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expat
voice in Spain ERASED: Controversial art
No more mural A MURAL protesting tourism has been painted over with controversy in Soller. In 2016, artist Soma painted the mural titled 'tourism engulfing Mallorca' – a large snake representing tourism, eating Mallorca and pooing out the trash that's left behind. The mural has stood for the last three years, but just four days after the Popular Party took over the Soller government it was painted over with white. The local PP, now headed by Carlos Simarro, has said that 'there is no special motive' for erasing the mural. The town plans to paint a map of Soller on the wall instead.
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Vol. 3 Issue 57 www.theolivepress.es June 21st - July 4th 2019
Simple steps
THE death of a British teen who plunged from a Mallorca apartment wall ‘could have been prevented’, a coroner has said. Holidaymaker Thomas Channon, 18, died from ‘catastrophic injuries’, the third fatality at the Magaluf resort in the same year. The teen, from Rhoose, in the Vale of Glamorgan, fell over a knee-high wall during a holiday to Mallorca with pals, as they
British teen’s death after plunging from Magaluf apartment wall ‘was preventable’ coroner says
celebrated finishing their Alevels. The tragedy, in July 2018, saw the new graduate fall 15 metres, before being found dead in the courtyard at the Eden Roc com-
Proud to be expats
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AN overwhelming majority of our readers are not offended by the term ‘expat’. That’s the initial result of our online poll which asked ‘Do you find the use of the word 'expat' to describe British and foreign nationals living in Spain offensive?’ The vote came after a barrage of emails to the newsdesk complained of the Olive Press’ use of the word, requesting that it be switched out for ‘resident’ or ‘immigrant’. However a snapshot of our readers’ opinions revealed that two thirds were not bothered by the term. On our Facebook poll, there have so far been 881 votes. Out of those, 656 said ‘no’, while 223 said ‘yes’. The results were repeated on Twitter, 16/06/2017 where15:36 68% of 80 votes said they did not find the term offensive.
TYPICAL EXPATS: Brits and (top) Dutch
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plex. Channon’s death came around a month after Tom Hughes, 20, from Wrexham, also fell to his death at the apartment block. An inquest in Pontypridd found that Channon may have been ‘intoxicated and fatigued’ after he returned from a night out and fell seven floors. Coroner Graeme Hughes did however add: “I do not find Tom was ridiculously drunk or out of control.” A post-mortem revealed the young lad was twice the legal drink-drive limit, after he had been watching Croatia beat England in the World Cup. The student of St David’s College in Cardiff was found to have died from blunt force injuries to the trunk,including pelvic fractures. Hughes added: “It is absolutely tragic that simple steps of erecting the temporary fence were not instigated following Thomas Hughes’ death in June 2018. “These simple steps would have, in all probability, prevented Thomas Channon from meeting his death on July 12 2018. “For reasons unknown, he has travelled beyond the wall and
RIP: Channon died on holiday
fallen some distance. He has sustained catastrophic injuries.” Channon’s mum Ceri said at the inquest she was glad that there had been ‘recognition’ that her son’s death could have been prevented. The inquest heard that ‘steel bollards’ are now in place at the complex.
2
CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF Palma pickpockets FIVE pickpockets have been arrested in a single day in Palma as National Police crackdown on petty theft in the city.
Frightening fire A FIRE in an electrical bicycle shop in the middle of the night has alarmed residents in Playa de Palma. Eight bikes were destroyed in a suspected arson attack.
Sad stop
Firetrapped
Fifth arrest and more bin fires just weeks after ringleader put behind bars ANOTHER bin-torcher has been cuffed in Palma just weeks after the serial arsonist behind the crimes was jailed.
PEREZ: Win for police
THE METRO in Palma has been temporarily shut down after a passenger died of a heart attack while travelling with his family.
Motor-free minors CHILDREN under the age of 15 are no longer allowed to drive electric scooters, motorized skateboards or segways in Palma – parents of offenders will receive a €100 fine if caught.
June 21st - July 4th 2019
A 62-year-old Spanish retiree is the latest to be picked up by police for the spate of deliberate fires. Police are now investigating whether the man, who is the fifth person arrested over the incidents, was linked to the fires in the Camp Redo area. Days after his arrest, there were then two more container fires, both in Calle Eusebio Estada, taking the total number of bin burnings in Palma to over 370.
Confused crash A LOCAL woman has died after being hit at a pedestrian crossing by a ‘confused’ driver in Capdepera. A mother and daughter were crossing the street just metres from their home when a car drove right through them without braking. The mother, a 40-year-old woman working in a local supermarket, suffered serious injuries after the man behind the wheel 'got confused', not braking when the pair were crossing the road. Both the mother, Ángeles Castillo, and her daughter were injured, with the mother suffering serious injuries. Castillo died in Son Espases hospital the following morning – the 27-year-old driver is now being charged with reckless homicide.
WRECK: Melted remains of torched Palma bin
Total damages for the crimes are now estimated at around €370,000, as each unit costs around €700, while the cleanup is about €300. It comes after one of the main arsonists, a 58-yearold man, was caught by police in Pere Garau, after he was seen starting a blaze on CCTV footage. The unnamed pyromaniac, who was nabbed by officers ‘with a lighter in each hand’, and is responsible for 36 different bin fires, acted in revenge, according to police. After being arrested on June 4, it emerged that the firebug had been fined by police for letting his dog off the lead, so had begun a
4
NEWS
www.theolivepress.es
Hero cops
TWO policemen have saved a man from throwing himself off a bridge on the Palma ring road. The partners tried to talk down the 46-year-old after spotting him outside the guardrail. However he became more erratic and began ‘flailing his arms’, causing the cops to grab him and pull him over the rail to safety. He has been taken to hospital for treatment.
Terrible trio
A TRIO of 'extremely violent' minors have been recaptured after escaping their juvenile detention centre. The three young teens were on the run after beating a guard unconscious and throwing stones at two others before breaking free. The trio - who have been convicted of violent robberies - were found in different parts of the capital.
Notorious B.I.N
June 7th - June 20th 2019
Infamous bin arsonist revealed as bitter father fined by police for walking dog with no lead HE has been wreaking havoc around the streets of Palma for well over a year. Now, finally, the so-called bin man arsonist has finally been snared. In an arrest that has shocked
By Gillian Keller and Charlie Smith 2
www.theolivepress.es
CRIME
Catch this trash! the island, a middle-aged father has been ordered to Bus-ted! face trial over a stunning 36 different bin blazes around the capital and its DRUG ROUND UP nearby environs. The Spanish father-of-one was picked up in Pere Garau, TRASH ENJOY CANNED: Arsonist led into court with A HAPPY after his face appeared on a AND ACTIVE LIFE cops, while (inset) previous story CCTV video starting a recent blaze. three other incidents, centred The unnamed man, 58, was araround Calle Aragon, over re- of six boxes of matches, three rested red-handed by officers cent months, they knew they lighters and two packs of barbeque firelighters. ‘with a lighter in each hand’ afhad their man. ter allegedly causing more than The man, who has psychiatric “We surprised the arsonist with €76,000 of fire damage over problems, admitted to being a both hands inside the container and a lighter ready to set fire to the last three months alone. serial arsonist. After police managed to ascerIncredibly, he insisted he had it,” said police inspectors Edutain that he had been close to started his reign of destruction ardo Perez. “Once surprised, the defendant after police collapsed and voluntarily confined him for fessed.” letting his dog The suspect, who is a nonsmoker, receives a state penoff the lead. A judge ordered sion, and is the first of four arhis immediate sonists arrested, to be granted imprisonment bail. with a bail of Perez added: “We are com€100,000, over pletely sure that in Palma there fears he would are more arsonists and some flee and reof- imitators, but with this arrest we have managed to arrest one fend. A search of the of the most important.” house, where His lawyer, Josep Perello was contacted he lives alone, by the Olive Press but DANGER: Fire set near homes revealed a stash did not respond. NEWS IN BRIEF
March 14th - March
Housing help
MORE than 3,500 families are on the waiting list for social housing from Ibavi in the The governmentBalearics. only has 1,800 rental homes, of which are already many filled with ‘delinquent’ tenants.
Bridge back
THE ARTA bridge that was destroyed deadly floods in the tober has beenlast Ocand reopened,rebuilt and next week the rary military tempowill be removed.bridge
Big help
A MALLORCAN donating 14 floorman is ing in Barcelona buildto the Consell de Mallorca for students. Amidst the housing the donated buildingcrisis, help UIB students with while in Barcelona.
Winter rise
THE Palma Airport has had 15% more passengers in February than Winter tourism islast year. growing as nearly 900,000 passengers travelled through the airport last month.
Bin arsonist is ‘white and around 30’, as he’s seen adding to €300,000 crime spree
SCENE: Most recent
arson attack
fore immediately lighting up another. In a matter of minutes,
some eight bins aflame, with some were of the fires reaching a car and trees.
A BINGO addict sentenced to six has been hind bars after months beproperty scam in creating a Mallorca to feed her habit. The unnamed Spaniard, 40, managed to swindle out of unsuspecting €4,000 by taking deposits tenants and the first month’s rent on properties she never owned. “I used to take the money and spend it all playing bingo,” she admitted at her trial, which ended
Most of the this week,. bins were “I would turned into ashes. play bingo the money was gone.”until all The witness spoke lice as they arrived to po- The gambling addict, who with fire lured in around crews within minutes. 10 unlucky tenants using property He described the porarsonist as a ‘thinmasked tal milanuncios.com over a man’ who looked white two-month period in 2017, is banned from all around 30-years-old. to be betting casinos and shops on Other witnesses She must returnthe island. the stolen ward to back up came for- €4,000. the claims, saying they also white man fleeing saw a as police arrived. the scene Hundreds of bins have been burned across Palma since December 2017 arsonist began when the his spree, causing over €300,000 in damages.
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Clickety Clink! Bingo addict off to prison
POLICE are closer bling the so-calledto rumman’ after a witness ‘Binspotted him setting fire to more bins in Palma. The unnamed local saw the vandal set fire container in to a large the Camp Redo neighbourhood be-
A BUS driver branded a hero has been after chasing and catching a pickpocket in Palma. The driver gave chase after the thief stole from several of his passengers and legged THIEF: Caught on bus it out the front door. much deserved After catching up standing suspect, the driver with the ovation from passengers held onto and him until police arrived. hundreds of The thief had passersby. He then duly received a wallets and a stolen three purse.
AN alleged drug caught in a dawn gang behind at least 30 robberies raid in Felanitx. has been Guardia Civil arrested 10 people and seized juana, as well as a two kilos of mariPolice have been cache of stolen goods. probing the gang have monitored them since even growing their last September and Police carried out own marijuana. simultaneously raids Felanitx, one an internet on three properties in lom. All the recovered cafe, as well as one in nearby Portocogoods will be to Friday between 9.00 am to 1:00 displayed, from Monday Civil Station. pm. in Manacor Guardia
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Buzz off, Bojo! THE British pound will plummet against the euro if Boris Johnson is elected as the UK's next prime minister, a leading financial group has claimed. In bad news for British retirees abroad, Johnson's openness to a no-deal Brexit ‘will have a negative impact on British sterling.’ It means Brits in Spain who rely on their UK pensions, will see their real income shrink, according to the deVere Group. "The pound will be delivered another bloody nose should Boris, the current frontrunner, win the race to be Tory leader,” said CEO Nigel Green. “Pressure will hit sterling due to the increased likelihood that the UK would be taken into a no-deal Brexit by Mr Johnson.” The former London mayor is the odds-on favourite to win the Conservative party leadership contest, securing the support of more than 40 Conservative MPs, putting him far ahead of his rivals.
Underage aggressor A BOY of just 13-years-old has been identified by National Police as responsible for violently assaulting four elderly women in Palma. All of the women were in their mid 70's when the boy followed them home from near the Ses Fonts Park in Palma. When they pulled out their keys, he pushed each woman over, grabbing bags and belongings before fleeing. One of the women needed surgery after she broke her hip when pushed over – the others were left with minor injuries. Since the boy is under 14 years old, he cannot be prosecuted and remains in his parents’ care.
Dutch drugs
THREE Dutch people have been arrested in Ibiza for smugcampaign of bin attacks, re- gling in 500 bottles of laughing sulting in €76,000 of dam- gas to sell at clubs and parties. National Police found some of age. Police inspector Eduardo the stash in two rental cars left at &aSEIPPEL public park. Perez said: “We surprised SEIPPEL the arsonist with both This led police to the men and hotel room, where they hands inside the container their found the lot: 500 bottles, and lighters ready to set fire 2,500 balloons and other items to it.” for selling the misused gas. A police spokesperson told It is estimated that the police the Olive Press that the sus- confiscated around 50,000 pected ringleader of Palma’s doses of the illegal party drug. bin fires remains in prison, The men are being charged with despite his €100,000 bail. crimes against public health.
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NEWS
www.theolivepress.es
June 21st - July 4th 2019
3
Girls on tour
GAME of Thrones star Sophie Turner was spotted partying it up with pals on her hen do in Benidorm. The English actress, 23, was joined by co-star Maisie Williams, 22, and ten of her best friends, who all flew on a private jet from Luton Airport. In a series of pics uploaded by pal Blair Noel Croce, the girls rocked multi-coloured wigs, which Turner paired with a tiny army shirt worn as a dress. Williams, who played Sophie’s onscreen sister Arya Stark in the cult Fantasy series, was pictured in a pink wig. Northampton-born Turner married US Disney star Joe Jonas, 29, in a lastminute Las Vegas wedding in May. However the pair will have an official ceremony in France this summer to
Monarchies collide THRIFTY Queen Letizia was snapped sporting a bargain €280 dress during a visit to meet the British royals. The Spanish queen, 47, looked stunning in the Cherubina dress, with a matching veil and black headpiece, while taking a carriage ride with Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, 37. She and husband Felipe, 51, were being hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle. The King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, and wife, Queen Maxima, also attended the ‘Knights of the Garter’ event. British royals present included Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Prince William.
POST-OP: Price in Palma
Nip tuck
Katie Price has displayed the results of her recent facelift as she was spotted soaking up some sun in Mallorca. The reality star, 41 had travelled to Turkey to undergo the procedure along with a Brazilian bumlift and liposuction. Price seemed to have recovered well as she enjoyed a holiday in Palma with her partner Kris Boyson this week. The former page three model has previously spoken of her 'addiction' to plastic surgery, claiming she looks like a ‘Space Invader.’
Dani Garcia cooked for the Beckhams at celeb wedding of the year worth €500k THE biggest wedding of 2019 was a who’s who of Spanish football, complete with a Michelin quality menu. David Beckham, 44, and wife Victoria, 45, joined Alvaro Morata, Luka Modric and Roberto Carlos, to celebrate the nuptials of Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, 33, in Sevilla. A host of Real stars past and present joined Ramos as he wed sweetheart TV presenter Pilar Rubio, 41 at Sevilla Cathedral. Around 500 guests then celebrated with the newlyweds at a €500,000 reception on Ramos’s nearby La Alegria farm. Rubio donned a €30,000 Zuhair Murad jewel-encrusted gown with full train, which was previously worn by model, Heidi Klum at the Cannes Film Festival. Victoria Beckham made the biggest fashion splash, pairing her own chain link print dress with fuchsia pink high heels - a colour apparently banned from the wedding. Those not invited included teammate Gareth Bale, as well as former Galactico pal Cristiano Ronaldo, who instead jetted off to Greece for a family holiday. Other notable absences included Real boss, Zinedine Zidane, who was in Bilbao, and Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique and his wife Shakira. Those who did turn up were treated to a five-course masterclass from threeMichelin-star Marbella chef Dani Garcia (pictured above). First up was salted lobster with mimosas and avocado, followed by spaghetti with truffled beef stew, and a third dish, ‘monkfish Dani Garcia-style’. A kobe burger with togarashi chips
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HAPPY COUPLE: The Ramos’s and (inset) the Beckhams
Posh
celebrate their love with family and friends. Turner and Williams have famously been best friends for 10 years having met as children on the set of Game of Thrones.
Dropping in SEALED sewers, packs of sniffer dogs and dozens of private security guards. All combined to ensure high-level security measures were in place for the latest visit of the Obamas’ to Andalucia. They had been in town for a short visit to Marbella, where Barack was making a speech for executives of German tech company SAP. The ex-president’s family enjoyed the five-star luxury of the Gran Hotel Miramar, in Malaga… for a day at least!
Convoy
The only picture of the family on the coast was one of Sasha exiting the hotel, where she was staying with mum Michelle and sister Malia, during the day. The former US President arrived half an hour late to the event held at the Puente Romano hotel, before giving a 45-minute speech. He arrived in a convoy of six police vehicles and one provided by the US embassy before entering the heavily armoured resort donning dark sunglasses at 16:45. The family returned to Malaga airport immediately after the speech and headed to France for a short holiday.
...& posher rounded off the mains before diners tucked into ‘Frescor Andalusi’, a signature Garcia dessert, flavoured with tea, orange blossom, mint and pistachio. Revellers washed it all down with Dom Perignon champagne and €116-a-bot-
tle wine from Bodega Emilio Moro. Soundtracking the day were band Ketama, Flamenco singer Niña Pastori, DJ Gianluca Vacchi and 17-time Latin Grammy Award-winner, who appeared via videolink.
OBAMA: On previous visit
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NEWS
www.theolivepress.es A LAW that will prohibit diesel vehicles has been called into question by the central government for being potentially unconstitutional. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has warned that several parts of the new green law may not be totally
Spurs gaffer Pochettino bares all during family break to Balearics GRIM: Remains discovery
Femur find AN expat has unearthed a set of human remains in Andratx port. Timon Cremer, 22, from Germany, found three large bones while exploring a nearby hiking trail. The trainee diving instructor came across the grisly find after entering a hidden cave behind a fallen tree and immediately phoned police.
Bones
“At first they did not believe me,” said Cremer, who was asked to send photos to back up his claim before officers were sent out. The bones are now being tested to determine their age.
SPURS boss Mauricio Pochettino has left little to the imagination after donning Speedos during a family holiday to Formentera. The 47-year-old Tottenham manager was seen soaking up the sun on a yacht as he took a break from questions over his club’s future. The Argentine’s latest visit to Spain comes just weeks after watching his side lose the Champions League final to Liverpool in Madrid on June 1. Before heading back to the UK
Road block legal. The parts of the text that will allow diesel vehicles already registered in the Balearics, but not allow any new ones, is considered unconsti-
June 21st - July 4th 2019
Silent nights
tutional in Spain as it makes exceptions for 'location'. This is the fifth law from Balearic President Francina Armengol that Sanchez has called into question this spring alone – warning that they may be in violation of the constitution.
Nipping in to bolster his squad for the fresh Premier League season, Poch was also spotted riding a jet ski and frolicking in the sea. He was joined on the vacation to the Balearics’ smallest isle by his wife Karina, and sons Sebastiano and Maurizio. Despite seeking privacy on Formentera’s beaches, known for their crystal-clear waters, Pochettino also took time to pose for pictures with excited fans. The island, which is south of Ibiza, and can only be accessed by ferry, is a favourite of the Po-
Faux fall
A BRITISH man has failed as he tried to jump from a stairwell into a tree at a hotel in Mallorca. A video circulating on social media shows the man crashing through the tree’s crown and landing with a thump on the floor. According to Diario de Mallorca, the man broke his collarbone and ribs, leaving him with a whopping €37,000 hospital bill. The British holidaymaker then attempted to get compensatuion from the Magaluf hotel, whose name was not disclosed, by claiming he slipped at the poolside. The hotel passed the claim over to its insurers, which promptly discovered the incriminating video on social media networks. The man reportedly received a reply from the hotel saying they would not be footing his bill.
chettino clan. The family were also seen living it up there on a huge luxurious yacht near the Balearic island last year. During that trip Pochettino had admitted to keeping one eye on the World Cup, in which his star striker Harry Kane captained England to the semifinals, and won the competition’s Golden Boot Award. Kane was rumoured to be wanted by Real Madrid, but is likely to be kept at Spurs for the 2019/2020 season. After his break in the Mediterranean, Pochettino is however expected to make a splash on transfers, following his inactivity in the last two windows. If Real fail in a possible bid for Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, then Pochettino faces the prospect of losing his Tottenham talisman and free kick specialist Christian Eriksen. Rumoured targets for the Tottenham boss include midfielders Giovani Lo Celso of Real Betis and Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon. Pochettino and Spurs
Terror alert - NOT POCH SHOT: Pochettino on Formentera family holiday kick off the Premier League campaign on August 10, hosting recently-promoted Aston Villa at the newly built Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
THE British authorities have NOT issued any new warnings over terror threats to tourists in Spain. It comes after a number of English newspapers in Spain reported a new alert this week. However a Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesperson in London said: “These articles come via a Daily Star article.”
