Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 14 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

New quality homes since 1958

Voted BEST

expat paper in Spain

Reuse Reduce Recycle We use recycled paper

FREE

‘Coup d’etat’ outrage

HOLLYWOOD Anne Hathaway films & dines on the island

By Joe Duggan

SEE MORE P 3

CATALUNYA could make a unilateral declaration of independence this week as Spain denies carrying out a ‘coup d’etat’ on the region. A campaign of civil disobedience is now being threatened by two radical parties, after Madrid imposed direct rule. Catalunya’s parliament will meet today to discuss the next step, with Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont describing it as the ‘worst attack on Catalunya’ since Franco’s dictatorship.

Protest

Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy invoked Article 155 on Saturday, vowing to remove Puigdemont and call for new regional elections. Puigdemont in turn accused Rajoy’s government of attempting to ‘destroy our autonomous government, our democracy’. Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis meanwhile denied a claim by Catalan parliament speaker Carme Forcadell that the measures were ‘a de facto coup d’etat’. “If anyone has attempted a coup, it is the Catalan government," he said. The case continues to hot up, with Catalans beginning to withdraw money from leading banks Sabadell and Caixa in protest of them moving their headquarters out of the region. Some people withdrew €155 in protest at Madrid’s triggering of Article 155. Puigdemont signed a declaration of independence on October 10, but offered to suspend the call for two months to allow dialogue with Madrid. This was rejected

See Smokescreen, page 6

Wife beater shame

British expats still fearful of being allowed to stay in Spain despite offer from government By Joe Duggan

ANXIOUS expats are urging legal action to ensure they can stay in Spain post-Brexit. It comes after Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis said British citizens would be welcome to stay in the event of a ‘no-deal’ with Europe. Dastis pointed out that 17 million Brits visit the country each year, saying ‘many of them live here or retire here and we want to keep it that way’. But in the event of a no-deal, the loss of existing rights such as healthcare could make living in Spain impractical, claim campaigners.

MUTANT Palma’s biggest ever turtle is saved SEE MORE P 4

NO YELLOW Why gifting yellow is HAUNTED a no-go in Spots in Spain Spain SEE MORE P 11

SEE MORE P 14

Give us our rights!

Threat

"The threat to our rights and freedoms that Brexit represents causes us great anxiety - especially if no deal can be reached,” insisted Sue WilUntitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 15:36 son, Chair of expat group DEMANDING ASSURANCE: Expats want new laws Bremain in Spain this week. protecting them

e Lions Threpub

THE Balearic Islands witness the highest levels of CM violence against women across the country. MY Almost 27 out of every CY 10,000 women reported a violent act against them CMY during the second quarter of 2017 compared to K the national average of 17. Balearic courts received 1,390 allegations of gender-based violence during the period.

971 706 972 taylorwimpeyspain.com

Vol. 1 Issue 14 www.theolivepress.es October 26th - November 8th 2017

Find out more on page XX 5

Best English Pub in Palma Great food Live Music Every Night from 12am Ave de Gabriel Roca 4, Palma

“Dastis' comments are welcome but don't resolve the main issues concerning British citizens. “Our concerns relate to whether circumstances will allow us to stay, even if we have permission from the Spanish government." She added: “If our rights and freedoms as EU citizens are not protected, then the Spanish authorities allowing us to stay will not be enough on its own." It comes after fears mounted that Britain will crash out of the EU without a final Brexit deal, with Theresa May admitting the Brussels negotiations have hit ‘difficulty’. Already some long-term expats have started the process of applying for Spanish citizenship with many more

SPECIALIZING IN: CRIMINAL LAW CIVIL LAW BANKING (FLOOR CLAUSE) FAMILY LAW

e-mail: advocat1@demicco.es mobile number: 636 307 533 WWW.DEMICCO.CH

unwilling to give up their UK passports. Renouncing British citizenship and getting a Spanish passport creates concerns over their future status when returning to the UK. “If a British person becomes a Spanish citizen, what happens if they later return to care for an elderly parent? Would they be just another unwelcome European citizen?" Wilson asked.

Change

Dual nationality for Spanish-based Brits is currently not allowed by Madrid, with Guardian journalist Giles Tremlett leading a campaign to change the current law. Bremain in Spain member Margaret Hales MBE, 70, called on the Spanish government to alter its current stance. "I would ask Rajoy to pledge a change in law so that British people who wish to apply for Spanish nationality could continue to hold their British nationality,” she said. Opinion Page 6

www.theolivepress.es

crime

Find him! EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan

POLICE are using the daughters of one of Britain’s Most Wanted to try and track him down. It comes after ‘master of disguise’ Mark Acklom, 44, fled his Murcia home after allegedly conning a British woman out of her life savings of €953,000. His Spanish wife, Maria Yolanda Ros Rodri-

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Olive Press probe believes Britain’s Most Wanted could be on the island or Switzerland having fled the mainland guez, 47, is believed to have left with him (left), taking their children aged six and eight. Last October, an Olive Press investigation traced the pair to a home near La Manga,

where the couple ran an online estate agency. While UK police believe they may still be living in Spain possibly the Canaries or the Balearics - a local source said he believes they are, in fact, in Switzerland, with the

Work place woes COMPLAINTS of labour exploitation and poor conditions in Mallorca have risen sharply despite unemployment decreasing. There has been a shocking 50% rise in complaints in just one year across the island. Some 271 complaints have so far been filed on a special union hotline this year, compared with just 191 last year. They relate to violations, abuse and exploitation in the workplace and have been filed to both the CCOO and UGT trade unions either anonymously or done with full disclosure “Labour exploitation has been normalised by society unwillingly” said Ana Landero, at the UGT. “We fight every day against this.” It comes as it emerged that work-re-

By Gillian Keller

lated accidents have also increased by almost 5% since last year. “These are almost always minor accidents due to fatigue or stress,” continued Landero. Excess workloads, unpaid overtime, failing to give breaks and days off not honoured are all being blamed. She also blamed too many employees working without contracts, or in the ‘black’. Her counterpart at the CCOO, Yolanda Calvo, revealed that 90 percent of their complaints come from the hotel and hospitality industry. The CCOO hotline can be called at 971 122 700

Up in smoke CONSTRUCTION workers have been filmed burning waste from building sites, including plastics, electrical wiring, polystyrene and containers. Police have now arrested the workers and the owner of the firm in Menorca. Police warned of the importance of using authorised companies for waste removal.

Grandpa sex pest AN 82-year-old Mallorca man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting his cleaner. The suspect was detained at his flat in Palma. The 44-year-old victim claimed he touched her breasts and genitals while dusting the apartment. She told police the man called her a prostitute and dragged her by the hair out of his home. The suspect, who denies the charges, was released pending further investigation.

Backhander isles THE Balearics are among Spain’s most corrupt regions. According to new figures, the islands saw the second highest number of corruption cases in Spain in the second quarter of 2017. Five corruption trials were held on the islands, behind only Andalucia with 11, according to the General Council of Judicial Power (GCJP). A total of 27 people were convicted between April and June in the Balearics with 60 jailed in AndaluENDESA is warning customers cia. about fraudulent emails asking In total, 30 corruption casfor updated banking details that es involving 118 suspects appear to come from the energy were concluded in Spain company. during the same period. The email contains a link that Some 70% of all cases redirects users to a copycat Endesulted in a conviction with sa website to enter personal embezzlement of public data and banking or credit card funds the most common information. crime.

Energy scam

girls attending an international boarding school. The close source of the family told the paper this week: “Mark thinks Switzerland is out of the Schengen agreement so police can’t catch him there. “There were a lot of arguments about what to do next and where to go. “The pair were very stressed about how to handle the police investigation. Before they fled, he was continually arguing with people on the phone day and night. “I can tell you one thing for sure, the oldest daughter absolutely hates him.” Acklom has been imprisoned three times in Spain over the last decade. The British villain’s extraordinary life of crime has allegedly seen him con victims out of millions while posing as an MI6 agent, a highflying property dealer and a Swiss banker. Aged just 16, he managed to dupe Leeds Permanent Building Society into giving him a £500,000 mortgage by convincing them he was an offshore investment adviser.

Fraud

In 1998, he was jailed for fraud in Spain and in 2008 conned two Spanish brothers out of €220,000 in an elaborate property scam. In December, two months after Acklom and Maria vanished, the mother-of-three was spotted in the Cartagena region, the Olive Press can reveal. A fresh UK appeal to expats in Europe to help track Acklom down states that his daughters are likely to be attending an international school. “We believe they are with their two daughters who are enrolled at an international, fee-paying school on the continent,” said Detective Inspector Adam Bunting, of Avon and Somerset Police. “The girls have been uprooted away from their family, away from their friends, away from their school overnight. They didn't have a chance to say goodbye to their friends,” continued DI Bunting. "As they are living on the run with their father, who is a wanted fugitive, we have significant concerns for their wellbeing." Acklom, who has used various false names during his time in Spain, including Marc Ros Rodriguez, was photographed in Geneva in May with Spanish scammer Jose Manuel Costas Estevez.

ne ws

www.theolivepress.es

On Bender knee

PAIR: Fassbender and Vikander tie the knot MICHAEL Fassbender and Alicia Vikander have tied the knot in the Balearic Islands. The Hollywood heartthrobs got married in agritourist Ibiza farm La Granja in front of 100 family and friends. Fassbender, 40, and Vikander, 29, were spotted smooching at a beach-side restaurant in the run-up to the eco-friendly wedding. All the food eaten at the wedding party was locally grown, with one insider saying the post-wedding party went on until six am. A DJ and band played ‘pretty much 24/7' over a three-day celebration which included a Friday boat party and meal at Yemanj restaurant and a boozy Sunday lunch. Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen was among the guests, who were asked not to take photographs of the wedding ceremony. The Irish actor and Swedish actress met on the set of 2014 film The Light Between Oceans.

Made in Spain HE is a regular on the costa club circuit. So it is appropriate that British R&B legend Craig David has filmed his latest promotional video in Spain. The heartthrob has issued some stills from the video for Heartline shot around Ibiza. Wearing a pink jumper it tells the love story between a girl and a pool boy. The two-time Grammy Award winner, said: “I loved filming in Ibiza! Hope you enjoy it!”

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Stranger than fiction It might sound strange, but she is fast becoming Spain’s most famous expat. Millie Bobby Brown is the main pin-up (see poster right) for the second series of Netflix smash hit Stranger Things that launches this Friday. The Marbella-born British star plays the role of Eleven, with a curly new hair do, but with just as much style. Brown, who lived in Marbella until the age of seven when she moved to the UK, is back, but it is not yet known in what shape or form.

Hollywood stars Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson drop in to play the part of fraudsters By Gillian Keller

THEY could be playing the part of many an expat both here on the island and mainland Spain. Hollywood stars Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson are in Mallorca to film a movie about con artists. Based on a remake of the popular classic Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine, they compete to defraud a naive new tech billionaire.

Nasty women

Dirty Rotten ladies

One working class, one high-class, the film Nasty Women is being shot around the island over the next few weeks. The Hollywood crew have so far been spotted filming in Cala Ratjada and Portals and they are expected to visit many more towns in the coming weeks. The title of the remake is a nod to President Donald Trump’s description of Hillary Clinton as a ‘nasty woman’ in the final presidential debate last year. Oscar-winning Hathaway knows the island well having visited for her summer holidays in 2015. Australian comedy icon Rebel shot to fame creating memorable characters Perfect. in multiple block- Les Misarables star Hathbuster comedy roles away was spotted dining at including Brides- Palma’s Michelin-star resmaids and Pitch taurant Marc Fosh where she signed a menu.

whole lotta Love Island A HOLIDAY hook-up show that was filmed in Mallorca has won ‘Best TV Show’ at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards. Love Island was a smash hit in the UK this year, with viewing numbers much higher than expected. When Towie’s Gemma Collins announced the winner, 12,500 Wembley Arena punters erupted in applause for the winner.

Please reference the Olive Press newspaper when contacting any of our important advertisers

bel NASTY: Anne and Re Mallorca

“To Marc, thank you for such an unforgettable meal! Who knew mushrooms and chocolate was such a winning pair! (Well, you)”, she wrote.

Filming is expected to continue until the middle of November, with assistance from local production company Palma Pictures.

Care4health

Lose it Cruz

SHE was only 18 when she was first asked to strip for a movie. Now Spanish siren Penelope Cruz has told how the scene in 1992 Pedro Almodovar classic Jamon Jamon brought her to tears. “Of course I was not looking forward to those scenes but I did it. Everyone was really respectful, aware of the fact that I was 18,” the Oscar-winner told Esquire magazine. “I remember the last day of filming, I was crying, saying: ‘What if I never shoot a movie again? The feeling was devastating.'” It didn’t stop her losing her clothes for the latest issue of the British magazine, to promote her new role as Donatella Versace in the upcoming TV series The Assassination of Gianni Versace.

™

Osteopathy, Osteopediatry™, Rehabilitation and Conditioning. Anywhere on or around Mallorca. Assessments and or treatments tailored to your needs. For more info go to www.carefourhealth.com

Find us on Facebook

Dr Howard Forge BDS

joe@carefourhealth.com M: (+34) 635 870 606 Hotel & Spa Son Caliu Avinguda Son Caliu 8, 07181, Mallorca, Spain

NEW PATIENT OFFER Examination inc 2 X-rays only €44 with this advert

• General Dentistry • Cosmetic Dentistry • Tooth Whitening • Night Grinding Guards • Dental Implants • Hygienist • Free Parking YOUR BRITISH-OWNED DENTAL PRACTICE IN MALLORCA

Avenida del Rey Jaime 1, 108, Santa Ponsa, Calvia

Appointments Please Call (+34) 971 694 071 santaponsadental.com | hforge@santaponsadental.com

ne ws

www.theolivepress.es

A SHOCKING 800-plus British holidaymakers have made fake sickness claims against Mallorca hotels, it has been revealed. A police investigation has also identified a massive 77 law firms linked to the submitting of claims over all-inclusive breaks.

Jailed

“These companies have orchestrated a criminal framework that has generated significant economic damage to the Balearic and Spanish tourism sector,” a national police spokesperson said. Mallorca saw a 700% rise

Finding the cure

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Nearly 100 law firms and 1,000 tourists were involved in the bogus sickness claim scams in sickness claims from January 2016, with the overall cost more than €4 million. Only a tiny number of

Brits who filed claims saw a doctor, it was confirmed during Palma Central Court’s Operation Hook. Furthermore, none of the

Balearic hotels failed hygiene regulations, with some inspections even actually carried out by the British tour companies

passing on the claims. One Liverpool couple have became the first Brits to be jailed for making a claim. Deborah Briton, 43, and

Environment

Plague battle NEW measures to battle a plague scything through Mallorca fruit trees have been announced. The government will spend over a million euros from the controversial eco-tax to fight Xylella, which has destroyed acres of vineyards, almond and olive groves.

Destroyed

Up to 6,000 hectares of almond, carob, apricot, fig and olive plantations will be sown as part of a ten-year regeneration plan. Around one million almond trees have been destroyed by the disease. This month, the European Commission published new guidelines to combat the outbreak. UK environment minister Michael Gove told Brussels Britain would ban high-risk imports if protection was not increased.

Turtle power

Tourist limits welcomed

Cowabunga...Palma Aquarium lands biggest ever turtle, named Tano

PALMA Aquarium has rescued its biggest ever turtle. Volunteers from the centre are now nursing the 50kg reptile after it was landed near Cabrera. The turtle, which staff have named Tano, is believed to be male. “He sure is a big boy,” Palma Aquarium director Deborah Morrison told the Mallorca Olive Press. “Although he is not eating at the minute he showed some

Exclusive By Joe Duggan

interest in some sardines this week so I think we can save him. “He had a massive cut on his front left flipper and was all tangled up in ropes and nets. We sent two people out on the rescue to Soller. “One of them was a really petite volunteer and Tano was heavier than her.”

The team have also recently been in a drill involving a fake shark at Can Pastilla, after two sharks were seen swimming near the beaches

AVOIDING CARNATGE

nearby this summer. “For the last two years we have had sharks and it’s important to educate people about them,” explained Morrison. “The reaction of the people this year was very good and beachgoers ended up forming a line to help us. “Previously animal rights activists were threatening to sue even though the sharks had heavy metal poisoning.”

MOST Balearic residents support a limitation on tourist accommodation rentals, a new survey suggests. Some 50.2% of people polled indicated they welcome ‘prohibitive measures’ on the sector with 32.4% against. The poll, conducted by the Balearic Institute of Social Studies (IBES), also showed 54.7% of people want to limit the number of vehicles in certain parts of the islands.

Beach bums

Water waste MORE than a quarter of Mallorca’s water is wasted due to damaged pipes. Around 27% of supplies were lost between 2012 and 2015, according to the Balearic government’s most recent data. The government’s Hydrological Plan caps maximum amount of wasted water at 30%. In 2016, a plan was put into place for councils to improve repairs along the main water supplies. Both Consell (59%) and Arta (56%) waste more water than they produce with Palma wasting 18%.

Paul Roberts, 53, tried to claim €22,000 after holidays in Mallorca in 2015 and 2016. They were locked up for nine months and 15 months respectively. “Recent judicial proceedings in the English courts are good news,” said a government spokesman. “They are also leading to massive withdrawals of false claims in the for fear of having to respond.”

MORE than 1,000 tonnes of waste and debris has been cleared from Es Carnatge, the last untouched beach area near Palma. The area is the only uninhabited natural space around the city. Group EMAYA is behind the comprehensive clean up that has so far removed piles of construction rubble and other dumped waste. The group expects to clear around 2,000 tonnes, in the first big clean up in four decades. “This is the only area on the coast of

By Gillian Keller

Palma without urbanization, with native species and we have to take care of it,” said group president Neus Truyol. The scheme is part of a larger €250,000 environmental project for the area, which will also educated and inform locals and visitors about the beach. Seeds have been collected from the native plants to reforest the area with after the area is cleaned up.

ACTIVISTS have been forced to highlight the continued pollution on a popular Mallorca beach. Mallorca Blue posted a video from Can Pere Antoni showing more burned plastic which the group claims had been in the sea for three months. The film also showed used sanitary towels that had washed up on the shore. “The worst is not what you can see, it’s what is invisible,” said a spokesperson. Can Pere Antoni sits next to the Palacio de Congresos which was recently inaugurated by King Felipe and Queen Letizia. The beach recently lost its blue flag over burned plastic believed to be used in the rebuilding of Palma Port.

Tax freeze THE controversial tourism tax is to be dropped for the winter months. The authorities have announced that the tax is to be frozen at last year’s rates from November to April, in line with its ‘Better in Winter’ campaign. Holidaymakers will still have to pay double tax in the peak months, which is between three and four euros a day in hotels.

www.theolivepress.es

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Small steps lead to big savings. Choosing the right currency transfer specialist could be the start of something big. With over 20 years’ experience and a team of dedicated currency experts, we’ll ensure you make the most of your money, every time you transfer.

Let’s talk currency. Avenida Rey Jaime I no.104 07180 Santa Ponsa Calvia, Mallorca, 07180 +34 871 510 277 mallorca@currenciesdirect.com currenciesdirect.com

Transfer 24/7 on the move. Download our app today.

