Gibraltar Olive Press - Issue 101

Vol. 4 Issue 101 www.theolivepress.es July 17th to July 30th 2019

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THE Gibraltar government has denied it was following orders from the US when it detained the Iranian supertanker Grace I last week.

It comes after the Royal Marines and local law enforcement stormed the oil tanker and sparked an international row between the US, Iran and the UK. The Chief Minister denied Spanish reports that the detention was a favour to the US but said he would try to make sure there would be no ‘transboundary effects’.

“There has been no political requests at any time from any government to act,” he said. “The decisions of the government were taken totally independently.”

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Giant €750m multi-sports and property development enters final furlong EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore

A RAFT of international sporting stars are lining up to back an exciting €750 million sports and residential project on the Costa del Sol. Maria Sharapova, Rio Ferdinand and Ian Woosnam have all expressed a keen

“This will be massive for Mijas and will be the largest sports tourism and multisports events venue in Europe,” the businessman behind the project, Anthony Arnold, from the West Midlands, interest in the huge British-funded proj- told the Olive Press this week. ect to revolutionise Mijas’ long-neglect- Russian tennis ace Sharapova has been involved in the interior design of the ed hippodrome racecourse site.

The trio are just some of the big names project, called ‘Mijas City of Sport,’ looking to back the Mirage develop- while former England captain Ferdiment, which includes a golf course, a nand is set to add the site to his Football TRIO OF BACKERS: Sharapova, Woosnam and Ferdinand (below left) multi-sports venue, a trio of hotels and Escapes company. style resort for the professional over 1,000 luxury apartments, the Olive The firm provides premier football and sports business community’. sports coaching courses at some of the most It will Press can exclusively reveal. include a five-star hotel, spa, casino exclusive resorts around the world.

Welsh golfing legend Woosnam, mean- and luxury apartments. while, has helped design the signature An entertainment venue and university 18-hole golf course and will be heading campus are also being considered for the site, according to the detailed 17-page up the gold academy.

The proposed project - which sits over overview of the project, seen by the Olive 250 hectares - will be divided into three Press. different areas under the brand name Construction is planned to begin by the middle of next year if Mijas town hall Mirage.

Mirage Sport will feature a large sport- which has still not formed a working goving events venue, elite training facility ernment following recent local elections and a 400-room hotel alongside a com- - gives it the green light. HCP Arquitects mercial, conference and business centre. of Malaga will be officially unveiling the Meanwhile Mirage Golf will also have masterplan in the next few weeks. a hotel and 1,200 luxury apartments, “I’ve been working on this for eight years now and we are so close to getting the alongside its course.

Finally Mirage Club will be an exclu- backing we need,” continued Arnold. “It sive sporting club ‘designed as a life- will be hugely important for not only Mijas but the whole Costa del Sol.” MIRAGE: Development’s designs include

five-star hotel, casino and apartments

As the summer hordes descend, the Olive Press looks at the entourages and bloated budgets of the rich and famous who regularly holiday in Spain

See page 6

Robert Mansfield-Hewitt thanks Olive Press for year-long campaign for his release

X

A BRITISH engineer wrongly imprisoned for a year for drug smuggling has finally been released.

Robert Mansfield-Hewitt, 51, was let go without charge after being locked up for more than a year alongside terrorists and murderers in a Spanish jail.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) worker had been wrongly accused of storing 1.5 tonnes of hashish in the garage of a prop-

erty where he was renting a room in San Roque.

The innocent Brit - who has worked for the MOD for 20 years, much of it in Gibraltar - was taken to infamous Botafuegos prison in Algeciras on June 27 last year following a dramatic night raid.

He quickly became the Guardia Civil’s main suspect despite having no previous convictions and the actual owner of the property having a previ-

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Innocent Brit wrongly fingered for drug haul finally released from year in violent prison

It comes after Donald Trump tweeted his support for the move, while Spain said it wanted to mount a full investigation.

It was later confirmed the tanker was carrying 2.1 million barrels of crude oil which the US feared was being taken to support the war effort in Syria, defying EU sanctions.

Picardo also revealed he had written to both the president of the European Commission and European Council, Jean-Claude Junker and Donald Tusk.

“We acted because we had reasonable grounds to believe that this vessel was in breach of EU sanctions against Syria,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo in Parliament on July 12.

“These actions were contrary to the law of Gibraltar as the sanctions were contained in an EU regulation which is directly applicable to Gibraltar since 2012.”

He said that the consequences of these actions could ‘now be challenged in court by any party’.

The storming of the ship was a unanimous decision of the Gibraltar cabinet.

Four crew members of the Grace I were interviewed by the RGP while equipment was also seized.

A senior Iranian cleric has said the UK will be ‘slapped in the face’ for the move.

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Jet setters...

RICK Astley has been announced for the Gibraltar Calling Festival. The 1980s British pop star will be the warm up act to Take That on Sunday September 8.

The Never Gonna Give You Up singer will be performing a medley of his greatest hits.

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EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

ous drug conviction in Gibraltar.

Despite, a lack of evidence - and three front page stories by this paper - he was held at the notorious jail, home to ETA terrorists and Irish mafia members, until last week.

“It is amazing to be finally out,” Hampshire-based Mansfield-Hewitt told the Olive Press from a restau-

THRILLED: Hewitt with two of our front pages rant in La Linea this week. local media group keeping “I’m still getting used to be- this in the public eye. Withing out, it has been a crazy out your help, I’m sure it ride.” would have taken longer,” He also thanked the paper he said. for all the support and legal In draconian circumstancpressure we have put on the es, it took Spanish auauthorities since his arrest. thorities a shocking seven “It is great to have had a months to formally charge him - after denying him bail three times.

Despite a serious long-term liver condition, which saw him moved in and out of hospital, he did not get his day in court until May 27.

Incredibly, he has still been UK BASED ordered to pay a €1,500 fine for ‘renting unlicensed tourist accommodation’.

He revealed he is now set to take legal action against the state but for now is focusfor Spanish ing on getting home. residents He is flying back from Malaga to London this week, www.globelink.co.uk where he plans to take a few

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NEWS IN BRIEF Greenhouse effect NEW Climate Change law will set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gases through recycling and renewable energy.

Kept in check

CRIME

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THE ombudsman’s annual report for 2018 and the report of the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority have been presented in Parliament.

Homing in

A SPECIAL stamp duty to stop speculation of government homes and help first-time buyers has been introduced in Parliament.

Fame Games SPORTS Minister Steven Linares has thanked athletes, volunteers and workers for making the Island Games ‘Gibraltar’s biggest sporting event ever’.

July 17th to July 30th 2019

Race rant

A SPANISH school teacher has launched a disgusting racist attack on two black British men, calling them ‘monkeys’.

Shocking footage taken by the young British travellers shows the unidentified middle aged woman also call them ‘shitty Moors (muslims)’, ‘immigrants’ and ‘f**king Africans’.

The video, filmed on a train in Bilbao, was released by nonprofit group SOS Racismo

Black tourists victims of disgusting racist attack by a teacher on a train Madrid on its website Es Racismo.

“We were on the train and my friend and I put up our feet on some seats that were free,” one of those targeted, told Es Racismo.

“Ten minutes later a woman

walked in and started to tell us that this is a ‘world of women’ and that there is no longer any room for sexist men.”

The woman teaches at a school in the Bilbao suburb of Deusto according to Es Rac-

Nightclub shoot-out

Rush to judgement

POLICE are still searching for the gunmen who fired shots at bouncers outside an exclusive Marbella nightclub.

It is the second time in a year that shots have been fired outside Olivia Valere.

Cops are searching the men of ‘Arabic origin’ who fired the guns from a car at 6am.

The group were apparently angry at not being allowed to take drinks from the club, and subsequently fired shots.

A tardy lawyer who raced along the motorway to attend a court case in Murcia has been arrested immediately afterwards – by cops attending the same case.

Much to the amazement of those attending, the police giving evidence at the trial arrested the man, who had earlier been chased by Guardia Civil and a helicopter, before leaving his car badly parked outside court.

The excuse for his reckless driving was that he didn’t want to be late for the trial in which he was due to testify – that of a traffic accident from September.

Brit raped in park A SPANISH man has been arrested after a British teen was raped in Valladolid.

The 18-year-old holidaymaker was attacked in a park by the local man, 27.

While the girl had been drinking heavily a judge insisted she would not have consented to sex.

The pair are reported to have met during a night out, before the man led the girl into the park.

VILE: Racist teacher ismo.

One of the men can be heard replying to the angry woman by saying, ‘we’re just passengers init’, before she labels them ‘monkeys’ and makes racist gestures.

The man filming tells his friend to ‘relax’, before saying to the woman: “You’re a fool, you’re a big fool, n****r.”

The men also attempt to speak Spanish to the woman, but she says that she, ‘doesn't understand anything’.

It is unclear exactly where the men are from, but both speak with southern English accents.

Forkin’ hell A WOMAN has been arrested after a man was ‘stabbed in the face with a fork’ at lunchtime.

Fatima Ech Chalh, 23, was accused of plunging a utensil into the face of a 40-yearold man yesterday.

Police cuffed her in Gibraltar’s Ocean Village, after her alleged victim flagged down cops on Waterport Roadway.

RGP officers transferred the woman to Royal Gibraltar Police Headquarters.

She was charged with wounding, and spent the night in a cell, before her appearance in Magistrates’ Court this morning.

The man’s injuries are not serious and he was not admitted to hospital.

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Alive and kicking Jon Clarke sees a trio of British rock legends wow audiences at Nos Alive in Lisbon

GALVANISED: Thom Yorke performs on stage in Lisbon and (inset) Robert Smith of The Cure

I

July 17th to July 30th 2019

T was 1997 at Glastonbury - one of the wettest in history - and the Chemical Brothers were about three quarters of the way through a rousing set on the second stage.

It was around 10.45pm when a mini exodus saw literally hundreds of revellers trudge through a foot-deep morass of mud towards an even muddier field in front of the Pyramid stage.

As the rain continued to pour down on came Radiohead to what has been described as a seminal moment in rock history and, certainly, one of Glastonbury’s best ever performances.

It was the night the five talented members, led by Thom Yorke, came of age.

So it was fascinating to witness Yorke’s first live show in Portugal, supporting headliners the Chemical Brothers this weekend at Nos Alive in Lisbon.

In a steamy circus tent, with the temperature nudging 30 degrees, he shuffled on nervously all dressed in black, apart from his Stan Smith trainers.

But it was soon apparent that the crowd loved it.

Atmospheric and moody, with understated graphics and lighting, the electronic sound, coupled with light electro drums, came over brilliantly in the intimate space.

In particular, songs like Traffic swirled around like a dust storm, while Suspirium soared as high as the Trip Hop flag he is so perfectly flying these days. The encore of Dawn Chorus

LONDONER: Jorja Smith was on form was beautiful.

But it was the hypnotic Black Swan that really stole the show, with its ‘f**ked up’ chorus, before we all skipped over to the main stage, where Tom and Ed of the Chemicals were soon to blow us all away with a stunningly well rehearsed and planned set.

Not exactly a role reversal, but these two former Manchester University students are at the top of their game and alive and kicking in more ways than one.

More than capable aided by the amazing graphics of Vegetable Vision, who have been doing it for them for over two decades, it was impossible to stand still.

This was a greatest hits medley, with legendary tunes like Hey Boy Hey Girl and Under the Influence - now 20 years old - amazing live. Galvanise from the 2005 album Push the Button went down well.

Nos Alive is a superb festival to attend, in particular it being so close to Lisbon and just €7 euros by taxi from the centre.

Now well established in its 13th year, it manages to combine enough big name acts, with good up-and-coming groups to justify 20% of its 55,000 daily punters coming from the UK. It’s large, but not too large, with the Portuguese locals charming and welcoming as ever and with prices at just €60 euros for a day ticket excellent value for the amount of acts on show.

