Olive Press Newspaper – Issue 221 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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Vol. 9 Issue 221 www.theolivepress.es

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

We’re not money launderers Dream Costa del Sol villa sale falls through after Natwest suspects British couple of money-laundering

n i d n u Fo n o i t a l s tran Who are Lady Gaga, Radiohead and One Direction’s Spanish sound-alikes?

A BRITISH couple have launched legal action after their dream move to Spain was left in tatters when Natwest bank froze their account over suspicions of moneylaundering. Yvonne and Jules Minto found themselves in a ‘living hell’ when they discovered their planned villa purchase could not go through just days before signing. Despite countless appeals to the bank, the purchase of the three-bedroom home, in Torremolinos, had to be scrapped at the last minute. Unable to access their funds for two weeks, they were forced to live on their credit

EXCLUSIVE By Iona Napier cards and even borrowed money from a local estate agent to survive. “I couldn’t believe it when Natwest said we were suspected of money-laundering and had to prove the money was from the sale,” said Yvonne, 48, from Hertfordshire. The security manager, originally from Glasgow, added: “There is absolutely no evidence of any fraud and myself and my wife are absolutely devastated.” She added: “All we did was sell our house. I wouldn’t even know how to moneylaunder if I wanted to.”

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SPAIN’S stock exchange has suffered its worst month in three years amid serious worries over the economic situation in China. The Ibex 35, based in Madrid, closed August with a drop of 8.24% on July. The final session, on Monday, closed with a fall of 0.91%. Yesterday, trading was also slightly down, although not as bad as some had feared. It comes as stock markets across Europe are stuttering in the wake of China’s sudden economic slowdown.

FROZEN OUT: Sale lost for Yvonne and Jules Minto Their nightmare began after they sold their home in Hertfordshire for €270,000 (£200,000) last month, with a long-term plan to move to Spain.

Horrifying

But while the money initially appeared in their UK account, it suddenly disappeared while they were travelling to Spain, via France. “We only found out when we came to pay for a hotel bill,” explained Yvonne. “It was horrifying and we had to spend the next few days on the phone to the UK trying to sort it out, incurring hundreds in phone bills.” While Natwest has now fi-

nally reinstated the money it is too late for their property purchase, with the home now sold to another buyer. Although they have found a new property to buy in Benalmadena they have called in lawyers to help them get compensation for the thousands they have lost due to extra hotel costs and other incidentals. The couple have moved to Spain with their dogs and are planning to open a beach bar and lead a ‘healthier, less stressful life’. “However this is hardly the dream start. We have suffered more stress than ever before in our lives,” said Yvonne. Natwest declined to comment due to ‘client confidentiality’.

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CRIME NEWS

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Burger flips ONE of Ireland’s most notorious Real IRA members is heading home after hiding out on the Costa del Sol for five years. Paul ‘Burger’ Walsh (above), 34, fled to Spain in 2010 after he became the target of irate Republicans in Dublin. As well as being shot at, Walsh’s property in Dublin was also firebombed but he survived both attacks. He is believed to have split the last five years between Liverpool and Torremolinos, where he set up a boxing gym.

Homophobic attack A YOUNG gay couple walking hand in hand have been hospitalised during a homophobic attack. The couple suffered a broken arm, collar bone and lost teeth during the attack at Almeria feria. The couple had first suffered verbal abuse by their attackers who were described as looking like ‘neo-Nazis’.

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Diamonds aren’t forever

Lynchpin ‘blood diamond’ trafficker arrested in Malaga IT was one of the bloodiest civil wars of all time. For 11 years evil traffickers used enslaved citizens - many of them children - to mine so-called ‘blood diamonds’ in Sierra Leone.

By Tom Powell And now, 13 years since the war ended, one of the key traffickers has finally been arrested in Malaga.

Hash haul seized

A DRUG gang based in Marbella and Estepona has been busted by Spanish police. The traffickers were trying to smuggle hashish to Denmark in motorhomes. Some 21 arrests were made during the investigation and half a ton of hashish was recovered along with €220,000. Police have been on the gang’s tail since 2013 when an officer noticed a motorbike and a car parked next to each other without number plates.

INFAMOUS: Blood diamond trade

Belgian-American Michel Desaedeleer was picked up at Malaga airport, after being issued with a European arrest warrant earlier this year. He is accused of trafficking and human rights offences during a war in which more than 50,000 people died. Belgian police were tipped off that the accused planned to return to USA, via Malaga, where he is believed to have property. And in a complex sting they sent down detectives to track him and arrest him. He has now been ordered to prison by a Spanish court, while his extradition to Belgium is processed. Sierra Leone’s diamond trade

was dramatised in the 2006 movie Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film is based on a book by US journalist Greg Campbell, which actually mentions Desaedeleer. Victims association Civitas Maxima claims the case will raise awareness of ‘the pivotal role’ played by financial bigwigs in the trade of resources that fuel armed conflicts in Africa. The diamonds mined in Sierra Leone were mostly trafficked to neighbouring Liberia. There, former president Charles Taylor used the proceeds to finance weapons for the rebellion which had led to the war. Taylor is now serving a 50-year sentence for war crimes.

Kidnappers caught after €35,000 demand A MAN kidnapped and held hostage for six days has been freed after a police raid. The unnamed man, believed to be foreign, was tied up and held in a house in Benahavis, as kidnappers demanded €35,000 for his release. A total of seven French nationals have been arrested and are currently being grilled by Marbella police. Police were alerted after relatives found the 27-year-old kidnapped man’s home trashed.

Hostage

The group of kidnappers then contacted the man’s father and demanded he pay up or they would kill his son. A meet had been set up in Puerto Banus to hand over the man for the money. However, police thwarted the group’s plans when they spotted two of them at a San Pedro petrol station. Following them back to a villa in Benahavis they were able to swoop in and set the hostage free.

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NEWS

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Extra sparkle THERE’S been a bit of extra sparkle on the party island of Ibiza this summer, courtesy of Jade Jagger. The 43-year-old jewellery designer and daughter of rock icon Mick Jagger debuted her new flower-andskull-inspired collection at the Las Dos Lunas hotel. Jagger has long had a home on the island and is regularly seen out at its parties.

Dark subject, happy smiles

CAPTIVATING: Watson EMMA Watson has worked her magic at the premiere of her new film Regression in Madrid. The Harry Potter star swept onlookers away with a new-look hair-do and eye-catching black dress and stilettos. Watson posed for cameras before planting a kiss on director Alejandro Amenabar on the red carpet. Watson stars as a girl who is abused by her father, played by David Bencik, while Ethan Hawke plays an investigating detective.

The Voice forced to wait for his big day Russell Watson spent 50 minutes fidgeting at the altar as new bride almost didn’t show EXCLUSIVE by Iona Napier IN the olden days he used to sing for his supper, but nowadays he has to shout for the right car at his wedding. So-called ‘People’s tenor’ Russell Watson was left to wait nervously for 50 minutes when his new bride, Louise Harris, 27, arrived nearly an hour late to their Benahavis wedding. Not one - but two - vintage Rolls Royces failed to arrive at the allotted time to pick up his bride, and she arrived at 1:50pm rather than 1pm. With a host of photographers from Hello magazine waiting and the guests fanning themselves in the 30 degree heat,

Photos by Jon Clarke & Iona Napier

GLITZY: Jagger

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

STUNNING: Harris arrive nearly an hour late there was some considerable confusion. Fortunately for the opera star - who sang just days before in the Colosseum of Rome with Andrea Bocelli - his bride, 21 years his junior, finally arrived at Benahavis Church in a third Rolls Royce. The 63 guests heard two read-

THE HAPPY COUPLE: After the ceremony

ings during the 20-minute service and then gave, naturally, a rousing rendition of All things bright and beautiful. He is, after all, the man behind The Voice, the UK’s biggest-selling classical album of all time and has sold over seven million albums worldwide. “You could clearly hear Russell’s voice ringing out over the assembled throng,” said church warden Bernardo Gallagher, 75. “It was an emotional service, one where you could see that everyone was moved and the couple kissed passionately at the altar”. After the guests filed out, the couple were seen kissing at the door of the church before they headed to the wedding reception at a restaurant in Mijas. Watson has been a longtime visitor to Benahavis and has occasionally even been coaxed to sing while on a night out in the town.

Primary school chic

WHILE famous for her moody pout and ‘heroin chic’ stare, Kate Moss has appeared on the cover of Spain’s L’Officiel magazine with a very different look. More ‘primary school chic’, Moss flashes a gap-tooth smile at the camera beneath a frizzy fringe, buttoned-up in a school uniform for a yearbook photo-op. She is the first of a series of fashion icons that L’Officiel is paying tribute to by retracing their rise to stardom. Moss was discovered at JFK Airport in New York City at the age of 14.

WAG flees porn plot

DANIELLE Lloyd partied in Marbella as she escaped an exboyfriend’s porn revenge plot. Tom Jimson, 23, allegedly tried to sell a sex tape involving the former Premier League WAG to British newspapers for €270,000. But Lloyd,31, who has dated ex-Spurs stars Teddy Sheringham and Jamie O’Hara, forgot her cares as she frolicked in the Mediterranean surf.

WRIGHT STUFF: Elliott with his parents

A flying start!

LA CALA

Less showbiz, more ‘biz’, for Elliott Wright as Olivia’s finally opens

ELL it has been an absolute blast since we opened two weeks ago. The support for Olivia’s from locals, holidaymakers, family and friends has been amazing and I’ve barely seen the inside of my house it’s been that busy. My so-called ‘showbiz’ lifestyle has certainly gone out the window and the restaurant is my everything right now. I’m putting my heart and soul into it and I didn’t even have a chance to see any of the Vuelta that sped through right next door last week. Yes, there have been a few teething problems and some mis-communication… such as men’s shoes of all things (smart dress is just that, that’s all I’m saying for now). Overall, though, I’m over the moon..it’s better than I expected and I’m loving every minute. Oh, and if you know anyone looking for a fresh start, then we are still looking for team members so get in touch.

NEWS

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NEWS IN BRIEF Migrant motor madness TWO migrants have been found hidden in a vehicle on the Morrocan-Spanish border, with one man concealed inside its engine.

Granny released A 62-YEAR-OLD gran from the Canary Islands, jailed for six months after refusing to pull down her family home, has been pardoned by Manuel Rajoy.

LGBT boost GAY and lesbian tourists spent around €6.4 billion in Spain to make it Europe’s most popular destination, according to a report by LGBT Capital last month.

Breast ban A BREASTFEEDING mother and her ninemonth-old baby were turfed out of historic Granada tourist site Corral del Carbón by a security guard.

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September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Flashback! More

IF you’d stumbled into Benadalid last weekend, you may have ended up in the middle of a bloodthirsty battle between Moors and Christians. No, this isn’t 1501. And no, we aren’t in the throes of another Mudejar uprising.In reality, the village, near Ronda, recreated the famous battle as part of its unique and popular Fiesta de Moros y Cristianos. Lasting three days and held in the castle, the festival has become a firm hit with tourists, while most of the residents take part in the performance. In the end the Christian forces are always victorious, and duly begin the conversion of infidels, the consumption of wine and the non-stop dancing.

Photo by Karl Smallman

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan A FORMER lord mayor is taking legal advice after a British convict trashed and set fire to his Mijas apartment. Ex-Bristol councillor Royston Griffey, 71, has lost thousands after his flat was rented out to one of the men, accused of killing a German in a bar fight in La Cala, in July. He told the Olive Press he had rented his apartment in Pueblo Aida to Ross Moore, 30, in December 2014 after the Exmouth man fled the UK following an assault charge. At the time, Griffey was unaware of Moore’s past and unwittingly rented him the two bedroom flat. The former Bristol lord mayor feared the worst when he heard that Moore had been arrested over the death of German Ingo Dewitz. And to his horror, when he visited the flat, he found it had been looted and, worse, set alight. Furniture was burnt in the blaze, while the television had been stolen. He had already been fighting

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baggage strikes BAGGAGE handlers have announced that there will be a series of walkouts during September. The airports of Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Malaga and Palma will all be affected.

Night mayor

Horrific

paid rental fees.” Moore is currently being held in Alhaurin prison where he is awaiting trial. FURIOUS: Royston Griffey

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A GRANDFATHER has become the twelfth person to be gored to death as Spain’s summer of bull madness continues. The grim statistic makes 2015 the bloodiest year for bull-related deaths this century. The man was killed at a bullrunning festival considered Spain’s oldest in Cuellar, north of Madrid. Video footage captured the moment he was struck by the huge animal and dragged several metres. He was pronounced dead within minutes. Authorities said the man was on holiday from the Basque Country and was visiting relatives. There have been 11 other deaths since June, with four victims speared in one horrific August weekend a fortnight ago. One 32-year-old was filmed being gored through the neck on August 9 in the town of Villaseca de la Sagra. The deaths caused controversy with comedian Ricky Gervais slamming such events and animal rights groups attempting to ban all future festivals.

Banged up Brit set fire to former lord mayor’s Mijas home in months before fatal La Cala bar fight to get the rent paid for the previous six months. “He has completely ruined my apartment,” Griffey told the Olive Press. “It will cost me thousands of euros. “I had no idea who this guy was when I let him my house, if I had done I would never have agreed to it. He already owed me over €2,000 in un-

DEATHLY DOZEN

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the Olive Press September 3rd - September 16th 2015

OPINION Catalan hypocrites THE hallowed concept of an independent Catalunya, free from Spain’s corruption and troubles, appears to have been shattered. The ‘we’re-better-than-you’ notion underpinning the nationalism movement has taken a battering. Artur Mas’ dirty laundry has well and truly been hung out to dry, after it was revealed that his CDC party took 3% in kickbacks for the awarding of public works contracts. Could it be that independence provides a vehicle for these selfish politicians to continue their system of bungs, away from the watchful eye of a slowly improving Spain?

FEATURE NEWS

Resort that Beni-dormant it’s not. But with the cheap-ncheerful Brit-destination celebrating a recordbusting summer - and bidding for UNESCO status - Iona Napier (left) spends 24 hours in the emblematic Valencia resort

Give Manuela a break

EVERYONE deserves a summer holiday. But not if you’re mayor of Madrid, according to some. Ex-judge Manuela Carmela has had to fend off attacks for the ‘crime’ of taking a break away from the cut and thrust of public office. Her €4,000 a week trip to Zahara was split among a party of eight. Hardly bacchanalian excess. What’s more, the 71-year-old leader has been elected on a platform pledging to build new homes and has scrapped eviction orders to help ease Spain’s housing crisis. If she delivers on these goals - and on a frugal €45,000 salary - who cares if she chooses to spend a week away with her pals?

8am

Juan Martinez, 58, stops for a chat, jumping down from his tractor, which drives up and down the beach clearing up the debris from the day before. He has been at it since 2.30am and won’t stop till 9am. “People are getting dirtier and dirtier,” he says. “They drop so much rubbish on the beach after bringing their picnics and beers.”

Red, white and British

AS 30,000 Gibraltarians gear up for National Day, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has given each of them a good reason to be proud. Taking on ‘slanderous’ Spanish media outlets and fighting back against ‘propagandist’ ministers, Picardo is stirring up national pride from Catalan Bay to Europa Point. In his words, ‘Gibraltar is British and is going to stay British forever’. We wouldn’t want it any other way.

Music to our ears

BEFORE you update your iPod or Spotify playlists this weekend take a read of our music feature ‘Found in Translation’. Hopefully it will make you rethink any unfounded, archaic generalisations about the quality of Spanish rock and pop music. After taking a close listen to the best Spanish bands, we were surprised to discover not just how many interesting British and American influences there were… but actually how darn good they were.

8.30am

7.30am

Of course, t h e r e are a few stragglers from the night before, with a pair of glamorous Swiss 18-year-olds reclining on blue loungers and begging me to take a picture of them topless at sunrise. Meanwhile, a young couple frolic nearly naked in the water, while a Brit falls headlong off a sunbed onto the sand. .

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9am

I watch the civilized bunfight for sunbeds from my balcony, and it is an art. The designated family member lays out colourful towels to mark clan territory with military precision, while the rest of the family fuel up – one thing for sure, these guys have done this before.