Jan Currencies Direct customer since 2005 Watch her story at currenciesdirect.com/Jan

© Currencies Direct Ltd, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AA, United Kingdom. Registered in England & Wales, No.: 03041197. Currencies Direct Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Electronic Money Institution under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 and is regulated by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) in France. Our FCA Firm Reference number is 900669.

SP17506EN

SP17506EN - Olive Press Advert v1.indd 1

13/09/2017 11:53

F eature

www.theolivepress.es

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Mallorca’s original community newspaper

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.

OPINION You should be concerned WHILE the UK and EU thrash out our futures in a post-Brexit Europe, day-to-day life goes on. On popular Mallorca social media groups there isn’t too much mention of the ‘B’ word. People are, quite understandably, probably bored by the endless speculation, the reams of column inches, on the subject. But make no mistake. What is being argued over in the Brussels corridors of power will affect all of our lives in the not too distant future. And for Brits in Spain, the stakes couldn’t be higher. As Bremain in Spain point out, being allowed to stay here is no good for many without the preservation of existing rights. Alfonso Dastis’s remarks about being allowed to remain here are welcome, but more is needed. We should all be concerned. Because it’s our futures at stake.

Women’s rights IT is shocking that the Balearics tops Spain’s recent chart victims of gender violence. The range in figures across the country is startling. In Castille and León, the number of victims was 10.8 per 10,000 women. Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia and the Basque Country - all in the north of Spain - had figures just over 11 out of every 10,000. The average across the country in the second quarter of 2017 was 17.04. In the Balearics, it is a shocking 26.29. That is more than double than many parts of Spain. Equally as appalling is that there are now two courts in Palma’s main halls of justice specifically dealing with violence against women. By the looks of it, they need them. Depòsito Legal PM: 610-2017

Publisher/ Editor

Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es ADMIN

Newsdesk newsdesk@theolivepress.es Tel: (+34) 665 798 618

Maria Angeles Vázquez (+34) 951 273 575 admin@theolivepress.es

Joe Duggan joe@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es SALES: sales@theolivepress.es Charles Bamber 0034 661 452 180 Charles@theolivepress.es

Accounts Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@theolivepress.es Designer James Partington design@theolivepress.es

Head office

Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5 Calle Espinosa 1 Edificio centro comercial El Duque, planta primera, 29692 San Luis de Sabinilla, Manilva

AWARDS

2016/2017 Best expat paper in Spain and the second best in the world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2017

Named the best English language publication in Andalucia by the Rough Guides group.

Smokescreen

CRISIS is unfolding that’s bigger than Brexit. It could even bring violent civil conflict to one of our more important European allies, and threaten the very existence of the kingdom of Spain. Relations between Catalonia and the rest of Spain are at breaking point. Democratic politics in the Iberian peninsula has seized up due to a catastrophic failure of the leaderships of both the Spanish and Catalan governments. Political midgets and tinpot nationalists on both sides have puffed themselves into an entirely avoidable High Noon and nobody has the statesmanship or courage to block their ears to the cheers of the mob and lead their deluded followers back to safety. Of such are the stupid accidents of history composed.

In a passionate, well-argued dispatch, former British MP Matthew Parris reveals his Catalan roots and how the Catalans ‘don’t really want independence’

Brutal

How different from our own dear country. This week, Catalunya faces an imminent threat by the Spanish government to suspend the partial self-rule that this countrywithin-a-country enjoys, and forcibly return Catalunya to direct rule from Madrid. The Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, threatens this unless the Catalan government in Barcelona backs away from a proclamation of independence it made after the referendum held in defiance of Madrid at the start of October. I have seen this coming. It was so foreseeable that many of us half-persuaded ourselves that sense must surely prevail. Three times in the last seven years I’ve described the danger, trying to persuade readers of the importance of the story. Most of my family live in rural Catalonia near the Pyrenees and have done so since General Franco’s time. My mother co-founded and ran a school of English in her nearby town for a quarter of a century; both my sisters and a brother are married locally; and I’d say all of them and all their children and grandchildren are for independence — in most cases fiercely so. Many have been off on demonstrations, some helping with the recent referendum which with brutal hamfistedness Madrid tried to stop. They’ve been bombarding me with petitions, links to sympathetic journalism and photographs of bloodied would-be voters on referendum day.

OPTIMISTIC: Matthew Parris their nationhood as mere parochialism, and of their language as a peasant dialect. They hate being spoken of as unsophisticated, crude, money-making drudges: bumpkins and businessmen, dowdy beside the silken manners and stiff-necked pride that is Castile. And, yes, as one of the richest regions in Spain, they may wish to keep a bit more of their own money: there does exist a strand of economic self-interest in Catalan separatism but it does not predominate, and Catalonia’s sense of social obligation to all parts of the peninsula with which its own economy is inextricably entwined, is strong and humanitarian. All this surely adds up to independence, you may say. Well, that’s certainly what the leaders of the various separatist parties that now form the Catalan regional government tell their supporters; and it was enough to get a box-tick from most of the 40-odd per cent on the electoral roll who actually voted in this month’s “illegal” referendum. But quiz Catalan separatists on the practical components of sovereign state-

Folklore

My family will not like what I am going to write. I don’t believe that in their heart-of-hearts the Catalan people really want independence. Millions of them say and think they do, but what they deeply want is something different. They want respect; they want a recognised identity as a nation; they love the Catalan language which almost every Catalan speaks, often as a first language, and its poetry, literature and folklore; they know their long and sometimes separate history; they’re proud of Catalunya’s contribution to European culture; they bristle (as the Scots and Welsh do) at the sneers of the boss-nation, and the deprecation of

CATALAN CHIEF: Puigedemont

hood and a curious (and, I believe, telltale) ambivalence surfaces. Army? Navy? Air force? Worldwide network of fully-fledged embassies? Heaps of treaties to be separately negotiated? Border posts with the rest of Spain? At this point in the conversation Catalan separatists tend to become studiedly vague. Details, details . . . oh and anyway we’ll be in the European Union and Brussels can take care of all that . . . But there has never been any reason to suppose the EU will somehow step in and help prise Catalonia from Madrid’s grip, and every reason to know the EU won’t. Yet “Europe”, like the Promised Land, floats in the Catalan imagination as a deus ex machina ready to swoop in and guarantee life after Madrid. Try to get down to the brass tacks of this rescue by Brussels, however, and your Catalan interlocutor goes all vague again. They’d rather not think about it. Because it’s not the mechanics of sovereign statehood that really floats their boat: it’s the two-fingered salute to Spain. Don’t you see, can Madrid not see, can the ill-advised Spanish royal family not see, can the Spanish voters to whom right and left in Madrid are foolishly pandering not see, that we have here nearly all the components of a way through? I come back to those words “respect” and “identity”. Instead of treating Catalan dreams of sovereignty as a matter for rage, contempt or irritation, Madrid could address Catalonia’s underlying hunger for recognition. It was a historic error in the early days of post-Franco democracy to give to the bomb-happy Basque country powers of home rule and fiscal autonomy, then later change the constitution to stop peaceable Catalonia from getting parity.

Second-rate

So change the constitution again! Why not? Well, I said we had the components of a workable compromise; but one is missing: a willingness by Madrid to climb down a couple of rungs. I believe that Catalans, who are secretly horrified by where things are going but too proud and angry to say so, would climb down a couple of rungs too. This is so do-able. But I doubt it will happen. There are some seriously second-rate people at the top in both Madrid and Barcelona, and rabblerousers at work too. Madrid’s default-setting is the fist. Force will probably work, after a fashion. On balance I expect the Catalans to retreat soon, in confusion and badly bruised. This is a nation that specialises in victimhood, and at some deep level something about this episode and its images of blood and broken bones will not be altogether displeasing to them. And so the wounds will fester, Spain’s economic recovery will take a knock, and we all shall be back here again in a few years’ time. Who will step forward to stop this? Cometh the hour in Spain (and Britain) and cometh . . . no one. This article first appeared in The Times

www.theolivepress.es

F eature

WEBSITE

Olive Press can be read in its entirety on www.theolivepress.es And our site is updated daily with the latest news, making it one of Spain’s most visited news best English websites.

The scene is set for the Mallorca International Film Fesival

olive press online

T’S the number-one highlight in Mallorca film lovers’ calendar. The Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) brings together cinema buffs and the casually curious alike. Past festivals have enticed Hollywood royalty like Danny de Vito and Irish actor Colm Meaney. Last October’s event showcased the Oasis documentary Supersonic and Tour de France, narrated by Gerard Depardieu. This year, three-times Academy Award winner Paul Haggis is the guest of honour, with his 2005 film Crash being given a special screening. The brainchild of German actress Sandra Seeling Lipski (below), EMIFF is one of the fastest growing film festivals in the Mediterranean. This year 103 films, documentaries and short stories will feature. “It's been a wild ride so far and it keeps getting bigger and crazier every year,” said Sandra. “Sometimes I need to stop, breathe and realize what EMIFF has become how many people it has touched and all the ideas that are still to be launched.” Born in Berlin and raised in Mallorca, Sandra, a graduate from New York’s prestigious Lee Strasberg academy, has a glittering resume of her own. CSI NY, Borat and Jane the Virgin are just some of the films she has appeared in. She is currently planning her first feature film as producer and actress. A gala opening night takes place on Thursday night, with the opening film the Song Of Sway Lake screened at 20.00 at Teatro Principal. Palma cinema Cine Ciutat and Es Balaurd, the museum of modern and contemporary art will screen films. Port Adriano will also host a Halloween night special showing of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic Psycho, and Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher movie Scream. We take a look at some of the festival highlights.

Mallorca’s daily news website

October 2015

The top stories on Page theviews:xxxxxxxxx Olive Press website this stor fortnight Mos t read ies Visitors: xxxxxxxx

The Big Sick BASED on the real-life relationship between the two main actors (Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon) this is a cross-cultural rom-com with a modern slant. A one-night stand between a Pakistan-born comedian and a gig-goer turns into something more serious. But the relationship

Most readMoststories read this

fortnight on - MONSTER WAVE: Tsunami fears in www.theolivepress.es Spain as huge active volcano experiences 40 quakes in 48 hours (13,723)

2 3 4 5

 Costa del hurricane Sol on weather alert - Potentially record-breaking with Spain dropping temperatures heading towards (7,745) and

more rain - 4616 views

- Andalucia gets its first batch of snow as temperatures reach -2C (3,001)  VIDEO: Floods hit Costa del Sol as heavy rain continues - 4604

- Popular budget airline viewsscraps all of its Spain flights from major UK airport (2,624)  Gangsters’ paradise: A look at

-Emergency committee after two the scrambled key figures past and present of earthquakes in Spainthethis (2,504) Costamorning del Crime - 3872 views Torremolinos to open AndaPage Views: 201,413

lucia’s biggest shopping and leisure centre - 3122 views

Visitors: 167,673

 Gibraltar schoolgirl reaches semi

-final10 of Spanish TV talent Statistics for: October - October 24show 3065 views

SOCIALMEDIA OlivePressNewspaper olivepress olivepressnews +TheolivepressEs

BE ‘APPY!

We use recycled paper causes frictions with the funnyman’s strict Muslim parents and when his new love is struck with a mystery illness he is forced into a premature meeting with her parents (played by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano). Produced by midastouch-man comedy man Judd Apatow (Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall).

Song Of Sway Lake THE festival’s opening film is a comingof-age story starring Rory Culkin and Robert Sheehan. Following his father’s suicide, a young man returns to hs old family home at Sway Lake to retrieve a rare 78 vinyl record. While trying to come to terms with his father’s death, he has to deal with family dysfunction (including an overbearing grandmother), romance, and trying to let go. Toni Award-nominee Mary Beth Peil plays the grandmother in writer/director Ari Bell’s new film.

Each print issue of the October 26th - November 8th 2017

Crash WRITER-director Paul Haggis’s masterpiece deals with the clash of cultures across LA’s urban sprawl. Starring Matt Dillon, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle and Thandie Newton, it is a powerful examination of simmering tension, enduring bigotry and common humanity that interlinks characters through the film’s separate strands. Haggis said he wrote Crash as a riposte to complacent liberals who believed race relations in the US had resolved themselves. With race, identity, gender and sexuality currently pushed to the top of the agenda by Donald Trump, Crash carries an extra resonance in 2017. Haggis remains the only screenwriter to have penned consecutive Best Academy Award films (Million Dollar Baby (2004) and Crash (2005).

Reuse Reduce Recycle

Download our app now and begin enjoying the best Spanish news on the go.

Reevolution THE story behind the making of this Spanish crime thriller is a tale for the big screen in itself. In 2003, a script was written about four characters in a society gripped by economic crisis who decide to change the course of history. After more than seven years trying to shoot the film, it was finally made in 2014. The no-budget independent film ‘changed the way of making cinema’, according to its Spanish crew. Made for less than 6,000 euros - 4, 500 euros of which went on paying tax Reevolution was shot at 80 different locations using 50 actors, 130 extras and in 10 languages.

Updated daily The Olive Press online www.theolivepress.es The website is conveniently accessible from your desktop computer to your laptop, tablets and smartphones throughout the day wherever youThe are.Olive Press www.theolivepress.es TOP for news in Spain!

Useful numbers Emergencies Ambulance/ Fire brigade/ Police 112

Transport Railway Line Palma-Inca / Palma-Manacor – 971.177.777 Buses in Majorca – 971.177.777 Railway Line Palma-Soller – 902.364.711 Airport information – 971.789.000 Road Traffic Information – 900.123.505

Shiners

A DOCUMENTARY looking at the work of men and women who clean shoes for a living. Stacey Tenenbaum’s first feature film was shot on the streets of Paris, London, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sarajevo and La Paz. Many of the shoe shiners filmed explain the pride and method they put into their work while struggling to provide for their families. .

Taxi’s Radio Taxi 971.20.12.12 Taxi Palma – 971.40.14.14 Taxis Cales de Mallorca – 971 83 32 72 Taxis Manacor – 971 55 18 88 Taxis Porto Cristo – 971 82 09 83 Taxis s’Illot – 971 81 00 14 Taxi with disabled access – 608 537 194, 619 342 979, 609 717 424

WEBSITE

www.theolivepress.es

Mallorca’s original community newspaper

newspaper, the A campaigning, community expatriate Olive Press represents the huge estimated readcommunity in Spain with an of more than ership, including the websites, 500,000 people a month.

OPINION Tourist issue

rears its head again. CONCerN over mass-tourismrally in Palma, and a With hundreds attending a depth of locals’ disnew survey underlying the issue continues to content, this summer’s hottest burn. hiked Balearic tourist add on concerns about the able €3 a tax - at its priciest, a more-than-reason mix all round. day - and you have a heady lies in not scaring off For the authorities, the trick egg. golden the laid that the goose of people on tourism sustains tens of thousands local economy. the island and is vital for the the strain that milBut there is simply no ignoring on the island’s infralions of extra visitors puts

structure. these two diaFinding a happy medium between is a devilishly tricky metrically opposed interests is how polititask. But navigating such dilemmas cians earn their crust.

Catalan showdown

Madrid and tHe centuries-old divide between further this month. Catalunya has widened even is likely to curdle even On Sunday, that bitterness further. columns of police vethe extraordinary sight of from around Spain hicles pouring into Barcelona government is to halt shows how determined the the vote. language, combative Mariano rajoy has adopted to ‘liquidize naaccusing the Catalans of trying tional sovereignty’. policeman is defying Meanwhile, Catalunya’s top Guardia Civil. an order to cede control to the (pro-remain) to Barceeveryone from rafa Nadal ) has had lona Football Club (pro-independence their say. Catamillion seven It remains to be seen whetherdo the same at the lan voters will be allowed to ballot box on Sunday. clash with police there are fears voters could guarding polling booths. papers were seized in But given ten million ballot the weight of police police raids this month, andholding a referendum numbers, the odds of even Puigdemont govseem stacked against the Carles ernment.

Depòsito Legal PM: 610-2017 Jon Publisher/ editor s.es

Clarke

jon@theolivepres AdMIN

Maria Angeles Vázquez (+34) 951 273 575 admin@theolivepress.es

Newsdesk newsdesk@theolivepress.es Tel: (+34) 665 798 618 Joe Duggan joe@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore

AccouNts Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@theolivepress.es

laurence@theolivepress.es sALes: sales@theolivepress.es Charles Bamber 0034 661 452 180 Charles@theolivepress.es

desIgNer James Partington design@theolivepress.es

HeAd offIce

144.5 Carretera Nacional 340, km Calle Espinosa 1 Duque, planta primera, Edificio centro comercial El Manilva 29692 San Luis de Sabinilla,

AWARDS

F e at u r e

September 28th - October

2016/2017

Best expat paper in Spain the and the second best in world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2017

language Named the best English by the publication in Andalucia Rough Guides group.

F e at u r e

www.theolivepress.es

11th 2017

Olive Press can be read in its entirety on www.theolivepress.es

olive press online

And our site is updated daily with the latest news, making it one of Spain’s most visited news

Mallorca’s best English website daily newswebsites.

October 2015 Press Olive The top stories on theviews:xxxxxxxxx fortnight this Page website stories read Most Visitors: xxxxxxxx

Most read stories

in this arrested Most read - EXCLUSIVE: British expats resort in Spanish on massive drug swoopfortnight a hairdressing salon worked for local clubs andwww.theolivepress.es (68,401)

hiicc?? -sttrroopph Cata-s if if enen happ happ will will what what but but t, t, Brexi Brexi asas big big asas ore ore ndum ndum Dollim Dollim nce refere nce ialialrefere Laure Laure overs overs , asks , asks contr s Spain It’s s Spain It’sa acontr leave leave really unya unyareally Catal Catal

airport stri Costa del Sol on weather alert - The latest on Spain’s planned kes (23,069) with dropping temperatures and

2 3

- 4616 views

more rain Sisu hotel’s music - Marbella mayor revokes touon loutish del Sol license and vows crackdown Floods hit Costa  VIDEO: to leave threaten rism as at least ten businesses as heavy rain continues - 4604 Puerto Banus (6,290) views

changes its - ONE BAG ONLY: Ryanair A look at customers someparadise:  Gangsters’ hand luggage policy and figures past and present of (2,387) the key are NOT happy

the Costa del Crime - 3872 views

del Sol shooting, - Several injured in Costa the run (2,351) Torremolinos to open Andagunman may still beon

lucia’s biggest shopping and leisure

178,606 Page Views:centre - 3122 views

semi  Gibraltar schoolgirl reaches Visitors: 148,900 -final of Spanish TV talent show 3065 views

Statistics for: August 1 - August

OlivePressNewspaper olivepress olivepressnews

Short-term pain

+TheolivepressEs

BE ‘APPY!

in the imBoth parties would lose out there is little mediate aftermath, of that doubt. would crethe establishment of a borderramping up ate obstacles to trade while leading to the spending of the new state, job losses and drops in income. for : Catalans only account populaSpanish we the 16% of “As a matter of foreign policy, tion, but make a huge contriare deeply committed to main-a “I feel Catalan and I’m in bution to the national econotaining a relationship with favour of the referendum, my, bringing in €223.6 billion strong and unified Spain. which is a democratic proeach year. “We think that Spain’s presence cess...But I sincerely believe experts have claimed the is important not only in Europe, that, to begin with, it would and but also in the United States region would gain €16 bil-a make Catalunya and Spain also in the world.” lion annually in the case of Separation would weaker. longer no split, as they would weaken the two territories.” have to pay taxes to Spain this would lower Spain’s GDP by 2% every year. also take a Catalunya, however, could are to the hit, as 35.5% of its exports would also Spanish market. the region structures been involved in have pay to create new stateetc.) which protesters and police have (embassies, central banks, Pro-independence Catalan over the last fortnight. carry a large price tag. to voice their anger at many stand-offs in Barcelona Miniseconomy poured onto the streetsweek. Spanish week, this Just Thousands of marchers officials last that CataloCatalan economy ter Luis de Guindos claimedshrink by 25the arrest of 14 local government off the entrance to the nia could see its economy double if it Some 40,000 people blocked raided earlier in the day. a stand-off with the 30% and its unemployment ministry, which had been a sit-down protest in Earlier, campaigners staged local government buildings. Mariano RaMinister Guardia Civil near the region’s Spanish Prime to norjoy has called for ‘a return mality and common sense’. Ada Colau But Barcelona mayor ‘We backed the protests, tweeting, the demonwelcome and celebrate Catalunya strations in Barcelona, and around Spain’. around the Meanwhile, Catalans form of city took to a traditional out of their protest, banging pans apartment windows. splits to form a separate state.