He’s the daddy!

After a Valencia court ruled this 43-year-old was Julio Iglesias’ son, his mother speaks for the first time about her ex-lover’s decades of denial EXCLUSIVE

By Joshua Parfitt

WHITE-gloved waiters doted on a young Enrique Iglesias as he grew up among palm trees and two swimming pools in a €600,000 mansion just off Miami Beach, Florida.

Julio Iglesias’ second-born son was whisked away to a life of celebrity drop-ins and round-the-clock nannying following a speedy divorce from Enrique’s mother Isabel Preysler.

But not a cent of meanwhile was offered to a secret lovechild, Javier Sanchez, who was scandalously conceived just two months after Enrique’s birth in 1975.

A Valencia court ruled Javier was Iglesias’ third-born son last week, but the lifestyles of his doppelganger

children could not be further apart.

While Enrique was being pampered in ultra-elite circles, Javier hung in a dingy restaurant near Valencia’s port where his mother Maria Edite scrubbed floors to make ends meet.

The former ballerina revealed to the Olive Press how an unexpected pregnancy forced her to shelve a career as a ballerina and raise her eldest child.

And while Spain’s mostsuccessful singer went on to sell more than 250 million records worldwide, he has not stooped to sing even one note of ‘Happy Birthday’ to his 43-year-old son.

“When Julio and I met we

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PADRE: Julio Iglesias confirmed as dad of Javier Sanchez were both stars,” she said from her home in the El Cabanyal district of Valencia.

"We were equal performers on stage when we met in July 1975 in the Las Vegas music hall, in Sant Feliu de Guixols, near Girona.

“But Julio destroyed my dreams. I should’ve known what I was doing, but it's always the woman who has to pick up the pieces."

Maria may be about to reclaim those pieces, however, after Valencia’s court 13 ruled that Javier will be entered into the Spanish registry as Julio Iglesias’ son.

“This means that Julio is

obliged to take responsibility if Javier suffers illness or is in poverty,” Javier’s lawyer Fernando Osuna, told the Olive Press.

"It also means that Javier will have a claim to inheritance.”

He revealed that throughout two previous court cases, which first began in 1991, Julio has consistently refused a paternity test.

The white-toothed crooner also ignored an order to attend court last month.

This last legal action was only sparked after a private investigator pinched a bottle of water used by Julio

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Jnr, while out surfing in Miami in May 2017.

DNA analysis proved that Javier and Julio Iglesias Jnr were brothers ‘with 99% accuracy’.

The judge eventually based the verdict on their jointfather’s refusal to agree to a test, and striking facial similarities.

Iglesias’s hotshot lawyers have 17 days to appeal the verdict, meanwhile Javier and Osuna are ploughing ahead with plans to sue for moral, psychological and spiritual damages.

"When Javier was 13, we tried to go backstage at a concert and introduce Julio to his son, but we were thrown out,” Maria added.

"What kind of man behaves like that? And not turning up to a court summons?

What is that about?"

"We've suffered so much.

The press has called me every name under the sun.

"For Javier, his whole world has changed. But my victory is that I am exactly the same person, because I have always been telling the truth.”

Infectious

Other highlights included a soulful, infectious show by Londoner Jorja Smith, a wild, angry explosion by Idles, plus the much anticipated performance by American Bon Iver, which was as interesting, as it was flat at times.

That said, 666 was superb, while wonderful Holocene had more people in tears over the weekend than Federer losing at Wimbledon, and was worth the journey from Spain alone. And finally, the Cure headlining on Thursday night as part of their 40th anniversary tour, was about as good as any Cure fans can remember… once they had got through the first few songs, including the rather tedious Shake Dog Shake.

Highlights were Just like Heaven and Love Song, while the encore of Boys Don’t Cry and Friday I’m in Love sent everyone home with big smiles.

NOT IDLE: Idles run riot

4

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NOT A FAN: Gervais

‘Absolute filth’ ANIMAL loving comic Ricky Gervais has slammed a Spanish ‘horse-wrestling’ festival.

The Office star, 58, branded participants of the ‘Rapa das Bestas’ festival ‘absolute filth’ in a Tweet, liked by 16,000 people.

Briton Gervais is opposed to the festival where local Galician men jump on the wild horses and wrestle them to the ground.

The 400-year-old Galician tradition which roughly translates as ‘Shearing of the Beasts’ sees hundreds of wild horses in various villages herded into small arenas.

Locals then attempt to trim the terrified animals’ manes and delouse them before freeing them back to the wild.

It’s not the first time the outspoken Gervais has called Spain to account on social media.

Two months ago he criticised a Spanish matador for wiping away the tears of a dying bull, calling him a ‘sequinned c**t’.

NEWS

July 17th to July 30th 2019

‘Shambolic!’

Abortion referendum shows Fabian Picardo ‘has no guts’, slams Together Gibraltar member EXCLUSIVE

By John Culatto

THE decision to hold a referendum on abortion has been described as ‘absolutely appalling’ by a member of Together Gibraltar.

Jon Santos, who is part of the new party formed this year, labelled the GSLP/ Liberals as ‘not fit to gov-

UNIMPRESSED: Santos

ern’ in the wake of the announcement last week.

“I think it is absolutely appalling,” the Together Gibraltar executive member told the Olive Press this week.

“The fact that our government cannot commit to making a decision on a fundamental human right that is supported by practically every developed state is totally shambolic.”

He suggested that the delay in making abortion legal was because of the Pro-life lobby.

“There’s a strong local community that is wellfunded and is trying to manipulate opinion,” added Santos. “But they are not stopping abortions.

Foreign

Abortions will continue on foreign soil, but without any after-care.”

He accused Chief Minister Fabian Picardo of not ‘having the guts to govern’ as he faced a general election.

“How can you give the same rights to a fertilised egg as a human being?” he asked. “The decision to

have an abortion should be down to the individual.

“Women don’t think that they will have an abortion on demand. It may be necessary to abort to safeguard the woman’s life or because having an extra child will take them into poverty.”

Santos said that even though religious groups are the biggest obstacles to the abortion bill there is very little real biblical evidence against abortion.

“The Bible states that a child is not considered a person until a month after they are born,” he said.

Victory at last!

From front

months break.

“My mother is very pleased and she will be my first point of call,” he added.

“My first call when I got out was to my sister who had gathered all the family together for a celebratory breakfast so I was able to speak to everyone which was fantastic.

“We are just so relieved this nightmare is over, it’s going to take me some time to recover mentally and physically.”

Robert, who helps cook for the homeless on Saturday mornings and plays the church organ for mass on Sundays, is also now being forced to battle to hold onto his home back in Emsworth in Hampshire as he is months behind in the rent.

Eviction

His good standing with the housing association has meant they have held back on an eviction notice despite not having received rent for more than six months.

Locals there have now started a GoFundMe page to help Robert ‘get back on his feet’.

His assistant Pillie Ford, 37, told this paper: “Thank you so much you were the only newspaper who printed Robert’s story and helped put pressure on the judge and shine a light on this injustice.

“We are so grateful.”

The fight will go on regardless...

WOMEN could bring their right to have an abortion before the Supreme Court if the referendum decides against legalisation.

This was the message from Minister for Health and Justice Neil Costa in the parliament’s debate on abortion.

The GSD leader of the opposition in Parliament Elliot Phillips said there was no need to pass a law on abortion.

“There is nothing in our constitutional law that requires us to introduce a law modelled on the English law on abortion,” said Phillips.

He said the GSD would vote against abortion being legalised even though the abortion law in UK dates back to 1967.

The debate reached fever pitch after Westminster imposed direct rule on Northern Ireland to legalise abortion.

Marlene Hassan Nahon said this was a case of the government ‘flip-flopping to appeal to different parts of the electorate’.

Her new party, Together Gibraltar said it was ‘dismayed’ that issues of human rights were being put to a referendum.

“This is a case of Government pandering to religious and conservative lobbies, perpetuating the patriarchal approach,” the party said.

“It is propagating the myth that women cannot be trusted to make wise and measured decisions when it comes to taking the immense, life-altering step of having a child.”

In the end the abortion bill was passed, but would not be enforced until the referendum of March 2020.

BATTLING ON: Women’s rights movement on Gib

SEARCH: For Michael

Find my son THE dad of a British man who vanished from the Costa del Sol has issued a fresh appeal to find his son.

Gary Owen, 61, from Wales, told the Olive Press he cannot understand what has happened to his son Michael Owen, 32, who went missing in Manilva.

“I’m devastated,” he said, speaking from the UK, where he has returned, after three weeks searching for his son.

Footie fan Michael disappeared from the Alboran Hills Urbanisation on June 21 without a phone, wallet, cash, passport or credit cards.

Michael, who was last pictured wearing his Wales football shirt, does not have his glasses with him and may have relapsed after being taken off his mental health medication.

Anyone who can help should contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es

NEWS

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GIB MP NOW! A PETITION to give Gibraltar an MP in Westminister has been supported by the local parliament.

It comes after the online document garnered more than 14,000 signatures.

“Representation in parliament is a right that all citizens should have,” the petition reads.

“It asks we keep our autonomous powers as attained by the 2006 constitution, our double-lock on sovereignty and our Chief Minister as our spokesperson.”

Some 11,500 signatures came directly from the Rock while the rest were mainly from mainland Brits.

The petition was originally presented to No. 10 Downing Street in February by a delegation of concerned Gibraltarians.

One of the leaders of the campaign is Joe Caruana, former member of the Integration With Britain Party that was in government from 1969-72.

Bat-s**t scary AN expat has sounded the alarm after being attacked by a colony of bats.

US-born Kira Nash had to be treated for rabies after she was bitten by one while walking near her home, in Alhaurin de la Torre.

Writer Nash, who moved to Malaga from France this March, went straight to her local health centre after feeling a sharp pain on her shoulder after two bats had flown into her during the evening stroll.

“The doctor there said it would be wise to have the vaccine given the danger of rabies,” she told the Olive Press this week.

Last summer, two people in Spain had to seek medical treatment after being bitten by bats carrying the potentially fatal disease.

The first case took place in Valladolid, while the second happened just two days later in nearby Huelva.

“I have to go back today for another vaccine,” Nash added this week, “Mercifully I think all is well and I think I am going to be okay.”

Nash is expected to be given post-exposure vaccinations for the next week or so.

Expert Elias Rodriguez-Ferri warned after the two cases last summer: “If anyone comes into contact with a bat, they risk contracting the virus.

“That’s why it’s important not to touch them, dead or alive.”

If you do touch a bat or believe you have been bitten by one, it is essential to seek medical treatment before symptoms start to develop.

The symptoms in humans include fever, changes in mood, nausea and vomiting, photophobia, drooling and convulsions.

July 17th to July 30th 2019

‘We’re being poisoned’ Shocking snap reveals extent of shipping pollution in Gibraltar THIS is the moment huge clouds of toxic black smoke billowed from a ship in the waters of Gibraltar.

The image taken from the 30-second video clip shows a huge vessel emit the toxic fumes not far from blocks of flats and homes.

The video sparked outrage online, with locals labelling the pollution a ‘disgrace’.

Emergency

The woman who recorded the video told the Olive Press: “Residents are getting fed up with this issue.

“The air quality is suffering which in turn affects people’s health but the Government does nothing about it.

“They have declared a climate emergency but still allow this practice day in and day out.”

A local commented on her video: “I watched it hap-

EXCLUSIVE

By Laurence Dollimore

pen in real-time…all the smoke went into the flats at Admiral’s Place.

“Shame on the government that allows this.”

Another blasted: “Nothing is ever done here in Gib we are slowly being poisoned.”

A government spokesperson told the Olive Press: “Gibraltar Port Authority VTS operations yesterday spotted a vessel anchored in the western anchorage emitting considerable dense smoke from its funnel.

“VTS immediately contacted the vessel and ordered this to be stopped and warned that the vessel would be ordered to leave BGTW (territorial waters) if there was any further repetition.