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QUIETER nights could be in store for Palma's lively La Lonja neighbourhood after a dozen local groups expressed support for closing terraces by 11pm. Many neighbourhoods in the city already have a limit of 11pm for noisy terraces to close at cafes, bars and restaurants. "The economic growth of a few can never go beyond the interests and well-being of the majority, to transform Palma into a sustainable, inclusive city and where the rights of those who inhabit it prevail,” said the associations in a joint statement. The associations have demanded that ‘their neighbourhood be a place of coexistence for residents,’ including the right to rest.
NEWS
www.theolivepress.es
Ruff justice
PEST: Baby raccoons
Raccoons on the loose RACCOONS have populated at least 14 municipalities on Mallorca since first being spotted on the island in 2006. Three baby raccoons were most recently found in Banyalbufar, with officials reminding residents to always report sightings to Cofib. Raccoons, an invasive exotic species to the Balearics, have been reported in over 25% of Mallorca. The areas of Esporles, Banyalbufar, Puigpunyent and Estellencs are considered 'hot spots' for the nocturnal animals by the UIB research group studying them. It is thought that the animals either escaped from a zoo in the Tramuntana mountains or from a home where someone might have been keeping the aggressive animals as pets. The government has been working with the university, UIB, to control the species – they are known for eating everything from fruits and plants to reptiles and rodents.
‘Vile’ animal abuser jailed after British-run shelter wins landmark legal victory A FIVE-year legal battle has led to a ‘landmark’ sentence under Spain’s animal abuse laws. A British-run animal sanctuary claimed victory after it stepped in to help a group of dogs from starvation in 2014. The Spanish owner of the dog pound, near Zaragoza, has received a six month prison sentence, a heavy fine and is banned from keeping animals for three years. A. R. G., 39, was also ordered to pay all legal costs, by the judge in Zaragoza. It comes after Alicante animal charity SCAN (Society for the
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
Care of Animals in Need), based in El Verger, near Denia, saved five dogs and reported the Spanish owner to police. President Barry Caufield, 71, was so outraged by the state of the animals (pictured top right), he insisted something had to be done. Dogs were found abandoned in plastic boxes without food, while the remains of dead ‘half-eaten dogs’ lay nearby. Huge amounts of excrement were scattered around the plot, in the village of Fayon.
Whale of a surprise DIVERS off the coast of Port de Soller were surprised by a young sperm whale who swam unusually close to the group. The mammal, about nine metres in length, was waiting near the surface while the rest of his pod were diving down deeper than the young whale could go.
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June 21st - July 4th 2019
5
Stage fright HUNDREDS of street artists in Palma have been waiting for the city to set a date for the new regulations that will govern them. To avoid saturation in the city's streets, the town hall has planned on issuing between 100 and 150 'street artist cards' which performers must hold to perform. More than 350 applications, which included samples of the perfomers’ work, were submitted during the seven-day application period.
WAITING: Buskers Artists are getting anxious as the summer season starts with no sign of when the city will choose the applicants allowed to work on the streets of Palma and Playa de Palma.
VICTORY: For Barry and SCAN “It was vile and disgusting and we simply had to do what was right,” Caufield told the Olive Press this week. “I’m delighted that justice has been served and that we have had a positive affect. “If you’re only interested in making a noise about it, nothing will ever change,” added Caufield, a former director of an insurance company in the UK. According to SCAN’s lawyer Raquel Lopez, the shelter’s intervention has made legal history in Spain. Although R. will not go to prison - as sentences under two years are waived for firsttime offenders - the case has set a ‘legal precedence’ as abandonment is now written into article 337 of the Spanish penal code.
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OPINION Bright spark NEWS of yet another pyromaniac getting their kicks by burning bins in Palma is unnerving considering police have the suspected ringleader in cuffs. The 62-year-old retiree picked up this time goes to show how easily a new copycat wave of attacks could be ignited. Police are looking into possible links between this Palma fire and previous fires in the Camp Redo area. The colossal damages these burning idiots have racked up show how urgently these crimes need to be extinguished. Total damages for the crimes are now estimated at around €370,000, as each unit costs around €700, while the cleanup is about €300. The bin burner in chief, currently behind bars, was at it for months before police caught up with him. Literally in fact, caught with his head in a bin ‘with a lighter in each hand.’ Hopefully police can nab this latest hot head with equal ease.
Tragic pattern THE news that a British teen’s death in Mallorca ‘could have been prevented’ is both shocking and sad. Thomas Channon, 18, died after he fell from a balcony in July 2018, but the revelation that it was a preventable tragedy has only just emerged. Although the student had been out drinking, Coroner Graeme Hughes said: “I do not find Tom was ridiculously drunk or out of control.” Speaking at the inquest into the lad’s death, the coroner found that ‘simple steps’ would have saved Channon. One of his findings was that a temporary fence could have saved Channon’s life. For one person to plunge to their death like this, is heartbreaking. But Channon was in fact the third fatality in similar circumstances at the same Magaluf resort in the space of 12 months. His mother, Ceri, was courageous as she said there had now been ‘recognition’ of the preventable tragedy.
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As infamous British killer Kenneth Noye is released this month, and could be on his way to Cadiz, Claire Leibovich presents 12 expat criminals captured in Spain
F
OR decades Spain was a notorious playground for the most depraved criminal masterminds and gangland enforcers. With no extradition treaty with the UK between 1978 and 1985, the Costa del Crime became a gangsters’ paradise for wily villains like Ronnie Knight, the ex-husband of actress Barbara Windsor, and Freddie Foreman, who was behind the £26 million Brink’s-Mat bullion robbery at Heathrow. Operation Captura changed all that.
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Cop killer Kenneth Noye was on licence from a previous jail term when he fatally stabbed Stephen Cameron, 21, on London’s M25 slip road, in 1996. The brutal murder, following a road rage incident, took place in front of the victim’s 17-year-old fiancee Danielle Cable. Already well known to police and knowing he would be rapidly caught, Noye immediately fled to France by helicopter and then hired a private jet to fly to Madrid. He travelled on to the Canaries and the Ivory Coast before choosing the Costa del Crime to lie low, going into hiding in Atlanterra, near Zahara de los Atunes. He soon had a Spanish girlfriend and was posing as ‘Mickey the Builder’. When police eventually traced him, they flew Danielle Cable to Spain to ID him, taking her to a restaurant where he was
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for minor crimes and extradited back to face the more serious crimes at home. On top of Operation Captura’s ‘Most Wanted’ suspects, numerous British fugitives are arrested each year in Spain for serious crimes including murder, child sexual exploit ation, fraud, drugs and firearms offences. Check out our rogues gallery of fugitives flushed out of their hideaways on Spain’s balmy shores.
eating. ‘That’s the man who killed Stephen,’ she whispered. The story goes that the cops took various tables in the restaurant and let him order his food and drink but before he could take a sip of his caña, they stormed in and arrested him. The former gangster served nearly 20 years in the UK before being released earlier in June, after it was ruled he was no longer a ‘significant risk to the public’. He still owns a property in Atlanterra (above), which has been cared for by his son since his arrest in 2000. He is certainly expected to come back.
Mark Lilley - 2013
Christy ‘Dapper Don’ Kinahan - 2010 In 2010 the ‘Dapper Don’ was arrested in his Marbella villa as the alleged mastermind behind a global drugs and weapon business. Together with his sons Daniel and Christopher, he was banged up in Alhaurin prison under Operation Shovel that caught up with 30 criminals from his gang throughout Europe. Irishman Kinahan is regarded as one of the most intelligent criminals involved in the international drugs trade. He moved to Spain after his release from prison in 2001. The investigation focused not only on drugtrafficking but also on the money-laundering and property investments in which Kinahan was allegedly involved, many of them in Es-
tepona. But after being held briefly, Kinahan and his associates were released without charge, as not enough direct evidence was found to link them to specific crimes they could be charged with.
Described as one of Merseyside’s most dangerous crooks, the heavily tattooed bodybuilder was arrested at his villa in the Alhaurin de la Torre in July 2013. Footage shows Spanish police storming into the villa and handcuffing the half-naked criminal, who had hidden in a safe room behind a bedroom wardrobe after being alerted to the raid by his three hunting dogs. Also known as ‘Fatboy’, ‘Mandy’ and ‘Big Vern’, Lilley skipped bail during a trial for drug trafficking in 2000 where he was sentenced to 23 years in jail. He was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and cannabis, as well as possessing a firearm. The 41-year-old was hauled out of the villa and helicoptered to Madrid before being extradited back to the UK.
Brian Colin Charrington - 2013
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Launched in 2006, two years after the introduction of the European Arrest Warrant, it is a joint initiative between the UK’s National Crime Agency, the Spanish authorities and Crimestoppers to capture Brits on the run in Spain. The message sent is clear: Spain will no longer be a safe haven for expat crooks. According to Jago Russell of UK charity Fair Trials International, most of the foreign nationals arrested in Spain are actually arrested
Kenneth Noye - 1998
Gillian Keller gillian@theolivepress.es Admin Beatriz Sanllehí (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es
June 21st - July 4th 2019
The former car dealer from Middlesbrough was apprehended in 2013 at his fortress villa in Calpe, on the Costa Blanca. At his trial in 2018, he was found guilty of shipping 192 kilos of cocaine from South America. Together with his son Ray Charrington, he was also convicted of money laundering. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay €31.2 million in fines. The police impounded assets worth €5 million, including a dozen luxury properties, high-end vehicles, six recreational craft and bank accounts. He was known as ‘el narco de Wikipedia’ because he apparently wrote and updated his own entry on the website. Charrington had previously been arrested in Spain in 1997 for allegedly participating in the purcination with firearms’, chase of four tons of hashish. and even changed his appearance with plastic surgery to avoid capture. from Spanish police after In November 2012, he a sophisticated roadAGAIN esc a p e d block was set up along one of his regular routes. Footage of his arrest showed armed officers swooping down on him and tackling him to the floor at his villa. Moran eventually pleaded guilty to drugs, firearms and road traffic offences while on the run and received a prison sentence of six years and six months.
Andrew Moran - 2013 In classic Hollywood style, cops burst in and arrested 31-year-old Most Wanted Andrew Moran as he was relaxing in his shorts by the pool, in Calpe, Alicante, in 2013. He had been wanted for four years since being found guilty of robbery in 2009, but managed to escape his security guards at the trial, before fleeing to Spain on a false passport. Originally from Salford, Moran went on the run, travelling across Europe with his girlfriend. He is said to have had a ‘fas-
David Mather - 2014
David Mather, 57, was held by armed police as he drove through La Linea in 2014. He had been on the run since being sentenced to 18 years in prison the year before for smuggling heroin into the UK.
‘OVERJOYED WITH MY
Election countdown
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Toni Muldoon
Podemos boss in massive comeback
Mark Acklom
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Get on with it
THE family and friends of missing Lisa Brown have been stuck in a living hell for the last year. While Lisa’s brother Craig Douglas has praised the efforts of the police, the drawn-out nature of the investigation cannot be ignored. Simon Corner has now been languishing behind bars for more than six months and yet we still appear no closer to an answer. If Stephen Jackson is the key, then investigating officers must listen to his call and visit him in the UK. Waiting for his release in October 2018 will only delay the investigation and put Lisa’s loved-ones through more unnecessary torment.
MARIANO Rajoy begins his second term in a completely different political landscape to five years ago. In 2011, Spain was still in the darkest days of a savage recession. Jobs and securing a path to economic recovery were the priority. But with Spain’s economy powering on - albeit with 18% of the country still jobless - Rajoy has switched his focus to the issue of Catalunya. The appointment of pragmatic lawyer Soraya Saenz de Santamaria indicates Rajoy is keen to pursue better relations with the key region. Santamaria has a reputation for fixing crises. She will need all her powers of diplomacy to resolve her government’s headache of Catalan independence claims.
Dining time!
WITH the sun dipping down before dinner time and the speedos well and truly tucked away for another year, there is no better time of year to explore Andalucia’s exciting inland restaurant scene! Looking to learn about the best of the region? Wanting to find its very best gems? Look no further than our fabulous new Dining Secrets of Andalucia website just relaunched in time for Autumn, Bon appétit!
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A lifetime of deception is finally catching up with notorious conman Mark Acklom, with the Olive Press joining the hunt for Britain’s most wanted
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By Rob Horgan, Joe Duggan and Laurence Dollimore
E’S posed as an MI6 agent, seduced dozens of women out of millions of pounds and been on the run for much of his life. Well-spoken and privately educated Mark Acklom drives expensive cars (Porsches, BMWs and Bentleys), watches Ascot from the Royal Enclosure - kitted out in top hat and waistcoat - and dines at the world’s top restaurants. To all intents and purposes, he is a wealthy businessman who lives the highlife with a perennial smile stretched across his face. The reality: Acklom is one of Britain’s most wanted fugitives and his catalogue of scams is rivalled only by Hollywood’s greatest fraudsters. A compulsive liar and professional swindler, Acklom, from Bromley, UK, has created a false reality in which the world is at his feet. And, unwaveringly convincing, dozens of people have swallowed his tall stories and fallen for his devilish tricks. He probably even believes it himself. Depending on who he’s talking to, he is a property developer, a banker, event manager or gynaecologist. And for each new profession, there are two or three different names: Marc Ros, Mark Ross, Zack Moss, Dr Mark Ros and Don Marc Ros are just some of the aliases he is known to have given. At the helm of countless property and investment scams around the world, Acklom has most recently been operating in Murcia and on the Costa Blanca, the Olive Press has discovered. But his time is running out after being placed on a list of Britain’s Most Wanted fugitives. Of the 10 named in the latest installment of Operation Captura last month, Acklom has garnered the most intrigue, taking up countless column inches in national newspapers in the UK and Spain. Sought over defrauding an ex-girlfriend out of €950,000 after posing as an MI6 agent, there is now a European Arrest Warrant on his head, as well as a €22,000 reward for his arrest. Unlike the paedophiles, rapists and drug dealers that appear on the list, Acklom’s criminal activities are in a completely different league… in fact, he is not even playing the same sport. After tracking down, staking out and helping police capture most wanted suspected paedophile Matthew Sammon last issue, the Olive for them to club until she left in January this year, them here. It’s an address Press went straight on the Rodriguez claims that her new real es- pick up their mail,” he said. scent of Acklom. I have tate venture has links with an estab- “I have heard a lot of complaints. Following a tip-off that he was still involved not happy with lished Swiss racing-car team. Unsur- heard that their clients are with his Spanish wife Maria Yolanda Ros prisingly, that team had them. In recent weeks there have been Rodriguez, we linked her to never heard of Ros or many people looking for them. I decided a new real estate company to stop picking up their mail two weeks Acklom when contacted. in the centre of Murcia. Their clients are not When the Olive Press ago.” he last saw the pair together over Registered under the name visited the registered of- He said happy with them. of Yolanda Ros - adopting fice in Murcia there was the summer at the golf resort. her hubby’s trick of mixing There are many no sniff of the couple or In fact, the Olive Press can reveal that up her name - Ross Luxury people looking for in even a sign on the door they were staying in a rented property Estate Agents was set up in them for Ross Luxury Estate La Manga as recently as last month. April, conveniently just one A former colleague of Ros told the Olive Agents. month after Acklom was A financial adviser in the Press ‘they left two weeks ago’. released from prison in the firm at La adjacent office said he collected the Agents at an estate agents UK for a Chelsea apartments con. come in lookcompany’s mail for Ros, who he met a Manga said the couple hadresort over the On LinkedIn, Facebook and other social year ago when she still worked for La ing to buy a house in the media sites, Ros names herself as the summer. Manga club. Managing Partner of the company, which a lot of money. “I helped her to set up the address “He was pretending to have house in Switalso ‘operates’ in Madrid. here, but there was never a place for He said he had a massive A sales member of staff at La Manga golf
olive press Vol. 7 Issue 177
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December 23 2013 - January 8 2014
PLAN: Skyscraper
Sky’s the Limit to keep Russians happy
RACING AWAY: Acklom and Ros at the Royal Enclosure at Ascot
zerland but I knew he did not have any money,” an agent told the Olive Press. “He said he was a marketing director at the big advertising firm McCann Erickson. But he used a completely different name. He called himself Mark Long.” A barman at nearby pub The Last Drop told the Olive Press that when Acklom fled the family’s rented flat at La Manga’s Buenavista ‘he didn’t pay his rent’ and ‘left behind a lot of debt’. The Olive Press also discovered Acklom’s wife owned a flat on Cartagena’s Calle Bodegones before selling it in February 2014. Neighbours were unaware of her current whereabouts. Acklom’s ties to Spain stretch back over 20 years. It was the late 1990s when Acklom first came to Spain, but he quickly left his mark on the country and by 1998 he had HAUNTS: Murcia office and (below) Yolanserved two years for a fraud involving un- da at La Manga sales office paid hotel rooms on the Costa Blanca. The Brit was arrested again six years later in Benidorm for a con in which he posed as the head of a real estate consortium, when he did not own the land he said he would build on. Court documents also show Acklom appeared in a Alicante court in 2006 over an art fraud. Most recently he was locked up by Cartagena court for a €14 million property scam in 2015 for conning two brothers out of €225,000. Prosecutor Miguel Pouget Bastida confirmed that Acklom changed his name to Mark Long by deed poll in Britain last year, the third time he has done so. Pouget’s clients, Francisco Legaz Cervantes and Domingo Legaz Cervantes, worked with Fundacion Diagrama, a Spanish non-profit organisation that helps vulnerable people. Acklom met the men in 2008, claiming to be the son of an incredibly wealthy Lloyds banker. Boasting he had three London flats worth €9.8 million in Chelsea Wharf’s Cheyne
Apartments to sell, Acklom used a fake sales price list he had forged from a Knight Frank property list to convince the brothers of his credentials. Operating alongside his then-girlfriend Josefina Rebollo Munoz, Acklom was hauled before a Spanish court in 2009 along with his accomplice after Pouget discovered the deeds to the flat sale were fake. The lawyer recommended an eight-year sentence, but before he could be tried and jailed Acklom fled. Court documents show that while on the run he married Maria Yolanda Ros Rodriguez in Totana, Murcia on March 4 2009, changing his name again the following month to Marc Ros Rodriguez. An Interpol warrant was issued for Acklom’s arrest and he was finally tracked down to the Italian port of Genoa in November, 2014 and deported to Spain where he served 18 months behind bars. “I love so much catching conmen,” said Pouget. “But this is the case has had me working even harder. “Mark has an incredible capacity for fantasy. But I think he talks too much.” While in prison, Acklom revealed to a fellow convict that he had gold bars buried in Spain as a ‘form of insurance’. A serial fraudster, the 43-year-old scams began in childhood when he stole his mum Diana’s mink coat so he could sell it. At 16, he stole his father’s American Express card and racked up a €12,000 bill before posing as a stockbroker in a €1.2 million fraud. In a career that has spanned four decades he has left a trail of broken hearts as he targets vulnerable women. One former associate said: “He loves making women fall in love with him. He gets a kick out of having them buy wedding dresses for a ceremony he knows will never take place because he’ll have vanished. In the decade I knew him, he fooled more than 50 women.” In blog posts, Acklom repeatedly denies many of his crimes and moans about harassment from the law and from ‘people pretending to be the police’. He pleads: “I have paid my time and it is absurd to be paying for that again and again.” Insisting he has ‘a life-threatening illness’ he claims to live a quiet life working on his autobiography. Wherever he is, that autobiography is sure to be one hell of a read.