“I think what is happening from ought not to take place because, should remy point of view, everyone spect the law. Cata“I don’t understand Spain withoutor see lunya. I don’t want to understand ought to be it. I believe that together we able to understand each other.”

“Pro-independence activists are turning Spain into a scapegoat on which to blame all their problems”.

The EU quagmire

longer paydebt back to Spain while no could inflict ing its taxes to the mainland a massive hit to Spain’s economy. will take While many assume that Spain would likely on the debt, the transition

an automatic Catalunya does not have eu. right to membership of the faced a seMuch like Scotland, which in 2014, an cession vote from the uK need a independent Catalunya would members, inunanimous ‘yes’ from eu to block any cluding Spain, who is likely allies to do membership bid and rally its the same. for around Given that the eu accountsany delayed 65.8% of Catalan exports, would access or a denied entrance have severe consequences.face a trade the new state could also boycott from Spain. and ina separation from the euro and sercreased tariffs on their goods vices could also prove dire. profesBut alain Cuenca, an economics said sor at the university of Zaragoza, arguments economic “the last week: ones in the will not be the prevailing debate over Catalonia's independence, sides apthe arguments used by both peal to identity.”

Press online updated daily the Olive Download our app now and ress.es www.theolivep begin enjoying the best Spanish is the website news on the go. your conveniently accessible from tablets laptop, desktop computer to your the day and smartphones throughout wherever you are. www.theolivepress.es

Did you know?... Population

take its toll. impact inPeriods of uncertainty wouldoperations vestments and commercial impact and there would be a negative economion Catalonia’s bid to expand cally.

KiCKiNG off

Debt woes

Rafael Nadalon: October 1

Pedro Almodovar:

Barrack Obama

Gerard Pique:

16% of Spain live in Catalunya, a total of 7.45 million citizens

Territory

Catalunya makes up 6.3% of Spain’s land mass

Taxes

Some 20.8% of Spain’s tax revenue comes from Catalunya. Madrid collects €37.8 billion from the region each year

Exports

a massive 25.6% of Spain’s exports come from Catalunya. that’s €65.2 billion every year It’s main products are cars (17.9%), chemicals (16.4%), food (12.3%), pharmaceuticals (7.4%) and textiles and clothing (7.1%).

Startups

investment Catalunya currently receives 56.3% of Spain’s for startup companies each year It gets around €371 million of new investment

History in the making

was priced Spain’s debt as of last year Catalunya at roughly €999 billion, while largest public has amassed one of the at around debts of Spain's 17 regions, €72.2 billion euros. for long-term Around €6 billion of this is

issued and securities that have been instituthe rest are loans from different tions. holds a huge It means that Catalunya Giving that 16.34% of Spain's debt.

The Olive Press

Useful numbers

TOP for news in Spain!

Emergencies Ambulance/ Fire brigade/

Railway Line Palma-Inca / Palma-Mana cor – 971.177.777 Buses in Majorca – 971.177.777 Railway Line Palma-Soller – 902.364.711 Airport information – 971.789.000 900.123.505 Road Traffic Information –

Taxi’s Radio Taxi 971.20.12.12 Taxi Palma – 971.40.14.14 32 72 83 Taxis Cales de Mallorca – 97118 88 Taxis Manacor – 971 55 09 83 Taxis Porto Cristo – 971 82 14 Taxis s’Illot – 971 81 00 608 537 Taxi with disabled access – 424 194, 619 342 979, 609 717

P ast c po ut on has been a hot top c n Ma orca for a ong t me One of our first nterv ews was w th the Seab n crew the group of young Austra an nventors who are tak ng on ocean debr s v a the r amaz ng nvent on S nce the nterv ew n May we have reported tw ce on how they have s gned a contract oca y w th ports n Ma orca and now ast ssue n the UK

P N ON

Plastic people

F E AT U R E

www.theolivepress.es Mallorca’s original community newspaper

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated ership, including the websites, of more readthan 500,000 people a month.

OPINION Sick feeling EVERYONE the Olive Press has spoken to who knows Deborah Cameron and La

September 14th- September

EW long term expats in Mallorca will be surprised to have read that a witness in the Tolo Cursach trial was run off the road in July. Nor, that one of his cronies turned up at another witness’s home, last month, telling him judge in the trial had been nobbledthat the and it would not ‘end up well’ for him. Then there were the police, a court who were selling cocaine mixed with heard, his nightclubs and the politicians in paint in his payroll regularly lavished with champagne and prostitutes to buy them off. In short he was for decades one of Spain’s leading mafia figures. And he got away with it thanks to owning running the island of Mallorca, with and a vast army of police, lawyers and politicians eating out of his pocket. “Tolo acted with impunity as far as cils were concerned,” said fellow the counnightclub owner Ángel Ávila. “He ended up with everything. He became overlord of the night. His cash was limitless. He threatened he came up against and destroyedanyone people’s businesses so he could snap other them up at rock-bottom prices.” So after a crime career spanning decades, much of the island tookover four intake of breath, when he was finallya sharp arrested in February this year and charged a string of offences, including bribery, with sexual exploitation, extortion, money child laundering, homicide and corruption. Alongside cohort Bartolome Sbert, he is fac-

COURT to CAUGHT

He was a people person with a great eye for who the movers and shakers were

Depòsito Legal PM: 610-2017

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es

NEWSDESK newsdesk@theolivepress.es Tel: (+34) 665 798 618 Joe Duggan joe@theolivepress.es Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es SALES: sales@theolivepress.es

ADMIN

Maria Angeles Vázquez (+34) 951 273 575 admin@theolivepress.es ACCOUNTS Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@theolivepress.es DESIGNER James Partington design@theolivepress.es

Charles Bamber 0034 661 452 180 Charles@theolivepress.es HEAD OFFICE

Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5 Calle Espinosa 1 Edificio centro comercial El Duque, 29692 San Luis de Sabinilla, Manilvaplanta primera,

AWARDS

2016/2017 Best expat paper in Spain and the second best in the world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2017

27th 2017

Cocaine, rent boys and hookers, politicians, policemen and murder: The spectacular rise and downfall of Mallorca’s prince of darkness, Bartolome ‘Tolo’ Cursach, began on the tennis courts, and ended in a different sort of court, writes Ben Reus

ing 80 years in prison and awaiting the mainland, removed from the trial on island so he cannot bribe the local prison guards. Is it any wonder both the prosecutor judge in the trial both asked for special and permission to carry guns, throughout the duration of the case? Yet, Tolo’s journey to the High Courts, of Spain’s leading gangsters, could as one not have begun more innocently. We must journey back to the 1960s leafy suburbs of Palma city and a well to the lished tennis club, founded in 1924. estabIt was here, at Mallorca Tennis Club, young Tolo arrived at the age of 13, that a helping out his uncle Miquel, who was the then groundsman and doing well by Cursachhead family standards. Like the majority of Mallorquins before ism took off Cursach’s family was poor. tourThey eked a living IN WHICH TOWN, WHERE AND DOING WHAT. At the tennis club, where he worked on March ballboy and maintaining the courts, as a His arrest 3 alongside Sbert. was a sniff of opportunity and youngthere in a story and trial is just the latest chapter of corruption that has seen Tolo knew exactly what he wanted. table cornucopia of politicians of a veridifferent ‘I’ll be one of THEM one day’, he told an Ol- parties line their pockets through backhandive Press source, who has known him since ers, rigged public works tenders, nepotism they were boys. and money laundering. But his story is perAnd by ‘them’ the teenager meant haps, land’s elite, Mallorca’s high society,the is- Peopleits most sordid. spent their weekends playing tennis that the 80swho have lived on the island since club and poker in one of its back at the Cursach. have long heard the stories about rooms. That he was a drug trafficker, More of which later. he bribed local officials, that he was that a maFast forward 50 years and Cursach fioso. come the biggest nightclub magnatehad be- But the rumours were always just in the Balearics and dubbed as ‘untouchable,’ mours. No newspaper dared to that, rupublish a when he was finally arrested and charged word.

Tens of thousands frequented his nightclubs in Magaluf, the infamous like BCM (immodestly named after himself: Bartolome Cursach Mas) where the Spice Girls’ liwell had first cut her teeth as a Geri Haldancer (in a cage no less)...or packed like sardines into Tito’s, one of Palma’s biggest cash But that’s just it, Tito’s had a licencecows. punters and yet it habitually hosted for 700 with more that 2000 - and BCM - also parties dubbed the ‘Bank of Cocaine Mallorca - didn’t a licence at all, it has since emerged, have and ended up getting one years later Tolo’s ‘special relationship’ with the through powers that be. Young Tolo had always had a talent ness. He was a people person andfor busihad a great eye for who the movers and shakers were. A passionate tennis player, he even training to go pro, but he was also a began of poker and gambling in general great fan here that he saw his real future. and it was As a youth in the 1970s he won over some powerful allies playing poker at the Tennis Club, as it was there - odd Mallorca sound - that police chiefs, bankers as it may and other high-flyers all hung out. It was them that bankrolled his first venture, a small nightclub calledbusiness that was no more than a shack. AndSmash, it was them that helped him expand his empire by removing the competition and turning a blind eye to his business licences. The most flagrant case of this was Although one of the largest clubs at BCM. in Europe, it had operated without a licence since 1989. For the club to remain open, it was supposed to be soundproofed and unapproved ditioning units were to be moved air-conto comply with licensing laws. Cursach applied to amend these details after high season, but never did. Despite this, he received his final licence approval to remain open during Calvia’s socialist mayor Francisco Obrador’s former office and, of course, subsequent term in PSOE and PP mayors did nothing until a competitor filed a complaint in 2014. Heads rolled, but it was not that of Tolo’s, nor anyone at the town hall… it was, Calvia Police’s chief inspector Pepe in fact, Navarro who lost his job. By now Cursach was unstoppable. Through the 1990s he grew and grew ing a total of 30-plus establishments, acquiring more of the island’s main nightincludspots such as Riu Palace and Megapark. But there was something little Tolo still craved; the tennis club that had been his springboard to success and what was, in his eyes, a symbol of success. Instead he was declared ‘persona by its members after drugs werenon grata’ BCM, causing it to close temporarily found at and rumours spread about how he in 1992, removed unwanted competitors.

In the dock

Ou n dep h ook a K ng O he N gh To o Cu sach go benea h he sk n o one o he s and s mos con ove s a figu es D aw ng on oca sou ces and know edge ou s and based epo e Ben Reus cha ed he se and a o a figu e accused o unn ng a vas c m na emp e bu on a eged backhande s b bes and h ea s Named the best English language publication in Andalucia by the Rough Guides group.

Stone-cold classic

wall to wall

OP N ON

n our ast ed t on we went on the tra of one of Ma orca s most fasc nat ng cu tura phenom enons Dry stone wa ng has been one of the s and s most en dur ng egac es and we were on the ground n the Tramuntana mounta ns to see th s fasc nat ng anc ent sk c ose up

Analysing Maddie O ve P ess ed o Jon C a ke was he fi s B sh ou na s on he g ound when Madd e McCann wen m ss ng n Po uga n 2007 He has us spen wo days fi m ng a documen a y on he case w h Ne fl x and w o e an n dep h ana ys s on he mys e y on he en h ann ve sa y n May s a un que ns gh n o one o he s anges saddes news s o es n mode n h s o y

AApaed paedoph oph ee NOT NOThe he pa paen ensskk ed ed Madd Maddee

Police 112

Transport

Making waves from Palma

SOCIALMEDIA

We we e he on y Eng sh pape n Spa n o send a ou na s o cove he Ca a an ndependence e e endum h s mon h O ve Press epo e Joe Wa en spen he n gh w h p o es e s mann ng a po ng boo h a a Ba ce ona schoo be o e epo ng on he a ou b av ng he heavy handed ac cs o he na ona po ce

11th 2017 September 28th - October Each print issue of the

www.theolivepress.es

ataLeXIt, as it has been dubbed, is a big deal all round. as the country’s most prosis perous region, Catalunya naa treasury for 19% of the in tourism, tional economy, and a leaderindustry. exports, manufacturing and since there has been talk of secession of Estat Catala in 1922, founding the party will and on October 1 the political have its biggest chance yet. peaked and has While the movement a resurtroughed, it has experienced years, thanks gence over the last few woes, primarily to Spain’s economicdecision a 2010 constitutional court and to lessen Catalunya’s sovereignty government growing distrust of central in Madrid. recent The latter has intensified in weeks since Madrid began the quash to a campaign vote - which it claims is unconstitutional - by arresting and charging leaders who support the referendum for ‘disobeying’ national government. It led to thousands of Catalans protesting in the streets after 14 leaders were placed under arrest While the latest survey at the end of July found that 49.4% of Catalans were against independence and 41.1% suphow far ported it, it’s hard to know the cause. Madrid is helping or hindering reality, what But if Catalexit became a would be the economic fallout?

Six

F eature special

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

October 26th - November 8th 2017 June 22nd - July 5th 2017

PROUD DAD: Bob and wife arrive By Joe Duggan and Gillian Keller

PRINCESS PIXIE

IT is a transfer that will upset many a local. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp is selling his Mallorca villa after a decade on the island, it can be revealed. Ex-Liverpool and Spurs star Redknapp and wife Louise have had a second home in Bendinat for several years, but an Olive Press source claims they are saying adios to the luxury bolthole. They had first bought the home in 2007 after a friend’s wedding on the island. Louise later revealed how Mallorca - and the nearby Portals Nous area - had ‘captured her heart’. “There's a marina below us, and you can watch the boats coming in and out of the harbour at just about any time of

GUESTS: Harry Styles and (right) Paul Simonon

Deia: A Hotspot for artists for decades

And it is not just rock stars, like Geldof, who have homes in the area, with Virgin boss Richard Branson owning a home and formerly a hotel in the village. But Deia - population 850, half of whom are ex-

pats - has been popular with all sorts of artists since the early 20th century. Poets, musicians and writers from all over the world have come to Deia for inspiration, and a few never left. English poet Robert Graves, whose home is now a museum, was one of the first to settle in the village and spent much

rings in front of an open-air, white-marble folly offering commanding coastal views. The ceremony, which lasted half an hour, was performed by David Waller, chaplain of the Anglican Church in Palma. He later told the Olive Press that the service had been ‘pretty normal actually’ and that there were about a dozen bridesmaids and grooms. The happy couple chose Elvis Presley’s I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You for their first dance as husband and wife. The decorations were supplied which spent the morning kitting by Palma company Moments – out the venue. One employee confirmed that it

of his life there until his death just over 30 years

ago. The I, Claudius writer had numerous celebrity guests to stay, including Sir Alec Guinness, Hollywood heartthrob Ava Gardner, and Oscar winning English actor Sir Peter Ustinov. Andrew Lloyd Webber meanwhile owns property in the area and for his 60th birthday flew 50 guests to the village including Michael Caine, Roger

Moore and Tim Rice. Others who have stayed in the village include Princess Diana, Harrison Ford and George Lucas, as well as models Claudia Schiffer and Kate Moss. Rock star visitors include Kylie Minogue, Mick Jagger, Mike Oldfield and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. And quite a few have actually played there, including Irish band The Corrs,

Deia’s hip Cafe Sa Fonda, knocking back beers, wine and cocktails. On Thursday evening, Bob Geldof, who owns a house in the area, looked crisp in an allwhite trouser and shirt combo and trademark cap at the cool bar. Strictly Come Dancing beauty Lowe looked a knockout, arriving in a dark dress around midnight as dozens of party guests mingled on the bar’s outdoor terrace before dispersing around 2 am. On Friday evening, the wedding crowd, including Styles, Lowe and Chung hit the bar again, arriving around half past ten. Former punks Geldof and Simonon, who was rocking a white fedora hat, spent the night chatting together as the

as well as Robbie Williams who famously serenaded his then fiance at gourmet restaurant, El Olivio. The village is also famously where Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt and Daevid Allen, all from Soft Machine, moved to ‘escape the changing world’ back in the 1960s. They went on to form hippy band Gong.

bus to transport them to palatial Son Marroig, formerly the mansion of Austrian archduke Luis Salvador.

CAPTION: and Consecul luptas ducipsaesto eum fdoluptae venis sendignatem

Guests, even including the bride, piled on for the short 5-minute drive to the venue. The wedding party danced into the wee small hours to a live band in the outdoor courtyard at the magnificent country pad, where 17 tables were laid out for a lavish dinner. A three-tier, all-white wedding cake was spotted being brought into the venue. In the days leading up to the top-secret wedding, celebrities partied the nights away in

A-List revellers got in the party mood in the sleepy village. During the day, the wedding party relaxed by their hotel pools and kicked back in the village’s cafes and restaurants as the summer sun blazed. The Olive Press was the only local paper present, along with two UK national papers.

ABOVE: Bob with bridesmaids and Pixie arriving, Barnett (left) and (below)

Guests had started leaving Deia’s exclusive La Residencia hotel around 6pm on a

Soccer mum Madonna

stage for live music

MADONNA has splashed €5.7 million on a palace in Portugal. The 58-year-old has splurged on the property in Sintra, near Lisbon, to help her 11-year-old adopted son David - who is currently training with Benfica football club's junior team. The 18th Century Quinta do Relogio Palace was once owned by a Portuguese nobleman, whose colourful life inspired Alexandre Dumas’s novel The Count Of Monte Cristo. “Madonna visited Portugal in March and the fans went wild,” said a source. “One even sent her a message saying they were an estate agent on Instagram and she started following them back. “It was then it became pretty apparent that she was looking to make a move permanent. "Now the town is abuzz.” "It's a stunning building in the hilltops with a huge number of bedrooms and bathrooms all decorated in striking Islamic style, although there are huge plans for a redesign inside already."

ON VACATION: Vicky and John

QUEEN VIC

Perfect Pixie was a riot of colour inside: “So many colours, every colour, too many colours!”

MOVING: The Redknapps and (left) with the Barnes family day,” said Louise. “It's a particularly special view at night, when you can see Palma twinkling, and the lights from the ships out on the bay dancing on the waves.” The area is a big hit with celebrities, with the likes of John Bishop, Ryan Giggs and Jamie Carragher often spotted relaxing in nearby restaurants and cafes. The Redknapps were pictured with John Barnes and his family two years ago at their home. It is not known if they are looking to buy another home on the island.

