAR mode from realism to abstract. Tennyson’s motto “To strive, to seek, to find and not yield” and inspiration from the likes of Frank Stella, Andrew Wyeth, Salvador Dali and Fiona Rae, are the drive behind Dominie’s art, particularly her avant-garde abstracts. And if you’re wondering how she can conciliate in one heart two apparently opposite styles, there’s much more to her than just landscapes: not happy with condemning portraits to bidimensionality, she’d rather sculpt them as ‘Tussaud’s type’ full figures, exhibited in museums worldwide, from London’s Serpentine to New York, Milan, Basel and Copenhagen, just to name a few. Her raids into the third dimension have also whirled her into the domain of conceptual art, working with Powerless Structures’ kings Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. Graduated of Rochester art school and full time painter and sculptor, Dominie lives in Thorpe Bay, UK, after having globe-trotted from Gibraltar to and fro all over Europe to America and Canada, where she’s exhibited extensively and won several important prizes. Her first solo was at the Calliopy Art Gallery near Niagara Falls in 1991, entirely devoted to her work for a fortnight, which she modestly describes as ‘not a big deal though’. In Canada again, she was the first prize winner of the 1991 Artistry by the Lake of Ontario, and in the United Kingdom, where she exhibited at mixed shows in galleries throughout, including five paintings submitted to the Royal Academy of London, and she was three-time recipient of the Hunting Group Art Prizes at the Mall Gallery. Dominie’s visit to the Rock is a precious chance for local artists to meet her and learn from her first-hand feedback a thing or two on the latest European and American trends. n

To capture the ideal frame, Dominie uses digital photography and computerised image manipulation, indispensable in her creative process — after all it’s impossible to get the ocean to pose

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

timur d’vats

larissa davats at farrington contemporary

Born in Moscow in 1968 and educated in the Republican College of Art in Tashkent, Timur received a Post-Graduate from the Royal Academy School in London being awarded the Jack Goldhill Scholarship in 1993.

l waalce sp

His first exhibitions took place while still studying and since 1992 has built up a large portfolio of work and awards. His first came in 1994 when he took the Guinness Prize for “First Time Exhibitor” at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer exhibition and later in 1996 won the A.T. Kearney Prize as well as the BP Portrait Award in 2002 from the National Portrait Gallery in London. Recent exhibitions include the Opera Gallery in Paris. His contemporary art on show at Farrington Contemporary this next month is composed of long golden and scarlet panels combining the elegance of Russian fairy tale illustration with an Oriental sheen. Alongside his own art, will be paintings by his mother, Larissa Davats. Born in 1937 in Xinjiang, China she graduated from the Sourikov Fine Arts Institute in Moscow. She went on to study in Tashkent before embarking on her career which has taken her on exhibitions around the globe. The exhibition kicks off on 12th May, so feel free to wander in for a look around at Farrington Contemporary, Ocean Village. n

turn to pages 96-97 for property directory

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outdoor furniture by Jane Hart of Denville Designs

or o d outiving l

Osborne & Little fabrics

With the onset of a long awaited spring in Gibraltar we are looking forward to spending more time out of doors. Whether you have a terrace, a patio or a garden. It is time to look at your outside furniture.

Painted furniture will probably need a sand down and another coat of paint, teak furniture another coat of teak oil, iron will need a sand down and a coat of Hammerite (or similar) paint to stop rust . The cushions may need recovering or restuffing. You may of course take one look at the sorry state of the furniture after the wet winter and decide to purchase new. How do you go about that? Take a good look at the space you have and see what you need most and what you can fit in. We all like to eat outside, so a garden table and chairs if you can fit them in is a must. These range in size from a small round table and two chairs to a large dining table that can extend to seat up to 12 people. Sun loungers are always a wonderful way to relax in the sun if you have the room and then you can enlarge to sofas and chairs, hammocks and other comfortable furniture for lounging about on. You have several material options when purchasing outside furniture. Wooden furniture is very comfortable and looks good, but it has to be looked after well as the wood easily takes on its natural ash colour in the harsh sun and the rain. Teak is the best wood to use, and is the wood used for shipsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; decking. Before using make sure it has a good covering of teak oil, and to keep it in good condition it needs a yearly coat of protective oil. Sitting on wood is uncomfortable and comfort can be improved by purchasing cushions, bear in mind you need a place to store these cushions because if you leave them outside during the bad weather they will soon rot. Lovely colourful fabrics look fabulous in the Mediterranean sun, but they do fade very quickly. Wicker furniture, which used to be made from woven cane, looks very nice and is comfortable to sit in. It can come in a variety of

Irish Town Antiques Antiques & Collectables Irish Town Gibraltar Tel: 200 70411

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 2009

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Kettal furniture

oor d t ou iving l

colours, but the natural cane rots very quickly, so now this furniture is made from a plastic material which, although it wears a lot better and is very easy to care for, does not have the ethnic charm of the natural product. Wicker furniture also needs cushions to make comfortable seating. Wrought iron furniture was very popular a few years ago, it looks very elegant and again can come in a variety of colours, but does need an initial application of a waterproof paint and most wrought iron for outdoor use has been sand blasted to get all the rust off before treatment against the weather. This furniture can be very heavy to move and store. Plastic outside furniture is the cheapest option. It, again, can come in different colours, but the really cheap products are not very strong and often last less than a summer. Plastic discolours in the sun and

white plastic often goes a yellow or grey in colour, however they are light and easy to stack and store. The most up to date furniture is a light weight aluminium frame with a micro weave synthetic seating, some have teak accessories and look very smart. They are durable and very light weight, easy to stack and store, they are comfortable enough to sit in without cushions and very affordable, their downside, like plastic furniture, is they are very light and in areas of Gibraltar which are vulnerable to heavy winds you will find the furniture can get blown all over the terrace or garden and, in some instances, they can blow right off the terrace. Before purchasing weigh up your options and buy wisely. Denville Designs has a range of outdoor furniture, why not call in to their shop on Engineer Lane or give them a call to find just what suits your needs. n

Kettal furniture

Lovely colourful fabrics look fabulous in the Mediterranean sun, but they do fade very quickly

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 2009

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If you’re buying a barbecue for the first time or replacing your old one, there are several options available.

sizzle with

style shade with a touch of

From the quick one-off throwaway packs usually available from Morrisons throughout the summer, to quick portable charcoal grills or brick built permanent barbecues for your roof terrace, balcony or garden, the array is endless. There’s another option too, which is to go for a gas barbecue. Many of the major manufacturers have done research into the flavour difference between gas and charcoal grills, and the difference is imperceptible. Apart from this there are other good reasons to explore the gas alternative. Most importantly is the reduction in the risk of fire. Not only do you need to inform the local fire brigade if you are planning a barbecue in Gibraltar, if you decide to go camping in Spain, you’ll find it’s illegal to light a charcoal barbecue in the summer months just about

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contemporary class During the summer months it’s great to soak up the sun, but more than occasionally, we’re desparately looking for some shade. With temperatures in Gibraltar quite similar to those in Australia, it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that one of their creations has made its way to our shores giving a solution to shade with a touch of contemporary design. To give them their proper name, they are Tension Membrane Structures, but are more commonly known as Shade Sails for obvious reasons when you see their design. Specifically designed to cut out the damaging ultra violet rays, they can provide a cost effective solution to large and small areas, creating an eye-catching feature at the same time. their colourful and stylish appearance can look fantastic in your home, maybe along with your barbecue area on the terrace, protection you from up to 97% of the damaging UV rays whilst you’re cooking. The shades are installed with fixings at at least two independed heights to avoid water pooling and to allow a free flow of air and because of the quality of materials and installation can remain in place all year with just

a minimum yearly maintenace to ensure the fabric remains tight and free of debris. The Shade Sail Company offers a service for dismantling the shades at the end of the summer and packing them for easy storage, and will come back at the beginning of the next season to erect them again if this is what you prefer. With a range of 14 colours from

Champagne to Rioja and Sahara to Azure with many more inbetween, they’ll fit in spectacularly with any outdoor design and furniture you already may have. The competitive pricing structured for small spaces through to large commercial areas, Shade Sails make an interesting and stylish alternative to traditional awnings. n

anywhere you go, whereas the gas versions are permitted. With a charcoal barbecue it is quite difficult to regulate the heat and your only option is to raise or lower the distance from the flame, which is great on a larger, built in barbecue, but not quite as easy on a smaller, portable model. Gas, on the other hand gives you the heat you want, when you want it, meaning you can adjust your grilling heat and time as needed — perfect to get the most out of some of the recipes we have for you this month (page 82). Cleanliness is the other big bonus. There’s no ash to clean up afterwards, just let them cool down and give them a wash to get rid of any dripped juices and fat or oil. The lava rock models are a little more difficult to clean and dripping oil can give flair-ups and you’ll find the better range models will have a baked porcelain-enamel finish with a series of angled steel plates below which catch the grease as it drips and vapourises it instantly to give you the grilled taste you’re looking for. You can find a basic range of barbecues from BIA on Irish Town during summer months and if you do decide to stick to the traditional models, they always stock plenty of charcoal which is really useful to know when in town. Whichever model you decide to go for, just remember as you’re supping your beer while you flip the pinchitos on the grill: fire is a hazard to be treated with respect, so beware of pets and children running around, and if you’re barbecuing in Gibraltar, don’t forget to let the fire brigade know in advance. n

Gas gives you the heat you want, when you want it, meaning you can adjust your grilling heat and time as needed GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

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treading the

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boards

Wood flooring has become one of the favoured options in Gibraltar, and although most of us would love to have a solid wood floor, it’s not often practical. Over the last few years, floating wood floors and parquet have become the perfect alternative, being easy to install over an existing floor and only raising the level by a few millimetres, meaning it’s easy to adjust doors to accommodate the difference in height. Unlike conventional solid wood flooring which needs to be nailed down to a sub flooring and need sanding, varnishing and constant care, laminated flooring is prefinished and can be glued down or applied over a thing foam-padded layer, some flooring comes with a ready adhesive back too, taking nearly all the work out of the job. Ideally you’ll install over a plywood subflooring, but they can also be laid down over existing tiles or smooth concrete. Vinyl flooring is okay, but it would be best to remove it first. The boards lock in together with tongue and groove interlocking edges. Although laminate flooring does have a shorter life than a solid wood floor, just following a couple of

simple tips for cleaning will help to prolong the life. It’s best to remove dust with a vaccum cleaner fitted with a soft brush to remove dust and grit from the grooves to help avoid scratching or damaging the surface. Mop occasionally with a soft mop, dampened with water from a spray bottle (don’t use a bucket of water). For stubborn stains, rub with a damp sponge and then finish off by wiping the whole floor with a dry, clean cloth. Throw rugs, which will also add a touch of colour to your floor space will help to trap dust and aid in protecting the floor too. Felt pads under the legs of chairs and furniture which may be moved about will also help to prevent scratching. The easiest way to ruin a brand new floor is when you’re moving the furniture back into the room. Make sure you lay down thick blankets and avoid dragging furniture into position without ensuring it’s not in direct contact with the floor.

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Aquablock wood flooring is particularly good for kitchens and bathrooms and the boards are particularly resistant to moisture due to the impregnated resin which prevents the wood from swelling when it comes into contact with water. It can be installed without glue, making it quick and simple to install. Kitchens Direct have a range of over 20 finishes to choose from in their showroom on City Mill Lane and they come with up to a 15 year guarantee, depending on where they’re being installed. If you’re putting in new flooring in your home, you need to think ahead. In the winter a wood floor is slightly warmer than tiles, but if you can, actually integrate your heating system under a floating floor. There are many systems on the market,

and here in Gibraltar Westex in New Harbours offer a tried and tested system by Varme, which you lay down under a floating floor, or even under tiling. The system works with twin core heating cables attached to a thin matting which just rolls out into position on the floor making it extremely simple to install and hooks up to an energy efficient thermostat so you can keep your room temperature regulated perfectly without having chunky heating units in the room. “It’s perfect for bathrooms,” Wendy from Westex told us, “and from the systems we’ve supplied so far we’ve had excellent response both on how well they work and that they are reasonably economical to run too.” n

l fantight astic

Pure at Ocean Heights

get the light right

There are rules of thumb for getting the right amount of light for a given room size. For example, if you are lighting a room with normal incandescent lamps, tame the square metre size and multiply by 25. For example a room measuring 12.25 square metres will need around 320w of light. The calculation varies for halogen (15 times the area) and fluorescent (8 times the area. Of course, you’ll need to take into account the decoration finish, as dark absorbs more light and white will reflect, but also your personal taste too. Totals can be made up by using different types of fittings such as wall lights, ceiling lights, floor or table lights and desk lamps. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

General lighting, task lighting and highlighting effects are achieved by the correct choice and strategic position of light fittings. Don’t forget you can also refine lighting levels by using dimmer switches and scene setting equipment. Consider the use of dedicated low-energy fittings and LED lighting to help reduce energy costs and your impact on the environment. If you want to find out more on getting the lighting right, pop in to Pure on the ground floor of Ocean Heights where Nathan will be more than pleased to give you some helpful advice, guidance and inspiration to light your home the way it should be. n

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s d i k

e h t r o f m o o r make

ld chiace sp

Kids are small, but they can take up a lot of room, something most families in Gibraltar have to contend with.

Luckily, gone are the days when most families found themselves cramped together in small Government apartments, and a large majority of us have either moved into more spacious apartments, or are waiting to pick up the keys to dive in and furnish the rooms. Depending on the size of your property (and your family too, of course), you could either find yourself decorating your kids rooms for an individual, or for them to share. But beware, no matter how much space you think you have to fit your kids and their ever growing trail of belongings, you’ll always feel you could do with just a little more. We thought we’d throw you a few tips to help make the most of the space you have, and to make life for both you and your children a little more comfortable at the same time. First priority is to organise storage space. It’s easy enough to just bung in a bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers, but with a little more care, you can plan the room with excellent storage facilities and looking good, for not much more (and sometimes less) than those three pieces of furniture would cost you to purchase individually. The whole point of maximum storage space is to make it easier for your kids to keep the room tidy and organised. They’ll never manage that if wardrobes are crammed and you can hardly close the cupboard doors. Creating space will at least be a step in the right direction to resolving the problem. Possibly one of the best options is to go for module furniture as a fitted bedroom can hike the price up. Going for the module option means that you can choose each part of the furniture separately, and then link it all together seamlessly to make the most of the space you (or your kids, for that matter) have got to play with. Don’t forget, this is your child’s room, and it’s important for them to play a part in making it work for them. If you want them to keep it tidy, get down to their level and ask them what they think too, bringing them into the process. If your child is young and quite small, you can help them to become more independent by completely removing cupboard doors which might trap fingers and lower the hanging rods in wardrobes to their level. The easier you make it for them, the tidier they’ll keep it afterwards. The best space savers are raised beds with storage and spare bed or desk area underneath, and rather than a ladder, why not go for storage box steps on the side up to the bed space? Overhead storage can fulfill two functions. For a younger child this is where you keep the toys they use less frequently, or winter clothes during the summer months. Older children will enjoy having a space which they can reach, whilst their younger brothers or sisters can’t, giving them a sense of privacy to their belongings too. On a more practical level, corners have always been tricky to make the best use of, and often this is the area of the room where space is most wasted. Corner cupboard modules are a great way to maximise this area, or maybe a desk and shelves for studying. You’ll find a wide range of options available in Gibraltar with different styles and colour schemes which often you can mix and match. You’ll find Anything Goes Bed Centre a few meters further up Governor’s Street than their main branch on Hospital Steps, where they have selections with varying price ranges to suit just about any space you need, and Abecasis Gonzales in New Harbours also stocks a range, along with

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

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corners have always been tricky to make the best use of, and often this is the area of the room where space is most wasted

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

some interesting options for bright flooring to add an extra flash of colour to the room. Even having thought carefully about storage space, it can be a chore to keep a child’s room tidy. Look at ways which toys can be stored in separate compartments and take on board the idea of making things easy to put away and harder to get out, you’ll find it easier for your children to take part and look after their room. Good storage is an added bonus as a parent. If toys are divided into sections it makes it easier to control what is out being played with at any one time and makes it easier for you to encourage your kids to put one thing away before playing with another. And don’t forget to think about books and magazines. It’s important to encourage your children to read, so make sure to incorporate an easy-to-reach bookshelf. If they have a large collection, think about storing some of the less used books and magazines in a drawer or box with dividers, which follows the rule of harder to get out than to put away. As you add your child’s belongings to the room, remember to think from the bottom upwards, the most used possessions lower down where they can get at them easily, and the less used games and toys stored overhead, where you can help them get them down as and when required. Obviously, not all plans are fail-safe, and kids will be kids — just remember from the outset, this is their space and just help them to learn to look after it. Some of our storage ideas might be just what they need to help them on their way. n

box put it in a

There are plenty of fun and alternative ways to store children’s toys. From stacking colour coded boxes labelled to remind kids what’s inside to mini sofas which double as a toy box, there are several interesting options, including this cloth sip-up box which doubles as a games table. (Anything Goes)

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photos: John J Wood

t sofshed i furn

It’s Curtains for You “I’m giving a special discount on curtains and soft furnishings for all new developments,” says Lulu of The Fashion House.