Back at the hotel there is a queue of 30 people eschewing breakfast in the name of claiming their favourite spot by the pool. They are not allowed out until a barrier is raised at 9am and Carol, from Manchester, is at the front of the queue with her family. Incredibly, she tells me, she has been waiting since 7.30am, and will have breakfast after claiming their spot. It really is like a scene out of ITV’s Benidorm and many tourists admit that they chose the resort because of it. Oh that, and value for

LEGENDARY: Johnny Vegas

money, with the resort being one of the cheapest in Spain, as well as offering financial stability (versus, say Greece) and safety (versus, say Tunisia).

Noon

Benidorm’s main beach is well and truly packed and as I stand at one end, bodies blend into one colourful mix obscuring the shore. Beachfront pubs meanwhile, are filling up and one in particular has dry ice and young things drinking heavily already – and at €1.20 a pint, who can blame them?

Medical tourism?

TRIFE is quickly growing within the PP. This time it’s over whether regional governments have the right to offer illegal migrants universal healthcare in defiance of central government restrictions. A few weeks ago, a top Health Ministry official told Congress that at least four regions, where the PP doesn’t hold the majority, could be punished for passing regulations that allow undocumented residents to be given health cards. In 2010, the Rajoy administration disallowed illegal migrants from tapping into the public health system unless it is an emergency or a child needs medical attention. Cit-

Healthcare is set to be a major issue in this upcoming election race, writes our man in Madrid, Mario Alegria ing the deficits in the budget, Rajoy said that too many foreigners were coming to Spain for ‘medical tourism’. Earlier this year, at the start of what is expected to be a grueling election campaign, Rajoy reversed part of his policy and began allowing undocumented workers to receive assistance for primary health care. But nevertheless, they are still barred from obtaining a coveted health card that would entitle them to a wide-range of specialised services.

Since the May 24 regional elections, when the PP lost to leftist opposition coalitions in many municipalities and several regions, local parliaments have begun passing laws circumventing the national legislation. Ruben Moreno, general secretary at the Health Ministry, warned that regions could face fat sanctions not only by the central government but also the European Union if they continued to do so. But he failed to explain exactly

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MADRI MATTE D RS what type of fines

were in store for these local governments. And now the PP has to deal with a rebel within its own ranks. Cristina Cifuentes, the new regional premier in Madrid, has also said she will issue a separate document to people without residency papers so that they can receive primary and specialised healthcare. A hostile challenge for Rajoy.

FEATURE

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September 3rd - September 16th 2015

never sleeps 6am

OOUCH. The alarm screams in my ears and it takes all my self-control not to throw it off the 11th floor balcony into the swimming pool below, for fear of hitting an innocent early-riser. Half an hour later, I stumble out of the air-conditioned lobby, shirt insideout and tinnitus ringing in my ears from the deafening club music I had endured just two hours earlier. It is not even dawn, but a wall of 30 degree heat hits me as I sidestep a staggering gaggle of tattooed revellers in ‘mankinis’ and wigs. Welcome to Benidorm: the city that never sleeps. Unbelievably, the ‘night’ is still (relatively) young: with clubs open until 8am and a party scene to sate even the most demanding of hens and stags. No one can accuse ‘Beni’ of being ‘dormant’.

2pm

The only spot where I don’t hear English, in fact, is the Biblioplaya (Benidorm’s beach library), where the locals - yes there really are some - are reading novels and newspapers away from the 36 degree heat.

8pm

7am

The sky is nightingale blue as I set foot on the dew-damp sand of Playa Levante, Benidorm’s main beach. While bronzing is clearly out of the question at this early hour, incredibly a series of sun-worshippers are already reserving their front-row seats. Surprisingly there is not a German in sight and these early birds are all retired Spaniards taking pole position ‘enjoying’ the quiet moments before the masses descend a few hours later.

3pm

We bump into a group of tourists on mobility scooters, which is no surprise as the resort is said to be the mobility scooter world capital. Almost all of them are rented by Brits and incredibly, a large chunk are actually able-bodied. The Spanish wouldn’t be seen dead on them… and by the way, the law dictates they are for the disabled or the over-55s, but this is rarely enforced.

9pm

In the old town, a procession to celebrate the ‘Dia de San Jaime’, Benidorm’s patron saint, sees droves of locals in costume with all the bells and whistles. Soon fireworks are lighting up the sky.

Midnight Spain’s hedonism capital does not disappoint, and the club promoters, dancers and bar staff all operate with an infectious energy and copious free drinks - and their tans suggest they’ve been on the beach all day.

1am

From a vantage point showcasing the sunset with staggering views, you really appreciate the jagged and surprisingly elegant high rises of the ‘Miami of Europe’, this place really is amazing.

Benidorm cult adult act Sticky Vicky’s ‘daughter’ Demaria Leyton - strictly for over 18s - leaves the crowd enraptured, if slightly nauseated, at her eye-opening show. Less said the better. There are at least ten women watching, all in amazement.

3am

7pm

At The Guinness Bar (which is mostly populated by Spaniards at the end of the night) a local British radio station is staging a live broadcast watching people trying to pick up a euro coin they had glued to the pavement. It is daft, but it offers up a fun bit of people watching.

10pm

In ‘Tapas Alley’ (Calle Santo Domingo) it is much more Spanish and the food is surprisingly good. It is at the frontier between the old and new towns and heralds evening meanders through the broad, boulevard-style streets.

It has been a long 24 hours in the party capital of the Costa Blanca and I am ready for bed. It has been an educational pilgrimage for me. Benidorm is highly developed in more ways than one, having a no-fuss tourist scene that does exactly what it says on the tin (Sticky Vicky look out!). Holidaymakers are flocking here in their droves with visitor numbers up by around 5% this summer on last year and with five million tourists visiting between January and June alone. Like or loathe the 24-hour tourism in Benidorm where siestas are a myth and beer o’clock is around the clock, one thing’s for certain: the crowds love it, and they are here to stay.

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POLITICAL NEWS

August 6thJune - August 2015 www.theolivepress.es September 3rd - September 16th the Olive Press 11th -19th June 24th2015 2015

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Rajoy’s German boost SPAIN’S PM Mariano Rajoy has been given some timely support from Europe’s strongest leader. German chancellor Angela Merkel said:: “Spain’s trajectory is clearly heading upward, and that will possibly be something that many people will consider during the election. “I wish the prime minister great success.” It came as the two leaders met to discuss issues including immigration, with Rajoy insisting his country is unable to increase the number of refugees above the current limit of 2,739.

Malaga: the new Magaluf?

UNDER FIRE: Artur Mas at heart of the scandal

The 3% musketeers Eye on

CORRUPTIO

By Tom Powell

THE upcoming Catalan elections have been thrown into turmoil after a system of kickbacks was exposed within the main independence party. It has emerged that the key separatist party CDC (Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya) allegedly demanded a 3% backhander for awarding contracts to companies. According to El Mundo, First Minister Artur Mas’s party received a series of 3% bungs in exchange for awarding five

THE mayor of Malaga has been forced to defend the city’s feria after it drew comparisons with Mallorcan party-town Magaluf. Mayor Francisco de la Torre insisted the city will not become a party destination after images of naked men and women waving their underwear emerged from the week-long festival. While the mayor admitted the feria saw ‘more tourists than ever before’ he refused to entertain comparisons with Magaluf. “Our feria is not like Magaluf in anyway,” he said. “The behaviour of Malaga’s citizens is exemplary, the feria is a week to let their hair down. “Nothing to do with the feria compares to the Mallorcan party town in any shape or form.” The mayor however did condemn those who stripped off and said the police have been informed to track down those who bared all.

Knocked unconscious for her political views A YOUNG politician has been hospitalised for her political views. The youngest mayoral candidate in Spain Inmaculada Sequi, 18 (above), was knocked unconscious after being dubbed a ‘fascist’. The councillor for the Vox party in Cuenca was left with injuries to her face and abdomen after the 8:30am attack. The young law student insisted she would not be cowed by the attack, saying: “I’m not scared. I am going to continue defending the ideas of Vox.” The president of her party, a splinter group of the PP, insisted that security measures were now being put into place for her.

Catalan nationalism takes a hit after corruption is exposed within main independence party just weeks before elections public works contracts to construction firm Teyco. Discovered in a dossier, which consists of typed accounting entries and handwritten notes, the party received kickbacks of more than €343,000 for this one deal alone. Awarded between March and June 2009, the contracts

Madrid mayor forced to defend Zahara holiday A ROW has erupted after the Mayor of Madrid took a summer holiday in the exclusive resort of Zahara de los Atunes. Left-wing leader Manuela Carmena was questioned for splashing out €4,000 a week during a luxury break to the Costa de la Luz resort. The Ahora Madrid leader - who officially pays herself just €2,750 a month - was forced to defend herself on Twitter, insisting the rental costs were shared between eight people. The former judge, who is allied to anti-corruption party Podemos, said: “It worries me that scandal journalism is finding its way into politics. “I don’t think it is good for society, but also it is bad for journalism.” Having worked in the judiciary for nearly three decades, Carmena took power in the capital in June. Opinion - Page 6

were for a park, an outdoor swimming pool, a car park and two public buildings. The so-called ‘3% document’ was found in a safe belonging to Jordi Sumarroca, one of the founders of CDC and the CEO of Teyco, after he was arrested in July for his involvement in corruption. The existence of a 3% kickback for regional government contracts in Catalunya has been rumoured since 2005. At a parliamentary session, former Catalan Socialist Party First Minister accused the CDC of having ‘a problem called the 3%’.

Evidence

But only now, after a year of investigations into the links between CDC and Teyco, has evidence emerged. Last week a judge ordered Guardia Civil officers into CDC headquarters, in search of documentary proof of bribery and illicit funding from Teyco. However, CDC spokesman Josep Rull dismissed the operation as a ‘political charge’ designed to influence the outcome of the September 27 regional elections. The elections had been hoped to give the CDC party a strong independence mandate and potentially lead onto a referendum into the region’s separatist future.

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IDENTICAL: Balson’s and neighbour’s extensions

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan AN expat grandmother fears she is set to be made homeless after losing a seven-year legal battle with Estepona Town Hall. Terttu Balson, 70, is facing eviction from her home after being ordered to pay a fine of €23,400 over an illegal loft conversion. The Finnish expat, who lived in London for decades, has been forced to remove the extension from her roof, despite many of her neighbours having a similiar construction. As the Olive Press reported in October, last year, she insists her lawyer told her she had the correct licence and she had built in ‘good faith’. However, the town hall disagreed and - despite apparently ignoring her neighbour’s similar extensions - took legal action against her. “I have been left homeless and penniless by all this ludicrous bureaucracy,” said Terttu, who has launched a petition on change.org. “I trusted the experts to sort out the planning

the olive press

NEWS IN BRIEF

Ashya thanks BRITISH ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, has thanked the Hospital Materno Infantil in Malaga for its treatment of Ashya King, on behalf of British governmentthe .

Top stamps SPECIAL edition of King Felipestamps Queen Letizia have and launched by postal been vice Correos. Showingserofficial photographs Royal duo, they of the can be bought for €1.

Boozy trips

- October 16 October 29 2014

They’re singlin g me out! NEWS

A FINNISH grandmother ordered to demolish EXCLUSIVE year-old extension a nineBy Rob Horgan has accused Estepona Town Hall of being 'racially motivated' year legal and hall afterbattle with the town 'singling' her out. they Terttu Balson, 70, with a demolitionserved her has been order and involved in an ongoing six- fined her €24,300 in 2008 for building a loft extension

www.theolivepre

ss.es

Pensioner, 70, complains of discrim after being ordere d to take down ination despite neighb extension, ours all having the same

without the correct planning permission.

Several other properties in the Seghers community have similar extensions without planning licences - including Balson's next door Spanish neighbour - but Balson is the

only resident facing court action.

"It is completely tory, I cannot helpdiscriminabut think that it is not a that I have been coincidence chosen when I am the only foreigner living here," she told the Olive Press. Balson believed ceived planning she had repermission when she contracted ish architect Mario a SpanJones in 2005. Now however, she feels that he did not do his job properly despite being paid take over the project€2,500 to and sort out the building Jones, however, licence. said he feels 'no guilt or responsibilit y and that Balson is to blame for the situation. He said: "I told beginning that her from the allowed to build. she wasn't ple get away with Most peoit but she hasn't. DESPERATE: Balson "She is definitely and dogs fairly treated and being unsure why. I hope I am not with so many foreigners that the livtown hall is not targeting her ing on the coast I don't think because she is foreign. it happens now." "Maybe that sort Despite numerous of thing attempts happened in the old days, but Estepona Town Hall did not answer any of our questions.

ONE in seven youngsters coming to Spain on holiday have admitted they are drunk that on the plane, according to a survey by website Jetcost. com.

Big Willy MANCHESTER goalkeeper WillyCity Caballero has told Liga officials that La was approached he by a match-fixing syndicate when playing for Malaga last year. SPOT THE DIFFEREN CE: Terttu’s ‘illegal’

extension and adjoining neighbour’s (right) A WANTED property ster has been tracked frauddown to a luxury home in after an exclusive Benahavis, investigation this Olive Press month. According to neighbours in upmarket La Heredia urbanisation, Rebecca kids barely went Wells, 37, has fled owing money to school and rarely even to sevcame out to eral businesses. play. Keen horserider “She never mixed with the lospent eight yearsWells - who cal community here an estate agent - posing as day she was gone and one sought by police,is now being unpaid electricity leaving an in the Olive Pressas reported The Olive Press bill.” last issue, after four denuncias unable to contacthas still been were posted against her. her defrauding of Wells, over expats who “She owes money paid rent on properties DISAPPEARED: butcher, restaurant to the she did Wells not and own. and La Heredia, the baker, as well as home where she rented Wells, aka Prior, a her car,” said onefor repairs to allegedly took a series of former neighbour deposits for An expat couple neighbour. Frank Cohomes reported concern site Wells’ houseliving oppo- myn, president of the Palmfor her four If you which she did not own. children. have any information banisation reportedin the ur- eras del Golf urbanisation about Rebecca Wells, Comyn, who lived that they in Benalmadena saw her packing Costa, has her for two years opposite contact newsdesk@t please ily’s possessions all the famheolivesaid: “The press.es car on October 1 into a rental expose came out. the day our When the Olive Press visited a few days later, had clearly been the house and the family carabandoned - a black Chrysler - was Fabulous food and entertainment including dumped outside. apparently or New Years Eve Gala Dinner with a 5* Christmas Meanwhile another fine wine

Still on-the-run

RUINS: Balson and (inset) our story Offer

permissions and licences. As far as I was concerned I had done everything above board and built in good faith.” The extension has now been torn down and she is putting up a new one that has now been authorised for €35,000. As she is already struggling to pay this amount, she fears her home will be repossessed with a deadline set for September 20 to pay the fine. She added: “I know I cannot pay it and I am really worried about being thrown out on the street.” Estepona Town Hall said last night that it did not comment on individual property disputes. FaNtastiC Christmas &DEals For NEw YEar

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VICTIMS EXCLUSIVE are hunting erty fraudster an alleged who Costa del propSol owinghas vanished euros. from tens of thousandsthe The Guardia EXCLUSIVE of Civil confirmed is investigating By Imogen becca Wells horse-owninglast night days as Calderwood a holiday cias against after receiving expat Re-it posits to me around rental, but her. four denunBriton claim to. rent properties an 11-monthit and convinced she showed that she accusedWells, 37, also One victim, me to sign has no “I want her contract. known of duping British caught clared. people into as Prior, is told the Olive expat and punished,” Press: “I Raymond Paul, Wells, posit paying Page 11 he dede- “She on renting Iost a mother-of-two had actuallya home she a €1,000 de- hampton, appears didn’t own. from Wolversame trick only rented to it for four the region at different have repeated properties the over the A Facebook around last campaigneight years. has launched by the now been ing to gather group, aimas possible. as many victims In the case Yorkshire, of Paul, 60, as a deposithe put down from first month’s and €500 €500 rent at thefor the erty in propAugust. La Cala de Mijas in But after just three asked Paul days Wells and his clear out certificate‘so an urgent wife to energy dealt with’. matter could be “We were AN embattled two days, left in the dark for centre owner animal discoveredand upon returning rescue the place has another staying is ‘out of admitted there, with couple Kim our possessions control’. many of now Halliwell (above) he said. agreed still inside,” has to allow 15 dogs “We still an initial and many her Mijas get some haven’t managed cats to leave to an Olive kennels, following absolutelythings back, we are It comes Press investigation. furious filed a denuncia.” and have spected after police When Paul also inBLAZE: various the site, following set up meeting F1 legend an denuncias cuss whatwith Wells urgent mer staff. Gachot from forto dis- After (inset) failed to had happened, we loses yacht she conditions’told of the ‘terrible Howevershow. in fire at Kim’s Rescue, their earlyanother couple Animal friends and in ers rallied up telling 20s also turned aim around supporthim they similar of cutting with had lost the numberthe a animals by “Lots ofamount of money. her victims of The Olive half. worse situation are Press who knows than us, in a emergency meeting,attended an and various how are still to come many more found other centresspoke with woodwork,” new and has out he added. of the We have volunteers. Another now launched appeal is Stuart victim who an Hall, 44, lost out animals.to find homes for the and his Continues

It’s the

28/08/14

197 www.theolivepress.es

Maddie: New sighting claim

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A LUXURY nus is ownedyacht that burst into Bertrand by Gachot, ex-Formula Oneflames in Puerto The 51-year-old it can be revealed.racing driver Badan between Frenchman, €2 million 1989 and who raced morning. yacht Gilliana1995, is the ownerfor Jorthat blew of the Two crew up on Sunday members with serious were rushed burns to woman, to hospital, his 34, was The 23-metre one treated hands and another, €42,000-a-week Princessfor smoke inhalation. a Rentals. to rent, yacht Gilliana via Diamovit A source costs said: “Gachot Exclusive The driver is very upset.” Grand Prix was famously team for thrown the roundabout spraying out ceived a CS gas at of the Jordan at Hyde Park Corner, a taxi driver His race two-month prison seat was on for which stint. acher, making temporarily he rehis Formula filled by Michael One debut. Schum-

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www.theolivepress.es Gibraltar

NEWS

Resigning Gib MP slams GSD

ISOBEL Ellul-Hammond has resigned as an MP and blasted her GSD party’s ‘lethargy’. The politician’s sudden withdrawal from parliament allows her to concentrate on a new role as the Gibraltar Health Authority’s Cancer Services Coordinator. She had originally announced her resignation last April, but was expected to remain as an MP until after this year’s general election. Ellul-Hammond said: “My party no longer inspires me, nor does it give me confidence for the future. “I would be unable to cope with another four years of lethargy in Opposition.” Her decision means a by-election must be called within 90 days or before the end of November.