GEORDIE Shore’s Vicky Pattison has been soaking up the summer sun in Mallorca. The 29-year-old beauty flaunted her figure on a break with boyfriend John

Noble. Stunning MTV star Vicky looked fantastic in a bikini which showed off her hourglass figure as she frollicked in the water.

T S one of the most g amorous wedd ngs Ma orca has ever seen and the O ve Press had the ns de scoop Fo ow ng a t p off we were there to report from De a m ng ng w th Harry Sty es P x e Ge dof Da sy Lowe and A exa Chung Beaut fu br de P x e and rockstar fiance George Barnett ooked amaz ng at the r Son Marro g mans on nupt a s

best

Help save Serena!

WHEN he O ve P ess made an u gen appea o O nega ve b ood o he p 11 yea o d eukae m a su e e Se ena Go man k nd hea ed Ma o ca oca s we e qu ck o answe he ca “The eac on was amaz ng ” mum Sa ah o d he O ve 4 www.theolivepres s.es b ood bank P ess “The NE WS Hackedhas gone om five days off M ay s ock o u ” She s nowclueless over ex pat no-deal ou o hosp a Pos ve OUR BOA S ou na sm a s bes

HELP SAVE SERENA!

Presenting six of the best and most original stories and features since our launch in April this year MERS

The 27-year-old looked sizzling hot in a white lace-up

Redknapps selling up luxury Balearic bolthole

Fashion designer Chung, 33, and model Lowe, 28, sported off-theshoulder pink dresses and carried elegant pink and white bouquets. Celebrity pals attending included One Direction star Harry Styles. Other stars celebrating the couple’s nuptials included The Clash bassist Paul Simonon and Radio One DJ Nick Grimshaw along with Pixie’s sister Fifi, half-sister Tiger Lily Hutchence and Peaches Geldof’s widower Thomas Cohen. Tying the knot overlooking the Mediterranean in front of around 140 guests, the couple exchanged vows in the venue’s majestic gardens as the early evening sun began to dim. Gazing into one another’s eyes, IT might seem like a sleepy Geldof and These New Puritans village, but Deia has actually drummer Barnett, exchanged been rocking for decades.

inside

October 12th -

M m

October 26th 2017

A BRITISH family THERESA May scammed out of have been million Brits in has admitted 1.2 in the UK, the EU would be a dream holiday €2,500 over with Brits abroa left in limbo after in Mallorca. d fac- then we It happened when a Brexit no- ing a similarly uncertain future have to be prepa deal. “We don’t know . fraudred for it.” sters intercepted what would The UK prime minister said the pen to them,” May told LBC hap- There are growing Jayne Morris, 50, an email government ‘doesn fears that a radio Brexit had sent to the owners, after ’t know what station. no-deal is on would happen’ the cards “The EU mem booking to through holiday expat ber s if the UK have states would with the EU’s chief negotiator, crashes out of the website Hoto consider what Miche meaway.com. overall agreementbloc without an proach would their ap- tions l Barnier warning negotiaThe mother-of-tw . are ‘not a game be to the UK citiMay was also unabl ’. o paid the zens. This NO IDEA: There Europ conmen in full after sa May what would happe e to confirm want to getis one of the reasons we ber ean leaders meet on Octoan email, masqu they sent 19 toOdecide wheth a deal.” n to EU citizens She added: “If er ‘suffithe owners, and erading as progress’ there is no deal cientHelp NEWS made to move onusto the has been 15% discount. offering her a Brexit trade HOLIDAY talks. As she made the HELL Bad for business Transferwise, shepayment via course to reclaim has no rethe mone y. The family had had been scammno idea they Rain drain ed until they arrived at the prope rty this summer to be owners they had told by the received no payment. “I thought there mistake. I got had to be a onto HomeAway and they were absolutely useless,” said Jayne “They didn’t care. . Record to my bank but I spoke breakers NEWS they also couldn’t help.” Pound By Gillian Kelle Save our plum met Luckily for the and Joe Dugganr sealife Morri s famSheep ily, the owners shock FLYING INTO TRO let them stay forwere able to UBLE while they rented two nights, MALL ORCA envir onme naccommodation. alternative talist s have dema nded vario us Palm a beach es. Both that firms companies facing They were forced are now facing be to remove fines of €45,000 out another €4,40 to splash fines over plasti c the debris after the pollu 0 (£3,900) tion shoul from the water to rent another villa. d clean up the Balearic authorities conport,” a Mallo in the firmed they were mess. “A HomeAway spoke rca Blue launc sperson They said: “Fraud is a insist that both ing proceedings againh- work at a Palma port, in spokesperson told the Olive Press this week st June. them currence on our very rare oc- Tirme incin erato for School using Regulations allow . “The case you arewebsites. praised Balearic Port r and the ‘without authorisati plastic A denuncia was burne Authority d on’. Drownings is a very rare case referring to (APB ) shoul green group Mallo filed by plastic to be used in increase d be tasked It comes after the Olive after road FLASHBACK: Our rca Blue building where a criminal of phishing with clean Press but not the revealed they ing up the burnt had up on nearbdebris washed rine environme in a ma- exclusive reports owner’s account. took over an plasti c been behind a leak nt. waste found y The Litter beaches, in- The of molon ten slags thecleanin g up our government con- per,Bug leak was beaches ‘a from building cluding Can Pere Antoni. serious infrin firme

COM NG N

CLEAN IT UP!

N nc ed b e ha yea has passed s nce we aunched on he s and And he Ma o ca O ve P ess goes om s eng h o s eng h mos y hanks o s o g na epo ng om he s and and ac oss Spa n Ou eam o e gh ou na s s wo n Ma o ca have n e v ewed and nves ga ed p obed and exposed con nua y s nce as Ap ndeed du ng ou sho me on he s and Ma o ca O ve P ess s o es have been o owed up by The Sun he Ma on Sunday and Te eg aph and mos ecen y TV Ove 13 am packed ssues we have se ved up ove 600 news s o es

nea y 100 Activists insist companies Listen up ea u es and must clean Must keep up after coun ess prosecution probing sho s on confirmed pl astics! into plastic ood cu u e posion leak and o he a eas such as spo and he It stinks! env onmen He e s a ook back a s x o he bes ea u es and s x o he bes A news s o es on ou ha yea ann Thive nking of Studyi ng A levels? sa y come to our Op en Morning irdtybus THE ongo ng fight by env ronmenta sts toD ho And don o ge … you m ssed shamonto e nesses to account when burned p ast c washed hem hey a e a on ne a www heo Ma orca shores has been covered extens ve y n the vep ess es wh e a he back cop es O ve Press We were the first paper on the s and to a e ava ab e a www ssuu com revea that compan es and port author t es faced poss b e €40 000 fines the debr s p ng Baover d year formo firten es onto Pa ma s shores

Beach strife “The best soluti on would

L NDON

Remembered

OUR exc us ve s o y o Ma o ca expa Dom n c Shep Sa u ng Hugh he d s ba e o ge h s abduc ed s x yea o d daugh e Ma a back om a No weg an chu ch was emo veSpycatcher and mov ng P cked up by he UK na ona newspape s ed o u he p es su e and Coa evena gem u a y h ee mon hs a e Ma a s www e ease home o he b o h e s n San a Ponsa We de ve

August 17th-

At Barcelona

airport

2017

Eco group for chargescalls over Palma burned plastic

ECOLOGISTS are demanding over the an investigation dumping alleged illegal in the sea of burned plastic Described around Palma. cal crime',as an 'ecologiOrnithologicalthe Balearic (GOB), claims Group there is 'no evidence' sis carriedof proper analyout on the terials used main building work at Ponent Palma’s Moll de

port. www.theolivepress.e

MALLORCA CUL URE

MALLORCA PROPER Y

MALLORCA CLASS F EDS

Give her back! E’S

Holiday mauling

SH HOME

L n

Rent rage

PR pushers

FAKE OFF

MM R

A GANG Aofy umad eged ama Br t sh drug dea ers arrested n Maga uf bragged on soc a me F d dd ad u about the r work w th oca c ubs and a ha rdress ng sa on as revea ed by us The group were p cked up n Operat on Tatum and had been supp y ng drugs to the party crowd

WIN

o Ma o a

EL AV SO

WE were all hopin Now the Balearic g to keep it quiet. let the cat out theTourist Board has ‘Better in Winter’ bag with a new The two new TVad campaign. English are promo commercials in ting the islands as the perfect off season destination.

Cattell

EXPERTS have blaste for failing to compl d Spain air pollution levels. y with EU It comes as Nitrog (NO2) - which can en dioxide cause serious respiratory proble found in excess levels ms - was areas across the countrin urban Madrid and Barce y. lona, in particular, have a state of ‘chron settled into pliance,’ claims ic non-comgreen group Ecologistas en Accion . “They have failed to comply year after year with regulations since enforc gan in 2010,” saidement bea spokesman. He did however drid for its car praise Mabans and its plans to introduce strictions, saying further reing measures for ‘it is adoptpermanent reductions’ of pollut But ‘Barcelona does ion. not have those ambitious goals,’ he said. The European Commission sent a ‘final Spain for ‘constantwarning’ to pliance’ in Febru non-comary, with Brussels stating the pollution ‘poses a serious health The country is now risk.’ likely to be heavily fined. According to the Ministry of Environmen t, Valencia, Granada and San de la Gomera in Sebastián Islands are also the Canary ers, ‘mainly due bad offendto traffic.’

CATCH THE SCAMMERS!

D p a dad figh w n ba ny a d daugh m w g an hu h a y um

Expat - who once started positive environmental serious fire by accident is now leading campaign

gement’. Tirme and APB days to respond. have 15

FTER a heavy night drinking while living in Australia, Cattell tossed a cigarette Ben butt off his balcony and says the former smoker. promptly fell asleep. BeachinBagLady “I personally owe the When the now Mallorca-based of cigarette butts.” Earth nine years on instagram is Brit woke a short time one of his favourite So far, Ben has put were arriving to putlater, firefighters homemade cigarette up almost 30 beach rubbish acout his neighbours’ blazing shed, connected along the south-east dispensers all counts to follow. coastline, many “It's to the smoke-filled home where of which are of bright not a political issue, colours and eryone evwith children were sleeping.the family have catchy phrases. agrees that plastic Although no one found His target is to put up don't belong on the bags beach,” the fire, that was the out he started 'ciggy traps' by the end100 Ben continues. beginning of Ben's journey to be of the year. an environmenHe is also careful tally responsible citizen. to Between the homeonly be light-hearted This passion has now made traps and led to him and even humorlaunching his own cigarette the hours he ous with his posts dispenser system, which is gaining spends each worldwide atand trap slogans. tention. week cleaning something about it,” he In both English adds. Originally from Haslemere the One day while on a camping beaches, and Spanish, he trip in the parks and Ben, 25, and his girlfriendin England, south of paths, the island, he was shocked moved to makes sure he Mallorca 18 months Ben has picked ago, attracted in with the amount of rubbish. doesn't shame particular to its beautiful up at least 15 liHe picked up a large people, bag and filled While walking the dog scenery. but at beauty spot with waste. That is also the momentit tres of cigarettes rather uses wit. Es Carnatge he couldn't butts since he starthe whipped out his phone, Keep an eye out for took a photice the rubbish, plastic help but no- to and created bottles reading; 'I'm the growing instagram ed the campaign. butts littering the paths and cigarette account, The traps have the The_Litter_Bug. an ash tree, not an “Every piece of litter and beaches. Ben returned tray,' hanging from a ash would bug me,” to his local village in hashtag #CiggyTrapChallege Ben tells the Olive Press. tree which encourage others Playa de Palma and started to post them- “I'm nearby. the 'Ciggy selves on British, it's our God-given “And being Trap Challenge' a big believer instagram using the by making homeplain about everything,” right to com- made butt ciga- you preach, and in practising what bins out of plastic bottles rette disposal bins. he continues that's adding though that complaining Bug started, lead by how The Litter Ben has had both locals example,” often that now hang near bus stops and across and gets you nowhere. beach entrances. the globe following his people adds. His goal is to inspire people,Ben account spend just “You either get used ‘to and posting their one or to it, or you do “People put cigarette butts on the ciggy traps to him.bags of rubbish and make the world atwo hours a week to ground every second better place, whatof every day,” A California ever that means to woman with the handle each individual person.’ ECO-WARRIOR: Ben

WHEN rugby international Dean Schofield Please referenc told us he had been newspaper when e the Olive Press conta scammed over a holi- ou r important advecting any of rtisers day rental this summer, our exclusive report N W and ongoing investigation - opened a huge can of worms. In one of the most alarming and sophisticated scams, TRUE devious crooks rip off HEROES unsuspecting families through fake websites, pocketing millions. And it is not stopping anytime soon. Be warned.

W m

BE m TT m ER IN WINTER

Drug bust M m

INTERVIEW by Gillian Keller

d the prosecutio n last night, tellin g the pa-

THIS year is the third worst year Some 105,000 hectar for wildfir es have been razed es this decade. Spain, some 10,00 this year hind 2012 when 0 less than the total in 2009 but across 215,669 hectares well beIt comes after Spain were suffered one of the lost. called Lucifer, in longest heatwaves, history. Temperatures reache d 42C in Cordoba Sol and Mallorca while the Costa del droughts in modehit 43C, exacerbating one of Spain rn 's worst times. A total of 40% of the fires were in 30% along the Medit northwest Spain erranean coast. with

from the “I think that would 1980s. We are stuck with a lot of problems,”help solved an obsolete system she said. “And the costs of transportation problem is getting and the are high. think it is breaking worse. I interna“It would be more tional law. and could be madesustainable “The problem is when into sunit rains glasses or picture frames the system can’t distinguish here.” between sewage and rainwater and it all ends up in the sea.” Swimmers entering dirty water can develop diarrhoea and vomiting, ed. In 2006, Rossellóhe addfiled a So far this year, denuncia with the 15 people European have died from drowning Commission over the in the Balearic Islands. ‘but nothing has been matter, in Spain 305 victimsOverall He also pointed to done’. have been claimed by the age being done to the damMallorca’s saw almost a third sea. July underwater posidonia of the enplants tire year's drownings, by pollution and due to crowded such an increase in seas. the Mediterranean. people in

THE British Balearic has been recognized College bridge International by CamExaminations as an official school. The Cambridge Primary, an education programme in more than 1,000 taught schools worldwide, primary taught in the school. will be

BIG

FROM FRONT

ment’s plan, licences now with rental having to displayed be on all adverts. Meanwhile, another ish agent, Jan Dexter BritParasol Property from Mallorca, said the move would ‘ruin’ some homeowners rent out their who “I just paid property. new webpage€6,000 for a and in the space of lost 40% a week probably of the rental erties I was propoffering,” said. she “They are selves in shooting themthe foot. zy.” It’s craAn Airbnb told the Olive spokesperson Press the law was new confusing’.‘complicated and One well-placed even claimed source hotel panies own many of comlorca’s flat-rental Malalready granted. licences “Decades owners ranago the hotel business,” the flat-rental hotels werehe said. “When full they tourists put in apartments. They would then build shops inside He added: the hotels.” “In Mallorca we always who ate in wanted tourists with us, whoour restaurants shops, not bought in our in the hotel always staying experience and having an anywhere. you can have “We have that now, more democratic it’s and money goes to hotels. Buteveryone,not just it’s at risk.” Debbie Davies, a Partner South West at day Rentals,Mallorca Holiadmitted, don’t know ‘I hasn’t been any agent that affected’ by new regulations. the “I can't begin to imagine impact on the if most of small businesses are removedthe apartments al market,” from the rentshe said.

BRITS have been flocking Mallorca to to escape windy summer a wet and Travel agents in the UK. reported surge in last-minute a with bookings interest, up double last year. on Self-catering experienced firm Novasol a 26% year rise, while flight year-onists Skyscanner specialsaw a 22% crease in inits website.British searches on A Thomas said: “The Cook spokesman ish summernot-so-great Britlast-minute has provoked to get on a dash from Britsa plane. “We are seeing similar bookings for the next few weeks.” Package holiday group said bookings TUI were up 150% as the UK 38mm of was lashed with rain in the days of August, first ten month’s entire 43% of the average.

Mallorca

August 30th

QUEUES feared as at Barcelona’s biggest security staff airport were Guardia Civil went not as the Catalanofficers mannedon a 24-hour strike as bad as this week. government checkpoints at demanding El Prat took the compulsory It comes after arbitration unprecedented airport step of talks. ing a pay-rise baggage handlers also walked offer and The government called out has vowed for an indefinite after rejectservice during strike. to maintain Security staff the strike. 90% of its regular a month and are protesting understaffiing. against salaries as low as €800

SEE PAGE s 19 FOR MORE Broke OVERSEAS It comes August 3rd - August buyers ploughed after the record-breaking Press broke 16th 2017 Olive €888 milliona sive EXCLUSIVE the excluinto Spain’s story Joe Duggan that recycling ACTION NEEDED: the first half property market in plantByTirme, Calls for in Mallorca of 2017 as interest CONCERNED Palma Port bigger effort Authority continues locals have and to tackle The Councilthecould Mallorca he 'persistent presence astonishing to soar. blasted plastic pollution authorities smashed after half-burned face penalfigure raw tiessewage last year’s over the seeped plastics’ of ing [molten slags] onto Pal- the sea €330 million record of ma’s alleged the beaches. in into the and around use of Pere burned plastics. directly with the aric Island sea represents dumped BaleCan serious Antoni beach And GOB THE after in the lifeguards at to be increase in also seeing a 20% It comes is keeping risk to ecosystemsa June, needed sea in than euro will be worth more properly pressure Ca’n up, the Pereinsisting the ed. This year, UK visitors in May. Playa the British Antoni raised investigat- and human health.” in to stop council stepped the end pound by spokesman. that "We Espana has Taylor Wimpey red flags and told swimmers said a terial it… but the of the Continued from front first quarter consider ma- 2018, analysts is still in 15 different seen buyers from to leave the sea due to the of that pour- After the group the from Morgan Stanley bish a suspension requested The spokesperson water. up homes nationalities snap amounts of effluent last week. haspolluting the sea said across Spain. added: note circulated Meanwhile, one mother of sludge "[This] could worse. thisin a clientonly gets German, Scandinavian, told be considered potentially In the It week. the Olive and Russian bank’s comes afterFX latest the an ecologi- view paper, Olive Press buyers haveBritish daughter Press her young cal crime Overthe joined

Sun, sex and hospital beds

Give her back!

