Your expat
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Mijas Costa FREE
Vol. 13 Issue 322 www.theolivepress.es July 17th to July 30th 2019
Jet setters...
STUNNER: Lopez landing on Marbs
J.Lo-ving it!
JENNIFER Lopez has confirmed she will play on the Costa del Sol to celebrate her 50th birthday. The forever-young Latina legend, 49, will take to the stage at Marenostrum Castle Park in Fuengirola. The unmissable gig on August 8 will mark over seven years since the Jenny from the Block singer’s last Spain appearance. J. Lo takes part in the Marenostrum Festival, which has also seen the likes of Daddy Yankee, Carl Cox and Rod Stewart. Having sold in excess of 80 million records worldwide, Lopez, who was born to Puerto Rican parents in the Bronx, New York, is regarded as the most influential Latin artist in the US.
Is it up? Is it down? Where’s the property market going this summer?....Don’t miss this month’s Property Property Magazine Final hurdle go Sp -to m pr ain’ ag op s az er in ty e
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Issue 31
July 2019
Looking for a cool place to stay this summer?
It doesn’t don’t get much hipper than these boutique hotels... See Simply the rest, page VI
Giant €750m multi-sports and property development enters final furlong EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
“This will be massive for Mijas and will A RAFT of international sporting be the largest sports tourism and multistars are lining up to back an exciting sports events venue in Europe,” the €750 million sports and residential businessman behind the project, Anproject on the Costa del Sol. thony Arnold, from the West Midlands, Maria Sharapova, Rio Ferdinand and told the Olive Press this week. Ian Woosnam have all expressed a keen Russian tennis ace Sharapova has been interest in the huge British-funded proj- involved in the interior design of the ect to revolutionise Mijas’ long-neglect- project, called ‘Mijas City of Sport,’ ed hippodrome racecourse site. while former England captain FerdiThe trio are just some of the big names nand is set to add the site to his Football looking to back the Mirage develop- Escapes company. ment, which includes a golf course, a The firm provides premier football multi-sports venue, a trio of hotels and coaching courses at some of the most over 1,000 luxury apartments, the Olive exclusive resorts around the world. Press can exclusively reveal. 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 themiddle 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 Mi- MIRAGE: Development’s designs include five-star hotel, casino and apartments jas but the whole Costa del Sol.”
FREE INSIDE
BIG FANS: Obama, Cameron and (far right) Saudi royalty know how to spend it
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
He’s out!
Innocent Brit wrongly fingered for drug haul finally released from year in violent prison
Robert Mansfield-Hewitt thanks Olive Press for year-long campaign for his release 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 property 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
EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
raid. He quickly became the Guardia Civil’s main suspect despite having no previous convictions and the actual owner of the property having a previous drug conviction in Gibraltar. Despite, a lack of evidence and three front page stories
THRILLED: Hewitt with two of our front pages 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 restaurant in La Linea this week. “I’m still getting used to being out, it has been a crazy ride.” He also thanked the paper for all the support and legal pressure we have put on the authorities since his arrest. “It is great to have had a local media group keeping this in the public eye. Without your help, I’m sure it would have taken longer,” he said. In draconian circumstances, it took Spanish authorities
a shocking seven 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 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 focusing on getting home. He is flying back from Malaga Continues on Page 4
Opinion Page 6
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CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF Georgian house A ROBBERY gang from Georgia have been arrested in Sevilla after breaking into homes and stealing jewellery and cash.
Facing justice PROSECUTORS have requested three years jail for reckless homicide for David Serrano, the owner of the land where little Julen died down a well in Malaga last year.
True born INES Madrigal, the woman at the centre of a long running child abduction scandal has tragically discovered she was not among an estimated 30,000 babies stolen during Franco’s reign after her birth mother revealed she gave her up willingly.
Feria filth A FAIRGROUND worker, 37, has been arrested in Cadiz after allegedly sexually assaulting a girl, under 12, on a ride at the Carmen Feria.
July 17th - 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 non-profit group SOS Racis-
Black tourists victims of disgusting racist attack by a teacher on a train mo 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 wom-
an 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
SINGLE IMPLANT
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.
IMPLANT BRIDGE
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.
‘Wrong message’
A YOUNG man has been handed a two-year prison sentence after accidentally killing a mugger while defending a woman on the Costa del Sol. Known only as ‘Borja’, he has 15 days to present himself to the authorities or a warrant will be issued for his arrest, a Malaga judge ruled last week. He has also been required to pay compensation costs of €180,000. It comes after the man chased down a thief at around 7am on February 2015 after hearing the screams of a nearby female cleaner in Fuengirola. The robber had beaten the hotel worker and made off with her handbag, causing the bystander to give chase. He caught up with the criminal, who was a wanted drug addict with a record of robbing people, before a struggle ensued. The man only punched the mugger twice to retrieve the bag, but massive brain damage was caused when he fell and hit his head on the floor. He died in hospital two days later. The defense team said the death was made far more likely due to the mugger’s long history of alcoholism and drug use. Lawyer Alfredo Herrera Rueda said the ruling sent out the ‘wrong message’. “It makes us think that when these situations occur the best thing to do is look the other way,” he said. The young man said he only wanted to help the victim and recover what had been stolen.
IMPLANT DENTURE
NEWS
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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 - 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 most-successful 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
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
3
of water used by Julio 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 joint-father’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
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July 17th - July 30th 2019
What asses! PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
AN investigation has been launched after two donkeys were painted to look like zebras ‘for an African themed wedding’ in Andalucia. Police have stepped in after a concerned local showed them footage of the asses having been abandoned in a chiringuito in El Palmar, near Vejer de la Frontera. Witnesses said they were not kept in the shade and were poorly looked after. KICK IN THE TEETH: Donkeys ‘zebra-d up’
Expat bitten by a bat while on evening stroll near her home
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EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
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 poten-
Bat-s**t scary tially 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.”
Death knock 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 800 animals could face being put down if the La Linea shelter was forced to shut. 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 the land,” he wrote to the centre’s hardworking volunteers. His move comes despite the centre being given until August 31 to raise the €165,000 needed to buy the plot, claimed a spokesman. The problems began after the recent death of the shelter’s general manager Peter Koekebakker, who only had verbal agreements with landowners. An Olive Press campaign was launched last issue (For the chop, Issue 321, pg 4), to save hundreds of cats and dogs, which could be culled
4
NEWS
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Something in the water
FOR THE CHOP 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
July 3rd - July 16th 2019
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 Koekebakker’s funeral. A number of developers are said to be interested in the site, which has sea views and is just a stone’s throw from Puerto Atunara. The non-profit organisation said it now needs to raise €165,000 to buy the plot in Camino Torrenueva. Pigs, birds, donkeys, horses and even a pair of bulls are also among the 750-800 ani-
SUPER SATURD AYS IN JUNE
08 // Foam Party 15 // Water Nerf Gun Party 22 // End of School Party
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.”
THREATENED: Dogs arrive at centre
mals to face the chop if the cash is not found. The public can help the Animal In Need Foundation by donating just €15 a time, END: Binmen stop strike which pays for 1m² of land. In a statement, the centre called the situation a ‘worst-case scenario’ and said ‘time is of the essence’, but did not confirm 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
Bin it to win it
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
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.
if not rehomed. “The ruthless owner has already shown his true colours,” said a foundation spokesperson. “He unexpectedly increased the price in a few days, obviously driven by greed!” But despite this major upset those in charge remain hopeful for a ‘new beginning’. “While we have not yet reached the figure of €165,000, we will need all possible donations to build a new shelter,” added the spokesman. 29 // Slip & Slide Party
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From front
to London this week, where he plans to take a few 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
SHAKEN: Kira Nash
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.
‘Absolute filth’
SAD: Dogs at risk and (below) previous story
Victory at last!
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’.
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.”
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
SEARCH: For Michael
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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.
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Joshua Parfitt joshua@theolivepress.es
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Pope Benedict XVI
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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
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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.
The Swazis
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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.
Michelle Obama
Gillian Keller gillian@theolivepress.es Admin Beatriz Sanllehí (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es
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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
The Kuwaitis
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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 low-profile 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 in t h e 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 a n n i ve r s a r y holiday with his wife, the pair splurged on a chic €270-a-night 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.
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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:
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- 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)
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July 17th - July 30th 2019
IS YOUR TIMESHARE RESORT GOING BUST? It was confirmed that on the 6th June 2019 another Spanish timeshare resort Club Paradiso/Paramount has closed its doors. The company that manages the resort is Excel Hotels & Resorts and their website is no longer available, phones jump to voicemail with only security remaining on site. Various sources are stating
that their timeshare owners cannot use their weeks. We have also been informed that members are being moved to other Silverpoint resorts but they would have to pay for the transfer as Excel is not honoring any payments made. For owners of this resort, alarm bells start to ring about their
initial investment. No one really knows at this point what is going to happen however, it has been reported that Silverpoint and Excel are currently in the middle of a dispute. For all members of this resort, it is likely that they will no longer be able to use Club
Paradiso/Paramount and if they wanted to make a claim against the resort and finance company (if applicable) the advice would be that this is a clear breach of contract. Other resorts are facing liquidity problems and more insolvencies are expected.
Imagine if this happened to you? With this in mind we urge anyone who is unhappy with their resort who feels they were mis-sold to seek professional advice sooner rather than later. For new enquiries ECC have recently launched an exclusive offer to give timeshare owners a mini-break hotel stay in either Costa Del Sol, Spain or one of their satellite offices across the UK. Can I Claim? Can I Walk Away? Can I Ignore?
For more information call the ECC Advice Line on 0203 670 4616 or email pr@ecc-eu.com
Why choose ECC? ECC along with their legal associated law firms are one of the leading companies paving the way for claims/payouts against the timeshare industry. Our successes at court are upsetting the timeshare industry who are using Kwikchex.com together with the Timeshare Task Force and Timeshare Business Check to fabricate false accusations against claims companies and in particular ECC who are at the forefront. Despite the chronicled history of mis-selling and illegal contracts Kwikchex have never condemned or criticised any timeshare resort.
Stats for 2019
697
cases in the courts
318
The primary income for any timeshare resort is new sales income plus management fee revenue and arrears. Over the years, ECC have relinquished several thousand timeshares thus depleting the overall maintenance fee income. Their Associate Spanish law Firm M1 Legal who specialise in timeshare contract law reported the following latest victories since beginning of July. • • • • •
Diamond Resorts £49,729 Awarded Silverpoint £11,253 Awarded Club La Costa £30,480 Awarded Club La Costa £41,590 Awarded 9 Victories against Club La Costa on Jurisdiction
cases being prepared
For any enquiries call the ECC Advice Line on 0203 670 4616 or email pr@ecc-eu.com www.ecc-eu.com
January to present: 61 victories totalling £851,000
NEWS
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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.”
Fight the power!
THE project to install hundreds of giant electric pylons through one of Andalucia's most emblematic areas has seen a power change at a key Alpujarras town hall. The PP party has taken control of Orgiva, a long-time socialist seat, amid
Power change
widespread local anger at plans for a network of 362 pylons. The new council has formed a coalition with various other parties and come out strongly against the electrification project, which would see 80m pylons cross the Alpujarras and
scenic next door Lecrin valley. The Olive Press launched a Fight the Power campaign to support expats affected by the scheme back in February. Orgiva resident Steve Holdup, from Cumbria, explained: “All the parties are behind the campaign and spoke passionately about the subject coming up to the election.”
Flagged up
Worst Costa del Sol beaches named and shamed with black flags
banderas negras, with five, while Malaga City has four, Estepona and Mijas three, Manilva two, and Fuengirola and Marbella one each. The unwanted awards were this year most commonly bestowed for insufficient water treatment works, as well as for overbuilding, port and cruise acA COSTA del Sol beach has been shut down tivity, coastdue to high levels of bacteria detected in the al regression water. and litter. The beach of Arroyo Vaquero in Estepona was Ecologisclosed off to the public after high bacterial contas handcentrations were found. ed out 566 The source of the problem is a water sanitation flags in total pump, which led the Ministry of Health to temacross Spain’s porarily ban bathing in the sea. 8,000km of Hidralia and Estepona town hall have opened coastline, a an investigation into the privately-owned decrease on pump, which is believed to be undergoing rethe 591 aspairs. signed in
A TOTAL of 19 black flags have been doled out to the Costa del Sol’s ‘worst’ beaches. Green group Ecologistas en Accion has named and shamed Malaga’s offending playas in its annual report. The Axarquia has the most
AT ODDS: Sanchez and Iglesias
Beach bacteria
BLACKLISTED: Beaches deemed polluted 2018. The Balearic Islands was the region with the highest proportion of blag flag beaches. The Canary Islands followed, with Valencia third and Catalunya and Andalucia soon after.But Spain’s southernmost region does have one of Spain’s worst beaches, in Almeria province. Playa Algarrobico was given its black flag for the tenth year running after the illegal construction of the 411-room Hotel Algarrobico.
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The City Council of Carboneras are now forced to tear down the 500-room beachfront monstrosity, which is only half-built, following a Supreme Court ruling. “This study aims to make a diagnosis of the health of our coasts, in which we warn each year of the deterioration they suffer, due largely, though not exclusively, to the actions of the tourist and real estate industry,” said Clara Megias the report coordinator.