“This action from VTS took place prior to receiving any complaints from

Death knock

Losing the lead

SPAIN’s caretaker prime minister has called an end to power-sharing talks and ratcheted up the risk of a fresh election in the autumn.

Pedro Sanchez has accused the Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias of acting in bad faith and called off talks three months after his PSOE party won April’s election.

A repeat election would plunge Spain’s young democracy into an unprecedented crisis as it would be the fourth in as many years.

Sanchez had previously insisted the two parties policy differences were too large to accommodate a coalition.

Podemos spokesman Pablo Echenique said: “We were surprised to hear that the prime minister said that negotiations had collapsed.

“For our part, this is not the case.”

SICKENING: Smoke blows onto homes

the general public.

“The vessel was continuously monitored during the remainder of its stay in BGTW, including throughout the night by means of the thermal imaging cameras operated by the Port Authority.

“No repetition of this is-

sue was observed and the vessel subsequently departed early this morning.

“The vessel in question is not a banned vessel, and as is the case with all vessels calling at Gibraltar there is a process for the clearance of the vessel prior to its arrival.”

AT ODDS: Sanchez and Iglesias

Tranquilo,

they’re on their way home..

EXCLUSIVE

By Charlie Smith

A HEARTLESS landowner has dealt a vicious blow to animal rights activists after he sold the land their refuge was on.

Despite telling the Animal in Need Foundation that it would have until August 31 to raise the money needed to buy the land, the Spanish owner sold it last week.

It comes after the Olive Press revealed last issue that over SAD: Dogs at risk and 800 animals could face be- (below) previous story ing put down if the La Linea 4 shelter was forced to shut.

NEWS FOR THE CHOP This however, appears to be of no concern to the ‘ruthless and greedy’ landowner, who notified the centre via a short Facebook message.

“I'm sorry folks, I just sold SUPER SATURD AYS the land,” he wrote to the centre’s hardworking volunteers. if not rehomed.

His move comes despite the “The ruthless owner has centre being given until Au- already shown his true cogust 31 to raise the €165,000 lours,” said a foundation needed to buy the plot, spokesperson. claimed a spokesman.

“He unexpectedly increased The problems began after the price in a few days, obvithe recent death of the shel- ously driven by greed!” ter’s general manager Pe- But despite this major upset ter Koekebakker, who only those in charge remain hopehad verbal agreements with ful for a ‘new beginning’. landowners. we have not yet For acampaign quote or “While just some An Olive Press reached thefriendly figure advice of was launched last issue (For €165,000, we will need all the chop, Issue 321, pg 4), to possible donations to build save hundreds of cats and a new shelter,” added the dogs, which could be culled spokesman.

FRANCE - ITALY - PORTUGAL

SPAIN - UK - IRELAND

www.theolivepress.es

Something in the water

July 3rd - July 16th 2019

Collared

A BEACH in Andalucia has been shut after a dangerous bacteria was detected in the water.

Stunning Playa de Fuentebravia, in el Puerto de Santa Maria, was closed after E. coli was found at dangerous levels in the water.

An E.coli infection can cause diarrhoea, blood in poo, vomiting, stomach cramps, and fever, according to RIP: Boss Peter health experts.

Koekebakker

A WOMAN has been arrested after her dog died from strangulation and heatstroke.

The 27-year-old is charged with animal abuse after her ‘dying’ pet was spotted on a balcony in Valladolid.

After police officers saw the animal ‘panting intensely’ and could not break in, firemen were called to rescue the animal.

But the dog could not be saved, and it died of ‘suffocation due to strangulation’, according to a vet.

Desperate race against time to save hundreds of animals from being condemned to death

AN animal shelter has appealed for help as hundreds of its dogs and cats face death due to a land dispute.

The Animal In Need Foundation faces eviction after its manager died, having only

APPEAL

made ‘verbal agreements’ with the land owner.

In a shock move, a ‘for sale’ sign was stuck to the doors of the La Linea-based shelter just a day after 58-year-old general manager Peter KoeTHREATENED: Dogs kebakker’s funeral.

A number of developers are arrive at centre said to be interested in the mals site, which has sea views and cash to face the chop if the is just a stone’s throw from The is not found. public can help the AniPuerto Atunara. mal In Need Foundation The non-profit organisation by donating just €15 a time, said it now needs to raise which END: Binmen stop strike €165,000 to buy the plot in In a pays for 1m² of land. statement, the centre caCamino Torrenueva. lled the situation a ‘worst-caPigs, birds, donkeys, horses se scenario’ and said ‘time is and even a pair of bulls are of the also among the 750-800 ani- confirmessence’, but did not how soon the site could be bought.

“With this burden on our A REFUSE strike on the Costa shoulders and the fear of lo- del Sol is set to end after a prosing everything that Peter visional agreement was signed worked for his entire life, giving workers we nevertheless are trying to It comes after more money. piles of rotting uphold the spirit and conti- rubbish remained uncollected nue,” it added. for nearly a week in Mijas and

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REUNITED: Martin with lost rattle

Death rattle

A BABY’s rattle found alongside the remains of a mother executed during Spain's Civil War has been reunited with her 83-year-old son.

Catalina Munoz Arranz, a mother of four, took the toy with her when she faced a Nationalist firing squad in 1936 near Palencia.

The colorful rattle belonged to her youngest son, Martin de la Torre Munoz, who was just eight months old at the time.

Almudena García-Rubio, an anthropologist who helps uncover civil war graves, said: “This rattle is a very symbolic object, the lively colors next to the earth-colored bones is a reminder of a motherhood that was cut short.”

See Roses of Zufre, P6

Feared

It comes as a volunteer at the centre told the Olive Press he feared the classification of the land could also be changed if it cannot be bought soon.

Gonzalo Martin, 47, who is a land administrator and real estate agent, said this would give the ‘green light’ for development and potentially raise the price per square metre tenfold.

“The land is currently classed as ‘rustic’ but could be built upon if it is changed to ‘urban’,” he told the Olive Press.

This newspaper contacted La Linea Ayuntamiento, but nobody was available to comment on the situation.

Donations can be made at this link: http://paypal.me/ redhetasiel

For more information visit animalinneed.com +661 71 50 60

Alhaurin el Grande.

Workers from Urbaser in Mijas have agreed to hold off more strikes until a new town council is sworn in later this week.

That is the deal negotiated between PP winner Angel Nozal, who is expected to become the new mayor, and some 127 staff striking over working conditions and pay.

An extra €1,000 a year in wages and a fairer working week are among the features of the deal.

The workers downed tools last week leaving 270 tonnes of rubbish building up on the streets of Mijas and nearby Alhaurin.

British councillor Bill Anderson described the situation as ‘pretty bad’.

He told the Olive Press the problem came after a million euros was cut from the annual contract with Urbaser and Mijas. “Angel has got them to agree to suspending industrial action until the new council is sworn in on Friday,” he said.

Alhaurin mayor Toni Ledesma is also expected to sign an agreement.

5

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6

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION Justice at last!

THANK god British engineer Robert Mansfield-Hewitt has been released from prison this month.

It is unfathomable that a UK citizen could have been locked up for SEVEN months without even being charged.

Incredibly, he was forced to wait a further four months for his day in court before being released more than a month later.

And all in an EU country and very close ally to Britain no less!

How many other cases like Robert’s have there been?

There was no evidence connecting him to the drugs and least of all no workable motive, given his decades-long career with the British government.

All the while, there seems to have been no investigation launched into the owner of the property where the drugs were found.

The case seems mired in corruption with local police apparently deciding to try and pin it on Robert from day one.

Either way, we are delighted that the pressure we have maintained on the authorities throughout this year, appears to have had some effect.

NO OTHER expat paper was willing to do that. And we are happy Robert appreciates it.

There is nothing like being forgotten to rust in prison.

Publisher / Editor Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Charlie Smith charlie@theolivepress.es

Joshua Parfitt joshua@theolivepress.es

Timothy McNulty tim@theolivepress.es

FEATURE

The Filthy Rich and their entourage How the other half live when on holiday in southern Spain, from Saudi Royalty to British prime ministers and American billionaires

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

T

The Swazis

T

he Swazi king, Mswatti III, has long been criticised for his over-the-top spending habits, as his country is one of the poorest countries in the world. He’s certainly got form.

So it should have come as no surprise when, this summer, Mswatti III flew into Marbella for an extravagant stay at a villa in the resort’s most expensive hotels - the Marbella Club, where rooms can cost a whopping €900 a night. He arrived for his Spanish stay with all 14 wives and 35 children in tow, bookended by a massive security entourage.

For his 40th birthday celebration in 2008, by his own royal command, ‘a 15,000seat stadium was built and a fleet of topof-the-line BMW sedans was ordered for the comfort of visiting dignitaries’, according to the New York Times.

Distribution ENQUIRIES (+34) 951 273 575 distribution@ theolivepress.es

T

he former First Lady of the United States’ 2010 vacation to Marbella and Mallorca attracted worldwide attention.

The ‘FLOTUS’ landed in Malaga in early August to a crowd of over 200 Spanish journalists and an assembly of uniformed Spanish Civil Guard, all of whom had been waiting

50+ SWAZI: King Mswatti III

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his ultra-conservative El Papa whose papacy was tarnished by several scandals and a controversial past was a frequent visitor to Spain.

Among his most memorable trips was his visit to Valencia in 2006 for the fifth World Meeting for Families, a ‘public affirmation of the invaluable worth he places on the family’. According to an audit, the Valencian government spent €3.1 million on public loos, €1.7 million on hotels for the papal entourage and his guests, more than €500,000 on 284 planters of varying sizes, €7.5 million on megaphones and screens and €1.5 million on the papal altar.

The official centre where the Pope celebrated mass cost 39% over the original budget, with €451,000 spent on the metal work, €124,000 on zoning costs, and the rest squandered on electricity, plumbing and special curtains to offset the heat from the television lights.

The audit was part of an investigation opened in 2016 into the Valencian government’s contracts under President Francisco Camps who, alongside the Archbishop of Valencia, was suspected of committing crimes of administrative prevarication, embezzlement and fraud.

The Pope’s 2010 pastoral trip around Spain was equally draining on the taxman, requiring a scandalous €4.8 million from public coffers to cover the costs. The visit prompted Europa Laica-Observatoria de la Laicidad, an organisation advocating the separation of church and state, to marshal a ‘symbolic bill’ making both Pope and public aware of

Michelle Obama

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AWARDS

Pope Benedict XVI

WO HUNDRED brand-new, imported Mercedes. ONE THOUSAND POUNDS for fresh flowers. HALF A MILLION EUROS on an altar and circa €200,000 on a flight. These are just a few of the luxuries the world’s super-rich have indulged in during their visits to Spanish shores.

As celebs, royals and the super-rich descend on the Spanish coasts for the summer, Maya Eashwaran and Regina Lankenau see how their entourages and expenses stack up.

Gillian Keller gillian@theolivepress.es Admin Beatriz Sanllehí (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es

July 17th to July 30th 2019

The Kuwaitis

K

uwaiti royals and businessmen have been padding Marbella with petrodollars for over four decades, mainly investing in luxury property in Mijas, Marbella and Sotogrande.

Unlike the Saudis, the Kuwaitis are known for their more reserved spending habits.

As reported by El Pais, one Kuwaiti entourage member stated that ‘the Kuwaitis have no need to show off their wealth’. Indeed, despite being world famous for Saudi opulence in the area, the Kuwaitis own more property in Marbella than their Arabian neighbours.

50+

100s

the exorbitant costs associated with his Spanish travels. According to them, the papal visit to Santiago de Compostela cost taxpayers €3 million while his stop in Barcelona racked up another €1.8 million.