ivepress.es

MADNESS:

most active. had suffered itchy OUTRAGED environmentalists been it is argued that Mallorca resience of due to the pres- a combination to eyes and skin after “A decade investigate dents swimming of the are demanding serious leak of on from theaction a stronger spilled at plastics that are euro and and Spain’s in dirty water a weakening 20,000 crisis sea." against tonnes of two local will combine property molten plasThe hard-hitting farmers they near Molinar, at La Gaviota pound is not only tic onto to make claim this week. nearby back on its market are mistreating theshores ment also thriving,” euro to the sheep. state- more valuable Locals hit out feet but Palma port than the pound said Marc Itfrom comes after AIR as last issue. 20 badly such moltensaid the use of for theIn Berlin, Pritchard first sameworks, malTaylor Wimpey nourished tory, and thetime inweek, slags could lorca’s most until recently Malits hisSewage sewage pollution Morrison’s “The appealsheep 'a risk to Espana. were make allegpopular airline, wasitunable edly — in terms ecosystems be of pure team of owning filed for insolvency. found by to save a shark ond property The mother, who asked value — the Guardiaa Civil human health'. has secand major that washed strongest taints Mallorca officers to reFlights from up on Spain, to enjoy at the in currency. main anonymous, farm This month, of Sa be Inholidays it beach with a seven a Mallorca said there The dioteria largest carrierGermany’s secondand family farmer, with centimetre has been away as Ibizabathers as far this euro Tonifriends coast after heavy Feliu, was ‘clearly’ sewage in the or to relocate, hook now despite will continue for although her.on the up year endured. the and Alicante animals havehas as in reported investors not water yet there were no red taken note “The ing a €782m the company postbeen “I haveseen was have catatonic and rains since, neighbours flags in sight to warn ofshark washing burned plastics fortunes no doubt the improving dehydrated,” The Germanloss in 2016. on shore. claim. the country will of explained, as welcome “The water smelt andbathers. More burned government bloc’s she my. another record provided a she the showed year A denuncia looked useconothe hook on her has of international against the peared aroundplastics ap- Countriesdesk. farm- horrible,” the mother told the the company€150m loan to keep ment.” er lists ‘a lack of shade, investlike Spain Palma afloat. week, local France water Olive Press. Ryanair, which Taylor and and the residents last recover have helped Wimpey presence of a dead “But there was the Olive recently overtook Air Berlin the bloc told nobody development to its best Press. animal’ amongEspana’s new to warn children and there But a Tirme Rubbish levels the eurozone Campvarious popular airline, as Palma’s most Beach fringements. has also been de Marindebt crisis. since claims not to go in the water. parents told the Olivespokesperson The forecasts ernment’s Morrison, interest. receiving originally from IT’S ALL “The sheep were intervention the govsuggest the Press: “They will continue don’t use es competition simply re- “My OVER: daughter Leicestershire, breacheuroworked arrived For Air has moved one night since home molten slags to strengthen rules. and will the Aquarium at yesterday The Irish Berlin the building move ‘beyondfor ten years and don’t know anything and we She says with very red eyes. work at in ity’ with the will allow firm believes the loan port. lived they are itchy. She in Mallorcaparthe first Lufthansa pound for the past 40 these poor animals,” about hasn’t during the SICKENING: Raw the troubled airline. to snap up threeyears. “It is impossible had red eyes all summonths of sewage being released resident told the Olive a local mer and hitting the a peak “I think she’s underwater all not into the plastic plasticyear, of £1.02 on Can that the weakening sea pollution is a Meanwhile, in Lloseta,Press. new, but it hasn’t before toni cam- the time. a little as problem beach comesPere An- progresses.particular paigners claim a pened in peak season hap- A spokesperson from work.” year here befrom the cause our the second When she found out red flags so before, YA, EMA- island’s system resources By pufarmer is separating the endmanaged,” are not for water tourists will be unaware. the company were up at Playa of 2018, €1she continued. worth £0.91 Ca’n Pere old sheep from the restill and Antoni, looks after local water,which rification could be ‘breaking will be “We are a population she called the police, “What I don’t understand is beaches of the said international law’. flock and leaving them why wasn’t the news of 1.3 were closed ‘due million but in five to die who advised that everyone at red The without food. flag published at of the a discharge of water from to has environmental engineer La Gaviota must leave summer we receive months of 10 am treatment the blamed the Spanish According to the 13 million ter and they would the wa- when the flag was raised? plant’ after heavy ernment govpeople, which generates close the “No-one knew sociation of theAnimal As- beach. for not a lot or why there was rain during the night. rubbish. funds to upgrade providing (ASSAIB) the sheep Balearics She added: One leading Mallorca a red flag until lunch the treatwere left “Plastic bags dropped “This problem is speaking time or ronmentalist, envi- ment plant. unsheared in the heat in the to lifeguards.” Bartomeu Ros- “The government street will end up in wave, ‘with nowhere to shelter the sea. We selló, told the Olive need to change our habits.” Press the aric Islands haveof the Baleand without food or water’. GROSSED OUT: asked for She has also called Popular funds for a new water The group said their purifiruined by raw sewage, beach is being ernment to recycleon the govplight cation system, but had been dealt with claim locals the island instead of plastic on not interested,” he Madrid is residents who broughtby local shipping it to Barcelona. a little “We have a systemsaid. food.

Magaluf mayhem

Mau ed

www.theol

A BALEARIC ity is searchingchildren’s charThe JoyRon for volunteers. Foundation wants the companies support of local help needy and individuals to youngsters islands. on the In the two founded, years since it was JoyRon has a children’s funded cinema at Espases Hospital, Son trip to Disneylandorganised a ously ill child for a and built seriaquatic a new Mallorca centre children in bral palsy.suffering from cereCompanies making an or individuals tion will annual fee donabecome a ambassador. JoyRon Anyone interested contact info@joyronfou should tion.org nda-

POPULAR:

T S the g ft that keeps on g v ng for Br t sh tab o d ourna sts But when the O ve Press was d spatched to Ma orca s notor ous n ghtspot by re and s Sunday ndependent we tr ed to show a more rounded p cture of fe on the Str p True bad behav our s V T there to be foundBEBut the ma or ty of reve ers are gu ty of noth ng more than hav ng a good t me

bikini in photos she posted of her break on Instagram. Fashion designer Mackintosh was attending the nuptials of friends Alex and Sophie Potter. The former reality TV star founded her own clothes label three years ago.

Summer transfer?

One employee confirmed it was a riot of colour

June 22nd - July 5th 2017

RETURN OF THE MACK

EX-MADE In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh has been sunning herself in Mallorca. The brunette beauty was with boyfriend Hugo Taylor to celebrate a friend’s wedding in Puerto de Pollenca.

T was one of the most glamorous weddings Mallorca has ever seen. Pixie Geldof and rockstar fiancé George Barnett tied the knot at a star-studded ceremony on the outskirts of idyllic Deia on Saturday evening. Arriving in a grey ROIG bus with her bridesmaids - including Daisy Lowe and Alexa Chung - Geldof, 26, looked stunning in a traditional white dress with tiered white gown as she clutched a white bouquet. Proud dad Sir Bob Geldof wore a smart dark suit as he walked daughter Pixie down the aisle at the exclusive Son Marroig mansion venue.

(months) of the CATCH THE SCAM

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

A-LIST CROWD A-LIST CROWD DESCENDS DESCENDS ON ON DEIA DEIA FOR FOR GELDOF GELDOF WEDDING WEDDING

-final of Spanish TV talent show 3065 views

SOCIALMEDIA www.theolivepress.es OlivePressNewspaper

olivepress

NEWS

la cultura

Do you have a what’s on?

October 26th - November 8th 2017

+TheolivepressEs

BE ‘APPY!

Download our app now and TOMB: Of Ramon Llull

begin enjoying the best Spanish

news on the go. HEADLINE

A DAREDEVIL rock climbing phenomenon is growing THE tomb of a famous 13th in popularity on the island. century Mallorca philosopher Psicobloc was invented 40 years ago and pits climbers is being restored. Ramon Llull is credited with against jaw-dropping cliffs writing the first Catalan work overhanging the sea. of literature and penned more Considered the ‘surfing of the rock climbing world’, than 250 works. Mallorca regularly attracts Thebasilica Olive Press His crypt in Palma’s of Saint Francis is now get- the world’s best climbers to over 400 designated zones. ting a €15,000TOP makeover. for news in Spain! Renovation experts led by “Psicobloc, like all types Llucia Bosch have found dec- of climbing, is a potentialorative gargoyles dating from ly dangerous sport,” said the 15th century, with the Miquel Riera, a founding team restoring their red and member. “It’s important not to go on golden features. The alabaster tomb was de- your own. You shouldn’t do signed by Francesc Sagrera it when there are a lot of waves or during winter. in 1487 “You need to be in good form physically to manage the fall into water from big heights.” Fanatics haul themselves up without ropes, wearing just footwear and swimming costumes. Following a 2002 documentary by American film makFAIL: Parking woes

GRILLING: Journalists meet the stars

Sprinkling stardust on Palma OVER 4,000 attendees from 24 countries have arrived for the Mallorca International Film Festival. Now in its sixth year there will be a special screening of Paul Haggis’s Oscar-winning Crash this Sunday at Cine Ciutat. The three-times Academy Award winning writer/director is also set to receive an award and will be attending the event. New films being showcased include American movies The Song of Sway Lake, The Big Sick and Spanish film Reevolution. There will also be a Made in Balearics category, with short films on view including Blind Date in Port Adriano and an animation in honour of Woody Allen Woody & Woody.

rive-in

PORT Adriano celebrates Halloween with a horror filled drive-in movie marathon. Wes Craven’s Scream starts at 7pm followed by Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho at 10pm.

Climbing S up

LOCALS are taking to the internet to call out bad, inconsiderate, and illegal parking across the island. Residents and expats around the island have taken to social media over cars parked on curbs and paths. One website How to Park like an arsehole Mallorca is dedicated to shaming poor parking on the island. Earlier this year British TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson tweeted a photo while in Mallorca of a dangerously poor driver on the motorway.

A COLOMBIA high court has called for the return of 120 pieces of indigenous treasure from Spain. The collection of masks and human figures was gifted to Spain’s Queen Maria Cristina de Habsburgo-Lorena from Colombian president Carlos Holguin in 1893. But the south American country’s high court has now ruled the gift was illegal and violated the constitution as ‘items of cultural importance cannot be given away’. "Holguin gifted the treasure to the queen of Spain, as she had helped him with a boundary dispute we had with Venezuela," explained Jaime Lopera, of the Quindio Academy of History. The Colombian government has yet to respond.

Halloween Special

The mural, named Canada Secret Mountains, was inspired by British Columbia’s wildlife and San Miguel’s personal experience on the West Coast.

Problematic Parkers

Return of the mask

what’s on

Big in Vancouver SPANISH artist Okuda San Miguel has completed a 1,200-square-foot mural on the exterior of the head office of Vancouver developer PortLiving.

Send your information to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

October 26th - November 8th 2017

olivepressnews

Mallorca becomes ‘mecca’ for rockclimbing thrill seekers

er Josh Lowell, Mallorca climbing gained worldwide attention. Elite climbers like Chris Sharma now make their way to the island to tackle a discipline known as one of the purest forms of climbing. “It’s the Mecca that everyone dreams of visiting,” said Sharma. “It’s the number one place – a beautiful island, really accessible and the rock is perfect.”

hark Tank

THE Palma Aquarium are hosting a sleepover for children on Halloween night. The 16 hours event includes a costume contest and endless activities including sleeping sleeping next to the famous shark tank.

atmandu

THE a n n ua l h a un t e d h o us e i s b a ck w i t h mo r e fr i g h t and terror t h a n e ve r b e fo r e . The t h e me pa r k h o s t s a d a y o f co s t ume s a n d a ct i vi t i e s , w i t h mo n s t e r s a n d ma y h e m a r r i vi n g a ft e r d a r k.

Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es Book with the coast’s most trusted transfer company

Voted BEST

expat paper in Spain

Mijas Costa 8 See page xx

Expats can stay!

FREE

info@simply-shuttles.com Tel: 951 279 117 www.simply-shuttles.com

7th 2017 Vol. 11 Issue 277 www.theolivepress.es October 25th - November

NO YELLOW Gifting yellow is a no-go in Spain

THUMBS UP But do you know what it means in Spain?

MAFIA Russians are the new costa crime kings

dd 1 23/02/2017 11:31 679702_DFS_SPANISH_BOX_AD_40x40_MIJAS_COSTA.in

SEE MORE P 22

Fakin’ it SEE MORE P 14

SEE MORE P 7

SPAIN’s foreign minister Alfonso Dastis has said that expats will be allowed to stay in Spain if no deal is reached between Britain and the EU. He said he would ensure that the lives of ordinary Britons in Spain are ‘not disrupted’ in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

EXCLUSIVE By Jed Neill

Rejects Dastis told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “I do hope that there will be a deal. If there is no deal we will make sure that the lives of ordinary people who are in Spain, the UK people, is not disrupted. “Over 17 million Brits come to Spain every year and many of them live here or retire here and we want to keep it that way as much as possible.” According to the Office of National Statistics Spain hosts the largest number of British citizens living inside the EU. Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan has suggested holding a second Brexit referendum if Parliament rejects Theresa May’s deal with the EU. Khan said: “If Parliament decides to accept the deal that our Government makes then we are leaving the European Union. “If Parliament rejects the deal made by our Government then that opens up a whole host of questions.” Brexit negotiations have so far stymied progress to trade talks, despite Angela Merkel setting out a potential December start date.

A PENSIONER is taking legal advice after being fined for using a ‘bogus’ international driving licence bought from a wellknown expat businessman. American Andrea Barnett, 60, is demanding a refund from David ‘the Dogman’ Klein, after he sold her the ‘suspiciouslooking’ document for €300. The Marbella-based motherof-two, from Illinois, is furious after police told her the licence wasn’t legal, and fined her €500. “They were completely certain that it was not real,” she told the Olive Press. “They told me it was dodgy, fake and I needed

Women threatened with jail after buying ‘fake driving licence’ from notorious expat

‘DOGMAN’: Klein to pay the fine or I would go to jail. “They weren’t interested who had sold it to me. They just wanted my money.”

But expat Barnett, who by her own admittance was a little naive, has decided that enough is enough and has now called in two lawyers to investigate the case. “I want the police to change their attitude and to investigate those that sell these licences. I don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” she said. “If I had been told clearly that I could not just use this licence on its own I would never have paid so much.” As well as probe the legality of the licences, she hopes to get a full refund from Klein, who

The court that’s nowTheaOlivehotel Press judges Malaga’s most exclusive place to stay SEE PAGE 32

Opinion Page 6

www.oaklandfurniturespain.com

writes a pet advice column in a local newspaper and has a radio show. “It never occurred to me that anyone here would sell me a fake driving license,” she said. “I contacted Klein after seeing an advert in a local paper and met him at a petrol station, near Benahavis and handed over €300 in cash after showing him my American passport and license. “He looked successful and wealthy. You tend to trust people like that.” Two weeks later Barnett, who has two daughters, received the licence (right), which looks unprofessional and badly printed. It has validated by the ‘O&E Auto Club Association’, an organisation that apparently does NOT exist. The language is strange and at the bottom it states: “We are a private organization not affiliated with the United Nations or any other quasi government organization.” The licence is fake, as police in Alicante confirmed after convicting a driver with a license from the SAME organisation in 2013. The vast majority of these li-

50%

SALE

For all your insurance needs! Estepona

952 887 125

estepona@ibexinsure.com

Fuengirola

952 581 561

SHOWROOM: Calle St Maria, 29670, San Pedro de Alcantara, Marbella Malaga (next to Maxi Dia Supermarket and above GM Cash & Carry) Tel: 951 979 221 | sales@oaklandfurniturespain.com

ANGRY: With ID

cences are made in Taiwan, the Olive Press has discovered. “It is a fantasy document,” stated a police spokesman, adding the man had bought it off the internet for just €100. The Olive Press investigated the same issue three years ago after Spanish motoring writer Brian Deller had his website mysteriously hacked. The site, www.spainvia.com which warned of the dangers of fake licences - was remarkably redirected to Klein’s then website for the Costa del Sol Action Group. all Conveniently, mentions of the licence issue were erased from the website. We reported that Klein had sold numerous permits – via classified adverts with his mobile phone number – for many years. When contacted by a prospective client as part of the investigation, Klein did indeed offer a ‘10-year licence’ for €300, but admitted it was ‘risky’. “I can get you an international licence that will last for 10 years, but it is a risk (to use it in Spain),” he told our journalist. Continues on Page 4

BLINDS & CURTAINS

tel: 688 267 101 www.artedellusso.es

oN all varifocal lENSES See our ad inside for details.

fuengirola@ibexinsure.com • Pet • Home • Car • Health • Business • Travel • Marine • Holiday home

www.ibexinsure.com OLIVE PRESS – 70mm x 40mm FRONT COVER 25 October

In Spain www.gibraltarolivepress.com

The Rock’s original community newspaper

FREE

Vol. 3 Issue 55 www.gibraltarolivepress.com October 11th - October 24th 2017

COOLING: Catalunya

BACK FROM BRINK

Continues on Page 4

October 11th - October 24th 2017

It’s all part of the job for Culture Minister Steven Linares, as he officially waves off Miss Gibraltar en route to the Miss World finals.

WIG S VS FIGS

www.hungrymonkey.gi

SPAIN and the EU breathed a sigh of relief as Catalunya’s leader failed to declare independence in a critical parliament speech last night. Instead, Carles Puigdemont reiterated the region’s right to break from Spain following this month’s referendum, when 90% of 2.4 million Catalans voted to leave. Switching between Catalan and Spanish, Puigdemont offered an olive branch, proposing dialogue with Madrid after ten days of mounting tension. “We propose to suspend the independence declaration in order to work towards putting into practice the result of the referendum. “We are making a gesture of responsibility in favour of dialogue.” He added: “The ballots say Yes to independence this is the will that I want to go forward with. “I want to follow people’s will for Catalunya to become an independent state.” He also called for international mediation to address the crisis, after an alarming 900-plus people were injured

letters

www.theolivepress.es

Lawyer Azopardi and accountant Clinton go head to head in GSD leadership race while Bossino butts out

Keith Azopardi

AGE 50 JOB QC Lawyer

Deputy Chief Minister

FOCUS

Re-build the opposition

PLEDGES

Lower public debt and modernise public services

AN accountant and a lawyer are locking horns over who should be the leader of the opposition. Barrister Keith Azopardi has thrown his hat in the ring in an attempt to nudge Roy Clinton out of his current post as interim leader of the Gibraltar Social Democrats. The two men have between now and November 30 to convince GSD members who is the right person to take on Fabian Picardo at the next election. Azopardi, a former deputy Chief Minister under Sir Peter Caruana, cited the ‘perennial issue of Spain’, as well as Brexit and public debt as key issues he would tackle. He told the Olive Press this week: “I’ve returned to politics to play my part in rebuilding the GSD because it is important to have a strong alternative for Government. “There are big issues and challenges that need to be dealt with – Brexit, public debt, the modernization of public services, healthcare, environmental questions and major planning issues as

Opinion Page 6

MAYFAIR ONMAIN

Gibraltar’s luxury hair salon experience where quality & service matter

EXCLUSIVE By Joe Wallen

well as the perennial issue of Spain,” explained the lawyer, who was an MP between 1996 and 2003. “I believe I can re-energise and re-build the party in the run up to the next election.” His challenge to Clinton came as Damon Bossino surprisingly announced he would not be standing for the position. Roy Clinton meanwhile told the Olive Press: “Holding the

BOWING OUT: Bossino

Government to account is vital for me and why I got into politics. “I hope to reconnect with the members through party conferences. There may have been a bit of a disconnect in the past but the party belongs to the members. “There are obviously key issues in the party and also Gibraltar’s economy, levels of public debt and Brexit, employment, education and training. “Housing provision and health are also very important,” he said. “Social media is key for me, I want to increase engagement and lead alongside people rather than from the front.” Bossino, who had been tipped to stand and was popular, released a statement saying that he had turned down the chance due to ‘personal and political reasons’. He said: “It would not be appropriate for me to enter this race.” He is expected to continue in his role as Shadow Minister for Transport and Tourism.