NEWS IN BRIEF Candy cameras GIBRALTAR’S police force will begin wearing video cameras as part of their uniform to record incidents for court purposes.

Incoming GIBRALTAR University’s first chancellor has been unveiled as former Governor of Gibraltar Lord Luce.

Bald Beauty FORMER Miss Gibraltar Shayanne Azzopardi raised a whopping £24,000 for cancer charities by shaving her head in Casemates Square.

Footy fad GIBRALTAR’S Euro 2016 football qualifier with Scotland in Portugal has sold more tickets than any of Gibraltar’s other ‘home’ matches, with the Scottish FA selling 8,000 tickets.

New sounds THE Gibraltan government has announced the new Gibraltar Academy for Music and the Performing Arts will replace Santos Production Academy and Allegro Music Productions.

ON the Rock September 4

The third annual Gibraltar Wine Festival begins at 5pm at Chatham Couterguard Strip and feature a delicious selection of wines. For more info visit www.gibraltarwinefestival.com

September 5-6

The Gibraltar Music Festival will kick off National Week celebrations and feature headliners Duran Duran and Kings of Leon. Tickets from £65. For more info visit www.gibraltarmusicfestival.com

September 8

A boat procession, part of National Week festivities, will take place at 7:30pm and commemorate Gibraltarian who have died at sea. For more info call +350 58286000

Liar! By Tom Powell

CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo has accused the Spanish Foreign Minister of ‘lying’. The PP’s Jose Garcia-Margallo announced last week that his policy on Gibraltar – ultimately playing tough over finance and border issues - was ‘bearing fruit’. However, Picardo has issued a scathing defence, claiming Margallo is ‘pulling the wool over the eyes of the Spanish people’ as relations between the two sides sink to a new low. “Gibraltar is British and is going to stay British forever,” argued the former barrister. “It is game over the issue of sovereignty in Gibraltar. “If I were exercising my previous profession, I would put it to him in cross-examination that he is lying: not only in the

Picardo labels Spanish minister a ‘liar’ and affirms ‘Gibraltar will stay British forever’ after August of anguish

many things he says about Gibraltar, which are demonstrably untrue, but in suggesting that his attitude has somehow borne fruit... “Who in Spain is better off because of the way Margallo has dealt with Gibraltar?” Picardo further suggested that the annual dredging up of the sovereignty issue by PP politicians is merely a ploy to divert attention from Spain’s own corruption scandals. “It is the third August in a row that we’ve seen Gibraltar hit the headlines,” he said, “and it’s the third August in a row that there are plenty of allegations of corruption against the PP that might otherwise have hit the front pages.” In recent years Gibraltar has faced many accusations from Spanish officials that it is a haven for money THE Spanish government has been accused laundering and of ‘provocative behaviour’ after it allowed a drug smuggling, Russian submarine to refuel just 19 miles off charges which the Rock. Picardo resoluteAuthorities in Gibraltar are also angry that the ly rejects. Novorossiysk sub was allowed to refuel in Cueta. The government One British defence expert insisted the is currently suing move was designed to ‘intimidate the Gi- ABC, Telecinco braltarian people’. and Manos The refueling came just days after a Spanish Limpios over the customs vessel fired four shots at a Gibraltar claims. fishing boat inside British waters. Opinion - Page 6

Stormy seas

Call of duty... for La Linea free trade

LA Linea is creating a ‘duty-free zone’ to compete with Gibraltarian trade prices. The mayor of La Linea, Juan Franco, is determined to improve trade across the border in ‘both directions’. He paid his first official visit to the Rock last month and met with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo to discuss the plan. Jorge Ramos, who heads up similar schemes in Algeciras and Los Barrios, said all the documents for the duty-free scheme have now been signed and work will begin immediately, although the location remains unconfirmed. “The idea is to give La Linea all the necessary instruments to compete with Gibraltar, so that there is equality of conditions as at present there is not,” said Ramos. “La Linea is however determined to work with Gibraltar, not against it.” Since taking office in June, Franco has publicised his intentions to improve relations between La Linea and Gibraltar. Following a car crash in June of a van containing Gibraltar football fans on their way back from Germany, Franco reached out to the Gibraltar government to offer support. There have also been suggestions of Gibraltar and La Linea unifying, which received 60% of Olive Press reader support.

Legal Notice

1313 the Olive September Press June 3rd 11th- -September June 24th16th 20152015 IN THE MATTER OF SCOTTISH WIDOWS PLC and

IN THE MATTER OF SCOTTISH WIDOWS ANNUITIES LIMITED and IN THE MATTER OF SCOTTISH WIDOWS UNIT FUNDS LIMITED and IN THE MATTER OF PENSIONS MANAGEMENT (S.W.F.) LIMITED and IN THE MATTER OF CLERICAL MEDICAL MANAGED FUNDS LIMITED and IN THE MATTER OF HALIFAX LIFE LIMITED and IN THE MATTER OF ST ANDREW’S LIFE ASSURANCE PLC and IN THE MATTER OF CLERICAL MEDICAL INVESTMENT GROUP LIMITED and IN THE MATTER OF PART VII OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 Notice is hereby given that on 10 July 2015 an Application was made under section 107 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “Act”) in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, Companies Court in London by Scottish Widows plc (“SW”), Scottish Widows Annuities Limited (“SWA”), Scottish Widows Unit Funds Limited (“SWUF”), Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Limited (“PMSWF”), Clerical Medical Managed Funds Limited (“CMMF”), Halifax Life Limited (“HLL”), St Andrew’s Life Assurance Plc (“SAL”) and Clerical Medical Investment Group Limited (“CMIG”) for Orders: i under section 111 of the Act sanctioning a Scheme (the “Scheme”) providing for the transfer to CMIG of the entire long term insurance business (as defined in the Act) of SW, SWA, SWUF, PMSWF, CMMF, HLL and SAL; and ii. making ancillary provision in connection with the Scheme pursuant to sections 112 and 112A of the Act. Copies of the report on the terms of the Scheme prepared by an Independent Expert in accordance with section 109 of the Act (the “Scheme Report”), a statement setting out the terms of the Scheme and containing a summary of the Scheme Report and the Scheme document may be obtained free of charge by calling 0800 151 2764 (or +44 131 203 3419 if you are calling from outside the UK) or writing to the Insurance Business Transfer Department, PO Box 28139, Edinburgh, EH16 9BQ. These documents, and other related documents including actuarial reports, are available on the website of Scottish Widows Plc at www. scottishwidows.co.uk/transfer2015. The Application is due to be heard before a Judge of the Chancery Division of the High Court at 7 Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1NL on 26 November 2015. Any person (including any employee of CMIG, SW, PMSWF, SWA, SWUF, HLL, CMMF or SAL) who thinks that he or she would be adversely affected by the carrying out of the Scheme has a right to attend the hearing and express their views, either in person or by legal representative. It would assist the process if anyone wishing to do so could inform Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, the solicitors acting for CMIG, SW, SWA, SWUF, PMSWF, CMMF, HLL and SAL, in writing at the address below as soon as possible and preferably before 20 November 2015, setting out their reason why they would be adversely affected. However there is no requirement for any person who thinks that they would be adversely affected by the Scheme and intends to attend the hearing to inform Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in advance of the hearing. Any person who alleges that they would be adversely affected by the Scheme but does not intend to attend the hearing may make representations about the Scheme by giving written notice of such representations to Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in writing at the address below as soon as possible and preferably by close of business on a date not less than five days before the date of the hearing, setting out why they believe they would be adversely affected. Dated 1 September 2015 Herbert Smith Freehills LLP (Ref 2067/6489) Exchange House, Primrose Street, London, EC2A 2EG

11/28003586_1

AXARQUIA

www.theolivepress.es

NEWS IN BRIEF

Fraud warning NERJA’S foreign residents office has issued a warning over the notorious fake gas-inspection fraudsters, which appears to be spreading in the area once again.

Docking in THOUSANDS of cruise ship customers are set to alight in Motril this autumn instead of the usual spring stopover, after cruise companies decided to change the itinerary.

Helping hand VELEZ-MALAGA Town Hall has approved a new regulation to help poorer residents afford their water and electricity bills, and avoid being cut off.

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

The Chao factor

RAIDED: Village idylls of Arenas hit by thiefs

CAPTION: Caption here

Tiny Axarquia villages have highest burglary rate in Malaga province By Iona Napier THEY sit in some of Spain’s most stunning mountain locations. But the tiny scenic villages of Arenas and Alcaucin have the highest number of burglaries per inhabitant in

Country strife Malaga province. The villages have a burglary rate higher than even Malaga city itself and considerably higher than Mijas and nearby Torrox. In total, the two tiny villages had 13 and 11 burglaries last year. Denuncias for burglaries last year were at their highest in Malaga city, with 916, followed by 698 in Mijas, 687 in Marbella and 294 in Fuengirola.

MORE than 6,000 revellers went wild as French-Spanish rocker Manu Chao brought down the curtain at Frigliana’s Festival de las Tres Culturas. During a mammoth two and a half hour performance, the entertainer ran through his eclectic range of ska, rock and reggae anthems.

Nervy politician NERJA’S councillor Ana Gonzalez has been accused of ‘disloyalty’ after she resigned from her PP post over disputes with the party. Gonzalez claims that party officials have ignored all her proposals, and put forward multiple policies she spoke out against. The party has expressed surprise over her resignation, claiming that she hadn’t actually presented any official proposals and appeared to be in agreement with the policies passed. They criticised her for disloyalty, and for leaving the party without any previous warning or expressions of discontent.

Knifepoint

And since the study was launched last year, there have been 5,073 burglaries around Malaga province, resulting in the arrest of 901 people. One in every three burglaries takes place in a holiday home. Meanwhile, a string of robberies at knifepoint were flagged up around VelezMalaga and Rincon de la Victoria, last year.

Shotgun maniac A MAN wielding a shotgun and carrying gas cylinders caused mayhem in Torre del Mar when he threatened to blow up his father’s bar. Puerto Rican Gustavo Sanchez, 37, barricaded himself inside bar Lomia for five hours, threatening to kill himself and blow up the block. It came after residents complained about the restaurant making excessive noise at night. They had been campaigning for its closure. Police eventually coaxed the man out after five hours. He was arrested and is now being assessed for mental illness.

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www.theolivepress.es 1616the Olive Press June 11th - June

24th 2015

Kora’s Morocco express WANT to see the real Morocco, beyond the tourist traps? Kora Buggel has lived in Morocco for eight years and worked in the travel industry for 11; so it’s hard to imagine a better tour guide to take you around this mesmerising north African country. Whether you are touring in a group, a couple, as a family, or going solo, Kora works with British expat Sheena Thatcher to arrange bespoke itineraries in English and German. Kora’s travel group tours ‘are different to the norm and head away from the mass tourism zones to show people a more authentic Morocco’. “But of course that doesn’t mean we miss out on Marrakech!” Sheena promises. Trips abroad are all about making memories and Kora has a few tricks up her sleeve to add the ‘wow!’ factor. You can even take a trip on the Desert Train Express, which takes you to the edge of the Sahara. It only runs a few times a year, stopping where the passengers please and meeting nomadic people along the way. “We look after people from the start to the end of their adventure, making sure they are comfortable, safe and happy throughout,” Kora adds. Yoga retreats, art and photography workshops, music festivals, Royal cities and ladies-only tours are some of the other experiences on offer. For information and bookings, visit www.koratravelgroup.com or email info@koratravelgroup.com or call 0034 610 936 549.

GREEN NEWS

the Olive Press September 3rd - September 16th 2015 www.theolivepress.es

Biting back By Rob Horgan

THIS autumn will be ‘the worst on record’ for Spain’s mosquito numbers. Forecasters are predicting record numbers of the flying insects as the weather cools off and the prospect of showers loom. It is estimated that the number of mozzies could double during September. And to make matters worse, health officials are warning against a mosquito-borne virus which has been detected for the first time in Spain. It comes after a 60-year-old Valencia man was struck down with the Chikungunya virus, leading health officials to issue an official warning

Record numbers of mosquitoes have their sights set on Spain

about the disease. “This is the first Chikungunya case reported from Spain without travel history to endemic areas,” a government spokesman said.

“It is important not to worry but to be aware that this new virus could be a problem.” Chikungunya, more commonly found in Africa and Asia, is spread by two mos-

warning over whales ANIMAL rights activists have called on the authorities to investigate Loro Parque in Tenerife over the mistreatment of its orca whales. PETA based the accusations on pictures taken in March of orcas with scars that appeared to come from rakes, large quantities of mucus in their eyes and broken teeth.

The park houses six orcas, four on loan from America’s SeaWorld, one born in captivity and one given by Dutch authorities. PETA is concerned that the other orcas have attacked Morgan, the smallest whale born in captivity, and that the park is not sufficiently protecting the animals from aggressive behaviour developed in captivity.

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quito species, and is typically not fatal. It can however cause debilitating symptoms including fever, headache and severe joint pain lasting months.

WITH its strong jaws and razor-sharp claws, the leopard is one fierce feline. In the wild, this carnivorous cat snoozes by day and prowls the jungle by night. But fortunately for Andalucia’s wildlife enthusiasts, the Bioparc of Fuengirola is home to a leopard of the endangered Sri Lankan subspecies. Come out for a look at this powerful predator.

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Hunting horrors A BRITISH photographer is using his camera to expose the thousands of hunting dogs killed in Spain each year. The end of the hunting season sees up to 100,000 Spanish dogs slaughtered each year for being too old or slow. Many are shot, poisoned, hanged from trees or thrown over ravines at the end of Spain’s hare coursing season. British photographer Martin Usborne wants to put a stop to the ‘ugly tradition’.

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la cultura

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3 PAGES OF CULTURE NEWS

the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015

Marbella festival turns 10

BOOKWORM: Wylie

Wanted: Spanish writers

ONE of the most famous literary agencies in the world is on the hunt for the next Miguel de Cervantes. The Wylie Agency, founded by literary agent Andrew Wylie who is known for his sneaky business tactics as ‘the jackal,’ will open an office in Spain. The aim is to reach the growing Spanish-speaking market and change the Spanish publishing world. The Spanish office will be headed by Cristobal Pera, the previous boss of Penguin Random House in Mexico. The literary agency has one of the most impressive client lists of any publishing house, representing everyone from Salman Rushdie to the estate of Vladimir Nabokov. And from the Spanishspeaking world, Jorge Luis Borges and Roberto Bolaño.