However, it was his visit to Madrid in 2011 that met with the biggest backlash. Arriving in the capital for World Youth Day, this orthodox Pope brought together a group (or should that be hoard) of two million young people whose stay ran up an eye-watering €50 million bill. However 70% was paid by the kids themselves and 30% was covered by company donations. The possible profits of the event were projected to be at more than €100 million.

her daughter, Sasha, two friends and four of their own daughters, several White House aides and a few select staff members. They arrived in an Air Force One jet that cost over $11,000 an hour in operation costs, bringing the total cost of the round trip across the Pond to just under €177,408.

While the Obamas were in flight, a fleet of 14 vehicles awaited in Malaga. From there, they were whisked away to Marbella for a few days of luxury at the five-star Hotel Villa Padierna. Michelle had booked around 30 extra rooms for her entourage, both security and staff. The particular villa she stayed in, boasting three floors, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and three terraces. It has since been renamed the Obama Villa. This opulent pad, hemmed on all sides by pristine golf courses, can cost up to €3,600 a night.

Judicial Watch, a US-based conservative organisation, requested and obtained official travel expenses from the US Air Force and Secret Service, as well as documents from the Department of Homeland Security. They reveal a total cost of €414,765 for the Obamas’ Spanish getaway. Secret Service protection alone came to €225,716 — a sum that included the Obamas’ private car costs, payments to a travel company and secure hotel accommodation.

100+

for several hours for her arrival in the unforgiving Costa del Sol heat. What was initially supposed to be a relaxing, private mother-and-daughter vacation quickly turned into the event of the year for the Spanish media.

According to reports, Michelle was accompanied by

FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es

July 17th to July 30th 2019 that’s the

The Saudis

7

olive press online

Spain and Gibraltar’s best English daily news website

UP UP AND AWAY

M

arbella is home to a replica of the United States White House known as Palacio Rocio. Previously christened Palacio Mar-Mar, it is a 200-acre personal playground for Saudi royals vacationing on the Costa del Sol. The Saudis first put down roots in Marbella in 1974 with the arrival of King Fahd who visited the glitzy resort on a regular basis, accompanied by a numerically mind-boggling entourage, until his death in 2005. During his final visit, Fahd arrived with a party of 3,000 hangers-on and injected some €90 million into the local economy during his seven-week vacation.

Fahd’s escapades in Marbella are extensively documented in a fashion that reads more like rumour than reality.

In 2002, it was reported that Fahd spent thousands of pounds on silk sheets, villas, five-star hotels and other luxury accoutrements. On fresh cut flowers alone, he splurged around €1000 per day. On top of this, each time he visited his palatial pad he would replace his stable of 200 Mercedes cars with the latest models. At the end of the summer, it is said that the used cars were stacked on top of each other in

hangars to make room for next summer’s bounty.

The wealth of the Saudi royals contributed a large chunk to the Marbella economy. When word was out that they were back in town a crowd of eager locals looking for employment would gather outside the palace gates.

Fahd’s big-spending ways made him a legend in Marbella where he reportedly splashed the cash to the tune of €32,692 a day during each of his frequent trips. He has also made extremely large donations to Marbella in the past, including €2 million for a local affordable housing project in 2002.

By the mid-80s, the wealthy friends of Fahd had built over 400 mansions in the Marbella area, it has been reported. At the time of his demise, the king’s estate alone in Marbella amounted to a staggering €120 million.

His death came as a blow to the entire community. For three days, the flag was lowered to half mast as residents and particularly business-owners felt his loss both emotionally and financially.

3000+

David Cameron

The ex-British PM’s visits to the Spanish coast have mainly been of a personal nature - family escapes away from Westminster to soak up some Mediterranean sun. He and wife Samantha like to fly by budget airline but they’re not averse to the lap of luxury when they get here.

Frequently snapped roaming the Spanish countryside, the premier responsible for the Brexit referendum has made the trip to sunny Spain an almost annual affair going back a decade. Among the Camerons’ preferred spots are Mallorca, Ibiza, Granada, Ronda, and Lanzarote. If recent visits are any indication, the latter appears to be a particular favourite.

Despite being well known as a regular, the former British leader tends to lean towards lowprofile holidays, often enjoying his vacation without much fanfare.

In 2011, he and his wife arrived in Granada unannounced - much to the surprise of the local Granadinos - to celebrate Samantha’s 40th birthday and their 15th wedding anniversary.

The couple flew in on budget airline Ryanair, and were tailed by a small inconspicuous entourage of bodyguards as they strolled through Granada’s quintessential Alhambra, blending in like any other tourists.

Un 2013 the pair enjoyed a quiet, week-long holiday relaxing beachside in Ibiza.

The following year, the PM once again flew Ryanair to San Bartolome, on Lanzarote, where he was picked up from the landing strip in a guagua (bus) and taken to a secure zone within Lanzarote airport. Family in tow,

Bill Gates

A 4/5

the leader enjoyed his holiday accompanied by four bodyguards, each in separate cars, and stayed at Casa Tomaren, one of the most exclusive rural resorts i n the area. The visit caused a remarkable stir among the British press whose coverage of the Camerons at play was estimated to have an advertising value of more than €1.2 million for the Canary Island. Returning to Lanzarote in 2016, this time by EasyJet, the family was driven around in a Volvo without a significant entourage. Notably, they stayed at Hotel Gran Castillo, an illegal hotel on the island whose building permit was revoked in 2007, as previously reported by the Olive Press.

Most conspicuously in 2017, on his 21 year anniversary holiday with his wife, the pair splurged on a chic €270-anight Alcuzcuz resort in Benahavis.

lthough never actually pictured, the Olive Press has it on good authority that the US billionaire visited Ronda back in 2012.

A loose-lipped vineyard owner told this paper how the Microsoft founder travelled to the area under the radar and amazingly without ANY form of security, at least none visible! He stayed in a private villa with his wife and two friends for three days and nobody had a clue it was him. “He did all the sights and ate at a couple of restaurants and visited a few vineyards,” revealed the bodega owner, wjp asked not to be named.

2

THE Olive Press website has gone stratospheric.

We are now ranked at 137,000th place in the world, having soared by 20,000 places in just one month, according to Amazon’s Alexa.com.

With nearly 30,000 visitors a day - nearly 10% from America and the same from Scandinavia - we can promise local businesses in Spain comprehensive exposure to tens of thousands of potential clients every week.

This is a healthy mix of local expats, as well as thousands of wealthy tourists every day.

Complimented by our 20,000 loyal Facebook followers and 7,000 Twitter fans, there are few people interested in Spain, who are not being reached.

Take the experience of one exclusive luxury hotel on the Costa del Sol that has recently contracted a series of articles on our website.

DDG Retreat received a record 22 requests to book from just one of these posts in both the newspaper and online, costing just €275.

In the words of its manager Daria Doubinina, that article ‘did better than one in the Times newspaper’ earlier this year and earnt the hotel thousands in income.

Why is YOUR BUSINESS still spending far too much on Google adwords and other inferior websites, magazines and newspapers, when the Olive Press GUARANTEES results?

Send us an email today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 so we can find you a better, more effective way to market your business

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

1 2 3 4 5

- Costa del Sol beach shut down after bacteria found in water pump (26,107) - Man drowns in sea at Costa del Sol beach (25,506) - Irish teenage lad raped by two men in Spain holiday hotspot (21,084)

- British woman dies after getting into pool on Spain’s Costa Blanca (19,340) - Two British mates die in 30ft horror plunge while taking selfie on Spain’s Costa Blanca (18,282)

Visitors: 489,948

Page views: 666,323

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8

July 17th - July 30th 2019

what’s on

W

e’re min

jam-

The famous Lord Nelson jam session will be held on July 18 at the Casemates bar followed by Ray Frost the following evening.

D

a n c i n g queen

Stay fit and perfect your balance and coordination with the Danza Academy Summer classes for all ages at their Engineer’s Lane studio.

C

ash raiser

AN acoustic night will be held at the Rock on the Rock Club featuring local musicians in aid of The Gibraltar Samaritans on July 20.

J

LA CULTURA

www.theolivepress.es

azz it up

BOOGIE your problems away in Cadiz with 12th Jazz Festival at Santa Catalina Castle from July 24-28 featuring Miron Rafajlovic and Jure Puki’s Doubtless.

NEWS

Do you have a what’s on?

Send your informa tion to July 17th to July 30th 2019 newsde sk@theolivepr

ess.es

Africa meets house music

Dazed and Confused return to the Rock with African house music night AN African house music night will liven up the summer this July at the Bayside sports complex on July 20.

After organising a fundraising night for schools in Ghana Dazed and Confused are at it again.

Sticking with the African theme, ‘Back to the Motherland’ will feature Berlin

DJs Floyd Lavine and Hyenah.

As residents of the Watergate club in the German capital, the pair have been nominated for as best African house artist at the Ibiza DJ Awards which will take place in September.

Joining them is London based DJ Nadsat, part owner of Catch Record-

Those Who Are Loved

ings who has been coming to the Rock for over five years for this event.

Last but definitely not least the local talent and long standing residents Monty & Trinidad along with Tim Perera will be putting on their own tracks.

“We want anyone who is a fan of electronic music, and has an open mind when it comes to music to join us,” Dazed and

Confused told The Olive Press. “Every year we tend to tackle a different spectrum of electronic music, to try and educate people on what’s out there.”

After the Gibraltar FA took over the Victoria Stadium, the organisers were unsure whether they would be able to get their usual summer venue for the annual event.

“But as always the GFA and GSLA has been as

accommodating as ever, this the fifth year in a row we have held this event there,” they said.

“We’ve been given a 1200 person capacity by the Fire Brigade over the past 5 years in this location. and we think this year we are probably going to hit it.”

Tickets for the event are available from GibInk and the Kasbar or direct from Ticket Arena online.

Victoria Hislop has returned to form with her new novel CHARTING the turmoil of Greece from the political uncertainty of the 30s, through the German occupation and on into the civil war that followed and on to the present day.

Seen through the eyes of generations of the one family we are brought on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey.

This powerful new novel from number one bestseller Victoria Hislop weaves the trauma of Greece’s past into the epic tale of an ordinary woman compelled to live an extraordinary life.

Hislop effortlessly weaves together historical fact with enigmatic fictional biography.

“Everyone knows how much I love Greece, but exploring this story has taken me to some new and disquieting places.” - Victoria Hislop. €24.90, Available from The Bookshop San Pedro www.thebookshop.es

GIBRALTAR National Day will steer clear of politics on focus on ‘celebration’, its organiser has vowed.

The Self-Determination for Gibraltar Group (SDGG) made the promise while announcing a string of concerts and a fair in the three weeks

Celebrate! leading up to the huge September 10 rally on Casemates square.

“The SDGG has worked close-

Espanol Por Favor SPANISH is fast becoming Britain’s favoured foreign language.

Two reports from the British Council and the Cervantes Institute put the popularity of Spanish ahead of that of French and German.

The British Council believes that 2020 will be the year that Spanish overtakes French as the most popular second language.

But while Spanish is rising through the ranks, the number of British students learning the language in schools has actually dropped by 2% to reach 88,022 in the last five years.

“There is a feeling that it is easier and of course it is a language that is used on account of the large number of tourists coming to Spain,” said Cervantes Institute London Director Ignacio Peyro.

ly with the Gibraltar Cultural Services to coordinate a wideranging series of events that should ensure an enjoyable three weeks of National Celebrations,” said Richard Buttigieg, SDGG chairman.

“As in the past, the emphasis remains very much on celebration, with varied entertainment, offering a range of shows and activities for all to enjoy in the spirit of this special occasion.”

The Gibraltar Calling festival that takes place on September 7-8 forms part of the celebrations.

“I am confident that Gibraltarians of all ages will have much to enjoy in the lead-up to and on National Day itself,” said Buttigieg.

September 10 was chosen as National Day because it was when the people of Gibraltar chose to remain part of the UK in a referendum in 1967.