New playa A CHIRINGUITO burnt down in an arson attack is to reopen this week. Playa Padre, which was opened by American actress Eva Longoria, was deliberately torched in February. Now, after a huge refurb, the beach bar will reopen this Thursday, one of its owners told the Olive Press. “The style of the building is the same, but it’s more openplan,” he explained. “We are just waiting for the town hall to finally OK it.” The restaurant is part owned by Maria Bravo, friend of actress Longoria.
Triple deaths A PAIR of beachgoers have drowned on the same beach two weeks apart. The men died off Las Gaviotas beach in Benalmadena. Meanwhile, a lifeless body was found washed up on a Marbella beach. The corpse was found floating in the shore on Los Monteros at around 11.30am. The sex, age and possible cause of death have not been revealed.
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LA CULTURA
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what’s on Remember the Alamo ESTEPONA’s very own summer beach festival arrives on July 31, with the hugely popular electronic music festival Los Alamos now in its fifth year.
Game on FANS and players of video games will mix with game designers at the three day extravaganza that is Gamepolis 2019, with three days of gaming running from July 19- 23, in Malaga.
Indy THE largest free alternative festival on the Costa de Sol, Festival Arte Sano, is a showcase for natural health, artistic expression, dance and music taking place from July 27-29.
Retro Enjoy an amazing night out, with artists who have sold over 60 million records, as Ace Of Base and Sash headline the Back To The 90s live show at the castle in Fuengirola on July 27.
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.
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Rural return Music, dance and theatre festival run by Brit in rural inland town celebrates fifth anniversary
AN award-winning festival held in a small, rural village high in the stunning Alpujarras mountains is set to return for its fifth year next month. Me Vuelves Lorca, named after Granada poet and playwright, Federico Garcia Lorca, is a nine-day event, run by British-born Anna Kemp, in the village of Laroles (Nevada), that
fashion flix
A NEW documentary has offered a glimpse into the hidden life of Spanish fashion designer Palomo. Entitled Boys, Some Girls and Other Cookies, the short film looks at Alejandro Gómez Palomo’s rise from Cordoba to the catwalks of New York Fashion Week. Palomo left Andalucia aged 18 to go to London where he worked at a bar in Knightsbridge before enrolling at the London College of Fashion. The Palomo Spain label’s AW19 collection, inspired by rural 20th century Spain, debuted earlier this year in New York. “Even though I’m private, I decided I had to show people what my real world is,” explained the 27-year-old designer.
UNIQUE: Theatre event at festival while (right) Carmen Paris aims to emulate Lorca’s work phitheatre which was built by immersing rural communities the local community in 2013 in culture. around an ancient corn-threshThe festival is held in a beau- ing circle. tiful, handcrafted stone am- Inspired by childhood holidays at the Minack theatre in Cornwall, Anna, who studied English at Oxford before moving to Spain, started the project in collaboration with the local ayuntamiento, as a catalyst for a new kind of tourism in a place threatened by depopulation. Run by an ever-growing group of volunteers from the local community and beyond, the festival prides itself on its top quality programme. The main attraction this year is a week-long artists’ residency by theatre company La Rueda Teatro Social, which will ‘work with residents’. TALENT: Palomo Local people will offer their
stories and memories, collaborating with the Madrid-based group to develop a play to be performed in Laroles amphitheatre on August 10. A stripped back acoustic set by award-winning Spanish singer, Carmen Paris will open the festival on August 2, before iconic 10-piece Madrid jazz band, Mastretta hit the stage the following night. Madrid swing academy, Big South, will also host dancing workshops, while other performers include swing band Enric Peidro Swingtet; theatre group A Panadaría; and comedians Jamming on tour. Me Vuelves Lorca runs in Laroles from August 2-10 and tickets start at around €12 from www.mevuelveslorca. com
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PicarFIRST Minister Fabian do has given a warm welcome in to the Olive Press’ launch Gibraltar. the The father-of-two saluted paper’s original reporting and insisted his government to would give its full support aid our growth in the enclave. “I am delighted to cooperate all and to ensure you receive inform the help you need to Olive those who choose the Press for their news. stable “Welcome to the media in Gibraltar.”
By Tom Powell British Navy DEFIANT calls for again in inbattleships to be stationed during a got the biggest cheer, when he should - once Gibraltar have been made sisted the Royal Navy rally. raucous National Day politicians de- again - have battleships permanentA group of 11 British focus- ly stationed in Gibraltar.are a part of Gibraltar livered rip-roaring speeches with Spain “The people of sing on recent tensionsright to self- the Great British family and I would here to appreand backing Gibraltar’s like to see a battleship ship to illegally determination. – a sea of red hend any Spanish The Casemates crowd the patriotic enter British waters,” he said. MP Ian Paisley and white – echoed Fabian Democratic Unionist are our international sentiments as Chief Minister are final address, added: “These Picardo delivered the salute to the waters, this is our country, these we must support centering around a of 75 years our people and ‘evacuation generation’ them.” surrender this rock!” ago. refugee cri- “We will never Linking it to the currenthe vowed to he roared in a rousing address. letter of ‘best wishes’ sis engulfing Europe, under the After waving a the Chief Minister help as much as possible from the Queen, plea that ‘sharing is caring’. MP for finally vowed to increase National to come. But it was Conservative who Day celebrations in years Romford, Andrew Rosindell,
Day with celebrate National PARTY MODE: Gibraltarians macaque inflatable barbary due to its environmental ever be cent years – took place. “National Day will never will only get impactas the crowds gazed up at the diminished. In fact, it red white Then, sky, Tina bigger. We stand together, red and white speckled Simply the Best blasted and free!” he bellowed. the tradi- Turner’s signalling Following the speeches, balloons – through the sound system, almighty party. tional releasing of the in re- the start of an which has caused controversy
talking The Rock’s leader was Jusalongside his lawyer wife speech tine ahead of his key of the at National Day, one ‘most significant ever’. “It is He told the Olive Press: this particularly auspicious year with the day commemoof rating the 75th anniversary Rock, great evacuation of the week as well as coming in the UK’s the Queen becomes the longest serving monarch.”was A highlight of his weekat the watching Kings of Leon Gibraltar Music Festival. I would “Not at the front as joked. have got crushed,” he when “But I was blown away in the I saw everyone’s hands best air for Sex on Fire, the rock song of the last decade.” first reAs for a date for his to election contest, rumoured he said: be on November 20, knows “The only person who is my wife.”
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Johnson pledged to leave the EU ‘with or without a deal’ on October 31. “We’re all waiting anxiously to see who becomes leader of the Conservative party and the direction the UK should pursue,” Picardo told the Olive Press. “I know Boris well...I worked with him in the past when he was in the Home Office.
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“I also worked with Jeremy Hunt in the Foreign Office. “But either way, we will ensure that whoever becomes Prime Minister of the UK understands that Gibraltar is a priority. “Gibraltar has a lot in play with Brexit and Gibraltar is going to ensure that we don’t lose out as a result of Brexit.” The leader of the Rock has repeatedly called for the revoking of Article 50 over the past few months and wants to see Brexit shelved. Picardo added: “I have never
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Scorched MALLORCA is to bake again this weekend after the European wide heat waves saw the hottest June on record with temperatures hitting 40ºC Medical teams on the island are preparing themselves to treat sunstroke victims after three people died across Spain in the last ten days. The soaring temperatures have been driven by hot air from Africa which reached Mallorca first before spreading to the rest of the country. Tragically a 36-year-old Britis ish woman on the Costa Blanca among three people believed to have died from heat-related causes during the onslaught. The woman, who was not named,a tragically died after getting into pool in Orihuela and suffering convulsions. Authorities are suspecting heatstroke as the possible cause of death. Meanwhile a 93-year-old Spanish man fatally collapsed during the heat in Valladolid, and a 17-year-old boy died after jumping into a swimming pool in Cordoba. Highest-ever temperatures were recorded in seven monitoring stations around Spain, while 26 saw their hottest June days in history.
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UROPE’S most southerly town looks out across the Strait of Gibraltar where two mighty continents collide. But the clash of cultures is entirely geographic. Indeed, Tarifa radiates such a calming vibe it would threaten to relax the mighty shoulders of the titan Atlas himself but there’s no danger of the sky falling down...Hercules’ two mythological pillars (Gibraltar and Mount Jebel Musa in Morocco) have long since relieved him of that burden. Shaded by pine forest, cushioned by soft dunes, and 14 kilometres from Africa, this Costa de la Luz gem’s Carribean-copy beaches and laid-back vibe set it apart from the more structured resorts along the Malaga coast to the east. And that’s unlikely to change thanks to Tarifa’s protected location in El Estrecho Natural Park. The coastal town in Cadiz province is an endearing mix of beach bum bohemianism and boutique chic, with the added attraction of great seafood and restorative Atlantic winds. It makes it the perfect escape (along Continues overleaf
SERENE: An inlet near Barbate, horse riding in El Palmar and arch in Tarifa PERFECT PLAZA: In Vejer
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SEARING: Mallorca hits 40ºC
hidden my position and I will continue to make the position of the people of Gibraltar abundantly clear. “I know they will all want to work with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar to deliver for Gibraltar as much as for the United Kingdom.” It comes as Boris Johnson’s team has been accused of breaching data protection laws amid calls by a minister and a former Conservative MP for the information watchdog to investigate the Number 10 candidate. Harriet Baldwin, a Foreign Office minister, and former Bath MP Ben Howlett have also asked party chairman Brandon Lewis to launch a probe. It is suspected that the Johnson camp used phone number and email lists from previous campaigns, which - if true - would breach the general data protection regulation (GDPR).
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Facebook Former security guard slams page mocking British holidaymakers killed in Mallorca balcony falls A SECURITY guard who witnessed has a horrific ‘balconing’ death slammed a Facebook ‘league table’ mocking deaths from balcony falls.
In the sickening ‘league table’ of injutop ries and fatalities, the UK comes inwith six ‘points’ allocated for three juries and one death. “I found the website disgusting and
Diego Quintes has labelled the ‘Balbe banned and those The Catalan city of Lleida, for in- coning Mallorca’ page as ‘disgusting,’ insist it must it jailed. stance, saw its previous monthly re- recalling the horrific incidents he wit- who runhave nightmares about the cord of 40.6ºC smashed by a 43.4ºC nessed working in hotels in the 1990s. “I still things I’ve seen, just spike than began on June 24 lasta somebody imagine week. Spain’s highest temperature, that’s falling from 13 seething 44.4 °C in Badajoz on June stories high and know29, was still shy of the country’s alling they are going to time record of 46.9ºC from Cordoba die,” Quintes told the falls in 2017. Olive Press this week. Mallorca Facebook ranks fatal “Often you find them DISGUSTING: Balconing The searing temperatures, caused distasteful move comes just still alive, trying to by high pressure and winds from the more ‘stupid’ and ‘drunken’ This after a 20-year-old British man, move and talk to you, couraging Sahara, have also sparked wildfires attempt these life-threaten- weeks as Freddie Pring, died on June asking you to please tourists to named all over Spain. ing stunts. seen not falling from a hotel in Magaluf. blazes help them. Firefighters battled have a petition on Change. 7 after in “And what makes They even of a provocative campaign Quintes, who moved to the UK for 20 years as 500 operatives conafter falling in love with a Brit, matters worse are org as part trolled a 6,000-hectare conflagrabalconing made an Olympic 2002 to see firm action taken against the actions of other to have wants tion near Tarragona, in Catalonia. taking sport. ‘trolls’. holidaymakers, Blanca, Costa has not only put these balconingshould be forced to see Meanwhile on the people videos and pictures “The ‘balconing’ on the world map of risk “These thousands of Washingtonia and date from their balconies,” Magaluf is also an effective catalyst the aftermath of these horrific accisports but palms burnt in the UNESCO World he added. dents so they can see with their own selection. Heritage orchards of Elche. the devastating consequences of ‘Balconing’ sees holi- of natural eyes drunken of separate handful four a in Trees were scorched balconing has caused not only day makers attempt to “Each year, choose to eliminate their what orchards during the early hours of families and friends of the declimb onto balconies tourists the evolutionary race, thus to the but also to the first responders Saturday morning, before 31 fireand either jump from genes from the fittest – the least stupid, ceased fighters put out the reportedly ‘inroom to room, or into allowing to the incident, in this case – to occupy their biologi- “I don’t know how they make fun out tentionally started’ blaze. a nearby pool. Some sick mem- cal niche. of this. They should be prosecuted.” The hot weather turned into tem“The solution to ‘balconing’ is more 15:36 of the balconing 16/06/2017 1 bers pests in the northern region of Spain Untitled-1.pdf Opinion Page 6 reads the caption accomFacebook group have ‘balconing,” on Wednesday, while temperatures petition. the panying enabove just posted messages have platead nationwide blasts trolls TOUGH TALK: Diego Quintes the 30°C mark.
