Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 348

The best reads...

OLIVE PRESS Andalucía

The Mijas Costa FREE

Bonnie & Clyde SO ND

R COS

Beach bummer

We continue our campaign against the plans to destroy our costas

Page 6

expat

voice in Spain

By Laurence Dollimore

A BRITISH man has been arrested after firing shots at his best friend’s car.

The outburst came after his pal discovered he was having an affair with his wife - and told her.

The 29-year-old expat was taken into custody in Marbella, after police tracked him down.

He lost his temper after his wife was tipped off by his mate and came to a hotel where he was having a lovers tryst and trashed his car.

According to police, the incident happened after the friend, also believed to be an expat, had grown suspicious of his wife’s erratic behaviour during the lockdown.

See pages 10 - 11 & 18 - 19

Drive-by lovers

Rumbled

Wild cat chase

We explore and investigate the ‘Ronda lynx’ sighting

Page 20

He began to track her mobile phone and finally discovered she was staying a night in Marbella.

Once he realised she had booked a room at a hotel he paid a visit and found his pal’s car parked outside.

After clarifying the affair he called the wife of his mate to let

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REVENGE: Pal’s car was ‘riddled with bullets’ near Marbella’s casino at 9am in the morning

her know what he had found.

The furious woman soon arrived outside and began smashing up

his car, Malaga’s National Police confirmed.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

Now enraged that he had been rumbled, THE SKY the love rat inDOCTOR sisted on makALL AREAS COVERED ing his pal pay for ‘snitching’ on him.

4G UNLIMITED In a devious INTERNET act of revenge IDEAL FOR he jumped STREAMING TV on a moALSO IPTV, torbike and SATELLITE TV tracked down his friend’s tel: (0034) 952 763 840 car which he info@theskydoctor.com proceeded to www.theskydoctor.com riddle with

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Your

Vol. 13 Issue 348 www.theolivepress.es July 22nd - August 4th 2020

Brit shoots up best pal’s car after he grassed up affair with his wife

Did Maddie suspect Christian Brueckner have a female accomplice?

...and the best secret beaches in Andalucia

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bullets.

Various locals told the Olive Press how they had heard the shots ringing around the Casino area, by the H10 hotel at 9am on July 8.

One witness, who works at a local hair clinic, said: “You couldn’t miss the shots, there were quite a lot of them. They were very loud.

“Police were here in a few minutes asking questions,” she added.

Tel: 952 147 834 TM

Threats

After a couple of hours the police were able to track down the British man and arrested him.

He was charged with firing a gun on a public street, the possession of an illegal weapon, as well as threats and criminal damage.

After the arrest, police managed to recover the See page 15 pistol, a 7.65 mm handgun. The Brit appeared for a committal hearing at Marbella’s court 5 on July 10.

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CRIME

www.theolivepress.es

NEWS IN BRIEF Beach baddies BEACH surveillance officers reported more than 26,000 incidents in Andalucia during the first weekend of July, with 8,000 registered in the coastal municipalities of Malaga alone.

Smoked out TWO men aged 36 and 63 were arrested when suspicious police discovered a drugs plantation inside a remote farmhouse in the Montes de Malaga after the duo turned down offers of help to escape an out of control stubble fire.

Murder arrest A MANCHESTER fugitive was arrested in Fuengirola on suspicion of murdering 19-year-old Aya Hachem in a botched drive-by shooting in Blackburn in May this year.

No hiding A BRITISH man aged 45 from Merseyside has been arrested in Marbella on a European Arrest Warrant issued for an alleged drugs plot in the UK.

A MANHUNT is underway for the leader of one of the biggest drug trafficking and money laundering clans in the Campo de Gibraltar.

Gareth Mauro, head of the Mauro clan, is wanted by Gibraltar and Spanish police for laundering at least €2 million in hashish smuggling profits.

The head honcho is feared to have fled to Morocco after a string of raids involving hundreds of police officers saw 71 people arrested in La Linea, including four Gibraltarians (three men and a woman).

“We can confirm that the arrested Gibraltarians are part of the same Mauro family,” a spokesman for the Guardia Civil told the Olive Press.

One source told this paper that boss Gareth owned ‘one of the most luxurious homes’ in the notorious so-called ‘Narcoville’ in El Zabal.

The beachside neighbourhood in La Linea has been constructed illegally by drug barons and mafias and features huge villas with high-rise walls and topONE of Britain’s most notorious gangsters has died while hiding out on the Costa del Sol. Mickey ‘The Pimpernel’ Green lost his life last week following a six-month battle with skin cancer.

The 77-year-old, who evaded capture for decades, passed away in his luxury villa in the hills near Estepona after amassing an €80 million fortune.

The pensioner enjoyed a fruitful criminal career, including running a drug smuggling operation dubbed The Octopus due to its extensive tentacles.

Londoner Green started out by running an armed robbery gang nicknamed The Wembley Mob in the 1960s, which raked in the equivalent of more than €20 million in today’s money over four years.

After a stint in prison beginning in 1970, he immediately returned to crime in the late 1970s, teaming up with mob

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

Seen Gazza?

notch security.

“These homes, with their high walls and security measures, were not registered on any town plan,” added the spokesman.

“It was discovered that they had not been financed

HUNTED: Mauro (inset) and seized boat by banks and their owners’ legal jobs could not fund such luxury residences.”

Nearly all the hash smuggling clans, with names like Polo, Futbolistas, Pantoja and Castana, lived in El Zabal. In fact the narcos had spent at least €35 million to build their homes, which, following a raid by 450 anti-drug cops, have now been seized, along with €500,000 in cash and 150 luxury vehicles.

Mauro’s £200,000 yacht, named ‘Sunrays’, was also seized in Gibraltar in early July.

Do you know where Gareth Mauro is? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Taken the Mickey

British gangster evaded police for decades and spent last 20 years living life of luxury on Costa del Sol pal Ronnie Dark to lead one of the first ever gold Krugerrand VAT scams.

The scam saw the pair fly in VAT-free gold coins by private jet. They would then melt them down into ingots before selling them back to the bullion houses and charging them VAT. Over a period of six months they made more than €6 million.

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But when the UK authorities began to close in on the gang, Green did a runner to Spain, which had no extradition treaty with Britain at the time.

He quickly built up his drug empire, moving drugs from North Africa to Europe via the Costa del Sol. The gangster was often seen cruising around Puerto Banus in his white Bentley and by the mid 1980s had amassed a fortune.

However Spanish police seized two tonnes of hashish in 1987 and cuffed Green before releasing him on bail. He immediately escaped to Morocco and then France, but police were hot on his tail.

He would wind up in the US working alongside the Colombians and US mafia before returning to Spain in the late 90s, where he had remained ever since.

He is believed to have left his criminal career behind after having made a fortune worth €80 million. His funeral was held near Marbella on Friday.

Bent copper A GUARDIA Civil officer has been detained for transporting immigrants from Ceuta to Spain’s Algeciras in the interior of his own vehicle.

The 56-year-old officer made the same trip on 23 occasions, over a period of three months and nine days.

The man has been arrested, together with his 23-year-old Moroccan wife and two other collaborators, on charges of a crime against the rights of foreign citizens and being in a criminal organisation.

The couple would charge between €5,000 and €6,000 for each trip.

Sinking feeling MODEL: Green was model for Sexy Beast film

POLICE have seized a British-flagged yacht with 400 kilos of hashish aboard.

An air patrol spotted the ketch acting suspiciously off the coast of Chipiona (Cadiz) and alerted a customs patrol boat, which intercepted the vessel.

Officers who boarded the boat arrested the two man crew, both Bulgarians.

The intercepted ship was taken to Cadiz where an in-depth search revealed 12 bales of hashish.

The two detained men have been handed over into the custody of the Cadiz courts.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

Big city lights ANTONIO Banderas has been lured to the bright lights of Madrid with his new stage show A Chorus Line.

Malaga’s favourite son, 59, starred in and co-directed the musical with John Breglio at his Soho Caixabank Theatre.

He will now take the production to the Capital’s Bankia Gran Teatro Principe Pio from

Well heeled SARAH Jessica Parker has opened a new shoe shop in the former boutique of Spanish designer Manolo Blahnik.

Following on from the Olive Press’ article (100 Spanish icons, Issue 347, pg 10), the Sex and the City star, 55, unveiled her brand’s new flagship store in Manhattan.

Known for playing Carrie Bradshaw in the hit series, Parker has often donned a pair of ‘Manolos’ on the streets of New York.

Her new site at 31 West 54th Street stocks shoes, candles, sunglasses and other items from the SJP Collection she founded in 2014 with ex-Manolo Blahnik USA Presi-

WELL SHOD: Carrie

September 17 - November 15.

A Chorus Line to centres on auditions in 1970s Broadway, led by no-nonsense director ‘Zach’ (played by Banderas for the first 10 shows).

Tickets start at €19 and Banderas said his team had ‘taken all measures’ to ‘minimise the possibility of the spread of COVID-19’.

DANCE: Banderas leading the way

Forgetful Felipe King reminded to wear his mandatory face mask by teenage daughter

EVERYONE is adjusting to a new normal amid the coronavirus pandemic and it seems the King of Spain is no exception.

King Felipe needed a nudge from his 14-year-old daughter, Princess Leonor, to wear his compulsory mask at the Royal Palace in Ma-

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

drid last week. The heir to the throne tapped her father on the arm and subtly pointed towards her own mask to alert King Felipe to his forgetful error. This absent minded mistake was espe-

Bargain-loving Brits BRITISH expats have been called on to appear in a new series of Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun. The hit Channel 5 show needs Costa del Sol-based Brits who are ‘living their dream in the Spanish sun.’

A spokesperson said: “Do you live a tremendous life on a tight budget? Have you recently moved to Spain or are you a seasoned expat?

“Do you run your own business or do you have an interesting job? Are you facing a new challenge or have a fascinating story?”

Filming for Series 6 will start soon on the Costa del Sol and those interested should contact Jess at jessica.foster@blakeway.tv

KIM CLARK

cially surprising as King Felipe had just given a speech commemorating the 28,400 people who have died of coronavirus in Spain. The memorial, which was attended by the family members mourning those lost to COVID-19, included a minutes silence and ceremonial laying of white roses.

Felipe VI initially removed his mask to speak and failed to place it back on his face when he returned to his socially-distanced seat. “This act cannot heal the pain felt by so many families at not being at the side of their loved ones in their final hours,” said the king in his speech. “Let us work together, using all our will, our capacity, our knowledge, all our effort and the strength to be able to look to the future with confidence and hope.”

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

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Spring in his step PALOMO has emerged from isolation with a spring in his step to reveal his new Paris Fashion Week collection.

The 28-year-old designer from Cordoba showcased the lockdown-inspired range in a five-minute digital runway.

Flowers and plants sprouting from the flies of trousers and necklines are inspired by the wildlife, which ‘popped up in unlikely places’ during Spain’s state of alarm.

The London Central Saint Martins graduate said his ‘spring we never had’ collection also made use of the ‘scraps of clothing lying around’ during lockdown.

COLLECTION: Palomo’s (inset) new range

Hair today, hair tomorrow A COLOURFUL troop of expat celebs helped Marbella’s Barber Club celebrate its fifth birthday.

Champion bodybuilder Gal Ferreira Yates and MMA fighter Terry ‘The Dominator’ Brazier made a beeline for the bash.

The VIP hairdresser with a difference was set up by millionaire Life On Marbs star Jon Stretton-Knowles.

"I’m growing my hair out to look like an Italian footballer," he told the Olive Press.

"I’m nearly 40, it's about time I have a mid-life crisis."

FIXTURE: Jon Stretton Knowles

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NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

Female accomplice link to Maddie snatching SUSPECT: Brueckner

MISSING: Maddie

As searches of wells begins near Praia da Luz, it emerges main suspect may have worked with a female accomplice THE main suspect in the disappearance of Maddie McCann may have had a female partner in crime in Portugal, it has been revealed.

German ex-girlfriend Nicole Fehlinger, 44, has been named as Christian Brueckner’s crime ‘accomplice’ in a series of burglaries on the Algarve in 2007.

In an explosive documentary on Portugal’s RTP, the attractive German from Wurzburg, has been accused of pinpointing ‘good properties to rob’ for the pair.

In one burglary alone, in Albufeira, in November, 2007, the pair are said to have taken over €100,000.

At the property in Praia da

Gale, near Albufeira, Christian was later recognised by neighbours.

“The victims contacted me and I have now confirmed it with the court files,” RTP journalist Sandra Felgueiras told the Olive Press.

“I have evidence that Christian committed burglaries with Nicole,” she continued.

In a police report unearthed by the programme, Nicole admitted communication at the time with Brueckner - who is also from Wurzburg - but claimed he was in Germany.

The Portuguese victims, for whom Nicole worked as a babysitter for five months from June to October 2007,

BEST friends Angus Charlton and Hedley Smith are revving up to bike through 20 countries in 20 days to raise £20,000 (€22,000) for Alzheimer’s Society.

The 9,000km trip, which starts and ends in Spain, will be an epic challenge for both men who live at Benahavis on the Costa del Sol. They will pass through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, as well as much of Europe, with the entire journey scheduled to take less than three weeks.

Supporters can watch the mishaps and triumphs of the journey on the Mid-Life Bikers YouTube channel, which has been rapidly attracting viewers.

Donations can be made at the Mid-Life Bikers’ Just Giving page

insisted the only person to know about the cash was the German.

They also saw her various times with Brueckner and even met them at their home in Lisbon, where they insisted she was the ‘dominant one’ in the relationship.