THE tenth anniversary of Marbella’s film festival will attract stars from all around the world in October. More than 50 independent films will be shown over the

course of five days at the newly renovated Teatro Goya in Puerto Banus. British films Rise of the Krays, North VS South and Arthur & Merlin will pre-

miere during the festival. Filmmaking and networking events will take place at the H10 Andalucia Plaza, and the week will close with the black tie Gala Awards Dinner.

Red light Google Street View car stopped by a sea of tomatoes at the 70th Tomatina festival

THOUSANDS of half-naked revellers pelted a Google Street View car with tomatoes as it drove through the world-famous Tomatina festival. Filming had be stopped in the Valencia city of Bunol after the car’s cameras were knocked off during the attack. Bodywork was dented, while mirrors and windscreen wipers were ripped off as tomatosodden festival-goers mounted the vehicle during the 70th anniversary of the festival.

A Google spokesman said the company was disappointed that the filming had to be stopped. “We are sorry our intention to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Tomatina has been lost because of the high spirits of a group of people,” he said. A whopping 170 tonnes of tomatoes were launched during the iconic festival attended by over 20,000 people.

September 3rd 16th 2015

Year of what’s on the pig A

lmachar, September 5

FARMER, author and former Genesis drummer Chris Stewart has announced he is taking a year off from writing. The reason? Wild boars have besieged the Alpujarras farm where Stewart lives with his wife, Ana, and the couple will spend the next year repairing the damage. Stewart, now 65, has lived on his farm in the region of Granada province since 1988. He published the fourth book in his bestselling autobiographical series, Driving Over Lemons, last summer.

Song from the heart PELTED: Google car at Tomatina

1717

JUST hours after the death of his wife, one of Spain’s top flamenco stars sang at a Los Angeles show. Diego el Cigala sang truly from a broken heart at the Hollywood Bowl following the death of his wife. Diego Ramon Jimenez arrived at the venue in his pyjamas saying he couldn’t go on. But he forced himself onto the stage, one of the most iconic venues in Los Angeles, and gave a heart-wrenchingly emotional performance honouring his wife of 25 years.

The Fiesta del Ajoblanco will celebrate its 47th anniversary by serving up 3,500 litres of the chilled white soup. For more information visit www.andalucia.org/es/eventos/ fiesta-del-ajoblanco/

alaga, September 11

The Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra will perform works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and da Rimini at Teatro Cervantes. For tickets visit www.unientradas.es

stepona, September 5-12

To close out the summer, the Cine Fantastico festival will feature the Municipal Band playing soundtracks from famous films in the Plaza del Reloj at 9:30

ijas Costa, until September 14

Monica Lucena is displaying a collection of luminous nature paintings at the Centro Cultural La Cala. For more information visit www.mijas.es/ portal/es/actos-culturales/agenda-cultural

the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015

la cultura

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Need a soundtrack to Spanish life? The Olive Press selects a mix of the best contemporary, and more established bands… and gives some clues as to what their nearest English equivalents are. The similarities are often uncanny, discovers Caitlin Quinn

Found in n o i t a l s tran

LOOK-A-LIKES: Vetusta (left) and Radiohead

1. Vetusta Morla = Radiohead or Joy Division

Many Brits pack a copy of OK Computer or The Bends before they head to Spain. And why not? Radiohead are one of England’s most iconic post-Beatles rock bands. Spaniards Vetusta Morla are on the way to achieving the same status and the two groups have a similar edgy musical style. As Vetusta Morla bassist Antonio Benito Baglietto once admitted: “Who has not been influenced by Radiohead nowadays?” However, while the band has enjoyed success — in part — by emulating Radiohead’s ambient in-

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strumentals and crooning vocals, look deeper and you will find an even more interesting influence in cult Manchester band Joy Division, known for their haunting production and crisp driven

rhythms and hauntin lyrics. CHECKLIST: Vetusta Morla’s La Deriva and Copenhague; Radiohead’s Just and Creep, plus Joy Division’s Heart and Soul and Disorder

2. Marlango = Regina Spektor or Everything but the Girl

Not a perfect match, as American Regina Spektor’s music tends towards lighthearted pop, while Marlango has a folksier sound. However, both Spektor and Marlango employ a less-is-more approach to background instrumentals, preferring unobtrusive guitar and percussion accompaniments that allow their vocals to take centre stage. It works well, as both Spektor — who also plays the piano — and Marlango singer Leonor Watling have truly extraordinary voices. And yet there is more, with a distinct feel of iconic British group Everything but the Girl writ large, in many of Leonor’s more soulful offerings. MAGIC CHECKLIST: MarMARLANGO: lango’s El PorveWatling nir and Semilla and (inset) Negra; Regina Regina Spektor Spektor’s Fidelity, plus E v e r y thing but the Girl’s Missing

GUITARIST: From Muse

3. Los Planetas = Bastille or Muse

When indie-pop band Los Planetas formed in 1993, the singer of English indie-rock group Bastille was just seven. And while Los Planetas is clearly the more established band, Bastille have enjoyed enormous early success, selling millions of albums since 2010. But Los Planetas, also have similarities to English rock band Muse, whose sound is slightly darker but has clearly influenced both bands. CHECKLIST Los Planetas’ Un Buen Dia and Que Puedo Hacer; Bastille’s Pompeii and Things We Lost in the Fire, plus Muse’s Dead Inside

4. Love of Lesbian = Of Monsters and Men or Elbow

The Catalan band, who have neither a lesbian, nor a woman in their line up, are more acoustic-heavy than English equivalent Elbow and Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men. But each band have songs that span the folk-pop-rock spectrum, ranging from bouncy to wistful, a versatile range that appeals to a wide audience. Ultimately all are original and difficult to pigeonhole. CHECKLIST: Love of Lesbian’s Noches Reversibles and Me Amo; Of Monsters and Men’s Little Talks and Crystals, plus Elbow’s One Day Like This

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the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015

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September 3rd - September 16th 2015

5. Auryn = One Direction

CAPTION: Caption here RIGHT DIRECTION: Auryn (inset)

6. La Bien Querida = Pulp

La Bien Querida’s anthemic Poderes Extranos has become one of the coolest tunes of the summer in Spain. It’s a lilting, catchy pop song, reminiscent of Pulp’s 1995 hit Common People, and with the distinct electronic feel of New Order. But there is another uncanny similarity with singer Ana Fernandez-Villaverde (right) being similar to USA’s Ingrid Michaelson. Their voices are folksy and appealing, their instrumentals ambient and pleasingly poppy. CHECKLIST: La Bien Querida’s As Veces Ni Eso and Poderes Extranos; Ingrid Michaelson’s Be OK and The Way I Am, plus Pulp’s Common People

As One Direction are set to ‘take a break’, a Spanish alternative may mend your teenage daughter’s’ broken heart. Both, it turns out, were formed in 2010 on TV. And the similarities don’t end there: over the past five years, Auryn and 1D have both won a host of awards and hearts for their catchy pop tunes and charming good looks. In fact, since Auryn sing in English, you might have difficulty telling their songs apart. CHECKLIST Auryn’s Saturday I’m In Love and Puppeteer; One Direction’s What Makes You Beautiful and Story of My Life

PUNKY: Arctic Monkeys and (inset) Supersubmarina

8. Supersubmarina = Arctic Monkeys or Manic Street Preachers

Fans of England’s Arctic Monkeys will find themselves nodding along to Supersubmarina’s pop-rock beats. Both are reminiscent of the last generation’s punkrock bands, while being far more clean-cut and, perhaps, more mainstream in appearance. Supersubmarina’s seminal protest song Hasta Que Sangren is reminiscent of the thought-provoking music of the Manic Street Preachers, while Pete Doherty’s Babyshambles and Manchester band The Doves also come to mind. CHECKLIST: Supersubmarina’s Arena y Sal and Niebla; the Arctic Monkeys’ Do I Wanna Know?, plus Manic Street Preachers’ If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next

Music journalist for Forbes and Esquire, Carlos Vazquez, has his say 1. VETUSTA MORLA – Radiohead, Muse, The Kooks. 2. MARLANGO – Suzanne Vega, Rickie Lee Jones, Tom Waits. 3. LOS PLANETAS – Joy Division, Mercury Rev, Spacemen 3. 4. LOVE OF LESBIAN – Beach House, Wilco, Death Cab For Cutie. 5. AURYN – One Direction.

6. LA BIEN QUERIDA – The Sounds, Lana Del Rey. 7. MECANO – Yes, Kate Bush, 8. SUPERSUBMARINA – Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, Editors. 9. FANGORIA – Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Blondie, Siouxsie and the Banshees. 10. ENRIQUE BUNBURY – David Bowie, Bob Dylan, The Doors.

7. Mecano = Celine Dion and Phil Collins

Admit it, MOR AOR (middle-of-the-road, adult-oriented rock) it a guilty pleasure for many of us. And Mecano (right) and Canadian singersongwriter Celine Dion fall squarely into this genre. A mix of pop and rock, mostly sentimental (think Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, from Titanic) and overbearingly mainstream. They have both enjoyed huge success, rather similar to the likes of Phil Collins (left), who has definitely helped to mould both of them. CHECKLIST: Mecano’s Me Cole en una Fiesta and Un Ano Mas; Celine Dion’s I’m Alive and Because You Loved Me, plus Phil Collins’ You Can’t Hurry Love

10. Enrique Bunbury/ Heroes del Silencio = Jim Morrison/The Doors

The dark curls, the smouldering stare... the physical resemblance between Bunbury and The Doors’ legendary frontman Jim Morrison is striking. A generation after The Doors burst onto the music scene in the mid1960s, Spanish rock band Heroes del Silencio rose to fame in the Spanishspeaking world. And while The Doors undoubtedly enjoy wider fame, the latter have attained iconic status here, with vocalist Enrique Bunbury also enjoying a successful solo career. CHECKLIST: Bunbury’s Frente a Frente and El Solitario; The Doors’ Light My Fire and Hello, I Love You DOORS DOUBLE: Bunbury

9. Fangoria = Pet Shop Boys or Lady Gaga

Need to get the party started? English duo the Pet Shop Boys helped to make the gay scene and electropop cool. And their influence on electro duo Fangoria, with their fast-paced synthetic tunes and edgy stage presence is all too apparent. Keyboardist/ composer Nacho Camut is a gay icon, like PSB’s singer Neil Tennant. A modern day equivalent… Definitely Lady Gaga, with her flamboyant antics and status as an LGBT icon. CHECKLIST Fangoria’s Dramas y Comedias and Absolutamente; the Pet Shop Boys’ It’s a Sin and Always on My Mind, plus Lady Gaga’s Born This Way

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OLIVE PRESS – 105mm x 256mm – Colour

2nd September

the Olive Press - September 16th 2015 20the Olive 20 Press JuneSeptember 11th - June3rd 24th 2015 20

POTTED POINTERS ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 64.06% Same week last year: 69.74% Same week in 2005: 52.07% AIRPORTS Gibraltar 00350 22073026 Granada-Jaen 958 245 200 Jerez - 956 150 000 Malaga - 952 048 844* *For English press 9 Sevilla - 954 449 000 EMERGENCIES Police 091 Guardia Civil 062 Medical service 061 Fire 080 EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth 1.12 American dollars 0.73 British pounds 1.49 Canadian dollars 7.46 Danish kroner 8.69 H Kong dollars 9.39 Norwegian kroner 1.59 Singapore dollars

Questions remain I WAS the first of several hospital interpreters to be called in on the extremely unusual situation of Stacie Cottle (Back in my arms, issue 217). We all felt sorry for Stacie, as she had brought the matter on her own head unwittingly. But at no time did the doctor claim the child was not Stacie’s. I am pleased that this upsetting time is now over but it is no wonder the hospital did not comment. These professional people have better things to do with their time. Some questions remain unanswered, such as why did Stacie travel so late in her pregnancy and why did she not register immediately with the health authorities here? BS, Velez-Malaga

Cabo concern I SUPPORT wholeheartedly with the Olive Press feature on Cabo de Gata (The great escape, issue 220). It is such a beautiful part of the world. However, it is a pity that by publicising the beautiful area more people will visit and its uniqueness and natural beauty will change by encouraging development. There has already been too much development in San Jose and alarmingly new building in the wilderness, not to mention the acres of

LETTERS

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IT’S Raining cats and dogs...

plastic for agriculture spreading into the edges of Cabo de Gata. I suggest an article on the preservation of Cabo de Gata by the Olive Press would be more beneficial to the area and to encourage environmental measures with strict planning controls. Let us try to keep this area as a natural beauty. Michael Ward, Almeria ED: Great idea Michael, we are always keen to support green projects and this looks like one we should get behind.

Cat out the bag

Dangerous dogs

THE cat problem in Estepona is completely mishandled by the town hall (Don’t kill our cats, issue 219). The association Gatos y Amigos has been in existence for two years during which time we have neutered 1,000 cats. It is a drop in the ocean but still better than nothing. However we have done so without any help or support from the town hall. We have repeatedly asked for help but we have been ignored....We collect our own funds and we survive with donations. We badly need a shelter but the authorities refuse to acknowledge the problem and we are left to sort it out as best we can.

HOW can this be allowed to continue (Terrier-ists, issue 220). These dogs are on the dangerous dog list and at the very least require a muzzle, insurance and a licence from the town hall. A child could be attacked, or worse killed! These owners are totally irresponsible. How they get away with it I do not know. I feel so sorry for the owners who have lost their dogs through being attacked. Remember: it’s not the breed, it’s the way the owners raise these dogs.

Michele Chown, Estepona

Jenny Church, San Pedro

Chipping in

Bad bank

I READ your sadly enlightening story about Virginia Ruiz being fined up to €6,000 for ‘trespassing’ at a bullfight in Malaga recently when she leapt into the ring to comfort a dying bull (Activist fined €6,000 for jumping into ring to comfort dying bull, online). My immediate thought was: how can I contribute something towards her legal costs? Maybe there is a crowd funding or similar fundraising platform so that like-minded animal lovers can financially help this brave woman.

THE way Cajamar treated Louise Reardon is an absolute disgrace (Give my money back, issue 220). Cajamar should be ashamed of itself. This woman has politely tried and tried to get them to put her money back for eight years and yet they can still be this harsh on her. Enough is enough, they should now be made to fully compensate her with interest.

Stephen Amore Puerto de la Duquesa

Dennis Price, Almeria

sion is that the fraud is constantly ongoing (Supercourt for Alhambra scandal, issue 218). I was forced to buy a €50 tour as the website said €15 tickets were sold out. On arrival there were hundreds of people at the ticket office, all on €50 tours. It seems the only reason cheaper tickets aren’t available is because the tour companies are forcing tourists to pay €50. If a million people annually do the €50 tour tour on a €15 ticket then someone is making a whole lot of money.

Scandal spotted HAVING recently visited the Alhambra Palace my impres-

OUCH! THIS year is worse than any year I’ve known. Jellyfish are everywhere. However, I suspect, there are some species in the waters that are not normal jellyfish. I was swimming in Puerto Banus when I felt a tremendous burning on my right wrist and then saw a large jellyfish fly through the air as I followed through with my stoke. The pain was the worst I have ever experienced in my life. I swam back and went straight to the pharmacy with my family who had just arrived at the beach. My right hand was shaking uncontrollably and it started to swell and turn red. I started sweating and the pain lasted hours and became worse. That night I could not sleep.

Claire Eglington, London, UK

On your bike

The following day my wrist (above) and hand doubled in size. If my two-year-old received this type of bite it could be life threatening. I am shocked that the lifeguards allow young children to enter the water. Those under 16 should be forbidden to go in the water when jellyfish are about.

I HAVE really enjoyed keeping up with the Vuelta a Espana this summer. I have never really been into cycling but this year I thought ‘why not?’ I was glad to see the stage-by-stage run down in the Olive Press (On your marks, issue 220). Unfortunately it has moved on from the coast now so I won’t be able to watch it any longer, but I am keeping a close eye on things and praying Chris Froome ups his game in the final stages.

Christian Souter, Marbella

Michael Bridges, Estepona

Letters should be emailed to letters@theolivepress.es. The writer’s name and address should be provided. Opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.