Lulu’s skills have been much sought-after since she set up her Governor’s Street workshop in 1994, and since then she has carried out many prestigious projects as well as making up curtains, bedding, cushions and other soft furnishings. One of her most notable contracts was to make and hang all of the curtains at the Convent, including the ballroom, whilst more recently she has provided a similar service for no less than three of the new high-status residences at the

Island, facing Queensway Quay. In between, there has been a constant flow of more routine work that leads to many Gibraltar and Sotogrande residents having a home to delight in and be proud of. Her special offers for all new developments applies to government estates such as Waterport Terraces as well as the many private apartments that have recently been completed. Lulu Martin is Gibraltarian but lived in Windsor for 13 years before returning permanently to

Gibraltar 24 years ago. Her reason for returning was simply that she wanted to have children, and wanted them to be born on the Rock. When she set up her business on a full-time basis 15 years ago, it was in partnership with another lady who would be making clothing from the same premises whilst Lulu looked after the drapes. The partner eventually left but the name The Fashion House has remained, although Lulu’s slogan ‘Interiors by Design’ is more prominent on the shop sign than the

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2008

at home IN GIBRALTAR name itself. Lulu went into the business because curtain and soft furnishing making was a hobby that she loved. “But before I launched myself professionally, I went to Nottingham to take a practical intensive course in professional curtain making and interior design, to make sure I was fully up-to-date with the latest styles and methods,” she told me. Everything that she provides is unique in Gibraltar, so she is not competing with others. Hers is very much a service industry — in general she doesn’t sell anything ready-made but she will supply certain accessories such as top quality curtain poles and curtain trimmings. She also makes a variety of blinds, including Roman blinds and London blinds. Roman blinds, (or Roman shades as they are sometimes called), have clean, sophisticated lines and are one of the most stylish ways to dress up a window. London blinds or shades are a cross between a Roman and an Austrian blind. They are softer than Roman blinds but more tailored than Austrian blinds, with the fullness coming from inverted pleats. The blind is pulled up and down with cords threaded through Austrian blind tapes that are attached to the blind at the back of the pleats. Bedding is another part of Lulu’s popular service, making bedspreads and duvets covers as well as sheets for difficult bed sizes. Every job is different, so it was impossible for Lulu to give me a sample price, except to assure me that everyone finds her prices to be very reasonable — especially with the quality and reliability of the service. She doesn’t simply make the cur-

Hanging can be a big job in some places: the Convent ballroom, for instance, where the windows are very high and the material very heavy tains — her service includes the initial measuring, the making and then the hanging. Hanging can be a big job in some places: the Convent ballroom, for instance, where the windows are very high and the material very heavy. She will also arrange for a reliable carpenter when necessary. So, does she supply the fabric? “No,” she

Office Refurbishments & Fitting Out

replied; “the customers bring the fabrics themselves. Many of them buy the materials from Louis Borge, where there is a very good selection. I also make up curtains for Louis Borge and have worked closely with him for years.” I learned that her customers range from little grannies up to the Governor, who is still a customer. “Our customers cover the full range of home owners and tenants who want their home to look as comfortable and as stylish as possible,” she emphasised. She added that most of her customers are long-term regulars, some having been using her services since she set up shop. “But the goods last a long time, so they don’t come too often,” she said with a laugh. She is a very good-humoured lady, and everyone finds her easy to deal with. Her premises (there are more workrooms than meet the eye on entering) are big enough to allow the space that is essential for spreading out the materials for large projects, and there is plenty of room for cutting, ironing and all the other parts of the process. The workshop also accommodates two longstanding part-time ladies who are both highly experienced in the trade. They have been with Lulu for many years — as she says, “It’s hard to get good trained staff, so you do your best to look after those who are with you and make sure they stay.” The Fashion House is at 85 Governor’s Street. That’s almost opposite the London Bar — just look for the ‘Interiors by Design’ sign. It’s open straight through from 10 to 5; Monday to Friday, and the phone number is 200 52938. The fax is 200 52988 and you can email Lulu at thefashionhouse@gibtelecom.net. n

Home Renovations & Refurbishments

SOLUTIONS

PO Box 598 Tel: 57185000 Fax: 200 77041

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

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Insure to be sure “Nowadays I would recommend people to take out a repayment rather than an endowment mortgage,” says Alan Montegriffo of Eurolinx. Choosing the right mortgage is a relatively straightforward matter — the complexities set in when it comes to insurance, according to Alan, who is head of the long-established independent insurance brokers Eurolinx. He explained that a repayment mortgage is one where you pay off the amount borrowed and the total interest by evenly spread monthly payments until all is repaid. An endowment mortgage is one where you only pay off the interest, with the remainder of your instalment being used to buy an endowment policy which should (but not always) be worth at least as much as the amount you borrowed by the time the mortgage term is completed. You then use the value of the endowment to pay off the remainder of the loan. Endowment mortgages have had a bad press in the past, when they frequently failed to reach their expected target and the householder was left with a big bill from the bank or building society. On top of that, Alan does regular exercises to compare which type costs more, and he is consistently finding that there is very little difference in your monthly outgoings between the two mortgage systems; but there is no element of risk (or gain) with the repayment mortgage and the essential protection insurance can also cost more with endowments. Eurolinx no longer sources mortgages: “It’s just as easy for people to deal directly with the bank or building society to arrange their loan; but I will always give free advice on any potential pitfalls and tax considerations before

e m o h vice ad

they commit themselves,” Alan says. His company, Eurolinx, really comes into its own in the provision of every type of insurance for your new home and to protect your mortgage payments if things go badly wrong. Mortgage protection plans will provide cover against death, terminal illness or critical illness that prevents you from working. Unemployment is not covered by any policy. It will be a requirement of the bank or building society that you take out insurance on the building itself, which will provide cover against almost anything that can damage or destroy the property, including all of the external parts such as outbuildings, fences, patios, pools, and paths. Public liability is also included, so if a leak from your apartment, for instance, damages the property downstairs you are fully covered. Many mortgage providers will try to sell you their own recommended products, but it makes

The main mistake people make is that of underinsuring the value of the contents. Remember that if you claim for a lost or destroyed article you will expect to get the full replacement value at today’s prices

more sense to consult a genuinely independent broker such as Eurolinx as they will scour the market on your behalf make sure you get the best deal. In many cases, people buy a property on an estate or development which is run by a management company (often made up of the owners themselves). In these cases, the building insurance is arranged by them and included in the community charges, so the new purchaser does not have to consider that aspect at all. What you do have to arrange is the contents insurance. This is not compulsory, but is so important that every homeowner or tenant should make it compulsory for themselves. Everything inside your home, such as furniture, household goods, clothing, books — everything — is covered against loss or damage from just about every cause imaginable; although burglary, fire and water leaks are probably the ones that are uppermost in most people’s minds. Falling rocks, storms, floods, riots, vandalism, oil leaks, vehicles crashing into your home, falling trees or branches, and falling aerials are also in the comprehensive list, which is almost identical to the risks covered by the building insurance. Now, the main mistake people make is that of underinsuring the value of the contents. Remember that if you claim for a lost or destroyed article you will expect to get the full replacement value at today’s prices, no matter how old the object might be. Many people take a rough guess at the value of their contents, but when the time comes to claim the assessor will quickly spot if you are underinsured, and all payouts will be reduced proportionately. If, for example, you are claiming for the loss of a television worth £750 but the assessor sees that the total insured value of your home’s contents is only about two-thirds of the real replacement cost, then all you will get for your television is two-thirds — £500. Alan explained that it is essential to do a complete inventory of absolutely everything in your home, without leaving out books, tea towels or other things you might not think worth including. As Alan said, “You might have a rickety chair that you made yourself as a hobby long ago. You don’t include it because to you it has no commercial value; but as part of the contents it has to be taken into account and you would have to allow for the cost of replacing it new at today’s prices.” You must also include objects that you decide you wouldn’t bother to claim for if they were damaged — the assessor will include absolutely everything when he or she is checking if you are undervalued or not. Many people deliberately underinsure in order to save on the premiums, but that is false economy. Firstly, you will get a shock if you make a large claim, for the reasons outlined above; but it is also false economy because very often the difference in premiums between the true value and the undervalue is as little as £50 a year for the many thousands of pounds you stand to lose. As Alan summarised undervaluation... “You only make a saving if you never make a claim.” n Eurolinx is on the second floor at Suites 21 and 22 Victoria House, 26 Main Street. The telephone number is 20040240, email eurolinx@sapphirenet. gi, or have a look at their informative website, www. eurolinx.gi

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kitchens by top design

If you’re looking to fit a new kitchen, you need to talk to someone who can give you practical advice. Brian and Steve at Kitchen’s by Top Design are most definitely the people to talk to. It’s not only great to see what it will look like before-hand, but it also means there’s room to tweak the design and make alterations before everything’s been ordered and delivered. Delivery usually takes just a week, and once you’ve accepted the quote, they’ll set the ball rolling and set a fitting schedule so you’ll know exactly when the job will be done. If you’re wondering how much such an excellent service and product range is going to set you back, you don’t need to hold your breath. With a fitted kitchen including sink and taps available from a starting point under £3,000, from there on, the sky is the limit depending on extras you might like to incorporate such as flooring and adding appliances, which they also stock from the very well known Belling range. Both Brian and Steve are practical and easy to talk to. Remember, you won’t be talking to a salesman in a suit, but the guys who can really see the possibilities and limitations your future kitchen might have. n Call in to see them at their showroom on City Mill Lane which is open 9.30am-1.30pm, 5-7pm on weekdays, or if you’d like to talk to them outside of these hours, give them a call on 54012054.

FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS IN GIBRALTAR AND SPAIN PROPERTY PURCHASE Are you buying property? Are you still unsure as to which mortgage is most suitable for you? We can provide a detailed comparison tailor made for you between a Capital & Interest Repayment and an Endowment Mortgage

CONTENTS & BUILDING INSURANCE Do you want to ensure you are properly covered? In the eventuality of fire, escape of water, theft, liabilities etc. FEEL AT HOME WITH

Eurolinx (Gibraltar) Limited

21&22 Victoria House, 26 Main Street, Gibraltar

Tel: +350 200 40240 Fax: +350 200 40241

Email: eurolinx@sapphirenet.gi www.eurolinx.gi

Licensed by the Financial Services Commission to transact financial & insurance business - Licence No FSC 00023B

December 2008

With a vast experience in the building trade, Brian and Steve aren’t just accustomed to fitting kitchens, meaning they have a wealth of ideas to offer excellent advice for each individual project they look at. “Just as an example, we have moved walls within new properties to create a larger kitchen space,” Steve told us. “And apart from general building works on this scale, we can fit flooring and have an excellent range of floating wood floor by Aquablock which is specially designed to be resistant to water and has up to a 15 year guarantee.” If you call into the showroom at 19 City Mill Lane, you’ll find 37 different models available, each with different possibilities of colour combination. You’ll be absolutely spoilt for choice. They also have a wide range of work-tops in a variety of finishes too, including a range from the Silestone collection. Brian has hinted that they’ll be bringing in a special cleaning product for these to make sure your kitchen is always pristine and sparkling. Once you’ve decided on the kitchen which suites your taste, Brian and Steve will show you exactly how it will look with their 3D service from which they’ll extract images from different angles.

at home

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is now a regular feature of The Gibraltar Magazine

If you feel your business would benefit from being featured within this section contact us by phone or email

200 77748

athome@thegibraltarmagazine.com adverts also appear online at www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

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by Elena Scialtiel

The human rights movement — some support it with loud demonstrations, some with silent hunger strikes, others take it literally and do it with… movement!

freedom of expression 60

Dulcie Edwards is the ballerina of civic battles who campaigns through body language instead of placards — and is more explosive than a Molotov cocktail. If dance can be a weapon, surely she knows how to shoot straight at the heart. After few years absence from Gibraltar’s stages to complete her studies, Dulcie captivated adjudicators and audiences at the 7th Gibraltar Stage Dance Festival. Royal Ballet School graduate Yasmin TaylorHazzard bestowed upon her the supreme award of overall Most Promising Dancer, but she also scooped first prize in Improvisation, Adult Modern Solo and second prize in the Adult Duet with 11-year old sister Courtney. To the notes of an instrumental track from Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ, the pair danced out the touching story of a soldier (Dulcie) who finds an Afghan girl (Courtney), spares her and takes a shine to her, to convey the message that friendships can blossom even in extreme situations. Self-choreographed acrobatics, with an ethical difference, flew her to the top spot. In her solo number, to Sinead O’Connor’s Red Football, she broke free from the symbolic cage into which society often relegates women — which in her case was an inventive costume sewn by her mother, in shocking pink and black, embroidered with pink material ‘chains’. Dulcie doesn’t act out the lyrics of any song she picks to put her message across, like a mime, but she interprets and complements them in order to make body language and the spoken word amplify each other’s significance. She likes exploring ‘taboo issues’, as she puts it, sticking to those both her and the audience can relate to, without getting too cryptic, abstract, sensationalist or conceptual, otherwise the risk of being misunderstood will obscure her purpose. Her body language has its own vocabulary that can be ever enriched by exploring new styles and cultures, and pushing boundaries further. Every part of the body participates in the ‘conversation’, and particular importance is given to facial features — smiles, frowns and exaggerated eye rolling are integrated in the larger picture of pirouettes and gymnastics. Hands deserve a career of their own for the versatility and precision of expression they afford — Indian and Thai dancers are the perfect example of telling epic stories just with graceful gestures. Perhaps learning how to master these tech-

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

performance niques is one of the motivations behind Dulcie’s decision to spend her summer in Sri Lanka, volunteering for ManaCare in a jungle village which is still picking up the pieces from 2004’s Boxing Day tsunami, and where she expects to be an enthusiast Jack-of-all-trades, from English or dance teacher to classroom builder, from childminder to excavations… the more challenging the better! The experience is certainly worth going without all the comforts of our decadent western lifestyle. Braving the cultural divide, she’s learning basic language skills to introduce herself to the local community and getting familiar with Buddhist traditions and faith. Before taking the big step towards far away shores, Dulcie is teaching a class of teenagers with Gibraltar’s group Mediterranean Dance, to enhance their dance abilities while building confidence and, of course, having fun. They’ll stage a show this month, during which she’ll again show off her prized pièce de résistance. Dulcie lives for dance, and is hoping to fuse passion and livelihood when she returns to the Rock, becoming a full-time teacher, perhaps not in schools, for she doesn’t want to be constrained by the academic curriculum, and she needs to search her and her pupils’ soul for ‘neologisms’. She’s got what it takes to make it, for she’s been dancing since the age of five with Danza Academy, studied ballet, which she defines the ‘basics’ any dancer ought to be familiar with, evolving into jazz, modern and contemporary, which she describes as ‘whatever you want it to be’, for it allows almost total freedom,

loosening the classical conventionality of steps and posture. She went on to graduate at Laban Contemporary Dance Conservatoire last December with the title of BA Hons in Dance Theatre, after having experienced avant-garde workshops where music, poetry and dance blended in one improvisation performance — poems were read out for the first time, saxophonists and vocalists provided unrehearsed music, while Dulcie danced. Would she like to see something similar happening in Gibraltar? Of course she would, for in her view, live music, dance and theatre are often kept in separate compartments on our stages, and merging the performing arts in one ambitious show would bring out the best in each artist. n

In her solo number she broke free from the symbolic cage into which society often relegates women — which in her case was an inventive costume sewn by her mother

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GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE • AUGUST • AUGUST 2008 2008

Jewellery Jewellery

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solid, silver dolphin charm £14

the silver shop casemates arcade, gibraltar

Gibraltar’s Longest Established Toy Shop

Bargain Stores 1-5 Governor’s Street Tel: 20077915

LONDON HAIR DESIGNS 4 Horse Barrack Lane Tel: 200 70706 open 5 days 10am-5pm - late night Thurs & Fri

84 Irish Town Tel: 200 71238

La alhambrA MINI MARKET

Wines · Spirits · Tobacconist Groceries · Indian Spices OPEN 7 DAYS · LATE HOURS 10 Bell Lane · Tel: 200 77337

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The Flowers of Gibraltar WE SELL FIREWORKS

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Renaissance

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Don House Arcade Tel: 20077311

• Aromatherapy • Sugar Waxing • Manicures • Pedicures • Facials • Eyelash/Eyebrow Tinting • Bodywraps for instant inch loss • Reflexology • Luxury Organic 2 hour face and body treatment Open: Monday - Friday 9.30am - 9pm

by Leslie Linares, Arthur Harper and John Cortes

Book on sale at Gibraltar Book Shops GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY GIBRALTAR MAGAziNE • MAY 2009

entertainment

the making of A brand new production of the popular “Let’s Dance” show is now on in Gibraltar. Once again the very talented James Neish is responsible for putting the whole show together. His Stage One Productions always produces high standard shows and the professionalism will be visible to the audience, which will undoubtedly enjoy this year’s production aired on GBC TV from 21st April for five weeks. This year sees six contestants putting on their dancing shoes. And with a lot of hard work from both the contestants and each of their dancing partners/teachers, they are battling it out to reach the grand finale. Who will triumph this year? The line-up is (in no particular order)

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Sonia Golt - author and Bosom Buddies organiser, Andy Coumbe - TV and radio presenter, Miss Gibraltar 1986 Dominique Martinez Lopez, businessman Guy Olivero, singer Louise Peach and boxer Kaelan Joyce — a great selection of contestants to entertain. The Gibraltar Magazine brings you a little glimpse into the making of the programme with a variety of photos taken during production of the promo video. Once again, a whole array of people are involved and will be responsible for the smooth running of the show, besides those photographed. n

health& fitness Bell Pharmacy

Your Family Chemists

STEINER CHIROPRACTIC CLINICS

Chiropractic Health Clinic

Dr Carsten Rudolf Steiner BSc DC

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

Member of the British Chiropractic Association

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

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

ChiropraCtors

PASSANO OPTICIANS LTD British Registered Optometrists

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

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

The Health Store

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

For all your Pharmaceutical needs

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

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

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

Tel: 200 77777

College Clinic, Regal House, Queensway ALSO AVAILABLE FOR HOME VISITS

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

Chiropodists

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

Consult us at 27 Bell Lane Tel: 200 77289 Fax: 200 42989

CHEMISTS

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

McTimoney Chiropractor

Here to help you by answering all your pharmaceutical questions

health & medical directory

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

completefitness Sports Massage Therapy & Personal Training Unit G3, Eliott Hotel Gibraltar Tel: 200 51113

GUARANTEED

You pre-pay at today’s prices, we provide your chosen service whenever it is eventually required and whatever it eventually costs Brochures on Pre-Paid Funeral Planning Available from:

11 Convent Place Tel: 200 75747

Codali Funeral Services Primary Care Centre 2nd Flr International Commercial Centre

Weekend and Public Holiday Opening Hours (use Irish Town entrance)

Saturday: 9am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm Sunday & Public Holidays : 10am - 11am, 5pm - 6pm GP Clinics: 8am - 5.20pm

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

DentAL SURGEONS Daniel N. Borge BDS MSc MFDS RCS(Eng) Borge Dental/Medical Centre 7-9 Cornwall’s Lane Tel: 200 75790 Keith J Vinnicombe BDS (Wales) LDS RCS (Eng) MFGDP (UK)

Unit F5B ICC, 2a Main Street Tel/Fax: 200 40747 Emergency: 200 78756

ORTHODONTISTS Dr Hasse Lundgaard DDS Borge Dental & Medical Centre 7-9 Cornwall’s Lane Tel/Fax: 200 75790

Physicians Dr Norbert V Borge FRCP (London) 7-9 Cornwall’s Lane Tel/Fax: 200 75790