They immediately denounced her to police, who brought Nicole in for questioning.

She denied the claims and neither she or Brueckner were officially charged.

It is now suspected that a

T PA ES EX RO HE

Revving up!

EXCLUSIVE

By Jon Clarke in Portugal

HEROES: Angus and Hedley

“We’ve planned for the trip as best we can, but you can guarantee things will go wrong, especially when it comes to border crossings and paperwork,” said Smith.

Alzheimer’s Society is the charity of choice as Smith’s mother receives support from the organisation.

Do you know any expat heroes?

Please send them to newsdesk@theolivepress.es

number that Brueckner rang half an hour before Maddie went missing in May 2007, could have been Nicole’s.

German detectives are said to now know who owned the number he called, while just outside the Ocean Club apartment, where she vanished.

The Olive Press revealed last month that Fehlinger claimed to be a child psychologist and ran a rehabilitation programme for troubled German teenagers from her home in Foral, 45 minutes from Praia da Luz. Locals told this paper that Nicole had three children of her own, and spent a lot of time with Brueckner, who she dated for at least a year.

Strange

One local primary school teacher added that Nicole led ‘a strange and complicated life’ and ‘her story didn’t add up’.

“I didn’t believe she was really a child psychologist as she claimed. The set up was always very odd,” she revealed.

At one point one of her troubled teens ran away and was allegedly brought back pregnant some weeks later by Brueckner, who was described as a detective and ‘carried a gun’.

The half German, half Russian girl, who can be exclusively identified today as ‘Lina’, was 16 at the time of her disappearance.

While police investigated the case, particularly as the teenage girl came back pregnant, no charges were ever brought.

However, in a police report, seen by the Olive Press, it said she had been socialising with three Russians or Ukranians

NOT SURE WHAT GOES IBS? Stomach pains? Bloating? Digestive pain?

LOVER: Nicole and the home she rented in Foral

at the O Foral restaurant on the day she went missing.

The missing persons report, filed by Nicole, added that she was the tutor of the ‘traumatised’ girl and that she had vanished before.

The owner of Villa Bianca (above), Lia Silva, told the Olive Press last month that Nicole rented her home for around six years (some four years without paying rent), and had a ‘very violent’ boyfriend Romano.

She confirmed that Brueckner was a frequent visitor to the home and was there soon after the disappearance of Madeleine.

Other neighbours told the Olive Press how they had spotted his various vans there before the toddler vanished and he is said to have arrived in his huge Alegra Tiffin winnebago some weeks after she vanished.

While Nicole has denied being close to him, her father Dieter, a taxi driver, recalls meeting Brueckner in Portugal, when he insisted he could ‘hide children’ in his expensive winnebago bought just after Maddie vanished.

It comes after Brueckner’s former best friend Michael Tatschl revealed to the Olive Press that he was a prolific burglar while he lived with him in Praia da Luz in 2005 and 2006.

The Austrian revealed that he kept hundreds of passports, expensive watches and jewellery in a secret hiding place in the so-called ‘Yellow house’ they shared just outside the resort. He said he particularly targeted British and German tourists, as they were easy pickings.

The pair spent eight months in prison together, after being caught stealing petrol from cars in April 2006.

During the time in prison he revealed that Christian had asked two friends to go into the house to remove any incriminating evidence that could be held against him.

This included a video recorder found to have a film of the German raping an elderly woman, believed to be a 72-year-old American in Praia da Luz in 2006.

Intriguingly, Tatschl also talked about a ‘long-term German girlfriend’ - believed to be Nicole - that Christian would ‘often go off and see’.

It comes after cops in Portugal began a series of searches in various locations, some 20 minutes inland from where Maddie was allegedly snatched.

The searches, in a joint operation between the country’s GNR and PJ forces, centred on three wells near the village of Vila do Obispo.

I didn’t believe she was really a child psychologist as she claimed.

The set up was always very odd

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NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

Corona comeback SPAIN’S COVID-19 infections have tripled since July 3.

They have risen from 8.76 per 100,000 inhabitants to an alarming 27.39.

This is the same number of cases as when Spain first began de-escalation in May. Aragon, Catalunya and the Basque Country have all experienced outbreaks of concern.

The Spanish Society of Epidemiology described the situation as ‘very worrying’.

Controls have been put in place, and some confinement measures have been issued.

While some cases are related to seasonal workers picking fruit, many others could be attributed to family gatherings.

Cashback CONSUMERS’ group Which? has demanded action to make airlines speed up refunds for cancelled flights due to COVID-19.

It claims that many of the victims are ‘suffering serious financial and emotional distress’ as they struggle to claim refunds for flights and holidays.

The group has compiled a dossier of more than 14,000 refund complaints that it has now handed over to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as part of its review of how airlines have handled cancellations. They are collectively worth more than £5.6 million.

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

NEWS IN BRIEF

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

A BRITISH villa owner has slammed a holiday rental company for returning a full payment to guests who ‘didn’t fancy coming if they had to wear masks’.

Sarah Smith is furious with Holiday Lettings, owned by TripAdvisor, for allowing the British guests to cancel their week’s break just 12 days before arrival.

The businesswoman, 57, from Bath, told the Olive Press: “I am really cross. It’s outrageous to let them off just because they didn’t fancy the idea of wearing a mask to the shops or beach.

“There is no force majeure in effect so that is not a valid reason.”

Smith, who owns two villas in Benalmadena, Casa Annabel and Casa Christobel, added she had a strict cancellation policy

Tragic deaths AN alarming 33 people drowned around Spain in June despite most public swimming pools still being shut and severe restrictions on beaches.

ANGRY: Smith has slammed rental site

Mask of pain

Holiday rentals owner furious after TripAdvisor hands rental fee back to guests who didn’t want to wear masks that meant guests lost all their money if they cancelled up to two months before.

Heavy for pet owners PET owners face a possible four-month wait for travel between Spain and the UK after the Brexit transition period is over.

If a hard deal Brexit happens and the UK becomes ‘unlisted’, a current EU pet passport issued in the UK will not be valid in the EU. As an ‘unlisted country’ the procedure for travel will include pets needing to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.

Pets will also have to provide a blood sample taken at least 30 days after their last rabies vaccination (whether that’s a booster or initial vaccination).

And then the sample will need to be sent to an EU-approved lab and a three month waiting period will be required before travel is permitted.

In addition, vets will have to provide a copy of the test results and enter the day the blood sample was taken in an animal health certificate (AHC). For travel in the opposite direction the procedure may take up to four months.

SINGLE IMPLANT

5

Furthermore, at the time of cancellation, all flights from the UK were running as scheduled.

In total, the guests saved €485.

It comes after she had messaged them ‘numerous times’ to talk them through the booking and even offered to let them postpone the stay.

She has already lost dozens of bookings through cancellations in the Spring due to the Covid crisis.

Now she fears the compulsory mask wearing order that came into force on July 15 is going to cause further damage to the already ailing tourist industry.

"I dont think it's too arduous a task to pop on a mask while going to the shops or walking to the beach. Other clients had no problem with that.

“I have emailed Holiday Let-

IMPLANT BRIDGE

tings but I have just had an automated reply,” she added.

“I’m not expecting a reply.”

Holiday Lettings were approached for comment but did not respond.

It comes as Brit Derek Lonsdale, who was also due to visit Benalmadena in September, has postponed his trip until May 2021. "We were going to come as planned but having to wear a mask became too much to put up with," he said.

"Wearing a mask in the hot sunshine would be very uncomfortable. We were hoping the rules would be more relaxed by the time our holiday was due but Jet2 holidays have been very flexible."

Ironically face masks will be compulsory in supermarkets, shops and nail salons from Friday July 24 in the UK.

Seen her?

THE Royal Gibraltar Police have issued an appeal for information on the 12th anniversary of the disappearance of Chaima Slim, 19, last seen walking into Spain in July 2008.

Body mystery POLICE are trying to identify a man who was found dead at the Playa de la Malagueta in the city of Malaga by his fingerprints, with an initial theory he had drowned after being shipwrecked being dismissed.

Test reprieve ANY cars whose test certificates (ITVs) ran out between June and August will have a further three months before they need to be renewed the government has announced.

IMPLANT DENTURE

OPINION No apologies!

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

FEATURE

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Voted top expat paper in Spain

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We make no apology for again devoting two pages to the ongoing scandal of Andalucia’s new LISTA planning laws being used to develop what little remains of Andalucia’s virgin coastline.

Dodgy developments built by shady businessmen after clandestine meetings with local politicians were the backdrop to many a beauty spot being defiled over the last few decades.

We had hoped these corrupt practices had been largely consigned to history thanks to a retinue of court cases sending dozens of bent mayors and hundreds of local ‘businessmen’ to prison.

But it seems the practice is back – and this time it seems to be legal.

Andalucia passed its new LISTA urban planning law in the middle of lockdown and it has not taken long for speculators to start circling.

The key clause is that, unlike in the past, construction is allowed on any land where it is not specifically banned.

Previously land was classed simply as urban and rural – with the latter protected from intensive development.

But now the fear is that swathes of countryside – particularly of the last unspoilt costas – will be concreted over in a flurry of building.

We have said it before, and we will say it again – enough is enough! We must not let this happen.

The Fight is on!

The Olive Press shines a torch on two alarming plans in the Cabo de Gata natural park, writes James Warren

Nature is healing IT has been difficult to find the bright side of the coronavirus crisis.

But one perk of a worldwide shutdown is the positive effect it has had on wildlife and the environment.

After 60 years, the endangered Iberian Lynx would appear to have returned to the Serrania de Ronda.

Elsewhere, 122 Kashmiri goats took over the seaside town of Llandudno in Wales. Venice finally has clean canals and deer have even been spotted in the usually hectic streets of London and Paris.

Thanks to us staying home, air pollution has decreased so monumentally that the Himalayas are visible for the first time in 30 years.

Quickly, the internet generated viral images captioned ‘nature is healing, we are the virus’ one photoshopping dinosaurs onto New York’s Times Square, another placing a giant rubber duck on the Thames.

But, as we navigate our new normal, littering has surged and congestion is set to exceed pre-lockdown levels.

Surely, we can find a way to enjoy our planet and look after it at the same time.

Publisher / Editor

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T

HE fight against two new hotel projects in an unspoilt national park is starting to ramp up.

The Junta de Andalucia has given the green light for a 30 room four-star hotel and land development in the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park in Almeria.

It will be built near the stunning Bahia de Los Genoveses. Now a proposal for a two-

star rural hotel close to the equally beautiful Cala de San Pedro has also been submitted.

The Los Genoveses proposal, submitted

by Torres y Gonzalez Diaz SL, has been deemed ‘environmentally viable’ by the regional government, despite the land supposedly being protected.

The hotel was initially planned for 2017

Very welcome A recent report in UK newspaper The Sun said that British tourists are not welcome in Spain until the coronavirus outbreak is over. A YouGov poll of 1,000 people across all of Europe. It found that nearly two thirds (61%) of Spaniards wanted a ban on UK tourists entering the country.

M

aria Paredes who runs a consultancy and real estate business in Los Montesinos was surprised by the YouGov poll. She said: “I don’t know of any Spanish people who would not want UK visitors. We are a very welcoming country and anybody that comes here is good for our economy.”

Thomas Gonzales who is a shop manager at the English bookshop, in Sabinillas, said: “Short term having the Brits here is great, as we are busy now, but long term it will be tough.

“There are already a lot of cases in Spain again, and they are not following the rules as they should be.

“By August or September time we will probably be back in lockdown, which will be very tough on all businesses.”

Fellow restaurant owner, Louisa Diaz, at las Brasas, said: “The majority of my customers are locals, so if tourists come it doesn’t really affect me as much. But for the rest of Sabinillas it’s very important the British come, and I have noticed the restaurants by the front are much quieter than usual.

but the first draft was turned down.

However modifications to the plans, re-submitted in November 2019, have now been given the go-ahead.

Two large parking areas have been removed, and have been replaced by a single 70 space parking area on a patch ‘devoid of flora and fauna’.

Environmental groups Amigos del Parque

What Spaniards actually think about the Brits arriving this summer

The Olive Press decided to investigate further, and sent our reporters out to discover what Spaniards on the Costas really think. Without exception every single one we spoke to would welcome Brits back with open arms - as long as visitors take care and stick to the coronavirus rules.

“The few British tourists who come here are very well educated and tip well.

“I am happy for everyone to come, from wherever, but they just have to obey the rules and wear their masks.”

Hairdresser Djamal Alrva, in Manilva, is looking forward to more Brits arriving. She said: “The more tourists the better.

“The more people are around, the more work there is for everyone, so I want them to come.

“Spain without tourists will be bad be-

cause without them there is no work.”

Anna Boj, who owns a herbal and health food store in Los Montesinos on the Costa Blanca agreed, saying: “Of course we have to have to be careful with the health situation but I need British customers to come and spend money with me. I’ve not heard anybody say that British tourists should not be allowed to come to Spain.”

It was a theme supported by Luis Garcia, who runs the award-winning La Posada restaurant, also on the Costa Blanca.

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

www.theolivepress.es

7 Olive Press online ‘Spain’s best English news website’

Being sociable

CONCRETE: Set for Los Genoveses (above) and below and (left) San Pedro

A

S the world moves on, the Olive Press moves with it.

While proud of our quality print edition now in five regions and having just won a Google award - we have not been one to rest on our laurels and were quick to notice the importance of social media.

With approaching 30,000 genuine followers on Facebook and 8,500 more on Twitter it’s clear more and more people have been turning to these Olive Press platforms to find trusted news.