What’s hot on the web The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks (August 17th - August 31st): 1) €800 fine for photographing police car in a disabled space in Alicante (8,767 pageviews) 2) Pyromaniac arrested for starting nine fires in Mijas (6,216) 3) Massive crash during Caminito del

Rey stage of Spain’s La Vuelta cycle race (5,801) 4) ‘People’s tenor’ Russell Watson waits an hour for Spanish wedding (5,591) 5) British child drowns in Mijas swimming pool (4,921)

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Celebrating

the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015

ibraltar National Day

Vol. 9 Issue 221 www.theolivepress.es

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Red, white and wonderful Gibraltar National Day - always a celebration of sovereignty and self-determination - takes on an added importance this year, writes Rob Horgan

ROCK ON: Casemates Square is set to be awash with a sea of red and white on National Day, next Thursday

IREWORKS, balloons and beers at the ready... The Rock is set to rumble as Gibraltar prepares for its National Day celebrations. Almost 50 years on from the referendum that gave it such a unique appeal, the Rock is standing taller than ever. An abundance of local pride means that the former one-day event now spills over into a week of celebrations - including music of all genres, arts, food, photography, competitions, a rally - plenty to bring locals and tourists alike into the street and onto their feet. It’s a chance to show the world that there really is nowhere quite like Gibraltar, and there is no group of people quite like Gibraltarians. This year, it’s a statement as well as a celebration; because it’s a tense time politically, that only fuels the fire of the locals. For just as the Rock is a symbol of the country’s strength and unity, the people are a reflection of its charm and character and stand up as one of Europe’s most recognisable landmarks. Passion truly makes this party... and organisers expect more than 30,000 revellers - not to mention the monkeys (Barbary macaques, if we are being pedantic) - to join the celebra-

tions. of Culture, the annual celebration commemoFor outsiders, September 10 is officially Gi- rates one of the most important moments in braltar’s National Day, but this year the fes- Gibraltar’s history: the referendum of 1967, tivities truly begin five days earlier with the when citizens had a say on their sovereignty Gibraltar Music Festival (GMF). for the very first time. For the first time spanning two days, the event On that day, an overwhelming 99% of Gibralon September 5 and 6 marks the start of the tarians voted to remain British and, 48 years festivities with internationally renowned acts, later, they are just as, if not more, impasincluding Duran Duran and Kings of Leon, sioned - largely due to the ever-volatile relakicking off the party in style. tionship with their Spanish neighbours. “There is always a real buzz around Gibraltar Last month, Britain accused Spain of violatin the build up to national day,” ing its sovereignty by allowing a explains 25-year-old Brit Micoastguard patrol boat to enter chael Hayes, who commutes in While Gibraltar is disputed waters off Gibraltar daily from La Linea. pursuing suspected drug trafred and white all “I love working here and as alfickers. ways am really looking forward to the way through, Spain in turn insists Gibraltar is there is still a National Day. not taking smuggling seriously “It really is the highlight of the hint of blue, too and that the Rock is hindering year and is a time all of us can reits law enforcement agencies, ally show off how proud we are.” claims the enclave denies. The festival is a mix of looking back at Gibral- And while Gibraltar is red and white all the way tar’s proud history; and looking forward, cel- through, there is still a hint of blue, too. It is ebrating the business opportunities, innova- important to remember that Gibraltar is very tion and building plans for this very modern much part - and proud to be a part of - the UK peninsular. and has been for more than 300 years in one Organised by the Self Determination for Gi- way or another. braltar Group in conjunction with the Ministry The Queen may not have made an appear-

ance since 1954 but, two years ago, with the Gibraltar flag flying over the Foreign Office in London, Prime Minister David Cameron joined the celebrations in spirit, rallying his loyal troops from a giant screen in Casemates. “For 300 years we have stood together, as one with our shared sovereign. Let me assure you that the British people and my Government stand with you now. Our relationship is solid, sure and enduring,” he proclaimed to roars of approval. These sentiments are increasingly important to Gibraltar in the light of the recent international tensions, played out through the media. But Gibraltar has said ‘enough is enough’ to one-sided Spanish news reports. Three highprofile defamation cases against TV channel Telecinco, Spanish newspaper ABC and trade union Manos Limpias have been launched in Spain as the Rock fights back against years of ‘slanderous’ comments. As lawyer Charles Gomez says, if the rabid right-wing Spanish press is to be believed then Gibraltar is ‘a cocaine-fuelled, money-laundering playground run by the barbary apes’. He adds: “Enough is enough, the government has finally had enough of the lies, untruths and complete propaganda. It is time for the Turn to Page 22

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the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015

ibraltar National Day

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Solid as the Rock From previous Page

Rock to stand up for itself and be proud.” And what better day to do so than on National Day? It’s about a party, not a political party, but it sends a message, loud and clear, in the best possible way. The day itself kicks off with a political rally at midday followed by the mass release of 30,000 balloons in Casemates Square – one to represent every citizen on the Rock. It’s even visible from Spain’s southern coastline, so the perfect way to kick off proceedings with a beautiful, yet symbolic, display. After a summer of stunning weather, an open-air concert was a nobrainer for organisers. Reggae legend Maxi Priest will get the crowds in Casemates Square dancing, before a performance by the Rock’s most-loved groover and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Jonathan Lutwyche. Children’s activities, live music and DJs will also keep the crowds entertained at other locations, including King’s Bastion Leisure Centre, Victoria Park and John Mackintosh Hall. But stick around for the grand finale at midnight when fireworks light up Casemates, before older visitors party the night away in the bars and clubs surrounding the square. So that’s the day itself - what about the rest of the week? Kicking off with the Gibraltar Music

PLACE TO BE: Party time in Casemates Square and (right) party goers in red and white

Festival (GMF) on September 5 and 6, this year’s celebrations are set to blow any previous event out of the water. The first-ever two-day event plays host to the likes of Madness, Kings of Leon and Paloma Faith. Not to mention Duran Duran and the Kaiser Chiefs. Symbolically, it’s going to be held at the national football stadium, Victoria Park - yet another example of Gibraltar doing things bigger and better, as the national team takes part in its first major tournament. The line-up is receiving international attention and regarded by many as the finale to the global summer festival programme. But Gibraltar certainly deserves a

bigger platform in the global arena. As well as showing off the aforementioned football stadium (which is due for a revamp; if a UEFA-approved new arena at Europa Point doesn’t beat them to it), the festival gives Gibraltar a chance to show off its ever-evolving education system, a twist on the best of British in beautiful surroundings.

Booming

Plans are already in motion for a university - due to open at Europa Point in 2016 - and there will also be a school to rival the UK’s best, as top private school Prior Park opens in the same year.

Quality schools are a priority as booming business means Gibraltar is attracting top talent from around the world for a new life in the sun. The Sunborn, the world’s first fivestar superyacht hotel, is going from strength-to-strength with popular bar La Sala its latest flagship edition. The boat symbolises all that’s great about Gibraltan business: innovation, inspiration and sublime customer service plus attention to detail. The gaming industry, one of Gibraltar’s most lucrative, is also pushing on, with the Rank Group announcing it will double its workforce in the coming months. While the World Trade Center is a

project that has cost tens of millions of pounds and will be unveiled, next to Victoria Stadium, at the end of the year - yet another example of Gibraltar’s refusal to rest on its laurels as it continues to innovate. Indeed, it is expected to become the hub of Gibraltar’s working sectors, with a focus on finance, transport, banking and internet gaming already mooted. So while National Day has history at its roots, it is also a celebration of the peninsula’s future: if there was ever a time to stand up and be proud of Gibraltar, it really is now. Like the 30,000 balloons that will be released on September 10, Gibraltar really is moving on up.

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ibraltar National Da

Talk of t

Gibraltarians young an of parties and patriotis

ITH Gibraltar’s Nation tivities fast approachin Rock is buzzing with exc For residents of the Brit the September 10 holiday — ce the anniversary of Gibraltar’s firs ty referendum of 1967 — repres pride. With a fair amount of hedo

Gill Welland “There’s meant to be 30,000 balloons re-

leased, one for every Gibraltarian. Right before they release them, they have political speeches on the main stage in Casemates, and I’m not one for politics and all that rubbish, but when they let the balloons go and sing the national anthem, I get quite emotional! It makes you feel very patriotic.”

Thomas Wink

“I’m disabled, and I prefer to relax at home and watch it all on TV. It’s a real sight to see, everyone out in their white shirts and red trousers and skirts. There are speeches and performances, and of course the balloons, and events for the kids. All in all, it’s a lovely day. It’s nice to see so much Gibraltar pride.”

All you need is

Steven

Enriles

“Whenever you get a day off from work, it’s nice. And National Day is great because it’s a huge party from very early in the morning to very late at night. They have activities for all ages — barbecues on the beach, and dance shows, and concerts. You get together with the whole family and just have fun.”

‘Bringing music to your ears, and Gibraltar to your screen’

Julia Zelazo

“My favourite thing about National Day is the feria. I love the rides, especially the roller coasters. They have food like popcorn and doughnuts. All the kids go and we all have so much fun. I love National Day!”

NATIONAL DAY

Radio Gibraltar Breakfast live from Casemates Square Political Rally live on GBC TV, Radio Gibraltar and Online GBC TV on air throughout the afternoon and evening with: Miss Gibraltar 2015 Gibraltar International Song Festival 2015 Project Choir Gala 2015 Fireworks Display from Detached Mole

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Jonathan Lutwyche

“I’m tions. People usually go as a family, thou friends. I’m performing in the morning ju such a special day because everyone is s we’re a big family.”

Did you know?

National Day Concert from Casemates Square

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Tammy Garcia

“When they release the balloons, everyone feels very Gibraltarian and there’s a lot of pride and emotion. We’re really proud of being from Gibraltar, and of course we’re happy to be British, too. We make it a point of saying that we’re British, even though obviously Spain is so close.”

CLOSED DOWN: Franco shut border in 1969

• The height of the Rock is approximately 426 metres or 1,400 feet • The distance between Gibraltar and the coast of Africa is 24 kilometres or 15 miles • The Rock was formed approximately 200 million years ago and is composed of Jurassic Limestone • The UK pound can be used freely in Gibraltar, so there is no need to convert UK notes to Gibraltar ones. However, Gibraltar banknotes are not legal tender in the UK and will not be accepted there • In recent referendums the nearly 30,000 Gibraltarians who live on the Rock voted overwhelmingly to reject any involvement by Spain in their government • Queen Elizabeth II last visited Gibraltar in 1954 (see right) • The border was closed by Franco in 1969 and was shut for 13 years, only reopened partially for pedestrians in 1982 before being reopened fully in 1985

FINISHING TOUCHES

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

the Rock

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nd old await their annual festival sm, writes Caitlin Quinn

nal Day fesng, the entire citement. tish territory, elebrated on st sovereignsents historic onistic party-

ing thrown in for equal measure. And whether it’s fun at the feria, a day of dancing or a barbecue on the beach, there’s something for everyone at the celebrations. One thing is certain: If the enthusiasm of these Gibraltarians is any indication, the patriotic tunes and red balloons are sure to soar higher than ever at this year’s celebrations.

Samantha Yeo

“On National Day, the Rock is packed. You can’t move. It used to be just one day, but now with the music festival, and the Rock concert, and the fair, it’s become a weeklong celebration. We’re becoming a bit Spanish with all the festivities, really. People get so excited and patriotic.”

Handmade English-style curtains

Hannah Asquez Mauro Samey Bonfante Sue Kennedy

“It gives you a very good community spirit. You really need to experience it to know exactly how it feels. It’s something I’ve certainly never experienced in the UK. There’s a huge amount of patriotism. It’s just nice to see everyone — young to elderly — celebrating their National Day.”

“On National Day, we celebrate 300-plus years of being British. Of course, we all have some connection to Spain, too. Most of our ancestors only spoke Spanish. But now we embrace being British, because that’s our nationality, even though we have Spanish heritage. So National Day isn’t just about being Gibraltarian, but also about being British.”

Dennis Cruz

m so excited for the National Day celebraugh now that I’m a bit older I go with my ust before they release the balloons. It’s so proud of being Gibraltarian and it’s like

“Probably 90% of Gibraltar goes to the celebrations and everyone is in red and white. Some of us wear T-shirts that say ‘100% Llanito.’ There’s so much patriotism. The thing is, now we get more Spanish people coming into Gib and marrying locals, so now there’s some Spanish influence, too.”

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peoples trust. With Gibraltarian, English and Spanish staff , the small but efficient team has a strong relationship with the military in Gibraltar. Bishops move was established in 1854 and is the largest family owned removal firm in the UK. Is it time to make your move? Get in contact with Richard and or Sarah on gibraltar@bishopsmove.

“Everyone goes into town wearing red and white, the colours on Gibraltar’s flag, and we just celebrate our nationality. It’s a day to embrace being Gibraltarian. We appreciate being British, too, but National Day is when we celebrate being Gibraltarian.”

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ibraltar National Day

Liftoff looming NINE years, 221 issues and the Olive Press is ready for a new venture. Gibraltar’s Olive Press is set to become the territory’s newest - and most popular - free paper when it launches next issue, on September 16. Already established as the goto paper for expats in Spain, the Olive Press is ready to hit the Rock in a big way. Aimed at both locals and ex-

Fourteen days and counting. Wheels in motion for the launch of the Olive Press Gibraltar patriates working and living in Gibraltar and nearby surrounding areas, The Gibraltar Olive Press will have a varied and detailed editorial content with local, regional and national news. In addition, there will be in-

ROCK KINGS: Kings of Leon stars to headline

World-class wonders at Gib fest

T’S back, and it’s bigger and better than ever before. And the line-up for Gibraltar Music Festival 2015 is shockingly good. The two-day event will feature world-class greats such as Kings of Leon, the Kaiser Chiefs, and Duran Duran. And that’s not all… Paloma Faith, Madness, Tom Odell, The Feeling, Ella Henderson and Spanish band Estopa as well as a number of international DJs will also feature. And organisers have just confirmed that girl band Little Mix and reggae star OMI who, sings recent number one hit Cheerleader will join the stellar crew. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, in particular, will be on fire as his favourite band is Kings of Leon. Duran Duran will headline on Saturday and Kings of Leon on Sunday. The Victoria Stadium event, set for the weekend of September 5-6, is set to draw a crowd of 15,000, an increase of 3,000 on last year. It is a kid-friendly festival that sees the Ministry of Culture distributing free tickets to children under 12 as long as they attended under supervision. Unprecedented interest has seen ticket sales up on last year by over 75% and VIP tickets sold out in July.

ON FIRE: Caleb leads band to Gib

Visit www. gibraltarmusicfestival.com for more information.

vestigative reports, special features, plus regular articles on food and dining, business, motoring, education, golf and much more besides, guaranteeing its popularity with the most discerning of readers. It will be a newspaper which looks beyond the press releases and asks the difficult questions other publications turn a blind eye to. And it is not a shot in the dark. The Gibraltar Olive Press is being launched by Luke Stewart Media SL, publishers of southern Spain’s most popular English-language newspaper which has been published since 2006. It is recognised as the leading investigative newspaper covering Andalucia with a widespread cosmopolitan readership. Exciting times lie ahead for the Olive Press and for our participation on the Rock. In the words of Fabian Picardo himself, ‘Times they are achanging’... and they are changing for the best!

Reggae reverence

MAXI: Reggae THE priest of reggae will headline Gibraltar’s National Day celebrations. Maxi Priest, famous for his take on reggae fusion, a mix between reggae and R&B, will perform in the National Day Concert accompanied by his band Kings of Lover’s Rock. Priest, born in London to Jamaican parents, was one of nine siblings brought up on a mix of gospel and reggae by his parents, who were Pentecostal missionaries. His song Close to You hit the American Billboard’s number one spot in 1990. Other bands that will join Priest onstage are Beniton the Menace, Heritage and Jetstream. Karl Zanders, known by his stage name Beniton the Menace, is a JamaicanAmerican rapper, singer and songwriter who has often performed with Priest. Heritage and Jet Stream are two local bands that will open for the collaboration between Priest and Zanders. Heritage specialises in reggae and Jetstream are a young local band.

ibraltar National Day

Environmentalists raise concerns about Gibraltar’s National Day balloons By Caitlin Quinn A SYMBOL of national pride or a sinister threat to the environment? That’s the question many are asking ahead of Gibraltar National Day, when 30,000 red and white balloons — one for each resident of the British territory — are set to fly over the crowd in Casemates Square. The release of the balloons is a much beloved tradition dating back to the early years of National Day celebrations. But in recent years, the custom has come under fire for its ecological implications, particularly for marine life.