Property

go S - p m to p ain ag ro ’s az pe in rty e

www.theolivepress.es

www.theolivepress.com

Issue 31

July 17th to July 30th 2019

9

July 2019

Looking for a cool place to stay this summer?

It doesn’t don’t get much hipper than these boutique hotels...

Final hurdle See Simply the rest, page 12

Giant €750m multi-sports and property development enters final furlong EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore

A RAFT of international sporting stars are lining up to back an exciting €750 million sports and residential project on the Costa del Sol. Maria Sharapova, Rio Ferdinand and Ian Woosnam have all expressed a keen interest in the huge British-funded project to revolutionise Mijas’ longneglected hippodrome racecourse site.

The trio are just some of the big names looking to back the Mirage development, which includes a golf course, a multi-sports venue, a trio of hotels and over 1,000 luxury apartments, the Olive Press can exclusively reveal.

“This will be massive for Mijas and will be the largest sports tourism and multi-sports events venue in Europe,” the businessman behind the project, Anthony Arnold, from the West Midlands, told the Olive Press this week.

Russian tennis ace Sharapova has been involved in the interior design of the project, called ‘Mijas City of Sport,’ while former England captain Ferdinand is set to add the site to his Football Escapes company.

The firm provides premier football coaching courses at some of the most exclusive resorts around the world.

Welsh golfing legend Woosnam, meanwhile, has helped design the signature 18-hole golf course and will be heading up the gold academy.

The proposed project - which sits over 250 hectares - will be divided into three different areas under the brand name Mirage.

Mirage Sport will feature a large sporting events venue, elite training facility and a 400-room hotel alongside a commercial, conference and business centre. Meanwhile Mirage Golf will also have a hotel and 1,200 luxury apartments, alongside its course.

Finally Mirage Club will be an exclusive sporting club ‘designed as a life-

TRIO OF BACKERS: Sharapova, Woosnam and Ferdinand (below left)

style resort for the professional sports and sports business community’.

It will include a five-star hotel, spa, casino and luxury apartments.

An entertainment venue and university campus are also being considered for the site, according to the detailed 17-page overview of the project, seen by the Olive Press.

Construction is planned to begin by the middle of next year if Mijas town hall which has still not formed a working government following recent local elections - gives it the green light. HCP Arquitects of Malaga will be officially unveiling the masterplan in the next few weeks.

“I’ve been working on this for eight years now and we are so close to getting the backing we need,” continued Arnold.

“It will be hugely important for not only MIRAGE: Development’s designs include five-star hotel, casino and apartments Mijas but the whole Costa del Sol.”

10

July 17th to July 30th 2019

U

PROPERTY

Mark Stucklin

Bad model

NLESS the EU puts a stop to it, or unless you have at least €1 million in liquid assets which open up investment strategies to avoid it, the Spanish ‘Worldwide Asset Declaration Form’, known locally as ‘Modelo 720’, is a serious problem for Spanishresident expats with offshore assets worth €50,000 or more that have to be declared to the Spanish tax authorities in a process that is fraught with risks and ruinous penalties.

Though not a problem for nonresidents buying second-homes in Spain, it’s a reason for expats troduced back in 2012 in the depths with less than €1m in liquid assets of the economic crisis by Treasury to think twice before investing in a Minister Cristóbal Montoro from home that the Spanish taxman can the People’s Party, the Modelo 720 embargo in the event of problems was supposed to be, in the words of with the Modelo 720.

Montoro, a ‘carrot and stick to reguWith its impractical reporting re- late the submerged economy,. But it quirements, and crippling fines for turned out to be a stick to beat ineven innocent mistakes, the Mod- nocent expats with rather than corelo 720 leaves you at the mercy of rupt Spanish politicians like many of the imperious Spanish tax authori- Montoro’s buddies from the PP. ties even if you act in The aggressive way it good faith. is designed to punish “All on its own merit, offshore wealth hits Going soft on in recent years the expats the hardest, as Modelo 720 has befew Spaniards have wealthy tax come the terror of wealth to the tune of cheats hiding taxpayers with assets €50,000 or more outabroad,” comments side of Spain, whilst their assets Spanish lawyer José tens of thousands abroad María Salcedo, who of expats do. So the specialises in pursuModelo 720 looks ing appeals against suspiciously like a the tax authorities. cynical trap designed by the Spanish Even Spanish courts are starting to tax authorities to relive expat retirees rule that the Modelo 720 penalties of some of the wealth they built up are out of all proportion. during a lifetime working and saving I suspect that the 720 Form’s oner- outside of Spain. That said, I don’t ous reporting requirements, and think it’s a cynical trap, I think it’s extortionate penalties, put many just very badly designed tax law, as foreigners off relocating to Spain, is often the case with Spanish tax leaving the country poorer for it. In- regulations.

www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

The Modelo 720 is no longer fit for purpose and is putting prospective expats off moving to Spain, writes Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight

Your Spanish home is the first thing the tax inspector will embargo if you trip over the Modelo 720 At least in theory your Spanish home is the first asset the tax inspector will embargo whilst pursuing you for ruinous fines if you fall foul of the Modelo 720. So even if you decide to move to Spain for the unbeatable quality of life, the Modelo 720 should make you wary of putting wealth into Spanish property, where it is within easy grasp of the highhanded Spanish tax authorities.

At the very least, the Modelo 720 gives you a reason to think twice before investing in Spanish real estate, which you can’t move offshore in the event of trouble with Spain’s 720 Worldwide Asset Declaration obligation. As an expat in Spain, perhaps renting is a better option if you have wealth offshore.

If, on the other hand, you have €1m or more in liquid assets, then investment strategies become viable that allow you to avoid the Modelo 720 problem altogether. As usual it’s the average expat with a bit of wealth back home, rather than the wealthy expat with lots of wealth outside of Spain, who is most at risk from the

Spanish Modelo 720 Worldwide Asset Declaration threat.

‘Modelo 720’ Worldwide Asset Declaration form under pressure from Europe Even though the Modelo 720 gives Spain a bad reputation abroad, and probably reduces tax revenues at home, the current Spanish Government shows no signs of scrapping it, because on the surface that would look like going soft on wealthy tax cheats hiding their assets abroad, or at least that’s the way the hard-left Podemos party the Socialists need to support them would see it.

But at least the EU is showing an interest in putting Spain under pressure to do something about it. The European Commission is taking Spain to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over the Modelo 720 for being disproportionate and discriminatory, and for infringing fundamen-

tal liberties of the EU. So far Spain has ignored all advice from Europe to reform the Modelo 720, and now it will have to go to the ECJ to defend it. That might lead to improvements in the next few years.

Investment solution that gets round the Modelo 720 problem There is an investment solution that allows expats living in Spain to invest any amount offshore without having to declare those investments in the 720 form. The solution I have found also comes with extra, additional tax breaks that make the solution hard to beat from a fiscal point of view.

However, the setup and running cost of this investment vehicle only make sense for people with €1m or more of liquid assets to invest. Get in touch here if you live in or plan to move to Spain and want to know more. www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

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PROPERTY

Epic proportions

Milliondollar question

PALMA and Marbella have been ranked among the four most expensive places in the country to buy an apartment.

The Mallorca capital has the third highest number of apartments valued at more than €1 million.

It was followed by Marbella, Valencia and Ibiza.

Madrid and Barcelona claim the top two spots accounting for 94% of the €1m plus valued apartments in Spain.

A HUGE €230 million project has been announced along Marbella’s Golden Mile.

Epic Marbella, by Fendi Casa, will consist of 76 homes over 600 square metres, on a plot surrounded by greenery and just minutes from the beach.

The first phase will consist of 18 houses while the second and third will both see 29 homes built.

Half of the first phase have already been sold with prices starting at €1.3 million.

The second phase will be priced between €1.7 million and €3.7 million.

The urbanisation will include a spa, fully equipped gym, indoor and outdoor heated pool of 25 square meters, co-working area, 1,000 square meters of social club and a children’s area.

Bubbling up

It’s an order!

COMING SOON: Epic Marbella on the Golden Mile

PRICEY: Palma de Mallorca

11

July 17th to July 30th 2019

Former dictator Franco’s mansion to be seized following government ruling THE Spanish government has seized General Franco’s summer palace after telling the dead dictator’s family its sale was ‘fraudulent’.

Pazo de Meiras, in Galicia, valued at €5 million, was allegedly bought for Franco from the forced donations of Spaniards during the Spanish Civil War. But the stunning 19th century property has now been claimed by the Ministry of Justice, which said it has a ‘solid argument, documents

Fit for a king

FIX UP: For iconic Malaga fortress

SEIZED: Franco’s house ?azo de Meiras is to be repossessed

and legal position to defend public ownership’.

Legal action has been

launched against Franco’s relatives over the illegal sale of the property to a

RESTORATION work has finally begun on Malaga’s stunning 10th century Gibralfaro Castle.

Vital repairs to deteriorated parts of the towering fortress, and improved drainage, are among the priorities. A total of 17 different sections are to get a facelift, including bricks at the main entrance, various walls, marble columns and walkways.

Meanwhile, visitor information panels are also to be fitted in the ‘Mudejar room’ as part of the €150,000 project granted by the Ministry of Culture.

pro-Franco organisation in 1938 before being sold on to Franco himself in 1941.

However the move has been blasted by Franco’s grandson Francis Franco, who labelled it part of a ‘strategy of retaliation’

by Spain’s socialist government.

It comes as Pedro Sanchez’s PSOE administration has pushed on with a plan to exhume the remains of the Fascist dictator.

He is currently buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Fallen, a memorial on the outskirts of Madrid to victims from both sides of the Civil War. The Spanish Supreme court blocked his exhumation, just days before it was planned for June 10.

SPAIN’S Mediterranean resorts have seen the highest house price rises.

A total of 45 Med municipalities are experiencing a consistent 10% surge in value each year6, according to the report, Housing in Costa 2019, by appraisal firm Tinsa.

The research, which analysed 159 locations, each with more than 10,000 people, even identified prices in Ibiza, as above those seen during the property bubble leading up to 2008.

The average cost per square metre on the Balearic island now stands at €3,455, compared to the €3,080 seen in the third quarter of 2007.

Wheely good

A NEW skatepark is coming to Rincon de la Victoria thanks to a €100,000 investment from the town hall.

Copesol S.L will build the attraction following years of demand by local parents to ‘give the kids something to do’.

The park will be located in the Huerta Julián area and will be completed within the next four months.

12

July 17th to July 30th 2019

PROPERTY

simply the rest

MADRID

TOLEDO

We round up some of the best boutique hotels for anyone opting for a road trip through Spain this summer

S

O you’ve decided to take a drive around Spain this summer.

Depending on your route, you will pass some of Spain’s most emblematic cities and towns.

It is a real opportunity to appreciate the myriad influences which have left their mark on the country’s culture and architecture.

In this spirit we have rounded up some of the best boutique hotels at the most popular resting spots along the way, from Madrid to Sevilla.

1

MADRID The Only You hotel is a19th-century mansion located in one of the trendiest areas of Madrid, the Salesas neighbourhood, close to Chueca and the Paseo de Recoletos. The hotel’s hallmark is its groundbreaking decor, the work of acclaimed designer Lazaro Rosa-Violan, which has earned several international awards, including Best Boutique Hotel in the World.

2

TOLEDO

CORDOBA SEVILLA

4

SEVILLA

Situated in the old quarter of Barrio Alfalfa, original 17th century Corral del Rey has been restored into a luxury boutique hotel, offering chic accommodation with a roof top bar. Architectural highlights include the atrium patio, Roman marble columns, Tarifa stone floors and the original wooden carved detailing.

Boutique Hotel Adolfo has just opened in the heart of Toledo, one of Spain’s most beautiful cities. It has quickly become one of the most exclusive hotels in the imperial city with gorgoeus Art Deco inspired interiors.