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

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

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

SPECIALISTS

Need somebody to talk to? days a week 6-10pm

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

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

hobbies health

Activities to Save Your Mind By the time we reach retirement age most people start noticing the signs of aging — people’s names become elusive, and when you walk into a room you have no idea why you are there. The good news is that we can improve the situation. There is a simple explanation for this brain aging effect — in adulthood we are continually losing brain cells in our ‘hippocampus’ the area of our brains where memories are processed. Initially our brains are flexible enough to compensate, but as the years pass the effects make themselves known. Many studies have shown that physical exercise several times a week can improve concentration in older people, and perhaps even stimulate the growth of new brain cells. Exercise also effects our blood glucose in a positive way, helping to regulate spikes in blood sugar levels. These spikes affect an area within the hippocampus that helps in the formation of memories. Since gentle physical exercise helps stabilise these levels, keeping active could improve your memory. Having fun on a Nintendo Wii could also improve cognitive function, as coordination training, specifically motor control and balance training in 60 to 80-year-olds has been shown to improve the mind. If ski jumping in your lounge is not really your thing, there are still things you can do. According to New Scientist, a study published

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in April this year “concludes that computerised brain exercises can improve memory and attention in the over 65s.” Participants reported significant improvements in everyday activities, such as remembering names or following conversations in noisy restaurants. More great news for Nintendo! Relaxation in your younger years will also help you as you age. Studies show that laid back people are less likely to develop dementia than those who are regularly stressed. In a study of socially inactive people, the calm individuals were 50% less likely to develop dementia than distress counterparts. Stress-induces high levels of cortisol, which affects an area of the brain linked to depression and Alzheimer’s disease in older people. We are often pre-occupied by the physical sign of aging, but keeping our brains healthy and active is just as important as our sagging skin. If you have started to notice you’re more forgetful than you used to be, get moving, unlock your inner Guitar Hero, do some sudokus and relax with some good friends — you might just rediscover the more youthful you. n

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com 65

sporting heroes Chris Pitaluga has accomplished his goal, to complete a half-marathon. Thanks to the generosity of local people who contributed money for two local charities, Chris had the best of incentives to train and persevere. During the process he has lost a great deal of weight and he is feeling all the better for it. Sonia Golt caught up with him to ask a few questions about his training and motivation. Have you always been a sportsman? “No, quite the contrary. At school, I was allergic to sports in general. I tried my hand at tennis in my teens and still enjoy racquet sports but, as I said in my fund-raising leaflet, I started running very late in life, when I turned 40. “It has taken seven years of very slow progress to gear up to something like this and every time someone refers to what I do as ‘running’ I still find it quite amusing. If only they knew how slow I actually go out there. However, I do find running very rewarding and am very strict with myself about it. “Other than running, my only other sporting passion is Arsenal FC which is strange as I was never good enough to play football either.” Which Marathon did you choose and why? “You flatter me. It is actually a half-marathon, not a full one. It will take me a few years yet to wind up to a full marathon, if I ever do. A half-marathon is just over 21km. I’m told that’s about twice round the Rock, if one could actually get round the Rock, as we used to in the ‘80s. “It took place in Bath in the UK, which by the way is a beautiful city, I had never realised just how much until now. I chose the Bath Halfmarathon randomly really, and it was based more on the timing, mid-March, than anything else as I needed to give myself enough time to build up to it and I did not want to run in the local summer.” How did you fund raise and which charity is benefiting from your commitment? “The fund-raising came after my decision to run. I just thought I might as well try to raise some money, given that I was committed to the run. I opted for Action Aid which is a charity close to my heart because these guys do excellent work in the developing world with some of the world’s poorest people and we really need to support people who are themselves committed to rescuing these countries.

½ marathon man Full-marathon or half-marathon? Does it really matter when either of the two entails so much training? Less stamina might be required to finish the half-marathon but the training, the hours of dedication, the money obtained for local charities and the dedication to do it can be the same for both. 66

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

sporting heroes

by Sonia Golt “I also intend to donate to Faith and Light. I must confess to a slight bias here as this is a group my wife Mercy works with in Gibraltar. The group works with mentally and physically disabled people and provides them with social and spiritual support in a Christian context and, whenever I spend some time with them, I always come away feeling marvellous for having done so. “I’m quite chuffed with the total collected, more than £6000, which, as I only had two small corporate donations, speaks again to the amazing and legendary generosity of individuals and families in Gibraltar.” How long did you train for the event? “In the last two or three months, I was doing different types of training for a minimum of an hour a day, six days a week and longer sessions of up to an hour and a half as well. It is a matter of building up endurance and stamina as well as trying to improve a little on speed. “The older and slower you are, paradoxically, the fitter you need to be because you’ll be running a lot longer than the young, fit people.” How did your wife and children take your decision? “In a spirit of good marital co-operation, I sat my wife, Mercy, down at the beginning and we agreed that the commitment to run would require me to put my training occasionally ahead of my husbandly duties and she readily agreed and stuck to this negotiated settlement. “This makes it sound as though I do a lot at home but I confess that she probably never missed me. The boys are never aware of where I am any more so whether I was out on the road or at the office made little difference to them. “Mercy and the two younger ones, Kate and Joe, travelled with me to Bath and cheered loudly each time I saw them on the route. It actually made a big difference to know that someone was out there watching for me.” You mention work, what is your day job? “I’m a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers so my main habitat is the top floor of the ICC. I’m always quick to add I’m not an accountant, by profession I’m a Trustee, by philosophy a member of the God-squad, and by nature, my real job is being a dad (which is a strange job as I seem to have to pay to be one, rather than

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2008

be paid). If you cut me in half, though, my core 15,000 other people, not all of whom, fortunately, were faster than me so I didn’t come is the red and white of Arsenal.” last, which was a relief. They tell you not to Back to the Marathon, what did you feel out whine about your performance but actually, I felt awful on the day as I had a chest infecthere on the run? “It was a remarkable privilege to run with tion and a temperature so having completed the race in two hours and 20 minutes, I am desperate to go back next year and beat two hours. Maybe you can ask me again next year, if please God I make it there.”

“The older and slower you are, paradoxically, the fitter you need to be because you’ll be running a lot longer than the young, fit people”

It was obviously hard work and a great challenge but judging by Chris’ last comment this was not just a one off experience… Well done and don’t lose sight of your trainers, Chris, as you’ll surely be needing them again. n

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now also in Casemates

~ Visit The Two Best Pubs In Town ~

Fresh Homemade Food from Breakfasts and Jackets to Entrecote Steak and Battered Cod

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G1 Hearty Tunnellers’ Charcoal Grill Pasta, Breakfast (until midday), Sizzling Dishes, Light Bites, Salads, Baguettes, kid’s menu etc 8 Casemates Sq Tel: 200 74946

open12 noon till late Unit 2 B The Tower Marina BayTel: 46668

Gibraltar Connections by Reg Reynolds

60 riveting true stories of people and events connected to the world’s most famous Rock.

Sacha’s

DUTY FREE WINES, SPIRITS & TOBACCO open 7 days 79 Main Street

Artists’ Corner

Oil & Watercolours, hand-painted silks, decoupage, jewellery, prints & framing

Kiosk No. 2 5 Waterport Wharf Tel: 200 47587www.gibraltararts.com

Gibraltar Taxi Association

GUIDED ROCK TOURS 19 Waterport Wharf Main Office Tel: 20070052 Fax: 20076986 Radio service: 20070027

THE TASTY BITE 59A Irish Town Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321

Quality Kitchen Ware Gibraltar’s Best Stocked Cook Shop K5

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M5 to Saturday

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the silver shop

for beautiful silver jewellery & gifts 3 locations in gibraltar casemates arcade • 275 main st horse barrack lane

V4 Accountants Durante Carboni Jardim..............X3 ESV Hassan & Co........................ I4 GA Olivera Accountants............ M4 Business/Financial Services AI Couriers (DHL)......................K3 GibraltarAssetManagement....... M5 Jyske Bank.................................. L4 Masbro Insurance........................N4 Norwich & Peterborough............Q5 Phoenix Solutions........................ J4 Sovereign Trust...........................N4 STM Fidecs.................................H7 Business Services Call Centre..................................V4 CTS.............................................D3 Global Business Centre................S3 PointOne.....................................D7 Waste Management......................a6 Business Supplies Beacon Press...............................N6 Glasshouse..................................N5 Image Graphics...........................N3 Stitch Design................................P3

Motoring & Car Sales A. M. Capurro & Sons Ltd ........ N6 Rock Extreme...............................E3 Computers & Cableing Image Graphics........................... N3 Newton Systems.........................M5 PC Clinic..................................... U3 Food & Drink 14 on the Quay.............................Z6 Al Baraka.................................... X7 Amin’s The Office....................... K5 All Sports Bar ............................ N3 Barbary Ape................................. b2 Birdie Cafe Restaurant................ D7 The Boatyard................................Z6 Buddies Pasta Casa..................... Q4 Bush Tucker................................ K5 Cafe Rojo.................................... K5 Café Solo..................................... G3 Casa Pepe.....................................Z6 El Patio........................................ H2 Fresh .......................................... G4 Garcia’s Take-Away.................... C1 Get Joost...............................H4, S4 Get Stuffed.................................. A3 House of Sacarello.......................L5 Just-a-Nibble.................................I4

J4• Sandwiches • Soups • Baguettes/ Ciabatta • Desserts/ • Take-away • Deliveries Homemade Italian Ice-cream • Eat in (outside!) • Business Lunches Mon - Fri 10-6, Sat 10 - 4, Closed Sundays • Parties/ 24 Main St Tel: 20043840 Fax: 42390 Kids Parties

Irish Town Antiques

Irish Town Tel: 200 70411

184 Main Street Tel: 200 72133 open: from 8am (10am on Sun) Just Desserts...................................I4 Khans............................................C8 London Bar...................................R2 Lord Nelson................................. H2 Marrakesh Restaurant...................R3 Mumtaz........................................ N2 El Patio......................................... H2 Picadilly Gardens.......................... b4 Pickwicks Bar...............................R3 Pig and Whistle Bar..................... D7 Pusser’s Landing . ........................C5 Roy’s Cod Plaice.......................... H4 Royal Calpe.................................. Q5 Saccone & Speed...........................J4 Smiths Fish and Chips................. V4 Solo Express................................ H4 Square Cafe.................................. H4 Star Bar........................................ K5 The Three Roses.......................... Q2 Trafalgar Sports Bar.......................a3 Waterfront.................................... Y7

Renaissance Beauty.......................J4 Roots.............................................T4 Short Cut........................................I6 Sissi Salon.................................... H4

Funeral Services Codali Funeral Services............... U3

Medical / Health Bell Pharmacy.............................. N3 Claudia’s Clinic............................ K4 Dr. Crump, Steven, Chiropractor I4 Gib-Lab...................................... ....I4 Health Food Store........................ O4 Louis Pharmacy........................... H4

Hair & Beauty Salons Classic Cuts..................................M3 Extend-it Plus............................... N2 Joya’s Gents Hairdressers............ N2

Jewellery Sales/Repair Antonio Jewellers...........................J4 Beau Jangels.................................M4 Jewellery Repairs..........................L4 Matthew’s Jewellery......................I3 Leisure Complete Fitness.......................... R3 Dolphin Safari.............................. A3 Rock Turf Accountants �� H2 Legal Services Budhrani Lawyers........................ K4 Charles Gomez............................. U4 Isolas.............................................E4 Triay & Triay............................... K5

M. Clark Dentist...........................U3 McTimoney chiropractor.............L4 John Miles - Chiropodist..............K7 Smart Puls Centre......................... I6 Specialist Medical Clinic.............. I4 Sport-On - Sports Therapy...........K3 Steiner Chiropractor.....................K7 Pet Services / Supplies Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic..........H4 Property Sales / Estate Agents Bray Property...............................B3 Norwich & Peterborough.............Q5 Property World.............................. I4 Solomon Levy . ...........................U3 General Services Art Gallery...................................R4 Balban (electrician)......................H2 Balloqui . ..................................... P4 LP Borge......................................X3 Denville Designs.........................M3 Fashion House Interiors............... P2 Gibstainless..................................C7 Greenarc.......................................X5 Larbi upholstery...........................R3 Queensway Quay Laundrette.......X7 Seabreeze Laundry.......................A3

GACHE & CO. LTD

Suds Laundry...............................I6 Space Interiors.............................I3 Shopping — General Anuska........................................S5 Arcade Keys.................................J5 Carol’s Books...............................I4 Don House Arcade.......................J5 Flair............................................ N4 Gallery Mosaic...........................M5 Pure Lighting...............................I6 Sheppard’s Chandlery................ D4 Terry’s........................................M5 Shopping — Fashion/Clothing Esprit.......................................... D4 Recruitment Corporate Resources....................J4 Just Recruitment..........................L4 RecruitGibraltar......................... O6 Quad Consultancy...................... U3 Transport / Marine Services Autoelectrical............................. C7 Gib Cargo................................... B8 Shell Bunkering......................... H6 Tarik Oil..................................... C8

GIBRALTAR BOOKSHOP

ESTD. 1830 — 150 years experience

266 Main Street, Gibraltar. Tel: 200 75757

178 Main Street · Gibraltar · Telephone 200 48480

★★★ Opticians Giftware Jewellery

300 MAIN STREET GIBRALTAR TEL: 200 71894 FAX: 200 75554

For fiction and non-fiction yachting books, bargain books

Sports Trophies, Awards & Engravers

THE PENGUIN BOOKSHOP

Queen’s Hotel Gibraltar

• Excellent Prices • Centrally Located • Easy Access • Parking • Bar • Restaurant

Tel: (+350) 20074000 Fax: 20040030

profile

by Reg Reynolds

Georg Raab - Portrait of the Empress Elizabeth. Gallery of Art in Lviv

Modern writers liken her to Diana and there are many similarities but Elizabeth Empress of Austria was fortunate to live nearly twice as long as the ‘People’s Princess’ before meeting her own tragic end.

Shopaholic Princess adored our Rock 70

❤

Both women were described as fairy-tale princesses; they were beautiful, adored by the public, represented their countries with elegance and charm and died in horrific circumstances. Both were dedicated to social causes, rebelled against their respective monarchies and felt constricted by life at court, personified by their mothers-in-law. Interestingly, although they lived 100 years apart, both women were liberated, dieting fanatics who became disaffected from their husbands. There are differences, however, notably that Elizabeth was highly educated, was fluent in Hungarian and Greek and was an accomplished equestrian (in the 1870s she was considered the world’s top female rider). Elizabeth was born on Christmas Day at Munich in 1837, the daughter of Duke Maximilian and Princess Maria Ludowika of Bavaria. She grew up with her brothers and sisters, who called her Sisi, in a castle far from the royal court and this enabled her to develop as a free spirit. It was this streak of independence that would bring about her alienation from her husband and the royal court and take her on travels throughout Europe and eventually to Gibraltar. The meeting and marriage of Elizabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria has become a romantic legend that has been depicted in film and on stage * [see end]. To cement relations between Bavaria and Austria a marriage had been arranged between Elizabeth’s older sister Helene and Franz Joseph. In the summer of 1853 the 23-year-old Emperor of Austria travelled to the scenic town of Bad Ischel to meet his prospective bride. But when he laid eyes on the precociously pretty 15-year-old Elizabeth he was smitten. It must have been the clichéd ‘love at first sight’ for on the very next day they announced their engagement. The nuptials were held at Vienna on 24th April, 1854 and festivities lasted for a week. Prior to the marriage Elizabeth was virtually unknown but the lovely and winsome ‘Sisi’ quickly became a sensation. Court painters and engravers were soon producing likenesses of the stunningly attractive young woman. Elizabeth gave birth to daughters, Sophie in 1855, and Gisela in 1856. And in 1858, much to the relief of Franz Joseph and the Austrian people, she produced a male heir, Rudolph. But Elizabeth was not happy. Much like Diana a century later, she felt constrained by the bonds of protocol and the boring life at court. And although Franz Joseph loved her very much he could not devote as much time to her as she would have liked. Her solution was isolation, vigorous exercise and hours of riding. Eventually her life became so intolerable that in 1859 she left her husband and small children. The official story was that she needed to travel to

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

history warmer climes due to an unspecified ‘illness’. Elizabeth would spend much of the rest of her life travelling about Europe but she did return to Franz Joseph’s arms from time to time and in 1868 Marie Valerie was born. Elizabeth had a great love for Hungary and arranged for her fourth child to be raised and educated in the culture and language of that country. It wasn’t long after Marie Valerie’s birth that Elizabeth resumed her wandering ways. Some places she stayed for years at a time others only a few days. She didn’t make her first visit to Gibraltar until she was 53. Elizabeth and her entourage were in Lisbon when there was an outbreak of cholera. On 15th September, 1890, they sailed from Lisbon for Gibraltar, where Elizabeth spent eight hours on the first day and ten on the next wandering about the town and fortress. At about this time a Countess accompanying Elizabeth on her travels made a recording in her diary that could easily have been written about Diana. “Her Majesty tells us the most intimate things. She is very sweet and kind, but I often tremble for her beautiful soul, foundering in egoism and paradox.” By 1893 Elizabeth was back in Gibraltar and this time for a longer stay. She came via Spain where she visited ‘every hole and corner of Valencia’ before going to Granada to admire the Alhambra. Passing through Seville and Cadiz she arrived at Gibraltar. “Such a nice, congenial place,” she wrote to daughter Valerie on 23rd January, 1893. “I like it the best of anything in the whole of Spain, chiefly because it is English and everything in the town is so clean… There are some most amusing shops here kept by negroes. I visit one every day, so it is only thanks to Marie Festetics [her lady in waiting] that I am not now lying in debtor’s prison. But she is so good at bargaining that we get things fabulously cheap.” That the Empress was a compulsive shopper is confirmed by one of her companions at Gibraltar who lamented: “Her Majesty is buying such quantities of miscellaneous objects that the ship is already full of them”. The lavish lifestyle enjoyed by Elizabeth and the rest of the royals of Europe would foment envy and anger among the poor and lead to her untimely end at the hands of a disillusioned young Italian Communist. The illegitimate Luigi Lucheni was abandoned by his 18-year-old mother shortly after

Friday 26th June 2009 5Km walk starts at midnight, from Casemates to an Eastern Beach party

birth and was raised by foster parents. When he was old enough he joined the Italian Army. He proved to be a capable soldier: “Lucheni was an excellent rider and particularly good at jumping, and his liveliness made him popular among his fellow soldiers. For the rest, he was miserably poor, having nothing to live on but his pay.” His captain never had cause to complain of him, though he was well aware that Lucheni was ambitious and inclined to be stubborn. On the completion of his military service on 15th December, 1897, it was entered on his discharge sheet that his behavior had been good and that he had performed his duty loyally and honourably. After leaving the military Lucheni entered into the personal service of his commanding

One of her companions at Gibraltar lamented: “Her Majesty is buying such quantities of miscellaneous objects that the ship is already full of them”

SiSSi

officer Prince d’Aragona. He performed well and honestly but quit in a huff after being turned down for a pay rise. In time he had second thoughts and asked for his position back but the Prince refused. Poor and once again feeling abandoned, Lucheni became extremely bitter and further developed a hatred of the upper classes. He fell in with anarchists and determined that he would one day assassinate a royal. It didn’t matter which royal, any would do. He had no feelings about Elizabeth she was simply a target of convenience. The Empress was in Switzerland and about to embark on a boat trip around Lake Geneva when Lucheni pounced. Elizabeth and her friend Countess Sztaray were walking towards the dock but stopped to make way for the young man hurrying towards them. With one swift motion Lucheni plunged his home-made blade into Elizabeth’s breast, she fell back and hit her head on the pavement but the force of the blow was softened by her mass of luxuriant hair. Neither Elizabeth nor her friend realised the seriousness of the attack. They both thought she had only been punched and knocked over. Because the Empress was wearing a tight corset no blood was visible. A porter rushed to help and asked Elizabeth if she was okay. “But no, I am not hurt.” “But Your Majesty must be frightened.” “Oh, yes, I was certainly frightened.” Elizabeth straightened her hat, the dust was shaken from her dress, and she asked the Countess, “What ever did that man want?” The pair managed to get to the boat before Elizabeth fainted. It was only then, while loosening the corset, that Countess Sztaray noticed a small hole oozing blood. A doctor was called, but Elizabeth Empress of Austria, the most beautiful royal in Europe, was pronounced dead on 10th September, 1898, aged 60. 99 years later, on 31st August, 1997 Princess Diana, aged just 36, the ‘Sisi’ of her age, was killed in a car crash. But there are still many today who believe that she too was assassinated. When the 24-year-old Luigi Lucheni was arrested he was grinning from ear to ear and quite proud of himself. He happily pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. He became distressed when guards confiscated his memoirs and was found dead in his cell, hanging by his belt, on 10th October, 1910. He was 37. n

Beauty Salon & Hair Salon

Sissi is a sanctuary where treatments are carried out in a serene and tranquil environment. You will enjoy a special experience with us. We offer a whole range of beauty treatments.

www.breastcancergib.org

£5 registration on the night at Casemates Square from 9pm

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

F9, 1st Floor, ICC Tel: 200 70146

1st FLOOR 1

Stairs to Ground Floor

onthesquare

Gibraltar Museum (special exhibition rooms)

9 10

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

NOW OFFERING DAILY SPECIALS Grand Casemates Sq Tel: 20044449

12 13

Casemates Gates

5th Jan Tradional 3 Kings Cavalcade Parade Casemates along Main Street-starting from Casemates Square Time: 7.00 pm

23 24 25

Square 29

Tourist Office 15th Jan

The Gibraltar Philharmonic Society Berlin Philharmonic Solist Series

(See pages 87-91 for restaurant & bar information)

Q: From where does the name come?