THE UK’S MOST WANTED FUGITIVES
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The Olive Press
VICTIMS in Spain have fresh hope after Nigel been given Goldman was found guilty of fraud in the UK. A jury heard how the Olive instrumental in bringing Press was old, now called Howard the 58-yeardel Monte, to justice. After spotting our reports men who failed to receiveonline, two they had purchased from gold coins him called in police. A year later, he was found guilty on two counts of fraud and now faces jail.
to all our Seasonal wishes To long-time Olive Press readers and advertisers readers, notorious Nigel ‘Naughty’ Goldman will be a familiar figure. The three times imprisoned Where’s naughty conman, continued a string Nigel? of scams in Spain, including selling dodgy gold coins and stamps on eBay, as well as taking millions in bogus investment fraud. He was eventually handed a 12-month suspended sentence in January 2016 in the UK, but has so far failed to face justice in Spain, where he has many victims. Abortion: Back to the dark ages
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ANGRY: Protesters
A BITTER war of words has broken out between Marbella’s new and old guard over plans to erect a 50-storey skyscraper off the Golden Mile. Prince Pablo von Hohenlohe, whose uncle built the Marbella Club hotel, insists the project is totally out of keeping with the town’s low-rise, low-density housing. “You can’t mortgage the future of the town for the benefit of a few,” said Hohenlohe of the first block that would be built on the Istan road, overlooking the palace of the Saudi royal family. The scheme, designed by architect Ricardo Bofill, could be the first of six to be allowed in the Marbella area, after the town hall published a new proposed PGOU town plan.
By Claire Wilson
PROTESTS have erupted around Spain after the government approved abortion laws that take the country back 30 years. The new abortion law will permit the procedure only in cases of rape, mental or physical risks to the mother, or lifethreatening foetal deformities. Hundreds gathered outside parliament in Madrid and burnt an effigy of Minister of Justice Alberto Ruiz Gallardon who masterminded the law. Protesters took to the streets in around 20 other cities, including Malaga, Bilbao and Barcelona, while the Socialist party has already announced further protests.
Winter and wonderl arrived when he a massive to ski in Andalucia he has become it was possible had no idea as a keen snowboarder, Liam Kirkaldy ago. Now, here six monthsfan Sierra Nevada
was once it that there with his EGEND haslord who lived casa wealthydaughter in a remote southbeautiful Alpujarras, on the tle in the Sierra Nevada. he of the and because ern slopes off to a felwas controlling, away The lord to marry his daughter her hidden planned he kept could not meet she low landowner world so had from the daughter anyone else. to him, his at night, someBut unknown out the house in love with been sneaking already fallen and had – a local shepherd. her father’s one else two learned of through the When the decided to elope mountains plans, they Sierra Nevada if it meant even snow-bound to the north, and flee accordhis lover, into their deaths. bumped to way to meet But on his the shepherd him a broom ing to legend, who offered in the snow. the devil, lord, the hide his tracks by the richuntil they Pursued fled of Alcazayoung couple the peak reached sits at 3,371 meba, which a few less than its tres, just rivals Veleta and two nearby(3,482m). Mulhacen they dropped the by But whenbegan to sweep broom it an avalanche itself, causingtheir pursuers. and burying goes that the The storybroom’ was left ‘devil’s where it still landslides there forgotten, causing sweeps, to this day. at the base When I arrived Nevada last by jutting of the Sierra patches week, greeted scattered hills withlandslides were the of snow, on my mind. last thing mountain range The tallest Europe, the Siin southern is higher than erra Nevada and has one the Pyrenees
L
Turn to
page 17
No donkeys, sledges or snowboards...the three kings trudge up the snowy slopes of the Sierra Nevada... see our annual skiing supplement on page 15
HIDDEN ASSETS:
Goldman with Suzanne Couling
HE has been one of the coast’s most colourful characters for years. Regularly hosting charity auctions and appearing on radio phone ins, he even had his own restaurant column in a local newspaper. But now things appear to
the Olive Press INVESTIGATES
have come unstuck for ‘Sir’ Nigel Goldman with police and lawyers actively seeking his whereabouts. The self-styled poker wizard, who dealt in gold and coins, has allegedly fallen foul of regulators by offering bad financial advice and leaving investors empty handed. Spanish police are now probing two of his financial companies - Harvard Private Client and International Fi-
nancial Investment - with Goldman allegedly fleeing the country back to the UK. A separate police report has now been filed with Action Fraud UK. Two victims alone, expats Roy and Jennifer Feather, claim to have lost €550,000, while another Geoffrey Whitton claims to have lost over €20,000. “I’d like to find him and get my money back,” said Whitton, a writer, from Cornwall, currently based in Madrid. According to Marbella lawyer Antonio Flores of Lawbird,
At a heated meeting on Friday at El Fuerte hotel, a mix of locals, including aristocrat Beatriz de Orleans and environmentalist Javier de Luis, vowed to fight the plans, setting up a new platform. They warn that the skyscrapers would destroy the charm of the town and thousands have now signed a petition against the building. Developer Pedro Rodriguez however, insisted the scheme would be positive for the town, which is rapidly becoming more popular for Russians and Eastern Europeans. He said: “The British and Scandinavians like old style architecture, but the Russians demand modern apartments.” Pablo Moro, who is responsible for town planning in Marbella, also dismissed the outcry. He said: “There was opthere are ‘likely to be’ many position in Paris when then more victims. they built the Eiffel Tower.” Public school educated Gold- However, the town hall has man - who lived in an up- agreed to set up a public conmarket Elviria development sultation body and listen to and drove a Mercedes - cer- the views of its people. Indeed, tainly had pedigree. Visit www.change.org to sign the petition See page 2
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This heinous paedophile was snared by the Olive Press just hours after his mugshot went out across the media in the annual 2016 Crimestoppers Most Wanted appeal in Spain. FOR 1 Working on a tip-off from an 2eagle-ey ANTed HONreader, our YS reporters tracked down Sammo n in Fuengirola be59€ fore calling the Guardia Civil to arrest him in a dramatic midnight raid in November 2016. The story hit national headlines in the UK. Mafia town
BANGED UP: Sammon bundled into police car and (inset) his campervan
How the CEO of organized crime corrupted a town hall PAGE 8
EXCLUSIVE: Expat tip leads Olive Press snare one of UK’s most team wanted paedophiles to
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It’s a true city of culture, Malaga has so much morebut PAGE 16
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a typical town
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HERE are beer with few places in the world an army general where general stands … and even you can drink all the rounds! Ronda, fewer where the Celebrating however, is one bar El Porton,a recent promotionof those places. ish Legionnairean olé away from with friends in quintessential After introducingCarlos Velo is Spain’s oldest bullring - Spanme to the eager to include me quail eggs town’s signature - Carlos (above) in the party. Iraq, Afghanistan tapa regales me with tales - jamon and the ‘best place and Bosnia from “I have been in the world’. before explaining why tours to Ronda is says, taking all over the world a swig from and seen back into many his been to.” his face. “But Rondacana and pushing things,” he his glasses is the best Originally place I have ever ago whenfrom Madrid, Carlos moved he joined its two national the Spanish to Ronda some 35 years Legion, which naires at present.bases here, counting on around has one of “The quality 800 legioncan live like of life in Ronda is like nowhere a gentleman everyone else. here, in Madrid else in “Everything I would justSpain. I is affordable, be like ing from tapas if you in your pocket. bar to tapas bar like you can spend the day goand you will “And the still have change scenery is breathtaking,” he adds. “The walks Continues
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19 19
EAGLE-EYED Olive readers helped snag one Press WORDS AND PICS of Britain’s most wanted fugitives By Rob Horgan and in Laurence Dollimore Spain, just hours after he had been named. al Crime Agency, Following a tip off to the paper, the scene after who arrived at suspected paedophile Matthew the arrest. “Well done Olive Sammon was dragged from his thanks to the expat Press and campervan in a dramatic community time raid and whisked night- for tipping us off, this is the reaan unmarked police car.away in son we run these campaigns.” Working closely with informant The dramatic day had started when Crimestoppers issued Daniel Reid, we were its able to annual list of firstly track down Sammon most wanted tives in Torremolinos on fugito Fuengirola, then call Thursin the day morning. Guardia Civil to arrest him. Leading to hundreds of press On the run for two years, Sam- stories around mon - a blackbelt in Jujitsu the world and - on national television, was wanted in the UK for the hunt shar- was immediately ing indecent images of children. on. But, it was to popular His seizure came just 10 local after he was named in hours newspaper the Olive Press tion Captura and is the Opera- that expat plasterer Reid, 40, quickest reached out recorded arrest in the joint to, trusting us to SUCCESS: Reid, UK ‘do the job properly’. Horgan, and Spanish police operation. Reynolds and Brunt In a series of Facebook “It was a fantastic result,” mes- as a labourer said sages, he announced and was currently Steve Reynolds, from the that Sam- living Nation- mon, 45, had worked for him the in a campervan around Mijas and Fuengirola area.
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Freedom
movement, Femen The which staged a topless protest at parliament in October, warned on Twitter: “If they take away our right to decide, we’ll have to abort the Church and everything that limits our freedom.” The ruling PP party had promised to change the law in its run up to the 2011 election. Currently women can abort without restrictions until the 14th week of pregnancy. In a 2012 poll, 81% of Spaniards said they were opposed to changes to Spain’s abortion laws. The PP was keen to empha-
One way ticket to jail! Page 4
December 10th - 22nd
TV debate minus the PM
INCISIVE: Malaga PP boss points out another Olive Press exclusive to Rajoy OME say the Spanish Prime Minister is out of touch Readers of La has taken his finger off and While debate still the pulse. rages But Mariano Rajoy proved Vanguardia went was clearly engrossed about his ability to speak English, he in our last front page, before priorities straight in the doubters wrong by getting his minute flicking even stronger in spending a run-up to the most exciting through the issue. their support, giv- eral election in Spanish history. gen- Finding plenty of interest, with Malaga’s ing him an aston- While the other party leaders engaged PP boss Elias Bendodo a crucial TV debate on looking over his shoulder, he then pointed out ishing 55%, ahead Monday, the PP boss was preoccupied in something apparwith the more important ently intriguing on the cover. matter of... what’s happening in Andalucia. of Rivera (16%), Perhaps he was making And his choice a note of the website for Sanchez ence on his return to Madrid? future refer(16%) After a keynote of reading matter was spot on! campaign Or maybe, just maybe, and Saenz de San- he he was imagining himself found time to catch upspeech for party faithful in Estepona, cover pictured on the tamaria (13%). of on our expat next news edition by following a landslide victory own, decade-old, super-reliable reading your very 20. Dreams can come true. on December Olive Press. Election fever sweeps nation Page 6-7
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The Olive Press went on the hunt of fugitive Mark Acklom, one of Britain’s Most Wanted, for a few months in 2017, linking him to numerous scams in Spain. We traced his wife to a business address in Murcia and found his rented home. Catch However, he had H me... just moved to IF Madrid, before YOU heading to SwitCAN zerland, where he was arrested MOST WANTED... last year. FEATURE
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...while Rajoy brushes up on his expat news
A BEAMING Pablo Iglesias came both parties. out swinging during a leaders’ debate to blowcrucial TV “This is the reason Mr Rajoy the Span- not here: is ish general election wide he too received illegal open. payments,” roared Iglesias. With Prime Minister Mariano Ra- Also insisting joy absent - and watching he would ings in his pyjamas - the proceed- bomb Syria, he clearly got not the Podemos upper leader’s popularity received hand on his nervous boost in front of a record a huge main anti-corruption rival Al9.2 mil- bert Rivera, lion viewers, Spain’s of Ciudadanos. largest TV The end audience of 2015. result was ‘una ba’, as the Spanish wouldbomGoing for the jugular, haired leader slammed the long- coming out on top by a milesay, in and PSOE - over a raft the PP - various polls yesterday. tion scandals, that haveof corrup- These included the right-leanengulfed ing El Mundo, their parties. with nearly half of the paper’s readers In a damning final (42%) 51-second siding round-up of why he should be- Soraya with him, while PP rep come Spain’s new PM, Saenz de Santamafive key cases that havehe listed ria got 30%, Rivera 22% and rocked PSOE’s Pedro Sanchez, just 7%.
See page 2
The Olive Press first exposed the timesharestyle cons conducted by infamous fraudster Toni Muldoon and his Costa del Sol cronies way back in 2008. We continued to monitor their scams with regular stories until Muldoon was finally put away in 2014 for running a bogus escort service. ‘Timeshare Toni’, as he became known to Olive Press readers, wrote a string of books on his scams before passing away this year.
Vol. 10 Issue 228
begins with sensational
Pablo’s back...
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After a tip-off to the paper, the Olive Press tracked down and photographed one of Crimestoppers Most Wanted Daniel Johnston, in Pruna, Sevilla, who had been sought for a string of violent robberies in the UK. Despite informing the authorities it amazingly took a month for them to finally pick him up.
- SHINING STAR PAGE 52 The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía
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Terry Wright The Olive Press has been investigating boiler rooms in Spain from day one. In 2011 we revealed that blacklisted British businessman Terry Wright had earned millions of euros by persuading unsuspecting investors to part with their hard-earned cash. We found a series of lists of his scams and his victims names and addresses and literally banged him to rights, before he fled to France, buying a castle with his ill gotten gains.
June 21st - July 4th 2019
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PECKING ORDER: Olive Press website at 7,501 in Spain and 157,658 in the world, with EWN and SUR in English well below us according to Alexa.com
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 you are. www.theolivepress.es
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Christopher Mealey - 2014
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Christopher Mealey was held by armed police as he walked down the beach in Marbella in 2014. Originally from London, the 38-year-old was wanted in connection with importing cocaine worth millions of pounds into the UK. His father-in-law John Reed and six others have already received prison sentences totalling more than 130 years in connection with the drug smuggling investigation. Hank Cole, head of international operations for the NCA, said that Mealey’s capture ‘demonstrates the NCA and its partners have the capability to pursue fugitives relentlessly’.
Paul Monk - 2015 The 54-year-old fugitive was arrested in 2015 as he oversaw workmen laying a marble patio around the swimming pool at his luxury villa near Benidorm, Alicante. The Guardia Civil issued dramatic video footage showing armed officers swooping on the property. Detectives found written notes pertaining to the supply of 997 kilos of cocaine with a street value of €66 million, as well as an imitation firearm, €125,000 euros stashed in a plant pot and a fake Slovenian passport. Originally from Romford, near Essex, Monk fled to Spain in 2013 while on licence from a nine-year sentence for a €3.3 million cannabis smuggling racket. He obtained false identity documents and continued to run a €67 million international drug supply network from his home in Spain. Police said he never left the villa for fear he would be shot dead by rivals, or arrested. He relied on friends to bring him food as he led the life of ‘an authentic fugitive’.
Joseph Lindsay - 2018 The Glaswegian ganglord was arrested in 2018, near South Tenerife airport where he was meeting relatives. Police had prepared the ambush after discovering that relatives of Lindsay had booked flights to spend the New Year in Tenerife. The 34-year-old was wanted by Scottish authorities for a tally of 29 crimes, punishable by 100 years in prison. He is accused of member-
ship of a criminal organisation, drugs and weapons trafficking, money laundering, computer crime, homicide and serious assault, kidnapping, unlawful detention and the taking of hostages, as well as armed robbery. His gang stood out because of the level of violence they employed, including the use of firearms. Lindsay was jailed in Spain before being extradited to the UK.
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Jamie Acourt - 2018
The 42-year-old drug smuggler - one of the gang accused of killing black teenager Stephen Lawrence - was arrested in 2018, as he was leaving a gym in Barcelona. He fled the UK in 2016 after police raided his home in Kent. He had been living in Spain for two years, under the alias ‘Simon Alfonzo’. At his trial last December, Acourt admitted his role in a multi-mil-
Shane Walford - 2015 Walford was convicted for the manslaughter of an off-duty fireman while on leave from the army. The former soldier killed father-of-two Paul Gibbons with a single punch outside a bar in Coventry. The former boxer was imprisoned for four-and-a-half years and released after serving half of his sentence, but was recalled to prison in August 2013 after breaking the terms of his licence. The 42-year-old fled the country but was eventually tracked down and arrested in 2015 in the Canary Islands.
James Quinn - 2016 Irish hitman Quinn was arrested in September 2016 while trying to board a plane in Madrid. The 36-year-old was accused of gunning down Gary Hutch in Fuengirola in 2015, allegedly on the orders of ganglord Christy Kinahan and sparked by the infamous feud between the Kinahans and the Hutch clan that has seen 18 killings so far. A yacht and Bentley believed to have been used in the operation were seized in Spain. While in Dublin, Gardai found €23,000 in cash, along with computers, phones, false IDs and financial documents relating to property purchases and foreign bank accounts. Quinn, a former boxer, had already served time behind bars in Ireland for a string of more than 70 convictions. In 2019, the father-of-one was convicted by a Spanish court and sentenced to a record 22 years in prison. lion pound cannabis smuggling operation and was sentenced to nine years behind bars. Prosecutors believe that Acourt, together with his brother Neil, enlisted family members to the scheme that saw drugs transported between London and the north. Both brothers were prime suspects in the racist murder of Lawrence (right) back in 1993, but always denied involvement. In 2012, 19 years after the mur-
der, pals Gary Dobson and David Norris were finally convicted and jailed for life.
Green means go! ONE local newspaper insists on dressing up its staff in red and telling the coast how it is the definitive best free media group in Europe. What it fails to realise is red also means ‘stop’... which is almost exactly what has happened to its website over the last few months. So bad have been the hits to our ‘rival’s’ website this year, that the paper has gone from shouting about its amazing site on page 4 to burying its statistics on page 69. It comes as their website sunk in position by around 30,000 places globally and its stories garnered around 70,000 page views a week - or roughly what the Olive Press online is now getting a day. This, dear readers is all about content and investing in journalism. It is also about looking after your staff, not insulting your readers and not delivering the same story twice in the same edition.
Reporting
Above all, it is about spending money on actual reporting, as we have been doing at the Olive Press for the last 13 years. All in all, green means go as we head up to 7,500th position in Spain, according to Amazon. com’s Alexa ranking, out of two million sites, as well as 157,000th in the world, out of billions of websites. Meanwhile, the EWN sits at 220,000 and Sur in English, another local newspaper group, sits at 618,000. Google Analytics delivers a similar story, showing clearly how we are frequently outpacing our rivals. When it comes to Facebook, Twitter, breaking news, analysis, features, travel and culture, remember: Olive Press online. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, delivering the best English news website in Spain.