3

CORDOBA

Balcon de Cordoba sits in a historic 17th-century building with panoramic views of the city.The city centre dwelling is just metres from the famous Mezquita. It magically hides three beautiful courtyards complete with greenery and fountains behind its classical entrance, and has an upper terrace where guests can watch the sun go down while drinking in a 360-degree view of Cordoba.

THE

MEWS THE DEVELOPMENT

The Mews, Town Range – a rare opportunity Within metres of the Governor’s Residence, The Mews is an enclave of 7 boutique houses and apartments each meticulously designed and built to a flawless standard, drawing on its unique gated location in the heart of the old town.

Four contemporary mews-style houses will be built on the foundations of the 19th-century stables, at the rear of the original, grand Victorian house, which will itself be refurbished to provide 2 thoughtfully designed apartments and a stunning duplex penthouse, commanding spectacular views. Mews houses are, by their nature, located in the very best parts of town. Providing a safe, traffic free environment that is both practical, and hugely charming.

PROPERTY DETAILS MEWS HOUSES Prices start from £750,000 Roof terrace with stunning views & optional jacuzzi hot tub. Master suite comprising Juliet balcony, fully fitted walk-in wardrobe & a luxury en-suite.

3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms 1 guest toilet Apartments & Duplex Penthouse details & POA

These carefully crafted prestigious homes have been designed to capture and celebrate the unique aesthetic of Gibraltar’s Old Town, melding light, space and structure to provide a traditional, yet contemporary interior design scheme that compliments its unique heritage.

EXCLUSIVE ESTATE AGENT Seekers Property Solutions tel: 200 449 55 email: info@themews.gi www.themews.gi

14

July 17th to July 30th 2019

PROPERTY

Keeping history alive In the second part of a series on the renovation of a protected townhouse in Ronda, Gabriella Chidgey reveals what to preserve and some tips on how to get planning permission and find the best builder

I

t is a privilege to work with historic buildings.

While it scares the hell out of most people, generally they are better constructed than anything built over the last 30 to 40 years.

Most Andalucian properties built over 100 years ago are solid with metrethick walls and often made of stone.

If their roofs have stayed intact,

chances are their interiors, including beams, floors and decorative features, will also be in a decent condition.

We were very lucky at Ronda Romantica Apartments that the former owners of this 19th century townhouse - built by legendary torero Pedro Romero, once painted by Goya - maintained it well and even put on a new roof a few years ago.

Even better, it had been on the market for years and the price had almost halved, we learnt, as a result.

Much of this was due to the sheer scale of the place (around 350m square) and the higgledy-piggledy nature of its

layout, not to mention the long recession that Spain had suffered from 2008.

It was immediately clear that this had once been a grand old property and poking around it we spotted many of its charming hidden features.

It had a trio of wonderful oak doors, plenty of beams, two areas of vaulted ceilings and a charming fireplace.

Doors from an internal courtyard led to a large external courtyard, with chicken and pig sheds, a back kitchen replete with a manger.

Meanwhile, a narrow stairway climbed into a long loft space where the metal roof beams had hooks intended for curing hams and a string of garlic still dangled from one.

In every space, dusty but dry furniture, baskets, pots, pans, tea sets, rush chairs, beds, framed prints of Saints and family photos detailed the lives that had been lived here over the last century, at least. With the exception of the roof the property needed a complete renovation. And my husband and I were inspired to restore beauty to this once happy home.

During my years

NOTABLE: Goya’s portrait of Pedro Romero, who also built Ronda’s famous stone bullring, left and above right

THE BUILD here in Spain I have observed that there appears to be two distinct speeds in which things get done; either at a pace so slow that I nearly implode with frustration or at such unparalleled speed and competence that I am left agape.

In Ronda, while the bureaucracy crawled forward millimeter by millimeter, much due to getting planning permission and the mortgage, the build ‘incredibly’ took just four months to finish.

The main goal while renovating Ronda Romantica Apartments was to maintain its historic charm.

So charming was the front of the property, which sits in the casco historico beside the ancient Plaza de San Francisco, it needed nothing more than a lick of paint and the removal of some pebble dash footings on the wall.

We naturally kept Pedro Romero’s crest in the stone portal by the front door, as well as the original metal rejas (wrought iron grills) on each window.

And that was our philosophy with the entire build: Only where the structure was

dangerous, the beams rotten or the plaste cracked, would we strip back to start again One fireplace in the old kitchen was com pletely intact and so atmospheric we merely removed a line of rather bizarre lime green paint.

Under the vaulted ceilings we discovered solid pillars of Roman style bricks, which we decided to leave uncovered in two places.

It turned out that most of the house had been built with these bricks, and the more typical mixture of rubble and stone was found only in the courtyard for animal shelters.

The number of beams used to construct the ceiling also confirmed that this had once been a house of some note, since this was a very expensive way to build. We found no less than four separate layers of wood between the ground and first floor in the most intriguing pattern, per-

er n. me e

PROPERTY

15

July 17th to July 30th 2019

What lies beneath

haps to offer insulation, as well as solidity.

All the ochre painted doors have either remained in place or have been reused for wardrobes. The original earthenware ba Continues on Page 16

Exposing beams and vaulted ceilings can be risky, as if anything goes wrong the entire ceiling can cave in. We got conservation specialist Linda Watson (pictured) an architect in the UK, to double check before picking away and exposing two of the 18th century pillars.

d

HOW TO GET PLANNING PERMISSION From experience, so much of this is about finding the right architect.

You may think you can do this on your own, but having a local professional with the right local knowledge and, most importantly, connections (or as they say here ‘enchufes’) is vital.

Our architect Andres Melgar was not just that, but was also insistent and unrelenting in his zeal to get the job done.

He knew the town hall like the back of his hand and was well versed in the power play Game of Thrones-style politics that exist in most Spanish towns today.

Even more important is to perhaps understand the grading of your property, whether

it is rustic or urban, and whether it affords protection status, or as in some cases, there is almost complete prohibition on touching it.

We were already aware that our building had the highest level of protection in Andalucia, but didn’t realise that permission needed to be sought from the culture department in Malaga city - not in Ronda - just to touch it.

This meant an inevitable delay, which we thought would be months but in many cases, we discovered, can take up to three years to get a building licence.

It was a very nerve-wracking process, and in the end we were lucky having to wait just eight months for ours.

CONTRAST: While the front of the property was perfect, the back was a junkyard

16

July 17th to July 30th 2019

PROPERTY

CONSERVATION PROCESS: As many barro floor tiles were saved as possible, as well as original beams, with end result (right)

Flooring it

HOW TO GET THE BEST BUILDER We had plenty of time to find the best builder.

This process involves having an architect to help create the designs and then a technical architect to price the job and create a point by point costing of the entire build.

Our technical man Vicente Compas made a specific document and then we took it to the various builders we had in mind.

The architect then made

From Page 15

rro floor tiles were lifted to repair rotten ceiling beams, however enough survived to surface two apartments and all the window sills.

We had planned to remove the terrazzo floors laid in the front apartment, but eventually decided to keep it since terrazzo is made from local, natural materials and is very typical of the Ronda area.

Not to mention that it is also, rather fortuitously, having its moment in the world of interiors.

For other floor areas and showers, we were lucky to be offered old, encaustic cement tiles that were being removed from two local convents.

They looked amazing and couldn’t be distressed this way even if we tried.

NEXT ISSUE I’ll give you a few tips on design, decoration and colours.

Ronda Romantica Apartments comprises of five spacious apart-

a comparative table of the quotes and filled in the gaps that almost all builders leave out, as a typical trick.

We then got a real price of what the job should cost and could choose our favourite builder.

We chose three, but in the end, used a fourth who also happened to be the building firm of the technical architect.

This is not generally the best idea, as he should be independent but in our case we discovered Com-

ments and a swimming pool in the heart of the old town in Ronda.

Each has a kitchen, bathroom, sitting area with television, a sofa

pas’ firm Ari Contratas had a good understanding of local historic buildings and was undertaking work on a local convent as well as a local school.

He had also built a couple of large supermarkets on the coast. It is of course vital to go and visit the previous jobs of any builders you are interested in, and naturally, also get a number of references.

A contract always needs to be drawn up and this can be done via your own lawyer or by the lawyer of the builder and then checked by yours.

bed and double bedroom. Most have private outdoor terraces, and all benefit from a courtyard garden. All flats can sleep four people, while one is designed for

ANDERS@ABCPROPERTYEXPERTS.COM WWW.ABCPROPERTYEXPERTS.COM

wheelchair accessible. Visit www. alcantarilla.co.uk or to book this stylish new apart-hotel in Andalucia’s most charming town call 654152122

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Atalaya Hills – Ref: RH7502

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Manilva – Ref: RH-7750

Estepona – Ref: RH-6630

Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2

Build: 139m2 Garage: 1 space

The apartment offers 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, with master en-suite, living and dining areas, a minimalist style fully-fitted kitchen with premium appliances, and clean lines, utility room, private covered terrace of 34m², kitchen, a private parking space in the basement and a storeroom. It benefits from contemporary style, floor to ceiling windows that bring natural light into the spacious home but at the same time exclude heat with a heat protection glass.

Bedrooms: 7 Bathrooms: 6

Build: 700m2 Garage: 4 spaces

A beautifully designed villa by a top local architect collaborating closely with the present to produce a unique home making the most of the breathtaking woodland surroundings that it sits in.

Situated between the Valderrama and views from the top bedrooms over the San Roque golf course.

Laid out over three floors with feature hardwood beams and double glazed picture windows.

Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3

Build: 120m2 Garage: 1 space

New apartment complex located only 200 meters from the beach of Punta Paloma in Manilva and just a few minutes drive to La Duquesa Port. The proximity to the beach, to the fine restaurants and the several amenities nearby make this complex an exceptional holiday home and investment. In addition, the resort is located within a short distance to the Valderrama golf course and to Sotogrande, known for its picturesque harbour.

Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4

Build: 356m2 Garage: 1 space

Newly finished villas built with top quality materials and finishings. All opposite golf course “La Resina”. Plots from 612m2 to 766m2. Modern design, high standard, several types, sea and golf views. The villas have a semibasement / ground floor / top floor / top terrace. 4 bedrooms / 3-4 bathrooms / 1 toilet / integrated dining-living room (with possibility to be divided) Furnished kitchen and wash room, top brand electrical appliances / air conditioning.

Beds 4

Built 560 m2

Price: 2.400.000 €

Bath 5

Plot 6.303 m2

Ref: DM 4455

18

July 17th to July 30th 2019

New tax treaty brings optimism for the Rock

Crash course

What you should do if you have a car accident

S

UMMER is coming and with temperatures soaring it’s a great feeling, although a tad hot at times for all expats that live and work in this tranquilo environment.

Tranquilo that is until the influx of tourists from many countries around the world, especially the UK and the rest of Europe.

Now, more than any other time of year, one needs to be careful on the roads.

With all the extra cars and drivers, who are perhaps more used to driving on the left, there is an inevitable increase in the risk of traffic accidents.

That’s why you must always make sure your tyre pressures are correct by checking them at least once a month.

Also check your car’s radiator level is topped up; the last thing you want is to overheat and have to wait for a breakdown truck on the edge of a busy motorway!

It’s also illegal to run out of screen wash, so make sure this is topped up too. And driving with flip-flops or shoes with no back is not permitted either.

Needless to say, seat belts must be worn and young children need safety harnesses.

Using mobile phones is, obviously, a definite no.

MORE British companies could be based in Gibraltar after a new tax treaty was announced with the UK this month.

Conservative MP Robert Jenrick was on the Rock to present the deal which will mean companies will not have to pay the same tax in both places.

“What it means is that if a company pays tax in one of the two nations, but resident in the other, each tax authority will take into account the amount they paid in the other,” CM Fabian Picardo told The Olive Press.

“They can deduct the tax payable in the higher jurisdiction in tax from the lower one.”

BUSINESS

Business boost

Picardo told readers it was a ‘positive’ move that businesses were ‘keen’ on.