Businesses and organizations have also cottoned on to its far reach and have been eager to get on board.

This includes Gibraltar University which is using our Facebook site to attract new students, knowing we have a wide and young audience on the costas.

BinckBank has also recognized its reach and effectiveness and conducted a campaign solely online, while numerous other big financial companies have booked sponsored posts.

29,000 reached, 1000 likes

and Grupo Ecologistas Mediterraneo have denounced the project, calling it ‘incompatible’ with the current protected status of the land.

When the plan was first brought to the table, over 6,500 signatures were collected on their Change.org petition.

Meanwhile, public information has been revealed on the nearby Cala de San Pedro

project that makes use of the controver- Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar', sial new LISTA Urban Planning Law. as currently there is only limited access The site is located 300 metres from a to the site. derelict farmhouse in the Los Ricardillos With a proposed 22 rooms, a dramatic area close to the virgin beach. increase in traffic is expected to the unThe plan is for a two storey hotel, along spoilt area of the Cabo de Gata. with access roads and parking.

The Cala de San Pedro is well known as Developers are hoping that once the being home to one of the last remainplan gets the go-ahead, ing hippie communities in the project will take two Andalucia which has been years to complete at a cost there since the 1970s.

Virgin beach of nearly €1 million.

The community is a popuAccording to the developwill be subject lar destination for tourists ers, they are making use seeking tranquility and to a ten-fold of the new law – controvera taste of the remote life sially passed during lockas the 50 inhabitants sell increase in down – to rezone land from crafts, food and drinks to visitors residential to commercial. passersby.

Environmental protection If the hotel plans come to groups say the project is life, the beach area and the yet another blow to the battle to save Las Negras trail that is used to access it Spain’s last unspoilt costas. will be subject to a tenfold increase in Access and parking is a key concern for foot traffic, putting extreme pressure on the environmental group 'Amigos del the tranquil community, say protestors.

But the power of social media is best underlined by the success we had when we teamed up with the Kempinski hotel group for a competition.

The offer to win a two-night stay with supper at the five-star hotel in Estepona reached a massive 29,000 people on Facebook - and garnered 982 ‘likes’.

The bosses of the hotel were even more delighted with the 9,000 hits it got online, as well as the incredible 4000-plus entrants for the competition.

Last year, a similar prize with a hotel in Casares got ‘more bookings than an article in the Times’... worth ‘over €10,000’ for the price of a few sponsored posts.

Winning combination We recognize the power of social media - but also know that it works best with print media in all its guises.

For this reason we have a range of different and highly flexible marketing strategies that can be combined on various platforms for businesses to get a higher profile.

With a website that attracts over 50,000 unique visitors a day, tens of thousands of social media followers a week and Spain’s best English language printed newspaper every fortnight, we have a winning platform for your business.

Get in touch at sales@theolivepress.es or call 951 273 575 to see what we can do for you.

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

Luisa, Anna, Thomas (above) and Djamal

Brits cancel holidays to Costa del Sol 1- Several following mandatory mask ruling (58,628) ‘Child therapist’ tracked down by 2- REVEALED: OP was Maddie McCann suspect’s ‘partner in crime’ (24,706) officially mandatory in Andalucia from 3- Masks Wednesday and you WILL be fined for non compliance (21,602) Masks MUST be worn on beach and at swim4- ming pools in Andalucia with these exceptions (21,567)

He said: “Bars and restaurants need our regular customers from Britain and other countries at this time of the year. We want them all to return.”

DISASTER: The notorious illegal Algarrobico Hotel was built inside the Cabo de Gata natural park just 100 metres from the beach. While now the subject of a demolition order, it is not known when - or if - it will be knocked down.

The new LISTA law might put paid to that and could be a sign of things to come, it if is perhaps used to somehow try and legalise it.

The fear is that Valencia and Murcia could now follow suit and loosen planning regulations as they too try to inject some cash into their local economies.

Costa Blanca tourist area joins Anda5- Spain’s lucia and Catalunya in extending mandatory mask wearing (16,072)

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for a special quote

8

www.theolivepress.es

GREEN

July 22nd August 4th 2020

Turtle tragedy AN endangered leatherback sea turtle has died after hours being snared in a fishing net at Doñana National Park in Huelva.

Underwater firemen conducted a rescue operation to save the turtle but the injuries it sustained from hours of entrapment were too severe.

The turtle was first sighted by a fisherman, from Acebuche, Arroyo, who saw the reptile flapping in distress after becoming ensnared in a net.

National park authorities identified the species as a leatherback turtle, or Dermochelys coriacea, the largest living turtle.

TOO LATE: Sad fate for creature

Silver lining THERE may be an ecological silver lining to the COVID-19 crisis.

Spain’s economy has suffered massively during the pandemic, with an expected 12.8% economic decline in 2020, according to the IMF. But now Spain’s third largest regional economy, Andalucia, is starting to plan the rebuild of its biggest sector; agriculture.

And it is planning to take

Andalucia draws up ‘eco revolution’ plans in bid to reboot agricultural industry

By Scarlet Jenkins

the opportunity to embed guidelines set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the climate-neutral objectives set by the European Union into its official policy.

This planned eco-revolution is going to be a 26 step process that it predicta will create 20,000 jobs and costs about €1 billion in investments, all of which will make Andalucia one of the key players in the fight against climate change in Spain.

To start things off the Andalucian government will be launching an Interdepartmental Commission on Climate Change and an Andalucian Climate Council, with the main focuses being on water infrastructure, energy efficiency, reforestation efforts, conservation of natural spaces, and waste management.

The whole initiative is based around creating a circular economy, which means the entire process is constantly restoring and regenerating with a minimum of waste.

One of the ways they are

thinking of creating this circular economy is through a Comprehensive Waste Plan, costing €447.5 million, that would put in place 153 new measures to improve waste management for municipal and private sector waste.

To transition into more sustainable energy consumption, Andalucia is asking for help from the central government to fund the transition of their current power plants into renewable energy ones, as well as a plan for the Junta to run completely on renewable energy sources in all their buildings.

Drought

Another one of the initiatives is to create a ‘green seal of approval,’ which would mean that all future development projects would have to meet sustainability guidelines and legislations set by the Junta.

Then in order to relieve drought they will be investing €575 million into hydraulic infrastructures and water purification, as well as taking action to prevent fires linked to climate change which have previously devastated areas in the province.

Poor bustards

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THE habitat of several endangered bird species in Europe could be cut by half in the next century due to rising demand for olive oil and wine.

The land will be less suitable for little bustards, great bustards, lesser kestrels and other species after it’s converted by farmers in Spain and Portugal to produce the popular products.

Before this, the land was used for the low-intensity farming of cereals. This rotating system allowed for ‘agro-steppes’ to be formed in the fields where the endangered birds could live.

As farmers switch to irrigated and permanent crop formations, the open landscape will dramatically change and become less habitable for this ‘at risk’ population.

The regions in Iberia studied by researchers at the University of East Anglia hold approximately a third of the world’s population of great bustards.

Trash to cash SPANISH renewable energy company Norvento Enerxia is busy proving the old Yorkshire saying ‘where there’s muck there’s brass.’

It has launched an entire business line dedicated to the development of biogas plants for the industrial sector.

The benefit of such technology is two-fold. Firstly, it provides a solution for firms for what to do with waste material - getting rid of which can be a costly business – and secondly it can actually turn the problem into a money spinner.

The gas can be burned to provide electricity, hot water or heat and so save on power bills.

Windy project THE Israelis and Germans are teaming up to install and operate what is being billed as Spain’s biggest wind farm.

German firm Nordex will supply turbines from its Delta 4000 series to Israeli utility company Enlight Renewable Energy for the 312MW Gecama wind farm.

This is slated for a site near Cuenca in the region of Castilla-La Mancha, and is the first wind project for Enlight Renewable Energy in Spain, as well as its first joint project with Nordex.

First

Enlight’s CEO Gilad Yavetz said: “The Gecama project, the largest wind farm in Spain, will provide clean energy to 260,000 households and prevent emissions of 150,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. This project is another achievement for us on our long journey.”

GREEN: Zero emissions

LA CULTURA

Do you have a what’s on?

Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

what’s on

National pride

GRANADA’S Alhambra Palace is celebrating 150 years of being an ‘official national monument’.

Following the revolutions of 1868, the Alhambra was taken from the Crown and became state-owned, being declared on July 12, 1870 a ‘national monument’.

Since then, it has become the most visited monument in Spain, with an incredible three million

Swat til you drop GALICIAN fashion and literature have united in a new collaboration between Zara and the region’s poet Uxio Novoneyra.

The Spanish brand’s new men’s collection pays tribute to the wordsmith some 20 years after his death.

Lines from two of his poems feature on two €19.95 t-shirts and a €12.95 hat, in homage to Galicia, the birthplace of Zara boss Amancio Ortega.

They are taken from Novoneyra’s 1979 book, Os Eidos, which features his calligraphic poems, which were a first for Galician literature at the time.

The quotes are in Galician: ‘Din os soños i os paxaros: A morte non e certo!’ and ‘andas as ruas como se fora a praia.’

This loosely translates to, ‘your dreams and the birds: say death is not real’ and ‘you walk the streets like it’s a beach.’

visitors a year and became a UNESCO World Heritage site back in 1984.

The sultans of Granada, the rulers of the last Muslim kingdom, built the palace in the 14th century.

On June 17, the palace reopened its doors after being closed for three months due to COVID-19 lockdown, with a reduced capacity of 50%.

Lost city

THE last of the Roman cities still to be located in Malaga, is believed to have been found in the fertile plain of Cañete La Real near Ronda.

The groundbreaking discovery of Flavia Sabora was announced on Monday by mayor Jacobo Aranda.

Until now, while the existence of the city was documented,

Twist of fate SPAIN’S best-selling author after Cervantes, Carlos Ruiz Zafon has died aged 55 at his Los Angeles home.

Ruiz Zafon was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2018 while on holiday in London, two years after finishing his last novel.

In a tragic piece of irony, he discovered it was terminal, like the character David in one of his best-loved books, The Angel’s Game.

Born in Barcelona, the writer found fame with his mystery novel The Shadow of the Wind, which sold more than 15 million copies and won numerous awards.

See 10 books for the beach, pg 10-11

R

oyal approval GET your Freddie Mercury on as Marenostrum Fuengirola hosts God Save the Queen, the band’s largest tribute act on August 2.

its exact location was never known.

Thanks to the discoveries of unusual pink marble by a local resident, Antonio Aranda, it is believed the spot of the lost city has been located.

The findings were made when Aranda was cycling in an area near Cañete la Real, in a region already under archaeological protection.

From holes in the ground made illegally by thiefs with metal detectors, slabs of unusual pink marble have been uncovered.

The City Council was notified of the findings and further investigations have revealed an aerial photo from 2012 which shows an image of what could have been the Roman city of Flavia Sabora.

FOUND: Lost Roman city of Flavia Sabora

The following step in unearthing the mystery involves a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scan of the area.

This nondestructive method uses radar pulses to image the subsurface, allowing precise images of what can be found up to five metres underground.

The images will allow for more accurate information of what is

under the 90,000 square metres of agricultural lands.

According to the first indications, it is believed there is a structure the size of a large pavilion. Flavia Sabora is the only Roman city remaining to be located in Malaga.

If confirmed, it will join the prestigious list of other roman cities of that era, such as Acinipo (Ronda), Lacipo (Casares), Caviclum (Torrox) or Aratispi and Antikaria (Antequera), among others.

I

€11.90 The Bookshop San Pedro, www.thebookshop.es

egends BENALMADENA hosts a Cruz Roja tribute extravaganza in the town’s auditorium on August 29, featuring Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and more for €20.

B

ravo Julio JULIO Iglesias ends his sixyear Costa del Sol hiatus with a special gig at Marenostrum Fuengirola on August 5 to celebrate his 50 years in music.

Wa k e s u r f Wa k e b o a rd Wa te rs k i Amazing place for everything from a day trip to a week’s holiday

Girl by Edna O’Brien

of those girls, Maryam.

While the story is fiction, O’Brien spent three years researching and interviewing the victims and their families in order to create a story that was accurate and compassionate.

The stories in this novel are all based in reality, and it is a harrowing reality. Although the book describes the abuses suffered by the girls, the hope and determination that shines through makes this story empowering and compelling.

The characters Maryam meets along the way have all suffered, however they are all doing their best to rebuild their broken lives while never losing faith that they will be reunited with their missing loved ones. It is an emotional, poignant and worthwhile read.

ey presto!

DUTCH trio Oscar, Renzo and Mara will mystify you with their illusions in Magic Unlimited, every Saturday at 8pm at Calahonda’s Finca Naundrup.

L

Emotions run high n April 2014, 276 girls were kidnapped from their secondary school by Boko Haram in Nigeria. Girl follows the story of one

H

ANNIVERSARY: 150 years as a monument

Archaeologists unearth Spain’s final Roman civilization

By Cristina Hodgson

9

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LA CULTURA

10

10 books for Lydia Spencer-Elliott recommends your essential page turners for the playa this summer

(just below the restaurant Valparaiso)

Large shop and office just off the Carretera de Mijas Easy parking for collection of chemicals Extensive stock of pool accessories, pool toys and games and equipment FREE test of pool water at the shop – just pop in with a small sample Professional maintenance service – tailored to suit your needs | Pool Construction Specialists in leak detection, repairs and renovations New pool builds with 10 year guarantees Installation of pool heaters and automatic covers

Open 8am to 3.30pm Mon to Fri Tel: 952 591 053 / 667 788 291 For directions go to: www.splashpoolsmijas.com

1

Hot Milk - Deborah Levy

S

UN, sea and a spiky mother-daughter relationship. Set in post-financial crisis Spain, Hot Milk tells the story of 25-year-old Sofia Papastergiadis who has travelled to Andalucia to find a cure for her mother’s unusual ailments.