LETTERS
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Seriously ill Briton locked up with terrorists after being fingered for 1.5 TONNES of hashish found at holiday rental home
A BRITISH businessman - who attended Eton with David Cameron and Boris Johnson - is seriously ill in an Andalucian prison having been accused of drug smuggling. Robert Anthony MansfieldHewitt, 51, was arrested after police swooped on his rental home during a short business trip to Gibraltar two months ago. The consultant engineer, who insists he is innocent, has yet to be charged over the 1.5 tonnes of hashish police found in the garage of the villa he rented through Airbnb. He insists he has absolutely ‘no connection’ to the drugs that were being stored at the rental in Campamento, in San Roque. The owner of the villa, the Olive Press understands, was charged for importing cocaine into Gibraltar last year. In the case, that has strange parallels to the plight of Scottish student Robbie McMiller, MansfieldHewitt was woken up and ‘dragged out of bed practically naked at gunpoint’ by police officers at 8.30pm
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SOME 14 fire bosses have been arrested for allegedly embezzling €7 million in public funds. The Policia Nacional found that the Consortium of Bomberos Cadiz took out mass early retirement insurance policies. But when their employees retired early, chiefs siphoned off the money from the payouts. Authorities also found discrepancies in the consortium’s training courses. Large sums were paid to a company to provide training courses, but no evidence has been found that these courses took place. Meanwhile, irregularities were also found in grants and subsidies, which cops believe were used to pay for private trips. The irregularities date back to 2008 and cops believe at least €7 million has been stolen by those at the top.
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ding to a close friend and neighbour back home in the UK. And worse than that, he faces losing his home, as the rent has not been paid for months. “It’s just awful and the authorities Spain are burying their heads in in sand,” said Cliff Ruffle, 57, who the has known Mansfield for years.
UK
January 3rd 2019
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SEASON
Brighten up the dark nights with Malaga’s festive lights
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How to celebrate Christmas like a Spaniard
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Costa del Sol traditions not to miss this year
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2
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Costa del Sol hotel has three months to fight decision before it is demolished
A HOTEL is to be knocked down for not having enough class! Benalmadena’s Hotel Vista de Rey must be demolished within three months, a court has ruled, Andalucia’s Superior Court of Justice ruled that the hotel falls short of its four-star requirement.
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than permitted. Although the town hall and developer maintain this excess was later corrected, the judge ruled that the rectification would have taken place after the granting of the licence, so does not count. The building has 61 apartments and 46 parking spaces. The original building was granted planning permission by then mayor Enrique Bolin in 2001.
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POLICE officers have formed a human wall along a beach in La Linea to ensure that the construction of a beach wall went ahead. The wall, between the church of Nuestra Senora del Carmen and the perimeter wall of the fishing port of La Atunara, hopes to
deter drug smugglers from using the beach as a drop off zone. A combined police presence of Guardia Civil, local and national officers were present as fears grew that drug smugglers would try and disrupt the work.
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DANGER: Fire set near homes
of six boxes of matches, three lighters and two packs of barbeque firelighters. “We surprised the arsonist with both hands inside the container and a lighter ready to set fire to it,” said police inspectors Eduardo Perez. “Once surprised, the defendant collapsed and voluntarily confessed.” The suspect, who is a nonsmoker, receives a state pension, and is the first of four arsonists arrested, to be granted bail. Perez added: “We are completely sure that in Palma there are more arsonists and some imitators, but with this arrest we have managed to arrest one of the most important.” His lawyer, Josep Perello was contacted by the Olive Press but did not respond.
nity in Mallorc a Off to prison he commu should go for needs? willful destruction of public property and environmental contamination (Notorious B.I.N., Issue 56, pg 4). But no, that won’t happen. He will just get a fine to teach him a lesson and he will do it again.
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TRASH CANNED: Arsonist led into court with cops, while (inset) previous story
three other incidents, centred around Calle Aragon, over recent months, they knew they had their man. The man, who has psychiatric problems, admitted to being a serial arsonist. Incredibly, he insisted he had started his reign of destruction
30 years serving the expatriate
As a Spanish speaker since I was eight years old, I can confirm the translation of this is correct. ‘Tocar los cojones’ is to take the piss, i.e. be annoying. If you want a direct translation into English it means ‘to touch the balls’, which doesn’t make sense. Not everything can be translated directly, which is why you can’t always rely on Google translate.
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Buzz off, Bojo! THE British pound will plummet against the euro if Boris Johnson is elected as the UK's next prime minister, a leading financial group has claimed. In bad news for British retirees abroad, Johnson's openness to a no-deal Brexit ‘will have a negative impact on British sterling.’ It means Brits in Spain who rely on their UK pensions, will see their real income shrink, according to the deVere Group. "The pound will be delivered another bloody nose should Boris, the current frontrunner, win the race to be Tory leader,” said CEO Nigel Green. “Pressure will hit sterling due to the increased likelihood that the UK would be taken into a no-deal Brexit by Mr Johnson.” The former London mayor is the odds-on favourite to win the Conservative party leadership contest, securing the support of more than 40 Conservative MPs, putting him far ahead of his rivals.
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He even got himself a financial advice slot on a well known radio station, through which he snared unsuspecting victims. However, a comprehensive Olive Press investigation exposed his scams that involved stamps, coins and gold. We also revealed how he and his close pal Barry Nathan wined and dined up to a dozen criminals, anonymously, through the food column. He eventually fled the country following our expose, but we soon tracked him down to the UK, where he had changed his name by deed poll and was selling coins and antiques on eBay from a small Berkshire cottage. He was quickly found guilty under English law of conning people and given a suspended prison sentence only due to health reasons. “And because he promised to never go back to his online cons,” one of the British victim explained. But this is apparently not the case with two victims claiming he is still using eBay to sell ‘dodgy’ coins and stamps from his unpaid flat in Brighton, using the names ‘gqtrading’ and ‘gqtrading2’. “We are pretty sure he has broken his bail conditions and will have to finally go back to prison,” said one victim. “The nerve of this man is unbelievable.” His landlord last night insisted he should have known something was up from the start. “When we met to sign the contracts I thought he was a bit slippery, I went to pay for my coffee only for the barista to tell me he had left without paying his bill.” He continued: “He paid for the first couple of months but then just stopped. He told us his account had been frozen due to a money laundering investigation, which is probably true. “He then told us to stop contacting him and accused us of harrassment. “Now he is claiming he is seriously ill and can’t work to make payments. “We’ll see him in court.”
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a wall.” Hewitt continues to be held despite his deteriorating condition and a lack of evidence. One bizarre reason for the denial bail was that investigators found a of panese ‘Katana’ Samurai sword in Jahouse, which they said constitutedthe a lethal weapon. Shockingly, it wasn’t until May 27, last month, that he finally had a court hearing. Sensitive However, despite attending the court “Rob is a lovely, lovely guy who wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s a sensitive in San Roque, the Olive Press was unasoul, it’s just awful what is happening.” ble to get into the hearing. In a document now seen by the Olive The teacher added that Mansfield is Press, prosecutors are seeking ‘just a hair’s width’ from losing his renfour years and eight months of jail time and tal home in Emsworth, Hampshire. an €8 million fine. “We have just been able to stop repossession order, but the courts the However a verdict was meant to have are been delivered within 10 days, saying if they don’t hear news shortly but has it yet to be made. will have to happen,” he said. “I’ve written so many emails to diffe- “They offered to let him go if he pleaded guilty,” added friend Ruffle, “But rent government departments and Robert refused, he is a man feel like I’m banging my head against of great ethics and will fight this to the very end.” Meanwhile, friend of 20 years, vicar and RAF Padre Rebekah Cannon has also described the ‘hopeless’ situation as ‘a stalemate’. Hewitt’s PA Pillie Ford told the Olive Press: “This is now not just a joke, it BASED has gone beyond limits. This is an innocent man… the real man in question is hiding in Gibraltar.” Robert’s lawyer, Jose Maria Castro Escudero, failed to comment in time for press. www.mosquitonick.ws
cites, who has not been getting his medication regularly, if at all, it has been 365 days of hell. Police had been alerted to the garage the rental property in Campamentoof which Robert claims he never steppedfoot inside - when a Moroccan man was seen trying to break in. As the Olive Press reported last year, the home was owned by a man with previous convictions for drug dealing and Mansfield had a business he worked with in Gibraltar But that seemed irrelevant when was taken in front of a judge at San he Roque court 48 hours later, who sent him to prison to await trial. He has since been denied bail three times, despite suffering serious health issues, which led him to be rushed to hospital on two occasions. His health is still ‘touch and go’, accor-
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FRUIT growers in the Axarquia are facing a 60% reduction in water use from the La Vinuela reservoir with no solution in sight. The Junta has decided to limit its use as the reservoir is already at 22.7% capacity and could drop even lower if the dry weather keeps up.
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Vol. 13 Issue 307
FRIENDS and family are rallying round a seriously ill British man EXCLUSIVE set to spend Christmas 15%’ having collapsed By Elisa Menendez behind following sion bars in Andalucia. his incarceration in for our visits, June. the garage of the Robert Mansfield-Hewitt, can’t talk to him but since we rental home in “Robert is not well - he and none of 51, sti- Campamento. needs a us speak ll insists he known walking stick and Spanish, nothing about His PA, a €5.5million haul Pilar given one. He also he’s not been know what to do.” we just don’t told of hashish Olive Press Ford, 54, told the to found in a San she has now organigo back into hospital.me he has She said one friend has managed rental property heRoque Airbnb sed a raffle and raised €200 Meanwhile, friend to stayed at on a him to buy for Vicar of 20 years, fly get in touch and is planning to business trip six months books, to Spain in the New Rebekah pens as Christmas shampoo and in Chichester, Cannon, based sit him Year to viThe Chichester engineer,ago. presents. in prison. has also described (pictu- “He’s locked red right) who has the ‘hopeless’ situation According to his severe liver is absolutely up in a hell hole and colleagues he as ‘a sta- may disease ascites, is finally be charged ‘miserable’ and Christmas devastated to spend lemate’. this week ‘confused’ at having there,” said Ford and could face up who to six years in festive season lockedto spend the works alongside the Brit prison if found guilty. at electrical company Neither an appeal up. Letters He has been denied from his local Ltd in Gibraltar. Genco Holdings bail twice, MP or UK press reports She is exasperated with one reason ped him get bail over have hel- “He’s been stuck in solitary not reach him on that she can- panese ‘Katana’ being that a Jathe telephone Samurai sword for which he has the offence, finement. Imagine that, an con- and while her letters was allegedly found still not been cent man inno- in charged. and keeps Spain, they are allhave arrived the Olive Press has in the house, returned to The learnt. am I here?’ We just asking ‘why sender without Mansfield-Hewitt, judge refused bail don’t know being opened. in OctoPhD, has been in who has a what to do.” “It’s all one way, he sends us le- ber given the ‘quantity of drugs tafuegos prison - Algeciras’ Bo- Ford, who visited him a seized, which were which houses ght ago, fortni- tters but we can’t located in the ETA terrorists - since is extremely concerned don’t even think get in touch. I garage, and the his family have presence of a KaJune after about his health, 1.5 tonnes of drugs tana weapon in the after doctors got their letters through were found in said his ‘liver living room’, was functioning at son,” she told the Olive the pri- stated in court documents TM obtai“Robert has to requestPress. permisTurn to page
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BRITON’S PRISON NIGHTMARE
“The doctor said he hadn’t been CAPTION: given his medication and his liver was functioning at just 15%. His heartbeat was almost non-existent and he was delirious.” His lawyer Jose Maria Castro Escudero believes he is now being administered the correct medication, but still remains in a critical condition. The nightmare began after police were alerted to the stash after following a man of Moroccan nationality, who pulled up outside the property and attempted to get into the garage. Police found 48 packets of hashish weighing around 33 kilos each, or almost 1.5 tonnes. If found guilty he could be sentenced to up to six years in a Spanish prison. According to his lawyer he is ‘fighting every day to free Robert’ and get him bail, meaning he would likely have to report to police once a month while he awaits
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daily for his illness.” After spending two days in a cell, he appeared in front of a judge at San Roque court before being sent to Botafuegos prison. Ford is concerned he has not been receiving the correct medication, after he collapsed in shock as his ‘body started to shut down’ on the way to prison. He was rushed to ICU at Hospital Punta de Europa where his survival chances were described as ‘touch and go’.
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Friends send festive gifts to ‘innocent’ Brit spending Christmas in solitary confinement in Algeciras prison
CAGED: Notorious prison while (right) Mansfield-Hewitt and (above right) ETA terrorist
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IT was supposed to be a run-of-the mill business trip. Robert Mansfield-Hewitt had rented A CRAFTY new traffic camera raked a room in what seemed an ordinary in more than €600,000 in fines from apartment in San Roque and was set to attend meetings in Gibraltar. unsuspecting drivers in its first five What the 51-year-old engineer months, new figures have revealed. didn’t The camera on Ronda’s famous know was that someone was using the Puente Nuevo (above) issued 18,000 adjoining garage to stockpile 1.5 tonnes of hashish, worth a whopping €5.5 fines to drivers going into the old million. town at restricted times. The Chichester man found out The town hall is €650,000 better the after the site registered an averageoff, hard way when he was cuffed in a draof matic raid on the property last 120 offences a day. June. Tickets are €70, reduced to €35, And despite urgent appeals from family and friends - as well as his local if offenders pay early, but the hain the UK - he has been locked MP ppy-snapping camera has caused wi- Algeciras’ notorious Botafuegos up in despread outrage. prison “Both my husband and I were fined since then. in the same week, and we both alre- Home to ETA terrorists and murderers, Hewitt - who has a PHD ady have official passes into the old avid poet in his spare time and is an town,” one local expat, based in Ron- will have been held for exactly one year on June da, told the Olive Press. 27. For a man with severe liver disease as-
2019
UN-MERRY XMAS
EXCLUSIVE By Elisa Menendez
on June 27. Colleagues and friends told the Olive Press that Mansfield-Hewitt, who has a PhD and no criminal record, is an ‘innocent man’ and has been wrongfully imprisoned. They added that the Chichester-raised engineer is currently in a critical condition and is being held in the medical wing at Botafuegos prison in Algeciras - a dangerous jail, which notoriously houses a number of Basque ETA terrorists. The Brit, a consultant at electrical company Genco Holdings Ltd in Gibraltar, who regularly travels to the Rock, suffers from severe liver disease Ascites and walks with a cane. His PA, Pilar June Ford, 54, said she was ‘horrified’ when she received a call from her boss screaming at La Linea police station. She told the Olive Press: “He was at the station shouting ‘please help me, help me, bring me clothes, there’s loads of drugs in the house.’ It was horrible. “I rushed there with a huge bag of medication, which he needs to take
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December 19th - January 3rd 2019
December 19th- January 3rd
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WHILE it’s foggy in the Pyrenees and they’re shivering in the Alps, I’m taking the sun near the top of Spain’s second highest mountain. It’s early December and yet the Sierra Nevada still remains warm during the day. Some people t-shirts and everyone is looking tanned. are skiing in Even better, my elevenses of a croissant, Coke come to less than €10 euros... andapple and a that is at a restaurant halfway up the slopes! “Here we sell the weather, not the number tres,” explains Juan Luis Hernandez, boss of kilomeschool. “And the prices have hardly gone of EOE ski On top of that you are just over an hour up for years.” ches of Almunecar and half an hour to from the beathe celebrated Alhambra. That is hard to beat. What is certainly changing in the Sierra Nevada though is the dedication to move forward. Believe me, I’ve been coming for 15 years... and this is the 10th anniversary of the Olive Press’ special supplement on the resort. New kilometres of pistes are added every year and this year - by amazing fortune - it snowed in November, the resort opened a week so heavily earlier than expected, with a record 40,000 skiers enjoying the De-
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aboutthe olive press - October 30 - November AXARQUIA 12 2014 ierra Nevada
COSTA DEL SKI
LIGHTING THE WAY: A new lighthouse
THE EGG TEST Everyone has heard of the claims that it is hot enough in Andalucia to cook an egg on the pavement... we visited Ecija, the ‘Frying pan of Spain’, to test out the theory, CRACKING JOB PAGE 6
FLASHBACK: Our previous Turn to page 8
S A Sierra
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Vol. 12 Issue 298 www.theolivepress.es August 15th - August 28th 2018
Plummet
It comes after the Rabobank in London warned that a no-deal Brexit could end in euro-sterling parity, while last week saw the pound plummet to an eight-month low. British expat Karen Watling, from Sheffield, claims she has lost as much as a third of her monthly budget. “Over two years this has caused us problems financially,” she told the Olive Press. “Prices and commodities have also risen so it has been like a double hit.” The exchange rate was an average 1.24 in 2014 before climbing to an average 1.38 in 2015. However the year of the referendum saw the average fall to 1.22 before falling again to 1.14 in 2017. This year so far has been lower at 1.13 and it currently stands at 1.12. Brexpats in Spain has called for a government-run internet bank offering basic current accounts, debit cards and the option to carry out international and national transfers online. The group even suggests ordering RBS - the only bank in the UK in which the government has a stake -
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For more information, please contact 522 171 or visit us on +34 696 If you wish to our website at www.villasolutions.net. come and see dicuss your property needs us at Local D, in person, de Periana, Puente Cruce Don Manuel, 29711 Alcaucin, Malaga, Spain
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YEAR OF HELL! BRITISH pensioners in Spain claim to have lost more than a fifth of their spending power over the last two years as a direct result of Brexit. Richard Hill, vice president of Brexpats in Spain, claims plummeting exchange rates, taxes and a rise in the cost of living have caused significant income losses. It comes as the pound sunk to a new low of just 1.10 to the euro last week, as worries of a hard Brexit magnified. The pensioner, who claims he’s around 22% ‘worse off’ since the referendum, believes expats will struggle regardless of whatever deal is reached ahead of Britain’s exit from the EU. The pensioner added: “The significant problem at this stage with Brexit is the fluctuating exchange rate. “Obviously fluctuations are normal, however the steady downward trend is seriously affecting people.”
and (inset) Frigiliana
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Life in the laid-back East (of the Costa del Sol) has never seemed more appealing, ‘West End Boy’ writes Laurence Dollimore
‘
WELCOME to the most beautiful in Spain,’ toothless town local Jorge calls out in broken sweat from myEnglish as I wipe the brow. (OK, so look like a tourist, I still despite four years Spain.) in I had just hiked liana which has up to the top of Frigiindeed been crowned one of the country’s pueblos, as plaques most picturesque through the village will tell you at every turn. A 10-minute drive up from the coast from Nerja, it’s white-washed the pearl in a string of villages glistening hills of the Axarquia in and its nearby the nada neighbour, GraEither way, this the Costa Tropical. eastern end of is the very laid-back boy, take it fromthe Costa del Sol, and near Marbella, me a ‘westie’ based it really is a breath fresh air. of “This is our little paradise,” grandfather Jorge, beams who has lived here
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Infamous bin arsonist revealed as bitter father fined by police for walking dog with no lead
HE has been wreaking havoc around the streets of Palma for well over a year. Now, finally, the so-called bin man arsonist has finally been snared. In an arrest that has shocked
Readers react to news of a Spanish bar billing customers €10 for ‘taking the piss’
ropical
www.theolivepress.es
See page 17 After being locked up for a YEAR evidence against him, the Olive alongside terrorists without any charge and with no Press demands to let Robert Mansfield go…
PROUD TO BE EXPATS AN overwhelming majority of our readers are not offended by the term ‘expat’. That’s the initial result of our online poll which asked ‘Do you find the use of the word 'expat' to describe British and foreign nationals living in Spain offensive?’ The vote came after a barrage of emails to the newsdesk complained of the Olive Press’ use of the word, requesting that it be switched out for ‘resident’ or ‘immigrant’. However a snapshot of our readers’ opinions revealed that two thirds were not bothered by the term. On our Facebook poll, there have so far been 881 votes. Out of those, 656 said ‘no’, while 223 said ‘yes’. The results were repeated on Twitter, where 68% of 80 votes said they did not find the term offensive.
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A C T TOUCH OF TROPICAL THE
Can the eastern Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical rival Marbella and Estepona? Find out in special pull out inside
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Notorious B.I.N
vironment, Faig Abbasov, explained: floating cities with a high consumption"Cruise ships are ated by the most toxic fuels that exist. of energy gener"While cities are prohibiting the circulation of diesel cars to reduce the air pollution, they are shipping companies, which cause giving free rein to the pollutants with a high risk to the large concentrations of health of passengers and the nearest populations.” While new EU regulations will limit phur dioxide emitted by ships from the amount of sulwill still remain much larger than next year, emissions the 260 million cars in Europe. “The irony is that President Trump’s tected from ships than this ambitious US is better proEurope,” he added.