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A BRITISH woman has tragically died as Europe continues to roast in the grip of a record-breaking heatwave. The 36-year-old British woman on the Costa Blanca is among three people believed to have DAFT AS A BRUSH: Gazza with Olive died from heat-related Press reporter causes during the onslaught of hot air from Africa. The woman, who was not named, tragically died after getting into a pool in Orihuela and suffering convulsions. Authorities are suspecting heatstroke as the possible cause of death. Meanwhile a 93-year-old Spanish man fatally collapsed during the heat in Valladolid, and a 17-yearold boy died after jumping into a swimming pool in Cordoba. Highest-ever temperatures were recorded in 7 monitoring stations around Spain, while 26 saw their hottest June days in history. The Catalan city of Lleida, for instance, saw its previous monthly record of 40.6ºC smashed by 43.4ºC spike than began on Junea 24 last week. Spain’s highest temperature, seething 44.4 °C in Badajoz a on June 29, was still shy of the country’s all-time record of 46.9ºC A PIG being raised for slaughter from Cordoba in 2017. has trotted into a British-run animal sancThe searing temperatures, caused tuary. by high pressure and winds from Rupert, as he has now been named, the Sahara, have also sparked wilstumbled into the Costa Blanca refuge dfires all over Spain. ‘as if he knew where he was going’. Firefighters battled blazes not According to staff at the Easy Horse seen for 20 years as 500 operaCare Rescue Centre, in Rojales, near tives controlled a 6,000-hectare Torrevieja, he is now very much a conflagration near Tarragona, pig in in clover, having been officially adopCatalonia. ted. Meanwhile on the Costa Blanca, He had fled from his Spanish owner, thousands of Washingtonia and who was keeping him in a ‘filthy, dirty date palms burnt in the UNESCO shed with a fence around it’ some 3km World Heritage orchards of Elche. away. Trees were scorched in four se“I was in the yard one morning and parate orchards during the early this pig literally just walked in,” centre hours of Saturday morning, before owner Susan Weeding, told the Olive 31 firefighters put out the reporPress this week. tedly ‘intentionally started’ blaze. “I really don’t know how he found us.” The hot weather turned into temSusan said the pig’s owner somehow pests in the northern region of found out where Rupert was and Spain on Wednesday, while temdemanded he be returned. peratures are expected to plateau But a volunteer, Jean Cha, stepped nationwide just above the 30°C in and bought Rupert for €130. mark by today (Thursday). He has now permanently joined EXPAT: Susan’s new friend the rescue centre’s roster of 120 horses and
SAVING HIS BACON
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UROPE’S most looks out acrosssoutherly town Gibraltar where the Strait of tinents collide. two mighty conBut the clash cultures is entirely of geographic. Indeed, Tarifa radiates such vibe it would threaten a calming to relax the mighty shoulders self but there’s of the titan Atlas himno danger of falling down...Hercules’ the sky two mythological pillars (Gibraltar Musa in Morocco) and Mount Jebel lieved him of that have long since reShaded by pine burden. soft dunes, and forest, cushioned by Africa, this Costa 14 kilometres from de la Luz rribean-copy beaches and gem’s Cavibe set it apart laid-back from the more tured resorts structo the east. along the Malaga coast And that’s unlikely to Tarifa’s protectedto change thanks location in El trecho Natural EsPark. The coastal town in Cadiz province an endearing is mianism and mix of beach bum boheboutique chic, added attraction with of great seafood the restorative Atlantic and winds. It makes it the perfect escape (along
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‘Anxious wait’ for Picardo who vows to continue fight against Brexit to protect Rock whether Boris or Hunt takes over
AN animal shelter has appealed help as hundreds of its dogs and for face death due to a land dispute. cats The Animal In Need Foundation faces eviction after its manager died, having only made ‘verbal agreements’ with the land owner. GIBRALTAR In a shock move, a ‘for sale’ sign will was fight a no stuck to the doors of the La Lineadeal Brexit under Boris based shelter just a day after 58-yearold general manager Peter Koekebak- Johnson OR Jeremy Hunt. ker’s funeral. That was the promA number of developers are said to interested in the site, which has be ise made by Chief sea Minister views and is just a stone’s throw from Fabian Picardo this week as Puerto Atunara. The non-profit organisation said it now the battle for leadership of the Conservaneeds to raise €165,000 to buy the plot tive party heats in Camino Torrenueva. up. Pigs, birds, donkeys, horses and even It comes as the Rock is facing the worst case scenario after forContinues on page 4 mer Foreign Secretary
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donkeys, 17 cats, six dogs and a pot-belly pig named Isadora. “It was just impossible to let this piggy go back to a hellhole,” Susan said. “He’s got a paddling pool now, and really loves to be around people.” he Susan added that Rupert was not ‘greedy’ as he leaves his food when full. “He doesn’t like carrots or apples, and
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his favourite food is actually plums,” she said. The lucky Rupert, whose of a breed reared for bacon, is not is the first animal to find its way to the rescue centre. As of Wednesday, July 3, a second baby pig has ‘miraculously’ joined Rupert. Susan said she will now have to ‘turf the bikes out the shed’ to make the two strays a home.
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Unfortunately some British people in Spain are just lazy (WATCH: Well-known British expat commended online for saying ‘Brits in Spain SHOULD speak Spanish’, online, July 5). They would rather have the Spanish speak to them in English than bother being respectful and trying to learn the language. It’s shameful really. I love how helpful the Spanish are when I make a mistake or ask a question. At our little local restaurant I asked what a ‘little bird’ was called. The waiter asked me what I thought it was, and then corrected my pronunciation and told me that I was doing great. I also love it when we’re out and about, and the little kids are talking. I still can’t get over how cute they are, with their ways of saying things. It’s hard if you don’t get practice. I get by on the basics well enough, but I will have to do lessons to get to a decent level. I still have a long way to go, but I’ll get there with all the Spanish helpers out there.
Ethel Du Plessis, Malaga
Paul Demopoulos, Mijas
Same old same old Yet again, another so-called ‘cultural activity’. No wonder there is so much cruelty and domestic abuse in Spain when this is seen as acceptable. Jeni Obbard, Alhaurin El Grande
Play nicely boys
EXclUSiVE By Elisa menendez
AN Olive Press health campaign has led to ‘the biggest’ drug probes in Spanish history. Our investigation into the mysterious deaths of expats from the painkiller Nolotil last year, is finally being acted on. In a landmark breakthrough, a national probe is expected to lead to new regulation of the drug, which is banned in the UK and most of Europe. “It has been a long time in coming and by raising so much awareness, I am sure lives have already been saved,” medical and legal translator Cristina Garcia del Campo told the Olive Press. The medical professional found our 1000-strong petition online and took it forward after one of her patients died from the drug. “Spain wants to help,
VicTory
loomS that’s for sure. I have had support from every healthcare professional I have spoken to. “If I hadn’t come across your article I wouldn’t have realised what was happening to the English community,” she added. We launched our ‘Kill the Drug’ campaign against the painkiller last August, after learning that dozens of British and Irish expats had died after their immune systems were allegedly destroyed by the commonly prescribed drug. A trio of families told us how their relatives had died unnecessarily in excruciating pain. Yet, authorities refused to take our claims seriously, despite the evidence being backed up by local doctors. Fortunately, Ali-
TRAGIC: Graeme Ward with wife Mary (left) and Billy Smyth, who both died from Nolotil
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Judith Staveley, Antequera Ed. Thank you for your letter Judith. In November the Spanish Ministry of Health told all healthcare bodies to stop prescribing Nolotil to British and Irish patients. The only way the drug can now be issued, is in small doses, with close patient monitoring, once a detailed medical history has been provided.
Money for nothing I don’t understand this stuff (Lionising Hercules, Issue 321, pg 46). The old ‘Plaza de SocorCOLUMNISTS ro’ was fine by me. Lionising Hercules I can’t see how the O new one is any better. And on top of that is the amount INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION of money that has Abeen spent change very little. The and away! Up, up to works took ages! I Helen Doig, Scotland 46
July 3rd - July 16th 2019
UR pueblo is all of a-flutter this month over the arrival of a new centrepiece for the town roundabout. For years it was crowned by a giant pink birthday cake that lit up with candles at night. A bit of a tacky monstrosity, we thought at the time, but when it was replaced by a concrete hexagonal fountain flashing disco lights we kind of missed it.
A ripped Roman hero and his ‘pets’ get Belinda Beckett’s roar of approval
Now we have our very own statue of Her- coming to town? Or David Attenborough? in the cules, worked in bronze, with a ripped Unlikely, unless he’s interested wondetorso and a very neat butt (if you’re won- small feral variety…I even vaguelysymbolic red whether the lions might be dering, he’s wearing a loincloth). Neuter But what really made me look twice, of the pueblo’s pioneering Trap about being a cat lover, are the two enormous Release alley cat scheme I wrote wild pussy cats he’s stroking: a pair of last month. magnificent male In the days when Spain and Africa were lions, as splendid one continent – before Hercules split as the ones in them to create his mythological Pillars, Trafalgar Square Gibraltar and Mount Jebel Musa across and quite so- the Strait in Morocco – lions did leg it up mething for Los from the Serengetti to roam these parts. Barrios, an ad- But finally the penny dropped. They refedress that gene- rence the lions on the Andalucian Flag, rally provokes the doh! puzzled respon- (Historical note: the emblem of Hercules subduing the lions was chosen by Blas se, ‘Que barrio?’ It didn’t instant- Infante, the ‘father of Andalucian natioly register why nalism’, born just up the road in Casares, we’ve got big cats to symbolise man’s power over animal on the rounda- instinct). RIPPED: Hercules is a big dude all over the world, bout. Hercules A new use for the having got about a bit while fulfilling statue in bullring? Circus his 12 Labours…such as slaying the niSancti Pectri ne-headed Hydra STRIKING: New big cats on Los Barrios road Poblada and the man-eating Stymphalian Birds and capturing Cerberus, the Gardens; and there’s a particularly stiUnderworld’s very and turn it into a trophy loincloth. Sancti PeBut he wins double brownie points for rring statue (sans loincloth) in unpleasant dog. tri Poblada, over Cadiz way. I’m not sure what cleaning up the Augean stables in a day. humble opinion, none are finer the Me Too move- I’ve been on at Dave to sort out our gara- But in myown. than our ment would have ge for nearly a decade. sculptor Bernardo Martinez to say about him In Andalucia, geographically attached to Los Barrios Respect. stealing the girdle one of his Pillars (Gibraltar actually gets a Torres: know there’s a cool Hercules in of Hippolyta; and mention around the base of our sculptu- Yeah, I with lions. But check out their curhe did kill the Ne- re) all seven provinces pay their respects Ronda mean Lion, which to Hercules in some shape or form: a wall ly mains. Roman hero would scoff, they’re would now be a frieze at the Alhambra Palace in Grana- As our but overgrown poodles! protected species, da; a lofty column in Sevilla’s Alameda nothing T the time of writing ‘councillor elect’ until the inthis, we should have vestiture. MIJAS had a government in Honestly, it doesn’t yet feel MATTERS place in Mijas for al- any different than before. By Bill Anderson most two weeks, but instead I am still going to my work in we have to wait until July 5 for the morning, still grading stuthe investiture and appoint- dents’ papers and filling in the mountain of paperwork derly, or the disabled. I would ment of the government. the opportunity to work Giles Brown is more Christopher Biggins This is thanks to VOX who that goes with teaching at a like closely with the ‘International presented last minute in the university. than Christopher Reeve as he learns to fly to give answers, elections, whose number one And it will continue this way Community’, to inform, to involve, and to founders on the list resigned, and then until July 5. F you were a child in the ling, bungee jumping, hang The 4 Real include former with integration. a day or so before the elec- Whether we end up in gover- helpthe first Brit to serve on 70s, there were three films gliding and the like leave me at FlyDevils – the British Artions un-resigned leaving the nment or in opposition, I am As cold – or sweaty palmed to Red that you would have seen. Council and only the my’s crack parachute display number two on the list who still clear what I want for Mi- Mijas ‘foreigner’ to be in This was in the age before be precise. second – who purchased the headed their ‘campaign’ wi- jas. Internet, DVDs, Netflix or fil- Even rock climbing scenes in team I want a clean, safe Mijas, led this position in 40 years of equipment after using it to thout the one seat they won. ms on demand, so in order to films make me turn pale. government, I Tom Cruise for the film This has gone to court and by a forward thinking and res- democratic see a film you actually had to Little wonder, then, that I train want to acknowledge the Impossible: Fallout. it was decided that the said ponsive government. get off the sofa and traipse have absolutely no desire to Mission which Angel NoTom, by the way, is apparentnumber one is to have the I would like to see a system commitment skydive. off to the local cinema. which facilitates rather than zal made to the International totally professional, very seat. So going to the pictures was Let’s be honest, with my ly of Mijas, firstly, by Now we have to wait and see prevents, a system which is Community track record with all things friendly and has a penchant a proper occasion. me to work with him, practical jokes. if they will appeal the deci- inclusive, whether we are tal- inviting Seventies kids therefore saw mechanical, especially trans- for the ex-paras I spoke to secondly by placing me sion and possibly delay things king about the children of Mi- and on the list, ensuring a Star Wars – and lights sabe- port, going up in a light air- And pop pipsqueak Justin Beijas, the unemployed, the el- high even further. each other in the foyer craft is never going to be a gave chance if he does step red internationals. the for seat ber no People keep asking me what afterwards, Grease, singing good idea. Now, it will be up to me as to an MMA ring with him… is going to happen: is Angel loudly along with John Travol- When I got the invitation to into a safety briefing and how I work for the people of Nozal going to be Mayor? ta and Olivia Neutron Bomb, go and check out Fly 4 Real, Afterdonning of a rather natMijas. Is he going to pact with anosouthern Spain’s first out- the and Superman. I have a lot of plans, but these suit, although I had flying ty I simulator, ther party? skydiving One of the things that I dis- door will to some extent be deterbrought the wrong shoes Are the other parties going to tinctly remember about was intrigued. mined by the outcome of the had to have my Mopact? going to see the latter was Rather than leaping out of a and vote for Mayor on July 5. sandals duct taped Frankly, I haven’t a clue. the fact that not only my plane, you are kept aloft in a roccan If Angel is successful, I will to my ankles – a look that What I do know is that parties tunnel. wind other the all also but mum, Mijas for full-time working be catch on – it was time will need to work together, mums came to the cinema It’s somewhat like being in a won’t and if we are in opposition, whether in coalition or inforhuge hairdryer, although ob- to climb into the wind tunnel with us. I will continue my teaching, my instructor and fly. mally to make Mijas move Normally one longsuffe- viously it’s been years since I with I didn’t soar like Superand balance the two tasks. While forward. ring adult would have to be was near one of those. In either case, I will be avaiman, I didn’t bounce I have also been asked how it in charge of half a lable to the Mijas community off the bottom of feels to be a councillor. dozen nine-year-olds. will work hard for you. the wind tunnel in a Actually, I am still technically HISTORIC: Brit Bill Anderson and Superman, With crumpled heap and however, is while the if nothing else, the nine-year-olds belieupward blast gave 7 3 2 8 9 1 6 4 5 ved a man could fly, me the most thorouthe mums all belie9 6 4 7 2 5 1 8 3 gh facial treatment in ved that Christopher 1 5 8 3 6 4 9 2 7 years. Quick Crossword Reeve looked pretty Although I was more 2 8 3 5 4 9 7 6 1 damn good in a cape. Across: 7 Epitaph, 8 Crab, 9 Salami, 10 Nectar, 11 Christopher Biggins Since then, however, 5 7 9 1 8 6 4 3 2 Christopher Tempest, 14 Mere, 15 Hoar, 16 Oatmeal, 20 Bremen, than I haven’t had any 4 1 6 2 3 7 5 9 8 Reeve, you could be21 Safety, 23 List, 24 Limpopo. great yearning to lieve a (small, bald, 3 9 5 4 1 2 8 7 6 take to the sky. 50-something) man Down: 1 Female, 2 Giza, 3 Panics, 4 Chant, 5 Ice 8 4 1 6 7 3 2 5 9 I’m not good with could fly! cream, 6 Damage, 12 Playmate, 13 Two, 15 Heroin, 17 heights, so absei- IS IT A BIRD: Giles (far left) goes skydiving 6 2 7 9 5 8 3 1 4
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Any hospitals I’ve visited are the same, even in Ireland (Bed mugged, Issue 321, pg 1). No one asks who you are, when wandering into a ward. BED Maybe bedside cabinets with MUGGED a combination lock or something for valuables could be a solution? Jennifer Knowles, Malaga Vol. 13 Issue 321 www.theolivepress.es July 3rd to July 16th 2019
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UROPE’S most southerly town looks out across the Strait Gibraltar where two mighty of continents collide. But the cultures is entirely geographic.clash of Indeed, Tarifa radiates such a calming vibe it would threaten to relax the mighty shoulders of the titan self but there’s no danger Atlas himfalling down...Hercules’ two of the sky mythological pillars (Gibraltar and Mount Jebel Musa in Morocco) have long since relieved him of that burden. Shaded by pine forest, cushioned by soft dunes, and 14 kilometres from Africa, this Costa de la Luz rribean-copy beaches and gem’s Calaid-back vibe set it apart from the more tured resorts along the Malaga struccoast to the east. And that’s unlikely to change to Tarifa’s protected location thanks in El Estrecho Natural Park. The coastal town in Cadiz province is an endearing mix of beach bum bohemianism and boutique chic, with the added attraction of great seafood and restorative Atlantic winds. It makes it the perfect escape (along
from Edinburgh said this week. The lecturer at Marbella’s Les Roches University, stood for the PP party alongside winner Angel Nozal, who is expected to be invested on Friday. After living in Andalucia for 17 years, Anderson said he now hopes to help the international community to ‘integrate’ better in the town.
EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
AN Irish expat is calling in police after she was robbed while staying at a hospital on the Costa del Sol. Paula Brody, 75, from Dublin, woke up from a serious leg operation to find her smart phone and charger were stolen from her bedside table at the Hospital Costa del Sol. The former admissions boss at Dublin’s Institute of Education told the Olive Press how her ‘whole ward’ was robbed during the night. “I was devastated to wake up alone in my bed in pain and unable to move and also unable to contact any of my family or friends,” she revealed.
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Brody, who lives in Manilva, had been rushed into hospital after suffering a horrific fall last week. The pensioner suffered a broken tibia and fibula as well as a deep gash in her leg, when she fell down a friend’s stairs. She had to be rushed to the hospi-
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tal by ambulance and was quickly sedated and rushed in to surgery. She believes the thefts, which included other phones and jewelry, were carried out by two teenage boys, around 15, who were seen by the patient in the bed next to her. The woman told her the two lads had fled when questioned about what they were up to. “Who knows if it was them,” added Paula, who moved to Spain two months ago. “Whatever happens, do not leave anything on show because the
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security is seriously lacking there. It seems anyone can simply enter and wander around.” Apart from the loss of her Samsung phone, she insisted that the medical care and nursing was ‘excellent’. “The care was fantastic but the poor nurses were very overworked and so cannot look out for your belongings,” she added. When the Olive Press asked security how many people were robbed on the alleged night, our enquiries were met with a shrug. The hospital meanwhile, has refused to give Paula a formal letter confirming the phone has been stolen, making it difficult to report the issue to police and her insurers. “But I am going to make sure this case does not go undealt with. The police will find out all about it,” she added. Hospital bosses refused to comment on the case.
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Celebrating the 10th anniversary of our annual Cadiz special
A BRITISH expat has made history on the Costa del Sol. Olive Press columnist Bill Anderson has become the first UK councillor in Mijas. “I feel very honoured and proud to be in this position,” the 61-year-old
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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.
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The dad-of-two later died from septic shock – believed to be linked to taking the Nolotil. Another British expat Hugh Wilcox was prescribed the same medication for mild shoulder pain on the Costa del Sol. He developed severe head
Yesterday I was offered Nolotil by a doctor at Antequera Hospital. When I said ‘no thank you’, she asked why and I said it was a banned dangerous drug. She did not say anything but just smiled at me. I was under the impression Nolotil had now been banned in Spain? OUR PRICE
See Bill’s regular column on page 46
1
WIN WIN WIN: Bolton and Pink Purple Zep Fest tickets
need for more research
Dr Nina King, of Oasis Dental Care in Marbella, fully supports the campaign, telling the Olive Press the drug is not something she prescribes. “It’s not a drug I use, I stick to safe and standard medication,” she said, “And after seeing what damage it can do, it’s a drug I won’t be using in the future.” Marbella-based private doctor Dra. Victoria María Chacón Almeda also agrees the drug is dangerous. “I don’t prescribe the drug,” she told the Olive Press, “I have lots of British patients and I am aware of what it is capable of doing. “There needs to be a lot more research on its impact.” doctor to get a renewal in April, tests showed the drug had caused a toxic poisoning in his bone marrow and his white blood cell was dangerously low. Billy, a keen sportsman, developed sepsis and necrotising fasciitis as a result and required ‘radical surgery’ to remove the affected tissue in an attempt to save his life.
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Where is this happening? What is it with the Spanish? They are allegedly so macho, but obviously have tiny c**ks.
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tribute bands Think Floyd, Deeper Purple and Whole Lotta Led rocking out the greatest hits of Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin at the Plaza del Toros on August 26. For a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Bolton, just answer the question; what year was Michael Bolton born in? For the Pink Purple Zep Fest in Estepona, just tell us; Where was Jimmy Page born? Email answers to the newsdesk@theolivepress.es.
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Nolotil, or Metamizol, is still one of the most popular painkillers in Spain, yet the most feared side effect is agranulocytosis, a severe and rapid drop in white blood cells, which leaves patients unable to fight infections. Garcia del Campo noticed that a large number of other English
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THE Olive Press is calling on Spain to ban a lethal painkiller that is killing countless of unsuspecting expats. British dentists and doctors are supporting the ban after Briton Graham Ward, 75, complained to the Olive Press of how he was prescribed the deadly Nolotil drug by a dentist last week. It’s the very same drug that was blamed for killing his wife in 2006. The Marbella-based expat was furious when he was told to take the painkiller by his Spanish dentist, after suffering from a difficult abscess. His wife Mary, 59, had died after being prescribed the same drug following a double vasectomy at Costa del Sol Hospital. “Within 24 hours she was in intensive care, her white blood cell count plummeted to zero within days,” explains Graham, a former computer HAPPIER TIMES: Graham with wife, and Billy Smyth technician, from London. She never regained conscious- again. Metamizole, Nolotil is banned ness and was on a life support “He said she would be alive if in the US, the UK, Ireland and machine for FOUR months, she hadn’t taken it, but I have most of Europe, but it is prebefore spending three years heard from dozens of Brits scribed widely in Spain. fighting the impact of the and Irish who have been given Irishman William ‘Billy’ drug, which led to organ fail- it,” added Graeme. Smyth was given a five-day It is the third victim of the course of the drug in Februure. “The chief surgeon at the hos- drug the Olive Press has re- ary. pital promised me he would ported on in under a year. But when the 66-year-old renever prescribe that drug Sometimes known also as turned to a different Spanish
Continues on Page 8
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THE Olive Press is giving away three pairs of tickets for two of the best concerts on the Costa del Sol this summer... And all you have to do is answer two simple questions! Michael Bolton takes to the stage for an emotive end of season night at Marbella’s Puente Romano on August 10, while Estepona is set for its biggest rock concert in years with mammoth
EXCluSiVE By laurence dollimore
A BRITISH expat couple are fighting to save their Malaga home from demolition over a technicality. Gill and Bob Ward, both 74, have been locked in a battle with their town hall, which claims their house in Almayate is illegal. Just yesterday the retired couple from Cornwall were given
one month to knock down their only property (pictured above). In a court order seen by the Olive Press, the Wards are warned they will be held criminally responsible if they refuse. “I don’t know what to do anymore, I’m at the end of my tether” Gill told the Olive Press, “I’m totally exhausted from the whole ordeal.” The retired pair, who have now spent thousands of euros on legal costs, bought the old farmhouse ‘in ruins’ in 2004, and were given permission from Velez-Malaga town hall to rebuild it. But when the original wall collapsed of its own accord during construction, the Wards’ architect told them it would be fine and that he would let the town hall know. Unfortunately for
and Irish patients had been suffering with sepsis at hospitals along the Costa Blanca. “I thought, this can’t be normal,” explained the translator, from Madrid. And after looking at patients’ notes, she found that each had one thing in common - they were all taking Nolotil. Although manufacturers list side effects such as agranulocytosis, necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis, they are considered ‘very rare’ affecting one in every 10,000. The figures did not seem to add up to Garcia del Campo so she set about doing her own research. However, no information existed in Spanish media. The only articles she could find on the drug and its lethal side effects was in the Olive Press. “I was in disbelief,” continued the Javea-based translator, who lived in the UK for 18 years. “I thought this was surely wellknown and someone was doing something about it. Except it wasn’t. “I felt I had to inform Spain
‘I will work hard for you’, says Olive Press columnist Bill Anderson, who is the first ever Brit to serve on Mijas Council
The Spanish really need to learn how to play quietly amongst themselves and leave the innocent alone.
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cante-based Garcia del Campo spotted our campaign, while working with an Irish expat who suddenly became critically ill with sepsis and necrotizing fasciitis after taking the drug. He died later in November.
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I have never heard of this before. Although I totally agree with Gervais about bullfighting, I do not see anything drastic about this. After all it is what I always wanted, the matadors in a bull ring to fight with their bare hands if they dared. But in this case, they only groom the horses and let them free. There are no spears, swords or dead animals like in the barbaric bullfighting!
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Readers react to Ricky Gervais slamming participants of a Spanish ‘horse wrestling’ festival (online, July 8)
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Issue 31
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 VI
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’ long-neglected 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 multisports 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 MiMIRAGE: Development’s designs include five-star hotel, casino and apartments jas but the whole Costa del Sol.”
II
July 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 Spanish-resident 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 non-residents buying second-homes in Spain, it’s a reason for expats with troduced back in 2012 in the depths less than €1m in liquid assets to of the economic crisis by Treasury 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 with the Modelo 720. of Montoro, a ‘carrot and stick to With its impractical reporting requi- regulate the submerged economy,. rements, and crippling fines for even But it turned out to be a stick to beat innocent mistakes, the Modelo 720 innocent expats with rather than coleaves you at the mercy of the impe- rrupt Spanish politicians like many rious Spanish tax authorities even if of Montoro’s buddies from the PP. you act in good faith. The aggressive way it “All on its own meis designed to punish rit, in recent years offshore wealth hits Going soft on the Modelo 720 has expats the hardest, as become the terror of few Spaniards have wealthy tax taxpayers with assets wealth to the tune cheats hiding abroad,” comments of €50,000 or more Spanish lawyer José outside of Spain, whitheir assets María Salcedo, who lst tens of thousands abroad specialises in purof expats do. So the suing appeals against Modelo 720 looks the tax authorities. suspiciously like a cyEven Spanish courts nical trap designed by the Spanish are starting to rule that the Modelo tax authorities to relive expat retirees 720 penalties are out of all propor- of some of the wealth they built up tion. during a lifetime working and saving I suspect that the 720 Form’s one- outside of Spain. That said, I don’t rous 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 releaving the country poorer for it. In- gulations.