The word Casemates, meaning a bomb proof compartment, usually of masonry, to house a magazine or troop quarters, comes from the Italian ‘Casamatta’ from the Latin ‘Casa’ (house) and ‘Matto’ (mad) originating from the Latin ‘Mattus’ (drunk)!

33 Visit us and step back in history

Line Wall Road

32 International Commercial Centre

TAXIS

(shops, offices, health centre)

Main Street

➨

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

27 28

Fruit & Veg, Fish & Meat

SHO

Public Market

17 18 19

20 21 22

Casemates Tunnel

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

15 16

Casemates Arcade

Ground FLOOR

Main Entrance / Stairs

Casemates Square Tel: 200 72987

1-3. Arts & Crafts Galleries 11. Cafe Solo 12. All’s Well 14. The Tunnel 19. The Silver Shop 26. El Cottage 27. Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie 28. El Patio Restaurant 29. Rock Turf Accountants 30. Square Cafe 32. Solo Express 33. Get Joost! smoothies

10 Casemates www.lordnelson.gi Tel: 200 50009

Open: Monday - Friday 9am - 5.30pm Saturday 10am - 3pm Sunday 10am - 1pm

now also in Casemates

72 72

Tel/Fax: 200 74982 Email: tourism@gibraltar.gi Website: www.gibraltar.gov.uk

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MARCH 2009

WHAT’S ON

May ’09

Full HD sports coverage Irish Breakfast from 7am (Sunday 9am)

Saturday 9th May Ceremonial Guard Mounting at The Convent at 12.00 noon. For further info Tel: 200 55083 The Gibraltar Heritage Trust Painting Competition. Theme: the Dockyard. Registration on site from 9.30am. Meet: South entrance to the dockyard For further info Tel: 200 42844 Sunday 10th May Five a Sided Football in aid of Royal Marsden Hospital at Victoria Stadium 1-6pm. For info Tel: 200 70550 Thursday 14th May The Gibraltar Museum lecturer by Kimberly Brown “The partridge in the pine tree - recipes from the barefoot Neanderthal” - at John Mackintosh Hall Theatre 8.30pm. Entrance free. For further info Tel: 200 74289 Saturday 16th May Gibraltar Botanic Garden Tour - meet George Don Gates (at the south end of Grand Parade) 10.30am. There is no fee but donations are welcome. For info Tel: 200 72639 Email: alameda@ wildlife.gib.gi Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association at Casemates Square 10.30am-

1.30pm. For info Tel: 200 74657 Gibraltar Scrabble Tournament at the Arts Centre, Prince Edward’s Road 10am. Entry fee £5.00. For info and to enrol contact Roy Tel: 200 75995 or Vin Tel: 200 73660/mobile 54011677 GONHS outing Brazo Del Este - Waders & wildfowl. Meet 8am Spanish side of the frontier. For info Tel: Keith Bensusan 54001111 E-mail: kbensusan@gonhs.org Friday 22nd May Mediterranean Dance Group “Dance Feast” at John Mackintosh Hall Theatre 8.30pm. Tickets: £10 available from the John Mackintosh Hall ticket office from 6pm to 7.30pm. For infoTel: Nicole 200 78805 Mobile 54013520 or email: nichol@gibtelecom. net Saturday 30th May Ceremonial Guard Mounting at the Convent 12.00 noon. For info Tel: 200 55083 Sunday 31st May Calpe Rambles - meet Spanish Side of the Frontier just to the right of the Aduana vehicle exit at 8am. For info contact Ray Tel: 200 71956 or John Tel: 200 74645

Soups

All soups are served with a

Freshly cut Sandwiches,

crusty roll. Rolls & Tortilla Wraps Leek & Potato Soup ......................£4.50 Pub Club Classic ..........................£4.75 Chef’s Soup of the Day ................£4.50 Irish Fillet Steak Roll ....................£5.50 Fish Chowder (Traditional Irish creamy fish Chicken Caesar Wrap ..................£6.20 soup) ................................................£4.50 Chicken Roll or Sandwich ............£4.75 Appetizers Tuna & Salad Roll or Sandwich (V)..£4.50 Irish Crispy Skins ..........................£4.90 Pizza Extra toppings - 50p Prawns Pil Pil ................................£5.25 Traditional Margherita ..................£7.00 Prawn Cocktail ..............................£5.25 Hawaiian ........................................£7.95 Nelson’s Nachos ............................£5.20 Three Cheese ................................£8.00 Molly’s Mussels..............................£6.20 Deluxe ............................................£8.00 O’Reilly’s Bruschetta ....................£4.25 Vegetarian ......................................£7.50 Spicy Chicken Wings ....................£4.95

Salads O’Reilly’s Salad ..............................£5.50 Classic Tuna, Prawn or Feta Cheese Salad ..............................................£7.00 Chicken Caesar Salad ..................£7.25 Cajun Chicken................................£7.25

Jackets A freshly baked jacket potato served with a salad garnish. Baked Beans & Irish Cheddar Cheese............................................£5.50 Chilli Con Carne & Irish Cheddar Cheese............................................£5.50 Tuna Mayonnaise ..........................£5.50 Prawn Mary Rose ..........................£6.25 Chicken, Bacon Bits & Mayo........£6.25 Bolognaise Sauce & Irish Cheddar Cheese............................................£5.50

Main Meals Beef & Guinness Ale Pie ..............£7.00 Chicken & Potato Pie ....................£6.95 Cottage Pie ....................................£7.50 Fish & Chips ..................................£7.00 Atlantic Salmon..............................£8.75 Molly’s Mussels..............................£7.50 Traditional Irish Breakfast ............£6.50 Kildare Chicken (Chef's Special) ..£8.50 Drunken Swine ..............................£9.00 Gaelic Sirloin 10 oz Steak ..........£12.50 Farmhouse Vegetable Bake..........£6.75 Prime Irish Fillet Steak ................£16.50 Crab Cake Dinner ..........................£8.50 Chilli Con Carne ............................£6.75 Spaghetti Bolognaise ....................£6.75 Bangers and champ ......................£6.75 Rock Burger ..................................£8.50 O’Reilly’s Burger ............................£7.50 Vegetarian Burger..........................£7.50

Boxty Dishes A homemade potato pancake cooked on the griddle and wrapped around a variety of delicious fillings. Boxty comes from the Gaelic word “bactasi” which refers to the traditional cooking of potatoes over an open fire, which still takes place in Ireland. Ploughman’s Boxty........................£6.75 Chicken & Coriander Boxty ..........£8.00

Homemade Desserts

Rustic Rhubarb Tart ......................£4.25 Apple Pie ........................................£4.25 Baileys Cheesecake ......................£4.25 Chocolate Brownies ......................£4.25

Ice Cream Sundaes Monkey in the Middle....................£4.75 Knicker Knocker Nelson ..............£4.75 Fudge Factor..................................£4.75 Sugar Daddy ..................................£4.75

Choose a Scoop Choose from coffee, banana, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mint-choc-chip or Smartie ice cream. 1 scoop ..........................................£1.00 2 scoops ........................................£1.80 3 scoops ........................................£2.40 Milkshakes ....................................£3.00 (also available to take-away) Just choose your flavour, coffee, banana, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mint-chocchip, or Smartie ice cream. Diabetic Ice Cream........................£2.10 Vanilla & Chocolate - 100% sugar free.

, Special Coffee s

Traditional Irish Coffee ................£3.75 Bushmills Coffee............................£3.75 Maria’s Coffee ................................£3.75 Nutty Irish Coffee ..........................£3.75 Keoke Coffee ................................£3.75 Calypso Coffee ..............................£3.75

Side Orders Homemade Chips ..........................£2.00 Homemade Chips with Cheese....£2.25 Garlic Bread ..................................£1.90 Garlic Bread with Cheese ............£2.15 Olives ..............................................£2.00 Champ (homemade mash made with potatoes, spring onion & chives) ......£3.00 Homemade & especially for under 12's

Kids Menu Chilli and Rice ................................£4.00 Fish and Chips ..............................£4.00 Sausage and Chips........................£4.00 Chicken Nuggets and Chips ........£4.00

Find out about all our entertainment, click onto

Gibraltar Scrabble Tournament will take place at the Arts Centre, Prince Edward’s Road from 10am on Saturday 16th May 2009 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

puzzle page

by Alan Gravett

SUDOKU No prize for these two — you’ll be doing them for the glory!

easy 9

11 12

14 15

hard

Send completed crossword to: The Clipper, Irish Town, Gibraltar. One entry per person.

FIRST PRIZE: Lunch for 2 at The Clipper

Winner notified in next issue of The Gibraltar Magazine. Closing date: 20th May 2009

Across 5) Functioning like a firework (11) 7) Supporting piece of wood; smile (4) 8) An engraving tool used to impress an image onto another medium (3,5) 9) Clint’s first spaghetti western A ------ of Dollars (7) 11) Space measured in degrees between 2 adjoining lines (5) 13) Angry temper; leather piece for sharpening (5) 14) Pressing importance (7) 16) Removable head of a boring tool (5,3) 17) Former Yugoslavian dictator (4) 18) Dickens hero (11) Down 1) Old form of public transport (4) 2) Place where sporting event takes place (7) 3) Rock fragments at the foot of a hill or mountain (5) 4) Example (8) 5) Extremely old (11) 6) Intricate; not easy (11) 10) Author of Barchester Towers and The Palliser novels (8) 12) Please (7) 15) Religious building, e.g. Westminster (5) 17) Not us! (4)

Jotting Pad ...

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS: Across: Mr Smee, Hook, Steer, Porcelain, Menswear, Miami, Insipid, Pint Mug, Senator, Galileo, Rider, Directed, Ultrafine, Wendy, Damp, Crossroads. Down: Most, Stevenson, Earns, Sap Head, Eardrop, Omaha, Kensington, Terminal, First Round, Peter Pan, Millennia, Ruddier, Gardens, Datum, Cower, Eyes.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

charities

the bosom buddies

annual fashion show

The Bosom Buddies Annual Fashion Show in aid of breast cancer charities will take place on 11th June 2009. The Bosom Buddies Fashion Shows have helped to create awareness for breast cancer and to date have raised £43,220 for Cancer Research, Cancer Relief, and Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar. Producer Sonia Golt explained how it all started: “During the time I was having radiotherapy I promised my Guardian Angels that if I survived I would do something in aid of breast cancer every year. I am still alive so I continue to do what I promised... Initially we did it with the first Bosom Buddies Show in 2006 and now it is a very popular annual event, later we took the plunge with the Calendar Girls calendar in 2007 that proved another great success for the cause and this year I also gave 50% of the proceeds from my novel Paradise Bound.” The idea behind the Bosom Buddies show is to demonstrate that people diagnosed with breast cancer can still look and feel confident after their treatment. At the shows survivors of breast cancer take to the catwalk to create awareness for the cause and to emphasise the importance behind the slogan ‘early detection equals survival’.

“The whole team makes sure the models look their best with wonderful make-up and hairstyles and with a selection of clothes and accessories by the same participating boutiques, Hearts, Aimee Jay Intimates and Jessica Garcia’s designs. “Working with women who are not professional models presents challenges to do with differences in age, size and some physical factors, such as covering surgical scarring and using prostheses, so Claudia’s team and Attractions Hair Salon work together to do the makeovers. “The catwalk choreography is simple but has great impact on the runway with music prepared by Mount Production’s team and Carol Coelho. “It is an enjoyable event and there is a wonderful camaraderie amongst those participating. Stage

Manager Jaqui Dalli runs the backstage crew with her team, Jacqui Cruz and Sylvia Palmer as well as with a series of other volunteers who help in the changing rooms and front of stage.” This year the show will pay a tribute to International singer/ songwriter Albert Hammond who has donated a CD with signed photos for both the auction and the raffle. Albert’s hits go back five decades and at the show, it will be Nigel Palmer, Francis Chipolina, Guy Palmer and Joe Adamberry

The idea behind the Bosom Buddies show is to demonstrate that people diagnosed with breast cancer can still look and feel confident after their treatment

BRAvery Campaign presents cheque to the GHA

A cheque for £1231.18 was presented last month to the GHA Chief Executive by the organisers of the BRAvery Campaign which took place last year. Mount Productions teamed up with AiméeJay Intimates, and fundraisers Sonia Golt and Myra Zayas, to create awareness locally. The BRAvery Campaign involved making a bra chain the length of Main Street, from the gates at the entrance of town to Referendum Gates. The

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

bras were later washed and a total of just under 2000 bras were taken over to Tangier and presented to Malika Benslimane, the President

of the Moroccan Association of Women Entrepreneurs for Economic and Social Development (AMFEDES North-South). n

who will delight the audience with his memorable songs. International Designer, John Galliano, who contributed to last year’s show, has this year contributed a selection of his designs for the auction (auctioneer, Duncan Quigley). The theme for this year’s show is ‘We are going on a cruise’ and the main sponsors are Fred Olsen Cruise Liners. The presenters are Peter Canessa, Christian Santos, James Neish, Mark Montovio, and Henry Sacramento. Raffle tickets are now on sale. Call 200 79822 for tickets to the show, from Heart’s Boutique, 250, Main Street, priced at £25 (price includes a copy of the romance novel Paradise Bound, a non-alcoholic drink by Anglo Hispano and a choice of fruit by Gibmaroc). n

First Breast Cancer Conference for Gib Breast Cancer Support Gibraltar (BCSG) will be hosting Gibraltar’s first ever Breast Cancer conference together with the Gibraltar Health Authority at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel on 22nd May between 9am and 5pm. The conference is aimed at medical professionals and interested members of the public and to give them an insight into the medical journey of breast cancer from diagnosis to targeted treatment. There are a few places left, and the conference will cover subjects including Breast Cancer in Gibraltar, Benign Conditions and Family History, Surgery and Reconstruction, Gibraltar’s Proposed Screening Programme and much more. For full information on the itinerary of lectures, feel free to contact the BCSG either by email: info@breastcancergib.org call 58008944. n

from the east side blues band Some of the greatest names in modern music have taken their roots from Blues, and it’s refreshing to find a band in Gibraltar which will take you to the shores of the Mississippi Delta with an original, raunchy sound. Who said white men can’t sing the blues?