The Mediterranean setting isolates Levy’s characters and allows the plot to descend into a surreal other-reality.

Levy presents remarkable occurrences with such frankness that the reader has no choice but to accept them as fact. The writing is strong, strange and unapologetic much like many mothers.

2

Normal People Sally Rooney

W

HEN the BBC adaptation of Normal People aired this April, over 16.2 million people rushed to view the show, such is the popularity of Sally Rooney’s work. The novel follows the passionate but tortuous relationship between two Irish teenagers Marianne and Connell. From school, to Trinity College Dublin, the pair struggle to navigate the power dynamics of social status, class and competing intellect. So beautiful is the writing, the novel evokes surprising nostalgia for the heartbreak and angst of adolescence. But, at its core, Normal People conveys the stifling intensity of being young and in love.

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

T The Shadow of the Wind Carlos Ruiz Zafón

N

3

OT since Don Quixote has a Spanish novel enjoyed such huge success as The Shadow of the Wind. Inspired by the 19th-century literary giants Charles Dickens, Honoré de Balzac and Victor Hugo, Zafón weaves a plot packed with tragedy, mystery and romance. In 1940s Barcelona, civil war survivor Daniel Sempere discovers he possesses the final copy of The Shadow of the Wind

by Julián Carax. Someone has been destroying the author’s work book by book, but why? Despite its notoriety, the novel is unpretentious, its characters are memorable and the narrative is wonderfully unpredictable.

4

HIS is the tale of Santiago, a young Andalucian shepherd who travels in pursuit of a treasure trove he dreams is hidden beneath the Egyptian pyramids. A coming-ofage narrative, Santiago experiences sacrifice and consequential growth on his journey and ultimately, his search for treasure will lead him to his life’s purpose. Coelho combines philosophy with spirituality and demonstrates the importance of following your dreams with nothing but faith and determination. It is a MUST READ for anyone visiting Tarifa.

5

E

Delight J.B Priestley

VERY chapter of Delight provides a reason to be grateful for the minutiae of everyday life. Amidst the chaos of 2020, this is a lesson worth revisiting.

Frying sausages outdoors, drinking a G&T alone, fountains, having an incredible idea and smoking in a piping hot bath, are just some of the joys Priestley divulges. His wicked sense of humour reminds the reader there is always something to smile about, whether in his post-war context or amidst the current pandemic.

Do you have a what’s on?

the beach 6

J

Three Women Lisa Taddeo

7

The White Tiger Aravind Adiga

OURNALIST Lisa Taddeo spent almost a decade embedding herself in the lives of three strangers. For eight years, she inhabited the respective homes of Lina, Maggie and Sloane. As Taddeo rummages scrupulously through their personal lives, these seemingly average American women display remarkable openness and honesty.

An intimate study, Three Women delves into the grey areas of physical and emotional connection.

Taddeo writes with lyricism and an understanding of the human condition that teaches the reader as much about themselves as the book’s three case studies.

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race - Reni Eddo-Lodge

R

T

HE White Tiger was only the fourth debut novel to win the Man Booker prize. Aravind Adiga tells the darkly humorous tale of Balram Halwai, from the end of his childhood in a rural Indian village through his journey first to Delhi, where he works as a chauffeur to a rich landlord, and then to Bangalore, the place to which he flees after killing his master and stealing his money. The novel examines themes of caste, religion, corruption and poverty. The White Tiger offers a story of wit, suspense and questionable morality, told by a volatile but captivating narrator.

Call Me by Your Name André Aciman

8 B

ENI Eddo-Lodge became the first black British author to top the UK book charts in June after Black Lives Matter protests galvanised readers. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race demonstrates Britain’s problem with structural racism and holds the hierarchy to account in each erudite essay.

“White privilege,” writes Eddo-Lodge, “is a manipulative, suffocating blanket of power that envelops everything we know, like a snowy day.”

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es

9

ASED in 1980s Northern Italy, André Aciman’s critically acclaimed novel Call Me by Your Name is synonymous with summer.

Elio, a 17-year-old American-Italian becomes infatuated with an archeologist named Oliver who comes to live at his parents house on the Riviera for the summer. In 2017, the film adaptation propelled Timothée Chalamet to stardom and scooped the Oscar for best screenplay. The sequel is underway, with Aciman collaborating on the script, so now is the perfect time to get acquainted with this heady tale of passion.

11

I

T is the current zeitgeist… that AI will have taken most of our jobs within two decades.

And computers and robots will run the world.

Not according to Simon Roberts’ book The Power of Not Thinking: How our Bodies Learn and Why we should Trust Them.

His take is; forget it! Us humans have got a few centuries left. At least.

Embodied knowledge is vital and it simply cannot be transplanted for so many reasons.

And Roberts should know having spent many weeks working with Google on its Waymo driverless car project in Arizona, as well as teaching executives at Duracell and telling News International a few things about running their global publishing business.

Big Data simply doesn’t have all the answers, he insists.

The way we learn to ride a bike, drive a car or simply listen to our gut on a big decision: This cannot be emulated by computers or AI. At least thus far.

The business anthropologist insists that so much is about people themselves, brainstorming and learning together.

Clever, witty and intriguing, you’ll sleep easier at night after reading it.

Power of Not 10 The Thinking - Simon Roberts

LETTERS

12 Check out our issues online at www.theolivepress.es

Stereotyping Spain Olive Press readers respond to columnist Bill Anderson who thinks there is no such thing as a typical Spaniard (Typical Spanish, Issue 347, pg 22)

Mallorca Issue 84 OLI PREVE SS

OLIVE PRESS WINS KEY JOURNALISM AWARD SEE PAGE 7

Your

expat

voice in Spain

Vol. 4 Issue 84 www.theolivepress.es July 10th - July 23rd 2020

MUZZLE UP!

Everyone MUST wear face masks in public in the Balearics next week - or face a heavy fine

Tel: 952 147 834

952 147 834

O f f e r

v a l i d

f o r

n e w

c u s t o m e r s

See page 16

TM

o n l y .

S u b j e c t

t o

c o n d i t i o n s .

E n d s

Ugly truth NOTHING TYPICAL: Spanish are a mixed bag We all have traits typical of our countries. The problem is we don’t like to accept the bad ones.

Ryan Sheila Jackson-Carter, Sotogrande

d e hom istsedugocate RacGet

MASKED: Obey the new rules or risk €100 fine EXPATS have criticised a new ruling

By Laurence Dollimore ing the wearing of masks obligatory makin the and Isha Sesay Balearics from Monday.

They have questioned the decree insisting tinues to coexist in our society.’ everyone must don the personal protective But British expat Marta Allan, 37, gear in all public spaces, apart from beach- teaches ballet in Palma, believes the who es and swimming pools. new rules are ‘ridiculous’.

Those caught not wearing a mask will “I think it is just a way for the government face fines of €100, regardless of whether to raise money in fines,” she told the they are social distancing or not, although Press. “They just want to reclaim Olive masks will not be needed during sports. lost for this year’s poor tourism money Regional president Francina Armengol season. ex- And why are the Balearics about the only plained that the ruling is for the protection region to make this decision?” of residents and tourists as ‘the virus con- Her views were backed up by Sylvia Er-

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nesti, 32, originally from London who furious with the decision. She said: was actually shocked. Absolutely not “I am forward to wearing this mask in thelooking gree heat and it is just a way to make35 deey from tourists I bet. Police must monmore important things to do surely” have In even more draconian plans, the island’s health minister Patricia Gomez admitted the government is also considering ing the number of people who can reducIt could be as few as 70 people meet. spaces and 30 people in closed in open spaces, while up to 250 people will be allowed to gather for an outdoor wedding.

Gomez said the decision to potentially reduce gathering numbers comes after several private parties were busted after breaking several social distancing guidelines.

There are currently 10 fresh active outbreaks of COVID-19 on the Balearics.

Some nine of these are in Mallorca, with three new ones in the past week alone.

One new outbreak was also announced in Menorca on Thursday. The total number of positive people across the islands stands at 139, with 57 of them coming from the fresh outbreaks.

“They are very limited outbreaks affecting very few people, and most of them have mild symptoms,” said regional health adviser Javier Arranz.

Gibraltar Issue 126 C/Miguel de los Santos Oliver, 10, local 3 07181 Palma Nova, Calvia Tel: 971 591 118 / 660 383 060 www.maricunningham.com

Registered with the Law Society of the Islas Baleares and with the Law Society of Scotland

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The FREE

The Rock’s ONLY free local paper July 8th - July 21st 2020

STILL OUT THERE! www.theolivepress.es

New appeal for witnesses in the ‘Montegriffo mystery’ murder, as police say killer most likely knew him well

CHIEF: Fabian Picardo

TAXING TIMES

ANY products bought online or across the border now cost 10% more in a historic measure announced by the Chief Minister.

The flat rate applies to nearly all products bought outside Gibraltar.

The main exceptions from this new tax will be food, medicine, sanitary prodchildren’s books, ucts, clothes and objects worth less than £25.

The import duty, introduced on July 2, is part of a package of measures to push Gibraltarians to ‘buy local’.

Although this could be another unpopular decision, a tax on shopping abroad has long been a demand of small businesses looking to protect their trade.

“People are reminded that they should declare their dutiable goods to HM Customs Officers as they cross the border,” said the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.

“This is not a voluntary duty but something that will be strictly enforced.

“In respect of fuel, building materials, tobacco and wines, spirits and malts, and disposable single use products such as plastic plates and straws the existing regime will continue.”

LOVED: Artist Michael Montegriffo

(right) pictured with a family

member, was brutally battered

in Prince Edward’s Road

visiting another person or rehad lived in France and En- sided there. We believe this gland for many years, was person may have acted impultreated at the scene by para- sively after having lost control medics, but died soon after his house with blood seeping arriving at St Bernard’s Hos- of his or her temper.

“This type of anger, hostility from a series of fatal wounds. pital.

Now two years since the art- On the second anniversary and impulsivity would carry ist’s tragic death, Gibraltar po- of his death, the RGP has re- over into his or her other relalice are making a fresh appeal minded the public there is a tionships and conflicts.”

The RGP noted that the susinto his murder. £25,000 reward for informaPolice hope to find fresh wit- tion leading to the capture of pected murderer may have changed their appearance or nesses on the unsolved mur- his killer. broad in place lifestyle after the incident. der that took After consulting internationdaylight at Prince Edward’s al forensic experts detectives “We feel very, very strongly Road by Gavino’s Dwelling at believe the argument was with that someone out there knows something about what hap11.17am on July 7, 2018. someone Montegriffo knew. unMontegriffo, a musician, who The RGP believes it was over pened but this person is willing or scared to talk,” said a problem which had been go- Insp Brian Finlayson. ing on for some time but it was Montegriffo left behind a not a premeditated attack. daughter and son, both of “We believe this person was whom who are very aggrieved in the neighbourhood for a le- by their father’s death.

ALL AREAS COVERED gitimate purpose,” said Chief His daughter told the Olive Inspector Roy Perez.

Press he was ‘a great dad’ and “They were either living there, UNLIMITED

HE was hit over the head four times by someone he probably knew well.

In what is now thought to be a long-running dispute, Michael Montegriffo, 58, was left on the pavement outside

By John Culatto

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the whole family ‘wants to get closure on the matter’.

Maurice Montegriffo, the victim’s father, also made an emotional appeal to the public for information where he asked for ‘closure’ on his son’s death.

An old school friend of Montegriffo, lawyer Charles Gomez, said: “It remains a complete mystery.

“How he was killed in broad daylight on a bright sunny summer day and the police have found nothing, it is no wonder the family and friends are distraught.”

He added: “He was a bright guy, well above average, and I had got to know him better since he came back to live from France.”

The RGP are also concerned that this person could strike again and murder someone else in a similar situation.

“We urge anyone who may have any information related to the case to come forward,” said an RGP spokesman.

Anyone with any information they believe might be of assistance is requested to contact New Mole House on 200 72500.

Costa Blanca Issue 34

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PENSION OUTRAGE

SPAIN’S accused prime minister Catalan Puigdemont has leader sion’ after of causing Carles signing ‘confuof independence. a declaration Mariano Rajoy clarify if he had demanded independence he really day’s nail followingdeclared Catalan biting address TuesIf so, parliament. to the trigger Rajoy insisted Article constitution 155 he could take direct to allow of Spain’s Madrid control “There to of put an is an urgentCatalunya. end to need to Catalunya the is going situation that through - to

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Expats millionslose

EXCLUSIVE

CONFUSION in life savings should reigns hotels foot the bill over who through hit by the for Mallorca line Monarch. collapse failed investment Balearic of air€10millionhotels are scheme lapse that bill over facing a the colsaw the repatriation emergency EXCLUSIVE back to of over

By Joe 110,000 Palma. the UK, Duggan many Administrator from HUNDREDS Olive Press KPMG ish expats Monarch ‘the debt told the to hoteliers owed by to retrieve are of Britas an unsecured battling will rank sions the defunct their claim’ after losing penagainst airline. £20 million “They will have up to the joint pension to file a in a failed claim to the moneyadministrators scheme. investment they are a spokesman. for Spanish-based OFF TO owed,” all “It has OZ: said cial advisory (yet) hownot been finan- and (above) Boss Kirby tinental determined firm team available much money agement Wealth Con- March charity at to creditors.” will bash (CWM) Manbe last

whose by hasboss Darren Kir- It is moved now allegedly to Australia.