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 high-handed 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 fundamental li-
berties 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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III
July 2019
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.
Bubbling up
It’s an order!
COMING SOON: Epic Marbella on the Golden Mile
PRICEY: Palma de Mallorca
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.
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.
IV
July 2019
PROPERTY
Starchitect wars Projects in Malaga and Madrid up for top industry gongs
M
ALAGA and Madrid are battling it out for the best Housing Project and Urban House at this year’s Dezeen Awards. The New Brick Tectonic apartment complex in Malaga, designed by Munoz Miranda Architects, will go toe-to-toe with the Elcano Housing complex in the capital, designed by the FRPO studio. Both have made it on to the long list of Dezeen’s prestigious annual awards in the Housing Project category. Meanwhile, the original XO House in Madrid has been shortlisted in the Urban House category. Dezeen is one of the most respected and read architecture publications in the world. It launched its annual awards last year.
CHIC: Madrid apartment block hides a bright yellow interior behind domino-like shutters
SQUARING OFF: Cool Malaga apartment block to battle against Madrid counterpart
WATCH YOUR STEP: Amazing set of perspex stairs in the XO House in Madrid, up for ‘Best Urban House’ award
Beds 4
Built 560 m2
Price: 2.400.000 €
Bath 5
Plot 6.303 m2
Ref: DM 4455
VI
July 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, including Barcelona through to Madrid and onto Cordoba, Granada and Malaga or from Barcelona to Valencia and Alicante.
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
Continues on Page VIII
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.
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PROPERTY
VIII
July 2019
Sweet dreams...
1
BARCELONA
BARCELONA
From Page VI
2
VALENCIA
The Palau de la Mar used to be a large stately home in the 19th century. However, located in one of the most beautiful and centrally located streets in Valencia, it is firmly in the 21st century with an electric car charging station, well-equipped spa and stunning terrace restaurant.
VALENCIA
The Cotton House Hotel stands on the site of the former headquarters of the Cotton Textile Foundation Fundación Textil Algodonera, an emblematic 19th-century building in the neoclassical style which is a landmark in Barcelona. The refurbishment project, completed in 2015, has taken great care to maintain all the original elements of the building thanks to acclaimed interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violan.
ALICANTE
3
ALICANTE
GRANADA MALAGA
5
MALAGA
The Masia La Mota boutique hotel is located in an old farmhouse which has been lovingly converted to provide chic accommodation and a restaurant. The 10 luxury double rooms and two suites have been restored and decorated with a personal touch and with materials which create perfect harmony between what remained of the original house and the new improvements.
Palacete de Alamos opened in November 2016 and is located in the historical heart of Malaga, just a stone’s throw away from the main tourist attractions like the Picasso Museum, the Alcazaba and Thyssen Museum. The building dates back to the end of the 19th century and has been restored respecting the original architectural style.
4
GRANADA
Hotel Casa 1800 is located in a charming luxurious house typical of the 16th century in the neighborhood of Albaicin. It is a protected historic building with an originally preserved facade from the Renaissance period. It is also just a few hundred metres to the Alhambra, Spain’s most visited tourist site.
LIGHTS OFF
LIGHTS ON
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PROPERTY MORTGAGE THINK TANK
XI
July 2019
by mortgage broker Tancrede de Pola
Growing up
S
PAIN’S new Mortgage Law officially came into effect last month after more than three years of delays and controversy. Also known as the Housing Credit Law, it should greatly diversify what is on offer for homebuyers while providing better protections. So what’s so good about the new law? The costs of a mortgage are now shared in a fairer way, with the banks obliged to pay for the tax, notary, land registry and gestoria fees. There are also caps on what can be charged for repaying the mortgage early. Meanwhile banks are required to be more transparent and ensure clients know the detail of their loans before signing. One of the less well thought out stipulations, however, is the requirement for the borrower to go to the notary to take a test 10 days before completion. This is clearly unworkable for most non-resident clients and, in practice, it is often being left to lawyers to do this on behalf of the client using their power-of-attorney. This, it is hoped, will reduce the number of lawsuits in the sector which have caused backlogs in the judicial system, most fa-
mously in the ongoing floor clause saga. Additionally, the new law is making it harder for banks to foreclose on homes. Lenders can only foreclose if the customer owes 12 months or 3% of the mortgage in the first half of the loan term - before, it was only three months - and is extended to 15 months or 7% of the debt in the second half. However, it is important to understand that any late payment can have an adverse impact on the individual’s credit score and severely compromise the ability
Spain joins the rest of the EU as its new mortgage law comes into effect
to obtain credit again in the future. The law is not retroactive so the new norms will not be applied to mortgages agreed before it came into effect. Despite this, those already with mortgages could benefit from the changes in the law when renovating or subrogating their loan. The new legislation should reopen the mortgage market after months of uncertainty. Meanwhile, lenders can return to medium and long term strategic planning in their mortgages.
To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call: 666 709 743 or for insurance queries call: 951 203 540 Email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com The Finance Bureau Centro Commercial Guadalmina, 2nOffice No. 7 Guadalmina, 29670
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XII
July 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 metre-thick 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.
NOTABLE: Goya’s portrait of Pedro Romero, who also built Ronda’s famous stone bullring, left and above right
THE BUILD During my years 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 me rely 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. mee
XIII
July 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 baContinues on Page XIV
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
XIV
July 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 XIII
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
MOBILE: (+34) 627 241 313 OFFICE: (+34) 952 001 100
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We find the perfect property for you and we will help you all the way from start to finish, all the way ABC. €395,000
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Atalaya Hills – Ref: RH7502
Sotogrande Alto – Ref: RH7909
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.
Established in 2006 we specialise in inland property with an extensive portfolio of white village and country homes. Ronda Properties Estate Agent Inland Andalusia, c/San José, 1 29400, Ronda, Malaga, Spain
Tel: (+34) 952 187 313 Mob: (+34) 608 765 990 Email: info@rondaproperties.com www.rondaproperties.com
Restored White Village House
Country House
Bed & Breakfast/Townhouse
7 min from Ronda super cozy white village house, 108m2, 2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, study/3rd bedroom with 2 enclosed patios, front and rear and located in the sought after village of Arriate.
Country house on one level, 170m2, plot of 7000 m2, with self-contained apartment, pool, views and only 2.5km from Ronda. Renovated c ountry house with a modern touch plus self-contained one bed apartment.
Opportunity to acquire a popular up and running rural tourism business in the heart of old town Ronda. An 18th Century property within easy walking distance from numerous squares, outdoor cafes only 2 minutes from famous Ronda Bridge.
Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2
Build: 108m2
Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2
Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 4
Build: 165m2
Ref: 87065
€69,000
Ref: 63947
Ref: 90541
€295,000
Build: 170m2 Plot: 7000m2
€285,000
Inmobiliaria - Real Es tate
La Serranía Services
tel: (+34) 952 187 313 movil: (+34) 608 765 990 www.laserraniaservices.com
Welcome to Serrania Services, Ronda Estate Agents, we are inland property specialists in the Serrania de Ronda, Andalusia. We have properties for sale and to rent in Ronda and the famous White Villages, Pueblos Blancos of the Serrania de Ronda.
Country House
Restored Country House
Spectacular Country House
Country House 200m2 with pool and beautiful views, set in a plot of 12.000 m2 planted with olives and fruit trees. The property comprises 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Kitchen and sitting-room diner with feature chimney. Spacious porch area with artesian stone table and enjoying lovely vistas.
Charming Andalucian Finca with pool in the beautiful, protected area of the Genal valley. The property 243 m2 has been exquisitely restored and is in an immaculate condition, comprising 3 bedrooms, 3 spacious bathrooms, 2 bedrooms en-suite and a family bathroom.
Spectacular country house 455m2 built, 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms together with 800000m2 of land with cork production. Located only 20 minutes from the sought after village of Gaucin the house has fabulous panoramic views over the natural park of Los Alcornocales.
Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2
Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3
Bedrooms: 6 Bathrooms: 3
Build: 455m2 Plot: 800,000m2
Ref: 101321
€1,150,000,000
Ref: 101130
Build: 200m2 Plot: 12,000m2
€295,000
Ref: 101363
Build: 243m2 Plot: 320,000m2
€420,000
XVI
July 2019
i n s t a l a c i o n e s
PROPERTY
info@instalacionesemasur.com www.instalacionesemasur.com
Two gorgeous homes in Spain show the beauty of working with stone
Air Conditioning Electricity Solar Panels – Plumbing Automatic Doors Swimming Pools Renewable Energy
C
tel: 952 89 25 15
CENTRE PIECE: Spiral staircase (left), while (right) the opening facade makes this a home for all seasons
C/Espinosa – Edif Manisabi, Local 12 Ctra Sabinillas, 29692, Manilva (Málaga)
20 years of experience
VISTA: Stone house in Menorca offers stunning views across med
FREE QUOTE info@sghaulage.com www.sghaulageltd.co.uk
Set in stone
+44 1522 702 443
UTTING-EDGE building design harks back to the ‘stone age’ in two of the latest projects rocking architectural circles in Spain. Casa Piedra, in Caceres and the Stone House in Menorca were constructed from materials hewn from their local surroundings, making them part of the natural landscape by default. Tunon Arquitctos used local quartzite, with windows framed in granite for their Caceres project, which sits on a plot sloping down towards the town, its thick walls providing it’s owners shade and privacy. The ground floor is a grid formed of nine identical rooms laid out in a three-by-three arrangement while interiors have been kept minimal. In the central room is a spiral staircase made from white-painted metal curves down to the basement level garage, laundry and a guest room. An open platform parallel to the house boasts a decking area and swimming pool. Nomo Studi’s Stone House makes use of the local limestone and smooth plaster for its dramatic cladding. The stunning home sits on sloping scrubland commanding cinematic views of the sea through a sliding glazed facade which can be opened to the elements in summer or enclosed to form a winter garden in cooler months.
tel: 952 81 01 02 info@kssir.com www.ksmarbella.com MARBELLA
·
SOTOGRANDE
·
G I B R A LTA R
·
SEVILLA
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L
FABULOUS WALKING ONCE INVILLA A LIFETIME DISTANCE TO THE BEACH FRONTLINE BEACH CONTEMPORARY VILLA AND ALLMILE TYPE OFPUERTO AMENITIES GOLDEN NEXT TO BANUS KSSIR-25192P
KSsir.com · KSsir-25476P
Bedrooms: 5 · Bathrooms: 5 Plot:m2 1.920 m2 1,409 m2 Built: 421,27 · Plot:
Build: 928 m2
2.100.000 euros
Price upon request.
Elegant 5 bedrooms villa located between San Pedro de Alcantara
Magnificent Frontline BeachBuilt contemporary villa located next to Puerto Banus, and Puerto Banus. in one level, the property distribute ason the prestigious Golden Mile only a walk away from all amenities. Situated right on the follow: entrance hall, large lounge with fireplace and dining area, four beach this south facing villa enjoys endless views over the Mediterranean Sea and to suites, large suite bigConstructed bathroom to the bay of including Marbella filled withmaster changing lightwith fromfireplace sunrise toand sunset. with bathtub and separate shower, maids bedroom and bathroom, the finest quality standards using the best technology throughout, it is built on 2 levels spacious fully fitted dining area, laundry room, plus a large basement withkitchen cinemawith room,informal fitness room, sauna, wine cellar and industriallarge kitchen. The property offers a spacious open garden plan livingwith andswimming dining room,pool. gourmet covered terrace, beautiful mature kitchen television room,material guest cloakroom. 6 bedrooms The with villa breakfast have toparea, quality finishing such asThe A/C, satellite (all en-suite) all have plenty of cupboard space and covered and open terraces. There are TV, underfloor heating all throughout, alarm system. A beautiful villa separate staff quarters with independent entrance and a garage. Beautiful landscape walking distance to allplenty typeofofout facilities amenities garden, heated swimming pool and door andand indoor entertaining area. A truly unique home in an exceptional and most desirable location.
LUXURY APT IN THE MOST EXCLUSIVE DUPLEX PENTHOUSE IN UNBEATIBLE LOCATION AND PRESTIGIOUS COMPLEX IN BEACHFRONT RESORT NEXT TO MARINA PUERTO MARBELLA GOLDEN APPLE BANUS KSsir.com · KSsir-25329P KSSIR-25114P Build:4 228 m2 Bedrooms: · Bathrooms: 4 Terrace: 377 m2 Built: 287 m2 · Terrace: 40 m2
€ 3,950,000 2.700.000 euros
Situated in a unique position in one of the most prestigious beach front complex with This large apartment is located in Marbella town only in the limit of beautiful landscape gardens, lagoon shape swimming pool, restaurant, social club, Mileand two walking distance the beach and the spathe andGolden indoor pool 24minutes hours security guard, only 200tometres from Marina Puerto Promenade. Enjoying stunning sea, gardens, and mountain views. Situated Banus, with its luxury boutiques and gourmet restaurants. The penthouse is situated on the seventh floor with facing to the west itviews offers large veryhas bright rooms, in a corner position mainly southwest to the seaand but also east views comprises; anMountain entrance hallitswith guest cloakroom, large loungeoffers withdirect dining to La Concha from private swimming pool. The apartment from themodern lift. area and direct access to aaccess big terrace, fully fitted kitchen with breakfast area, three main bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.