Roy Clinton

AGE 50 JOB

GSD interim leader

PREVIOUS Director of accounting firm

FOCUS

Hold government to account

PLEDGES

Reconnect with party members and focus on housing and health

Meanwhile... A new political party Together Gibraltar is launched on the Rock by independent MP Marlene Hassan Nahon, see page 7

286 Main Street Gibraltar, GX11 1AA (+350) 200 75913 info@mayfaironmain.gi www.mayfaironmain.gi

In Gibraltar

Catalan countdown

As the Catalan independence crisis deepens, our readers respond Brexit lessons THE people of Catalunya need to be very careful, this has Brexit written all over it (Spanish court bans Catalan parliament, online). I don’t condone the violence but I don’t see how independence can be declared when less than 50% of the electorate actually voted and the referendum was illegal. What about the people who don’t support independence? The EU have clearly stated that Catalunya cannot have seamless EU membership, they would have to reapply. That means years of chaos, being out in the cold like the UK with all the same divisions and facing a very uncertain future. Businesses will relocate to other parts of Spain and eventually Catalunya will be poorer and no longer the supposed powerhouse of Spain and the Catalan people will start turning on each other. Sound familiar? Self-serving scoundrels like Farage and Wilders support Catalan independence but the Catalans might find their leader does a runner when the going gets tough, just like Farage. Just because Puigdemont is a different political colour to the far right in Europe doesn’t mean he is any better. Perhaps a solution would be greater autonomy for the region. Be very careful what you wish for. Jane Garrett, Axarquia

Cop out MOSSOS police head Josep Lluís Trapero did the most prudent thing to avoid more escalation: he was peaceful and refused to participate in repression. Chas, Andalucia

Rajoy in the wrong RAJOY has grossly mismanaged this situation from the start. He allowed the authorities to respond totally inappropriately to a situation that he could have got under control a long time ago. Complete incompetence from the entire Spanish state.

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Letter

of the

week

Monarch’s abdication

So sorry for everyone being caught up in this airline collapse. I am due to fly out next week, but I have a holiday home and am retired so everyone else should come first. Sorry for the airline staff too. Here in Mallorca with the issues this year of immigration queues, anti-tourist demos that received UK publicity and complaints by the Balearic government of too many tourists, the poor sterling exchange rate, the inevitable rise in air fares and overall political uncertainty I wonder if tourist numbers will take a hit next year. Big sympathies, also, for local restaurants and bars who see the all inclusive hotels showing their influence and the private rentals being hit with huge fines if not legally registered so fewer tourists again. Not a rosy outlook for 2018? I still love Spain and the Spanish people though. Great lifestyle and the sun helps! Good luck. J. Higginson, Mallorca

James Vinales, Catalunya

No heroes OLIVE Press, please don’t promote these teachers as heroes they were breaking the law (Teachers play unheralded role in Catalan referendum, online). A criminal act as the referendum was illegal. Anonymous, Catalunya

It's also worth noting that even the OECD's most doom-laden predictions now still predict the economy will grow in the event of no deal. What happened to the immediate recession Project Fear promised? Philip Hart, Mallorca

Know your rights

OVER 30 YEARS IN MALLORCA PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICE Quality Awnings, Sun Blinds, Windows, Doors and more…

Brexit blues More anti-British drivel (Brexit reversal would have positive and negative impact on UK economy, says OECD, online). This is the organisation that said the UK would receive “great benefits” from joining the ERM. They recommended we join the Euro. They said there would be an immediate “major negative shock” in the event of a Leave vote. Remember the OECD was forced to backtrack on its warnings of instant doom last year and revise its forecasts ‘as a result of a stronger-than expected performance’. Buried at the bottom of today’s OECD report is a line conceding the outcome “could prove more favourable than assumed here”. You don’t say!

WITH regards to post-Brexit Britain, nobody knows what’s going to happen (May clueless, Issue 13). We haven’t decided on a second Scottish referendum, no idea how badly the pound will be hit and no trade deals to speak of thus far. In my opinion we’re in trouble and that’s putting it politely. Don’t forget Theresa May campaigned to remain. David A. Shearer, Scotland

Mozzie hell WELL-WRITTEN! I feel your pain (Flying the nest, Issue 13) . Munching a few cloves of raw garlic does seem to help as does rubbing it all over your body. I'm past caring about the smell.....Sudocrem heals them quick. Angela Hempstead, Mallorca

Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@theolivepress.es or alternatively message us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR

Tel: (+34) 971 69 30 04 Fax: (+34) 971 69 15 05 info@tiptoptoldos.com Pasaje 19 de Marzo, 10 y 11, Poligono Son Bugadellas, Calvia, Mallorca

www.tiptopmallorca.com

Please reference the Olive Press newspaper when contacting any of our important advertisers

Hall ween special www.theolivepress.es

Vol. 1 Issue 14

October 26th - November 8th 2017

www.theolivepress.es

October 26h - November 8th 2017

enter, if you dare

Fright night

hether it’s mysterious faces appearing on the floor, or a secretive ogre living in the woods, there is no shortage of spine-tingling Spanish tales to make you want to sleep with the light on this Halloween. Many of the hairiest horror stories originate in Andalucia, such as the

Spooky Spain has its fair share of ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night haunted house of Cortijo Jurado (above), also known as La Casa Encantada, in Campanillas.

Grave concerns SPOOKY torch-lit nighttime tours are being held in Palma cemetery. A guide dressed in all-black robes - the actress Laura Dalmau - will take guests around the graveyard by candle light. The guided walks, to be held in Spanish, will take place on October 27 and 28 at 10.30pm. Sculptures by famous artists like Miquel Arcas and Tomás Villa will be on the itinerary. A spot where Republican prisoners were executed during the Civil War will also be visited.

The dilapidated dwelling was once a grand mansion built in the 19th century by the Heredia family, one of the wealthiest in Andalucia. It is said that many young girls who went missing from the surrounding area at the time were kidnapped, tortured and murdered by the Heredias. Legend has it that secret chambers existed below the house where the girls were kept before their death and unexplained voices and other sounds have been reported coming from the building in the years since. As the witching hour approaches, we lift the coffin lid on some of Spain’s spookiest spots. Continues on Page 12

MALLORCA has a witch’s brew of spooky shocks for Halloween revellers this year. As well as the Palma cemetery candlelit tours (see inset left), you can spend the night cowering behind your popcorn at Ocimax Palma Aficine’s horror film line-up, featuring Stephen King’s It. If monsters of the deep are more likely to give you nightmares, you can take a special guided shark tour at Palma Aquarium. And in Pollenca on October 31, the Cloister of Sant Domingo will be holding a fright night special. Over at Katmandu Park, a House of Terror is open to adults and youngsters alike. If that’s not to your liking, get down to Palma’s Transylvania cafe, themed as a museum of terror. The venue will stay open until the wee small witching hours (well, 1am at least) to showcase its collection of terrifying waxworks.

12 12

Hall ween special www.theolivepress.es

October 26th - November 8th 2017

histories

The Belmez Faces A property in the Jaen village of Belmez de la Moraleda has become famous for the ‘Belmez faces’, ghostly images which first appeared in 1971 when Maria Gomez Camara spotted one on her kitchen floor. Her son and husband took a pickaxe to the floor, destroying it and laying down a new one, but the male and female

faces continued to appear and, terrifyingly, continued to grow in both size and intensity. Many have argued over the years that it is a hoax and the faces have been painted on. But real or not, the house has certainly attracted many believers and curious onlookers over the years.

Sc fig ne ve pa fo th I m th ov Ov ha du ta ce an gu ry An w be Kn se Kn po th th lo in be Ca

Dead nun walking In Sevilla Sister Ursula, a nun of the Order of Charity is said to stalk the halls of the Andalucian parliament, which was formerly the Hospital of the Five Wounds.

Urban legends Chimney house chimera A lady dressed in white and carrying a torch can be seen on certain nights walking through the House of the Seven Chimneys in Madrid. The lady was a young bride, who is said to have died of sorrow when her husband was killed at the Battle of San Quentin. She was a mistress to the king, and legend has it her husband was sent into battle to die so the king could have her to himself.

Andalucia lays claim to some of Spain’s best known mythology, including the great lover Don Juan who is said to have been dragged to hell by the dead father of a girl he had seduced. Elsewhere, mythological creatures such as the Basa-Juan have been responsible for keeping many a Spaniard awake at night. Known as the ‘lord of the woods’, the mysterious figure is said to be a hairy ogre living high in the Pyrenees. His home is in the woods and the caves, where he is said to protect flocks of sheep and goats from predators and thunderstorms. But despite being credited with teaching humans the art of agriculture and iron forging, he has a more sinister side to his nature, trapping humans if they stray into his domain.

Ce sp

Some cemet have guardi buried throug There ports touche and h voices

www.theolivepress.es

Haunted castle

creams, cries and shadowy gures have all been witessed at Mallorca’s Beller Castle, a building with a ast that has been standing or some 700 years. It was he brainchild of King Jaume who dreamt of building a monument to commemorate he dominance of Christianity ver the Muslim faith. ver the centuries the castle as been used as a refuge uring the plague, a miliary fortress during the 16th entury Germania rebellion nd later a prison, it’s walls uarding many an untold stoy of torture, pain and death. nd, of course, no tale of woe and wonderment would e complete without the nights Templar and their ecret conspiracies. The nights were rewarded with ositions of great power by he King after taking part in he Christian invasion of Malorca. They supposedly met n secret tunnels which ran elow the castle as far as the athedral.

visitors to the English tery in Malaga claim to seen the cemetery’s ian – the last person d there – wandering gh the gravestones. have also been reof people being ed by unseen hands hearing footsteps and s.

October 26th - November 8th 2017

emetery pook

Digital Surveillance Systems

Be There, Even When You’re Not Quality Custom Installations Full HD Video Surveillance View your live & recorded videos from anywhere in the world Available on your smartphone, tablet or computer Peace of mind for residential and commercial properties Upgrade your analogue camera system to full HD Saving you money by using existing wiring

CON U S TACT NOW for

Gib’s Creepy convent A spectral nun known as the Lady in Grey is said to roam the corridor outside one of the guest rooms in The Convent, a former Franciscan friary that is today the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar. Legend says she was the daughter of an affluent Spanish family who had married against her father’s wishes. When he learned of it, he placed her in the Convent of Santa Clara on Main Street where, under the eyes of the Mother Superior, the girl was forced to take her vows and become a nun. Her lover soon joined the Franciscan Order and settled at the Convent. The couple are said to have met in the confessional of the King’s Chapel where they hatched plans for their escape. But on the night they made their way to the harbour where a boat was waiting for them, the alarm was raised and in the ensuing chase the lover fell into the water and drowned. The bride was arrested for breaking her vows and, as punishment, was walled up in the Convent alive.

walk a free th & qu rough ote

tel: 609 758 619 info@mallorcacctv.com www.mallorcacctv.com

14 14

Hall ween special www.theolivepress.es

RIDAY the 13th is a day of misfortune for many a superstitious expat. But you won’t find locals drawing their blinds and running from black cats on that fated day. For Spaniards, it’s actually Tuesday the 13th that’s considered unlucky. For them, Tuesday is said to be dominated by Ares, the Greek god of war, who gives his name to Martes - Tuesday in Spanish. As the old Spanish proverb warns: ‘En martes, ni te cases, ni te embarques, ni de tu casa te apartes’ - or in English - “On Tuesday, don’t get married, embark on a journey, or move away.” Below are ten Spanish superstitions you should be aware of...

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Superstitious As Halloween draws near, Laurence Dollimore digs up some of Spain’s strangest superstitions

Broom hexed

No knives as gifts!

minds

Be careful when your next sweeping your patio. In Spain, if you accidentally brush a single woman’s feet, she will never get married. The superstition is believed to be related to witches.

No sour grapes

No hats on beds

Tradition states that buying knives or scissors as a gift is a serious no-no. They are believed to symbolise the cutting of ties and relationships, so if you gift newlyweds with knives, they will break up.

Putting a hat on a bed will bring you bad luck, so say the Spanish. This superstition is believed to have come from a time when people believed evil spirits lived in people’s hair, meaning they could be transferred from the hair to the hat and then to the bed, leaving you open to ghost attacks in the night.

Shit show While many in the western world tell their actor friends to ‘break a leg’, in Spain it’s a bit different. Instead you must wish that person ‘mucha mierda’, or ‘lots of shit’. Like many theatre superstitions, the origin is hard to place.

Every expat should know this one. Spaniards traditionally eat 12 grapes on the 12 strokes of midnight on New Year’s Eve for luck and prosperity for the year ahead. They also wear red underwear on the last night of the year for extra luck.

Green guard You may have noticed lots of cacti placed on your Spanish friend’s window sills or dotted around the home. It is widely believed that the spikey green plant can ward away all things evil.

Right foot forward Tradition warns to never enter a room with your left foot, unless you want to unleash a series of unfortunate events, of course. If you do enter with your left foot, you can reverse the curse by making the sign of the cross three times.

Not so mellow yellow Money problems There must always be an extra chair at the table to put your handbag or purse on. The Spanish say leaving it on the floor will cause you to lose all your money.

Lucky number seven While most countries believe cats can cheat death nine times, poor Iberian felines have to tread more

carefully as they have two fewer lives than their British counterparts, with just seven.

A sure fire way to get back at someone is to buy them yellow clothes. Yellow is said to represent sulphur and the Devil. It is also said to bring bad luck in certain situations, so don’t wear yellow on the day of an exam, a job interview or when you are starring in a play.

-final of Spanish TV talent show 3065 views

SOCIALMEDIA

www.theolivepress.es

OlivePressNewspaper olivepress

Property

October 26th - November 8th 2017

1515

October 26th - November 8th 2017

olivepressnews

+TheolivepressEs On the upBE ‘APPY!

Minimalist magic

PROPERTY investment in Spain this year has already surpassed overall 2016 figures. So far, some €10.3 billion has been invested in the sector, with three billion spent in the Downloadaccording our app nowto and third quarter, property begin consultants enjoying theCushbest Spanish man & Wakefield. on the go. is prePredictednews investment dicted to top €12 billion by the end of 2017. The retail sector has been particularly strong, making up 30% of all buys. Hotels made up €2 billion of the overall figure so far, with Palma de Mallorca, Costa Brava, Costa del Olive Sol, the CaThe Press nary Islands and Madrid registering the biggest investAROUND 70 new renovation ment. TOP for news in Spain! projects will be financed by the 2017 sustainable tourism tax. Some €64 million raised by the charges will be spent on eco-friendly projects around the Balearic Islands. The recovery and restoration of buildings of historical and cultural significance will account for 40% of the schemes to be financed. “We achieved the objectives we set with the creation of the Sustainable Tourism Tax: above all, to offset the ecologTHRIVING: Record year ical footprint of tourism and for property

A NEW dream home lauded for its ‘pompous minimalism’ is up for sale near Valldemossa. The stunning €3.7 million villa offers astonishing Mediterranean sea views. On the market with Engels & Völkers, the four-bedroom pad boasts a large covered terrace and garden, a lift and a guest apartment.

The bathroom interior is by Villeroy & Boch and Duravit with an independent independent solar system for hot water treatment. A 10 X 5 x 3.5 metres pool is perfect for taking in views of beautiful Valldemossa, situated just five minutes away.

Eco-tax boost Palma’s Torres del Temple among 70 projects in €64 million investment

improve the environment,” said Balearic government’s vice-president Biel Barcelo. One of the largest funding projects will go to the Es Canons finca in Arta, which will receive a €4.8 million cash boost. The government will also buy Formentera’s Sa Sinieta finca for one million euros and help renovate Menorca’s s'Albufera de Es Grau natural park. Palma’s Torres del Temple will be restored at a cost of €800,000 as well as the paths in Bellver Forest.

Cyber scammed FIVE tourist rental cyber scams are reported to Mallorca police every day. National Police leader Jorge Miguel Rodriguez revealed there had been ‘a considerable increase’ in similar fraud over the summer on the island, first reported by the Olive Press. Cyber criminals set up fake tourist rental website pages which redirect users to pay bank transfers to Western Union or other companies. Airbnb and Wimdu were the sites most heavily duplicated by the fraudsters, with Aptur spokesperson Maria Gilbert vowing to work with companies to tackle the problem.

Last will TWO luxury Palma city-centre flats have been donated in a philanthropist’s will. Worth an estimated €710,000 each, they were bequeathed to Pollensa Town Hall by resident Joan Zaforteza Serra de Gayeta. The flats must be sold and profits given to old people’s home Llar dels Ancians and the Sant Domingo convent.

PROPERTY WANTED: Home & Lifestyle Professional Property Rentals have many customers seeking long term and property purchase Contact us now to book a free appraisal with no obligation whatsoever

PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

COSTA DEN BLANES Fabulous villa with panoramic sea views Large Plot: 3,340m2 5 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms Sale: 3,000,000€

CALA VINYES Stunning front line apartment Fabulous sea views 4 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms Sale: 1,449,000€

PALMA OLD TOWN Private Townhouse a stroll from the waterfront 4 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms Guide Price: 1,200,000€

POLLENSA

PUERTO PORTALS

SANTA PONSA

New to the market Fabulous Private Estate with Pool Plot: 5.5 acres 6 Bedrooms 6 Bathrooms Sale: 2,850,000€

New to the market Front line apartment with very large terrace 3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms

Fabulous front line villa with direct sea access 5 Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms

Gremi Sabaters 21, 2nd Floor 24, Pol. Son Castelló 07009 Palma de Mallorca

Sale: 2,250,000€

www.themallorcadeal.com

Sale: 4,300,000€

We speak Spanish, English, German & Dutch +34 871 551 307 +34 693 516 446

16 16

property

www.theolivepress.es

Building blocks APPLICATIONS for licences for new builds in Spain soared by 24.4% in the first seven months of this year. According to figures from the Development Ministry, some 49,238 applications were made. The majority – 37,039 – were for apartment blocks, up by 26% compared to 2016, making up 75.2% of the total applications. Building applications for detached homes stood at 12,174, an increase of 19.5%. On its current trajectory, 84,500 applications could be filed by the end of 2017. This would be the highest for seven years, since 2010 when 91,600 were made. Meanwhile, applications for refurbishments and extensions increased by 5.8% between January and July to a total of 17,855. Licences for extensions saw the biggest increase – up by 18.8% to 1,373.

Broke point BORIS Becker faces losing his villa in Mallorca over a reported €60 million debt. The three-times Wimbledon champion’s holiday pad was previously confiscated over an alleged outstanding bill to a gardener. Becker, 49, has denied he will be forced to sell off his tennis medals and trophies to pay back creditors. In June, the six-times Grand Slam winner was declared bankrupt over an unpaid debt of €3.4 million. But German magazine Bunte now claims an insolvency administrator has found a further mountain of debt accumulated by Becker. Becker’s lawyers have denied his debt is as high as Bunte claim.

October 26th - November 8th 2017 October 26th - November 8th 2017

Six of the best

Expats name country as one of world’s best places to live

AN Ibiza-based property firm has been named as one of Spain’s 500 fastest growing small-to-medium (SME) companies. Roca Borràs Inmobiliaria was one of six Balearic businesses listed on the CEPYME500 index. The platform measures SME growth, international projection and potential for innovation. Roca Borrás Inmobiliaria, founded in 1993, is a real-estate developer which recently moved into hotel renovation.