300 believed One at least Costa-del-Solclientsof CWM’s based pension have had 900 Olive expat told Press their £59,000 the mated, pots he sunk decishocked with CWM, through cover victims only realising to later had the value dis- to his lost £39,000 he investments of their ainend up back when meted sent apension trustees had plumon benefits.”in Britdramatically. statement.

“I have However, “I couldn’t close have lost believe a source praise for nothing [Trafalgar Tony but pounds,” thousandsit. I sisted: to the case Barnett victim, revealed of many ‘There are in- Stewart MD] customers still mentum Davies asking and main the are happy [Mo“The anonymous.to re- pension with who tive]. Theychef execuadviser portfolio.’ their magnificent And ing me, have kept tellbeen ing to tax a l u c i a teed, it ‘This is folded Many specialist b a s e recoup in trying month obliteratcan’t go guaran- Brooks, certain of them d money.” people’s below Brits’many heartbroken transferred level’.”

His money, life savings. a pert on a leadingAngie The Olive vate their had others eration pension ex- derstands Press and that prithrough UK pensions unschemes lib- possible it is France,across Spain of the founder the company, legal highly and may be high-risk was put and Life, has of Pension parties taken by action into a fight now launched investor ‘professional against some tims’ to help has been only’ assets, money get CWM, claimed. it She is working back. vicside pension alongTrafalgar trustees and International sions.Momentum Pen- based “People ters in out of headquardistressed,” are terribly executives.

Alicante, based Granada- Both and its Olive Brooks told the lost Press. “They the and the office in their large amountshave recently website Javea shut. have ings.” retirement of When sav- spoke the Olive She to boss Press ‘definitively’ these added: “Some Kirby people he of responsibility denied are going crash. world,” “I have over the Find out A closehe said. lost my more on Kirby’s associate told page XX Press of 20 formerthe Olive staff set’. were all ‘veryCWM Ave de Gabriel “It is upstill quite Roca 4, Palma for them, working and they raw out what are next,” he said. to do

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11th SPAIN’S April PP party 24th 2019 cious See Property back plans for a has set out control power grab audafrom Magazine to take and theValencia inside other auto nomo regions. us Leader Casado Pablo nounced ancommitment his strengthen to central the to the government’s national role in He insisted elections the run prevent that in a fortnight. up in taxes. corruptionsuch a move and lead would It comes to a drop off the as the party Party, threat from attempts whose autonomous EXCLUSIVE leader an insurgentto see

By Joshua has described Vox cer of parliaments Parfitt UnderSpain’. as the the THE the plan, ‘canse resources the wealthbeleaguered delegations for PP wants managementboss regional to increaallegedly transfer of and million lost expats companya failed of power paralyse government any to the court. has ignored more thanwhich regions. further a summons€20 Darren Supremacy Kirby, Continental to Casado of (CWM), Wealth Alicante-based Spain insisted failed the move court tively’. being administered on March to turn Management would According up at The election 26. ‘more see was Denia effecparty due to Olive hopeful business to turn up, Press sources view ofwould carry stated The case partners, alongside that his out a how he operate involves who did former who lookingthe regionalsweeping rety.’ turn up. a trio at ‘efficiencyauthorities moneylost substantial of investors, Spain’s and equi2017. when the quasi-federal amounts of ‘autonomous company Kirby the constitution states’political folded of llowingallegedly fled system in ter Pedro in 1978. was added to Australia ning to the collapse, Sanchez, the constitution, to “Darren Alicante HOW whose Prime Minisfofinally plan, insisting last year.

WE TOLD strongly party drafted returhas which ‘tooth he didn’tbeen sent England.”

IT: Our and nail’the PSOE opposed will now nal self-government. the a would 2017 The Olive the principal ways,” have to sign for, so Burofax defend reports the a source pursue how CWMPress exclusively of regio“A judge him in court losing said. abruptly other it’s under is dealing former folded revealed vings hundreds “We understand legal with in the of expats’ in 2017, “It was member review,” this and The firm, process. of staff. day theya prestigious he added. life sahe is Marriott which currently said, askingjust shut place to ten’ Hotel, was based out but one in in Denia, Victims not to the door,” of the ttered telesales staff be named. around asked had raised she and had ‘eight Europe, clients tions to sign blankfears about revealedsca- vested and their dealing being pensions instruca large in high-risk commissions. assets being One pensioner NO SHOW: which inpaid ta Blanca based Darren res. “It lost told the on Kirby is a blank €210,000 wherever, Olive the Cos€470,000 Press whenever.cheque “It is low to despiteafter transferring he to invest very investing worrying “I was medium risk stating clients’ risky as they blank asked, ‘Canattitude.he had a form. funds investments money in were ls.’ I did We will you sign just becauseas well highly gher commissions.” fill in in my that trusting this as dubious the detaithey paid He added “They best interests,” they would the hiinvestors that for me should have he said. act verable shouldlosses sustained been their and they however, own nests.were justlooking led to as the investments by what they out See pages be recoTo me feathering linked perform, were doing.”

Lawyer 26-29 or went that they knew When to life insurance Lawbird Antonio bust, faiFlores, hold the Olive policies. were of victims,is representing whose deniedof Kirby in Press finally ment firm said signing a number all responsibility.

October my world,” Tel. (+34) “This sheets was blank 2017, got 96 649 negates ‘very worrying’. investhe said. info@hispaniahomes.es financial “I have he 18 the very Are you www.hispaniahomes.co.uk29 lost advisory essence services,”said member? a victim of HOW TO the case? Do you or former FloSELL Contact know more staff newsdesk@theolivepress.es QUICKER YOUR PROPERTY the Olive about AND BETTER Press at

Judge boss set to take of suspect further to turn investment steps up at after court companyexpat fails

A WELL-KNOWN signer has expat fashion been accused NOTORIOUS: to €1million defrom an of receiving businesswoman Blanca financial Disgraced up unlicensed EXCLUSIVE accused Companies advisory

By Joshua Jody Smart company.Costa in financial given the in Jody Smart’s Parfitt three British GUIDE money by scandal huge sums Wealth Management defunct name were Worse, ‘without inal charges claimants are Continental years’ before falling into it comes (CWM) accounting for aggravatedseeking crimlosses’. ens of victims as it emerges left hundreds its high-profilein the two left destitute that doz- organisation.and belonging fraud, fake after CWM’s September less by the €20million of investors collapse to a criminal left him and penni- The complaints Smart and Denia-based out of pocket, an estimated with just 2017 collapse vealed. investments €22,000 her former firm are suing transactions, concern it can be Kirby.

A total of from initial bungled of more (approx partner re- In unpaid €999,435 Darren pension investments loans and house Davison €900,000). than ₤800,000 the first to her fashion was ants over case to SL and propertylabel Jody paid €1million that lost the failed sion just was diagnosed reach the claimcourts, One of the victims, between them. pany Mercurio holding Bell turning weeks after the with depresically died, Mark Davison, collapse, to alcohol Conpro comtween 2015 aged 59, before SL betrag- ing type-2 diabetes, abuse and developin July ing to bank and 2017, accordthis year shot just before according to the Olive statements shown to a video His body, his death.

Brit Jody, Press. sores, had covered with In documents lain undiscovered a €144,00043, was also lesions a week and paid salary Press, telling a home inin the mid-summer for up to CWM wasseen by court that - despite Sanet. commission know what the Olive heat at his she ‘did “Mark died paid €3,391,873 bonds sole director it meant to not as a result for selling done to and investments of of what him,” Timothy of company’ be a prus-based was only insurance had been low claimant, and financial October by ing and involved in ‘markettold the Benjamin, a fel“By the PR’. firms, two Cy2015 and Olive Press. end he didn’t A January In a series between to appear.”

September want the of shocking Spain’s 2019 larations Benjamin, daylight financial statement 2017. decinsurance Court of given to Denia’s 67, likewise after he regulator from Instruction lost his €250,000felt ‘ashamed’ bonds breach has emerged revealed sion, reinvested No.3 it that What of the law. were sold ny could investments,

by CWM private penill afford the compain fundedis certain is to pay these In his officialvia QROPS. into ‘risky’ that this players a ‘lavish lifestyle’ court how testimony money Kirby and in a relationship he told (€375,000he had transferred Smart, for its key the to March sale to CWMapprox) from ₤325,000 together who were 2017, according staff members. from 2011 on the basis a property investing the firm to former But courtit in a villa in Monte was papers went directly revealed Pego. to the bank ₤200,000 account of Continues Tel. (+34) on Page 96 649 18 2 info@hispaniahomes.es 29 www.hispaniahomes.co.uk Pension peril

PENSION OUTRAGE

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Defendants in ‘landmark’ against fraudulent case claim they financial firm did not know pensions were clients’

Wickedness In what is legal scrutinySpain’s largest VENDORS of British-run financial GUIDE ABSENT: scams to Kirby (above) the trio were Want to date, sell Jodie (right) your property? grilled about was a no-show falsifying and a previous at court, 96 649 1883 Olive miss-sellingdocuments and Another Press front toxic investpage is ments.

O’Hagan, whowidow Karen ” Smart A total of 17 lost €72,000 has previously of nied ever brought the claimants have It her RBS pension. decame after private proseents or dealing with clicution as Denia she was told by to do withhaving anything to bring formercourt seeks ringCWM staff that transferthe running the money CWM boss Kirby and sole of way to protect was the only online other than promotion director Jody Smart to justice. and in the young children it for her two Your media.

Kirby failed expat if she passed away.

COSTA BLANCA voice in hearing on to attend the SOUTH Spain February and could 24, Meanwhile,now face arrest.

Smart was to delay attending able Angela the hear- ing the Brooks, who is leading until next private prosecution, month due damage to to told the owns duringa restaurant she will set Olive Press the case a major ‘precedent’ Storm Gloria.

Court transcripts across passed to “It’s Europe. the Olive Press reveal a the ex-employees how taken a disgrace that it’s Spanish lawyer denied accusations in put to them. all Spain and a Spanish The defendants inal judge crimclaimed wickedness to recognise the that former of actions responsible boss Kirby was by all taken parties concerned. for moving the funds “There is no precedent high-risk. from low-risk to this.

For all your for It is going local One of the to shame all the other needs please advertising jurisdictions contact Blackpool victims, former throughout Sales Manager our Europe and Hutchings, bus driver Les yond beCharles Bamber his entire 67, lost nearly what into acknowledging 0034 661 452 €117,000 private many offshore pension when 180 sors charles@theolivepress.es advitoxic portfoliosit ended up in years.have been doing for “The scale without his has knowledge. of this case made the courts sit and take notice. up

Father Teds Bar

21/6/19 13:30

DEFENDANTS in a ‘landmark’ case against a ish-run financial Britfirm have denied all scam that knowledge of a of its clientslost €35 million pension investment.

Instead they blamed the boss of Continental Management Wealth (CWM) ren Kirby (above) for Darstroying the hopes dedreams of and 750 expats around Spain.

In a tense Court threehearing at Denia ees denied former employthey knowingly put their clients funds into ‘high risk’ The trio, investments.

Anthony Downs, Neil Hathaway and Dean Stogsdill, are accused fraud, disloyal of administration and falsifying commercial documents.

put at risk over CWM fraud article (right) Your reporters, OLIVE PRESS hereCWM As for the to situation Profits helphe he insisted on‘didn’t go out and the Costa and addlosses anybody’ lived lives of luxury with sports to scamBlanca cars, exotic foreign holidays ed he had lost ‘a lot of money’ as well, but declined to and designer clothes.

Contact them much. with any stories Director Jody launched a fash- say how or 951 273 575news on court orisemailset to connewsdesk@theoliveion label and twice flew to New Denia press.es probe into how 750 In York fashion week, according tinue its(Personal declarations victims lostoncontacts page millions, 6) with at made in February, to official court documents.

Hathaway, LIVE their entire penWhen the Olive Press tracked least 17Olosing along with two other former PRESS sion pots.

Hathaway down to his colleagues Anthony Downs multi-million euro mansion These include former Black- Shame and Dean Stogsdill, claimed in the hills above Javea he pool bus driver Les Hutchings, their former boss Kirby couldn’t deny the theft, with 67, who lost nearly his entire responsible for the frauds. was €117,000 private pension Pensions investigator his SUV parked in the drive.

Angela “But it was a lot less papers when it ended up in high-risk Brooks told the Olive Press the than the police claimed,” he portfolios without his knowl- case would set a major ‘preceedge. insisted. dent’ across Europe.

“I was angry, just very angry, as Another is widow Karen O’Ha- “It’s a disgrace that you printed documents from gan, who lost €72,000 of her en a Spanish lawyer it’s takin Spain RBS pension. the court,” he added. and a Spanish criminal judge “My wife was approached at She was told by CWM staff that to recognise the wickedness work. I was just protecting my transferring the money was of actions taken by all name along with everything the only way to protect it for concerned. The scale parties of this her two young children if she else,” he added. case has made the courts sit up passed away. and take notice.”

EXCLUSIVE

By Jon Clarke

EXCLUSIVE

f f e r

EXCLUSIVE

By Joshua Parfitt

Reporters Simon Wade Joshua Parfittand

stole our papers in car above

Tel: 952 147 834

952 147 834

www.theolivepre ss.es

In denial

PAPER THIN: Hathaway (inset)

A KEY associate of a crooked wealth management company grilled over his involvement in has been accused of stealing the Continental Wealth Manhundreds of copies of the Olive agement (CWM) scandal, took Press newspaper, court docu- umbrage to his name appearing in an article in our March ments have confirmed.