When you talk about the blues, you’re talking about names like Muddy Waters, who took the sound from Mississippi to Chicago, influencing the music scene since the early ‘40s. You’re talking about Willy Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James amongst many others. Many a band would feel privileged to be named alongside legends like these, and the guys from the EastSide Blues Band are working hard to get their names up in lights. Although the EastSide Blues Band only got together at the end of last summer, none of them are strangers to the stage or blues scene. Lorry “The Hat” Doyle and Melvyn “Mr Harp” Church played for a year or so here in Gibraltar in the blues band Off Yer Trolley, while Clive “Fingers” Yeats has a vast career behind him

playing in the UK and across Europe with the Iain “Sticks” Currie, a banker — with a “B”, group Scarecrow and played backing for the he’s quick to add — is the beat behind the likes of Pink Floyd and the man himself, Jimmi band. Having ignored music most of his life he picked up some sticks back in the ‘90s when he Hendrix. lived in West Africa. Some friends from a band encouraged him to give it a go and he’s never looked back, enjoying the therapy of bashing the daylights out of his drum kit. When I stopped by to hear them play at an evening gig in the Royal Calpe, I expected to stay just long enough to taste the flavour and ask a few questions. Three hours later I was still there tapping my toes. Clive, originally from Gibraltar, is the linchpin of the group, with his solid, well honed bass skills keeping the boys in line. Lorry’s gutteral voice and slick guitar riffs give the cool blues feel. Clive’s drumming will keep your feet tapping as long he doesn’t

Lorry’s gutteral voice and slick guitar riffs give the cool blues feel, Clive’s drumming keeps feet tapping as long he doesn’t “go off on one”, whilst Merlyn always seems to be off on one, playing an incredible tin biscuit

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

music scene “go off on one”, whilst Merlyn always seems to be off on one, playing an incredible tin biscuit (harmonica to the rest of us). Although some of the songs they cover go so deep into the past they’re not immediately recognisable if you’re not an avid blues fan, there are many numbers which will bring back memories or introduce you to the original versions of songs which are better known covered in a pop or rock environment. Melvyn holds a cool harmonica in On the Road Again, probably the best (or only!) known song by Canned Heat and the guitars show their tempo in the classic Cream/Clapton hit Badge. The guys play their signature tune, Mojo Hand, a little more up-tempo than the original by Lightning Hopkins, but it’s the same song right down to the old black blues feel. Other songs you’re bound to pick up on are House of the Rising Sun, first recorded by Woddie Guthrie, or Pretty Woman (not Roy Orbison’s, but John Mayall). More modern, but still the pure blues feel, you’ll find Moving On, by Gary Moore, and they’re working hard on covering his classic, Still Got The Blues. I’m looking forward to hearing what they do with that one! Lorry’s favourite ‘toy’ is his Line Six Variax guitar which digitally retunes at the flip of a switch when he plays with his finger slide. “The only drawback, is that it’s really a studio guitar. If you break a string it takes about half

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

an hour to change, so I always make sure I have my Gibson Les Paul close to hand too.” Melvin is another interesting character in the band. With his portable stand which houses his large collection of harmonicas, I’ve heard rumours that he’s secretly nick-named “The Reverend”. Each Harp is tuned to a different key, as they play a limited amount of notes, and many notes in between have to be reached by bending the note with the tongue. “The harp is just an accident,” Merlyn told me during one of the short beer breaks. “It really is, the basic notes that it plays really just cover the chords. The instrument itself hasn’t developed much over the years at all. One day someone discovered you could do something different and the blues sound has grown from there.” Most weeks you can find the EastSide Blues Bands jamming at the Lord Nelson, and they regularly play other venues around Gibraltar — you can find out where at their webiste www. eastside-blues.com . n

Lorry’s favourite ‘toy’ is his Line Six Variax guitar which digitally retunes at the flip of a switch when he plays with his finger slide

Roots of the Blues There’s no specific year which can be pinpointed as the start of the blues era as it’s a style which evolved over a long period of time. It’s generally accepted though,that blues was introduced into America by the slaves with their African American work songs and developed into what has been commented on as “a simple solo song, laden with emotional content”. It’s distinctive sound is said to have come from the African’s inability to reach certain notes, and as they sung, would slide the sound between notes to reach the correct one. Dallas Blues, the first known sheet music was published in 1912 by Hart A Wand of Oklahoma and from there it began to take a more structured form that it had had in the past. Ma Rainey, one of the first professional blues singers claimed to have coined the phrase “blues” in the 1920s and Mamie Smith was the first African-American to record blues. In 1920, Crazy Blues sold 750,000 copies in its first month. As they say, the rest is history and blues has influenced the music industry ever since. One of the most influential of all times, Muddy Waters was interestingly mentor to The Rolling Stones, who took their name from one of his songs too.

music scene

the boys are back If they had to rely on their good looks, they might not get very far. So No Mans Land can be grateful for their hard work, talent and experience in the music industry as they relaunch themselves after ten years of silence. 78

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;˘ APRIL 2009

music scene Originally formed in 1989 by Mark Brooks and Tiery Alman, after several changes to the line-up, Corey Alman joined them and the group managed to push themselves into the top ten in Cadena 100s charts with their single Lonely in 1994. They played extensively in English across Spain after signing a five album deal with BRA Records, but after running into problems with commitment from the label, they decided to take a break and they each went their own way. Corey and Mark have played together since then in several bands, the last of which was Real back in 2007. “I’d say we play commercial rock,” Corey told us. “Although we do enjoy playing harder rock and slightly more underground styles too. But if you want to get anywhere in the music scene, you have to play commercial music and that is what we’ve always concentrated on.” With influences from the Motley Crew, Poison, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, Guns n Roses, Dream Theatre and many others, the group got together last summer to play a couple of venues just to see how they got on after all these years, and the music and vibes were still there. Now they’re picking up where they left off just over a decade ago and have been working hard on a demo single entitled Guerreros No Lloran (Warriors Don’t Cry). The decision to go with Spanish lyrics to make their move back onto the scene is a change which is based on their experience and from seeing the way trends change. “Ten years ago, the Spanish public were much more open to songs in English. It’s not so much

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

that they don’t enjoy the songs in English now, explained. but that you’ll immediately be compared to the “Singing in Spanish, although a challenge for top names from the UK and America,” Corey us, means we are more likely to be compared in the first instance directly with Spanish bands. As a smaller market hopefully it will be easier to break into.” Their time back in the ’90s wasn’t wasted either from the experience gained or the contacts made, the majority of whom are still around and will be the destination for many of the demo CDs. “Rather than compiling 20 songs which may or may not be listened to, we have decided to concentrate on one piece to showcase ourselves. As a result, we haven’t spread our budget thinly and have been able to spend maximum time in a top recording studio to get the sound down with top quality results,” Corey qualified. It’s not just the sound which is top quality either — managed by Bizz Producciones, who have worked with top artists such as Alejandro Sans, recorded at Estudios Central by José Maria Sagrista and with cover photography by Prem Mahtani the product is wrapped up in a professional package. Guerreros No Lloran isn’t available to buy in the shops, but if you drop us an email to gibmag@ gibtelecom.net with the name of the bass player in the band, you’ll be entered into a draw for a copy of the single and a No Mans Land T-shirt. Winner will be published next month. No Mans Land will be performing at the Rock on the Rock Club on 9th May 2009 to raise funds for the RifCom charity. You can also keep track of what the group are up to through their myspace site: www.myspace.com/nmlband n

“We do enjoy playing harder rock and slightly more underground styles too. But if you want to get anywhere in the music scene, you have to play commercial music”

pets&accessories Protect Your Dog Against Fatal Summer Diseases Heartworm, Leishmaniosis, Tickborne Diseases Phone Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic for details 200 77334 Emergency: 8977

www.medgolf.gi medgolf@gibraltar.gi Tel: 200 79575 Fax: 200 44307

newsagents

hobbies&pastimes

Sun Daily Mail Star Express Mirror Available Daily on the Rock Every Morning from

L. SACARELLO 96 Main St Tel: 200 78723 Fax: 200 78723 HORTICULTURAL CONTRACTORS Tel: 200 43134 Fax: 200 50648 Convent Gardens, Convent Garden Ramp

photography

Booksellers, Newsagents & Stationers

leisure & tuition travel&hotels

leisure&sport

Gibraltar Connections by Reg Reynolds

60 riveting true stories of people and events connected to the world’s most famous Rock.

lessons&tuition Frost Language Centre

GACHE & CO LTD EST. 1830

(Co. Registered in Gibraltar)

Spanish lessons. Private Tuition.

• Giftware • Jewellery • Sports Trophies • Awards & Engravers

If you would like to learn Spanish or improve your knowledge of the language, please contact Margaret for more info

on 956 173384 or e.mail rmf2@telefonica.net

266 Main St, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75757

Queen’s Hotel Gibraltar Excellent Prices • Centrally Located • Easy Access • Parking • Bar • Restaurant

EUROPORT RD. TEL: 200 70950

Tel: (+350) 20074000 Fax: 20040030

The Flowers of Gibraltar by Leslie Linares, Arthur Harper and John Cortes

Book on sale at Gibraltar Book Shops

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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• MAY MAY 2009 2009 GIBRALTAR

history file

by Reg Reynolds

No Laughing Matter Gibraltar the Comedy

It’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to make a comedy out of an event that cost hundreds of lives but that is what playwright John Dennis did in 1705. The play was titled Gibraltar: Or, the Spanish Adventure and in it Dennis attempted to inject humour into the capture of Gibraltar by a combined British and Dutch force in July, 1704. Admittedly people’s attitudes to warfare and conquest were quite different three hundred years ago but where do you do find jokes or even satire in a battle in which 696 British sailors and marines were killed and another 1632 wounded? The Spanish casualties would probably have been at least double that and would have included some women and children. Maybe the nationalistic Dennis felt that Brits would be so pleased with the capture of the great fortress that they would enjoy a laugh at the expense of the defeated Spanish. He had worked the formula to success the previous year when he presented Liberty Asserted which was a savage attack on the French * [see end of story]. This play was a rare success for Dennis but then it appealed to the prejudices of the time and was not a comedy but a tragedy. Dennis had high expectations when Gibraltar opened at London’s Drury Lane Theatre on February 16th, 1705. So the poor man was hugely disappointed when the play was badly received; but for that he blamed the actors and the public. He wrote afterwards: “This play was so unfortunate as to find the town out of humour. The first day it was well acted in most of its parts, but was not suffered to be heard. The second day it was, for the most part, faintly and negligently acted, and consequently was not seen; and a play deprived of its life, and its spirit, can no more please than a dead man can have the agreeableness of a man who is living.” Dennis refused to accept that there was anything seriously wrong with the play and continued to insist that if it had been acted and presented with the necessary ‘spirit’ the public would have embraced it. “Several of my friends of whose judgment, in matters of this nature, the world has some opinion, read this play before it was acted, and believed it a diverting comedy. Since its ill success, they have not changed their opinion of it. I cannot but yet believe it reasonable for me, to be

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Dennis refused to accept that there was anything seriously wrong with the play and continued to insist that if it had been acted and presented with the necessary ‘spirit’ the public would have embraced it rather of the opinion of those who have read and considered, and who know it, than of those who have either not seen it, or not heard it.” Unfortunately for Dennis those who did see it expressed their displeasure in the uninhibited manner of the age and pelted the stage with all measure of fruits and vegetables. John Dennis was born at London in 1657 the son of a saddler. He was educated at Harrow and Cambridge but was fined and dismissed from his college (Caius) for wounding a fellow student with a sword. Transferring to Trinity he

attained a Master of Arts Degree. Following a few years of travel in Europe Dennis settled in London. He was lucky enough to inherit a small fortune and this enabled him to devote himself to being a writer and a theatre critic. His plays were not considered to be of much worth and he received heavy criticism from contemporaries such as Alexander Pope and Joseph Addison. Pope was particularly vitriolic against Dennis, whom he deemed mediocre, and made personal attacks in essays and pamphlets. Dennis replied in kind publishing one pamphlet of scathing sarcasm entitled A True Character of Mr. Pope and His Writings. Despite being best remembered as a critic, Dennis himself did not take criticism well and he grew more and more angry and bitter with time. One of his last plays was titled Furious. He died in January 1734 still believing Gibraltar, Or the Spanish Adventure, had been misjudged and was in fact a divine comedy. n *Author’s note: Dennis received so many death threats that he requested that the Treaty of Utrecht (which ceded Gibraltar to Britain in perpetuity) should contain a special clause prohibiting the French from taking revenge against him.

They Stole his Thunder John Dennis is credited with giving us the expression “Steal my thunder” which has come to mean someone uses your ideas or inventions to their own advantage. In order to give a more realistic feel to his play Appius and Virgina (1704) Dennis invented a new way to make ‘thunder’ which entailed rolling lead shot around large wooden bowls. Like so many of his plays it wasn’t well received and closed after a few days. A short time later Dennis was watching a production of Macbeth when he realised they were using his thunder-making method. He was incensed and Alexander Pope quoted him as swearing: “Damn them! They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder.” n

recipes Possibly the easiest fish dish to prepare with a real Andalucian feel would be grilled prawns. Baste them with aromatic olive oil, plenty of rock salt and keep squeezing lemon juice over them as they grill — just three or four minutes on each side and they’re done! If you’d like to try them with a different flavour though, go for this spicy recipe.

Spicy Prawns

1kg fresh prawns 6 tablespoons light rum 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt 60g brown sugar

Peel and clean the prawns, leaving the tails on. Combine four tablespoons of the rum with the lemon or lime juice, oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in the prawns and allow them to marinate for 30 minutes, whilst in a separate bowl, stir together the remaining rum, cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Thread the prawns on skewers and grill over medium heat for three minutes on each side. Brush with the brown sugar glaze while cooking.

Halibut with Lemon

Serving seafood with lemon is nothing new, but on the grill you can really bring out the flavours. 8 halibut fillets 60g fresh lemon juice 180g chicken broth 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary - crushed

the perfect

barbecue

Everyone likes a good barbecue, and with summer round the corner, why not try some alternative ideas along with some classics — it’s hard to go wrong, so why not give it a go.

Stir the lemon juice, chicken broth, and cornstarch in a frying pan. Bring to a boil and stir for one minute. Turn the heat off and stir in the remaining ingredients. Keep the sauce warm ready to serve over the grilled fish. To cook the fish, rub the grilling rack with oil to prevent sticking. Grill the fish fillets for about six minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Peanut Butter BBQ Sauce

Here’s a marinade sauce to bring true American flavour to your grill. Perfect for meat and chicken too, so try it out. 350g apple cider vinegar 1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut butter 1 teaspoon salt 2 lemons, juiced 1 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons celery seed 2 tablespoons chilli powder 4 tablespoons butter

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

recipes

Bring all ingredients to a boil until peanut butter dissolves. Stir to avoid sticking. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Japanese BBQ Aubergine

The miso baste gives this aubergine recipe a slightly tart, but sweet flavour that is absolutely fantastic. This makes a great appetizer. 6 aubergines 75g white miso 1 tablespoon sake 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon sweet rice wine 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds Make sure the grill is well heated. Combine miso, sake, red wine, sugar and mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. Slice aubergines in half lengthwise. Make shallow slits on both sides of the cut aubergine. Brush with sesame oil. Place aubergine flesh side down on the oiled

grate. Grill for 4 minutes, or until browned. Turn should be softly yielding when fully cooked. aubergine and brush a generous amount of miso Remove from grill and top with sesame seeds. sauce mixture over flesh side. Grill for another 12-14 minutes with the grill higher away from And don’t forget to notify the fire brigade if you’re the flame for slower cooking. The aubergine barbecuing in Gibraltar. Enjoy! n

Modern

Relaxed

Dining

Award winning breakfasts from 7.30am Great meals & snacks all day Evening Steak House menu Med Golf Clubhouse Tottenham Hotspur HQ Parliament Lane Tel: 200 75924 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Open: 10am - late Closed Sundays + Saturday lunch

Irish Town Tel: 200 51738 to reserve

events

more than just desserts If you’re looking of a quick bite to eat or just a cup of tea and slice of cake, you don’t need to look further than the first floor of the ICC. After a lighting re-furbishment in January, the girls at Just Desserts have been serving happy clients throughout the rainy winter and pride themselves on their cheerful service. But it’s not just desserts they serve, although that’s how they started out and always have a wide choice of home-made cakes to accompany your tea or coffee. For the last couple of years they’ve expanded to offer an eatin and take-away service offering all types of home-made food, from their all-day breakfast to their daily roast (with everything on), keep an eye on their specials boards too — you could be in for

a treat, and as a fully licensed restaurant, you can enjoy a glass of wine with your meal in a nonsmoking environment, although they do have a smoking area outside on their terrace area. So if you’re in a rush and need a quick bite, or have been rushing and need a rest, the girls at Just Desserts will be delighted to see you. Just Desserts is on the 1st floor of the International Commercial Centre, Casemates Tel: 200 48014 and is open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea from 8am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday

Pickwicks on Governor’s Parade

Tel: 200 76488 (opposite the Eliott Hotel)

The Best Sandwiches made especially for you as well as Jackets•Salads•Burgers and a whole lot more

open Monday to Friday from 9.30am

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

food & drink

Caroline and Chris of Café Grumpy, New York

The Best Coffee in New York Café Grumpy, with two (soon to be three) branches in New York City, is run by Caroline Bell and her husband Chris. Caroline has firm Gibraltar roots, as she is the daughter of Gibraltarian Lucille Cortes, and Nick Bell, who worked at the Gibraltar Branch of Barclays Bank in the 1970s. Café Grumpy has a coffee shop in Manhattan

and another in Brooklyn, and will soon open a third New York venue. Café Grumpy has just been voted by Eat Out NY as “the best cup of coffee in New York”. Gibraltarians who visit New York should call at a branch of Café Grumpy for the best coffee! Location details and more on www.cafegrumpy. com. n

enjoy relax

Contemporary Mediterranean Dining

on the QUAY

Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 43731

Enjoy exemplary food with exceptional value in the relaxed atmosphere of Queensway Quay Marina

enjoy relax delicious Grand Casemates Square

FREE WiFi

Tel:

200 44449

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

lunch afternoon tea dinner cocktails

wine column

the Chianti Code

by Tony Hernandez

Valentine’s evening, my wife had cooked a lovely meal and lit some candles; my only job was to supply the wine. Perfect, I had in my reasonable collection a Vigneti La Selvanella Riserva 1999 Chianti Classico that I was dying to open, and I wasn’t disappointed; lovely rich, plumy, oaky nose and silky smooth perfectly balanced on the palate, a beautiful wine. The only problem was... she liked it too.

Top 5 ❖ Tignanello 2004 by Antinori ❖ Chianti Via Ulivi ❖ Vigneti la Selvanella Riserva 1999 Chianti Classico ❖ Granaio Chianti Classico 2004 by Melini ❖ Badia a Coltibuono Riserva 2005 Chianti Suppliers: Try Anglo Wines www.anglowines.com, or the Marks & Spencer store in Gibraltar, both with a very good selection of Chianti and other Italian wines. Alternatives: If you can’t find Chianti at your local store, the Sangiovese grape has been introduced to Australian and American vines, just check the grape variety on the bottles. On the Spanish wines I would suggest you try the Enate Crianza Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot, from Somontano.