In Andalucia Issue 320 voice in Spain
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Taking the piss
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What they wanted Wonderfu news the sick audience got the death they paid to see so where is the prob em (WATCH: Shocking moment bu ring vo unteer in Spain gored to death in front of 2 000 fans as bu ran back into pen on ine June 18)?
2/8/18 17:01
A C T TOUCH OF THE TROPICAL xarquia &
Ready for the worst
expat
dreading. Joe This is the message from Sir foBossano, whose party has been cussing on cutting down costs and creating a rainy day fund. “The result of the European Parliament election is considered by many in the EU, including Spain, to have no increased the probability of a deal Brexit in October,” said Bossano in his annual budget speech. uncersuch of face the “Last year in tainties the GSLP took a policy decision there should be a limit placed on the pay rise of public sector workers by not more than 60p an hour.” This decision received criticism from Unite the Union leader Len MacCluskey earlier this year, which he branded ‘austerity’. Despite the uncertainty the GDP of Gibraltar is now at £2.1 billion, the the fourth highest per capita in
voice in Spain
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Life in the laid-back East (of the Costa del Sol) has never seemed more appealing, writes ‘West End Boy’ Laurence Dollimore
‘
WELCOME to the most beautiful town in Spain,’ toothless local Jorge calls out in broken English as I wipe the sweat from my brow. (OK, so I still look like a tourist, despite four years in Spain.) I had just hiked up to the top of Frigiliana which has indeed been crowned one of the country’s most picturesque pueblos, as plaques through the village will tell you at every turn. A 10-minute drive up from the coast from Nerja, it’s the pearl in a string of white-washed villages glistening in the hills of the Axarquia and its nearby Granada neighbour, the Costa Tropical. Either way, this is the very laid-back eastern end of the Costa del Sol, and boy, take it from me a ‘westie’ based near Marbella, it really is a breath of fresh air. “This is our little paradise,” beams grandfather Jorge, who has lived here Turn to page 18
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MISS Gibraltar Celine Bolanos has been presented with her £1,000 first prize after winning the local beauty pageant. Minister for Culture Steven Linares also presented cheques for £1,000 and £500 to first and second princesses Janice Sampere and Jyza Balban respectively. The competition was held at the Alameda Open Air Gardens and was well attended by the Gibraltarian public. Linares also presented a £1,000 cheque to last year’s Miss Gibraltar, Star Farrugia, as she made way for Bolanos. He thanked her for ‘wonderful work she had done throughout the year’ and wished Miss Gibraltar and the two princesses all the best in the year ahead. Miss Gibraltar will now take part in the Miss World pageant to be held in Thailand on December 7.
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Dear O ve Press Repo s ha a oca Be g an mayo has ece ved xeno phob c Wha sApp messages a e symp oma c o Spa n s nc eas ng pe secu on o ong e m o e gn es den s Th ee mon hs ago a Dane was ep manded o wa k ng h s wo Ame can S a o dsh e Te e s bo h wea ng ace gua ds and o de ed o wa k on y one a a me These we e dogs o wh ch he d pa d he y sums o Span sh au ho es o owne sh p censes and p o ess ona a n ng wh e oca s o es p ofi om he onnes o dog ood he pu chases Las week a B was pu ed ove o a po ce check The e was no ssue w h h s d v ng bu he was ep manded o a ng o p oduce h s passpo A 9 45am on June 8 pa k ng ou s de a oca supe ma ke o h s week y shop a Ge man was u ed om h s ca as he had a ed o ans e h s Ge man numbe p a e o a Span sh one The ca was se zed and aken o a mun c pa compound Wh e we mus ALL comp y w h aws and egu a ons such admon shmen s do e o endea he o e gn com mun y o ou hos coun y and ca n o ques on Spa n s O gan c Law 4/2000 p o ec ng he gh s and be es o o e gne s and he soc a n eg a on The Be g an mayo has been o ced o cons de h s op ons he Ge man s hand ng n h s Res denc a and p ans o eave Spa n n he com ng weeks
DEEP: Alleged wounds of man caught up in fight
in the first place.” The RGP statement added: “We are acutely aware of how these defamatory expressions can have a negative impact on the public’s confidence in the police, and are not prepared to stand idly by while our integrity and good name is unfairly smeared. “The RGP does not normally intervene in ‘debates’ of this sort, but these particular comments are so misconceived and injurious that we have deemed it appropriate to make a public statement to categorically refute them.” The fight was so raucous it Lettings | Sales could be heard by nearby residents, with many takInvestments | Relocations ing to social media to ask Commercial and Residential what was happening. Various posts on FaceTel: +350 200 44955 book site Speak Freely, claimed emergency serenquiries@seekerspropertygibraltar.com vices were also attacked during the fracas. “Numerous people were 10 Engineer Lane, arrested, a situation esGibraltar GX11 1AA calated and emergency services personnel were www.seekerspropertygibraltar.com assaulted,” wrote one.
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VIRAL: Cheeky Spanish bar bill made headlines
ropical
DRAMA: Rugged Nerja coastline and (inset) Frigiliana mill
GIBRALTAR police have blasted Police issue angry social media users for ‘falsely one of its officers was behind late night claiming’ an off-duty officer was fracas that saw five arrests behind a late-night bar brawl. The RGP issued an unprecoccurred edented statement, insisting football 10-0 against Belarus. violent disorder that Waterclaims that a fight leading to five Scotland, Northern Ireland and at the weekend in the read arrests was caused by one of its Wales were also playing in key gardens area,” a statement from the RGP. officers was totally untrue. qualifying games that night. that the The affray took place outside The problems began when a lo- “Although we are awareis under the Pig and Whistle pub in the cal woman claimed on social incident in question emphatiWatergardens area on Saturday media that a drunk policeman investigation, we must sparked cally deny that this was June 8. had started the brawl. off by an off duty officer who Sources told the Olive Press that was under the influence. an 80-year-old man was one of allegations. yet Violent not baseless has are but “These those arrested sparked been charged. “The RGP takes note of the se- “Neither the trouble was unHowever, at least four other rious, false accusations made in off by an off duty policeman there was nor organfollowing the influence, the arrested against der men were social media influence the fight, which took place af- isation in connection with the a policeman under the ter Gibraltar Under-21s lost in
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POPULAR 90s pop band Lightthe house Family will take part in MTV Gibraltar Calling festival. the The biggest cultural event of on year will be held at Europa Point June 7-8 with Take That and Liam Gallagher also playing. Tynesiders Lighthouse Family will albe publicising their comeback the bum Blue Sky in Your Head on Saturday evening performance. Lighthouse Family are best known the for their Lifted single from in released album Ocean Drive 1995. After 18 years away from the musicscene they have got back together for this latest offering and they have a few surprises up their sleeve. With the festival already more than half sold out, tickets can be bought online or at a number of outlets around Gibraltar.
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June 19th - July 2nd 2019 Vol. 4 Issue 99 www.theolivepress.es
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world. the He stressed the importance of gaming sector, where a few compathe nies were helping the growth of private sector. In case there was a shortage of funds after Brexit, Bossano has reserved a Community Care and Rainy Day Fund. the They would be boosted by £85million surplus recorded during the last financial year. See Budget special on page 4
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in THE success of the Brexit party the European elections could bring is the no-deal scenario Gibraltar
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June 20th - July 3rd 2019
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We look at Britain’s worst expat exports Page 6/7
‘Vile’ animal abuser jailed after British-run shelter wins landmark legal victory Is this Alicante’s most haunted house? Page 10
Bandits, Moors and goats... the perfect holiday escape just 4 hours away Page 22
Keep your eyes peeled for the best value wines in Spain Page 26
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
AN overwhelming majority of our readers are not offended by the ‘immigrant’. However a snapshot of our reaterm ‘expat’. That’s the initial result of our ders’ opinions revealed that two online poll which asked ‘Do you thirds were not bothered by the find the use of the word 'expat' to term. describe British and foreign na- On our Facebook poll, there have tionals living in Spain offensive?’ so far been 881 votes. The vote came after a barrage Out of those, 656 said ‘no’, while of emails to the newsdesk com- 223 said ‘yes’. plained of the Olive Press’ use The results were repeated on Twiof the word, requesting that it tter, where 68% of 80 votes said be switched out for ‘resident’ or they did not find the term offen- TYPICAL EXPATS: Brits and (left) sive. Dutch
RUFF JUSTICE
A FIVE-year legal battle has led to a ‘landmark’ sentence under Spain’s animal abuse laws. A British-run animal sanctuary claimed victory after it stepped in to help a group of dogs from starvation in 2014. The Spanish owner of the dog pound, near Zaragoza, has received ger, near Denia, saved five dogs and a six month prison sentence, a hea- reported the Spanish owner to povy fine and is banned from keeping lice. President Barry Caufield, 71, was so animals for three years. A. R. G., 39, was also ordered to pay outraged by the state of the animals all legal costs, by the judge at court (pictured top right), he insisted something had to be done. Number 4, in Zaragoza. It comes after Alicante animal cha- The dogs were found abandoned rity SCAN (Society for the Care of in plastic boxes without food, whiAnimals in Need), based in El Ver- le the remains of dead ‘half-eaten dogs’ lay nearby. Huge amounts of excrement were scattered around the plot, in the village of Fayon. A MAN has been dog “It was vile arrested in Denia for food away from the shouting: ‘I deand disgusting animal abuse after cide when I feed my and we simstarving his dog so he dog’. ply had to do ‘didn't have to pick up When arrested he adwhat was riits poo’. mitted ght,” Caufield He was cuffed after the doghe had not fed for three days, told the Olineighbours were at- so he ve Press this tacked for attempting clear didn’t have to up after him. week. to feed the ‘weak’ and The dog has now been “I’m delighted ‘dehydrated’ dog. rescued that The 34-year-old Spa- of the by members justice Protectora de has been sernish owner kicked the Animales of Denia. ved and that we have had a
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case has set a ‘legal precedence’ as abandonment is now written into article 337 of the Spanish penal code. “This is a landmark, because at the time of trial the law did not consider ‘abandonment’ of animals a criminal offence,” Raquel Lopez, one of Spain’s top animal rights lawyers, told the Olive Press. When the man was first charged in 2014, article 337 of the penal code only considered direct physical harm against animals as a crime. “Despite the law not mandating it, we managed to get the maximum VICTORY: For Barry and SCAN sentence for a ‘basic’ crime of anipositive affect. mal abuse,” Lopez added. “If you’re only interested in making “Without legal action taken a noise about it, nothing will ever SCAN, this case would almost by cerchange,” added Caufield, a former tainly have been archived.” director of an insurance company In total, SCAN managed to find new in the UK. homes for two griffon cross-breeds, According to SCAN’s lawyer Raquel Chicho and Carbon, while the others Lopez, the shelter’s intervention has were rehomed near Zaragoza. made legal history in Spain. The charity spent a total of Although R. will not go to prison €14,000 in legal costs and rescue as sentences under two years are- and rehoming. waived for first-time offenders - the Opinion Page 6
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Answers on page 22
The phrase is actually more of a physical gesture sometimes used by men. The translation to ‘taking the piss’ is about as close as it comes. Christine Rowlands, Palma
Mixed messages The word ‘cojones’ is actually used in a gazillion different expressions. ‘Tener cojones’ indeed means ‘to have balls, to have some nerve’. Also, ‘Qué cojones está pasando’ means ‘what the fuck is going on’. Karen Smith, Birmingham
Tip top I hope they left a tip of at least 10%, which seems to be customary in Spain. Jo Mcgrath, Cashel
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Across 6 Type o ma e 5 8 Sca e ed ubb sh 6 9 nhab an o e g He s nk 4 10 nsens ve 8 11 B ased 6 13 Mo se s 5 15 Exc ama on o con emp 3 17 Renown 5 18 Gene a escape 6 20 E onga e 8 22 Re g ous p ac ce 4 23 Seven h p ane 6 24 P oo o be ng e sewhe e 5 Down 1 Reasonab e 8 2 A op 4 3 No n s ence 5 4 Sho dagge 8 5 Long fish 4 7 Soak up 6 12 Se mpo an 8 14 Peak 8 16 Rup u e 6 19 Tha g oup 5 21 Lugs 4 22 Res a n 4
Tony Statham London
Flouting the rules A knee h gh wa above such a drop doesn comp y w h any bu d ng regu a ons (Dea h o Br sh een n Spa n who was h rd o d e a same apar men b ock cou d have been preven ed on ne June 19) Neil Hollow Fuente de Piedra
Usual culprits There are es ke h s every year (WATCH: Br c a m ha he s pped by poo o recover €37 000 hosp a b n Ma orca FAILS a er v deo shows h m ump ng n o a ree on ne June 17) I have no doub ha he same peop e n Ma orca beh nd a h s Anne Lilian Owen Gibbs Magaluf
You’re wrong There is a fundamental difference between ‘tocar los cojones’ and ‘taking the piss’. You can never question ‘tocar los cojones’ - it is always an affirmation. You would never ask ‘me estás tocando los cojones?’, but you can well ask ‘are you taking the piss?’.
Property
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June 2019
BALE-ING IN Gareth Bale scores exclusive costa pad
H
E might be getting nudged out of Real Madrid, but Gareth Bale is strengthening his ties to southern Spain. The much-maligned Welsh wizard has spent a small fortune on a new property on the Costa del Sol, despite expectation of his return to the UK this summer. The Olive Press can reveal the striker, who signed for Los Blancos for €100 million six years ago from Tottenham, has snapped up a stunning three-bedroom apartment in Marbella for just under €2 million. The Welshman managed to knock around 10% off the price of the property, which was on the market for around €2.2 million. According to sources closely linked to the deal, the modern pad is situated in the exclusive La Trinidad urbanisation
By Mason Edwards
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Walk in the park
By Jon Clarke, in Madrid
THE largest police operation in Spanish sporting history has ended successfully in Madrid. A combination of restrained policing and good-natured fans turned a potential Champions League final nightmare into a game of cricket in the capital. The statistics are nothing short of amazing. As the huge clear up operation underway on Monday morning,got it emerged that only 11 arrests were made out of an estimated 100,000plus British fans who descended on the capital at the weekend. The 4,700 cops tasked with the job of policing the all-British final generally behaved admirably, in comparison to their counterparts in Sevilla and Barcelona over recent years.
related to noise. FROM July, Palma will be the first Palma to become first Spanish city to ban rentals of Vacation rental of single-family houses Spanish city in Spain to limit short tourist apartments will also be prohibited if they are loterm rentals to single-family homes, it cated on protected rural land, near the areas. has been announced. Barce- and neighborhoods, and it also affects airport, or in non-residentialsaid: “We The decision has come after several it the second Spanish city aftermost on social harmony’. Mayor Antoni Noguera the genstudies commissioned by the city of lona where residents spend the There has been a significant rise in the agreed on this on the basis of Palma showed the effects of mass tour- rent. by resi- eral interest, and we believe that it will According to Jose Hila, the local chief number of complaints filed tourists create a trend in other cities when they ism on local residents and workers. dents, due to problems with balance is key.” Since 2013 the average rental prices of city planning, tourist accommodabuildings who rent these apartments, typically see that finding a have soared by 40% in Palma, making tion ‘affects the makeup of
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EXCLUSIVE along the famous Golden Mile, which features other celebrity homeowners, including ex-England midfielder Tim Sherwood. The penthouse is just a 20-minute drive from Finca Cortesin, the luxury golf resort in Casares where Bale, 29, loves to tee up and has stayed at several times over the last few years. He knows La Trinidad well as he has stayed at his agent Jonathan Barnett’s home in the urbanisation a number of times. The purchase comes after Bale threatened to ‘stay and play golf’ if the remainder of his Real contract is not paid. The father-of-three said: “I’ve got three years left on my contract. If they want me to go, they’ll need to pay me €17 million per season. If not, I’ll stay here. And if I have to play golf, I will.”
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Never mind all that nonsense. Where do you get Champagne for €2.50? Norman Occleston, Alcudia
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TOXIC! Vol. 3 Issue 56 www.theolivepress.es June 7th - June 20th 2019
See page 9
Cruise ships make Palma one of the most polluted ports in the world
PALMA is among the five most polluted ports in Europe. By Laurence Dollimore & An alarming study has found Gillian Keller the huge number of cruise ships that visit the city are leaving an indelible times as much toxic sulphur dioxide mark on the environment. The Mallorca capital joins Barcelo- as all the cars in Europe combined. na, Venice, Civitavecchia and South- The report comes out just days afampton in being crowned the most ter the company agreed to pay a $20m (€17m) fine and undertake polluting ports on the continent. The research, published by green increased monitoring after it congroup Ecologistas en Accion, exam- tinued to dump sewage and plastic ined air pollution in ports with high waste in the sea. The company, the world’s largest levels of passenger ships. cruise operator, is also guilty of leakCarnival cruise ships - which number nearly 30 in total - are the worst ing gas and dirty water and falsifying records of incidents in the offenders, producing more than 10 The Florida-based company, US. which
KILLER: Cruise ship billowing smoke off Palma controls 50% of the global market, claimed in a statement: “Carnival environment in which we live, work remains committed to environmen- and travel. “Our aspiration is to leave tal excellence and protecting the we touch even better thanthe places when we first arrived.” Royal Caribbean Cruises, founded Norway, but also based in Florida, in is the second most polluting fleet globally. According to the latest study, Spain, Italy and Greece are the countries most exposed to pollution from emissions of sulphur dioxide. This is mainly because they are portant tourist destinations, imbut also because they ‘have less stringent regulations on the limitation of sulphur in marine fuels.’ Another problem in ports is that marine fossil fuel is not taxed, while shore-side electricity is under a 2003 EU energy tax directive. It makes it cheaper for ships to run the electricity needed for their restaurants and on-ship entertainment by burning fuel while docked. Not enough European ports have invested in shore-side electricity infrastructure. This includes Gibraltar, which also particularly suffers from the arrival of cruise ships, plus the hundreds that sail past the Straits each year. Policy director of European campaigning group Transport & En-
I never knew Hooliganism
Their aim was to contain the big groups of rival fans from Liverpool and Tottenham, the vast majority who arrived without tickets and many without accomodation. Far from the feared predictions of widespread ‘hooliganism’ in the Spanish press, the weekend, passed off almost entirely without incident. “The fear of hooliganism has been just that; fear, as the British fans behaved with enthusiasm and cordiality,” reported El Confidencial. With the exception of a few idiots, the mood was extremely friendly with fans mixing well and the police generally playing their part admirably. There was only one report of brutality where, allegedly, 50 Spurs fans got ‘battered’ outside a bar near Puerto
Bin arsonist snared at last...
...His reign of terror - all because he couldn’t take his dog off the lead
Wow, this is Incredible ? (Toxic!, Issue 56, pg 1). Even when I worked on the Carnival cruise ship and actually saw all that smoke billowing out, it never occurred to me that it was causing so much pollution. I just assumed that it has to burn fuel to1 sail and provide a1 Olive Press 2018_Layout 16/04/2018 14:57 Page service for everyone onboard, crew included. Continues on Page 3
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June 21st - July 4th 2019
ORGANISERS of the Hotel Havana Show in Palma have confirmed even more dates due to a huge demand. Immense box office success means that the Cuban musical extravaganza in Son Fusteret, will now run from 27 June to 14 July. A total of 36 artists take to the stage during the performance, including Sihara Dolores Balart, the famous Cuban cabaret, Tropicana. She takes on the role of ‘Rita’ in this new production, which is directed by Chevi Muraday and is choreographed by Roclán González.