Pop goes the Rock PARTY TIME: All night long at Dusk nightclub in Gibraltar

Dusk ‘til dawn

When the sun dips behind the Rock of Gibraltar, Dusk is the one place that keeps on rocking

Minority

The Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS) is one of several groups calling for a ban on the balloons. In a statement, the GONHS emphasized the balloons’ impact on marine life, especially turtles, saying, “Once balloons have been eaten they can block digestive systems and cause animals to starve.” Even though the balloons are made out of biodegradable material, the GONHS asserts

National Day2.indd 1

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

SPECTACULAR: The balloon release they can take years to decay and in the meantime litter cities, fields and the sea. However, the anti-balloonists seem to be in the minority, as the balloons inspire feelings of pride and solidarity across the Gibraltarian community.

“I think they have a lot of symbolic value,” said Britain’s Got Talent star Jonathan Lutwyche, 15. “I know they’re controversial now, but it’s something we always do. It’s just once a year and it means so much to Gibraltarians.”

HEN the last balloon has floated out of sight and the final firework has gone off with a bang, there’s only one place to keep the Gibraltar National Day party going… Dusk champagne and cocktail bar. Featuring top local rock band JetStream as well as DJ Lazy Daiz it really is the place to be come National Day… or any other day for that matter. Kicking off at 1pm, Dusk nightclub in Ocean Village will come alive and as manager Nicola Copeland explains ‘the party never ends’. “Gibraltar National Day is a date everyone looks forward to,” she adds. “We are excited to be hosting one of the Rock’s best bands and expect it to be a great night.”

And it will be a busy month for the team at Dusk, as the team also gears up to host the Gibraltar Music Festival’s official after party on September 5 and 6. Last year the likes of the Script, Jon Newman and Rita Ora all made an appearance so don’t be surprised to see Suggs, Kings of Leon or Paloma Faith gracing the Dusk dancefloor this time round. The Dusk team also have a pop-up bar inside Victoria Park for the festival so be sure to pop along for a well-deserved drinks break. And that’s not all… a total refurbishment has just been completed and a new-look Dusk was unveiled in August, just in time to celebrate the venue’s three-year anniversary. For more information email nicola@dusk.gi

25/8/15 13:52

Property

29 29 the Olive Press June 25th - July 9th 2015 September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Striking gold Rich expats are being lured to invest in Spain through changes to property law

GOLDEN TICKET: Visas

Pricey pools FOR a private place to splash around, homebuyers in Spain’s biggest cities are prepared to spend big bucks. Property portal Idealista.com has revealed that the average Madrid home with a swimming pool is 34% more expensive than one without a pool. In Barcelona, that disparity skyrockets to 124%. A whopping 21% of Madrid homes on the market feature swimming pools, while in Barcelona, that number is just 7.6%.

THE government is adjusting a recently introduced property law in a bid to tempt rich expats to Spain. The Spanish government is amending its ‘golden visa’ scheme in an effort to attract rich investors from overseas. The scheme - which gives non-EU migrants residency in exchange for property investment - has had a slow start since its launch in 2013. In the first 15 months, just 530 investors have taken advantage of the scheme. The Chinese were mooted as a potential market for Spain, but property experts in the Far East slammed the scheme, saying it was neither ‘attractive or easy enough to bother’. To make matters worse,

Close connection THE days of shamelessly looking for free-WiFi in a cafe or bar are over. A Spanish hotel group is keeping its guests connected to the web… even when they are on the go. Holidaymakers staying at Room Mate Hotels are being provided with a portable 3G router with 100MB of data to keep them online at all times. Always one step ahead of the game Room Mate Hotels has been offering guests WiFi in their rooms since 2005.

Spanish banks have made the process harder with the introduction of new moneylaundering laws. The government has now announced a number of ‘technical’ improvements which it hopes will attract more investment.

Deposit

These include rights to work in Spain, the acceptance of common-law family and dependents, a six-month visa issued on the placing of a deposit on property, visa renewal every five years, and the possibility of applying for a residency permit in Spain rather than in the country of origin. The changes to the scheme are due to be implemented in September.

Spanish shopping spree BRITAIN’S biggest shopping centre landlord is celebrating after turning a tidy profit on Spanish property. Intu properties, owners of Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Lakeside in Essex now boasts a €13 billion property-portfolio, after gambling on Spain’s market 12 months ago. Last year the company acquired the Puerto Venecia in Zaragoza for a mouth-watering €450.8m. With interest peaking in Spain the company also purchased a site on the Costa del Sol - near to Malaga - where it is building a new retail centre. A spokesman said: “We are always looking to grow the Intu brand. “Be that in the acquisition of property or by setting up new centres. “We hope to become a major player across Europe.” The company, which was previously called Capital Shopping Centres, claims that retailers are now targeting larger stores in prime locations to respond to the growing click-and-collect trend.

951 273 575

302015 the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th

IS YOUR HOME READY FOR SOME LOVE?

Property

HOT PROPERTY: In Barcelona

The most desirable

THE most sought-after property districts in Spain have been unveiled and much liked La Liga Barcelona and Madrid dominate the standings. The top seven most desired districts are all split between the two cities, with homes for sale attracting more buyers than anywhere else. L’Eixample in Barcelona is Spain’s most sought-after area, according to agent Fotocasa. Just behind is central Madrid, followed by Barrio Salamanca (Madrid), Sant Martí (Barcelona), Chamberí (Madrid), Sants-Montjuïc (Barcelona) and Ciudad Lineal (Madrid).

Price is right SPAIN is snapping at Morocco’s heels to offer the Mediterranean’s most competitive hotel stays. While August saw Morocco’s hotels charging on average €100 per night, Spanish hotels charged €124. The southern Med’s destinations generallyoffered the biggest bargains. Meanwhile Greek and Croatian hotels charged €177 and €160 per night respectively. Croatia’s hospitality has increased in value by 13% over the last five years to €160 per night while Portuguese hotels have risen in price to a more pocket-friendly €130.

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September 3rd- -July September 16th 2015 the Olive Press June 25th 9th 2015

Cheap share!

FOR university students on a shoestring budget, sharing a flat is as much a rite of passage as pulling an all-nighter. So it’s good news for Spanish students that the average cost of a shared apartment in a Spanish university city is just €229 per month, according to a study by property portal Pisos.com. That’s well below the European monthly average of €350 — and less than a third the cost of a shared flat in the United Kingdom, which will set you back a staggering €808 per month. That makes Britain the most expensive country in Europe to share an apartment. Britain is also the most popular destination for Spanish

Spain is one of Europe’s cheapest countries to rent a shared apartment, while the cost of a UK rental flat threatens to break the bank

FLAT-SHARE: Cheap rates in Spain

students on their Erasmus year, followed by Italy, Germany and France. Within Spain, the average

monthly cost of a shared flat varies by city, ranging from €147 in Murcia to €313 in Madrid.

Top for retirement

BEACH LIFE: Attracts Brits

SPAIN is officially the top destination for retired Brits moving abroad. A quarter of the UK’s over-50 population would opt for the Spanish life if they were to retire abroad. Some 22% would head to the United States, 15% to the Far East and 12% to the Caribbean. Back in Europe, France comes up second, with 9% of the UK’s over-50s eyeing up a life in the land of frogs legs and snails, according to financial service Retirement Advantage. Lower living costs, cheaper property and year-round sunshine are the three main reasons for Brits heading to Spain.

11+

years experience in

by Tancrede de Pola

Borrowing can be a daunting prospect, however healthy your bank balance is. Mortgage expert Tancrede de Pola reveals his tips for dazzling the banks

Top tips to secure a dream home

A Follow us on Facebook for information, offers and new lines

www.theolivepress.es

NYONE who has applied for a mortgage over the past decade will know that it can be a slog. The banks may be loosening their purse-strings but you still go through a bit of a tap dance to secure a loan. Borrowers are put under the lenders’ microscopes as income and expenditure are gone over with a finetooth comb. But a borrower can be wise and there are a few ‘tricks of the trade’ that will make life easier for prospective borrowers. Here are a few ways borrowers can get the upper hand. Make sure you are registered on the Electoral Roll at home. Having late payments for any type of loan or mortgage is an absolute no no. Make sure that all credit cards are paid off on time. If you don’t trust yourself to remember, set up direct debits to avoid the risk of missing a payment. And if you can’t afford to pay the full balance then set up a direct debit for the minimum payment and then pay off the extra when you can afford it (remember, balances over 50% of the credit-limit will affect your credit-score). Spanish banks don’t have a concept of

overdraft so don’t go overdrawn in your bank account at home unless you can show that you are regularly transferring the bulk of your balance to an interestbearing savings account… A badly-managed bank account can set alarm bells ringing. A good way to improve your score is to put all expenditure on a credit card (ideally one that gives you cashback or a similar incentive) and pay it off in full each month without fail. This has the added benefit that when lenders see your bank statements it won’t be obvious where you spend your money or what you spend it on. In the 12 weeks before you apply for a loan, run your bank account as if you already have a mortgage. It can be hard to put into practice, but discipline is needed. Avoid excessive spending, cut out subscriptions and memberships that aren’t essential and don’t splash the cash on gambling or frivolous. And most importantly, make sure you solicit the help of a good team that you trust. Ensure you have a good estate agent, a good mortgage broker and a good lawyer. Together they can ensure a transaction goes through as smoothly as possible.

To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call 666 709 743 or email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com

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Property

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the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015

31 31

- September theSeptember Olive Press3rd June 25th - July16th 9th2015 2015

Live like a Prince

SOLD: Beckham mansion

Adios, Goldenballs DAVID Beckham has finally shifted his Madrid mansion, almost a decade after putting it on the market. It was worth the wait, however, as the former Real Madrid player netted a million-pound profit. He bought the luxurious fivebedroom La Moraleja pad for €4.2 million and sold it on to a Spanish waste disposal entrepreneur for €5.8 million. David, 40, and designer wife Victoria, 41, purchased the house with heated swimming pool, tennis courts, football pitch and kids play area from a French couple in 2005 and spent €475,000 renovating it.

End of year sales SPANISH bank Bankinter has predicted a 2% increase in property prices by the end of the year. The bank is also expecting 50,000 new home sales across the country before the new year.

PRINCE fans will Go Crazy for a new property on the market - a mansion gifted by the Grammy winner to his wife Mayte Garcia, in Estepona. Garcia, a belly dancer who was married to the musician from 1998 until 2000, sold the house in the Paraiso Alto urbanisation in 2004. At that time, the flamingo pink stucco house contained a hair salon, mu-

Agent matches foreign buyers to houses and hamlets in north-western Spain HOUSE-hunting and short of spare change well head for the hills as entire villages are up for grabs at bargain prices in Spain’s rural corners. An average flat in Madrid sells for about €5,000 per square metre, making the Spanish capital one of Europe’s priciest property markets. But in the Galician countryside, that sum can buy you an entire house. And if you’ve got a bit more to spend — say, €200,000 — you can buy the whole village. So says British-born estate agent Mark Adkinson, who makes a living finding dirtcheap countryside properties and matching them with foreign buyers. According to Adkinson,

sic studio and bright pink and purple walls adorned with murals of the couple together. The following owner, who is now selling the house, toned down some of the decorations but left the massive colonial-style staircase complete with a chandelier in the entrance hall. The house is for sale for €5.25 million.

UP FOR GRABS: Prince’s pink pad in Estepona

A pittance for pastoral properties many homes and villages in Spain’s northwest have sat abandoned for decades after residents migrated to cities in search of work. Adkinson markets the properties to foreigners, including British retirees and even an Indian entrepreneur who wants to transform a deserted hamlet into a yoga retreat. If it breathes some life into these once-vibrant ghost towns, we can all say namaste to that.

HEAD FOR THE HILLS: Galician village for €200,000

The cost of preserving the past SPAIN’S iconic Paradors are symbols of decadence, history and legacy, transforming some of the country’s most treasured buildings into luxury hotels. But they have not been paying their way, with the group ending 2014 €7.8 million in the red. In spite of this improvement on €19.7 million in the red the year before, it marks six consecutive years without profit. The government injected €40 million into the Parador group last year alone but overall occupation remains low at 53.5% on average. But there is some good news: Paradors are expected to be in the black by €1 million at the end of this year.

32 32 the Olive Press June 11th - June 32

Top Dollar 24th 2015

Mad for Madrid

Tourist torrent BETWEEN January and July 2015, Spain welcomed 38 million foreign tourists who spent an all-time high of €37 billion.

Room boom ANDALUCIAN hotels registered 6.2 million overnight stays in July, an alltime record high.

Oil well SPAIN saved €8.4 billion in the first half of 2015 thanks to the collapse of crude oil prices, according to official numbers.

Rajoy reassures PRIME Minister Mariano Rajoy has promised that China’s crisis will not have important repercussions on the Spanish economy.

4 PAGES OF BUSINESS NEWS

Americans in Russians out

NEWS IN BRIEF REAL Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium is the Spanish capital’s third most popular museum, with 1.2 million tours in 2014.

www.theolivepress.es

YOU are more likely to hear an American accent on the beach this summer than a Russian one. That’s due to the trend in Spanish tourism in 2015 so far, which saw the number of tourists from Russia fall by a staggering 37% and the number of American tourists rise by a respectable 21%. The year-on-year numbers are even more surprising: The number of Russian tourists who visited Spain in July 2015 was 41% less than July 2014. HOP OVER THE POND: Chuck Close’s tourists But Americans are flocking to Spain this year, with 40% more US visitors than the same period in 2014. The drop in Russian tourism is thought to owe largely to economic difficulties — including EU sanctions — in THE business dealings of Vladi- tial affair’. Russia followmir Putin are under investigation The letter was found when ing the conflict after claims have emerged that he Petrov’s lavish Mallorca property, in Ukraine, tried to buy a Spanish property complete with a Salvador Dali and while the boom numerous expensive cars, was through a Russian mafia chief. in American Papers revealing the Russian pres- raided in 2008 by Spanish police. tourism has ident intended to buy a Costa del The Malaga property deal is now PUTIN: Link to Malaga probe been attributed Sol property were found during under investigation as part of a to a recovering a raid of one of Russia’s biggest ten-year probe into Petrov’s crim- A book on Putin recently reeconomy and inal dealings. crime bosses, Gennady Petrov. the appreciating vealed he had visited Spain dozDespite a forceful denial from Although Putin is not mentioned ens of times since the 1990s. dollar. Putin, a note has emerged, dated in the Spanish indictment, con- Meanwhile, Olive Press sources So far this year, 2001, which reads ‘Senor Putin, versations between Petrov’s al- revealed last year that the Rusan estimated 39 land in Malaga, Russian area or leged gang members also talk of sian president was buying a million foreign Russian urbanisation. Land not his owning a Spanish property in property in La Zagaleta near tourists have bought. Administration presiden- the Alicante area. visited Spain. Marbella.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Malaga house probe

From Russia with loot

Saltydog looks at the best ways to steady your ship during stormy financial waters IT is essential to have up-todate unit trust fund performance information. At Saltydog Investor, we pay to receive Morningstar fund numbers on a daily basis. Our algorithms then align these thousands and thousands of funds into the 30 or so Investment Association (IA) asset sectors. And then these sectors are allocated into our five Saltydog volatility groups to make them easier to review. With a nod to my early life in the merchant navy, these groups have been given nautical names that instantly indicate the risk levels associated with the group. In order of rising volatility these groups are named.... ·Safe Haven - cash and cash equivalent funds. ·Slow Ahead - mainly fixed interest funds represented by Bonds and Gilts. ·Steady As She Goes - predominantly equity income and managed funds. Full Steam Ahead Developed - funds investing in small or large companies in the Developed Nations. Full Steam Ahead Emerging and Specialist - funds investing in small or large companies in the Emerging Nations, and funds from the specialist sector such as Latin America, Russia, India and Biotechnology. Using these groups we form a risk pie-chart and allocate percentages for investment,

LECHE-LICIOUS: Milk

Milking it SPAIN’S top milk producers are teaming up to try to raise the price of milk and save the industry. The National Market Commission approved the joint regulation by Corporacion Alimentaria Penasanta and Leche Celta in order to raise milk prices, which plummeted after the abolishing of Europe’s unpopular quota system. Both companies will now sell their milk under the same brand. The EU milk quota system, which started in 1984, was scrapped in April in order to make the European dairy business competitive against African and Asian markets. Experts believe this change, which merges 50% of both companies, is an attempt to combat the market domination of the French company Lactalis.