Police have grilled the wealthy 5 edition. moneyman over the theft of up He insisted he had taken the to 20 bundles of the paper in papers as he ‘was angry’ with the story headed ‘In Denial’, the Javea area.

It comes after witnesses spot- about how he and his colted Neil Hathaway jumping leagues scammed hundreds of out of a black SUV and lifting investors out of an estimated entire bundles from our stands €35 million.

The company, owned by Jody along with an accomplice.

Hathaway, who had been Smart and Darren Kirby, is accused of fraud and falsifying commercial documents.

The Olive Press is now taking legal action against the British financial advisor, who was a shareholder of CWM, which See page 9 was based at Javea’s upmarket Marriott Hotel.

While many victims lost everything and, at least one committed suicide, the CWM bosses

EXCLUSIVE

GOTCHA: Financier banged to rights stealing Olive Press newspaper to cover up his links to fraud trial

WWW.JAVEABLINDS.COM

Movers internatio nal

March 5th -

March 18th

2020

Holiday hell

Rose Moore sees the EU, essentially, as a Olive Dear (Leave and proud, Issue hipPress, dictators political 325, pg 7). The reality is the opposite. There freed from the UK, is exclude including speechstates, Hate sovereign are 28 associatlly from to become especia ly choserights, voluntari whichdom of speech wouldpg UK 347, that the Dunner believes ed. Steve Issue (Loopy Lee, a foreigne Not so. I’m not goterms.

WTO on fair better 4)! by quotletters down your weigh ing toWhy in his do that Leepage Leapy doesn’t ing chapter and verse, but I recommend that ? country own Steve looks into the specifics of any industry this ideology don’t need to get a is trying here.

That Trump he knows. that We welbeyou wouldtell heshould way that thinks UK he If EU-free an with deal trade US! Trump’s trade deals theknow: wantinto come all you Mahler Brent Finally, n hate what US-firstislabels. haveThere no questio wary citizens UK of number a for speaks notof to choose speech is unless you closer union. an ever and force it, armed and an EU is just willful igwhich underst are ideas floated by specific However, these . norance worried people and not EU policy. I am more how matter da t no bankrup Fascism of propagan years insidiousis40-plus at the it. revive to wants h, anyone Telegrap much Mail, the by EEC/EU the against Express, Times and, of course, The Sun. he was What did Murdoch say when Joe amas, Talasked the why he was so anti-EU? Something along Florida

Place in the sun What I find annoying is property programmes where the presenter is plodding around a Spanish village with a British couple saying ‘oh, it’s very Spanish here’, or even worse, ‘Spanishy!’ As if that’s a shock! It SHOULD feel Spanish, it’s SPAIN! Malcolm Wells, Palma de Mallorca

Lawless I have often said ‘typical Brits’, those who seem to think that they are above the rules and regulations that most people in Spain follow. Being a Brit myself it sickens me to see how a lot of Brits treat the people of this country. I have used ‘Typical Spanish’ when I see a huge family all out together. It reminds me what my family was like in the sixties when several parts of the family would all go on holiday together, something that British society has lost as they have become a ‘me me me’ society.

True Englishman

John L, Velez-Malaga

A typical British person would talk about the weather, drink too much and shout when people don’t understand us. But we can be relied on to queue properly and put all sorts of things in batter or pastry.

John Evans, Malaga

A BRITISH tourist has stabbed, robbed been talised by three and hospiminors who recorded the attack on their phones.

The trio were lice in Sant cuffed by popeig, near Vicent de Rastheir victim Alicante, after lapsed lung suffered a coland had to dergo emergency unsurgery.

A statement stabbed the said the group back with victim in the a pen-knife, whilst recording on their mobile the attack The unnamed phones. holidaymaker was taking a morning when he sensed stroll he was being followed, so returned home as a The gang precaution. him and a caught up with where he struggle ensued, robbed ofwas attacked and his wallet mobile. and A passerby help, calling stopped to straight away.an ambulance The man lapsed lung suffered a colly went into and immediatesurgery.

CCTV quickly established the identity of the attackers, two of which were already known to police.

Matching clothing and weapon used the were found in the attack in subsequent house searches.

The 16 and rested were17-year-olds archarged with the crimes violence andof robbery with wounding intent. with

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

E U R O P E LT D ALICANTE:(+34) 965 770 639 MALAGA: (+34) 952 426 560 PRESTON: (+44) 1772 651 570 www.moversint.co.uk movers.int@gmail.com

Face off Mandatory masks will finally kill off the tourist season this year. (Online, July 13) Why would anybody come here with the prospect of having to wear a mask at nearly all times outside in this heat. It’s not as if it’s necessary anyway, outdoor transmission is extremely rare.

Simon Batchelor, Torremolinos

Nature or nurture Development is what Nerja needs, it’s so far behind the times, but even this is not enough for the East Costa del Sol. (Fairway to hell, Issue 347, pg 6) It needs to have more things to do, all the young people are leaving as they grow up; no jobs or future, none of them want to be farmers.

Graham Nield, Nerja

Boat to nowhere My heart goes out to the Moroccon migrants. (Online, July 10) They have probably paid everything they have to the Canary Islands for nothing at the end of it. There will be another 28 to replace those arrested as there is money to be made out of these unfortunate people.

Marion Franks, Estepona

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All solutions are on page 14

BUSINESS Rolling in it SPANISH businessman Amancio Ortega has been sinking billions of euros into property.

The 84-year-old founder of the Zara clothing and home furnishings retail chain now has real estate holdings worth €15.2 billion after he invested €2.1 billion in property last year.

The purchases - mostly in the USA - were made through various subsidiaries of his holding company Pontegadea.

Super-rich

It is thought that this makes him the biggest real estate investor amongst Europe’s super-rich.

Pontegadea, which owns 59.3% of Zara parent Inditex, made a net profit of €1.8 billion last year.

Some €1.64 billion of that came from Inditex.

According to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, Ortega has a net worth of $58.5 billion (€52.66 billion).

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

13

Spain hits COVID jackpot SPAIN has hit the jackpot after an EU bailout fund to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic was announced.

EU leaders from all 27 member states unanimously agreed to set up a fund worth €750 billion to help deal with the crisis. The plan will allocate €390 billion in grants and €360 billion in loans And Spain will be one of the major beneficiaries with €140 billion earmarked for the country. Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, described the package as ‘a real Marshall Plan’

SPANISH businesses are being hamstrung by restrictive rules, hitting economic growth and employment prospects.

This is the conclusion of the Index of Economic Freedom 2020, which ranks Spain bottom of Eurozone countries when it comes to ‘freedom of enterprise’.

The report published by the Heritage Foundation said that Spain has the worst conditions in Europe for growth.

Globally, the top 1o nations for economic freedom were Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, the United

EU splashes the cash on bailout

Fairway L AW Y E R S ARE YOU OWED THOUSANDS FROM YOUR BANK?

He added: “The European Commission will get into debt for the first time in history to finance programmes.”

Spain will get the cash over six

Red tape disaster Kingdom, Denmark, Canada and Estonia. Spain came 58th on the list, one down on last year.

Spain scored particularly poorly in the efficiency of public spending and judicial effectiveness, with red tape holding the country’s businesses back. The study highlighted the importance of bringing in reforms aimed at making market operations easier and more flexible.

years, with €72.7 billion coming in grants and the rest in low-cost loans.

Sanchez said: “It is an extraordinary boost… a great agreement for Europe and for Spain.”

The agreement is being hailed as historic, as for the first time the EU has decided to go into debt to fund its new €1.8 trillion budget including the bailout fund.

French President Emmanuel Macron called it a ‘historic day for Europe’ while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “It wasn’t easy, but in the end we found each other. Europe has shown that it is capable of making its way in such a special situation.”

EU President Charles Michel said: “It is the right agreement for Europe at this time.

“We have shown that the European project works.”

Did you have an illegal floor clause inserted in your Spanish mortgage?

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14 PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

PROPERTY Isle take it

Brits undaunted

83.000€

Fuente Tojar, Cordoba

5 bed, 3 bath Build: 224m2

This spacious well presented townhouse is situated close to the popular town of Priego de Cordoba in Andalucia. Boasting a good size garden, private terrace and a patio. Set back from the road and located on a quiet side street with on road parking.

Alcalá Office +34 953 587 040 info@inlandandalucia.com

Calle Abad Moya 4b, 23680 Alcala la Real, Jaen

www.inlandandalucia.com

MORTGAGE THINK TANK

SPANISH property has not lost its allure to British buyers, despite Brexit and COVID-19.

A recent survey by the Property Guides website revealed that 60% of the 2,800 people polled want to buy a property in sunny Spain after the summer. Of those wanting to make a permanent move to the country, 73% are looking for a healthier lifestyle, while 64% see Spain as a place to have a happy retirement and 49% are looking for new life adventures.

Permit

In addition, 61% of the participants are aware that they can get a residence permit and the right to Spanish healthcare if they buy a property in Spain before the end of this year. And 66% say they do not even consider Brexit when deciding to buy a property in Spain.

by mortgage broker Tancrede de Pola

Don’t be confused

F

Spain will never lose it’s allure...

OR many of us, Spain may seem a confusing place at the moment.

On the one hand the country is battling more than 100 COVID-19 outbreaks, yet it is also welcoming back tourists in a bid to ‘save the summer’.

Meanwhile, Andalucia has imposed the mandatory usage of masks in public, yet not in bars and restaurants.

You may think these bizarre times are not the ideal period of time for taking out a mortgage, but many are still considering snapping up their dream home, and rightly so.

Even during the darkest days of the pandemic, at the Finance Bureau we saw a sustained interest from foreign buyers, including Brits.

Most importantly, banks have been lending and notaries open for completions.

This has continued as Spain’s coronavirus lockdown has been eased and we have had a steady stream of new enquiries during the month of June continuing into July.

Andalucia and the Costa del Sol will never lose their allure for those looking for a place in the sun.

Hefty price tag for Isla Tagomago

Whether you are considering your next move or getting on the first step of the property ladder, there are a number of things to be aware of to help prepare for what lies ahead.

Those already living here should apply for your Spanish residency if you haven’t already. With the Brexit transition period set to end on December 31, the British Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott has told British nationals to apply for this document ‘as soon as possible’.

On the other hand, if you are still living abroad and hope to move to Spàin, it is best to apply for your mortgage before coming here so that you can demonstrate continuous employment.

Make sure you have enough funds.

In Spain you will need an average of 30% of the sale price + 12-15% closing costs in order to complete your purchase.

As always, the Finance Bureau is here to help you navigate securing your new home. We have over 15 years’ experience, including witnessing the 2007 financial crash. So we are more than prepared for what lies ahead.

To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call: 666 709 743 or for insurance queries call: 951 203 540 Email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com The Finance Bureau Centro Commercial Guadalmina, 2nOffice No. 7 Guadalmina, 29670

BEAUTIFUL: Tagomago has been a stop off for Ronaldo, Bieber and Hurley

IF you have a spare €150 million now’s your chance to buy Europe’s most exclusive private island.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Justin Bieber and Liz Hurley are amongst a stellar list of guests who were willing to pay €20,000 a night to stay on Isla Tagomago, which is also a popular choice for luxury weddings.

By Dilip Kuner

It offers privacy – there is just one villa on the island – surrounded by crystal clear waters and sits 900 metres off the coast of Ibiza.

The price tag may be eye-watering – but you do get a lot for your money.

In fact you get to own every corner of the island, all

Rental subsidies Citizens in Spain’s Malaga will benefit from rental subsidies to help them through the economic crisis triggered by COVID-19.

The Junta has opened the application period for subsidies that will benefit some 1,800 Malaga citizens They can be asked for until September 30 online or over the phone.

The aid comes in order to minimise the economic and social impact of coronavirus in the homes of families with scarce resources.

In Malaga, €6.4 million will be allocated and 1,799 people will benefit. Some €4,749,661 will be allotted in 2020 and €1,727,149 in 2021.

Applicants must meet a series of requirements, such as being unemployed, affected by a Temporary Employment Regulation Scheme (ERTE) or self-employed with a 30% decrease in income.

The application for the government aid must be submitted to the single online register of the Administration of the Junta de Andalucía, at the web address

Stunning

https://juntadeandalucia.es/servicios/ayuda/presentacion-electronica.html.

OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 7 Night owl, 8 Edgy, 9 Nutshell, 10 Maim, 11 Arrival, 14 Jewel, 15 Stiff, 17 Apostle, 21 Sync, 22 Upstairs, 24 Muse, 25 Smoothen.

Down: 1 Liquor, 2 Ohms, 3 Topeka, 4 Slyly, 5 Seamless, 6 Ignite, 12 Infected, 13 Lea, 16 Try-out, 18 Pastor, 19 Larger, 20 Burst, 23 Acts.

600,000m2 of it.

Included is a state-of-the art villa – better described as a mansion – equipped with every modern convenience.

It features a professional-standard kitchen, large living room with a connecting dining room and large windows that allow you to enjoy stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea. There are five spacious double bedrooms, naturally all en-suite, as well as a large outdoor swimming pool, an outdoor hot tub, a spa, helipad, and a jetty to moor your yacht at.

The island has seen some controversy. Owner at the time, German entrepreneur Matthias Khün - the long-time partner of Spanish film star Norma Duval - was handed a six month sentence plus a fine of €10,800 for building on the island.