POPULAR: Cuban show
Memory lane THE University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) has celebrated its 40th birthday with a new exhibition of 40 pieces of art from its history. On show at the Fundació Sa Nostra until 30 July, the artworks have been brought together from throughout the UIB corridors, classrooms and offices. Among the artists, whose work has been selected for this anniversary, is Antoni Tàpies, Miquel Barceló and Maria Carbonero. The new collection has been curated by UIB graduates Aloy Fullana and Pere Miquel Puig Guerrero, led by Dr Magdalena Brotons.
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All night long IN honour of Saint John the Baptist, the summer solstice fiesta guarantees the biggest beach party of the year. All of the island’s beaches will fill up by the late afternoon on Sunday, June 23, as it is the one day a year fires are allowed on Mallorca’s sands. Venture to the coast for correfocs, fire dancing and demon parades while friends and family grill up local favourites on the beaches. Palma, Playa de Palma and Calvia host some of the island’s biggest events.
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MARRATXÍ celebrate their patron, Saint Martial, with a week of celebrations leading up to a fire-filled correfoc and concerts all night on June 29.
REVELLERS: Spaniards in Mallorca at San Juan
Palma’s got Pride
With Stiletto races, Mr Gay Pride contests and live street performances Palma Pride promises to be one of Europe’s biggest and best July 6, including the election of Mr Gay Palma and a performance by city’s gay choir. ‘Awards’ will be handed out to figures and organisations seen to promote homophobia. This year’s Dimoni Rosa award nominations include Jorrge Campos, the leader of Vox in the Balearic Islands. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn revolt in New York, an event considered the start of the modern gay rights struggle. LGBTI activist Victor Robles said: "The 50 year anniversary of the revolts in New York and the 25th anniversary of the Palma LGBTI association, Ben Amic, are all commemorated at Pride this year. “The march has been dedicated to the elderly, as it is necessary to work to raise awareness of these historical struggles.” PROUD: Colourful Spaniards at pride
PRIDE in Palma is set to bring the party to the streets on June 28. This year the theme is 'elderly people without closets: history, struggle and memory,' as the Balearic LGBTI association, Ben Amics, celebrate 25 years of fighting for rights. A rally is set to start at 7pm at Es Baluard museum, and will march around the city ending at Plaza de Cort. The festival then starts where the parade ends at 8:30pm with live music and performers into the night. Events are planned around the city to celebrate the Pride Festival from June 21 through
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June 21st - July 4th 2019
While immigration stirs heated debate, two photographers cast a more neutral light on a natural phenomenon that also brings hoards of expats to Spain
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Incoming
HE history of humanity has been one of migration. As hunter-gatherers, we roamed here and there in search of food and shelter. This went on for thousands of years and then farming came into the equation and we became more territorial. But still we moved about, particularly when crops
failed or natural disasters occurred. Nowadays migration carries negative connotations. How are we going to contain it? Curb it? Or assimilate it? Although it is seen as a problem with a capital P, two photographers are altering the perspective with their PHotoESPA-
ÑAOffland exhibition, showing until July 23 in Madrid’s Centro Galileo. Part of the Futures TransEuropean project exhibiting in Madrid, Helsinki and Athens, Alessia Rollo and Eirini Vourloumis have zoomed in on the sensitive subject with a wider angle. Through their pictures they dem-
onstrate that migration is a natural human activity unlikely to be stopped in its tracks by Trump’s walls or Vox’s rhetoric, but talking about it in negative terms shapes our thinking and turns it into something to fear. “We always use negative vocabulary to describe immigration,” Alessia tells me. “For example, in
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Italy, we use the military word for the boat that picks up the refugees, instead of the word for a civilian vessel, which gives the impression we are being invaded.” One of Alessia’s photographs shows graffiti-like markings on a tower in Salento, southern Italy, where migrants arriving 600 years ago left their mark.
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SOMBRE: An empty refugee dinghy drifts on the water between the coast of Lesbos and Turkey. PHOTO: E. Vourloumis
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MOVING: Watermelons represent the plight of refugees and migrants on the beach in Salento, Italy. PHOTO: Alessia Rollo
Eirini, meanwhile, has focused on ed migrations with magic realism. the 15 km stretch of coast on the “SkalaSikaminias is a village built on Greek island of Lesbos where the refugees and my work is a meditamajority of Syrian tion on the village and refugees were arrivits experience – and ing in mind-boggling it’s not a negative numbers during the one,” she tells me. ‘Cursed is the height of the crisis in According to Eirini, land that does 2015 – at the rate of due to the lack of im2,000 a day. mediate action from not feed its It is an episode that the Greek governmirrored the waves of ment and the Eurochildren’ refugees coming from pean Union in 2015, Turkey in the 1920s the locals were the due to a forced popufirst to help refugees lation exchange. Eirini’s picture se- land safely and provide food and ries, entitled The Mermaid Madon- shelter, forcing them to remember na, imbue the backdrop for repeat- their own family histories.
PERSPECTIVE: The road to the refugee camp that the refugees walk after coming ashore. PHOTO: E. Vourloumis
Both photographers show the lives of the new settlers evolving. And though Alessia explores the harsher aspects of the experience, she insists she has tried to avoid invading the privacy of immigrants at crucial
moments in their journey. Instead she uses the image of smashed watermelons on a beach to represent those who come ashore in desperate circumstances. These sensitive portrayals of the
Celebrity migrants These 10 British celebrities and notables all migrated or semi-migrated to Spain Carl Fogarty
AKA Foggy, the most successful World Superbike racer of all time, has a home in Javea, Costa Blanca. Best-selling author Chris Stewart, the original drummer for the rock band Genesis, lives in the Alpujarras of Granada and has set up a walking tour that provides the backdrop to each of his four books. Concert pianist and writer James Rhodes lives in Madrid. The 44-year-old told El País: “I love this country. I look up to her. Metaphorically and literally.” Joe Strummer of the Clash carried on a love affair with Spain – particularly Granada and San José in Almeria – between 1984 and 2002, when he died unexpectedly from a heart defect. When asked why in an interview with a daily Granada paper, he said, “Obviously be-
Michael Robinson, 60, former Liverpool striker and TV personality in Spain, lives in Madrid and is another to have taken Spanish nationality. Mark Thatcher may still be keeping a low profile in a rented home in Marbella. If so his strategy is clearly working as he’s been off the radar for eons. James Bond actress Honor Blackman, 93, famous for her unforgettable role as Pussy Galore in the Bond movie Goldfinger, has a villa in Moraira, Alicante, and once said that Spain was her favourite destination.
The matador El Inglés, otherwise known as Frank Evans, 76, the son of a Salford Butcher, lives in Marbella and has taken Spanish nationality. The iconic British comedian Freddie Starr lived in Mijas for years before he passed away earlier this year. Cilla Black This British TV legend was a well known part of the expat community in Mijas before tragically dying at her home there a few years ago. cause I am obsessed with Andalucía. Secondly, because the atmosphere in London is depressing, the people are depressed. Thirdly, and most importantly, I have come here to think.” In 2013, the authorities in Granada honoured Joe with a square in his name
phenomenon of migration, perhaps the most compelling political issue on the global agenda today, stand in stark contrast to the views of parties like Vox in Spain, the Brexit Party in the UK, the National Rally in France, Italy’s League and Golden Dawn in Greece. “We need to know who is coming in. I need to know if they have a criminal record, if they are ne’er-do-wells or murderers,” Vox Algeciras counsellor Antonio Gallardo bluntly told me in the run-up to the elections in May. “We can’t let people in with no documentation just because they have arrived on a dinghy or under a lorry. Once they’re inside Spain, we take them in, we give them food, we take them to the detention centre and try to find a solution. Why? What obliges me to allow them to enter? Where do you get the idea they are dying of hunger?”
Memorable
Spain has itself, of course, been a country of economic emigres, with many shipping out during the 1960s and 1970s to find work, and again during the 2008 crisis. Take My Eyes director Icíar Bollaín who documented their plight in the 2014 film En Tierra Extraña – In a Strange Land, which focused on the lives of Spaniards trying to make a living in Edinburgh. It features the memorable line, ‘Cursed is the land that does not feed its children’, uttered by the protagonist’s grandfather. Bollaín is married to Scottish scriptwriter Paul Laverty whom she met on the set of Ken Loach’s 1995 Spanish Civil War film, Land and Freedom. They subsequently made the heavily ethnic district of Lavapies in Madrid their home before moving to Edinburgh in 2003. Paul would not be the first highprofile Brit to migrate, albeit temporarily, to a country whose politics and culture called George Orwell to arms in 1936 and inspired Laurie Lee’s When I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, which ends with the poet trapped by the Civil War. Here are 10 other interesting immigrants who arrived in Spain from the north of Europe… and have certainly enriched the lives of the local Spanish since.
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June 21st - July 4th 2019
BUSINESS VODAFONE has taken the lead over rivals with the rollout of 5G networks across Spain. The communications giant confirmed that the new ultra-fast mobile technology is now available in 15 Spanish cities. In Andalucia, Malaga and Sevilla benefit, while other sites include Barcelona and Madrid, although coverage in areas is only 50%. The fifth generation network will have a download speed of 100 Mbps with the 700 MHz band, and in the-
5-G that’s fast! ory could reach never-before-seen speeds of 10 Gbps. Vodafone also said it would not yet use 5G infrastructure from Huawei, the embattled Chinese tech firm, which saw the sacking of UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. It comes as Vodafone’s competitors, Telefonica, Orange and MasMovil, are not set to unveil their 5G networks in Spain until 2021 or 2022.
Costa lot less
SPAIN has been voted the fourth best value for money holiday destination by Brits. A huge 87% of holidaymakers said Spain had the best bang for one’s buck in a survey released by Post Office Travel Money. Bulgaria's resort town of Sunny Beach came top of the poll for the
sixth consecutive year. Affordable local prices and favourable exchange rates helped to boost the spending power of UK tourists last year. Portugal's Algarve coastline came in a close second with prices down by over 16%, while Turkey came in third.
Faking it
Black market costing Spain billions of euros each year
FAKE products are costing Spanish businesses the equivalent of more than 10% of their sales, a new EU report has found. At least €6.7 billion worth of sales are lost in Spain each year to counterfeit goods, according to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The global trade in fake goods rose to €452.9 billion in 2016 from €338 billion in 2013, represent-
FOOD supplements have been removed from shelves in Spain after they were found to contain viagra. The Agency for Medicines and Health Products (Aemps) ordered the withdrawal of six products containing sildenafil, the active ingredient in the erectile dysfunction drug. Sildenafil can react harmfully with other drugs and cause adverse side effects
UNLUCKY: Man on Spanish beach selling fakes
ing 3.3% of world trade. The fashion industry is the worst hit, with losses totalling €28.4 billion in Europe (9.4% of total turnover). Pharmaceuticals are the second hard-
Up and out such as heart palpitations and chest pain. The affected pills are all distributed by the same Tenerife-based company, Marco Cordone-Spain. They are Bioacvit, Bioacvit Extra Forte, Torexan, Devit Forte, Devit Solo Piante and Bull Extreme tablets.
est hit, suffering losses of €9.6 billion, followed by cosmetics on €7 billion. Counterfeit wines and spirits cost companies 5.9% of their business or €2.4 billion.
Impact
The impact of fake products is worse in Spain than the EU average in several sectors. The country’s fashion industry sees 14.9% of sales lost to counterfeit goods, pharmaceuticals 4.5%, wines and spirits 8.3% and smartphones 10%. In real terms, analysts say it costs the EU 480,000 jobs, which in turn leaves the bloc missing €16 billion a year in tax revenue. Across the EU, the total economic impact of fake products is estimated at around €92 billion.
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HEALTH Cocaine Miracle dad fuelling addiction 13
June 21st - July 4th 2019
Pharma shame PFIZER hid stats which suggested one of its drugs could help in the fight of Alzheimer’s, it has been claimed. According to The Washington Post, the pharmaceutical giant discovered as early as 2015 that taking Enbrel, a drug which treats rheumatoid arthritis, could reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 64%. “Enbrel could potentially prevent, treat and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease safely,” reads a presentation prepared by Pfeizer’s internal committee in early 2018, three years after the same discovery in the laboratory. Pfizer argues it didn’t believe the evidence was strong enough to launch a clinical trial. But research experts claim the €207 billion company did not pursue the evidence or share it with other scientists because Enbrel’s patent had almost run out – suggesting the decision was influenced by the drug’s ability to make money. The data was collected from medical insurance claims from hundreds of thousands of people in the US. Pfizer said the allegations are not ‘accurate’ and that its decisions were based on science and not ‘financial incentives’.
Doctors in Spain perform ‘miracle’ work on British dad after he was hit by TWO cars, breaking 26 bones
A BRITISH family have praised the Spanish health system after performing ‘miracle’ work on a father-oftwo who was hit by TWO cars while on holiday on the Costa Brava. Dean Millers, 29, is still recovering in hospital in Lloret de Mar after the shock crash saw him break 26 bones - including both his legs, right elbow and nose. Millers, who was holidaying with his partner Emily and
mother-in-law said the allinclusive trip was the family’s first. “On the evening of the May 24 my daughter's partner Dean decided to nip across the road to the shop for juice and biscuits for the two children. “Dean was gone less than five minutes when Emily and the rest of the hotel heard an almighty bang... Emily went out onto the veranda she could see a lot of commotion outside and could see someone on the floor but couldn't see who but her gut instinct told her it was Dean.
OUCH: British dad ‘lucky to be alive’ their two young children, will now have to learn to walk again after also breaking his
A clear vision
STAFF at an opticians in Santa Ponca have come together to celebrate the store’s eigth anniversary this summer. As they marked the anniversary, Specsavers Opticas Santa Ponca store directors Martin Blake and Andres Roman Romero looked back on eight busy years, helping to keep local residents’ and tourists’ eyes healthy. Over the last eight years, they have conducted over 28,000 eye tests. Store Director Andres Roman Romero said: “These eye tests are
pelvis in several places. “Dean is making massive progress,” the family said on a Just Giving page, which has raised around €5,000 to help pay for flights for family to fly back and forth, “He’s awake and talking although he’s talking slower and is a bit confused ... it's complete visual health checks. a miracle he’s “They include an exploration of the still with us.” frontal area of the eye and also the In describing back of the eye, to help us to see the horrific signs of potential health problems.” accident, the
Lucky
“Next thing she knew the telephone in the room rang it was reception saying please can you come down...Dean was crossing the zebra crossing when he was hit by a car which threw him in the air then a second car drove over him. “The emergency services arrived very quickly and gave Dean 100% the best care possible ...We can’t thank them enough!” He was airlifted to hospital while Emily followed in a taxi. “The doctors told Emily that dean is lucky to be alive.” Dean is hoping to be driven home this week after having had another operation on his pelvis on Monday.
ALMOST a third of cocaine addicts seeking treatment in Europe are in the UK, a new study has revealed. Meanwhile Spain continues to be one of the biggest importers of the drug on the continent, with 41 tonnes seized in 2017, just behind leader Belgium on 43 tonnes. The report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction warned of a potential ‘Uberisation’ of the cocaine trade – as users in most countries are increasingly ordering their hit by smartphone.
Flexible
It said sellers were competing by offering additional services such as fast and flexible delivery options. The EU’s home affairs chief Dimitris Avramopoulos said: “The drugs situation is worsening in many parts of the world and sadly the EU is no exception. “This year’s report presents a warning picture. There is a record level of illicit drug seizures. “On the one hand this shows that law enforcement is doing a good job. On the other it shows how many people can access drugs.”
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Tel. 952 467 837 Tel. 952 863 332
Cannot be used with other offers. Second pair from 59€-229€ ranges, to the same price range or below and to the same prescription. One pair with free sun and UV tint – usually 30€. 59€-229€ ranges: standard 1.5 single-vision lenses included in both pairs. For 1.5 Standard varifocal or bifocal lenses you pay for the lenses in your first pair. Fineform and Rimless ranges: standard 1.6 single-vision lenses included in both pairs. For 1.6 Standard varifocal or bifocal lenses you pay for the lenses in your first pair. All lenses are scratch-resistant. Extra Options available at an additional charge on both pairs. Excludes safety eyewear. ©2019 Specsavers Opticas.
Olive Press Costa del Sol - 19th June 2019 - 170 h x 256 w
14
June 21st - July 4th 2019
PROPERTY
PLANS to restore the abandoned Poblat Gesa estate in Alcanada have been unveiled to the public for the first time. The Poblat was built in 1950 to house power plant workers and was designed by Josep Ferragut, the architect behind Palma’s Gesa building. The small estate started to decline from 1983 when Gesa was merged with Endesa, according to former tenants. By 2015 the estate had been overrun
Poblat reboot
by squatters and the few remaining tenants had moved away. This new development comes after a €3.1 million investment from an Asturian developer and will see 16 luxury bungalows each with their own pools. Some original features such as the community’s old chapel will also be maintained for ‘social cultural’ reasons.
Keys Isl nd to the
By Amanda Butler
Johnson’s Britain Amanda Butler hopes for a fair Brexit deal for Brits in Mallorca, under Prime Minister Boris
W
ITH Theresa May stepping down and a Conservative election now on the cards for a new prime minister, with Boris Johnson the frontrunner, one does have to wonder if this is what he planned all along? A quite devious, rather convoluted plan nonetheless, but quite an interesting ‘conspiracy theory’, don’t you think? You heard it here first... Currently the next general election is scheduled for May 5, 2022. It would require two thirds of MPs to vote for an election, or to give a vote of no confidence. Many commentators believe senior Tories would rather put up with a restless electorate than face the very real probability of a wipeout at the polls if an election were called before Britain’s departure from the EU. So let’s hope if Boris Johnson does get in, he can perform miracles to reinvigorate commerce and pull us back on track. There are those courageous souls who will still move forward with their ‘home in the sun’ dreams, or perhaps just get out while the going’s good! They will be glad to know that agreements are already firmly in place between the UK and the 27 EU members on legal residency, healthcare and the
UK state pension for the transitional period up to December 31, 2020. This means Britons will continue to benefit from the UK government’s ‘triple lock’, so their state pension will keep pace with inflation. What will happen thereafter will be anyone’s guess, but since there are pensioners and expats affected on both sides – one would hope and anticipate a balanced and fair final outcome for all expats on all sides. Returning the focus back to Mallorca, when embarking on the journey of searching for a property, the biggest decision to make at the start is which agent or agents to use. What many new arrivals looking for a new place in the sun do not realise is that estate agents work very differently from the UK, in that there is very little property exclusivity. That is mainly because different agents focus on and attract different nationalities, which means that many agents have very similar properties – so in fact there really is no reason to contact multiple agents when searching, but finding the right one is key. One who works with their interests at heart to find the right property in the right location, and works in association with all
Terrace strike NEIGHBORHOOD groups have rallied behind plans to force restaurants in Palma to close their terraces early. The neighborhood associations of La Lonja and Puig de Sant Pere have signed a letter in defense of the closure of terraces from 11.00 pm. Business interests should never be placed above the
SUPPORT: Residents back restaurant clampdown interests and welfare of the ma- to be a ‘sustainable city’ in jority, the residents argued. which the rights of those who They have said that Palma has live there prevails.
You can buy love
The stunning Casa Amor as seen on Love island has gone up for sale NEW ERA: Boris’ Britain the main agents on the island, saving time and hassle dealing with a multitude of agents and contacts is ideal. That’s where using an agent who is a member of a new association on the island, Real Estates United (REU), such as myself, comes in very handy. Made up of around 70 agents, they all pool resources and properties in search of the right property for their client. Sometimes the agent will have the right property, and sometimes the right client for another agent’s property. Collaboration and communication is key. Equally if you have a property to sell it is worth checking if they are members of REU which will ensure greater coverage, with less hassle, and less work.