ELEGANT SOUTH FACING VILLA ENJOY SPECTACULAR SEA VIEWS SIERRA BLANCA FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET KSSIR-25255P KSsir.com2··KSsir-25528P Bedrooms: Bathrooms: 2 Built: 134Build: m2 · 253 Terrace: m2 35 m2
1.800.000 euros
€ 1,350,000
It is situated on the floor offering views over the landscaped Exquisite Penthouse withsecond Panoramic Terrace around to enjoy the privileged Infinite gardens, communal a beautiful lake and andisall Views ofthe thehuge Mediterranean Sea.swimming This lovelypool, penthouse enjoys artificial great privacy the the Mediterranean Located in one the best veryway welltolocated, as the buildingSea. has direct access to theofbeach in thecommunities quiet part of around Puerto offering 24 shopping hour gated security, indoor heated Fuengirola. WalkingBanus distance to shops, center and restaurants and bars. swimming outdoor pool, restaurant and social club, thisclose, represents Paradise forpool, children, with skating rink, zoo and water park, all very as well for golfers. The property is located a Gated Community and offers 2 parking aas great opportunity to purchase an inideal holiday or permanent residence. spaces and laundry room. 2 bathrooms, master This property enjoys an entrance hall, 2 bedrooms, en-suite, living/dining room, large terrace and fitted kitchen.
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
VOTED BEST and MOST INFORMATIVE WEBSITE by our 2018 customer database survey of 13,500
SEE for yourself...
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includes: videos, google street maps, full descriptions, chat box
TH4110
75.000€
Alcaudete, Jaen 4 bed, 2 bath Build: 261m2
TH4111
37.000€
Puerto Lope, Granada 4 bed, 1 bath Build: 86m2
This spacious well presented 261m2 build 4 double bedroom, 2 bathroom townhouse is located in the popular town of Alcaudete in the Jaen region of Andalucia and boasts a private swimming pool and terrace with views over the historical castle.
Ready to move in to this 4 double bedroom townhouse with internal titled patio and private roof terrace is situated on a sort after quiet, wide, level street in the village of Puerto Lope in the Granada region of Andalucia.
CH161 185.000€
VL912 195.000€
Alcala la Real, Jaen 3 bed, 1 bath Build: 138m2
Puente Don Manuel, Malaga 2 bed, 2 bath Build: 524m2
Situated near to the large popular historical town of Alcala la Real in the Jaen region of Andalucia this 3 double bedroom chalet style property with a fabulous swimming pool and commanding views over the countryside and mountains sits on a very generous plot size of 13,000m2.
This 2 bedroom villa offers great potential in reforming the large basement area into an apartment with the right planning permission. Puente don Manuel is a very English speak village, with a variety of bars, restaurants, shops, recreational areas, etc.
TH4089
90.000€
VL916 154.000€
Trapiche, Malaga 2 bed, 2 bath Build: 39m2
Villanueva de la Concepcion, Malaga 3 bed, 2 bath Build: 123m2
This home is in the pretty village of Trapiche which is situated a short drive from Velez Malaga. Velez Malaga is a large town which has plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, banks also a hospital and schools. The property offers a fitted kitchen and dining area, a lounge, two bedrooms and a bathroom.
Accessed by a long country track, the property sits on an elevated position that offers amazing views that reach for miles, yet the substantial grounds of the property are relatively flat. The house is only 15 years old and was built in authentic Andalusian country style, with beautiful tiles and wooden features.
TH4112
41.200€
VL915 119.000€
Villanueva de Tapia, Malaga 2 bed, 2 bath Build: 72m2
Marchena, Seville 3 bed, 2 bath Build: 200m2
Fantastic lock up and go in the bustling Andalucian town of Villanueva de Tapia a short 10 minute drive from the beautiful lake iznajar and easy access for Granada or Malaga. The property opens straight into a bright living room and separate dining room with stairwell and a newly fitted kitchen.
This 3 bedroom property sits with a an urbanisation just a short drive from the town of Marchena which offers schools, large supermarkets, shops, bars and restaurants. It has a gated entrance leading into a gravel drive with room for at least 4 vehicles and continues to the garden.
Malaga Office 952 74 15 25
info@inlandandalucia.com
Calle de la Villa 14, 29532 Molina, Malaga
Jaen Office 953 58 70 40
Axarquia Office
Calle Abad Moya 4b, 23680 Alcala la Real, Jaen
Cruce Puente D. Manuel 4, Edif. Al Zabel, 29713 Alcaucin
contact@inlandandalucia.com
952 51 97 18
info@inlandandalucia.com
PROPERTY Off plan points to consider XX
July 2019
W
E asked our legal experts for a few pointers for clients considering buying off plan.
Is your money safe? Promoters are obliged by law to guarantee the return of the amounts paid during construction in the event building works don’t commence or have not been completed on the date agreed.
Thinking of buying off plan? Our property specialist Adam Neale has everything you need to know
Likewise, they are obliged to deposit money in a special bank account, to be used exclusively for costs directly related to the construction. The bank must be vigilant in maintaining this account and
have a signed insurance contract, or some form of collateral, to guarantee return of payments advanced by the buyers. However, the ‘guarantee’ only comes into force once the building licence is obtained. This is very important, as most promoters start signing contracts for purchase reservation agreements before obtaining the licence. This means that the amounts paid by buyers for ‘reservation’ purposes will not be guaranteed, except for the solvency of the promoter. Nor is the promoter obliged to deposit said payments in a ‘special account’. Be careful with any agreed extras. They also should be guaranteed in the same way as the original purchase price. Play it safe It is common practice for promoters to provide the guarantee or certification several days after a client signs the purchase agreement and receiving payment
The Property Insider
by Adam Neale
from the buyer. Our advice is to demand it simultaneously, as required by law (section Three, last paragraph, of the D.A. 1st. of the LOE), because only then will you have full coverage. Promoters are usually reluctant to do things this way, because the bank or insurer demands that this money is first deposited previously with them. You should also check with a registry that the insurance company guaranteeing the refund is authorised in Spain. In the previous decade it was very common to work with insurers not authorised to operate in Spain. In many of these cases, the promoter’s directors were responsible for their negligent behaviour when contracting these companies, knowing that they do not have any authorisation to operate in Spain. Buyers must also keep payment proof of the amounts delivered to the promoter, because if this
can’t be legally certified, and even if the contract says that they have been paid, the insurer or the bank can refuse to reimburse you. This is stated in section i) of section 2 of the D.A.1ª of the LOE and is relevant because sometimes, the form of payment is not indicated and over time it can be forgotten or lost. I also advise buyers to demand the following before signing anything: identification of the insurance company or bank that is going to guarantee the return and a certificate from the bank identifying the ‘special account’ opened by the seller. It is not advisable to simply trust what the promoter tells you.
The guaranteed amount should cover not only the amount that has been delivered to the account, but also the interest generated from the date of delivery until the promoter’s estimated delivery of the project. This is usually fine, as it is usually expressly indicated in the endorsement or guarantee certificate. Finally, as a buyer you should exercise caution regarding any extensions of the home handover; if the developer does not renew the insurance policy or the bank has not guaranteed to extend it to the new planned delivery date, the guarantee or insurance will not cover the amounts paid by the buyer during that time.
Terra Meridiana, 77 Calle Caridad, 29680 Estepona • Tel: +34 951 318480 Office Mob: +34 678 452109 • Email: info@terrameridiana.com • Website: www.terrameridiana.com
Tranquilo,
they’re on their way home..
FRANCE - ITALY - PORTUGAL
SPAIN - UK - IRELAND
DEFRA AUTHORISED ANIMAL TRANSPORTATION We are Defra Authorised and you can rely on us to take very good care of your pet. We will make sure that they are comfortable and have regular stops to be made a fuss of and carry out neccessary business. Our professional and friendly service will keep them happy until they are reunited with you..
For a quote and some friendly advice
Just Call Jack on the dog & bone.. (+34) 902 109 560
For a quote or just some friendly advice
info@unionjackremovals.co.uk
www.unionjackremovals.co.uk
WE BUILD YOUR DREAMS!
Nordic assurance throughout the entire process!
Helping our clients create their dream homes on the Costa del Sol since 2004. With the highest focus on quality and communication we will assist you with everything from minor renovations to new production making sure you are in safe hands throughout the entire construction process.
Please contact us for a free quote! www.casas-reformas.com +34 654 663 814 info@casas-reformas.com
@casasreformas
Fairway L AW Y E R S
PROPERTY
XXII
July 2019
Wonder-ful! A STUNNING new hotel is set to open in Estepona this week following a €15 million investment. The Maraville Hotel will be a trendy new addition to the up-and-coming town which continues to be one of the hottest property markets in Spain. Maravilla features a rooftop swimming pool and bar which wouldn’t look out of place in Madrid and has helped create some 400 jobs.
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STUNNING: New Estepona hotel Maraville
The breakdown In its latest quarterly report, Campbell Ferguson (right) sums up the performance of the country’s property market
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N our 22nd Quarterly Report, we at Survey Spain have identified a number of wider and national property issues. Looking at the overall market the optimism of the first quarter of the year has faded, with most agents, developers, lawyers, FX specialist, etc, reporting that things have slowed, but there is still demand. Below are some key takeaways.
‘Please don’t waste this time’
EUROPEAN REMOVALS & STORAGE
Weekly service to Spain, France, Portugal and Gibraltar St Georges European pride ourselves
No Government = Strong Economy? Politicians in Spain are as guilty of self-serving action and thought, with there not having been an effective central Government in place for many months. The prospect of yet another general election (in which expats cannot vote) in the autumn is a gloomy one. The difference is that the country’s economy appears to be continuing well without them. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learnt. Certainly, the average voter in many countries is thoroughly fed up with the political establishment, which has led to more support for the extremes of right and left. A deep recession, political extremism and increased nationalism are chilling reminders of 1930’s Europe.
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The effects of Brexit, which we have been feeling here for many months, are beginning to be felt in the UK. From recent visits, the average ‘man in the street’ appears to be sublimely unaware of the costs in market, currency and reputation that Brexit is causing outside the UK, combined with the political shambles in Westminster. “Please don’t waste this time”, warned the EU in April yet that’s exactly what appears to have happened. Nearly halfway through the extension period, and with the August recess looming, there has been no obvious action or answers to the ‘impossible’ questions. It appears that the arch Brexiteers are just running down the time so that they can invoke a no-deal Brexit on October 31.
16/01/2019 11:40
The Pound is not the only failing currency Interestingly, despite the rise of demand from Scandinavia, over the last quarter the Swedish kroner has seen the same volatility in value versus the Euro as the UK pound at about 0.25%, with the Norwegians suffering even more at 0.28%. Those variations, and the much larger variations over the last few years, must affect buying decisions, and certainly have led to many Brits dependant
on fixed sterling income, deciding that Euroland is just too expensive right now. Also an influence will be the benefit of gaining more sterling for their house sale in euros enabling them to buy better in UK as the market in many places there is stagnating. Statistics Hide the Truth Overall property in Spain has seen a slight slowdown statistically, with this being most noticeable on the costas. One reason for this, we are certain, is the amount of demand that is being ‘sucked in’ to off-plan, new build developments, with the number of cranes around our HQ office in Estepona, exceeding the levels seen in the mid2000s. The private contracts for these don’t show in the Notaries or Registrar’s records until the First Occupation Licence is granted on completion of the building, and the buyer meets with the developer’s representative to pay over the final instalment, receive the keys and have the sale notarised. So, we can expect a substantial increase in sales recorded from the second half of this year onwards, when the decisions and legal commitments were made many months or even years before. Legitimising /Ignoring the Rules Andalucia has already started framing new regulations that will ‘legitimise’ the tens of thousands of illegal properties built in the region over the last 25+ years. Solace for the unfortunate buyers, but a bad example to those who benefitted from the illegal sale and building. Apparently, a similar legal pardon was granted to illegal development 30 odd years ago, and it just appears that the perpetrators only have to wait and know that their ‘sins’ will be forgiven eventually. Licencing Estate Agents The previous Junta leaders also proposed legislation to licence estate agents, a much needed control of ‘cowboys’ and uninformed, who prey on the naïve, wide-eyed buyer, but nothing more has been heard of that.
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BUSINESS
Bright future
BRUSSELS has raised its forecast for Spanish economic growth, despite the minimum wage rise and political instability. The European Commission predicted that Spain’s GDP would rise 2.3% in the next year, while the eurozone average would be 1.2%. It comes after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez raised the minimum wage by 22% this year to €900. Brussels had predicted that 70,000 jobs would disappear in two years following the move, but the economy is seemingly unaffected.
Drop in the ocean PUERTO Banus has overtaken ‘Ibiza Magna’ to become Europe’s most expensive port. Docking a 55-metre boat in the Marbella marina will now set you back €4,289 per day, while Ibiza Magna is a slightly more modest €4,084. This is a 20% increase on Puerto Banus’ 2018 rates, which were just €3,545, according to luxury yachting firm, Engel & Volkers. It comes after business owners accused Puerto Banus of forcing them to accept rent increases of up to 700%.