A RECENT survey by the Expat Insider ranks Spain tenth in the top destinations for expats in 2017. It rose six places from last year because of the excellent quality of life, friendly population, low costs, and a slowly improving economy. One British respondent puts it very simply: “We love Spain. The climate and the lifestyle suit us perfectly.”

Worst

However, Spain did have the worst rank regarding work with two-thirds reporting it unsatisfactory. The survey asked 12,500 expats from 166 nationalities to rank their favourite countries according to family, friends and work. Bahrain, Costa Rica and Mexico are the best countries to live in, respectively. Bahrain reached number one as expats reported that settling into life in the Middle Eastern island nation is easy because residents can get by without learning the local lan-

OLD AND NEW: Beautiful buildings are an attraction for prospective expats

Spain hits top ten guage. The UK slipped 21 places from last year to 54.

Keys Isl nd to the

This is due to increased personal finance, cost of living and difficulty set-

Untouched

tling in. Yet career prospects were regarded very favourably.

August sales sizzle SPANISH notaries have announced a 17% jump in August property sales. The year-on-year increase saw 27,301 transactions during the month, with prices rising by 0.3%. Flat sales shot up by 15.9% with non-new build apartments recording an 18.3% rise. Average price of property per square metre was €1,140. Average prices for non-new build flats increased to €1,289 and for new flats the figure was €1,722.

By Amanda Butler

The ancient town Arta has been left largely unaffected by tourism and could be perfect for a tranquil home

SITUATED in a valley in the Llevant region close to the north-east coast, Artá is an ancient town sitting against a dramatic backdrop of rolling Serres de Llevant mountains and beautiful countryside. Its origins are lost in time with traces of prehistoric, Roman and Moorish remains. Still relatively untouched by mass tourism its Fortress and Sanctuary of San Salvador sits high on a hill overlooking the town, built during the Muslim reign, and well worth the beaches the Coves dÁrta are worth a visit, located 5km southclimb up for the view alone. east of Arta and the ancient site of Ses Paisses is just 1km away, one of Mallorca prehistoric talayotic villages dating back Things to do as far as 1000 BC. The centre of Artá is a mix of tree-lined av- Artás biggest festival of Sant Antoni dating back to 1581 takes enues and small alleyways winding up to place on January 16th and 17th, and features dancers with the Sanctuary - pleasant to wander around cardboard horses strapped to their hips, however they celoffering a mix of artisan shops selling ce- ebrate their main festival of their patron Saint Sant Salvador ramics and textiles, braided palm leaf bags, during the first week of August. The town also celebrates an and numerous boutiques and cafes. Res- autumnal fair is held on the second Sunday of September. The taurants cater to most tastes, albeit mostly market is held on Tuesday mornings. for a Mediterranean diet. Their support for a sustainable touristic Living in Artá model makes Artà the home for a Natural Park and a Marine Reserve. With 25 kilo- For truly authentic country living Artá is a perfect location – an metres of coastline preserved in its natural idyllic mix of quiet countryside, a beautiful historic town and state – this area offers some of the most stunning beaches close by. Approximately 60 minutes from stunning un-touched beaches on the island Palma by car, this area offers much better value for money than the southwest, with prices starting from around €100,000 for including Calas Torta Mitjana and Estreta. Popular with hikers and cyclists there’s a 2 bedroom apartment, country homes requiring renovation lots of beautiful paths and quiet country from €300,000 up to the most expensive detached finca at €5 roads to explore. In addition to the beautiful million.

Property of the week Restored historic finca with beautiful views towards the Sanctuary, walking distance to town. 4 Beds ● 4 Baths ● 750 m² Living ● 137000 m² Plot ● €3.650.000 ● Ref: 06062 Exclusive property located just outside Artà, with an estate of nearly 140.000m2. This fine Mallorcan country home has been tastefully restored and sits in complete tranquility and privacy less than 20 minutes walk from the town. Featuring an original olive press, beamed ceilings, large living room, dining room and library, with quaint country kitchen – this is a truly beautiful country home. The house is surrounded by several open terraces with fantastic views to the surrounding green hills and has a lovely covered dining terrace. There are beautiful mature gardens with fountains and pergolas, and a large swimming pool overlooking the valley towards the sea. Moreover there is a renovated stable and several outbuildings that could be converted into guest or staff accommodation.

Contact Amanda J Butler to buy or sell your home: Tel: +34690075169, www.mjcassociates.net. Your professional one stop property shop around the Island!

-final of Spanish TV talent show 3065 views

SOCIALMEDIA www.theolivepress.es OlivePressNewspaper

olivepress

Business

October 26th - November 8th 2017

olivepressnews

Seabin hits UK

Back of the debt

+TheolivepressEs

BE ‘APPY!

FOOTBALL clubs in Spain have more than halved their debts since 2011. The total debt of clubs in the country is now at €256 million, down from €752 million. First and Second Division clubs owe €188 million to the hacienda, down from a huge €674 million six years ago. The remaining clubs owe a total of €68 million, a fall of €10 million.

Download our app now and begin enjoying the best Spanish news on the go.

Top earners

Mallorca’s revolutionary ‘Seabin’ arrives in UK

THE Mallorca-based Seabin crew have their first THREE Mallorca regions are launched among the wealthiest spots in floating waste-gathering unit in the UK. Spain. The Seabin, which can The New government dataOlive shows Press Valldemossa, Esporles and suck up to 1.5kg of plasBunyola were TOP in the top-100 ticSpain! a day out of portside for news in highest earning parts of Spain waters, has been inin 2015. stalled in Portsmouth Valldemossa rose from num- harbour. ber 45 to number 29 on the Altogether, the Seabins list with Esporles climbing to are capable of collect47 from 87. ing 83,000 plastic bags Bunyola was listed as the 87th wealthiest place, up from a year. “We’re collecting micro 89th. Average wages in Valldemos- plastics down to the size sa were €38,630 per year with of a match head,” said the average Esporles inhabit- co-founder Pete Ceglinski. ant earning €34,650. In Bunyola, average pay was “They’re relatively small €31,065 with median salaries but they’re making quite across the Balearics €25,745 an impact and if we put, a year. say, 100 or 1,000 Seabins Across Spain, the average pay it’s really adding up” was €25,582 a year. Pre-sales of Seabins will

start on November 6 for around £3,000. Led by inventors Ceglinski and Andrew Turton, the firm has already installed Seabins in Port Adriano in Calvia, Finland and the US. This month, two new bins were installed in Alicante ahead of the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race. The race crews will take the Seabins around the world while visiting 12 different countries. When Ceglinski was interviewed by the Olive Press in May, he revealed Seabins were receiving worldwide interest. While making the product, he and his co-workers slept at their Palma factory to save money. PROUD: Pete with his Seabin creation

Sandy shores

Spectacular tax savings for expats using Spanish Compliant Investments

ACIENDA, or the Spanish taxman to you and me, has granted significant tax advantages for savings and investment plans held by Spanish tax residents, under certain conditions. The advantages are considerable and further compounded as Hacienda treat non-compliant investments negatively with extra reporting and punitive taxation every year. Are your existing investments safe from punitive tax?

What needs to be declared on modelo 720 Spanish tax residents (are you certain you are not considered tax resident in Spain? see below) must declare overseas assets worth more than €50000 including: ●● Property (home in the UK perhaps). ●● ISA’s, PEP's, Investment Bonds both Onshore and Offshore etc. ●● Bank accounts both onshore and offshore. ●● National Savings and Premium Bonds. ●● Protection policies. Are you a Spanish tax resident? Seems complicated, but establishing tax residency in Spain is very simple. You are a Spanish Tax Resident if: ●● You live in Spain for more than half a year in total in Spain or;

17 17

Tax save ●●

THOMAS Cook is launching a new Mallorca-based airline from 2018. Thomas Cook Balearics will provide support flights to other airlines based on seasonal demand. The new airline will begin flying with three Airbus A320s previously used for Thomas Cook Airlines in Belgium. Meanwhile, Air Berlin has sacked all 43 of its Palma de Mallorca staff after going insolvent. The budget carrier, which collapsed in August, was involved in talks with unions last week over staff severance pay.

Finance writer, Sandy Paterson, of Blacktower, who is here to help make the most for your finances

You have your ‘centre of vital interests’ in Spain (home, kids school, dog, work etc.)

These rules have been tightened up to include those who deliberately spend less than 183 days a year in Spain to avoid being tax-resident. We know of cases where car hire, flight details & credit card bills have all been used to prove time spent in Spain.

What can be done to avoid this? Using Spanish Compliant Bonds offer a direct tax advantage. Specifically designed plans for expats in Spain offer income tax and succession tax advantages. Hacienda recognises them as tax-efficient. Probably the best way to illustrate this is by a direct comparison between non-compliant investments and Spanish compliant investments.

Cook booked

Non-compliant tax Mr Expat invested €100000 in a noncompliant offshore investment bond in April 2016 and a year later the bond had grown by 10% to €110000. Good news so far, until the taxation is considered as follows:

●●

No withdrawals have been taken at all. ●● The Gain is €10000 taxable as savings income (renta del ahorro). ●● The first €6000 is taxed at 19%, the remaining €4000 at 21%. The calculation needs to be made by Mr Expat (or he could pay a Gestor or Accountant to do it) and the tax paid on the annual tax return. ●● The total savings tax bill would be €1140 + €840 = €1980 (19.8% tax). Had Mr Expat invested in a Spanish Tax Compliant Bond instead, no savings tax would be payable as no withdrawal was taken and he would not even need to declare the plan to the Hacienda.

Spanish compliant bond taxation

Firstly, if no withdrawal is made there is no tax to pay, a huge saving in tax. Now assume the €10000 gain is withdrawn. The important consideration here is that partial withdrawals are apportioned partly between "redemption of capital" (from the original investment) and partly from the gain. Most clients I meet wrongly assume the tax would be the same as their current non-compliant investment of €1980 (19.8% of the gain). But this is not the case at all. The tax due would be reduced significantly as calculated in the three stages below: First calculation ●● €110000 minus €100000 = gain €10000, straightforward so far. Second calculation ●● New value €110000 / gain €10000 = 9.09% Therefore €10000 x 9.09% = €909. Slightly confusing but bear with me. Third calculation

●●

The €909 is the taxable gain as the Hacienda sees it, therefore €909 taxed at 19% = €172.71 (1.72% of the gain).

Mr Expat would be taxed €1,980 in a non-compliant investment even if no withdrawals had been made, whereas in a Spanish tax compliant bond he would only have a tax bill of €172.71 even when taking the full €10,000 and zero if no withdrawal was made. A tax saving of €1807.29 in the first year. This is a spectacular difference in a country's treatment of investments where tax is concerned. If these dramatic tax savings have not made your ears prick up, then consider these additional advantages of Spanish compliant investments: ●● No need to declare on Modelo 720. ●● They are “tax-compliant” as seen by the Hacienda. ●● Tax is calculated by the bond provider and paid direct to the Hacienda on your behalf with no need for you to do any calculations or to pay someone else to do it. ●● No need for probate on death. ●● Multiple currencies available €, £, $ etc. ●● They are Inheritance Tax efficient. ●● Large range of available investments whether you like investment risk or not, including some capital protected funds for low risk investors. Your current investments may be causing you problems with non-declaration or draconian tax bills. The time to review your investments in line with your Spanish Tax Residency is now. Got a question? Then Ask the Expert and drop Sandy a line.

Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission. Licence 00805B and is registered by both the DGS and CNMV in Spain. Blacktower Financial Management Limited is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.

18 18

Catalan crisis hits growth THE growth forecast for Spain has been lowered as the Catalan crisis deepens. The government’s economic ministry cut the 2018 expected growth from 2.6% to 2.3%, citing ongoing political tensions in the north east region. Catalunya accounts for one fifth of Spain’s GDP, and although Spain’s economy is set to grow by 3% this year economists are concerned about the Catalan crisis.

Escalating

business

www.theolivepress.es

“If this escalates it starts to become a much broader market event than just Spanish banks,” said Simon French, chief economist at Panmure Gordon & Co. “You start to question the European Union being drawn into this and distracting them from what has been quite a good growth story for the last two to three years.” Following the October 1 referendum and ensuing crisis, six out of seven IBEX-listed companies shifted their headquarters from Catalunya. Some 20 other large and medium-sized businesses have made the same move.

October 26th - November 8th 2017 October 26th - November 8th 2017

Holiday hordes turn back on Barca THE Catalan tourist industry has seen bookings slump by 20% since the controversial independence referendum. Around €1.2 billion could be lost as holidaymakers turn their back on

Barcelona breaks amid political tensions. Tourist body Exceltur has warned if the downward trend continues throughout 2017 then up to €1.8 billion may be lost to the sector.

Booze boycott

But even in a worst-case scenario, the Catalan tourist industry’s strength would mean overall growth in Spain’s tourist industry would be 3.1% in 2018, down just one point from its 4.1% predicted growth.

Cava to be hit as Balearics turn back on Catalan goods A BOYCOTT of Catalan goods by Balearic businesses and shoppers is set to hit Christmas sales - especially cava. Following this month’s referendum, restaurants and hotels announced a boycott on Catalan goods, with business leader Bartomeu Servera saying ‘dozens’ of companies are taking part. He added Balearic export

businesses may have to find alternative ports to Barcelona and Tarragona if the independence crisis intensifies. Meanwhile, president of the Federation of Small and Medium Businesses of Mallorca (PIMEM), Jordi Mora, said Christmas food items are likely to be hit. “It’s certainly something we have started to per-

ceive in recent days,” he said. “Although it’s not a general trend, we are detecting these actions that are a consequence of all this noise that accompanies us. It’s not an agreeable situation.” Cava companies Freixenet and Codorniu have reported worsening sales over recent Christmas periods as tensions build over Cat-

alan independence. “It’s not a position we share. We don’t believe you should transfer political problems to the consumer world,” said Mora. “There have been problems between Catalunya and the Spanish government in the past and this will pass.” However, he admitted: “I don’t know how long it will last this time.”

Talk and stalk YOU can now track your friends on WhatsApp as they move around on a personalised map. The new feature, similar to Snapchat maps, is meant to make it easier to meet up with friends and let loved ones know that you’re safe. Friends’ and family’s profile pictures will appear as an icon that will move around a Google-style interactive map. In the latest version of the internet messaging app, the option to share your location will appear under the attach function when sending messages to a single person or group. You can choose how long you want to share your journey and who with, and tap send. Each person in the chat will be able to see exactly what you’re up to and if you’re running late. If more than one person shares their location, they will appear on the same map. Android and iPhone owners will start to see the option to share their location in the coming weeks.

Excel currencies will let you know exactly how much they make with every money transfer

Transparent Times

CHANGE is afoot for the many who transfer money to and from Spain. For years the money transfer industry has been plagued with hidden exchange rates, commissions and transfer fees. I’m sure many of you who are reading this article can relate to this... Have you ever wondered how much is made when you transfer money overseas? Or Thought, ‘How can I be sure that I’m truly getting a good deal and I haven’t fallen for the big marketing campaigns’? The only way to be certain that you are getting a fair and consistently great exchange rate, is to know how much the money transfer company is making, right?! At Excel Currencies, we have taken our transparent product that is used by our corporate customers and have given it to our personal customers. The customer will see what we make as a company before they agree to the exchange rate. This transparent approach has led to an increase in customer loyalty and a 60% increase in unprompted customer referrals (the latter a pleasant shock to us).

It’s clear that customers want to refer a company they trust to offer the best deal all the time and not some of the time. Why did we feel now was the right time to offer this? Some 14 years ago, when we first started in business, many customers were unaware what the mid-market price was. So, to even mention it would more often than not confuse matters. However, today this is certainly not the case. Our customers today have evolved with the internet and the ability to easily access FX rates online. Our goal as a company is this Firstly, reduce our marketing spend. Secondly, this allows us to improve our exchange rates. Thirdly, we then ask our customers to speak about our brand on Trustpilot and other social media platforms because this is far more valuable than us trying to say it ourselves. We have a special offer for readers of the Olive Press too, if you contact us before the 14th November you can receive up to £200 cash back on your first transfer.

-final of Spanish TV talent show 3065 views

SOCIALMEDIA www.theolivepress.es OlivePressNewspaper

olivepress

Food, drink & travel

October 26th - November 8th 2017 September 14 - September 27 0th 2017

September 27th - October 10th 2017

19 19

October 26th - November 8th 2017

olivepressnews SPAIN, Italy and France are bracing for their worst grape harvest in decades. Farmers in the three countries, which together produce over BE ‘APPY! half the world’s wines, were hit by extreme weather, includMURO’S Autumn Fair, or ing heavy hail and long-lasting Fira de sa Carabassa, cel- frosts in the spring. ebrated the mighty pump- To add to this, unusually warm kin in every way imagin- weather meant that many able for over a decade. grapes ripened early and smallDownload our app and From November 10now uner than usual.

Pumpkin mania

+TheolivepressEs

til 12, the beginvillage enjoyingof the Muro best Spanish The problems in Europe, will come newstogether on the go. to celcombined with poor producebrate the seasonal gourd tion in the southern hemiwith fun for all ages. Lo- sphere and wildfires in Calical restaurants create fornia’s wine region has left special dishes featuring analysts fearing shortages the pumpkin, from tapas and higher prices. to desserts. Market stalls “We foresee a dramatic defill the streets and a fun cline in wine availability gofair has treats for every- ing into 2018,” said Stephen one. TheThe highlight of the Olive Press Rannekleiv, a global beverweekend is the ‘Pumpkin Contest’ in news which in en-Spain! TOP for tries weigh-in at the town square for the biggest and heaviest pumpkin around.

Vino collapso

Wine prices set to rocket after worst harvest in decades

ages strategist at Rabobank. “We expect the decline [in consumption] to be felt most tangibly in the lower-priced tiers.” The European Commission says that this year’s regional

harvest is expected to be the worst since 1982. Europe is set to produce 14.5 billion litres of wine this year, a drop of 14% from 2016. Italy, the world’s biggest producer, will see volumes fall by

US Capitol welcomes Mallorca diner A RESTAURANT with a distinct Mallorcan flavour is opening in America’s capital city this autumn. Del Mar is the brainchild between Italian chef Fabio Trabocchi and his Madrid wife Maria, who has long had a holiday home in Mallorca. The glamourous Spanish diplomat's daughter has served many famous clients at the Washington

DC local, including former president Barack Obama. Mallorca is the inspiration behind Del Mar, as the couple take their two children on a family holiday here every year. The restaurant has been voted one of the most exciting restaurants in the world, according to Bloomberg.

21% to just above four billion litres. Production in Spain and France will decline by roughly 15%. “It has not been uncommon for one of these three producers to have an off year, but rarely have we seen such poor harvests for all three simultaneously,” Rannekleiv said. Vineyards that were spared in the spring were later damaged in devastating summer droughts. The problem is most severe on the Italian island of Sicily, where production was a third lower than last year. Consumers are already feeling the effects, with the price of some wine varieties increasing this year by up to 10%. “The rise in Italian and Spanish bulk wine prices is particularly noticeable and it started as early as May, when the first threats to production materialized,” Rannekleivn said.