When one is asked to think about Italy the few things that normally come to mind would be pasta, fast cars, gondolas or wine. Italy has been producing the latter for centuries. It was the Greeks who first introduced the grape vines to Italy and in turn gave Italy the name “Oenotria”, the land of wine. Practically anywhere you go in Italy you will find picturesque sceneries of vines growing on the hillsides, just a few minutes’ drive from wherever you are, and one of the most beautiful wine regions in my opinion is Tuscany, more specifically Chianti Classico. Chianti has had its ups and downs over the last three decades. In the ’70s it was an affordable Italian red wine popular with university students, drunk by the litre and recognised by its half straw woven bottles. In the ’80s and ’90s Chianti was pushed aside by the flood of new world wines, but watch out, Chianti is making a comeback. Only on the more basic Chianti will you still find the half woven bottles. The higher quality vineyards have smartened up, have elegant labelling, and have won prestigious awards around the world. Some of the best Chianti are amongst the “Super Tuscans” (Solaia, Tignanello) and are usually quite elevated in price. (If you are going for a super Tuscan look for 04 or 06 vintages, both great years) The grapes permitted for Chianti are at least 90% Sangiovese and Canaiolo, and 10% of other grapes, these could be Cabernet Sauvignon,

Merlot or even Syrah depending on the wine maker. New law permits Chianti to now have 100% Sangiovese. The style of wine a young Chianti will give you should be bursting with fruit and have good amount of acidity. Chianti that has been aged would often be mentioned on the label as the term “Riserva”; this Chianti can range from being silky smooth and low in acidity to dark coloured and oaky. If you are looking to age your Chianti, the Riserva would be best (I will talk about wine storage in a future issue). There are tons of different Chianti wine makers but only the vineyards that are members of the Consorzio del Marchio Storico- Chianti Classico can adorn the famous Gallo Nero (black cockerel). This does not guarantee a quality wine. In 1984 Chianti was promoted to the classification DENOMINAZIONE DI ORIGINE CONTRLLATA E GARANTITA (DOCG) which is the highest classification granted. Italian wines are regional and are at their best accompanied with dishes from the same area. Food in Tuscany tends to be prepared simply. Try a bistecca alla fiorentina served with fagioli (Tuscan beans) or a roasted wild boar or hare dish, a Chianti would be perfect for all three. That’s all for this month; remember the best wine is not the one I tell you or what you read in books, it’s the one you enjoy the most and the one that brings back the best memories. Keep tasting. n

In the ’80s and ’90s Chianti was pushed aside by the flood of new world wines, but watch out, Chianti is making a comeback GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

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

restaurant bar guide & turn to pages 88-90 for full restaurant and bar listings

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

thyme

dining rooms

5 Cornwall’s Lane. Tel: 200 49199 Email: thymegib@hotmail.com

Tel: 20077446

Traditional English Pub with the best of English beers

Ground Floor Bar open from 10.30 daily Pool Table • TV • Machines First Floor ’Hoots’ open from 1pm 2 Pool Tables • Darts • Machines 2nd Floor ‘The Nest’ open from 5pm American Pool • Card Table

57 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: 200 70652

Get Stuffed!

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

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

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

Liverpool Bar open 7 days a week 10-late

UK BEERS FUll English Breakfast + much more Avenida España No 4 (400m from the Frontier) Tel: 00 34 956767770

BUDDIES pasta casa

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

BY DAY BY NIGHT Made-to-order Lounge Bar Sandwiches, Soups, Happy Hours 7-9pm Salads, Wraps, Free Tapas Fridays Baguettes etc 5-7pm 5 Waterport Plaza - (Public Market)

SMITH’S

open: from 8.30am

FRESHLY BAKED

bread, brioche, rolls, bagels, croissants, cakes

AMAR’S BAKERY & COFFEE SHOP

1a Convent Place (opp. the Convent) Tel: 200 73516 Wide variety of ready-made food now available for take-away or sitdown All food is Kosher

Open 8-7 Mon-Fri, 10-7 Sat, 11-6 Sun 248 Main St - delivery Tel/Fax: 200 76699

HOME DELIVERY

FISH & CHIPS

Open

HADDOCK PLAICE • COD FRESH FRIED IN CRISPY BATTER

days a week

295 MAIN ST Tel: 200 74254

Glacis Estate

Tel: 200 71992

Wines, Spirits, Tobacco, Beers & Soft Drinks Distributors Est. 1839

35 Devil’s Tower Road, Gibraltar. Telephone: (350) 200 74600 Telefax: (350) 200 77031 e-mail: mail@sacspeed.gi A Member of The Saccone & Speed (Gibraltar) Group of Companies GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• NOVEMBER MAY 2009 2009

87 87

(with mezanine level seating), a large covered terrace with chandeliers and a quayside open terrace. The food is served in hearty portions and includes starters of grilled goat’s cheese, crab with lemon mayonnaise, moules mariniere, and prawn and lobster salad. There is a barbecue in the summer month and grills which include 8oz fillet steaks. Favourites are pan fried chicken with wild mushrooms and Madeira sauce, beef and ale pie with a puff pastry lid, and whole lamb shoulder. Fish dishes from grilled swordfish to salmon and crayfish ravioli, and vegetarian dishes such as mushroom stroganoff, and vegetable wellington sit alongside the menu from the Orient which includes Madras chicken or vegetables, chicken tikka masala, and crispy duck with pancakes and cucumber. Open: 7 days a week from 9am to late.

restaurants The Boatyard Queensway Quay. Tel: 200 50540 Stylish relaxed dining right on the quayside at Queensway Quay. Enjoy a cocktail or a pre-dinner drink in the lounge out onthe quayside. The menu includes dishes such as Cumin Crusted Rack of New Zealand Lamb; Grilled Prime 300g Argentinean Rump Steak; Crispy Skinned Confit French Duck Leg; Fresh Local Seafood Spaghetti; and Wild Mushroom, Gorgonzola & Baby Spinach Risotto. Open: Tues-Fri lunch & dinner, Sat lunch snacks only, closed Sundays. l Café Solo Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 44449 Modern Italian eatery set in the lively Casemates square. Everything from chicory and crispy pancetta salad with walnuts, pears and blue cheese dressing, or king prawn, mozzarella and mango salad to pastas(eg: linguine with serrano ham, king prawns and rocket; smoked salmon and crayfish ravioli with saffron and spinach cream) to salads (eg: Vesuvio spicy beef, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers and red onions; and Romana chorizo, black pudding, egg and pancetta) and pizzas (eg: Quatto Stagioni topped with mozzarella, ham, chicken, pepperoni and mushroom) and specialities such as salmon fishcakes, beef medallions and duck. Good daily specials menu on blackboard. No smoking inside. Free WiFi. l Cafe Rojo 54 Irish Town. Tel: 200 51738 Sleek modern comfort in this relaxing little restaurant. Red comfy arm chairs in separate area for a relaxing drink or coffee. Brunch menu (10am-12pm) includes ciabatta, granary, foccacia sandwiches with fillings such as pear and blue cheese, smoked bacon and brie, cheese and honey roast ham, delicious desserts (chocolate mousse in a must). Lunch 12 - 3pm and dinner 7-10pm includes Roast Pumpkin, Mushroom, & Spinach Curry; Marinated Tuna Steak & Sesame Crust; Roasted Lamb Shoulder; pasta dishes such as Langoustine, Lime & Coconut; Pear, Walnut & Blue Cheese; and Creamy Mixed Seafood; and salads such as Warm Goats’ Cheese, Fresh Spinach & Chargrilled Aubergine; and Roast Duck, Chorizo & Pancetta Salad. Open: from 10am. Closed all day Sundays, and Saturday lunch.

informaleating marina, 14 on the Quay is open for lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails and dinner. The fine dining includes lobsters fresh from the tank, and the setting with its spectacular sunsets is perfect. Open: 12.30 - 11pm (last orders 10.45pm) Nunos Italian Restaurant and Terrace Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay For a reservations Tel: 200 76501 E-mail reservations@caletahotel.gi Nunos Italian restaurant and terrace at the Caleta Hotel, overlooks the Mediterranean and is extremely popular with both hotel guests and the local market. Recognised for its eclectic interior, atmosphere and cuisine. Bread, pasta and desserts from the a la carte menu are all home-made and contribute to create a genuine and exciting dining experience.

The Mexican Grill and Bar Unit 2B The Tower, Marina Bay Tel: 200 46668 The Mexican Grill and Bar serves all the favourite Mexican dishes from Nachos, Quesadillas and Chimichangas (rolled flour tortilla with spicy chicken, chilli beef or vegetables, deep fried, served with Mexican rice and salad and guacamole, salsa or sour cream), to Burritos (like Chimichangas but oven baked), El Gringos Chilli con Carne, or Cheese Holy Mole Enchiladas. Don’t forget Big Eat Homemade Burgers (5 to choose from) and from the grill barbecue combos, steaks and chicken. Salads and sides to order. Decorated is warm Mexican colours with comfortable seating in the nosmoking, air-conditioned interior or outside on the Casa Pepe patio, great for a fun night out. Available for private 18 Queensway Quay Marina. Tel/Fax: 200 46967 bookings and children’s parties. Email: casa.pepe.gib@gmail.com Situated right on the water front at Queensway Quay, Open: lunch and dinner 12 noon to late Casa Pepe has a comprehensive a la carte menu which includes dishes such as melon & Serrano ham, stuffed Thyme Restaurant piquillo peppers and filled mushrooms to start, fol- 5 Cornwall’s Lane. Tel: 200 49199 lowed by a choice of salads, rice and noodles and fish, Email: thymegib@hotmail.com poultry and meat dishes which include King Prawns Open for 5 years, this modern wine bar serves refreshMacarena (cooked with fresh ginger, tomatoes, mangos ing cocktails and a wide range of New World and and bananas served with basmati rice, fried bread and European wines in a cool lively atmosphere, and on the bananas), Medallions of monkfish cooked with white 1st floor above is the restaurant serving bistro cuisine wine and lobster sauce, duck breast Armanac-style with a menu featuring dishes from all over the world. (with Cognac, mushrooms and pine nuts), Medallions Try one of these dishes from the wide selection: startof pork loin cooked with Serrano ham and dry Jerez ers include Buffalo Mozzarella, Plum Tomato, Grilled sherry, and fillet steak Malagueña cooked in creamy Chilli & Landcress Salad, Basil Oil & Balsamic; Crab & garlic mushrooms and sweet sherry sauce topped with Coriander Spring Roll, String Hopper Noodle Salad, prawns. Wide range of tapas/raciones also available. Cucumber & Chilli Salsa; Steamed Mussels flavoured with ginger, Lemon Grass, Chilli & Coconut Milk; try Open: Monday to Saturday 11am till late. main courses such as Grilled Salmon Darne, Crisp Pancetta, Thai Spiced Lentils, Cool Mint Yoghurt Dressing; Restaurante El Patio Confit of Lamb Shoulder Shank, Warm Couscous Salad, 11 Casemates Square Tel: 200 70822 Tucked in the corner of Casemates Square this classic Chickpea & Coriander Salsa, Onion & Sultana Chutney; fish restaurant specialises in fresh fish and Basque and or Open Ravioli of Slow Roast Squash, Basil & Ricotta, Continental cuisines. Relaxed dining at the front next Roast Garlic Cream Sauce. Everything made on the to the square, formal dining room to the rear - try the premises using only the best, fresh ingredients. Two fresh caught specials, paellas and rice dishes, sea bass separate dining rooms - smoking and non smoking. A la Vasca or a la Bilbaina, swordfish pil-pil or turbot Menu changed seasonally, daily specials. Open 7 days a week. Closed Saturday lunchtimes. thermidor. Open: 1pm - 4pm, 8.30pm - 11pm Closed all day The Waterfront Sunday (plus Saturdays during August). Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 45666 The Waterfront is a very popular restaurant located 14 on the Quay right on the quayside at Queensway Quay Marina. Unit 14, Queensway Quay Tel: 200 43731 The latest addition to the beautiful Queensway Quay There are different areas for drinks, the main restaurant

Al Baraka Take-away Queensway Quay. Tel: 200 46993 Take-away and restaurant. Tasty Middle Eastern food including falafels and kebabs plus Indian specialities. Large covered terrace to the side of Queensway Quay with marina views. Open: 7 days a week from 10am to 12 midnight. Amar’s Bakery & Coffee Shop 1a Convent Place (opp. The Convent). Tel: 200 73516 Amar’s Coffee Shop and Bakery is just opposite the Convent, where it serves up a wide range of light lunch options. There’s jacket potatoes, fish & chips, pasta dishes with different sauces, burekas, pizzas, quiche, sandwiches, bagels, various salads and tortilla. All the food is made on the premises and the menu is fully Kosher. Bakery serves breads and bagels etc. Open: Monday to Friday from 8.30am. Amin's The Office 30 Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 40932 Sit down, informal and friendly restaurant. Amin is well known in Gibraltar for his Moroccan, Spanish and international cuisine. Open early for breakfast at 7am right through the day. Try the Moroccan soups, couscous, lamb tagines and kebabs. Open: 7.00am to midnight. Buddies Pasta Casa 15 Cannon Lane. Tel: 200 40627 Tasty Italian specials in pleasant ambience. Large selection of starters from garlic bread to calamari. Main courses include spinnach caneloni, spaghetti alla carbonara, fusilli al salmone, and peppered steak to name a few. Tasty desserts and variety of wines. Open: Monday - Thursday 11am - 5pm, Friday 11am3pm and 7pm-11pm, Saturday 11am-4.30pm Bush Tucker 34/36 Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75001 Original South African food. Home made burgers, wide range of breakfast options, Grandma's Bobotie, chicken Vinkies. Try their rack of lamb with ‘monkey gland’ sauce at their evening grill from 7pm onwards Wednesday to Saturday. Open: 8am 'til late Fresh 5 Waterport Plaza (Public Market) Tel: 200 52611 By day Fresh is a sandwich bar serving all sort of delicious food from made-to-order sandwiches and hot and cold drinks to baguettes, wraps, salads, toasties and soups. Open early for coffees and toast. By night, (from 4.30pm) Fresh transforms into a cosy lounge bar with free tapas on a Friday from 5pm-7pm and happy hours daily from 7-9pm. Decorated for relaxation, this is a pleasant place to enjoy a drink and some conversation. As if this isn’t enough Fresh offers outside catering for private parties, at home, or at the office, and you can book Fresh for private parties in the evenings. Open: 8am-midnight Mon - Thurs, 8am-1am Fridays, 9am-1am Saturdays, closed Sundays. Garcia’s Take-Away Glacis Estate. Tel: 200 71992 Open 7 days a week this good take-away also does

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cafe and bar in the evenings, The Pasty Bar offers a wide range of foods from English breakfast, pies and pasties, fish and chips and much more. In the evenings you can enjoy live football in their bar area too. Open: Mon-Thurs 10am-11pm, Friday 10am-midnight, Saturday 12pm-midnight, Sundays 12pm-11pm

home deliveries of tasty fish and chips, hamburgers, kebabs, donner kebabs and much much more. Make sure you have their number handy for a night in without the hassle of cooking! Get Joost 248 Main Street & Casemates. Tel/Fax: 200 76699 Smoothies are vitamin packed super-food and increasingly popular for the health concious. Get Joost makes delicious fresh fruit juices and smoothies made from natural ingredients which are a meal in a cup. The top five smoothies they sell are wild strawberry; breakie on the run; energy blast; raspberry ice; and tropical surrender. Tel/Fax: 200 76699 for delivery. Open: 8-7 Monday -Friday, 10-7 Saturday, 10-6 Sunday. Get Stuffed Marina Bay. Tel: 200 42006 Take-away, sandwich bar and hot food. Serving all homemade sandwiches, salads, quiches, pasta, pies, muffins, plus hot and cold drinks and smoothies and a different special every day. Outside catering for corporate parties. Open: 8am - 6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Sat. Just A Nibble 1st Flr International Commercial Ctr. Tel: 200 78052 Full licensed cafe serving English breakfast, vast range of toasties, rolls, and other snacks. Meals include, Bob’s famous chicken curry/chilli con carne, and a great new range of pies (from Bob’s chicken and leek to steak and kidney plus a whole range of tasty alternatives) plus all the old favourites; jacket spuds, burgers, hot dogs, fish and chips, and daily specials. Ideal meeting place. Open: Monday - Saturday from 9am. Just Desserts 1st Floor ICC. Tel: 200 48014 Bright and airy, recently redecorated cafe on the first floor of the ICC. All home-made food including daily specials, vegetarian options and desserts. Eat in or takeaway. Try their daily roast with everything on or their all-day breakfast. Non-smoking restaurant with terrace smoking area. Friendly, cheerful and fully licensed with sensible prices. Open: 8am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Khan’s Indian Cuisine Unit 7-8, Watergardens. Tel: 200 50015 Eat-in or take-away at this traditional Indian eatery. Everything from onion bhajia and green pepperpakora to chicken tikka, tandoori king prawns, Khan’s special fish curry, chicken jalfrezi, lamb rogan josh, naan bread, rices, vegetable dishes and everything in between! Many new dishes added to the menu, plus specialities every Sunday.

Picadilly Gardens Rosia Road. Tel: 200 75758 Relaxed bar restaurant with cosy garden terrace just across the road from the cable car. English breakfast, churros, tapas, hamburgers, fresh fish, prawns, squid, clams and a variety of meat dishes. Eat in or take away. Menu of the day only £6. Open: early to late.

Marrakech Restaurant Governor's Parade. Tel: 200 75196, 56000281 Moroccan restaurant with large terrace close to the Elliot Hotel. Try the delicious specials such as Moroccan Harira soup, festival of Moroccan salads, large range of tagines and couscous. Ask the waiter for their daily selection of delicious desserts. Open: 11-3pm, 7pm-late Mumbai Curry House Unit 1.0.02 Ground Floor, Block 1 Eurotowers Tel: 200 73711 Home delivery: 50022/33 Good Indian cuisine for eating in or taking away, from snacks such as samosas, bhajias, and pakoras to lamb, chicken and fish dishes with sauces such as korma, tikka masala, bhuna, do piaza... in fact all you would expect from an Indian cuisine take-away. Large vegetarian selection. Halal food is available, as is outside catering for parties and meetings. Sunday specials include all Mumbai favourites such as Dosa and Choley Bhature. Open: 7 days a week 11am to 3pm, 6pm until late. Mumtaz Indian Cuisine Take-away 20 Cornwall’s Lane Tel: 200 4457 Good Indian take-away service serving all the favourites from masala naan and spinach bhajia to lamb biryani, chicken tikka masala, king prawn korma and tandoori chicken kebab roll. Sauces and vegetarian dishes plus speciality dishes each Sunday (all dishes reasonably priced). Open: 7 days a week 11-3, 6-late. Munchies Cafe 24 Main Street. Tel: 200 43840 Fax: 200 42390 A great sandwich bar/cafe offering an unusual range of sandwiches on white or granary bread, plus salads, baguettes, soups, desserts, homemade ice-cream and hot/cold drinks. Business lunches, parties and kids parties also catered for (for party and office platters phone or fax order by 5.30pm day before - minium orders for delivery £12). Open: Monday - Friday 8.30-7, Sat 9 - 4, Closed Sun.