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First female boss at El Corte Ingles, as brand looks to rival Amazon EL Corte Ingles has launched an ambitious bid to be the next Amazon, as it elects its first female president. The luxury department store chain, headquartered in Madrid, has just secured a new partnership with China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba. Chinese customers in Spanish stores will now able to pay in their own currency on mobile phones thanks to the AliPay technology. El Corte Ingles’ 97 stores across Spain and Portugal are hugely popular with Asian customers, as well
Ball’s in their Corte EXCITING TIMES: For El Corte Ingles
as those from the Middle East. The new deal comes as the
Spanish retailer has just elected Marta Alvarez as its president, the first ever
Off the rails VIRGIN Trains has revealed it is eyeing up Spain’s railways after being disqualified from bidding for new British contracts. It comes after the Spanish government announced it would be opening up its highspeed train network to bring competition to the state-backed Renfe from December 2020. Virgin Trains was banned from bidding for the HS2 line between London and Birmingham this year while its partner Stagecoach was barred from East Midlands Trains and Southeastern tenders over its failure to quantify future pension risks. Patrick McCall, Virgin Group’s senior man-
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HE suspension of Woodford Equity Income a month ago sparked the biggest controversy in UK fund management for a decade. Hundreds of thousands of retail investors were unable to reclaim their capital from a fund that has since been forced into a fire sale of its assets and while investors in this fund can only wait out the suspension for now, there are some important lessons that can be learnt for the future. Whether it’s reviewing your current investment portfolio or using this checklist next time you’re planning to invest in a new fund, the Woodford situation highlights the main areas investors need to check before investing. Diversification of risk is key You don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket... diversify, diversify! You need to check that you have a good spread across different funds, sectors and countries and review your investments each year. Rebalance if needed, so that you don’t end up too concentrated. If you are invested in a portfolio, the portfolio manager should do this for you. Diversification is just common sense, as a reasonable spread of assets can potentially limit exposure to market downturns, fund suspensions and volatility.
FOUNDER: Richard Branson aging director, confirmed the company has declared interest in Spain. “We’ve revolutionised UK rail over the last 22 years,” he said.
woman in the post. The daughter of former president, Isidoro Alvarez, who died in 2014, takes on her new role, as net profits have just surged by 28%. Despite this increase, during the 2018/2019 financial year, to €258.2 million, margins are still lower than those before the Spanish financial crisis, which began in 2008. El Corte Ingles has made inroads into online retailing, launching its Click & Express service to rival the likes of Amazon. This new feature promises to deliver products within two hours of orders being placed, which Amazon is currently unable to do. El Corte Ingles was founded in 1940, one year after the Spanish Civil War ended, and today 700 million customers visit its stores every year. Spain’s only remaining department store chain is the biggest in Europe and ranks third in terms of size worldwide.
Listen up! These are the keys to successful investing, writes Blacktower’s Tim Govaerts
Make sure you understand what you are investing in This is especially true if you are self-investing - the guiding principle of the Warren Buffett school of investment. Buy blue-chips and brand names you know. Anything else, avoid. Know the difference between best buy tables and actual advice This could perhaps be the biggest lesson learnt from the Woodford saga. Mr Woodford was a firm favourite of fund ‘best buy’ lists, Hargreaves Lansdown, one of the most influential financial intermediaries, has received major criticism since the fund’s suspension for this reason. Understand liquidity This is how quickly you can buy/sell an asset and as investors have found, investing in unquoted smaller companies via an open-ended fund can create a liquidity mismatch. Just because a fund says it offers daily dealing, doesn’t mean it always will. There is the argument that a crackdown is needed on open-ended funds investing in illiquid assets. However, it does allow customers to invest in a diversity of fund options.
BY Tim Govaerts
July 17th - July 30th 2019
Spaced out OVER 1,400 new car parking spaces have been planned across the Costa del Sol. Drivers in Marbella, San Pedro and Estepona are all set to benefit, with at least 1,426 new spots being built. Under Marbella City Council’s Municipal Parking Plan, 826 new spaces will be created, set to cost €500,933. Those in Marbella are mostly underground, and firms have until July 30 to bid for the contracts.
Geotechnical
The chosen developers will then have until December 31 to put forward their plans, including geotechnical and topographical studies. Estepona’s new parking is centred around Plaza del Ajedrez, where a 15,000 square metre site of 600 spaces is planned. A final date for completion of the project is unknown, but it is expected to take around 22 months. This new parking is set to cost just €1 a day, matching the current prices in Plaza Antonia Guerrero.
www.theblacktowergroup.com
Following a ‘star’
If you are unsure that your current investments are diversified enough, or are beNo one fund manager has the secret to ing offered an investment with terms that outperforming the market in all conditions seem too good to be true, or you are new and therefore you should expect everyone to investing, getting advice from a finanat some point to have bad performance. If cial advice company that has weathered someone has a good long-term track record, more than one or two financial downturns don’t just assume it will continue. Don’t have is essential for your well-being and peace the herd mentality and just follow everyone of mind. Blacktower Financial Manageelse. ment has been established for over 32 years and has Don’t be greedy with its clients If someone has worked through the good and the We would all love our invest- a good long-term bad times, offering sound ments to grow year on year, financial advice. track record, but that is not how it is in Blacktower will be by your the real world and markets don’t just assume side both now and in the fugo down as well as up. If an ture, we are here to help you. it will continue To arrange a professional investment offers you consistently good or above average and impartial consultareturns no matter what the tion please contact me market conditions are, it will end in tears by email tim.govaerts@blacktowerfm. and you will lose money (usually all your com or call me on 685 976 471. Webmoney invested) in the long run. site: www.theblacktowergroup.com Beware; scammers and fraudsters love greed, investors wishes for unrealistic reThe above information was correct at the turns on investments are music to their time of preparation and does not constitute ears, it’s the way they make money, you investment advice and you should seek adlose, they win! vice from a professional adviser before emIf it seems too good to be true IT IS! barking on any financial planning activity.
Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain
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BUSINESS
Putting down roots
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ELL we finally completed the sale of our above the village, close to the ‘ghost village’ of AceUK home at the end of last month. buchal – another interesting pueblo, which only It came after a long drawn out affair, recently became inhabited again after several dewhich we mistakenly believed was near cades of being practically deserted. conclusion at the end of February when we moved It certainly seems that agents are more laid back to our temporary rented home in Nerja. here, and interestingly, an agent can show you any This was mainly down to the buyers’ solicitor refus- property (unless ‘exclusive’) being marketed by othing to speak directly to our estate agent because er agents – similar to ‘multi agency’ in the UK. the latter had dared to question him on his ap- What I do like about the buying process here in proach to a boundary dispute, but also because Spain is that once a sale price is agreed the buyer the surveyor down-valued our gives the agent a small deposit – home, as he considered a loft conin our case it will be €3000 to seversion completed by my father in cure the property and it is removed The intricacies the 1970s as ‘not inhabitable’. from the market whilst the lawyers of the mortgage do their stuff. He also refused to speak to my agent about this, as the room in This avoids the particularly nasty process could question had been my bedroom practice of ‘gazumping’, which as a child, and more recently ours take up a whole has always been prevalent in the when my wife and I moved in after UK particularly in a rising property my mother’s death three years article of its own market. If the seller then withdraws ago. from the sale there is a large fiscal Now finally with funds in the bank penalty for them to pay to you. we set about looking in earnest for a permanent Another huge difference here are the costs in home in the beautiful ‘pueblo blanco’ of Frigiliana, buying a property – allow for between 10-12% dewhich we had fallen in love with on our exploratory pending on area and whether a mortgage is being trip last year, when we stayed in the neighbouring sought. village of Competa. The intricacies of the mortgage application process Frigiliana has been a finalist several times in the could take up an entire future piece in this paper! annual ‘prettiest village in Spain’ competition and Shockingly the tax levied by the Spanish governif you haven’t yet visited, I would urge you to do so ment equates to 8% which is quite a chunk of the before August, when the Spanish living in the big costs. cities inland close up shop and descend on the However, homes in Spain are reasonably priced coast for the entire month! compared to similar ones in Dorset where we used As I write this we are awaiting a reply to an offer to live, and the Spanish government do encourage we made a few days ago for a beautiful villa high property ownership by foreigners – you can see
why when you look at the tax levied! That brings me onto a word of warning. If you have just arrived in Spain, set up your Spanish Bank account and got your NIE number, you should apply for a ‘non-resident’ mortgage as they will take your UK earnings into account. However, if you become resident, then apply for a mortgage, although they will offer you a higher loan to valuation (LTV) they will also only look at your income in Spain – which could be non existent having just moved out! Also weirdly you have to have a current account with the bank which gives you the mortgage. The maximum the bank will lend you is based on the amount of the monthly mortgage repayment, and this is usually limited to 35% of your joint income. The monthly payment obviously depends on interest rates, which are very attractive at the moment (particularly when the Euribor rate is negative as it is currently), but also the term makes a huge difference. The maximum term is normally up to age 70, so in my case - as my 53rd birthday is rapidly approaching next month - is only 17 years.
Get your ducks in a row when buying a property in Spain, writes OP financial columnist Jonathan Holdaway NEW HOME: In Frigiliana
To summarise, if you’re considering buying a property in Spain – particularly if you intend to move here to live, then it’s very important to get all your ducks in a row. Find an estate agent you like and trust - they should be able to show you most properties you find on the internet, apply for a ‘non resident’ mortgage if required as soon as possible, and obviously get good legal advice from a local firm of solicitors. I’ll update next issue on the progress of our intended purchase, but fingers crossed we will soon be moving into our dream Spanish villa – can’t wait to dive into that pool!
Send your comments and feedback to Jonathan at jonathan.holdaway@chasebuchanan.com or call him on 00447723027864 Cantueso 255mm x 170mm_Layout 1 30/05/2019 11:40 Page 1
• Beautiful holiday location • 10 air-conditioned cottages • Well known on-site restaurant • Rural location with spectacular views • Landscaped gardens
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Holiday Complex FOR SALE An unusual commercial opportunity to buy the freehold and business of a well established family friendly holiday complex in Andalucía, comprising ten self catering cottages, a restaurant (rated number one in area) with 50 covers inside and 50 outside, and owner’s apartment. The whole site is tastefully landscaped with an area of over 18,000 m² and is surrounded by olive groves. There are wonderful views to the south over Lake Viñuela and mountain ranges on other aspects.
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Cantueso Periana SL, Periana, Málaga 29710
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Politics aside
THE PP and Ciudadadnos have put forward a joint bill to protect the ‘great potential’ of Andalucian wine. The political parties’ initiative aims to improve the marketing of high-quality wines, as well as recognise the contributions of vineyards to tourism and gastronomy. Emphasized in their proposals, is the fact that Andalucia has nine protected designations of origin (PDO) for its vino, and 17 protected geographical indications (PGI). More than 400 wine companies inhabit Spain’s southernmost region, contributing to an annual yield of over 82 million litres, worth more than €167 million a year.
Making the cut? A JAMON emoji has been put forward for selection on World Emoji Day, July 17. C u r e d meat company Eresma, has given the public three choices for the new text symbol in an online campaign. An image of a leg of jamon cut open is so far the favourite in the poll on Change. org, which uses #PorUnEmojiDelJamon. All new emoji hopefuls, one of which is ‘turron de Alicante’, will have their fate sealed by non-profit organisation Unicode Consortium on July 17. There are now over 2,800 emojis, with hundreds in the food and drink section, including a paella, which made the cut in 2016.
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July 17th July 30th 2019
Brimming with creativity
BULLI: Head chef Adria
CHEF Ferran Adria has been included in Forbes’ ‘100 Most Creative People in Business,’ alongside some other well-known Spanish faces. Adria, former head chef at El Bulli restaurant in Rosas on the Costa Blanca, began his career as a dishwasher before learning to cook while on military service. The 57-year-old managed to make El Bulli a trend-setter with its experimental cooking, and Adria’s spin on molecular gastronomy, before closing a few years ago. The Forbes list also includes the economists Daniel Lacalle and José Carlos Díez as well as the singer Rosalía.
Sign of the times?
Popular expat restaurant styling itself ‘Catholic and rightwing’ cooks up a storm of controversy
A HUGELY popular restaurant on the Costa del Sol has divided opinion after a picture of a sign declaring it ‘Spanish, Catholic and rightwing’ attracted heated debate online. Some locals blasted the message at the Asador Guadalmina as ‘unnecessary’ and said it would only serve to ‘alienate’ potential customers. While some defended the owner’s right to free speech, others said the sign – which has been in place for several years – helped them decide ‘where NOT to spend their money’. The full sign reads: ‘This house is Spanish, Catholic and rightwing, sorry for the inconvenience.’ Hundreds of expats and locals commented on a picture of the sign after it was uploaded by an Olive Press staff member who happened to be dining there at the weekend. “Absolutely ridiculous,” wrote one. “I am not Spanish but even if they sell the best delights in the world I would not go inside, never mind spend my money in that place…ridiculous.” Others defended the right of the owner to put up the sign. “I am in favour of freedom of expression and just like I carry the gay flag in my car…as long as people respect me, I respect
CONTROVERSIAL: Costa del Sol eatery everyone,” said one diner. “I have very rightwing friends who know that I am gay and leftwing and they respect and hear my opinions with more tolerance than many other lefties.” However another local hit back: “The problem is not respect, the problem is that the extreme right ideology would repeal all rights won not only for gays, lesbians, etc., but for the majority of discriminated and weaker classes in our society.” The restaurant, renowned among expats and locals for its tapas and pintxos, told the Olive Press the sign has been up since 2011. A spokesperson said: “Quite simply, the owner is Spanish and Catholic, that’s why he put the sign up.” The controversy comes after far-right party Vox stormed into the Andalucian parliament at last year’s snap regional election. The party, which wants to undo gender violence laws and is openly against gay rights, took 12 seats at the Junta in December.