A financial ‘telescope’ is the best way to plot your course

based upon our risk appetite and modified to reflect the current market conditions. This done, the algorithm topslices the funds so that we are only looking at the top performers on the basis of a four-week and 26-week timescale. These are the ‘race winners’. This would be an impossible task for an individual to take upon themselves, both from the point of cost and time. But this is the service that Saltydog supplies on a weekly basis to help you sail through smoother waters. Speaking of storms, 50 years ago, I was the navigator on a Jamaican banana boat sailing between London and Kingston.

It was hurricane season and if we were unlucky enough to be caught out by a tropical storm, the most important thing was to have accurate information on the storm’s size, speed and direction. This was supplied to us by the brave men of the American coastguard, who flew their planes into the eye of the storm and kept us informed of its progress. Armed with this information, we would then alter direction, slow down, even turn around and do anything within our powers to keep the ship in the South-west quadrant of the storm. This is the safest sector, as the hurricane should in theory

move off to the North leaving us safe to continue to our destination. I learnt many life lessons in the merchant navy and the importance of good information was one of the most valuable in later life. It has certainly kept us safe over the last few weeks, months and years. Saltydog’s service cannot be compared with that supplied by those amazing airmen from the US coastguard but we are providing a similar facility for those people investing in today’s volatile markets. Go to www.saltydoginvestor.com for more details.

Top Dollar

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the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015 September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Cracking the (last) code Bridging pay gap A POLL about pay found that 100% of Spanish under-25s believe their direct colleagues are paid exactly the same, irrespective of their gender. But more than half (55%) of 26 to 40 year olds said that they felt that salary inequality exists; and 58% of 41 to 54 year olds also agreed. This may suggest that employers are waking up to the socalled gender ‘pay gap’ when it comes to hiring new employees; but those who have been in work for longer may still feel they are lagging behind.

Proactive

Those soon to retire, the over 55s, were the most adamant about the pay gap, with 62% saying they believed there was inequality - with 53% of the voters women and a significantly larger 70% men. This of course may reflect on the views of their generation, starting full-time work in the 1970s. But firms can certainly be more proactive about gender differences, with the poll finding that only 32% of respondents said that their company had procedures in place to address pay gap problems. It’s a global issue, with 48% of women across 31 countries saying that they don’t think they have the same professional opportunities as men. Specifically in Spain, the response to the same question was a massive 68%. One option to solve the problem would be quotas to regulate gender in the workplace - one in nine people polled thought that this would be a good idea.

33 33 33

Train troubles WORKERS on Spanish rail network Renfe are set to strike this Friday. It will be the first of four scheduled 24-hour walk-outs by SEMAF, Spain’s train workers’ union. The other three will take place on September 11, 14 and 15 if an agreement cannot be reached before. SEMAF is launching the strikes in the wake of failed talks on collective bargaining and human resources with Renfe. A second national workers’ union, the CCOO, has also announced plans to strike in response to Renfe’s rejection of union demands to increase workforce numbers. The disgruntled train workers plan to protest outside Spain’s Ministry of Public Works on September 12.

An un-deciphered World War II message is the basis of a new security software package

A SPANISH entrepreneur has cracked one of the only remaining World War II puzzles. Didac Sanchez has used his decryption of the message as the basis for a new security software package. The message is believed to hold information about the Normandy D-Day landings. The new software, called AYEO, or ForYourEyesOnly, uses the structure of the message to encrypt any text, WhatsApp, Messenger, SMS or Skype conversation. It is due for release next year. This innovative new cryptoanalysis endeavor comes at the heels of Sanchez’s remarkable rise in the business world. The 22-year-old Barcelona native has been running Legisdalia Group for four years, working across the health, web, law, communication and music sectors. The group brought in €32 million in 2014, and is forecast to almost double to €50 million for 2015.

CODEBREAKER: Didac Sanchez

Ominous omissions? ALMOST three-quarters of Spain’s job adverts do not mention wage or salary. The startling statistic was reported in an employment study by UGT, the Barcelona workers’ union. Their report also found that more than half of job listings they looked at omitted information about work hours. The UGT said Spain’s labour market is ‘precarious and poorly paid’.

Eyes on Malaga MALAGA’S answer to the London Eye is ready to be taken for a spin. The big wheel in Malaga’s port was due to start turning during the feria but was delayed with technical faults. The Mirador Princess has 42 airconditioned cabins with 30km views across the harbour. The port authority has granted the wheel an eight month stay for now, parallel to Muelle de Heredia. Malaga is following in the footsteps of Pamplona, Valencia and Zaragoza - and, of course, London - by adding a big wheel attraction.

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the Olive Press September 3rdJuly - September 16th 2015 10th -July 24th

AGONY ANT YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES

ROSECUTORS and courts of EU countries can receive assistance from one another when investigating crimes thanks to the Council Act of 29 May 2000 establishing the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union. This Act supplements the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters of 20 April 1959. And it does not cover international police, extradition and customs collaboration, all of which are regulated by other laws, but measures required by courts and prosecutors in preliminary investigation and in court proceedings. This act has been ordered by Denia Court number one in the investigation of alleged fraud in the marketing and sale of mortgages in Spain: the interrogation of the de facto owner of The Rothschild Group, Mr Baron David de Rothschild. To achieve this, lawyers acting for victims of the Credit Select Series four mortgage loan have recently submitted to the Spanish Court a list of questions that Rothschild should respond to, when summoned by the appropriate French Court. The deposition questions re-

The baron interrogated Lawyer Antonio Flores looks on as court resumes murky Rothschild investigation

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late mostly to the extensive advertising employed by Guernsey-based Rothschild Bank International, owned by The Rothschild Group, to market and sell Spanish mortgages as part of a scheme to reduce potential inheritance taxes. Rothschild lawyers have cynically denied any knowledge of the proceedings and refused to collaborate, in spite of their meeting with journalists from El País or when police officers visited the bank’s branch in Madrid to deliver the summons. On this occasion, the officers were fobbed off by dismissive staff with the lame excuse claiming that ‘he does not work here’. Mr Rothschild’s attitude is in contrast with his group’s advertised motto, ‘Harmony, integrity, industry’, qualities that are best underpinned by the Denia judge who, so far, seems unperturbed by the stature of the individual. With courts resuming their activity this week after the summer recess, there will be a mixture of expectation and hope among the victims of a fraudulently-sold mortgage loan who now need to know, sooner rather than later, what Rothschild’s top man has to say.

Top Dollar

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the Olive Press June 11th - June 24th 2015

the Olive Press July 10th -July 24th

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99-cent diesel

CHEAP: Filling up time at the pumps

FOR the first time since 2010, the price of diesel has fallen below €1 per litre. A petrol station in Ronda is selling diesel for just 99 cents per litre, a five-year low. The price plunge is particularly notable because it comes during the height of the summer, when fuel prices are typically near their highest. It continues a year-long national trend, as Spain’s fuel prices have fallen 17% in the last twelve months.

The price of space

Madrid boasts Spain’s priciest parking spot in sought-after Salamanca district WHILE you can buy an entire village in rural Galicia for under €200,000, the same amount is only just enough to get you a parking spot in Madrid. Spain’s most expensive parking space – a cool €150,000 – can be found in the capi-

tal’s exclusive Salamanca district on Calle Hermosilla. Meanwhile in Barcelona the priciest spot is €90,000 in the Travesia de Gracia zone. The average parking space in Madrid costs €31,490 while Barca steaks ahead with a

WheelY pricey

ANDALUCIA is a dramatically cheaper place to learn to drive than other parts of Spain, a consumer analyst (OCU) has revealed. Learning to drive in San Sebastian costs three times as much as it does in Sevilla and twice the going rate in Madrid. Whereas in San Sebastian getting your licence costs over €1,500, it is around €800 in Madrid and under €550 in Sevilla and A Coruna in Galicia. Why the difference? Pacts between driving schools, and the different costs of living across Spain.

€44,073 price-tag typically. London is still the most expensive place to park in Europe. But exorbitant they are not: in comparison with the USA where a Manhattan parking space sold for over €885,000 ($1 million) and regularly sell for over €110,000 in San Francisco. Alarmingly, in New York, a parking spot can cost more than an apartment due to space being at a premium.

Road to Riches, by Richard Alexander

Whose will is it anyway? New rules affect your will… and you need to know about it, says Richard Alexander

HENEVER you hear there is a bit of new European legislation, I wonder if like me, you brace yourself for the next bit of nonsense that overpaid bureaucrats have managed to dream up! So Brussels IV as it is known, should not be a surprise and will impact both UK residents with property in other EU states and UK expatriates living in other EU states. On this occasion though, it is a route to help you avoid interference with your wishes following your death. These new rules involve your wills and leaving your assets to your beneficiaries of choice. As you may be aware, some countries, like Spain have inheritance regulations which dictate how an estate should be distributed following the death of any individual. The new rules are designed to ensure that individuals can make a choice, through their will, to apply their own national laws to the relevant succession assets that are in other EU states. In England and Wales, we are very familiar with the concept of freedom to name our beneficiaries, (although this has been challenged recently in the UK by one disgruntled heir who was disinherited), but this is not the case in the majority of Europe, Spain included, where enforced heirship rules exist. The new law will make it easier to settle international succession but it does not happen automatically.

In principle the law applying will be the law of the country where the deceased person had their habitual residence unless either they were demonstrably more closely associated with another country, which will be judged on a case by case basis or if the deceased elected in their will for their own national law to apply. Wills should be updated from time to time in any event, but this new legislation should make it an absolute priority for anyone with property or other assets which they wish to bequeath to others on their death, to review their current will to ensure a clear election is included and if not, then speak to your adviser to get it updated as soon as possible would seem the sensible thing to do. The new law applies to all deaths from August 17, 2015 and applies to all 27 EU countries, with the exception of Denmark, UK and Ireland, all of whom opted out. Don’t think though because the UK opted out that there is nothing to consider. If you are a UK national with property and other assets in another EU states or you are a national from another EU state but living in the UK, then it does affect you. Once you are thinking about this subject, it might not be a bad idea to have a rethink about how your assets are invested and whether in fact, you are in need of a more thorough overhaul of your long term financial plans; you might just manage some cost saving or improve the returns you are getting along the way.

Richard Alexander Financial Planning Limited is an appointed representative of L J Financial Planning Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. Contact him at Richard@ra-fp.com

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amino E C ................................. 36 36 the Olive Press June 11th - June

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24th 2015

Beyond the beaches, off the beaten track - Spain is dirt bike heaven, if you know where to look. Motorbike expert Ed Wild of redtread.com picks his top five tracks

FAN: Pitt (right) and Rossi

In the Pitts

US megastar Brad Pitt is part of a documentary tracking the careers of the world’s fastest motorcycle riders. The MotoGP superfan will be producing and narrating Hitting the Apex. Tracing the stories of ‘six of the fastest men of all time’, Pitt takes a look at the rivalry between Italian Valentino Rossi and Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo and the meteoric rise of young Spaniard Marc Marquez. But Pitt is not the first Hollywood star to transfer his love of motorbikes to the big screen. Scottish A-lister Ewan McGregor is the voice to both Faster and Fastest MotoGP documentaries.

IDING a motorcycle across Spain epitomises the joy of travelling in this country. A motorcycle here means being able to cross countryside you have never seen at whatever speed, and on whatever route, as long as you feel it is safe. Of course, some routes are better than others. And some routes are better than all the others. Here’s our pick of the absolute best:

Dirt biking on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada

The natural beauty of Andalucia’s snowy peaks is enough to convince anyone they have come to the right country. However, underneath those blankets of white hide the dirt-biking tracks of your dreams. The region is not just for skiing and boasts some gorgeous woodlands to plunge your motorcycles into.

Montserrat and motorcycles

The fiercely independent region of Catalunya is home to the fierce-looking Montserrat, whose name literally translates to ‘saw mountain’. But don’t expect to motorcycle your way to the peak as the highest routes are for hikers only. This won’t stop you riding through muddy forests or the caves of Montserrat, though.

OFF-ROAD: Dirt biking in Spain offers visual delights

On the trail of best cross-country rides Malaga to Gibraltar: An on-road/off-road adventure

Imagine riding along the southernmost coast of Europe while gazing across to the northernmost tip of Africa. You can watch Europe and Africa collide as you drive along

the front line of two world cultures.

Malaga to Madrid: Riding from the coast to the centre

If coastal trips aren’t for you, why not ride through the wild innards of Spain to reach the country’s beating heart? Plenty of natural parks, small towns and lakes are on offer

in this mammoth journey. This one requires a lot of planning as it can range from total beginner to absolutely impossible.

Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara, y Alhama

Buried in the depths of this natural park, a place that takes even longer to drive around than it does to pronounce, are some wonderful

Shifting gears CAR sales shot up by almost a quarter last month. July saw an increase of 23.5% on previous years, with a massive 102,922 vehicles sold in Spain. A monthly figure of this strength has not been seen since 2008. It brings the number of cars sold so far in 2015 up to 658,000, the best sevenmonth period since 2010. The car market is on the up, with 23 consecutive months of growth.

hidden gems. The limestone rock in this area been sculpted by the weather of this region into jagged ravines. Still, if you’re more into history than geology, the park is also famous for its villages that date back to Moorish times. The variety on offer means that no two rides near this park are ever the same. Visit www.redtread.com

REVVING UP: Sales on the move

GOLF In the swing of it

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Fly, drive, stay, golf (for less) A MEMBERS only discount scheme will debut in Spain’s golf clubs this month. Golflying Club – a website for hotels, travel and golf tourism – is owned by Grupo Comark. It will be rolled out across 90 Spanish golf courses before expanding into Europe, firstly to Portugal, then to Ireland, the UK and France in 2016. Members can save more than 15% across 200 hotels, car hire firms and flights with selected suppliers. The golf industry is the third biggest in the world, it is reported to generate over €16,000 million in Europe each year, and €70,000 million in the USA.

Presenting the

STUNNING: La Reserva Golf Club in Sotogrande is up for the top gong

Vote for victory VOTE now or forever hold your peace. This is the message from the World Golf Awards, where voting closes for the prestigious 2015 prizes on September 27. And Sotogrande is leading the way for Andalucia’s golf scene. Andalucia alone houses three of the 21 venues battling it out for Spain’s Best Golf Course, all within striking distance

Last chance to keep Spain championing the international golf scene of luxury destination Sotogrande - La Reserva Club de Golf, Valderrama Golf Club and Real Club de Golf de Sotogrande. And on a national level, La

Manga club in Murcia is up against eight other destinations to win Europe’s Best Golf Venue 2015. The second annual awards ceremony will take place at

the luxurious Conrad Algarve hotel in Portugal at the beginning of November. Portugal won the World’s best golf destination at the inaugural World Golf Awards in 2014, with Spain hot on its heels bagging nine of Europe’s 20 best courses in a recent poll. Visit worldgolfawards.com to place your vote.

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Renovated

But back at the club, the groundsmen have been working hard to ensure standards are kept high throughout the winter. Investment in drainage and irrigation means the course will be beautifully presented and the greens the best they have ever been. And after a day on the course, Estepona Golf players can kick back in a newly renovated bar and restaurant with lounge area, terrace bar and restaurant with panoramic sea views. For more information or to sign up for the latest online offers email jasoncallow@esteponagolf.com

Westin tees off for third Spanish resort A LUXURY golf resort is the latest gem being added to the jewel box of Benahavis. The Westin La Quinta Golf & Spa Resort is due to open in March 2016 as part of a collaboration with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. It will be the third Westin in Spain, with 172 luxurious guest rooms, six suites (one presidential), and a 1500m2 spa, sprawling gardens and a 27-hole Championship golf course. “We are proud to be part of this tremendous project which marks an exciting new chapter in our enthusiasm to grow our European hotel assets,” said Orlando Orfali, owner of Hoteleras La Quinta.

Columnists

39the Olive Press June 11th - June

www.theolivepress.es

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

Running away from new technology WhatsApp with all these new ways to communicate?