The real estate agent, who owns Kuhn & Partner, carried out construction works on the Tagomago without permission and licenses.

Among the offences he committed was building a 470 m2 concrete terrace adjacent to the main villa.

The island is catalogued as a Natural Area of Special Interest, carrying thehighest level of protection.

SUDOKU

TH4498

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

HEALTH

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

Working it out

Lisa Burgess

Whether you’re a worker or a boss, life isn’t easy these days but the only way from rock bottom is up, writes Lisa Burgess

Kin Covid

OVER 100 COVID-19 outbreaks have been recorded in Spain since the beginning of Spain’s de-escalation phase.

Coronavirus has caused recent outbreaks in almost all of Spain. The biggest was in Lleida with some 800 people testing positive in several outbreaks, followed by Huesca (369 cases), Lugo (165) and Malaga (109).

With the exception of La Rioja, Asturias, Ceuta and

I

STARTED my working life as a summer dishwasher at a five-table cafe in Bournemouth in order to treat my dear departed brother, Michael, to a Spandau Ballet gig at the Pavilion.

From secretary to TV stylist and restaurateur, my toughest job was working in live TV. The easiest?

Working for movie producers Bob & Peter Farrelly in Hollywood. It wasn’t a job, it was a never-ending barrel of laughs.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that the most stress-related hazards on the job relate to work content and work context.

The first concerns lack of variety, shift system hours, workload and control over your destiny.

The latter is about career development, status, pay, bullying and harassment.

Apparently, an unhealthy work environment causes mental and physical health problems including stress, anxiety, depression, alcoholism and hypertension.

To overcome this an employee needs more control, fewer work hours – which increases productivity – and an ability to manage work/family conflicts.

Also important is fairness and justice in the workplace, health insurance, social support and good communication with economic security.

But ‘being appreciated is one of the most important factors in a job that increases motivation and satisfaction as well as health and well being’, says the WHO. I have been both employer and employee and it’s a difficult balancing act. You need to be firm but fair and a kind word never goes amiss.

PROUD: Annabel (left) has been promoted.

My partner, French chef Joffrey Charles, has struggled to find his niche since we gave up our restaurant due to my cancer diagnosis in 2018.

He has just started doing a Moonlight Dinner @ Lakala Beach in La Cala De Mijas every Sunday evening. The combination of a three-course menu for €27.50pp, live entertainment and that sea view has made it an instant success. If at first you don’t succeed, try again is my eternal motto.

There is more good news in my household. My daughter Annabel recently received a big promotion at the Dept. of Labour in the States.

She worked tirelessly with vulnerable people during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic while caring for my two young granddaughters.

My family have had an extraordinarily difficult two years but I always took solace from the words of literary giant JK Rowling who said: ‘Rock bottom became the solid foundation from which I rebuilt my life’.

We can all take a leaf out of her book.

15

Some 40% of COVID-19 outbreaks in Spain originate from family reunions

By Cristina Hodgson

Melilla, the rest of the communities have detected one or more new outbreaks in recent weeks.

According to Health Minis-

Fat chance A SURVEY has revealed that liposuction is one of the most demanded cosmetic surgeries in Spain.

According to the Spanish Society of Plastic Surgeons, the treatment accounted for 12% of all interventions by the organisation’s members.

This was behind breast enlargement surgery which stood at 17%.

The society added that just 30% of women who had undergone mastectomies as part of cancer treatment opted for breast reconstruction afterwards.

The report also high-

ter Salvador Illa, Spain has 118 active coronavirus outbreaks.

However, exact details of where the active outbreaks are or how many positive cases each is not clear.

The transparency on the situation of the virus is in the hands of each autonomy, and very few are publishing these data. With the exception of Andalucia, none do it systematically and constantly.

Wedding

GETTING SLIM: Liposuction is popular

lighted that the numbers of operations for gender reassignment had doubled in the past five years.

Since the de-escalation began on May 11, the communities have reported at least 95 new outbreaks, 36 of which were caused by a family gathering, including a wedding in Tudela, a celebration of San Juan in a neighbourhood of Castellón and a meal with friends in Alcanar (Tarragona).

The Ministry of Health has defined an outbreak as ‘any cluster of three or more confirmed or probable cases with active infection in which an epidemiological link has been established.’ An outbreak ceases to be active when 14 days pass since the last positive.

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16

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CONTACT: asworsley@yahoo.com / 0351 912 336 230

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Chew on that A SPANISH company famous for its ‘all things pork’ product range is going vegetarian – in part.

Campofrío Food Group, which is well-known for its piggy products from ham and cured meats to sausages and chops has launched its ‘Magic Burger’ which is billed as its first product suitable for vegans.

Its ingredients include soy and pea vegetable protein, mushrooms and sunflower oil.

Although it launched its Campofrío Vegalia range with the aim of ‘responding to the needs of the vegetarian or flexitarian consumer’ three years ago, this is the first product that is strictly vegan.

Other products in the range may contain dairy or eggs, for example.

Campofrío, owned by Mexico’s Sigma Alimentos, said the Magic Burger ‘responds to the desire for the consumer to achieve an experience similar to that of a meat burger, both in flavour and texture’.

One of Spain’s longest ziplines set to open in Malaga next month ANDALUCIA’S longest zipline has been completed and is set to open in August once it is approved.

‘Supertirolina VK Twin’ spans some 1,350 metres, making

By Charlie Smith

it one of Spain and Europe’s longest zipping sites.

Located at Sunview Park,

north of Alhaurin de la Torre, the line will welcome 600 thrillseekers a day.

The high flying attraction offers riders views of the Mediterranan as they fly along at

Spain’s Notting Hill

GENTRIFIED: Just like Hugh Grant’s Notting Hill?

THE mountainous town of Gaucin has been described as ‘the Notting Hill of Andalucia’ in an article by The Telegraph. The piece by wellknown writer on Spain, Alexander Fiske-Harrison, glorifies the town for its ‘great rolling cliffs and forest, valleys and rivers’.

With a long history of artists residing there,

including fictitious infamous opera heroin Carmen, the town used to be renowned and loved for its ‘authenticity.’

But now, like Notting Hill in London, it has become the home of many of the upper class, including the likes of billionaires like Lord Sainsbury and other celebrities such as Claire Danes.

FLYING HIGH: Take to the sky!

speeds of up to 100 km/ hour.

The line has a decline of 10% and zippers have the option of riding in the lying or sitting position.

The project is the brainchild of Vertikalist, with the company waiting for the green light from the Junta de Andalucia.

Construction of the steel structure, which features an automatic brake system and 20mm cables, took 28 weeks.

Plans were first laid for the zipline in 2013 and Vertikalist is now waiting for an opening and first occupation licence.

Sunview Park is located on a farm in Cerro de las Cuevas, which the manager Antonio Miguel Vallejo inherited from his grandparents.

The site will also feature a small ‘kiosk bar’ and Vallejo said he is considering ‘horseback riding and quad biking’.

He told Diario Sur: “Our idea was to open before, but with the coronavirus it has not been possible.

“It is a complicated situation, but we believe that it is time to take risks and offer this beautiful place.”

17

Vueling vuela VUELING will add five new direct connections to Malaga in August.

The low-cost airlin announced last Wednesday that from the start of August it will connect the Costa del Sol Airport with Asturias, Lyon, Marseille, Cardiff and Zurich.

It will also add flights between Sevilla and Valencia.

Increase

The new connections increase its number of routes to domestic and international destinations from Andalucia to 43.

According to a statement from the airline, the additional flights will help see 500 weekly departures and arrivals in the southernmost community.

Vueling will incorporate 65 new direct routes from its entire network of airports in Spain.

18

Costa del Sol If you didn’t think there was a beach left on this 150km strip that wasn’t groin-to-groin with sun-worshippers by mid July, we’re delighted to tell you you’re wrong.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

secreto

They hide out on the edges of town, peeping between pine forests or lying teasingly at the foot of cliffs. You may have to pack a picnic and you can’t always expect mojitos and the latest Ibiza sounds. But if you want to playa it safe this

Playa de Sotogrande, Sotogrande

Cala de Maro, Nerja

A

lthough it lies at the foot of a cliff, the sandy path down to this delightful hidden cove is an easy reach for all ages and levels of mobility. The beach is a mix of pebbles and coarse sand but you’ll be rewarded with crystal clear waters teeming with fish – so bring your snorkel! For years Cala Chica, as it’s nicknamed, was a local secret - less so since Antena 3, voted Maro the second best beach in the whole of Spain. It has loads of amenities including kayaks and standup paddle rental, although you’ll need to check what’s open.

Getting there: Take the N-340 and exit at the ‘Maro’ sign, follow the road and take a sharp right off the roundabout and you have arrived.

Calas Torre del Pino, Nerja

F

ronting the poshest urbanisation on the Costa coastline, this 5,450 metre dark sand beach never gets overcrowded due to its size and proximity to the more-popular Playa de Torreguadiaro. The go-to beach for locals, summer residents and members of the nearby tennis club, the beach runs from the Guadiaro River estuary next to Sotogrande Port all the way to Faro de Carbonera lighthouse. Perfect for sunrise and sunset beach walks, there are a number of bijou beach bars and clubs where you can also stop off for a refresher.

Getting there: Take exit 132 off the A7 or from the N340, take Calle San Francisco and Avda. de Paniagua to Paseo del Parque

El Cañuelo / Los Alamos, Torremolinos

T

he perfect spot to strip off and self-isolate, this shingle playa plays very hard to get, which is worth bearing in mind if you’re bringing the kids

and toting tons of beach gear. However the 200 metre walk to reach it down fairly steep shale paths is worth the effort.

Especially if you’re a diver as there are heaps of

fascinating underwater caves to explore. It’s also popular with nudists so if you’re fed up searching for unoccupied dunes in Cabopino to get that overall tan, jump in the car.

Getting there: Take the N340 east of Nerja, direction Almuñécar/Motril and keep your eyes open for the Torre de Pino Watchtower and a km299 sign and park on the right.

W

e’re not promising you’ll be alone but if you’re looking for the quietest beach in this holiday hotspot, this one’s a good bet. At one kilometre long there’s room for all with sand to spare (don’t be put off by its grey colour). With picnic tables and BBQ spots up for grabs

and a prom lined with bars and chiringuitos running the length of the beach, it’s the perfect escape for families wanting to avoid the heaving beaches of Bajondilla or La Carihuela back in town. It’s under the flight path from Malaga airport but with fewer planes in the sky you won’t need earplugs.

Getting there: Drive as if you are going to Almeria and take the N-340 exit and, about 5km along, the exit is clearly signposted.

escapes coronavirus summer, check out our guide to the most secluded beaches almost on your doorstep where you can chillax without fear of someone stepping on your sandwiches, writes Scarlet Jenkins

T

19

Costa de la Luz Looking out over the vast Atlantic ocean, the Coast of Light in Cadiz Province is famous for its long white wilderness beaches - so many of them it’s easy to find a semi-deserted spot. Be warned, it can get windy and the sea temperature could come as a shock!

La Flecha del Rompido, Huelva

Playa de Doñana, Huelva

he 60km coastline fringing Donana National Park is a rare jewel in Spain. Its virgin sand beaches surrounded by wilderness and fossil dunes offer total escape from the sun-worshipping world well worth the three-and-a-half hour drive from Malaga’s metropolises. Book-ended by the frenetic summer resorts of Mazagón and Mata-

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

lascañas, you can walk from either town along most of it to find sections you’ll only share with the local lizards and spur-thighed tortoises. You can also access them by car from the A494 but they’re usually a fair tramp through stone pine forest from the car park and you’ll have to lug all your beach paraphernalia with you.

Getting there: The route skirting Sevilla is the fastest from Marbella, then it’s the A49 followed by the A-494. .

Punta Paloma, Tarifa

T

HE road to this secluded bay slices through pine forest and Sahara-sized dunes of soft white sand, giving the impression of driving through a snowscape. Park at the end and descend the dune to the secluded bay below with all your beach equipment in tow, like Lawrence of Arabia. A camel would definitely come in handy.

Getting there: Located between Tarifa and Bolonia, it’s a 10-minute detour off the N340 at km 74.

A

NOTHER marathon drive from Costa del Sol central, this one-of-a-kind sandbar stretching out from Cartaya is a beach like no other in the world. Washed by the Atlantic on one side and the River Piedras on the other, this curious shape-shifting sand spit is a bucket list topper. Considered one of the ‘wonders of Huelva,’ the sandbar runs parallel to the Andalusian coast for 13km and expands 30 metres every year. The ‘Arrow’ beach can only be accessed over water, adding to the fun.

A regular ferry runs from the mainland pretty much all year round and the views of the coast are amazing.

Getting there: Same as Donana but continue further west along the A49 and take the A5053 to El Rompido.

20 July 22nd - August 4th 2020 OLIVE PRESS

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Vol. 13 Issue 347

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Your expat

voice in Spain July 8th - July 21st 2020

beA ROW has broken outlocal tween the Junta and a vabusinessman over the lidity of a lynx video.

The video of the endanviral gered wild cat went it after Enrique Ruiz posted t on the social media accouns, of his vineyard busines Real the Bodega Antigua Fabrica. a PR In what could be just cusstunt to attract more that tomers, Ruiz claimed a German tourist named hiking gone had ‘Mandfred’ area and spotted the police in the public health, with theof the endangered mammal. investigating if any prob- The Spanish businessman buyers suffered health set up told Diario Sur: “When lems. Both gangs had d from his hike returne he to websites that were meant - he showed me the video, look like legitimate pharma ous thinking that these animals cies and offered miracul e were common here and I pills that would eradicat weren’t.” they him told tion. erectile dysfunc to sell The Junta however disIn Spain it is illegal un- putes the story, insisting pharmaceuticals online, a regis- that the video was filmed in less your business is . cy.