For any questions or if you require assistance with selling or buying a property you can contact Amanda on ajb@mjcassociates.net
LOVE Island’s infamous Casa Amor, the villa where new romances are put to the test, has been put on the market for an eye watering €2.75 million. The four-bedroom property is located close to the current Love Island residence in the village of Sant Llorenc de Cardassar. As followers of the popular dating show will know the villa boasts a 14-metre swimming pool complete with pristine lawn, outdoor terrace and vine-
Pricey!
HOUSING prices in Palma have risen more than 25% since before the crash in 2008. A study by the UIB, the University of the Balearic Islands, estimates that house prices will rise another 5% in Spain this year, but rental prices will drop by 3%. Palma rental prices are expected to fall 5%.
HOT BUY: Mallorca’s Love Island villa yard. Built in 2012, Casa Amor has been described as ‘one of the most stylish homes to have been built in Mallorca in the last 20 years.’ Designed by renowned Mallorca architect Andrau Bennaar, the eco-friendly property is powered by electricity general by solar panels and has its own well. Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows provide ample natural light and a designer Boffi kitchen complete with top-ofthe-range fittings awaits a potential buyer. Current owner David Heeley has described his home as ‘cool, chic and decadent.’
With Love Island rating soaring- almost three million viewers tuned for episode one of the new series - the exposure will certainly help find a buyer. In the meantime, the villa has been rented out to the hit ITV show, which sees young loveseekers compete for a €56,000 prize. Roddy Aris, Associate at Knight Frank said: “Casa Amor is an immaculately designed modern home and a fantastic example of the quality of properties for sale in Mallorca. “As the popularity of Mallorca continues to grow so does the demand for holiday homes and we are delighted to be selling Casa Amor.”
MD let us guide you home
Buying or Selling a property come to visit us in our brand new office, Plaza Portals nous. 3. or visit www.themallorcadeal.com
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Culinary crackdown
SINCE April 1, 60 restaurants in Playa de Palma have been fined by inspectors. There have been 45 restaurants fined for illegally promoting excessive alcohol consumption. A total of 10 other establishments have been ticketed for not having the proper informational posters. Other small infractions noted were missing barriers between terraces and the road, and advertising with sexual content.
Old habits die hard ONLINE food shopping is failing to take off in Spain, new figures have revealed. Despite significant investments from major supermarkets including Mercadona, more than 75% of the population still never use the internet to buy food, drink or cleaning products. Only a tiny 2% exclusively go online to buy such items while 20% do a mix of online and instore shopping. Spaniards care more about buying their fresh produce in person than most other countries, according to the report from the Observatory for the Evolution of Electronic Commerce in Food, carried out by the Complutense and Autonoma Universities of Madrid.
15
Beach barred Chiringuito closed while others see expansion halted as authorities step in to protect vulnerable beaches AUTHORITIES have ordered the demolition of a chiringuito in Arta following a 25-year battle with environmentalists. Cala Torta chiringuito had been ordered to close by Arta town hall after the bar had operated for almost a year without a licence. The chiringuito has been a source of controversy since
1994 with numerous alleged irregularities and infractions being raised by green groups. The venue has been at Cala Torta since 1968 with the original concession being transferred to a new owner in 1972, who died four years ago. The beach bar is likely to be replaced with a temporary structure, as permanent structures are no longer per-
STOPPED: Chiringuito in Arta set for demolition
mitted in protected coastal areas. Cala Torta is within a pro-
Top marks THE Government of La Rioja has confirmed it will send its informational campaign 'La Rioja Gastronómica' to Mallorca. The initiative, which is aimed at informing the public on food and drink, will be held at the Michelin-starred Maca de Castro Restaurant and the Jardín Bistró restaurant from June 25-26. Both eateries, which are part of Grupo Castro, host the event in Puerto de Alcudia, where attendees will receive tips from professionals as well as a free glass of vermouth. Among the chefs to participate at the
tected natural zone and has been the centre for an ambitious environmental project to regenerate sand dunes. It comes as the directorate for natural space advised chiringuito beach bars at Es Trenc against pursuing planned terraces.
Appealed
EDUCATION: Rioja Gov sends tour educational event, are Ventura Martínez (Chef Nino) y Maca de Castro (Maca de Castro).
The wooden terraces, complete with parasols and up to 12 tables would have a ‘radical’ impact on the beach, according to the directorate. The owners of the six chiringuitos on the beach have appealed the decision and have said the terrace ban has seen them suffer financially.
June 21st - July 4th 2019
What’s on for foodies!
F
ishy fun Port de Alcudia and Port de Pollensa celebrate Saint Peter the fisherman with a week of celebrations, outdoor meals, fish and food markets and plenty of entertainment through June 29.
G
in joy THE Mallorca Gin Festival returns for the second year on June 28 at Pueblo Espanol in Palma with some of the islands best gins and tonics.
W
ine & dine S A N T A Catalina's Galley Club is hosting a special five-course dinner with a fivewine pairing on June 27.
Friends.
Reset.
Music.
At OD Port Portals we have our own star rating. In fact, we have all the stars of the Mallorca sky and we will enjoy them all together every summer night at OD Sky Bar, on our spacious terrace and at our restaurant On Top. A hotel full of local experiences, music, art, gastronomy, yoga, pre-parties, flea markets, brunches, concerts, Pilates, tardeo, sea, sun and all the stars. A hotel full of life.
Horizon.
Sunset.
Memories.
FOOD,DRINK
16
June 21st - July 4th 2019
Superwines After giving you Spain’s most expensive wines, here we offer you the 10 best value chestnuts at supermarket prices by Claire Leibovich
LAST issue we looked at the 10 best-scoring Spanish wines that combined the highest quality and prices. This week our theme is bodega bargains as we select the best of the cheapest wines you can find in Spanish supermarkets, such as Alcampo, Carrefour, Lidl, Dia and El Corte Inglés. There is an overwhelming choice of supermarket wines in Spain, so we went to the reference guidebook, Los Supervinos (Linde Editions) by oenologist Joan C. Martín. For the ninth year in a row Martín has hand-picked 110 superwines that cost less than €7 and another 40 under €15. He evaluates each wine according to 10 different criteria, including display, taste, colour, information to the consumer, aroma and qualityprice ratio. The final average score ranges from one to five ‘eyes’. So keep your eyes peeled too...
Dominio de Tares Marqués de ‘Cepas Viejas’ Riscal Finca Mencía, Bierzo Montico, Rueda This subtle and elegant red is produced f r o m Mencía, the characteristic grape for the Bierzo D.O. It is wellstructured and balanced, with a vibrant acidity, silky tannins and a hint of wild berries. Clove and liquorice on the back palate. It pairs well with flavor rich recipes and dishes like slow cooked stews, roast beef or baked lamb.
€13
This white wine, made from hand-picked Verdejo, does not have a powerful nose, but rather reveals a more elegant, complex varietal character. The colour is greenish-yellow and the nose has a medium intensity with hints of fennel, herbs, white blossom, pear and peach. It has a fresh, unctuous, very smooth mouth-feel, with a long, round finish. It matches well with fish, shellfish, white ham, €14,20 meat, pasta, chicken or cold meat.
Paramo de Casser, Sierras de Malaga
MO Salinas Monastrell, Alicante
Freixenet Elyssia Brut Rosado
Martín describes it as ‘refined, elegant with an intense aroma, frank and natural’. This superwine is made from Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It goes perfectly with red meat, stews, Iberian pork sausages, goat and s h e e p cheese.
In 2018 it was named Best Superwine for the second c o n s e c u t i ve year by Los Supervinos guide. The prize goes to the wine with the best quality, price, singularity and origin. This one comes from the Sierra Salinas, in southeastern Spain, a landscape as green as a Swiss valley in the midst of a very dry region. It is well structured with a balanced acidity.
A ‘very glamourous’ wine, says €13,95 Martín, ‘because it maintains its intensity while having the texture of English marmalade’. It is almost exclusively made from Pinot Noir, but has a small percentage of Trepat to keep it fresh. The colour is a clean and shiny pale pink with tints of blue. It tastes fresh, light, with a refreshing acidity and slightly bitter notes.
€15
€5,95
All the above wines are the most outstanding of this edition, but others are more affordable - less than €4.
WHITE WINES Montblanc 362, Conca de Barberà This wine from Tarragona, in Catalunya, is fresh, fruity and voluptuous with some acidity. ‘The climate of the region and its Gascon and Occitan heritage make this wine very French,’ says Martín.
€3,29
Riesling, Alicante
€3,99
Acidic yet, at the same time, fresh and mellow. According to Martín, this wine from the Monóvar winery is particularly good this year.
Pazo Ribeiro, Galicia
Marqués de Monistrol, Cava
This wine tastes a bit like kiwi, ‘that marvelous green fruit, exotic but not warm or tropical’.
This rosé cava is ‘fresh, fruity (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries), and slightly acidic with notes reminiscent of sweet cake.’ Pair it with rice dishes, salads and all types of seafood.
€3,93
CAVA
€3,36
& TRAVEL
17
June 21st - July 4th 2019
Estola Reserva, Castilla La Mancha
This Catalan wine from the Celler Cooperatiu d'Espolla is made from two native grapes, the Lledoner negro (85%) and Lledoner rojo (15%). It has a cherry red colour and the aroma of fresh fruit with aniseed and nuts. The mouth is very sweet, with tannins present and a slightly bitter finish that gives it elegance. It is ideal for drinks between hours, as an aperitif and accompanying light dishes.
Bodegas Ontañón Comportillo Crianza, Rioja
This rich and intense wine is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranil- l o . Full-bodied and wellstructured, it presents complex aromas with spicy and balsamic notes, and is velvety on the palate. It goes well with lamb.
€3,70
ROSE WINES
RED WINES
Babalà Negro
This blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha combines aromas of fruit and wood. It’s the perfect partner for lamb, veal and poultry.
€3,15
Enterizo, Utiel - Requena Categorised as a ‘gastronomic rosé’, it’s the ideal companion for Mediterranean dishes, especially seafood rice dishes, recommends Martín, adding: ‘A nectar, undoubtedly’.
€2,39
€5,75
Solar Viejo Tempranillo, Rioja This classic red wine from Rioja Alavesa presents notes of ripe fruit, red fruit and spices. ‘Really good, like those historic reds from Riojan harvests, but modernised in process and taste,’ says Martín.
Alicia en el País de las Uvas, Valencia
€3,49
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www.homeconcierge.es Made from the Bobal grape variety, this wine has a fresh aroma with blackberry and fruit jelly notes. It is sweet, fresh and easy to drink with a low alcohol volume. It goes well with salads, pastas and cold dishes.
Clot, Terra Alta, Catalunya A ‘bright and luminous vermilion’ wine with notes of raspberry, blueberry and basil. Goes brilliantly with suquet, fish, fish broths and mellow rices.
Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry, Andalucia This is an iconic but affordable Manzanilla, recognizable with its label in homage to a gipsy woman who ran the Málaga bar in which the drink became particularly popular. Made from Palomino Fino, its nose has yellow apple and lemon aromas with of floral notes and a touch of sea breeze. It tastes light and dry at the start and becomes saltier, with subtle hints of liquorice and salted almonds. It goes best with tapas and appetizers, fish, shellfish, white meat and salads.
€13
SHERRY
Hiring!
WE ARE
€1,90
€3,95
Would you like to represent our award media group? The Olive Press is curre -winning ntly to fill the following roles on the islanlooking d:
Journalists
• Previous experience • A nose for the news • Good rates of pay
Distributors
• Disciplined • Great local knowledge • Own transport If you have what it takes then please send CV and covering letter to jon@theolivepre ss.es
FOOD,DRINK
18
June 21st - July 4th 2019
Touch of the Tropical Something different this summer? Life in the laid-back Axarquia and Costa Tropical has never seemed more appealing, writes Laurence Dollimore
‘WELCOME to the most beautiful town in Spain,’ toothless local Jorge calls out in broken English as I wipe the sweat from my brow. (OK, so I still look like a tourist, despite four years in Spain.) I had just hiked up to the top of Frigiliana which has indeed been crowned one of the country’s most picturesque pueblos, as plaques DRAMA: Rugged Nerja coastthrough the village will tell line (left) and Frigiliana mill you at every turn. (above) A 10-minute drive up from the coast from Nerja, it’s mountain villages, underthe pearl in a string of white- ground caves and beautiful, washed villages glistening in unspoilt hidden coves. the hills of the Axarquia and Jorge recommends a visit its nearby Granada neigh- to the outer walls of this bour, the Costa Tropical. old Moorish fortress town, Either way, this is the very and a break at his friend’s laid-back eastern end of the tapas bar, but it’s 300 meCosta del Sol, and boy, take tres back down the ancient it from me a ‘westie’ based cobbled street. near Marbella, it really is a I opt for the closer Las Chibreath of fresh air. nas, having just toiled up “This is our litthe Everesttle paradise,” steep slope in beams grandsearing heat, A wonderful father Jorge, the car parked who has lived building, it is the a good kilomehere his entire tre down the only molasses life. “We have road. a great local The food didn’t factory left in c o m m u n i t y, disappoint: Spain amazing food a dorada as and sunshine, meaty as what more do chicken, the you need?” whole three-course menu Some of the views inland del dia typically for the rewouldn’t look out of place in gion, cheap as chips. Jurassic Park - minus the di- For something sweeter, nosaurs - and hidden in that head to the only sugar cane jaw-dropping landscape is factory still functioning in a whole world of stunning Spain.
Still chugging out deliciously sticky molasses (treacle), the El Ingenio miel de cana factory operates from the magnificent 16th century Nuestra Senora del Carmen mansion in the heart of Frigiliana. Delve deeper into its maze of whitewashed alleyways - maybe after a restorative caña or two - and you can
•
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...Stun
...Swimming...
and ...Drinks
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conver ...Nice xing
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• Festive dinners • Business lunches • A drink and aperitif at the bar • Cocktails at the skybar • Business drinks • Receptions • Communion parties • 2 suites and 6 spacious rooms, all with sea views • For events see our calendar on
www.hotelmiba.com
N-340, Km. 325, from Malaga first exit to Salobreña • Tel. +34 958 617 228 info@hotelmiba.com • www.hotelmiba.com
& TRAVEL
19
June 21st - July 4th 2019
UNEVEN: Narrow streets - here in Comares - are part of the appeal while (below) Salobrena castle is a crown of the Costa Tropical
sense the pride here, with abuelas tending to their prize-winning geranium pots and not a scrap of rubbish blowing down the streets. It’s a recipe that’s repeated across the hills of this region - fantastic food, incredible views, charming villages with Arabic ruins and just as friendly people - just ask the expats, who have set up in Sayalonga, Comares, Competa or Salobrena. If you’re not set on staying quite so rural, Vélez-Málaga the Axarquia’s capital, which offers a faster pace and its own brand of charm. On arriving, there’s only one direction to go – and that’s up! From the ruined Moorish castle you can map the town with its busy roads, coffee shops and bars and a historic quarter typical of so many white hilltop villages embedded throughout a region that was once a jewel of Islam. The route to the castle will take you to the Jardin de los Remedios, a park that sits parallel to the castle and overlooks a church with a spire that protrudes from the white-washed Legostacked houses below. With its streams, miradors and benches, the park is the perfect escape from the
bustling centre, offering up fisheye lens views from the Med to the mountain tops. The statue of Jesus - Velez’s answer to Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer - has the best panorama, watching over the action from his lofty perch next to the Ermita de la Virgen church. Head over to the castle and watchtower for a glimpse into the Moorish past which shaped the Axarquia region. Although parts of the building date back to the 10th centur y, its heyday came 400 years later, when it was one of a chain defending the mighty Arabic Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. The entire city played a part in subduing a notoriously turbulent zone, hence the old Moorish name for it: Ballix-Malaca – or Fortress of Malaga. With 1,500 metres of defensive walls and numerous solid turrets, the castle provided such strong
defence it was used in a military capacity right up to the 19th century. The mountain towns and villages of the Axarquia from Competa to Comares and Archez to Algarrobo are full of signs of their Moorish past and olden days in general. Each has a wonderful crop of white houses stacked higgledy-piggledy around q u a i n t p l a z a s and along timeless cobbled streets. But no trip to the Axarquia is complete with seeing the charming Nerja. It’s famous Balcon de Europa jutting out into the Med offers theatrical views while the popular town has managed to retain its Andalucian credentials and its rocky coves, sandy beaches and pueblo vibe are the envy of its more westerly Costa del Sol rivals. Nerja was left untouched by the massive tourism devel-
opment boom which hit the likes of Torremolinos and Marbella from the 1950s onwards. But that all changed when five boys on a bat-hunting trip stumbled upon the opening to a cave on a hillside above the tiny fishing village of Maro, a few miles east of Nerja. Vast caverns were revealed,
CORTIJO BRAVO
B { } bou Hotel Cortijo Bravo, is a typical Andalusian cortijo rehabilitated in hotel, where its 21 comfortable rooms combine an elegant decoration, typically Andalusian, with cosmopolitan and romantic touches of the 19th century Málaga, in an incomparable natural setting that includes a magnificent pool and a restaurant where from its magical terrace, our clients can enjoy the magnificent temperatures of the Costa del Sol all year round, as well as its wonderful views of the Sierra de Tejeda and Almijara, the white villages of the Axarquia bathed by the sun and as a backdrop, the blue Mediterranean Sea. In B { } bou Hotel Cortijo Bravo, you can enjoy an oasis of peace and tranquility among a sea of subtropical trees, ideal for pleasant meals and events enjoying the absolute calm that is breathed in the place. Our renovated restaurant with contemporary and traditional cuisine, puts at the service of our customers the best dishes of Andalusian cuisine, as well as the best meats of our territory. A Mediterranean cuisine with modern and creative touches with the ability to delight the most demanding palates. It will be a pleasure to receive you. B { } bou Hotel Cortijo Bravo, where your dreams come true ...
PERCHED: Castle in Velez-Malaga (left) while (above) surfer enjoys shores of the Axarquia coast
Telephone for reservations: 951 550 048 Booking email: info@hotelcortijobravo.com
FOOD,DRINK
20
June 21st - July 4th 2019
FORTRESS: Roman aqueduct of Almunecar has survived to this day
STUNNING: The view inland of Archez and the Axarquia mountains, while above a classic Arabic tower in Archez village
with spectacular rock formations showing evidence of Paleolithic man. General Franco himself came to view the ‘Cueva de Nerja’ and coach-loads of visitors subsequently followed suit. And when Nerja was chosen as a location for the 1980s TV series, Verano Azul, its future as a tourism destination was set. The series
left an indelible mark. Now, wherever you go in Nerja, you’ll come across the name, which means blue
summer. There is a Verano Azul travel agency, bus company, park, block of apartments ... you may even find a bar serving a Verano Azul cocktail. But if you want to get away from it all - the disco bars, the tourist shops and the bustle - head for one of the small coves just below the town, or nearby in Maro. Nerja’s beaches are cut off from the town and roads, backed by sheer cliff-face.
You can sit on the sand for hours in solitude, lose track of time, without seeing a sign of civilisation, just coastline colliding with blue sea in both directions. It is just so un-Costa del Sol! But then again, I am from the western end. And, sitting alone on my rock, toes in the sea, watching the sun set over Malaga, the sleepy, do-nothing lifestyle of the laid-back ‘East’ has never seemed more appealing.
WHERE TO STAY
A complete dream
LA VIÑUELA & SPA
The Axarquia and Costa Tropical have a great selection of places to stay, discovers Jon Clarke
W B { } bou Hotel La Viñuela & Spa is one of the most special boutique hotels on the Costa del Sol, located in a natural environment of the most beautiful in Andalusia, on the shores of Lake La Viñuela and at the foot of the Sierra de Tejada and Almijara, a few minutes from the beach, a unique location. Everything adds up so that your stay at B { } bou Hotel La Viñuela & Spa is a mixture of emotions and sensations to be enjoyed, surrounded by 15,000 m2 of beautiful gardens, in 37 exclusive rooms, with two swimming pools and a private spa, among many others services. Savoring the best traditional cuisine in the area, in its rooms or terraces, is an incomparable experience. B { } bou Hotel La Viñuela & Spa draws a gastronomic route through Andalusia, which starts with the fresh fish and seafood from Málaga, continues with the important tropical mango and avocado from the Axarquía, as well as the incomparable goat from Canillas . A unique Mediterranean traditional cuisine, a delight for the palate and the senses. It will be a pleasure to receive you. B { } bou Hotel La Viñuela & Spa, a place to lose yourself and meet again ...