Maillo Take Away Unit F5A 1st Floor ICC Tel: 54002598 Homemade Spanish food is available at this cafe and take away in the International Commercial Centre near Casemates. Everything from sandwiches and panini, to soups, fish, salads, and mixed platters with pork and chicken options. Maillo will also cook for summer Pasty Bar picnics, and they make some great desserts. 16 City Mill Lane Tel: 54013320 Open: Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm An interesting mix between a take-away or sit-down

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Roy's Cod Plaice Casemate's Square. Tel: 200 76662 Established for over 20 years, this is a traditional British fish and chip shop. Friendly and informal eat-in (inside or on the large terrace). Take-away service plus delivery available through Sr. Delivery on (0034) 956 09 59 44. Open: 7 days a week until 10pm, Sundays until 4pm. Sacarello Coffee Co. 57 Irish Town. Tel: 200 70625 Converted coffee warehouse, ideal for coffee, homemade cakes/afternoon tea, plus menu including excellent salad bar, specials of the day and dishes such as lasagne, steak and mushroom Guinness pie, hot chicken salad, toasties, club sandwich and baked potatoes. Art exhibitions. Available for parties and functions in the evenings. Open: 9am-7.30pm Mon-Fri. 9am-3pm Saturdays Smith’s Fish & Chips 295 Main Street. Tel: 200 74254 Traditional British fish and chip shop with tables/seating available or take-away wrapped in newspaper. Menu: Cod, haddock or plaice in batter, Cornish pasties, mushy peas etc. Also curries, omlettes, burgers. Open: 8am-6pm Monday-Friday. Breakfast from 8. Located: Main Street opposite the Convent. Solo Express Ground Floor, International Commercial Centre Solo Express, located right next to Pizza Hut, serves a good variety of salads and baguettes (white, brown & ciabatta) filled with a wide deli selection of things such as roast chicken; smoked salmon & mascapone; ham, cheese and coleslaw; or hummous, avocado and roasted red pepper. The salads are fresh and tasty and include Greek, Waldorf, cous cous, tuna pasta, etc and are great value. Jacket potatoes, quiches, tea, coffee etc plus cakes (such as flapjacks and muffins) are also available throughout the day. Eat-in available. Soups in winter months. Free Wifi. Square Cafe Grand Casemates Square, Tel: 200 41100 The Square Cafe has a large covered terrace in the corner of Casemates Square where the speciality is churros, papitas and coffee from 8.30 am onwards, and a full selection of snacks and meals throughout the day. WIFI available. Open: 8.30am-5pm

opens early for breakfast (English or toast & cereal). Lunch/evening menu includes fillet steak, fish and chips and salads. Home of Med Golf and Tottenham Hotspur FC supporters club. Facilities: Outside seating. Open: from 7am every day. Located: first right off Main St (walking from N to S).

The Tasty Bite 59a Irish Town. Tel: 200 78220 Fax: 200 74321 Tasty Bite has one of the biggest take-away menus around with home cooked meats, filled baguettes, burgers, chicken, kebabs and everything else you can think of! Open: Monday - Saturday.

bars&pubs All Sports Bar 4 Cornwall’s Lane Tel: 200 59997 This pub is geared up to televised sporting events when top sports are on TV, and when they are not there is always someone around to talk sports with. It’s not just for football fans either, and not just for one team — hung around the bar are flags from all the major teams and supporters of the smaller sides are also made very welcome. Gaming machines. Terrace seating available. Open: 11am-midnight Sun-Thurs, 11am -1am Fri/Sat. All’s Well Grand Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987 Traditional pub in fashionable Casemates area. Named for the 18th century practice of locking the Gates to the city at night when the guard announced ‘All’s Well’ before handing the keys to the watch. All’s Well serves Bass beers, wine and spirits plus pub fare. English breakfast served all day, hot meals such as pork in mushroom sauce, sausage & mash, cod and chips and steak & ale pie are complemented by a range of salads and filled jacket potatoes. Large terrace. Karaoke every Monday and Wednesday until late. Free tapas on a Friday 7pm. The Gibraltar Arms 184 Main St. Tel: 200 72133 www.gibraltararms.gi Good food served all day at this typical pub right on Main Street. Everything from all day breakfast to Irish fillet steak roll, burritos, and the popular fresh local mussels. Draught lager, bitter, cider and Murphys plus free WiFi. Terrace seating right on Main Street to watch the world go by. Open: from 8am (10am Sundays) until late. The Horseshoe 193 Main Street. Tel: 200 77444 Right in the centre of town, the Horseshoe is a popular, busy bar. Good menu from full English breakfast, to burgers/mixed grills. Curry and chilli specials on Sunday. Open: 9am to late, Sunday 10am - late. Facilities: Main Street terrace. London Bar 76/78 Governor's Street Tel: 200 77172 Located between the Garrison Library and the Elliot Hotel, the London Bar offers British beers, dart board, pool table and Sky TV in a pub atmosphere. Pub grub such as breakfasts, pies and fishi and chips. Open: Mon-Fri 8am-midnight, Sat 9am-midnight, Sun 10am- midnight. Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie 10 Casemates Sq. Tel: 200 50009 www.lordnelson.gi E-mail: reservations@lordnelson.gi Attractive bar/brasserie in historic Casemates building. Done out to represent Nelson’s ship with cloud and sky ceiling crossed with beams and sails. Spacious terrace Menu: Starter & snacks include fresh local mussels, blue cheese and rocket bruschetta, Lordy’s potato skins, spicy chicken wings and calamares. Main courses cover a range from chilli con carne and chicken and mushroom pie, to crispy aromatic duck burrito and British fish and chips. Try one of the salads or Nelson’s platters. Jacket potatoes, burgers and children’s menu. Credit cards

accepted. Live music Venue of the Year, with live music on stage every night. Free Wifi. Open: from 10am till very late. O’Reilly’s Leisure Island, Ocean Village. Traditional Irish bar with full HD sports coverage and Irish breakfast from 7am (Sunday from 9am). Guinness on draught. Food includes salads, jackets, beef and Guinness ale pie, Molly’s mussels, drunken swine, Boxty dishes (potato pancake wrapped around delicioius fillings), sandwiches, rolls, Kildare chicken and much much more. And just like in Ireland there’s no smoking inside, so a great atmosphere for all. Pickwicks Governor’s Parade. Tel: 200 76488 Run by well-known friendly face, Mandy, this small pub with a large terrace is situated in Governor’s Parade away from the traffic and safe for all the family. Good food available including the best freshly made sandwiches and jacket potatoes, salads and burgers. Open: Mon - Fri from 9.30am Location: turn off Main St at Marks & Spencer, go up steps to Governor’s Parade (opposite the Elliot Hotel). The Pig and Whistle Unit 18, Watergardens. Tel: 200 76167 A comfortable pleasant little pub with pool table and terrace on the quayside. Big screen television for all sporting events. Open: 10-midnight (Fri-Sat 11-1am) Royal Calpe 176 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: 200 75890 Email: royalcalpe@gibtelecom.net Named after Gibraltar’s Royal Calpe Hunt, the pub is situated opposite the Cathedral on Main Street. It boasts Gibraltar’s only beer garden and conservatory for a relaxing atmosphere al fresco to get away from it all or for that private function and barbecues in the summer. Good food from traditional pub fare to salads is available throughout the day. Wide selection of draught beer and cider. Savannah Lounge 27 Heart Island, Ocean Village Tel: 200 66666 Aimed at Gibraltar’s dining and night-life scene, Savannah has been created with fun and style in mind. Offering contemporary European cuisine a wide selection of drinks, cool decor and good music. The venue hosts regular events with invited DJs and shows from abroad. Open: Sunday-Thurs midday-midnight, Friday and Saturday midday-5am. The Star Bar Parliament Lane. Tel: 200 75924 Reputedly the oldest bar in Gib, this small cosy bar

Trafalgar Sports Bar 1A Rosia Road Tel: 200 45370 Situated just past the south end of Main Street through Southport Gates, the Trafalgar Sports Bar offers a traditional British pub environment enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Serving a hot buffet Monday to Saturday and a roast carvery on Sundays they also serve many other dishes such as spare ribs, currys or lasagna. The establishment also has three large 62” screens where they cover all major sporting events. Open: 9am-1am Monday to Saturday, Sunday 9ammidnight The Three Owls Irish Town 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, games machines, bar — open from 10.30am daily. First floor ‘Hoots’ — 2 match pool tables, poker machines, darts board, games machine, bar — open from 1pm daily. Second Floor ‘Nest’ — American pool table, poker machine, games machine, card table, bar — open from 5pm daily. The Three Roses Governor’s Street. Tel: 200 51614 Now under the management of Peter and Ian, previously of the Coach & Horses, this bar is fully air-conditioned with 3 plasma TVs and pool table. Happy hours MonFri 5-6pm. Home of the Esteporkers Golf Society. Open: 7 days. Mon-Sat from 11am, Sun from midday. Wembley Bar 10 South Barrack Ramp. Tel: 200 78004 Popular bar for hot and cold bar snacks, function room, in south district. Fridays 10am for breakfast. Air conditioned. The home of the Real Madrid Supporter’s Club. Open: 11am - midnight Sunday - Thursday, 10am - 1am Friday, 11am - 1am Saturdays.

acrosstheborder El Balcon, Sports Grill and Bar Plaza de la Constitucion, La Linea Pleasant and recently redecorated bar on the main square by the fountain in La Linea. Serving UK beers, tapas, Moroccan pinchitos. Large outdoor covered terrace, check with them to find out when the next jazz night’s coming up. The Dog & Duck Next to Plaza de Constitucion, La Linea Tel: 00 34 956173453 Little pub on the square serving British beers at great prices. Pleasant sun terrace and all live sporting events shown. Open: 3pm-late Mon - Fri, 1pm - late Sat & Sun. Located: 400m straight across from frontier (next to Taste Indian Restaurant). Liverpool Bar 4 Avenida España. Tel: 00 34 956767770 UK beers served in this little pub along with full English breakfast and Sunday lunch for €5.50, plus much more in a friendly atmosphere. Open: 7 days a week 10am - late Located: 400m straight across from frontier.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

food&drink

Barbecues in the Beer Garden Since Charles took over at the Royal Calpe last October, he hasn’t stopped looking at new ways to entertain his clientelle at the pub’s privileged location on Main Street. With the only beer garden in town, the team at the Royal Calpe has been working hard this last month to set up an open-air barbecue area and are now offering sizzling grills and a cold salad bar in the conservatory and garden area. The shaded garden has been a welcome resting spot half way up Main Street for locals and visitors alike for many years and Charles felt it was time to add some summer flavour to the atmosphere. Alongside the usual grilled meats, they’ll be offering fish grills too, including favourites from Chiringuitos across the border such as Boquerones and Sardines al Espeto.

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

During the summer evenings, they’ll be offering cocktails and cold punches too to complement the barbecued fare, and if you’re there on a Friday evening, you’ll be able to enjoy the live music which has now become a familiar feature at the Royal Calpe. The conservatory area alongside the garden is no-smoking and spacious too, providing an ideal family environment with plenty of shade . So bring the family down to the Royal Calpe at 176 Main Street, opposite the Catholic Cathedral. A sizzling oasis in the heart of Gibraltar. n

A ro u n d To w n .. .

a light-he arte d look at Gibralta r soc iety

With the over-indulgence on Easter eggs well behind us and a glimmer of summer on the horizon, the gyms of Gibraltar (and there are now many) are buzzing with the sound of the vigorous pursuit of the beach body. Congratulations All Round! Firstly, congratulations to Sally of Wyse Hire on her wedding to Bill last month, and to Douglas and Louise on their engagement. Douglas and Louise had quite a party at 55 which went on until 5.30am. New babies arrived in March for Les and Joylinne who had a little baby girl to be called Farrah and for Elliot of Isolas and Louise of Fiduciary it was a bouncing baby boy, called Thomas in April. Congratulations all around. Congratulations also to Bobby the stray dog who has fallen on his (three) feet and been adopted by Frank and Kerry of Solo Express. Hat ladies at a Farrington Contemporary event

Will Power (or not) Duncan Quigley of Colorworks swears he’s given up smoking (again) but he has already been spotted having a sneaky one outside his office recently. One person who has given up is Paddy of Just Recruitment who is now on month four and going strong. Well done Paddy. Cupboard Love We have promised not to say who did the following... but it’s completely true. A couple from Gibraltar took a trip up to Malaga to visit Ikea. Astounded by the bargains they bought plenty of stuff including a nice cupboard for 30 euros. When they got out to the car park they found they couldn’t get the cupboard into their car so they went to take it back but the massive queues at the refunds counter made them look for another solution. Ikea rents out roof racks so, happy to have solved the dilema, they queued up only to find the store didn’t have racks for Skodas (a bit of a clue there!). They hid the cupboard in a corner of the car park and drove around Malaga looking for a roof rack shop, but when they found one the rack cost five times the price of the cupboard! In the end they just drove off, abandoning the cupboard in the Ikea car park. So let that be a lesson to you — never buy anything bigger than your car!

The Boatshow Team

Birthday girl Maria of PriceWaterhouseCoopers — celebrating at 14 on the Quay

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Scoring a Half Century Peter of the Three Roses has a very special birthday on 25th May. We are not allowed to say how old he is but if you guessed half a century you wouldn’t be far wrong!

Raising money for charity

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MARCH 2007 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Many happy returns to him. A little bit younger is Thomas Johnson who celebrates his 20th birthday on 1st May — no longer a teenager! Birthday congrats too on 28th May to Steph Rowley. Meanwhile Mick treated Tasha (of Jyske Bank) to a surprise birthday bash in April following sending her up on to the roof of their house to paint the chimney. The age of chivalry is not dead! Too Clever by Half Jon Sellors is a helpful soul and when recently he spotted us delivering magazines he offered to give us a hand. We gave him a pile to carry down Irish Town but he looked confused and asked why his were different to ours? When we pointed out his were merely upside down, that seems to resolve the confusion for him!

Thom, Shaun & Chris practice their little finger wrestling

Caught in the Act One chap was caught out recently by a picture in The Gibraltar Magazine. Lee of Cafe Rojo was cat-sitting at a friend’s flat when he needed an outfit for a party. He borrow a shirt thinking no one would ever know, but pictures of the party were published in the magazine so he had to fess up to his friend... That’ll teach you Lee! Talking of Cafe Rojo, Annette and Luis are thinking of renaming it Cafe Bon Bon as it now has a swish chocolate coating and it’s Aida’s birthday on 6th May. Happy birthday! Village People It was farewell to Liz McDonald of the Niche Gallery at Ocean Village who move to pastures new after being there from day one. While on the subject of Ocean Village, the first International Boatshow held there last month was a big success, certainly if the amount of champagne drunk is anything to go by.

Alan & Jane Edwards

Dancing Days There is plenty to keep us entertained this month starting with the Heritage Trust painting competition (9th May) when everyone can get out their brushes and have a go at creating something, well, memorable at least. There’s a 5-a-side football match at Victoria Stadium on 10th May in aid of Royal Marsden Hospital so certainly one to support if you enjoy football. Then the following weekend there’s the fabulous Classic Vehicle Rally in Casemates Sqare, and for those who prefer more genteel pursuits the Scabble tournament will test the brain. And if you fancy a night in just watching the telly, don’t forget to watch Let’s Dance on GBC... it is sure to be a lot of fun! See you on Main Street! Mick, Andre & Tasha at Pusser’s Landing

Ian and Peter of the Three Roses GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MARCH 2007 GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Dee of All’s Well

Harriet of Party Gaming

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clubs&activities

Don’t be bored... do something fun!

Arts & Crafts The Arts Centre, Prince Edward’s Rd. Art classes for children (5-6pm Mon, 5-6.30pm Tues, 5-7pm Thurs), adults (Mon - Tues 6.30pm-8pm, Wed 6.30pm-8.30pm, life painting Wed 7pm-9pm). Tel: 200 79788. The Fine Arts Association Gallery 1st Floor above Gibraltar Crystal, Casemates. Open 11am-2pm, 4-6pm Mon - Fri, Sat 11am - 2pm. Arts & Crafts Gallery (next door) opens Mon - Fri 9.30am - 5pm (summer) -6pm (winter), Sat 9.30am - 3pm. The Poetry Society meets on 20th of each month. Tel: Audrey Batty on 200 44355 .

take a variety of voluntary and challenging activities. Contact Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road, Gibraltar Tel: 200 59818 Reg. Charity No: 61

Board Games Chess Club meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall 8-10.30pm Tues. The Gibraltar Scrabble Club meet John Mackintosh Hall Mondays. Bank holidays changed to Thursday same week. 7pm-11pm All welcome. Tel: 200 73660 or 200 75995. The Subbuteo Club meets Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall 7.30 - 11pm.

Social Clubs Scots on the Rock: Any Scots visiting the Rock can contact Charles Polson (Tel: 200 78142) for assistance or information. Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, Jumpers Bastion on these days: Provincial Grand Lodge, 1st Monday/month, 8pm. Executive Meeting, last Mon/month 7pm. Knights Chapter, 2nd Mon/month 7.30pm. Examining Council, 3rd Mon/month 7pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8pm. Buena Vista 9975, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm. Por Favor 9444, Weds (fortnightly) 7pm. Farewell 10001, Tues 8.30pm. Goldacre 10475 (social) last Fri/month 8pm.

Dance Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing Mondays Catholic Community Centre 8.30pm (beginners 7.30). Over 15s welcome. www.gibnynex.gi/inst/cccseqdance/ Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at the Catholic Community Centre at 8pm, beginners at 7.30pm, Wednesday. The DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing sessions at Central Hall Fridays 8pm, beginners 7.30pm. Tel: 200 78282 or e-mail manvio@gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome. Senior Citizens Teatime Dances at The Youth Centre, Line Wall Rd on Mondays 2 - 5.30pm. All senior citizens welcome for coffee, tea and biscuits. Entrance free. Classical Ballet classes for children 4+, Spanish dance and hip-hop at Liza School of Dance, 3rd floor, Methodist Church, 297/299 Main St. Classes Weds & Fri from 6pm at Chiltern Court (4Cs). Tel: 58111000. Hip Hop classes for adults Mondays 6.15pm to 7.15pm, Hip Hop classes for boys and girls Tuesdays 4.15pm to 5.15 - Urban Dance, Jumpers Dance Studio The Gibraltar Pointes Dance School - R.A.D ballet, I.S.T.D modern and tap, jazz and contempory dance. Unit 19F Europa Business Centre. Contact Cheryll or Sabina at Studio: 200 45145, Home: 200 51187/ 200 46400. History & Heritage The Gibraltar Heritage Trust Main Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq. Tel: 200 42844. The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association Dedicated to preservation of Rock’s transport/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles. Members/vehicles meet 1st Sunday of month, Morrison’s car park from 10am. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643. Music The Gibraltar Music Centre Trust Complete spectrum of instrument learning strings drums etc. Theory lessons- Five days a week 4pm-9pm. Tel: 200 75558 for details. The Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir rehearse on Monday & Thursday 7.30 - 9pm. New singers of all ages welcome. Tel: Lili 200 40035, 54006727 St Andrew ’s Music Academy Musical Monsters Club, musical workshops. Group musical activities for kids 3-7 years. Singing, rhythmic games etc. Tel: 200 42690 email: samagib@hotmail.com Outdoor Activities The Calpe Ramblers This group walks on last Sunday each month, except July and August. Meeting place is the Spanish side of the frontier 8am just to the right of and opposite the Aduana vehicle exit. For any information contact co-ordinators Ray Murphy 200 71956 or John Murphy 200 74645. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an exciting self-development Programme available to all young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. To date over 5 million young people from over 100 countries have been motivated to under-

Quizzes Cannon Bar quizzes are held on Tuesdays starting with a warm up, then two other quizzes, including a theme quiz. Starts at 8.30pm, all welcome and prizes are given. Free entrance but a donation to charity is requested. Tapas served after the quiz. The Tunnel in Casemates has a pub quiz and entertainment on Sunday nights.