Huelva or pharma Sevilla online tered the Ruiz hit back angrily: “I It is thought that across made they mantwo gangs, they had from love seeing how from age the environment over €3 million in profit office. the fake drugs. an ed decree that there Both gangs then proceed in or- “If they to launder that money and was no lynx, there was no items luxury buy to der lynx.” rrencies.

Hardened criminals

We use recycled paper

Better safe than selfie

FINAL WORDS

TRUTH OR LION

ANDALUCÍA

s of a THE elderly member senBritish gang face stiffcaught tences after being tyle selling fake Viagra-s drugs. alThe organisation was -old legedly led by a 72-year

THE Guardia Civil has released a video warning about the dangers of taking a selfie and how to make sure you don’t die in the process.

busted for Pensioner expat gangyle drugs selling fake Viagra-st sly been arin British man who lived Marbella with his 65-year old wife.

Size does matter

It doesn’t fit

put in an official comA DEFLATED Romeo condoms that turned plaint when he bought him. out to be too small for turned out to be counHe had purchased what store in the Barcelogrocery a from Durex to terfeit But when it came time na district of Les Corts. in a tight spot. use them, he found himself g articles, he discovOn unwrapping the offendin short for him - not someered they were far too brand. the genuine thing he was used to withup and be counted and So he decided to standofficial complaint with the headed off to put in an Spanish Medical Agency Ministry of Health’s (AEMPS). the Mossos d’Esquadra in called turn They in who have reported Catalan regional police for allegedly distribtwo men to the courts s. uting the dodgy condom

THREE women have ended up in the hospital after a fight broke out in a Zara fitting room in Galicia.

Stolen cock SIX men will be going on trial for the murder of a man in Malaga province who had supposedly stolen their rooster used for cock fights.

He had previou the rested in 2012 for sellingwere drugs in person, which erectile tagged as for curing dysfunction. organNow, he and his entire detained been have isation an for selling the pills from online pharmacy. gang All members of the one were British, apart from all American and they were s. in their sixties or seventie from The drugs were sourced ima factory in India and had ported via the UK. They not been through required health and quality controls d for and were not approve sale in Spain. n A parallel police operatio similar has closed down a , online site based in Valencia made being arrests with 33 across both raids. deAll members have been against tained for crimes

Following our story last issue we track the first Iberian Lynx spotted near Ronda in decades

On the trail

invest in cryptocu

By Dilip Kuner in Ronda

T

HE ‘experts’ at the Junta de Andalucia remain unconvinced but for one man there is no doubt. After 60 years of absence, the endangered Iberian Lynx has made a comeback in the Serrania de 952 147 834 Ronda.

Enrique Ruiz knows the Valle del Genal like the back of his hand. He has spent the last 20 years in the valley, painstakingly restoring its 18th century Fabrica de Hojalata tin factory and becoming intimately acquainted with the surrounding countryside.

Then one day in late June, Manfred, a German guest who was staying at the secluded factory-turned vineyard, returned from a long trek with a surprising – and TM

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CONVINCED: Enrique Ruiz (inset) is certain that an Iberian Lynx is roaming the

extremely exciting – video.

He showed it to 58-year-old Ruiz – a retired World Bank economist – thinking that the creature he had captured on his mobile phone, a large cat, must be common in the area.

Enrique immediately told him it most certainly was not – it was a highly endangered Iberian lynx. The last sighting of one in the Serrania de Ronda – the mountains and hills that surround the eponymous Spanish mountain town – was only just

within living memory.

For more than 60 years it has been the missing lynx, vanished from the wooded hills and valleys of Andalucia’s wild interior, just 90 minutes drive from Marbella.

“There is no doubt it is a lynx,” Ruiz tells me. “It is quite possible that the coronavirus lockdown has encouraged the cat to roam further. With no traffic and fewer people around, lots of wildlife has been making its way into places they are not

normally seen.”

And it makes sense to Ruiz for lynx to reappear in the area after such a long time.

“There may not be any rabbits around here, but there is plenty for them to eat – rats and snakes for example,” he says.

“And the flow of lynx is from the south to the north as they reclaim their old ranges – they have been moving into northern Spain from Portugal, and I think the same may be happening here.”

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

21

of Andalucia’s big cat

vineyards and countryside of the Genal Valley near Ronda

Not everyone is convinced by the video. Experts from the Junta de Andalucia have poured scorn on the whole idea, saying that the vegetation filmed in the clip is not typical of the area.

They say it is much more likely to have been filmed in Sevilla or Huelva.

But Ruiz stands by his story and is firm in his conviction that Manfred was not making things up: “He had gone for a long hike in the hills for four or

five hours. When he got back he said ‘look what I have here’ and showed me the clip. He had no idea that there are supposed to be no lynxes around here.”

And Ruiz is backed up by commentators on the Fabrica de Hojalata Facebook page, several of whom have also reported sightings and tell-tale tracks.

He is also supported by an ecologist Javier Dominguez, from Malaga, who studied wildlife corridors around the Ronda

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land is crossed by a lynx trail. Inset, screenshot of the lynx video clip

area for six months some years ago. The wildlife expert told the Olive Press how he had talked to over 60 landowners and farmers in the Serrania to understand what sort of animals and birds inhabited the protected area.

His work had been commissioned, in part, to prevent a toll motorway from being introduced through the Genal Valley from the Costa del Sol to Ronda.

“I spent six months going through the area’s urbanism plans, to see how this motorway would affect the local area.

“Quite a few farmers had seen lynxes and German winemaker Federico Schatz had part of his vineyard over a regular lynx path.

“I think my work helped in part to stop the project to build a road between San Pedro de Alcántara and Ronda.

“One biologist also found droppings but I don’t know if they live in the Serrania or they come in from other areas to feed and hunt?”

Either way, the professionals are taking the video a little more seriously than the Junta has done to date.

An expert from the Donana National Park is due any day to check out the area for lynx spores.

Once on the endangered list, Spain’s native Iberian lynx population is now starting to thrive.

The species has roared back from a depressing low of 94 individuals in 2004 to 461 in Andalucia in 2019.

There has been a 3.6% increase in the past year alone, with the Sierra Morena area of Jaen (Guadalmellato, Cardeña, Andujar and Guarrizas) as the species’ main territory with 356 cats in the wild.

Have you seen a Lynx? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es

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COLUMNISTS

22

I

T’S been an interesting couple of weeks since my last column. Once again I managed to upset a number of cyclists who, after reading the reaction to my witterings, obviously regard me as one of Satan’s minor demons. Or the Marbella version of Jeremy Clarkson. I’m not sure which is

July 22nd - August 4th 2020

Loud and Clear Giles got a bad reaction from cyclists after his last column

worse, to be honest.

Just for the record, I haven’t really replaced the rear seats

with industrial hand sanitiser and am not merrily water cannoning bike riders as I pass.

In the same way that I did not attach a snowplough to the front of the 4x4 and two mas-

Adios amigos

As Charlie Smith packs up his Spanish phrase books for Britain, at least he Charlie Smith can stop telling people he’s ‘horny’...

M

Y language learning journey in Spain has come to a temporrary halt as I return to the UK for a few months.

After almost two years in this wonderful country I am moving back to Rochdale to continue my journalism diploma and sit some exams.

The beach will be replaced by the canal and I will have to make do with pints in English pubs rather than cañas in bustling tapas bars.

One thing that I hope won’t change will be my efforts to learn Spanish.

It will definitely be a challenge swatting up on español in Greater Manchester, a region known more for its curry sauce than its castellano.

Although, like many workplaces that have been forced to adapt, the long months of lockdown have prepared me for distance learning.

During the pandemic I had Spanish lessons via Skype with my teacher Carola at the Millinguals school in Estepona.

And I have already lined up a couple of

intercambios with willing Spaniards for when I get back to Blighty.

If you are trying to learn Spanish, these meet-ups with a native are a great place to start, be they virtual or down at the cafe.

In the past I have also recommended budding linguists dip into apps like Duolingo and Memrise, as well as the podcast Coffee Break Spanish, which was the one that really helped me nail the everyday situations you face in Spain.

However being among Spanish people when you can is invaluable and really does boost your confidence to converse.

And never was this more apparent than this week, as I was being burnt to a crisp in a long queue outside the bank.

A man from Cadiz began to machine gunfire some rapid Gaditano Spanish at me, leaving me dumbfounded and tonguetied.

But after realising I was a guiri he slowed down a bit and we ended up getting on quite well.

I’ll miss these face-to-face interactions

History, adventure and romance.

That’s just the setting.

with Spanish people.

Even the bizarre and incomprehensible encounters with the opinionated abuelas who are my neighbours.

It is a privilege to be able to move to another country and learn the language from the locals, especially when they are so forgiving, as they usually are on the Costa del Sol. When I landed at Malaga Airport in 2018 I only had hola and gracias under my belt. Now I have much more Spanish, the majority of which I learned from podcasts and chatting to people I met.

For those starting out, do NOT give up, make sure to engage with Spaniards, and remember – if you still confuse ‘tengo calor’ (you’re hot from the weather) with ‘estoy caliente’ (you’re hot as in horny) – we’ve all been there!

At least that’s one mistake I won’t be making in the chilly north of England this winter!

thing like that.

Judging from the complete muck up that a number of governments seem to be making sive lobster pots to the rear of the state of affairs at the to scoop them up and then moment, I toyed with the idea deposit them at the bottom of that maybe being ruled by a the Istan road. Or borrow Mad bunch of 12 foot tall subterMax’s Holden V8 to terrorise ranean lizard overlords with them on my drive down to the a connection to Prince Phillip might be worth a try. Although studio.

The order by the Junta de An- I decided not to post that.

To top it all off, I dalucia about went down with the wearing of She took my usual summasks also manmer cold. The aged to stoke up to covertly 24-hour lurgy a mixed bag of was gone as spraying me reactions. Once as it had again, social mewith essential soon arrived, but the dia was awash house guest dewith various theoils... cided I was obories about why viously suffering we have to wear them, ranging from the stoical from a combination of COVID, to the more ‘alternative’ – in- Ebola and the Black Death. cluding that it was an exercise She took to wearing a mask in mind control, the thin end of around the casita and covertly spraying me with an essential the New World Order oil spray every time I stumbled and that the shadowy into the kitchen from my sickfigures of the Illubed. And yes, I can hear the minati were Lycra-clad legions laughing at about to the karma of it all from here! take over.

Or some-

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FINAL WORDS

POPULAR restaurant in Madrid, ‘El Brillante,’ got some hate on Twitter after a customer revealed he was charged €19 for two coffees and an orange juice.

Shark bait CADIZ beach Zahara de los Atunes was temporarily closed down after a two-metre long predatory mako shark was spotted near swimmers.

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Vol. 13 Issue 348 www.theolivepress.es July 22nd - August 4th 2020

The only way is up!

PAINTING its planes magenta and guaranteeing customers sparkles is part of a wizard move to get punters back in the air.

But the signing of ex-TOWIE star Gemma Collins as the face of Wizz Air is a masterstroke.

The larger-than-life celebrity - who spends a good chunk of the year in Marbella - has signed a lucrative six-figure deal to promote the airline.

Wizard move as Wizz air sends famous diva Gemma Collins into the air as its new global ambassador In her continuing pursuit of the high life, the self-proclaimed diva is part of a drive to get British punters to take advantage of the new air bridges around Europe.

From this week, each plane will have a giant photo of Collins on the body, while the

Whale Spotting

A TRIO of locals were treated for smoke inhalation after an electric scooter exploded in Alicante.

The battery of the so-called ‘Madge mobile’ blew up inside the owner’s house.

Firefighters had to be called out to the blaze, which left two neighbours and a local police officer needing medical treatment, one in hospital.

A MOTHER and baby whale have been spotted swimming along the Costa del Sol, towards Gibraltar.

The two pilot whales were seen close to the shore and were caught on film.

The whales live all year around the Straits of Gibraltar, but rarely venture to the nearby coastline.

SPANISH fans of cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch have discovered that placing small change in a freezer bag of water and hanging it by your door will stop pesky flies from invading your kitchen this summer.

planes will be painted magenta pink - the reality star’s favourite colour. Some inflight announcements will even be voiced by the Essex star.

Welcome on board BABY !!

LETS GO !!! Don’t forget your masks and who wants Prosecco! There’s only one way

to travel !!! WIZZ AIR,” announced Collins to her 1.9million followers on Instagram.

It comes after Collins spent a couple of weeks in Marbella amid her messy breakup with TOWIE co-star James Argent.

But Collins didn’t rest in the 30-degree heat. Instead, she

Hot wheels A large bang woke up the owners who discovered that the battery had caught fire.

Luckily a sofa that caught alight in an ensuing blaze was thrown out of the window into the street.

It is the latest in a series of call-outs caused by scooter battery fires in recent months.

continued her latest fitness regime poolside.

She revealed that Argent who had been set to move to Marbella to buy a home with her, called her ‘a hippo’ as their relationship deteriorated.

“It’s not all fun in the sun guys, we are exercising today. We’ve just done deadlifts, squats, press ups, lunges and we’re now off for a run,” she said.

During her pandemic reality show Diva in Lockdown, Collins told her family she’d fly them to the sun and sand in a private jet when lockdown measures were eased.

There is one budget airline that will be expecting her to travel with them ONLY from now on.

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