Telephone for reservations: 952 519 193 Booking email: hotel@hotelvinuela.com
ITH stunning views across emblematic Vinuela lake and up towards the formidable peak of Mount Maroma, Hotel Vinuela is one of the most scenic places to stay in Andalucia. With stylish bedrooms, an amazing restaurant and peaceful grounds, it is hardly surprising that it is already the stand out place to stay in the Axarquia. Now 20 years old, this four-star spot has the region’s most exclusive spa and massage centre. Set in the hotel’s grounds with views across the lake, the Mei Wellness & Spa is a new concept in exclusive well-being therapy. Perfect for individuals or for couples, the spa which counts on a jacuzzi, sauna and hammam - is rented out privately by the hour. “You will experience feelings of complete serenity and harmony: a unique and unparalleled experience that you will never forget,” promises hotel manager Maria Herrero, of the B Bou chain. The company has also recently taken over another amazing hotel Cortijo Bravo nearer the coast near Velez-Malaga. This wonderful place was once one of the homes of the Larios family, who grew sugar cane for their rum factories along the coast. The converted mansion is style personified and each room offers lovely views inland towards the mountains or along the coast. Now a boutique hotel, many of its 21 rooms count on four poster beds and balconies. In Nerja you are spoilt for choice for good places to stay. In pole position is Hotel Toboso, which couldn't be in a better location in the heart of town by the emblematic Balcon de Europa. The rooms are fantastic in size and you are right next to the excellent Cochrane's Irish restaurant
and bar, which is good for a local meal and has the best terrace in Nerja. You might also check out Hotel Carabeo in one of the best parts of the town. Looking to stay in a charming inland village, look no further than Meson Mudejar, in Archez. Recently taken over by a charming Polish couple, it is a sleepy spot with simple, clean rooms, that sit above the vegan restaurant downstairs. It’s good value and you can head out for a range of walks from the door as well as enjoy experiencing the typical Axarquia life. Along the Costa Tropical perhaps the best place to stay is the recently renovated Hotel Miba, in Salobrena. This wonderful eight-room hotel, recently taken over by the team at Villas Colores, perches on an escarpment overlooking Salobrena town. Every inch of this modern hotel maximises on the incredible views, be it across to the breathtaking nearby town, which soars up like a wedding cake from stage left, or stage right to the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. The rooms are spacious and each have their own private terrace. It also has an excellent restaurant and rooftop bar and swimming pool with stunning views up the coast. This is a great place for an evening cocktail Up in Motril look out for Casa de los Bates, which is an amazing 19th century Italianate mansion, with sumptuous bedrooms and well appointed dining and sitting rooms. The places oozes history and the family home, now owned by two charming brothers Borja and Inaki, is full of antiques and photos of its illustrious guests, which have included Nelson Mandela and the King of Spain.
& TRAVEL
June 21st - July 4th
One-eyed bandit! David Baird follows in the footsteps of the bandoleros, who made the Axarquia infamous
CAPTURED: Infamous bandit El Tempranillo was finally captured and kept at Venta de Alfarnate (below)
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BOUT the biggest hazard you will meet on the back roads of the Axarquía is a herd of goats, a lorry overloaded with farm produce or a hostelry inviting you to dally for a lazy hour or so. But it was not always so. Bandoleros – or bandits - were once a major feature of life in this area. Colourful types though they were, it did not make the experience of having your valuables purloined at the point of a blunderbuss any pleasanter. In the years following the Napoleonic Wars, so lawless were the roads that the English writer Richard Ford advised travellers to bring along ‘a decent bag of dollars’ to appease any highwaymen you might meet. He also suggested carrying an impressive-looking watch, noting; “The absence of a watch can only be accounted for by a premeditated intention of not being robbed of it, which the ladrón considers as a most unjustifiable attempt to defraud him of his right.” One of the most notorious 19thcentury bandits was El Bizco (the one-eyed bandit). They remember him in his birthplace, El Borge. Take a ride up there and witness how the landscape becomes steeply undulating, clothed in olive groves and vineyards. Several streets are named after revolutionary heroes such as Che Guevara, the legacy of a leftwing, anti-monarchy mayor who often made headlines with his controversial decisions. The Mudejar-Renaissance Rosario church is impressive, with immense pillars supporting its three naves. Look for two holes in the weather-vane atop the church. They were allegedly made by El Bizco’s shotgun. The vane had never worked but — after he blasted away — it functioned perfectly. Otherwise El Bizco’s record is pretty gruesome. With his comrades in crime, Frasco Antonio and Manuel Melgares, he terrorised the whole area. At times, these cut-throats were used by unscrupulous ‘caciques’, powerful land-owners, to sway local election results. Wander down a maze of narrow streets and at the bottom end of the village you find the olive mill
where El Bizco was born. It has this inn was a welcome rest stop been converted into the Posada for muleteers en route to Granadel Bandolero, combining an at- da and a meeting place of foottractive hotel, restaurant and mu- pads, smugglers, guerrillas — and seum. At the side of the bar you Civil Guards. can see the original mill-stones Locals tell anecdotes about how and a deep well. the guards would suddenly arrive, El Bizco’s chum, Melgares, mean- discover meals which the guerrilwhile is said to have committed las had ordered and proceed to one of his most daring crimes in scoff the food themselves. Frigiliana (six kilometres inland Just east of Nerja is the Río de la from Nerja). Miel valley, a delightfully peaceful Disguised as a priest, he entered spot but once a refuge for smugthe Ingenio, the mansion owned glers. by the Counts of Frigiliana, pointed When guerrillas landed from a pistol at the manager and made North Africa, they trekked up this off with around 100,000 pesetas. valley to their bases in the mounToday the Ingenio houses the last tains and Río de la Miel became factory in Europe such a breeding producing miel ground of resisde caña (molastance that it was El Tempranillo’s called ‘Little Russes), on sale in local shops. sia’. claim was: “In Frigiliana was Almost every vila flash point in lage has some Spain the king the 1940s when tale to tell about rules, but in the smugglers or anti-Franco guerrillas based in bandits. Such as sierra I do” the adjacent sierBenamargosa, ras sought to proup a well-watered voke a general valley northwest revolt. In a bid to discredit them, of Vélez-Málaga. Franco’s tightly controlled media A couple of centuries back it was labelled them ‘bandoleros’. dubbed Gibraltar Chico (Little GiIf you hike into the mountains braltar) because the inhabitants with their abrupt inclines and were renowned as smugglers, deep gorges riddled with caves, particularly of tobacco. you can see how difficult it was These days Benamargosa likes to for the Civil Guards to track the think of itself as the Oasis of the guerrillas. Axarquía. The sheltered environHigh up, near a pass called the ment and benign climate allow Puerto de Frigiliana, lie the ruins tropical fruits such as mangoes of the Venta Panaderos. Once and avocadoes to flourish on the fertile lands bordering its river. Perhaps most famous for its association with the lawless past is a lonely inn standing on a crossroads at one of the highest points of the Axarquía. To reach it, you take the old road from Málaga to Granada, the A6103. It weaves its way through the forested RUINED: An old mill in the Rio de la Miel valley once used by smugglers Montes de Mál-
aga then past limestone crags to the Venta de Alfarnate. First opened in 1691, this inn, standing beneath the rocky buttress of the Tajo de Gomer, claims to be the oldest in Andalucia. At weekends it is crowded as ‘domingueros’ (trippers) tuck into roast kid, partridge and pork. In the past all manner of travellers stopped here. A plaque notes: “In this Venta on April 21 1850 the Mail on the way to Málaga was stolen by a group of 12 armed men. The bandits took particular care to seize a packet of Government prosecutions and criminal lawsuits coming from the Granada chancery.” On one occasion in the 19th century, a horseman rode up as the customers were tucking into gazpacho from a common bowl. Told there were no spoons left, he used the crust of a loaf to scoop up the cold soup — then produced a pistol. “Now,” he commanded, “do the same as I do. Eat your spoons!” They recognised him as El Tempranillo, Andalucia’s most notorious bandolero, whose claim was: “In Spain the king rules, but in the sierra I do.” They were forced to chew their wooden spoons. On other occasions, El Tempranillo was more gallant. Always courteous, if he stripped a lady of her best jewellery, he would kiss her hand and assure her: “Such a pretty hand needs no adornment.” Truth to tell, those bandits were hardly a bunch of Robin Hoods. Most would have robbed their own grandmothers given the chance. But time has cast a romantic aura over them, popular mythology has embroidered their characters and their memories have been enshrined in everything from museums to the names of gourmet dishes. Ford maintained that travellers often exaggerated the bandit peril. When he inquired about thieves, “according to all sensible Spaniards, it was not on the road that they were most likely to be found, but in the confessional boxes, the lawyers’ offices, and still more in the bureaux of government.” Bless my soul — some things don’t change.
Learn more about the outlaws in Francisco Montoro Fernández’s book Bandoleros de la Axarquía (Acento Andaluz). David Baird is the author of East of Malaga (Santana Books), the definitive guide
to the Axarquía, as well as Sunny Side Up — The 21st century hits a Spanish village and Typhoon Season. These are distributed by Maroma Press (http://maromapress.wordpress.com/).
Closed 12.00 until mid February Open Tuesday to Sunday. until 22.00
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June 21st - July 4th 2019
COLUMNISTS
Mallorca diaries
Silver linings
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MUST admit it all seems to be going a bit pear shaped if I’m honest. There’s a few things I’m trying to sort out and it’s not going too well. First of all my car, I’ve owned it for almost a year now (I can’t believe how quickly time goes by but I’m told that’s an age thing) which means that the dreaded annual ITV test must be due. In fact I’ve just checked and yes it is due at the end of the month. I went online to book an appointment but was informed on the site that nothing was available for over eight weeks. I didn’t believe that so I drove down to the Inca testing station this morning and sure enough it’s true, no appointments until the end of August. Oops, that’s not good is it. Last time I did this I’m sure I could get an appointment within two weeks. I asked about a cancellation but of course everyone’s doing the same thing and the girl behind the desk just shrugged, which as we all know is the universal language for saying ‘No chance’. Secondly, I’m still trying to get a spanish driving licence. I’ve jumped through all the
By Lesley Keith
When things go balls up at least there’s the summer sun and visiting friends, writes Lesley Keith
hoops, paid all the money their staff as bookings were and am still waiting several considerably down on premonths later. The provision- vious years. Then they real one, which is merely a duced their prices as well piece of paper, expires in a and understandably bookfew days. I cannot hire a car ings shot back up again. anywhere abroad without a Needless to say that everyfull license I believe, so yet one that’s left is completely again if I return to the UK I’m overstretched and can’t stuck either begging lifts or cope with their own work, using taxis or let alone help public transme with mine. port. Deepest Lastly, and He’s a little bit actually this Hampshire is not known for is the sort of different, with an efficient problem I like, transport sys- painted toenails I’m just deltem and it’s and more tattoos uged with visivirtually non tors. existent after than a circus act Over the com6pm. ing fortnight, Thirdly it apI’m looking pears I’ve not been doing after two extremely lovethe expenses quite right for able but completely bonkers my weekly airport job. The doggies for a friend. They’re system has changed and great but really noisy and I I’m getting in a mess. Well can’t leave them too long or actually I’m not, I know ex- they get into mischief. Stayactly what I’m doing, I just ing just up the road is an can’t seem to get it right on ex neighbour and her new the paperwork. The compa- partner, it’s a great chance ny I’ve been working for has, to catch up and get to know like a lot of places, reduced the new man.
SUMMER SEASON: Sun makes it all OK, even when things don’t quite go to plan
He’s a little bit different, with painted toenails and more tattoos than a circus act but seems to have a lovely manner and most importantly makes my friend very happy. In the other direction is another good friend and her husband who’s been very ill. I introduced them to each other over 30 years ago and despite that they still speak to me! I was given the honour of being their bridesmaid so I really want to spend time with them whilst they’re
here. There’s also my niece and her family who’ve never been here before, staying in the next town this weekend for just four days. Well I’ve got to spend time with them haven’t I, and finally an old school friend and her husband are in Cala D’Or, which is completely the other end of the island and they’re leaving next week. Oh the joys of being so popular and living in such a great place, it’s a blessing, it’s a curse! A good thing is that the weather has been amaz-
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ing for them whilst they’re here so they all seem very happy to just catch up with me at the end of their day having had a full session of sunbathing. It’s quite amusing watching them all gradually change colour over the week. It’s been so warm that I’ve actually managed to use our pool, up until last week it was impossible to get in further than my knees without hypothermia setting in. It’s still freezing but that also means I get it to myself. There’s always an up side!
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SPORT WINNERS: Canada
Yes we Canada THE NBA has been won for the first time by a Canadian team, with the help of a trio of Spanish stars. New champions Toronto Raptors, have in their team, Spaniards Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, and assistant coach, and Spain national coach, the Italian Sergio Scariolo. Raptors beat the two-time reigning champions Golden State 144-110, to lift the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. The club, which is just 24 years old, also became the first Canadaian side in any sport to bring a major trophy to the city and country since the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team in 1993.
Doubles fault ANDY Murray’s doubles partner Feliciano Lopez has been named in a Wimbledon matchfixing investigation. The Spaniard, 37, play at the Queen’s tournament in London this week, teaming up with Murray, who is back from hip surgery. Lopez, the former world number 12, and his former playing partner, Marc Lopez, are accused of match-fixing during Wimbledon 2017. Feliciano Lopez has denied all allegations against him, and said he had never met those at the centre of the probe, former Real Madrid star, Carlos Aranda, and ex-Leeds player Raul Bravo.
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June 21st - July 4th 2019
League of Spies LA Liga has been fined after the league's official phone app was discovered to have used popular phone app to eavesdrop on illegal match broadcasts. Recordings would be secretly compiled and then cross checked using the devices’ geolocation to determine if the venue hadn't paid to screen the game.
Spain’s data protection agency has hit La Liga with a €250,000 fine and called the ‘spy’ app ‘very serious breach of transparency.’ The official match-following app has been downloaded by more than 4 million fans, who were not informed it could remotely activate their device’s microphone.
Golden RECOVERY
Chris Froome could be crowned Vuelta a Espana champion from his hospital bed BRITISH cyclist Chris Froome is in line for the 2011 Vuelta a Espana title after its winner has been caught doping. Spanish rider Juan Jose Cobo was stripped of his title by the Union Cycliste
Internationale (UCI) after abnormalities in his biological passport were found. Froome finished second in the race, eight years ago, meaning the 34-year-old may now be retrospectively awarded the victory. It would also go down in history as Britain’s first Grand Tour win, as Froome’s victory would be prior to Bradley Wiggins lifting the Tour de France trophy in 2012. It comes after Froome recently underwent an eighthour surgery following a horror crash that leaves him out of this year’s Tour de France.
Beautiful Felanitx Finca with delightful views of the countryside and distant sea views towards Cabrera
4 Beds 4 Baths 440 m² Living Pool €2.350.000 Ref: 15002
Fractured
MAESTRO: Sergio Garcia
Master class
SPAIN’S Sergio Garcia will bid for a hat trick of back-toback wins in Andalucia as the Masters lineup has been announced. The 39-year-old world number 30 won the Andalucia Masters, held at Real Club Valderrama in 2011, 2017 and 2018. Standing in his way of a consecutive triple, is his countryman Jon Rahm, the world number 11, who has six international titles to his name, including the Zurich Classic. A big crop of British talent is also among the 144 golfers teeing off on Spain’s most
famous course for the €3 million prize. From England, come 2015 British Masters champion Matthew Fitzpatrick and 2018 Hong Kong Open-winner Aaron Rai, while Scotland sends Richie Ramsay, the first Brit to win the U.S. Amateur for almost a century. Tickets are €18 for adults and €7 for young fans and can be bought from www.andaluciavalderramamasters.com. There will be plenty of sun with highs in the late 20s currently forecast for the tournament from June 27 to 30.
Team Ineos, which rebranded from Team Sky this year, confirmed its rider suffered a fractured right femur, broken hip, fractured elbow, fractured ribs and lost consciousness during the Criterium du Dauphine race. The four-time Tour de France champion was travelling at 37mph and hit the deck whilst attempting to blow his nose in high winds outside the town of Roanne. His team have now said a six-hour operation was a ‘success’ and that they are ‘very happy with his progress’. Meanwhile, 38-year-old Cobo, who doped between 2009 and 2011, could now appeal the UCI’s decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Stone faced finca set in 24000 m² of land offering the peaceful tranquility of the countryside yet less than 5 minutes to the town of Felanitx. Offering a light-filled and spacious living space of 440 m² there are 3 large bedrooms en suite in the main house and 1 in the guest accommodations. Potential to amplify property. Underfloor heating, satellite, landscaped gardens with orchard, pool and bbq dining area with covered terraces, and easy walking distance to the town. Rental license. Price: €2.350.000
Contact Amanda J Butler your one stop property advisor in Mallorca email: ajb@mjcassociates.net or tel: (+34) 690 075 169
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FINAL WORDS
THE Mallorca football match against Deportivo on Sunday has crashed the ticketing selling site in the first hour of sales, with the tickets selling out quickly.
Green glass LAST year the Balearics recycled more than 45 tons of glass. This equates to 30kg per person.
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Vol. 3 Issue 57 www.theolivepress.es June 21st - July 4th 2019
Still loading… Brit fuming as new Bentley is towed away in Spain thanks to slow government database A BRITISH driver has been left furious after his new UKplated Bentley was towed away by six police officers in Spain because of a slow online database. The officers in Benidorm
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
took the car away after they checked a UK Government website and could not find evidence that Dave McQueen
Gutter trap
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AN OWL has been rescued in Palma after getting caught in a gutter. The city's firefighters were called to the scene to unhook the feathery friend whose tag had been caught five metres high. The bird was then taken to COFIB, the governments wildlife rescue services.
AS the summer heats up, the Balearic government is again campaigning to raise awareness of wildfires and how to prevent them with new videos and web campaigns.
BENT COPS: Took McQueen’s supercar had paid UK tax, instead be- supercar ‘did not fit onto’ a lieving the twin-turbo Conti- tow-truck, and so two police nental GT ‘was stolen’. cars and six officers stopped McQueen explained to police traffic to escort him through that the website states it can Benidorm. take ‘five working days’ to The next day his solicitor reupdate, and vowed that he trieved his car ‘without any bought his car ‘just four days charges’. ago’. McQueen later found he was “Surely if the police are go- driving home on two flat ing to check your car they front tyres, which cost €650 must use a better system that to repair and another week doesn’t take five days to up- without his car. date,” McQueen told the Ol- He said he may have ive Press this week. been stopped due to his He added his twin-turbo ‘BE04ORM’ numberplate.
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WE all remember the flamingos and unicorns of summers gone by. Well this year there's a new inflatable hero - a huge blowup speedboat capable of holding six people. Available on Amazon, the must-have item comes complete with a drinks cooler and will no doubt make you the envy of the seas. It's not the cheapest of lilos coming in at around €300 online, but can you really put a price on looking this cool?
Aisle be damned PALMA is the third most expensive Spanish city to tie the knot in, a new report has revealed. If you have felt inspired by the lavish matrimony of Pilar Rubio and Sergio Ramos (page 3), then in the Mallorcan capital you will have to shell out €16,538. That is 17% more than the national average of €14,170, according to the research by consultancy firm Prontopro.es
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