Special Interest Clubs & Societies Gibraltar Horticultural Society meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, John Mac Hall. Spring Flower Show, slide shows, flower arrangement demos, outings to garden centres, annual Alameda Gardens tour. All welcome. The Gibraltar Photographic Society meets on Mon at around 8pm, Wellington Front. Basic courses, competitions etc. Harley Davidson Owners’ Club www. hdcgib.com UN Association of Gibraltar PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108. Sports Supporters Clubs The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club meet at the Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check the game is televised. Great food for a lunch if the KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. For info call Mario on 56280000. Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club meet on match days at the Casino Calpe (Ground Floor). Gooners of all ages are welcome. Tel: Bill 54010681 or Dion 56619000. Websites: ClubWebsite.co.uk/ArsenalGibraltarSC or GibGooners.com Gibraltar Hammers meet on match days at the Victoria Stadium Bar, Bayside Road. All league games are shown live. All West Ham supporters and their families are welcome. For details visit www.gibraltarhammers.com or e-mail gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association club for beginners, juniors and squad at Bayside School in evenings. Tel: 200 Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661. Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions throughout year for juniors, adults and veterans. Two main clubs (Calpeans 200 71807, Lourdians 200 75180) training sessions at Victoria Stadium. Badminton: Recreational badminton weekdays at Victoria Stadium (Tel: 200 78409 for allocations). Gibraltar Badminton Association (affiliated to IBA & EBA) has leagues and training for adults and secondary school. Tel: Ivan 200 44045 or Linda 200 74753. Basketball: Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA) leagues/ training for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727 or Kirsty (minis) 200 49441. Billiards & Snooker: Gibraltar Billiards and Snooker Association (member IBSA) round leagues and competitions at various venues. New members welcome. Tel: Eddie 200 72142 or Peter 200 77307. Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome to join. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory (200 75513 w, 200 42788 h). Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association.

Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Eugene 58014000. Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket Association (member ICC) runs leagues/competitions at Europa Point/Victoria Stadium. Junior/senior training. Tel: Tom 200 79461 or Adrian 200 44281. Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Tel: Uriel 200 79359. Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (member WDF) mens/ladies/youth leagues/competitions.Tel: Darren 54027171 “Secretary”, Dyson “Youth Rep” 54024149, Justin “President” 54022622 Email: info@gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association - leagues/competitions for all ages OctoberMay. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 200 42941 www.gfa.gi. Senior Tel: Albert 200 41515, Junior Tel: Richard 58654000, Women’s Tel: Brian 200 52299. Recreational football for over 35s Tel: Richard 200 70320. Golf: Med Golf tournaments held monthly. Tel: 200 79575 for tournament venues/dates. Gibraltar Golf Union has competitions through year, EGU handicaps. Tel: Bernie 200 78844. Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/ training for adults and juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730. Judo: Gibraltar Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. Tel: Charlie 200 73116 or Peter 200 73225. Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion (Rosia Rd). Tel: Tony 200 79855 or club 200 47259. Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association sessions for junior/seniors, gradings and demos at Karate Clubhouse, 41H Town Range Tel: Andrew 200 48908. Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211. Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior / junior leagues. Tel: Moira 200 41795 or Suzette 200 41874. Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association plays at Giralda Gardens, Smith Dorrien Ave. New members welcome. Tel: 200 70929. Pool: Gibraltar Pool Association (member EUKPF) home and away league played on Thurs through season. Tel: Linda 200 74753. Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions for 4 years of age and upwards weekday evenings. Tel: Christine 200 74661 or 54015533. Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby Football Union training sessions for Colts (14+), seniors and veterans. Play in Andalusia 1st Division Oct - April. Tel: James 200 72185 Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/ senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: RGYC 200 48847. Sea Angling: Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers (members FIPS-M & CIPS) Superb calendar of events with four clubs participating. Tel: Mario 200 72622 or Charlie 200 74337. Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation (over 14s). Rifle, Europa Point range (Joe 200 74973); clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Fidel 200 71990). Skating: Gibraltar Skating and Xtreme Sports Association. State of art ramps for Xtreme/aggressive roller blading /skate boarding. Leisure skating facilities provided within excellent rink (when not used for roller hockey training). Tel: Eric 200 70710 (after 5). Snorkelling & Spear Fishing: Over 14s for s n o r ke l l i n g, over 16s for spear fishing. Tel: Joseph 200 75020. Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, S o u t h Pa v i l i o n

94 what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult/junior tournaments/coaching. Tel: 200 44922 or 200 73260. Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs. Voluntary sports clubs: Tel: Phil 200 44606, Noah’s Dive Club Tel: Leslie 200 79601, 888s Dive Club Tel: Martin 200 70944. Commercial sports diving schools also available. Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming Mon - Fri 7-8.45am, 12- 4pm, 8- 9pm. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo (Rebecca 200 72869). Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association (members ITTA) training / playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Lizanne 200 45071/54020477 or Eugene 58014000. Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: 200 Mari 44142. Tennis: Gibraltar Tennis Association, Sandpits Tennis Club, excellent junior development programme. Courses for adults, leagues / competitions. Tel: Frank 200 77035. Ten-Pin Bowling: Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. PO Box 1287. Contact Charly on 56014000 or Paul on 54029749. Triathlon: Gibraltar Triathlon Union (members ITU) Chris 200 75857 or Harvey 200 55847. Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association (members W & EVF) training, leagues, competitions for juniors/seniors. Tony 200 40478 or Elizabeth 58306000. Yoga: Integral Yoga Centre runs a full programme of classes from Mon-Fri at 33 Town Range. Tel: 200 41389. All welcome. Theatrical Groups Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street E-mail: gibdrama@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 200 42237 www. geocities.com/gibdrama Trafalgar Theatre Group meet 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome. Theatrix: Contact Trevor and Iris on Tel: 54006176 or email theatrixgib@yahoo.co.uk Clubs, Associations, should submit details to The Gibraltar Magazine gibmag@gibraltar.gi

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

support

events

Support Groups/ Associations Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues and Thurs at Nazareth Hse Tel: 200 73774. A Step Forward support group for single, separated, divorced or widowed people. Meet 8pm Mondays at St Andrew’s Church. Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone 8008 - 7 days a week 7pm - 11pm. Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@ cab.gi or visit 10 Governor’s Lane. No appointment necessary, no charge. Gibraltar CAB outreach clinics at St Bernard’s Hospital every Tuesday. Advisors available at 1st floor reception, Zone 4, 9am-3pm. Info and advice is free, confidential and impartial. COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Formed to ease day-to-day challenges of individuals, families and care partner. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book Shop at 7.30pm first Thursday of each month. Contact Sue Reyes Tel: 200 51469 Email: copeadsupport@hotmail.com Dignity At Work Now. Confidential support and advice for those who are being bullied at work. Tel: 57799000 Mon - Thur 8pm-9pm Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends who are concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meetings are held alternate Thursdays at 9pm at Nazareth House. For more details Tel: 200 70047 or 200 73465. Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 8.30pm at the John Mac Hall, except for July and August. Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 3/8 Serfaty’s Passage Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: www.gdsg.co.uk Gibraltar Marriage Care. Free relationship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717. Gibraltar Society for the Visually Impaired. Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service). Hope. miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817. Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Overeaters Anonymous support group of those with compulsive overeating problem. Tel: helpline for details of meetings 200 42581. Parental Support Group, helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and granchildren. Tel: Richard 200 46536, Jason 200 76618, Dominic 54019602. Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Weekly Meetings Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: 200 51623. SSAFA Forces Help Gibraltar, is a national charity, to assist serving and exService personnel and their families. Tel: (5)5481. E-mail olivero@sapphirenet.gi With Dignity Gibraltar support group for separated, divorced, widowed or unattached people. Meetings Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/activities. Tel: Flor 54007181 or Marie 200 79957. Women in Need. Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hours).

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MAY 2009

Med Golf News: The EPI Iberia Trophy The latest Med Golf competition took place at the super Arcos Gardens Golf Club on Sunday 12th April, players enjoyed some great golfing conditions and a fantastic golf course. It was a successful day for 15 year old Josh Hunter who won the EPI Iberia Trophy and a pro shop voucher for 130 euros with a winning overall score of 39 points. Winner of the 1st category (0- 12 handicap) was Simon Young with 37 points and runner up was Joe Sanchez with 35 points. Winner of the 2nd category (1321 handicap) was Johann Olivera with 37 points and runner up was Douglas Casciaro with 35 points. Winner of the 3rd category (22 - 36 handicap) was Domenico D’Ascenzi with 36 points and runner up was Javi Hunter with 35 points. The senior division was also won by Domenico D’Ascenzi and best gross score went to John Hunter who played the course in 78 shots. Other prize winners for nearest the pins and longest drive were, John Hunter, Johann Olivera, John

Goodson, John Dale, Ann and Javi Hunter. The campaign for the 2008/09 “Player of the Year” award, sponsored by Estepona Golf Club, is well under way and with the top ten members at the end of July receiving invitations to the Med Golf Masters at Valderrama, competition

The campaign for the 2008/09 “Player of the Year” award, sponsored by Estepona Golf Club, is well under way... the top 10 will receive invitations to the Med Golf Masters at Valderrama

is fierce now after 9 events. Here are the current top 10: 1 Simon Young, 2 Joe Sanchez, 3 Alan Sene, 4 Douglas Casciaro, 5 Tim Rickson, 6 David Liu, 7 John McHale, 8 Soeren Valbro, 9 George Desoisa, 10 John Dale. The next tournament is during the Med Golf Irish Tour from 11th until 16th May, sponsored by O’Reilly’s Irish Pub, Leisure Island. There are still limited spaces available for this tour. Other events: Andy Captain’s Day Estepona Golf Saturday 2nd May Texas Scramble. Med Golf Fun Day Estepona Golf Sunday 24th May 2 ball better ball. For more details on Med Golf please visit www.teetimespain.com or contact Johnathan Goodson on Spain 00 34 639 741 886 or by e-mail at jg@ medgolf.gi

Religious Services

Tues 7.30pm. Evangelical Bretheren Assembly, Queensway Quay. Sun 11am, Tues Bible Study 6pm, Thurs Prayer Meeting 6pm. Hindu Engineer’s Lane Tel: 200 42515. Jehovah’s Witness 6 Europort Avenue Tel: 200 50186. Jewish 10 Bomb House Lane Tel: 200 72606. Methodist 297 Main Street Gibraltar Tel/Fax 200 40870 email minister@methodist.org. gi Minister: Revd Fidel Patron. Sunday 11am Morning Worship, 8pm Evening Service. Prayer meetings Monday and Wednesday to Friday 7pm and Tuesdays

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

Bahia Tel: 200 43637 for meetings. Bethel Christian Fellowship Tel: 200 52002. 47 Queensway. Sunday service at 11am. Church of England Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Tel: 200 78377. Sung Eucharist, Sunday 10.30am. Sunday School. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Suite 21a Don House, 30-38 Main Street. Tel: 200 50433. Sundays 10am. Church of Scotland St Andrew’s, Governor’s Pde. Tel: 200 77040. Worship & Sunday School 10.30am. Bible Study

what a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com 95

whatever your style...

property directory

whatever your style...

1 The Boardwalk, Tradewinds Tel: 200 47777

propertyrentals

propertysales Estate Agents • Lettings • Property Consultants Valuations • Surveys • Property Management

Bray Properties 1 The Boardwalk Tradewinds Tel: 200 47777 www.brayproperties.com

Abecasis Gonzalez Home & Office Furniture 33 New Harbours Tel: 200 78535 Fax: 200 40484 Email: abegon@gibtelecom.net www.abegon.net Pure Lighting & Electrical

Estate Agents • Lettings • Property Consultants 1/9 Montagu Place Heights• Property Management ValuationsOcean • Surveys

Estate Agents • Lettings • Property Co Valuations • Surveys • Property Mana

96 GIBRALTAR Magazine

1 The Boardwalk, Tradewinds Tel: 200 47777

SALES / RENTALS PROPERTY SPAIN MANAGEMENT & Maintenance Furniture Packages

info@gbpropertymanagementsl.com www.gbpropertymanagementsl.com Tel: 00 34 667 465 890 00 34 667 465 891

homeinsurance

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

propertyservices

Airconditioning & Ventilation Design, Installation & Maintenance

Tel: 200 79732 Fax: 200 40415 Unit No. 28 The New Harbours

Unit F2A ICC, Gibraltar Tel: 200 49494 email: info@propertyworld.gi

constructionservices

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AUCTIONEER, ESTATE AGENT & VALUER

For Property Advice, Contact Us 3 Convent Place Tel: 200 77789 or 200 42818 Fax: 200 42527 Email: slevy@gibraltar.gi

COLD-AIRE ENGINEERING

Sheet Metal Works Ventilation Ductwork Stainless Steel Cabinets, Canopies Shelves etc Tel: 200 79732 Fax: 40415 COLD-AIRE ENGINEERING Unit No. 28 The New Harbours

charteredsurveyors

• Property Advice • Valuations • Rent Reviews •Development •Consultancy Tel: 200 46579 gibsurv@nicholasgale.com

What a page turner! www.thegibraltarmagazine.com

Manufacturers & Suppliers of HIGH PRESSURE HOSES AND ACCESSORIES Visit us at 43 Harbours Deck, New Harbours, Gibraltar Call us on 200 50337 email: shop@jjhire.com or see our website: www.jjhire.com

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE •June MAY2004 2009

property directory commercialinteriors Bridge Solutions PO Box 598 Tel: 57185000 Fax: 200 77041

Portman Ltd General Suppliers

Hire & Sale of Portable Cabin Units (Office, Toilet Units etc)

Space Interiors 6 Ellesmere House 29 City Mill Lane Tel: 200 73992 www.spaceinteriors.gi

homes&interiors

Unit F17 Europa Business Centre PO Box 476, Gibraltar Tel: 200 73119 Fax: 200 45008 E-mail: portman@gibtelecom.net

Anything Goes furniture 1/5 Hospital Steps Tel: 200 45192 Email: info@any-thinggoes.com

marineservices

D&H Ceramics 60 Devil’s Tower Road Tel: 200 70100 Email: jratcliffe@gibtelecom.net Farrington Contemporary Art Gallery Unit 3 North Mole Industrial Park Tel: 200 70787 Email: tom@gibcargo.com Gibraltar Art Gallery 14 Cannon Lane Tel: 200 73898 Email: artgallery@gibtelecom.net Irish Town Antiques Irish Town Tel: 200 70411

18 Town Range Tel: 200 73036 Office & Workshop G17 Europa Business Ctr. Tel/Fax: 20042603

Repairs & Chandlery Sheppard’s Chandlery, M. Sheppard & Co. Ltd Waterport, Gibraltar. Tel: 200 77183 • 200 42535

TARIK

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

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ACHT SCENE SAILORS’ GUIDE

Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Services Domestic + Industrial • Electrical • Mechanical • Plumbing • Air-Conditioning 94 Harbour’s Walk, New Harbours Tel: 200 48774 Fax: 200 45249

HAYMILLS

Haymills (Gibraltar) Ltd Now at 94 Harbours Walk New Harbours Tel: 200 40690 Fax: 200 74797 Email: tony.harris@haymills.com Website: www.haymills.com

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

on sale at £5.00 at chandleries & bookshops 39-41 City Mill Lane, Gibraltar Tel: 200 78105 Fax: 200 42510

2009 EDITION NOW OUT

Furnishing Fabrics, Wallpapers, Furniture, Wood Floorings, Carpets & Rugs 4 King’s Yard Lane Tel: 200 74445 Fax: 200 76353

transportservices

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

THE GIBRALTAR MARITIME SERVICES HANDBOOK 2009 edition

Now on sale at Gibraltar Bookshops

open

wastemanagement Environment and Waste Management Service E.W.M.S.

STARTER MOTORS & ALTERNATORS

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Repairs, Reconditioning, Exchange or Brand New

AUTOELECTRICAL SERVICES Unit 25 Rear of Block 5, Watergardens. Tel: 200 47000 Mobile: 58850000

WINDOWS Tel: 200 45955 Fax: 200 45955 Mobile: 58641000

We manufacture and fit aluminium windows, doors, blinds, shutters, mosquito nettings, UPVC windows, glaziers and also bathroom and shower screens at reasonable prices. For a Free Estimate Call Us

June 2004 MAGAZINE • MAY 2009 GIBRALTAR

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What a page turner! www. thegibraltar magazine.com GIBRALTAR Magazine 97

information

dmission 9.30am to 7pm by tickets (includes entrance to sites within the Park - 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 £7/ Children 5-12 years: £4, Children age 4 and under free, vehicles £1.50. Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times and it’s advisable to take a Rock Tour by taxi/mini bus. The Natural History & Heritage Park is also reached by cable car (leaves Grand Parade 9.30am-5.15pm Mon-Sun. Last cable down: 5.45pm).

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

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

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

Business Information

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

Useful Numbers

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

General Information

Gibraltar Museum.............Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane Open 10am - 6pm (Sat. 10am - 2pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: Adults £2/Children under 12 years £1. Special exhibitions also held at museum premises in Casemates gallery. Registry Office...................Tel: 200 72289 It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours of arrival. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon. Rock Tours by Taxi............Tel: 200 70052 As well as offering normal fares, Gibraltar

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

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

History Alive

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

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Gibraltar Bus Company Routes

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

Public Holidays 2009

New Year’s Day 1 January Commonwealth Day 9 March Good Friday 10 April Easter Monday 13 April May Day 4 May Spring Bank Holiday 25 May Queen’s Birthday 15 June Late Summer Bank Holiday 31 August Gibraltar National Day 10 September Christmas Day 25 December Boxing Day 26 December Spain Fixed: New Year’s Day 1 January, Epiphany 6 January, St Joseph’s Day 19 March, Labour Day 1 May, St John 24 June, St James 25 July, Assumption Day 15 August, National Day 12 October, All Saints 1 November, Immaculate Conception 8 December, Christmas 25 December Moveable: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Corpus Christi Non-urgent calls: Ambulance Station..........Tel: 200 75728 Police...............................Tel: 200 72500 Gibraltar Services Police: Emergency Nos: ....Tel: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598

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

Natural History & Heritage Park

GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • July MAY2004 2009

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