Jenrick, UK’s Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: “I am delighted to announce the start of discussions on the double taxation agreement with a view to signing it within a couple of months.

“The new agreement will encourage trade and investment between us for years to come.”

“I think this can attract new industries to Gibraltar and cements our relationship with the UK,” said the Chief Minister.

After last edition’s scoop, he talked about the dualism of politics.

“It is equally important to stand up for Gibraltar and to be working hand-in-hand with the UK,” said Picardo. “The political art of being CM of Gibraltar is to understand how to do that.”

Jenrick said it was ‘an important sign of the UK’s continued commitment to Gibraltar’ with Brexit around the corner.

He said that the closeness of the ‘economic relationship’ reflected the double lock on sovereignty.

“Gibraltar is a very special part of the UK family,” he concluded. “While times continue to change, our partnership and friendship remains as strong as ever.”

Ready for business THE new Financial Services Act will create an independent committee to keep regulators in check.

Minister for Commerce Albert Isola told Parliament the new law has brought Gibraltar in line with the UK on financial services regulation.

He said that until now financial services were being regulated ‘on a piecemeal basis over time based on market activity’.

The new law establishes a fi-

nancial services ombudsman and creates schemes to help investors and deposits.

It will stop market abuse and create pension schemes while helping the processes of insolvency and auditing.

“Our legislation will be aligned but not the same as the UK,” said Isola. “A key part of the bill is an independent committee that will be the key decisionmaker on all contended decisions.

Should an accident happen, here are some tips everyone should remember: • Stay calm and wear the reflective vest which should be in your vehicle • Get to a safe area near the accident scene, turn on your emergency flashers and use the two triangles • Make sure everyone is okay and call 112, if necessary • When it is safe, take pictures of the vehicles involved, damage, road signs, etc.

• Get statements and contact information from any witnesses • Complete the accident report: write down the other driver’s licence number, insurance details, vehicle information and phone number. Remember it has to be signed by both drivers and reported within seven days; If you need road assistance, call immediately to 900 101 369, Liberty Freephone Number, where you will be attended in your own language.

Liberty Seguros Car Insurance is tailor-made with you in mind and is perfect for expats in Spain. It offers total coverage to both the driver and passengers in case of an accident, as well as 24/7 roadside assistance by calling a freephone number. It also includes a courtesy car for up to 35 days, personal liability for you as a pedestrian or amateur cyclist and you will get a 30% compensation on top of book value in case of total loss or theft. You can also select a vehicle repair garage of your choice to trust and give you peace of mind.

Liberty Seguros is considered the preferred expat insurer in Spain today and has an extensive network of over 300 brokers and agents, who have many years of experience, and are dedicated to give you in-depth information about the different policies not only for car, but also life, home, business, commercial, funeral, etc., and advise you on the best cover to suit you and your family, in your own language.ç To find out more visit www.libertyexpatriates.es or call 91 342 25 49.

Happy holidays!

For more information, please contact: Julia Chacón on Julia@plcspain.com or phone 956 794 112

Buying or selling your property may be the most important transaction you will ever make... Attention to detail is crucial.

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

19

July 17th to July 30th 2019

Rock on!

Armitage thanks BRITISH Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has confirmed he will travel to Jerez to bring a barrel of sherry back to Britain.

The 56-year-old, who is a professor of poetry at Leeds University, continues a tradition that began in 1668.

The custom, revived in 1984, sees the Queen’s poet pick out and sign a barrel, or ‘butt of sack - equivalent to 600 bottles.

Yorkshireman Armitage follows the previous three poet laureates, Ted Hughes, Andrew Motion and Carol Ann Duffy, who have all taken part..

Armitage has said that he’ll keep a few of his bottles on the side, but will auction most off for charity.

How Gib is becoming a sporting and cultural mecca in Europe

G

IBRALTAR is fast becoming a centre for sporting and cultural excellence at the entrance to the Mediterranean.

The Island Games held at the British overseas territory last week have been acclaimed as ‘the best ever’ by athletes.

The facilities put in place could make

it an exciting location for sporting events in the future.

With it being the first time Gibraltar held the Island Games in nearly 25 years, the event was better organised than ever.

The mini-Olympics for islands invited Gibraltar to become a member because it is a political island surrounded almost entirely by water.

Jersey topped the medal charts in the end and their medal winning swimmer Cameron Polak was very pleased.

“This was the best Island Games ever, even better than the one held in Jersey in 2015,” he told the Olive Press.

Even Cayman Islands gold medal basketball team was impressed. “Gibraltar is a beautiful place and they put on a well-organised event,” he said.

NIGHT TO REMEMBER: African House event on the Rock

FULL OF PRIDE: Gib athlete waves flag at Island Games Another sporting event to hit UK headlines was the game between Rangers and local side St Joseph’s in the Europa League qualifiers.

Over a thousand Rangers fans came to Gibraltar for the first leg of the fixture and had a great time here.

A couple of them talked to the Olive Press about why the Rock held a special place in their hearts. “We were married here about 20 years ago,” said the giggly Scot.

“Mark was in Gibraltar on a submarine and we had a lovely wedding reception here too. We are from Dunfermline, 12 miles north of Edinburgh but we love Gibraltar and come here a lot.

“Sports events like are good for local business so they should happen more often.”

If you are more a music fan, Gibraltar has a lot for you too.

On July 20, for example, an electronic dance music party will be held in Gibraltar, with two top Berlin DJs headlining the bill.

History, adventure and romance.

That’s just the setting.

“African house is definitely popular in the electronic music scene,” organiser Kabir Advani told the Olive Press.

“We always like to bring new genres of dance music to Gibraltar and educate people on what’s out there.”

‘Back to the Motherland’ will be held at the Bayside complex and entries can be bought on Ticket Arena online.

Meanwhile, a mixture of the old and new will be on show at the MTV Gibraltar Calling Festival too. World superstar Enrique Iglesias is the latest big name to be announced. The son of Spanish singing great Julio Iglesias joins Take That, Liam Gallagher and Melanie C at the weekend festival in September.

POET: Simon Armitage

Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.

With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling.

Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist.

PROUD

BRITISH

For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi

www.visitgibraltar.gi

Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC

Phoenician Empire Calentita

Jazz

INTERNATIONAL

THE ROCK The MoorishMusicCastle Festivals Festival Pillars of Hercules Food Week, Chess, Snooker, Darts, Backgammon Championships 100000 YEARS National LITERARY FESTIVAL

Neanderthal Settlements

ibraltar

#VISITGIBRALTAR

A year of Culture

Bring hearts, minds and souls

20

July 17th to July 30th 2019

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

The art of taking it slow

SLOW TRAVEL: Maya practices getting lost in Ronda

Olive Press Princeton interns Regina Lankenau and Maya Eashwaran run down their rev count in Ronda where slow travel is the new mantra

T CROSS-CULTURAL: Hub of Entrelenguas

WO hours before midnight, the whitewashed walls and polished cobblestones of Ronda’s Barrio de San Francisco are momentarily painted an olive oil gold.

We follow the creeping sunrays down a callejon on Calle de Angelita Aparicio, the slap of our sandals the only sound in this corner of the cloistered mountain town.

At the end of the dipping alleyway we come to a plot of well-tended land where Jose Luis, a Rondeño with salt-and-pepper hair, waves us over.

Crouching down, he tells us his allot-

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ment is ‘just a hobby,’ and, chuckling at our fascination, hands over a zucchini the size of his forearm.

‘A gift,’ he says.

Shortly after, he adds a cucumber to the mix, clumps of dirt still clinging to the knobby skin.

For many, travelling is a desperate race to hit the top attractions before the sun sets. Itineraries in hand, they eat quickly, walk fast, ticking the sights off their checklists like chores. Each day is swallowed before it can be chewed.

But for others, the act of travel is less planned. Days are spent wandering. A 20-minute walk could take an hour. Detours are welcomed, and locals become the best of guides.

Slowness, as a concept, began in 1986 with the slow food revolution. After the first McDonald’s opened in Italy on Rome’s Plaza de Spagna, thousands assembled to protest. Then-journalist Carlo Petrini made a name for himself by passing out plates of traditional Italian penne pasta to FRIENDLY: Pongo the dalmation says hi the protestors. Three years later, Petrini found himself at the fore- and tourism. Mar Rodriguez, approach. front of what is now known as the Javier Criado, and Alejandro “There’s no way you can underSlow Food Movement, an interna- Montesinos — a trio of Rondeño stand the culture of a place with tional organisation dedicated to specialists — founded this cross- ordinary tourism. You have to get the preservation of local food and cultural hub in 2014 to provide a under the skin of the place,” said different approach to tourism in Annie. “We’ve been in Ronda for the traditional lifestyle.

12 years now, and we’re still disWith tapas and sobremesa their hometown. among the national pastimes, Espousing the slow philosophy, covering new things.”

Andalucia is ideal for this kind at one end of this hip locale is a “We came with the intention of of unstructured exploration. And brightly-lit classroom, at the other assimilating into the culture,” one town in particular has made an array of artisan products, John added.

Petrini’s slow living principles its from wine to fans. The relaxed Entrelenguas actively works to vibe is completed with a mosaic- protect that cultural authenticity mantra.

Ronda, surrounded by the Ser- encrusted bar, an indoor swing, and stave off the influx of mass rania de Ronda and punctuated a back terrace with picture post- tourism. by craggy outcroppings, has man- card views and the friendly pres- “Many places attract tourists by ence of Pongo, making up products. These placaged to maintain the dalmatian. es aren’t real, and they aren’t beagricultural tradiIn its five years, ing honest with tourists,” said Rotions dating back Flamenco E n t r e l e n g u a s driguez. As a native who doesn’t to the Reconformed dance flamenco or condone bullclasses, leather has quista. several partner- fighting, she’s also keen to show If, from a disworkshops, ships offering an other sides of Spain not covered tance, the town taste in glossy travel brochures. does not look organic farming authentic of life in Ronda. “We know the local produce, the very alive it is beFlamenco class- local wines. Those other places and free hikes cause residents es, leather work- are contributing to the clichés of are probably enshops, organic Spain,” she added. sconced in one farming and free However, for the traveller pressed of the many plazas. Retirees in Panama hats shuffle around in hikes are among the immersive for time, it isn’t always easy to groups of three, chatting over Spanish experiences on offer. Ac- differentiate between the manudrinks. Families gather for al fres- cording to Montesinos, ‘the goal factured and the authentic. It was co dining, their kids playing until of these cultural events is to meet surprising to learn that the ‘paella late evening. There is no need for other people from Ronda’ which, individual’ commonly advertised security cameras, as all the ter- he added, ‘is what many people in restaurants was a phenomraces are equipped with obser- who pass through are most look- enon invented for the checklist ing for.’ For British retirees John traveller; the overpriced dish is vant abuelas.

In a corner of one of Ronda’s and Annie, Spanish classes at far from the family ritual of sharwinding streets, Entrelenguas Entrelenguas are key to helping ing a cauldron-sized paella on a invites both transient visitors them become Spanish citizens. Sunday. and settled expats to learn more They have been taking classes To guide travellers away from the about Spanish language, culture, for the past three months and are trite, Entrelenguas offers a map proponents of the centre’s novel highlighting places that have

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July 17th to July 30th 2019

Mobile: 0034 682 489 949 Home: 0034 952 557 842 Calle Alamos 6, 29753 Archez www.mesonmudejar.com

AUTHENTIC: (Left) a bounty of jamon while (centre) view from Entrelenguas and (right) a typical Ronda sunset been vetted for authenticity. Distinguishable in olive oil. This classic bocadillo is the perfect by an ‘Experience Local’ sign, these shops accompaniment to a stroll through the town. provide the best seasonal goods. By sourc- Across the Puente Nuevo, past the cameraing their products entirely from surrounding happy sightseers, sits El Lechuguita, a bar farms, they also contribute to the town’s sus- offering over 80 different tapas at less than tainable development. a euro each. Owned by three In the old town, La Tienda de brothers, the unpretentious Trinidad is all you expect from decor and standing-only room The faces of the a traditional venta: an impresdoes nothing to reel in unsussive line-up of jamon iberico people who gave pecting tourists. And that is hung from the ceiling, and an precisely its charm. assortment of chorizo, goat you directions to It’s a different story round the cheeses, wines and beers in Ronda’s bustling places unlisted corner from which to sample the full Plaza España, where McDonAndalucian experience. ald’s is doing a brisk trade — on maps Miguel, the owner, recoma sight that would have made mends visiting the bakery Petrini weep. down the street, Antonio’s Our shoes skid along slippery Panaderia Alba, to pick up some fresh bread Puente Viejo, worn smooth by centuries of first. Slicing it in two, he expertly drapes sever- travellers, both friendly and conquering. The al slices of jamon on top and drenches them walk to the bus station under the sweltering

sun is one we severely underestimated; carting our suitcase up the bridge was an almost Sisyphean task.