What are your thoughts on the sign? Let us know at newsdesk@theolivepress.es
BOOK ONE, GET ONE FREE! Award-winning Mountain Hotel offers special last minute deals to Olive Press Readers in July and August
Armitage thanks
POET: Simon Armitage
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,
SHERRY BARREL: Signed by ex poet Laureate Ted Hughes
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.
When the coast gets too much, head to Molino del Santo for peace and quiet this summer and take advantage of our special last minute offers. Book within two weeks of arrival and we’ll offer you up to 50% off our normal room rates. Yep - you read that correctly. Only some dates and some rooms - but you can grab an air-conditioned room with breakfast from just 32euros per person if you stay two or more nights.
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www.molinodelsanto.com | info@molinodelsanto.com | 952 16 71 51 ESTACIÓN DE BENAOJÁN, NEAR RONDA, MÁLAGA
A Spanish restaurant with a twist, located on the edge of historic old Estepona Town in a converted farmhouse dating back to the 1890 with many features retained.
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July 17th - July 30th 2019
Olive Press Princeton interns Regina Lankenau and Maya Eashwaran run down their rev count in Ronda where slow travel is the new mantra
FOOD,DRINK
T Restaurante La Pampa is open from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Calle Sevilla 70, 29680, Estepona Phone: 952 795 545 email: reservas@lapampaestepona.es www.lapampaestepona.es
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 allotment 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, SLOW TRAVEL: Maya practices getting lost in Ronda 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 the protestors. Three years later, Petrini found himself at the forefront of what is now known as the Slow Food Movement, an international organisation dedicated to the preservation of local food and the traditional lifestyle. With tapas and sobremesa among the national pastimes, Andalucia is ideal for this kind of unstructured exploration. And one hub in 2014 to provide a different approach town in particular has made Petrini’s slow to tourism in their hometown. Espousing the slow philosophy, at one end living principles its mantra. Ronda, surrounded by the Serrania de Ron- of this hip locale is a brightly-lit classroom, da and punctuated by craggy outcroppings, at the other an array of artisan products, has managed to maintain agricultural tradi- from wine to fans. The relaxed vibe is completed with a mosaic-encrusted bar, an intions dating back to the Reconquista. door swing, a back terrace If, from a distance, the town with picture postcard views does not look very alive it is and the friendly presence of because residents are probFlamenco Pongo, the dalmatian. ably ensconced in one of its five years, Entrelenthe many plazas. Retirees in classes, leather In guas has formed several Panama hats shuffle around partnerships offering an workshops, in groups of three, chatting authentic taste of life in over drinks. Families gather organic farming Ronda. Flamenco classes, for al fresco dining, their kids leather workshops, organic playing until late evening. and free hikes farming and free hikes are There is no need for security among the immersive Spancameras, as all the terraces ish experiences on offer. are equipped with observant According to Montesinos, ‘the goal of these abuelas. In a corner of one of Ronda’s winding cultural events is to meet other people from streets, Entrelenguas invites both tran- Ronda’ which, he added, ‘is what many peosient visitors and settled expats to learn ple who pass through are most looking for.’ FRIENDLY: Pongo the dalmation says hi more about Spanish language, culture, and For British retirees John and Annie, Spanish tourism. Mar Rodriguez, Javier Criado, and classes at Entrelenguas are key to helping tract tourists by making up products. These Alejandro Montesinos — a trio of Rondeño them become Spanish citizens. They have places aren’t real, and they aren’t being specialists — founded this cross-cultural been taking classes for the past three honest with tourists,” said Rodriguez. As a months and are proponents of the centre’s native who doesn’t dance flamenco or condone bullfighting, she’s also keen to show novel approach. “There’s no way you other sides of Spain not covered in glossy can understand the travel brochures. culture of a place “We know the local produce, the local with ordinary tour- wines. Those other places are contributing ism. You have to get to the clichés of Spain,” she added. under the skin of However, for the traveller pressed for time, the place,” said An- it isn’t always easy to differentiate between nie. “We’ve been in the manufactured and the authentic. It was Ronda for 12 years surprising to learn that the ‘paella individunow, and we’re still al’ commonly advertised in restaurants was discovering new a phenomenon invented for the checklist traveller; the overpriced dish is far from the things.” “We came with the family ritual of sharing a cauldron-sized paintention of assim- ella on a Sunday. ilating into the cul- To guide travellers away from the trite, Entrelenguas offers a map highlighting placture,” John added. Entrelenguas ac- es that have been vetted for authenticity. tively works to pro- Distinguishable by an ‘Experience Local’ tect that cultural sign, these shops provide the best seasonal authenticity and goods. By sourcing their products entirely stave off the influx from surrounding farms, they also contribute to the town’s sustainable development. of mass tourism. “Many places at- In the old town, La Tienda de Trinidad is all CROSS-CULTURAL: Hub of Entrelenguas
The art of taking it slow
& TRAVEL
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July 17th - 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 you expect from a traditional venta: an im- than a euro each. Owned by three brothpressive line-up of jamon iberico hung from ers, the unpretentious decor and standthe ceiling, and an assortment of chorizo, ing-only room does nothing to reel in ungoat cheeses, wines and beers from which suspecting tourists. And that is precisely to sample the full Andaluits charm. cian experience. It’s a different story round Miguel, the owner, recomThe faces of the the corner in Ronda’s busmends visiting the bakery tling Plaza España, where down the street, Antonio’s people who gave McDonald’s is doing a Panaderia Alba, to pick brisk trade — a sight that up some fresh bread first. you directions to would have made Petrini Slicing it in two, he expertplaces unlisted weep. ly drapes several slices of Our shoes skid along slipon maps jamon on top and drenches pery Puente Viejo, worn them in olive oil. This classic smooth by centuries of bocadillo is the perfect actravellers, both friendcompaniment to a stroll through the town. ly and conquering. The walk to the bus Across the Puente Nuevo, past the cam- station under the sweltering sun is one era-happy sightseers, sits El Lechuguita, a we severely underestimated; carting our bar offering over 80 different tapas at less suitcase up the bridge was an almost Si-
syphean 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.
Mesón Mudéjar Vegan restaurant and hotel
The Gin & Tonic bar to visit in Benalmadena Pueblo
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July 17th - July 30th 2019
What’s on Gibraltar
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
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Rock on! 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.
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.
NIGHT TO REMEMBER: African House event on the Rock
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
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.
“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.
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
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For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
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HEALTH
COCKROACHES have begun developing a cross-resistance to powerful insecticides, an alarming new study has found. Scientists from Purdue University exposed cockroaches to different insecticides, and found that populations not only developed a resistance to what they were exposed to, but also to other
British holidaymakers are being overcharged by insurers THE Spanish Private Health Alliance (ASPE) has called out UK-based insurers for ripping off British tourists. Representing over 600 groups, the body has criticised companies for making Brits pay for services already covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
Cock-blockers
insecticides. The vile bugs, which come out in force across Spain in the warmer months, can actually pass their resistance on to their offspring, the study concluded. “This is a previously unrealised chal-
43
July 17th - July 30th 2019 lenge in cockroach- es,” said Michael Scharf, the leader of the study. Cockroaches are a threat to human h e a l t h because they spread bacteria by defecating and regurgitating on food.
How to stay safe and stylish this summer Sepcsavers Opticas have everything you need to know about eye safety in the sun
D You’re screwed
“These companies are charging for assistance they are not providing,” said David Medina, who sits on the ASPE board of directors.
ASPE has singled out up to 15 different British health insurance firms that engage in these ‘fraudulent’ activities. They include: Ok To Travel, In-
Creamy confusion SPAIN has ruled that sun creams labelled as dangerous by a consumer group are ‘not a risk’. The Ministry of Health responded to the Organization of Consumers and Users’ (OCU) damning assessment of the Isdin and Babaria brands. Despite being labelled SPF 50+, the children's creams were found to be just SPF 15 and 30, respectively. “A certain unfair variation has been observed in the methodology used in the laboratories,” said a spokesperson from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS). The OCU and AEMPS have both now called for testing to ‘standardised’ so discrepancies are less likely to occur.
sure Pink, Staysure, Suretravel Citybond, Covered 2 Go, Good to Go, All Clear Traveler, Alpha Travel, ERV Medi-Care, Leisurecare Multi-traveler X5, World First Traveler and Get going Travel Insurance. It comes as a no-deal Brexit could see an end to these ‘fraudulent’ practices, as Brits may have more restricted access to Spanish healthcare. ASPE filed a complaint with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority back in 2016, according to El Pais. Fraudulent insurance policies represent a loss of between €75-100 million a year for the Spanish health sector. The tourist hotspots of Andalucia, the Balearic Islands, Valencia and the Canary Islands are the worst-affected by these policies.
URING the hot Spanish summer, it’s vital that you protect your eyes from damaging UV rays. Specsavers Opticas in Fuengirola and Marbella are offering eye protection advice and sharing their tips for being safe and stylish, with this summer’s coolest sunnies. Always use eye sun protection and choose lenses which are UV400 effective. Polarised lenses offer protection from glare, which is especially useful when driving. Supersize your lenses, or choose wraparound styles so that less light will filter in through the sides. Here are three top styles to choose this summer to keep your eyes protected and look great too! ROSE TINTED Pink is the colour of the season for women. We love the contrast of this translucent rose acetate with the dark-grey tinted lenses. Annipe Sun RX €89 ADD A LITTLE COLOUR These cool shades embrace the trend for colour and prints and are a great way to inject some fun into your look with confetti-like pops of colour. MARC JACOBS SUN RX 02 €149 for 2 pairs. MAKE A STATEMENT Express your individuality and stand out from the crowd with hyper intense colour, bold prints and standout shapes this summer. KENZO KZ3500S SUN RX €199
Find your perfect style at www.specsavers.es or visit your nearest store, in Marbella or Fuengirola.
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Olive Press Costa del Sol - 17th July 2019 - 170 h x 256 w
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Affordable Business Contacts
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July 17th - July 30th 2019
COLUMNISTS
The Look of Lux
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. 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
T
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
BEST PAL: Lux stands out from the crowd
SIP SIP: The Godsisters enjoy a smoothie
Lux, who was coming in on a later 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…”
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 7 Oceanic, 8 Echo, 9 Eggs, 10 Olive oil, 11 To and fro, 12 Rock, 14 Used, 16 Rehearse, 18 Irrigate, 20 Root, 21 Psst, 22 Leisure. Down: 1 Gorgeous, 2 Season, 3 Uncomfortable, 4 Schizophrenia, 5 Meteor, 6 Thai, 13 Customer, 15 Dainty, 17 Atrium, 19 Rush.
SUDOKU
Crash course
Giles Brown is an expert at picking a face from a crowd, even in Malaga Airport
2 4 8 6 5 7 3 9 1
9 3 6 8 4 1 7 2 5
5 1 7 3 2 9 8 6 4
7 8 4 1 3 6 9 5 2
6 5 3 4 9 2 1 8 7
1 9 2 5 7 8 4 3 6
3 7 1 9 6 5 2 4 8
8 6 9 2 1 4 5 7 3
4 2 5 7 8 3 6 1 9
Puzzle by websudoku.com
SPORT
If you have a sports story, newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call 0034 951 273 575
July 17th - July 30th 2019
Mainly on the plane
Star-studded lineup revealed for Costa del Sol’s hottest tennis tournament
SPAIN’S 16-man squad for the Basketball World Cup 2019 in China has been announced by Italian coach Sergio Scariolo. A notable exception is Serge Ibaka, a player with Toronto Raptors, which just became the first Canadian club to win the NBA. Ibaka’s fellow Raptors teammate Marc Gasol, has however been awarded a place on the Spain team plane to the Far East. Scariolo, who is also an assistant coach for the Raptors, also left out Sergio Rodriguez, a European champion with CSKA. Spain kick off the tournament on August 31, taking on Tunisia in Guangzhou.
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
COACH: Scariolo
47
LEGEND: Ferrer in Marbella
Master minds medal in the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, while Catalunyan Robredo is a for-
McLaren kids
SPAIN and Britain have combined, with the announcement of McLaren’s F1 team for 2020. At just 19 years of age, Brit Lando Norris has been chosen again alongside Spain’s Carlos Sainz, 24. The Spaniard replaced Fernando Alonso, who retired from the sport last year.
Norris has impressed bosses in his debut season, describing his own progress as ‘pretty awesome’. “They are the future for this team,” said McLaren boss Andreas Seidl. The chief executive of the team, Zak Brown, also said that the lineup of drivers was ‘never in doubt’.
MUNDO MANÍA
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mer world number five after he won the 2006 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.
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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 Taeazago-Orego to court after claiming he has been putting notes in his mailbox and ‘making his life a misery.’
Oa-dis NOEL Gallagher has angered music fans after replying ‘what’s that?’ when asked his opinion of Spanish flamenco-pop sensation Rosalia.
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Vol. 13 Issue 322 www.theolivepress.es July 17th to July 30th 2019
Hail Mary
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 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 several runners - or mozos - to there is no tragedy.”
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.