Fosh nosh MICHELIN-star local Marc Fosh is taking his mouthwatering Mallorca dishes to London’s World Travel Market. The Brit, the first Spain-based British chef to win a coveted star, will line up with Tomeu Caldentey, the first Mallorquin to scoop the award at Es Moli D’en Bou. The pair will showcase the best in Mallorca and Balearic food at the gastronomic show. The London showpiece, held from November 6-8, is the leading global event for the travel industry.

Slimline avocados A SPANISH company has launched ‘diet avocados’. Food giant Isla Bonita claims its new green-skinned fruits are slower to turn brown and contain only 70% of the fat of a normal avocado. The Spanish Heart Foundation’s Food Health Programme has certified the new range.

Love, love will take you there...

Mallorca Ibiza Marbella Madrid Valencia grupocappuccino.com

20 20

www.theolivepress.es

Food, drink & travel

October 26th - November 8th 2017 October 26th - November 8th 2017

el t Ho view re GLAMOROUS: Pool and grounds and romantic rooftop terrace bar is a must

Justice served T

Jon Clarke judges Malaga’s exciting new five star Gran Hotel Miramar that was previously a court

HE last time I visited the Palacio de Miramar I was furiously scribbling in a shorthand notebook during a murder trial in 2005. It was here that Spain’s most infamous expat Tony King had been dispatched to prison for the killing of two teenage girls… and I was researching a book. Known then as Malaga’s Palacio de Justicia, the wonderful 1920s building had been subdivided into over a dozen courts, and felt like Piccadilly Circus with a melting pot of lawyers and civil servants, not to mention the accused, the victims and the witnesses all bobbing about. But while a great place to deliver justice, it simply didn’t do the place justice, if you’ll excuse the pun. The grand building deserved so much more and so it was something of a masterstroke when the Hoteles Santos group decided to convert it back to its original purpose a decade ago, with the courts packed off to their own purpose-built location nearby. And while it has taken 10 years to come to fruition the end result is

nothing more than the city deserves; a beautiful grand hotel to rival that of the Ritz in Madrid or the Copacabana Palace, in Rio. The icing on the cake of a two-decade transformation of Malaga, which is now a true rival to Granada, Cordoba and Sevilla, the Miramar gives the city a vital new draw for high end tourism. While previously tourists to the province had to make do with the obvious choices in Marbella now the Grand Tour for Americans, Chinese and European VIPs can officially stop in Malaga. It is certainly fitting to discover the hotel was originally designed by the same architect behind Madrid’s aforementioned Ritz and Sevilla’s Alfonso XIII and even more so that he (Fernando Strachan) had British roots. None of this should of course surprise when you arrive at the gilded gates of the hotel, that was first opened by the King of Spain in 1926 as the Hotel Principe de Asturias. It’s doormen in hats and gloves are completely dwarfed by the imposing palace, its clean white walls and its fecund gardens, a classic mix of soaring palms and semi-tropical shrubs that are now a century old. Look up through the gaps and you’ll spot a crown appropriately fitted at the top, while inside you get a distinct sense of space with a grand open atrium and attractive Moorish style arches. On a weekend stay at the hotel, I was, in particular, impressed by the quality of staffing that so often makes a difference when staying at a genuine top of the game five star joint. The GL (Gran Luxe) status is not for nothing and they showed the perfect balance between formal and personable service, as well as attention to detail and knowledge. Victorian-style While the rooms were comfortterraced pool with able and well appointed with a media library of films, I parsunbeds arranged great ticularly liked the charming back like an Elton John garden, with its fabulous Victorian-style terraced pool area with video its sunbeds neatly arranged like an Elton John video. This is also where you find the impressive Prince of Asturias restaurant, on a glamorous dining terrace with two flights of sweeping marble steps up to it. Here you sit, overlooking the sea and enjoying a classic menu designed by head chef Diego Nicas, who trained at three-Michelin starred Akelarre in San Sebastian and worked at the prestigious Hilton in London’s Park Lane. Aided by a pair of sous chefs from the UK, the menu is very international, but inspired in its traditional choices, such as beef wellington, sole meunier and crepes suzettes. “We are trying to go back to our roots and do the classics really well,” explains Nicas. “I’m tired of all the fusion confusion going on these days, you known Indian with Mexican, Asian with Mediterranean. It can all get a bit much.” I particularly liked his delicious lobster salad with white asparagus, radishes and edible flowers with ‘seaweed butter’, while his sea bass served on a bed of fennel was perfect. Our female sommelier was particularly knowledgeable and helped make the night a roaring success.

SPACIOUS: Entrance lobby and (right) crown on top

Gran Hotel Miramar, Paseo Reding, 22-24, 29016 Málaga www.granhotelmiramarmalaga.com

TOP NOTCH: Lobster salad and (below) friendly sommelier

Marvellous Malaga

THERE is so much to do around Malaga these days and the city is literally brimming with new museums and plenty of excellent art galleries. Almost right opposite the Miramar you must spend half an hour looking around the celebrated English cemetery, set up 200 years ago by the British consul to the city. While the Picasso and Thyssen museums are great an alternative is the CAC modern art museum, which is always an eye opener. Meanwhile, the new municipal Museo de Malaga has finally opened in the wonderful old customs building in Plaza de la Aduana. It’s a good way to spend a morning, with loads of exhibits and films on the history of the city from Phoenician to Roman and Moorish times. In terms of dining there are loads of good options, although a new place I found is Eboka, which is in a great central location with a fabulous wine list and excellent fresh food. For a great aperitif check out the amazing vinoteca Los Patios de Beatas, which has hundreds of references and literally dozens of wines by the glass.

www.theolivepress.es

manacor

puerto de andratx

Food, drink & travel

santa ponsa

ibiza

October 26th - November 8th 2017 September 28th - October 11th 2017

intermobel.es

www.theolivepress.es

22 22

EL AVISO DE MALLORCA

MORE revenue with German clients! Put your ads in EL AVISO newspaper!

971 619 234 661 901 290 Info@el-aviso.es

∙ R e s t au r ant s ∙ Hot e l s ∙ ∙ C ou r s e s ∙ Ac t i v it i e s ∙ Up to

70% OFF

l i fe s t y l e d e a l s . e s ∙ Te l : 9 5 1 2 7 4 8 8 4

Columnists

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Plastic fantastic Mallorca should be very proud of its commitment to recycling, writes Lesley Keith

Mallorca diaries

By Lesley Keith

NE thing I love here is the total commitment to rubbish collection and recycling. In the UK your only responsibility is to ensure the rubbish is outside for collection at the right time. Here it’s up to you to get it to the appropriate bin which to be fair is never far away but shared with other local residents. I am a keen recycler and try hard to ensure anything that can be recycled actually will be. It’s a bit of a pain especially living in a flat with a small kitchen, the plastic seems to accumulate incredibly quickly but at least BINNING IT: Leading the way it’s not heavy. I even separate bottle tops I painted and use in my lounge. and take them somewhere else as appar- Not forgetting the step ladders that mean I ently they can be remade differently. can trim the top of my hedges and a large If you pick up your Olive Press in Eroski - cooking pot which makes a great planter. which is printed on recycled paper by the Then there were the two metal bedside taway - the bottle top collection area is usually bles that had broken glass tops, I gave them just by them. new wooden tops with a coat of varnish and I was told that I’ve got great side food waste is not tables for sunbeds or supposed to be plant pot displays. left after 8am I have made some or before 8pm. I rather avant-garde thought this comsculptures from terpletely ridiculous racotta downpipes and impractical and driftwood and oh and completely yes my partner has ignored it but constructed a great of course it’s bench from discarded because these wooden pallets. So are the collecno, as you can see tion times. Drop I don’t get involved, food waste into a well… much. sun baked bin at Whilst I’m on the 10am and leave subject of waste, one for 8 hours then thing that everyone see if it still seems knows is a serious SEA BIN: Innovative invention like a silly idea waste issue and is when you open the very close to my heart lid! is the plastic collecting in our oceans. Every One thing I love here is that anything that single piece of plastic ever produced is still could be useful to others is left by the side with us, it’s a sobering thought. of the bin, and within half an hour it will I am trying to do my little bit and go on a magically disappear. This can be anything, weekly paddle along the waterfront and pick building materials, clothing, books, furni- up any plastic I see, stopping once my bin linture, as I say, anything. I lost a wheel off of er is full. It doesn’t take long because sadly my favourite suitcase so it had to go. I left there’s so much. I wade past families where it beside my local bin and it was almost inparents happily let their chilstantly gone. dren play in the water amongst Mind you, walking down to cigarette butts and wrappers the sea later I saw the very I have made some which will of course break same suitcase by another down but the floating plastic rather avantbin! bags, bottle tops and straws Obviously it wasn’t good garde sculptures won’t and are killing sea life. enough, how very insulting! Something has to be done on from terracotta But I like to think it’s still a worldwide scale and I’m debeing picked up and moved downpipes lighted to see that Mallorca along as we speak and wonseems to be helping to lead der how far it’s got. the way. Two young Australians If you see a black Delsey with have devised something called The Sea Bin. a combination lock (185) and a green han- It’s a small pump-driven submerged device dle, give it my best. that sits in the water by marinas and harI believe there is a little cottage/finca indus- bours etc and filters out unwanted garbage try involved with this. Mysterious white vans without harming marine life. patrol the various bin locations on the look- It’s being trialled in Port Adriano and just out for anything reusable. I’d never partici- one bin can collect up to half a ton a year. pate in such things of course, well, apart from Music to my ears, let’s get them everywhere. a bamboo cabinet I found that just needed They say one man’s meat is another man’s painting and a new basket drawer to make it poison, well that’s great just don’t wrap eilike new and was too good to pass up. ther in plastic and put it in your local bin Oh and there was the metal display unit that between 8am and 8pm.

-final -final ofofSpanish Spanish TVTVtalent show- -final of Spanish TV talent show - talentshow 3065views views 3065 views 3065

SOCIALMEDIA SOCIALMEDIA SOCIALMEDIA www.theolivepress.es OlivePressNewspaper OlivePressNewspaper 23 23 OlivePressNewspaper

Sports & yachting

olivepress olivepress olivepress olivepressnews olivepressnews olivepressnews

October 26th - November 8th 2017

23 23

October 26th - November 8th 2017

Mir Arrival Yachts big charity score motors to BE BE ‘APPY! ‘APPY! BE ‘APPY! victory +TheolivepressEs +TheolivepressEs +TheolivepressEs

AN Arrival Yachts charity football match has raised over €6,000 for the Parkinson Support Group Mallorca. The Magaluf event paired a cracking Radio One eleven against an elite Yachties side. Live performances from the Pauline Quirke Academy and the Baleares International College Choir kept guests entertained.

JOAN Mir sealed the Moto3 championship by storming to victory at Phillip Island. The Mallorquin travelled to Download Download ourapp appnow nowand and Download our app nowour and Australia with a 55-point lead thethebest begin begin enjoying enjoying bestSpanish Spanish begin enjoying the best Spanish over closest rival Romano Fenews news on on the the go. go. news on the go. nati needing a top-two finish to seal the title. The 20-year-old becomes the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 1997 to win the title in only his second MotoGP season. “I’d already done the most difficult thing. Being cham- FIVE cancer survivors are to The The Olive Olive Press Press Olive Press pion isn’tThe pressure. Pressure fulfill a lifelong dream and sail was being in the lead.” across the Atlantic. Mir began in for third place and TOP TOP for for news news inin Spain! Spain!crew will travel TOP news in Spain! The all-female was in the leading group of 4,000 miles from Palma to the riders until the race was red- Caribbean island of Martinique, flagged for wet weather. with stops at Lanzarote and After the results were rolled Cape Verde. back a lap Mir was announced A five-week voyage on board as the winner, three tenths the 16-metre Sargantal will ahead of Leopard Honda raise money for charity Fundateam-mate Livio Loi. cion Cris Cancer. He will now move into Moto2 The Ocean Dream project’s for next season with the Marc leader, Natalia Ensenat, pitched VDS team. the idea at Palma’s Royal Club Nautica just two weeks after a mastectomy operation in January last year. When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer she went straight to Club Nautica as ‘I needed to see the sea’. “I was clear in my head I want-

Survivors in Atlantic sailing crossing from Palma to raise money

“All the support, kindness and love that everyone has shown to the Parkinson Support Group is very much appreciated,” said Arrival Yachts’ Marta Stefaniak. “We are truly grateful to everyone for the contribution to this project and we look forward to meet you next year!” Radio One beat the Yachties 6-4.

Cancer crew

ed to make a big sailing journey before I died,” said Ensenat. “It’s not just about five friends making a journey, it has to be real challenge.” Palma’s Royal Club Nautica helped the crew with donations for their yacht. Ensena then chose her four crew members from a shortlist of 25 with the Sargantal’s skipper César Enríquez - another cancer survivor - the only man onboard. “Ths project is a call to life. Not just for the challenge of the journey, but for solidarity,” added Ensenat.

Club de Mar renews

THE Balearic Port Authority (APB) has given the green light on a €50 million investment project for Palma’s Paseo Maritimo and Club de Mar. The big budget update will remodel Club de Mar Mallorca facilities to improve access from the heavy foot traffic coming off cruise ships into the city. The investment comes with a renewal of 25 more years concession extending until 2044.

Grace-ful A REPLICA pirate boat has docked in Palma Bay. The ship, named Grace, is modelled on an 18th century vessel and sails under a Czech flag. The 23.8-metre-long ship is based on plans published in 1768 by Swiss explorer Fredrik Henrik Chapman. It has a 37-person capacity, including crew and weighs 126 tonnes.

OLD SCHOOL: Pirates

ARRANGING GOLF BREAKS JUST GOT EASIER!

SUNSHINE GOLF BREAKS THE FREE GOLF HOLIDAY APP AND WEBSITE

21st century

“From the outset, we knew that opening up to the city and environmental issues was a priority. We wanted a 21st century port, adapted to the demands and social sensibilities of our time. The new updates will allow us to improve environmental efficiency, quality, safety and the community service policies we have been applying for years,” said Jose Luis Arrom, general director of the Club de Mar Mallorca. Cycle lanes, widened paths, and gardens will some of the many improvements made on the roads around the marina. The waters will have more space, planned to offer schools more canoeing, kayaking and other water sports. Club de Mar is considered one of the best European marinas with an impressive record of organising important nautical events and hosting the world’s most exotic boats and yachts. Initial projections expect construction will begin October 2018 and only occur in the off season, finishing up in 2021.

Molinar m MOLINAR Port is set for refurbishment works. Draft plans for a rebuilding operation will be submitted by the end of the year. A tender will be awarded for ‘alternatives for the improvement of

the port environment’. The work must ‘respect the number and dimensions of current moorings’. Last month, expansion work at a number of Palma ports was scrapped due to environmental concerns.

Sailing school A NEW €1.5 million training centre for professional sailors is set to be built in Alcudia. Work on the nautical school is set to start in 2018 and be completed by the first half of 2019. Courses will start in time for the 2019-2020 academic year, the government of the Balearic Islands announced. There are already two training centres for nautical professionals on the island, with one in Palma and one in Mao.

Boats, bikes and automobiles… Hamish is moving jobs but will be back shortly

OUR BULK BUYING GUARANTEES YOU UNBEATABLE PRICES!! Simply make your holiday choices and receive a personalised quote or call back Let us do the work! Search GOLF BREAKS SUNSHINE on the App store or visit www.sunshinegolfbreaks.com From individuals to large groups we offer Discounted Green Fees, Hotels, Club and Car Hire at less than Society Prices!

Delivering quality golfing holidays for over 20 years

www.theolivepress.es

Voted

Shell shocked

October 26th - November 8th 2017

BEST

expat paper in Spain

Reuse Reduce Recycle We use recycled paper

Man’s best friend A TODDLER’S pet dog alerted rescuers to her plight when she was lost in Spanish mountains. The two-year-old was found cuddling her pet podenco after going missing for an alarming seven hours in the hills near Avila. Her departure led to a sevenhour search by rescue teams and hundreds of locals. Helicopters even joined the hunt for the child, who had merely wandered off. The little girl was found in perfect health several kilometres from her home.

FREE

Vol. 1 Issue 14 www.theolivepress.es October 26th - November 8th 2017

Flight hell Couple’s holiday flight home takes three days and via three airports

A BRITISH couple were stuck in Spain for three days after their Ryanair flight was cancelled and rerouted due to a French air strike. The parents of two young children fly with them again,” said Samantha. were forced to fly home via Madrid, During the hellish trip, the couple Lanzarote and Newcastle to get home. were forced to sleep on a bench outSamantha Breen, 30, and side Lanzarote airport while Alexander Rutherford, waiting for the Newcastle 43, were due to fly home plane. from Palma after a fiveSamantha said the couple’s day break for Samantha’s children, aged three and birthday. five, were crying on the But after waiting six hours phone that they missed their at Palma Airport, they parents when they rang were told to catch a flight home. three days later, which “We were totally stuck with went via the three airno money and no help from ports. Ryanair,” added Samantha. “We were totally fobbed OUTRAGE: For “We only had about 11 Euros British couple off by Ryanair. I will never between us. My partner had

to go and buy us some Pot Noodles just to keep us going. We had no one to contact from Ryanair.” She added that Ryanair said they would receive no compensation as the delays were caused by an air-traffic control strike. A Ryanair spokesperson said: “The customers were provided with accommodation in Palma and were rerouted back to Newcastle (via Madrid and Lanzarote). 'The customers were advised to keep and submit expenses and a cheque of €124.17 has been authorised. We apologise sincerely for this flight cancellation.”

IT was an ending as tragic as it was cruel. Tomeu, the Mallorca snail whose role in a mollusc menage a trois captured worldwide attention, has been left widowed after partner Jeremy died aged two. Jeremy, a ‘one-in-a-million’ left-coiling snail, and Tomeu had produced around 20 baby snails - all right-coiling - but Jeremy died just days after they were born. ‘Righties’ and ‘lefties’, as they are known, are unable to mate as their genitals are on the wrong side.

Shame

Tomeu, another left-coiling snail, was found in the Binissalem snail farm and restaurant Sa Caragoelra. “It’s a shame Jeremy died, but Tomeu is still alive and procreating!” Sa Caragola farm owner Miguel Angel Salom told the Olive Press. University of Nottingham’s Dr Angus Davison arranged for Tomeu to fly to England and pair up with Jeremy. But Tomeu turned his attention to another snail, called appropriately Lefty, leaving poor Jeremy jilted and lovelorn. However, romance soon sparked between Tomeu and Jeremy with Tomeu producing around 56 babies, a third of them likely to be Jeremy’s. Sadly, the new dad didn’t live to see his babies grow up and has now shuffled off his mortal shell.

Safe and secure – it’s a great feeling

Our advice, your advantage We’re here to help you sleep well at night. And it’s not about the firmness of your mattress, it’s about the strength of your financial protection. When you ask a Blacktower adviser “what-if”, we have the confidence in our expertise to provide an answer, so you can feel confident that you, and the people you love, are protected. Health Insurance • General Protection Policies • Critical Illness

Get in touch today at: sandy.paterson @ blacktowerfm.com +34 971 425 986 La Rambla 13-1, 07003 Palma de Mallorca www.blacktowerfm.com

Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited is licensed by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission. Licence Number 00805B. Blacktower Financial Management Limited is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.