Earlier that morning, we carefully wrapped the zucchini and cucumber Jose Luis had so thoughtfully gifted us. Sandwiched between a sun hat and a water bottle, the vegetables jostled around in our case during the journey back to the Costa del Sol. Travel can be a dislocating experience in so many ways. But, tucking into our fresh ‘campo’ zucchini stir fry back home, it becomes obvious why it’s worth it. Far more than the picturesque sights and Instagram opportunities, the human memory bank stores the best moments.

The faces of the people who gave you directions to places unlisted on maps. The kids who showed you shortcuts to the best views in town.

The simple kindness of a farmer.

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Reservations on 200 76588 or bistropoint@huntergroup.gi

Mesón Mudéjar Vegan restaurant and hotel

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July 17th to July 30th 2019

COLUMNISTS

The Look of Lux

Giles Brown is an expert at picking a face from a crowd, even in Malaga Airport

T

The ONE regular in-depth Property Magazine YOU CAN’T afford to MISS

HE Goddaughter was back again this month to spend some time out and catch up before her wedding in Glastonbury in August.

And as always, when Ziggy arrives at the Casita, it was an action-packed week.

This time she invited her best friend and maid-of-honour at the forthcoming nuptials, Lux, along. Like Ziggy, Lux is a modern circus performer and the pair perform a routine involving fire.

They are also planning to do something involving flaming staves at the ceremony itself and, as I’m going to be the celebrant, it’s fair to say this won’t be your conventional wedding.

The drama started before Ziggy had even landed in Spain.

Flying with a head cold, she wasn’t able to adjust to the pressure as the plane descended.

As well as being incredibly painful and more than a little frightening, it also meant that her ears started bleeding and she went deaf.

This was the cue for Ryanair signaling a full scale medical emergency, complete with paramedics running onto the plane on the tarmac, lots of shouting in Spanish (which she doesn’t speak and couldn’t hear) at the bewildered Ziggy, throwing her into an ambulance and dashing to the medical centre (complete with more shouting) where they stuck a needle in her.

Deaf, in pain and with a fear of all medical institutions, they then dumped a completely traumatised Ziggy back in arrivals. Which is where I found her…

After giving her a huge hug and grabbing extortionately expensive water at the arrivals bar, I told Ziggy to sit tight while I went to find Lux, who was coming in on a later

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BEST PAL: Lux stands out from the crowd

SIP SIP: The Godsisters enjoy a smoothie

flight.

“But you’ve never met her. How will you know her?” the Goddaughter asked. ”Ziglet, she’s your bestie. I’m sure she will stand out in the crowd,” I replied.

That was the understatement of the year.

As the rest of the Luton flight, all hen parties and shell suits shuffled past with that bewildered look that the majority have when arriving at Malaga, a lone female figure, wearing a hat with a pheasant feather, Game of Thrones style laced top, split skirt and cowboy boots, strode past. “You must be Lux,” I grinned.

The rest of the week was hectic and included organising photo shoots, visiting my other goddaughter up in Coin, and coining the term ‘godsisters’, the drama of the right front steering arm breaking of the Landcruiser while thundering down the Istan road (a ‘life flashing before my eyes experience’, although I did enjoy revisiting certain parts) and, after the social media furore that accompanied her last visit, christening Ziggy with a new nickname - ‘Trollbait!’

The highlight of the trip came from Lux, though.

Winding down on the terrace overlooking the lake on the last night, the girls were discussing the fact that mosquitoes had bitten them and that the little pests were attracted by pheromones.

I mentioned that I had no bites.

“Basically, one of the things that attracts mosquitoes is if you are sexually active,” she said, looking straight at me.

“So you’ll be fine…”

SPORT

23

Best games ever

Rock lovers

FOOTBALL fans have found Gibraltar to be the most welcoming location for away games.

Rangers fans who were here for the club’s Europa League second round qualifier gave the Rock the thumbs up and said they would come again.

“Gibraltar is a fabulous place,” said Wilf Marshall. “We absolutely love it here and the sun is fantastic!”

He was happy with the final score too, which ended up being 4-0 to the blue side of Glasgow.

“I think Rangers gave St Joseph’s too much respect in the first half,” said Marshall. “We stepped it up in the second period and put the tie out of sight.

“St Joseph’s had some chances too and they weren’t as bad as we thought they would be.”

His friends had married on the Rock about 20 years ago in the same registry office where John Lennon and Yoko Ono tied the knot in 1969.

“Mark was in Gibraltar on a submarine and we had a lovely wedding reception here too,” said the former bride. “We are from Dunfermline, 12 miles north of Edinburgh but we love Gibraltar and come here a lot.

“Sports events like are good for local business so they should happen more often.”

Athletes praise Gibraltar after successful hosting of Island Games EXCLUSIVE

By John Culatto

JERSEY has won the largest amount of medals after an exciting week of competition at the Island Games held in Gibraltar.

The haul came thanks to

Master minds DAVID Ferrer is among a trio of Spanish stars to have been announced for the Marbella Senior Masters Cup 2019.

The 37-year-old from Javea, who retired in May, will be joined by his compatriot Feliciano Lopez from Toledo.

Lopez, also 37, was knocked out in the second round of Wimbledon by Russiam, Karen Khachanov.

But his two Queen’s 2019 titles in the singles and doubles may make him favourite for the Costa del Sol tournament held from September 27-28.

The fourth edition of the competition also features ATP Tour legends, German Tommy Haas, 41, and another Spaniard, Tommy Robredo, 37.

Haas bagged himself a silver medal in the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, while Catalunyan Robredo is a former world number five after he won the 2006

LEGEND: Ferrer in Marbella

Hamburg Masters.

Lopez is set to take on Robredo at 5:30pm on September 27, before the second semi final between Ferrer and Haas at 8:00pm.

The third place play-off will take place at 5:30pm the following day, with the final later that evening.

Marbella’s stunning Club de Tenis Puente Romano is the chosen venue for this unmissable seniors event.

The tournament has been dubbed a ‘tennis show’ by Joaquin Rios, from the organising company Tennium.

one of the big winners for the Channel Islanders, swimmer Cameron Polak.

In his first ever Island Games the 17-year-old took home five gongs, including a gold for the men’s 4x100m medley relay.

“This was the best Island Games ever, even better than the one held in Jersey in 2015,” said Polak.

In table tennis, Greenland won gold and silver in the men’s singles and doubles respectively.

“We are proud to have won one more medal than at the last Island Games,” Greenlander Hugo Svensson told the Olive Press.

“Things have really improved since we were last here, although we still find it a lot warmer than home!”

The largest island in the world, which only has a population of 57,000, also got a silver medal in the women’s singles.

Expectations

Cayman Islands proved too hot for Estonian island Saaremaa the men’s basketball final.

“We came in with expectations after losing the final at the last Island Games,” said player Tikko Moore.

“Gibraltar is a beautiful place and they put on a well-organised event.”

Finally, spare a thought for poor Fredrik Winzell of Gotland who snapped his Achilles and will go home on crutches.

“I suppose I had it coming because I never had a serious injury all my life,” the basketball player told the Olive Press. “At least I had three really good games

and really liked Gibraltar with the monkeys and St Michael’s Cave.

“I felt really welcome so that made it all worthwhile.”

July 17th to July 30th 2019

Shoot for the stars THE Rock’s top medal winners believe shooting can really flourish on the Rock with the new facilities.

Jonathan Patron, who won a gold, silver and bronze medal at the Island Games, spoke to the Olive Press after the shooters won 80% of Gibraltar’s medal haul.

“It’s been an absolutely fantastic week in our amazing new shooting ranges,” he told the Olive Press. “After a long build-up we are happy with our performances as we managed to get ten medals in total.”

Patron won gold in the 50m Free Pistol, 25m men’s standard pistol individual and team event. “We’re hoping this will really kickstart shooting on the Rock,” said the experienced shooter.

The Rock’s only free local paper Advertise here for as little as as £75 per issue

Sounding off

FINAL WORDS

THE new Audiovisual Council of Andalucia has said it wants to ‘reduce the number of English words’ used by the Spanish media.

Stalker Style HARRY Styles has brought his alleged Spanish stalker Pablo TaeazagoOrego to court after claiming he has been putting notes in his mailbox and ‘making his life a misery.’

FREE

American football star leaps bulls with ease at ‘too safe’ San Fermin festival A CELEBRATED American sportsman has been caught on camera performing a series of death-defying leaps over bulls.

High-octane footage shows Washington Redskins player, Josh Norman, 31, hurdle not one, but two toros at the annual Pamplona festival.

“It was really worth it,” he said after his acrobatics at the San

NOEL Gallagher has angered music fans after replying ‘what’s that?’ when asked his opinion of Spanish flamenco-pop sensation Rosalia.

A BALD attempt to smuggle drugs into Spain has been stopped after a man was found with half a kilo of cocaine hidden under his toupee.

Arriving at Barcelona airport from Bogota, the Colombian man attracted suspicion with a disproportionately large hairpiece under his hat.

Officers detained the man and found a package stuck to his head with about €30,000 of cocaine.

Fermin festival, in which eight people were gored by bulls.

While he was certainly dicing with death or injury, this year’s festival was criticised for ‘not being dangerous enough.’

Veteran bull-runners have slammed the daily runs - known as encierros - claiming they have been ‘adulterated’ with the bulls running the course in

Wiggin’ it

much quicker times than before. Over the last decade the 875-metre runs have generally decreased to nearly two minutes which is half the length that they were in the 1990s.

Critics insist FEARLESS: Norman leaps over bull the bulls are stage a sit-down protest on the no longer able to break free course before one of the eight from the castrated steers, who runs. It came despite numerous accompany them and are too injuries this year, one involving a man’s arm being split open fast and trained.

This makes the entire run far ‘like a fillet’ and another suffering serious head injuries. safer for the runners.

“This is the end of the encierro “Society has said for 20 years as we know it,” said Joe Distler, that the run was too risky,” inan American, who has complet- sisted a spokesman for the fesed 50 bull runs. He was among tival. “Now they complain that there is no tragedy.” several runners - or mozos - to

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Hail Mary

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* O f f e r

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A TEEN with cerebral palsy who crowd surfed in his wheelchair at a heavy metal gig has described his ‘incredible’ moment.

“I felt like God,” said Alex Dominguez, 19, who went viral after he was filmed being held aloft by crowds at the Resurrection Fest, in Galicia.

The second year law student was watching Swedish band Arch Enemy, who later thanked their fans for ‘being awesome.’

Ladies first SPAIN’S Armed Forces have their first female general.

Patricia Ortega Garcia, 56, is the first elected female leader in the army’s 500year history.

She takes up her role some 31 years after women were first allowed into the army. The servicewoman, from Madrid, signed up in 1988 as a student lieutenant. Mum-of-three Ortega is no stranger to making history, after becoming Spain’s first female lieutenant colonel in 2009 and colonel in 2015.

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