O one believes me when I tell them my first newspaper employed ‘human’ runners to race news stories back to the office … written out by hand, in ink, on paper; often by me, when banished to the Press Bench at Brighton Crown Court for my sins (less of a penance when the runner was dishy!). And I didn’t take that from the pages of Evelyn Waugh’s Scoop, published in 1938. I’m not that old. My point is, nothing is changing faster than the way we communicate. Who’d have imagined a few (ahem) years ago that one day it would be normal to have 5,000 friends and be able to send Christmas cards to them all! Friends we talk to but have never met… some of us going so far as to show them candid pictures of what we did last Saturday night, and to whom, because we’ve got our privacy buttons in a muddle. We’ve adapted so fast (well, some of us have), talking of gigabytes of RAM like they’ve been in the Oxford Dictionary for years. If only animals could learn the language that fast

SIMPLER TIMES: A young and tech-free Belinda (*gives sentimental Dr Doolittle sigh*). Not so long ago, if a stranger offered to ‘give you a WhatsApp’ he’d be risking a punch on the nose; now we Skype and SMS each other, sounding like we’re indulging in some hip form of bondage.

HERE are certain things that summertime always brings down here in Marbella. The superb weather, of course, plus an influx of TOWIE wannabes and the inevitable traffic chaos as the roads in August descend into a kind of maniacal motor version of Tetris; especially on the roundabouts outside Puerto Banus where drivers try and slot their cars through the smallest gaps in traffic possible. I know that we should all be grateful for the annual influx of tourists that helps the local economy but it doesn’t half test the patience at this time of year. I have to employ a variety of anti-stress techniques to make it to the end of summer. These include deep breathing exercises, meditation, positive thinking, a large G&T before 11, that kind of thing. Summer is also high season for having guests pop by for a visit. It’s always great having visitors at the Casita and if they can handle the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom style track down to my place, plus the, ahem, ‘idiosyncrasies’ of a single male in his late forties, then they are more than welcome. Though an American friend took one look at the organised chaos that is my living space before turning to her children and saying, “You see kids? This is what happens when a man lives alone...” I don’t subscribe to Oscar Wilde’s quote that ‘fish and houseguests go off after three days’ and am more than happy to welcome visitors, although I have had to employ the water canon on a few occasions to disperse those who have overstayed their welcome. I even discovered one hardy soul squatting in the ruin adjoining the Casita after I (with the considerable help of the Yummy Mummy’s imposing West Country brother) had ‘strongly requested’ he leave. Mind you, he had been

I am neither a ‘Skyper’ nor a ‘Skypee’. No one’s going to catch me at three in the afternoon in bed, in my dressing gown, in glorious Technicolour! Nor am I a ‘WhatsApp-er’. All that two-thumbed texting on tiny keyboards at the speed of the Flight of the Bum- blebee is

Teenage kicks A teenage houseguest gives Giles a flashback to footloose, fancy-free Spanish summers…

DO NOT DISTURB: Last night was a heavy one

beyond me. I was trained on a Qwerty keyboard at journalist college in Portsmouth. I need 10 fingers for that. Have done since I passed my 60wpm touchtyping exam (around the time I danced to Mud playing Tiger Feet on Southsea Pier). As for Smartphones, I use the Samsung Galaxy Note I bought this year almost exclusively to watch Film On movies and Sky News on Pick TV. I hardly every use it to actually speak to anyone, unless forced to by an incoming call. With its extra big screen, it feels like you’re holding two slices of Hovis to your head. It’s so much easier to email. I bought the Note after many hours of late-night surfing, chuffed with the little pen that slots out of the bottom like a real pen and notebook – the Stone Age journalist’s equivalent of a baby’s dummy. Yes, I was born in the ‘Stone’ age, when newspapers were actually made up on one. I only took the pen out once and was bombarded by so many apps and options I haven’t dared touch it since. Now where did I put my runner?

a war cameraman in Afghanistan so I suspect he was happy enough staying there. This summer, however, a good friend of mine has been staying with her teenage son, who I remember carrying down the King’s Road when he was only a few months old. There is no chance of me carrying him anywhere now, however, as he is pretty much the same size as me, and still growing. Not being used to having teenagers at the Casita, it’s been a bit of a culture shock, especially for him when he found out that I have no WIFI, which ranks beneath somewhere to stay and running water with your average teen. This has meant that the majority of his stay has been spent eating, sleeping, eating, slumping on my sofa, eating and watching DVDs on his laptop. And did I mention the eating? His one night out with a schoolmate was a high point. Dropping him for a few days with his friend in Sotogrande, I was a little surprised to get an emergency call 36 hours later. He had run out of money and could I please come and pick him up. I found him pale and tired at the entrance to the Polo having already had a long-distance bollocking from his father. On the way back, he revealed that rather than the few furtive beers in Sotogrande Port that we imagined, he and his friend had been invited clubbing by a neighbour, where they had ended up in the VIP area of one of the most expensive clubs in Marbella, where the minimum spend is €1000 per table, until 7am. Responsible adult that I am, I didn’t know whether to warn him of the unsavoury characters that you meet in Banus at that time in the morning, or congratulate him on his style and ask if I could come with him next time!

24th 2015

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BUILDING

JEREZ’S sherry wine is revolutionising its image following a multi-decade slump. In the ‘70s, sherry sales rode the high of the wine boom, with a record of 23,000 hectares of palomino grapes planted. Unfortunately, as the primary exporters the UK and Holland lost interest, the price of the wine crashed with the excess of grapes, and employment in the sherry sector fell from supporting 12,000 jobs to a mere 1,500. However, one company is trying to revive the sherry market by moving it from the supermarket shelves to the linen-covered table. Bodegas Tradicion, created in 1998, is trying to re-infuse sherry with the luxury and prestige it deserves for the labour-intensive process required to make the wine. The company owns 7,000 hectares, and sells 16,000 bottles a year to high-end restaurants, leading wine expert Eduardo Ojeda to declare, “The sherry revolution has begun.”

PERSONAL

Sherry good

GRAND REVIVAL: Luxury sherry is back in vogue

Too many pomegranates POMEGRANATES are growing in their droves in Spain… but they may be difficult to offload. A warm summer combined with a spattering of showers in the spring has given Spain’s pomegranate growers reason to rejoice with this harvest 30% up on last year. However, there may be an issue with offloading the stock. The Russian market which usually absorbs 30% of pomegranates produced in Spain will receive far fewer this year due to EU imposed sanctions.

Grape times pool and snooker

MANILVA residents are gearing up for a three-day, foot-stomping, grape festival. Every year, the town celebrates its annual grape harvest with flamenco dancers, wine tasters and brass bands. The festival was founded in the early 1960s and has become an important part of the local calendar, drawing visitors from all across the region. Activities begin on September 5 with a competition at the Manilva Wine Centre to find the best bunch of grapes in the region.

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Feast in the northeast An introduction to Costa Brava cuisine, courtesy of Spain’s most famous chefs (and Caitlin Quinn)

OR a food tour of the Costa Brava, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better trio of guides than Catalunya’s own Roca brothers. Chef Joan, sommelier Josep and pastry chef Jordi operate the legendary El Celler de Can Roca restaurant, bearer of three Michelin stars and reigning titleholder of the world’s best eatery according to Restaurant magazine. But the brothers are quick to point out that their restaurant is far from the only place on the Costa Brava to find delicious cuisine. Here, they offer recommendations for three square meals in Spain’s northeast.

Breakfast

BUSTLING: Girona’s central market

Suggested locale: El Mercat del Lleo and Can Marques, Girona Catalunya is renowned for its fresh produce, among other things, and there’s no better place to do your food shopping than Girona’s main produce market. Here you can buy hundreds of varieties of fruits and vegetables, as well as herbs, spices, and fresh meat and fish. And for a post-market breakfast, the Rocas recommend that you stop in at Can Marques restaurant right next door for a popular esmorzar de forquilla (fork breakfast) of eggs and roasted vegetables or grilled sausage.

ROCA STARS: Brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi

Dinner

Lunch

SUMPTUOUS: Sardines

Suggested locale: Compartir, Cadaques For what Joan, Josep and Jordi call ‘modern haute cuisine’, Compartir is your go-to restaurant. Here, you’ll find dishes inspired by traditional Catalan staples but with quirky twists, like the fried rabbit ribs with apple aioli. If fried rabbit sounds a bit adventurous for your taste, the marinated sardines with apple, fennel and eucalyptus is also highly regarded. As its name suggests, Compartir serves large dishes that are meant to be shared, so make it a family affair — the more the merrier!

Suggested locale: Cal Tet, L’Estartit For fish so fresh it could practically leap off your plate, the Roca brothers suggests village bar Cal Tet. The seafood arrives on small fishing boats and is cooked with maximum simplicity to set off the natural flavours. Whether you opt for the fish skewers or the grilled octopus, you can’t go wrong with these down-to-earth and reasonably-priced dishes.

TASTY: Fish

Your ultimate restaurant guide

Out nOw! Plus for further information visit our website www.eatingoutguide.es

To adverTise: +34 610 053 478 i info@eatingoutguide.es i www.eatingoutguide.es

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New chef on the block

Eating evolution NEANDERTHALS may have a reputation for being primitive and messy but it appears they were also pretty handy in the kitchen. The excavation of a cave in Catalunya found that our distant relatives were actually quite inventive when it comes to cooking. Found among hearths, a former neanderthal’s home has revealed that the extinct species boiled hot water for cooking purposes some 60,000 years ago.

Hot dogs DOG lovers and owners will unite for the first fundraising event of new Ronda dog protection association A.R.P.A. A delicious three-course lunch (for just €30) at El Muelle restaurant in Arriate near Ronda is set for 1:30pm on September 26. Become a member, join in the fun and donate by visiting www. arpasimbiosis.jimdo.com

Gin o’clock SPAIN’S drink of the decade, the gin and tonic, is taking the US market by storm and Andalucia is benefitting. The iconic drink which has been riding the popularity wave for the last ten years is hitting record sales in the US and Latin America with Andalucian producer Rives Pit-

45 45

man reaping the rewards. The artisan producers from Puerto de Santa Maria have seen their global exports shoot up from 12% to 20% in the last two years. The family brand reached €28 million in profits in 2014 and sells over a million litres of gin per year.

SATISFIED CUSTOMERS: Terraza Aguadulce used to be highly rated on Tripadvisor

TrapAdvisor Business loses out after TripAdvisor plays God A FRUSTRATED expat is battling TripAdvisor after the unexplained loss of her best reviews bumped her business out of its status as a top Marbella eatery. Belgian mother-of-three Eveline Paelemans’ well-established restaurant, Terraza Aguadulce, used to be Puerto Banus’ second best restaurant according to the world’s largest travel site. But after she questioned a negative post from a brand new user pitting her against her competitor, the website deleted 17 of her best reviews, relegating the business to number 18. TripAdvisor claimed the reviews were ‘suspicious’, while leaving the bad review - and just 24 remaining positive ones - intact. “People need to know that TripAdvisor is completely, 100% manipulated,” said an irate Paelemans, 39. “I dare them to contact each of those 17 re-

Exclusive by Iona Napier viewers whose posts they deleted and check for real whether they ever visited by business and were happy there. “When I asked TripAdvisor for further investigation they just cut me off and it is very upsetting.” Paelemans moved to Puerto Banus from Antwerp with her husband 15 years ago and has been running Terraza Aguadulce for 13 of them. The reviews mysteriously disappeared a week ago and have shunted her international restaurant down the list in one of the most strategic moments of the tourist season. TripAdvisor has so far failed to respond to Olive Press questions.

THROW away the tortilla and cast aside the patatas bravas, the best curry outside of India’s in town. The first Indian chef to hold a Michelin star is opening a restaurant in Madrid, following on from his success in London’s upmarket Mayfair district. Atul Kochhar has expressed excitement over the opening and revealed his plans to combine typical Indian recipes with traditional Spanish ingredients, including local produce, seafood and pork.

Bill causes headache EXTRA charges on a restaurant tab can leave a bad taste in your mouth. Especially when it’s for something as small as an aspirin. A picture of a meal tab with a 25 cent charge for aspirin has gone viral, landing the Catalan restaurant Torroella de Montgri with food for thought. The owner could now face a fine for the unlawful sale of medication — chances are the proprietor now has a headache worse than his customer’s.

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Chain reaction UK-based tapas chain sold for millions thanks to Spanish food revolution BRITAIN’S love affair with Spanish food has seen a tapas chain gobbled up for over €34 million. La Tasca was bought from Icelandic bank Kaupthing by Casual Dining Group. The group now owns four of Britain’s best-known chains along with Cafe Rouge, Bella Italia and Las Iguanas. It now owns 280 UK restaurants and is one of the largest privately-owned restaurant groups in the UK. La Tasca was once owned

VALUABLE: La Tasca chain sold for €34 million

by flamboyant entrepreneur Robert Tchenquiz. The tapas restaurant recently binned frozen ingredients to work with Spanish suppliers.

Steve Richards, chief executive of the Casual Dining Group, confirmed the group now plans to open 30 new branches over the next year.

Liquid gold

OLIVE oil prices are set to skyrocket after producers admitted their anxiety about this year’s poor harvest. 2015 has seen the worst olive harvest in years across Spain and Italy – the world’s two top producers – and prices are set to be up 60% on last year. While Spain is responsible for 72% of the EU’s olive oil exports, and 44% worldwide, the oil produced is currently estimated to cost €4,099 per ton versus €3,500 in mid-July.

FLOWER POWER by Steven Saunders of the Little Geranium

Top chef CARLOS Caballero from Malaga will be the only Andalucian representative on this season’s Spanish Top Chef. Caballero, founder of restaurant La Rebana, will compete for judges Alberto Chicote, famous Spanish food TV host, famous farm-to-table chef Susi Diaz and National Gastronomy Award winner Paco Roncero.

THE PERFECT DINER: Singer Beyonce

This week our food columnist, master chef and proprietor of The Little Geranium in La Cala previously BBC TV’s Ready Steady Cook chef, is cooking in the fast lane!

Beyonce belief

EFORE I arrived here in La Cala I had a company that provided the food and service to VIP hospitality clients at Formula One events for eight years. It was a fun stage of my career, flying into countries, often meeting the F1 drivers and many celebs to boot. One of my most memorable was in Abu Dhabi where we were brought in to launch the amazing Yas Marina Circuit, and I was asked to cook personally for the star attraction performing on launch night …Beyonce. Now, in truth, most of the F1 drivers (apart from a few - which I will disclose at some point!) are not friendly. They look down on us as mere ‘caterers’, and generally think they are the most im-

portant stars on the planet. But, wow, Beyonce was very different! Standing in front of me was a real superstar that is unbelievably grounded, she didn’t want any fuss. “Steve,” she said, “I don’t eat much, I like sushi and tuna but I don’t mind if it’s not cooked!” “You like Japanese food?” I asked and she replied that she loved it. Now, I am not Japanese but in the middle of a service at The Little Geranium, I might be mistaken for a Japanese person, as when I am under pressure a lot of their language comes out of me! What a dilemma I had. I worried she could get sushi anywhere better than I could do it, and wondered what to do. At that point my phone rang and it was

Tuna tataki 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper 250gm very fresh, sushi-grade tuna Maldon salt 3 tablespoons peanut oil, for searing Juice of 3 limes 1 medium-size, ripe avocado, peeled, quartered and sliced 12 very thin slices of red onion A few salad leaves with rocket Several small cherry tomatoes cut into quarters Ginger Sauce, recipe follows: 1 small shallot, chopped 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Carolyn my manager, who looked after the circuit. “I just had a great tataki for lunch at the Marriott hotel,” she said. “That’s it! Tuna tataki,” I replied. Carolyn replied that hers had been salmon but I decided to do tuna tataki for Beyonce and excitedly hung up. I delivered it to her dressing room with some of my team. “You’re an amazing chef,” said Beyonce. “And you’re the most amazing superstar,” I replied. On that mutually appreciative point we kissed bye and I left her with my tuna, feeling like her number one fan! Here is the recipe which I have just put on our menu this week!

On a plate, mix together the ginger, sesame seeds, and cracked black pepper. Season the tuna with salt. Roll the tuna in the ginger mixture, pressing lightly so the mixture sticks to the tuna. Pre-heat a saute pan over a high heat. Add the oil and sear the tuna on all sides, about 30 seconds per side. Remove the tuna from the pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with lime juice. Pour the lime juice over the tuna and roll the tuna in cling film and preferably leave in a cold fridge for at least an hour. In a bowl combine the avocado, a few salad leaves like rocket, red onion, and tomato. Toss with some of the ginger sauce. Place some of the dressed leave mixture on 4 plates or slates. Top with sliced seared tuna slicing it in half centimeter slices and drizzle with some more of the ginger sauce.

Ginger Sauce:

In a small bowl, combine the shallot, ginger, a few grinds pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and set aside. When ready to serve, whisk thoroughly to combine.

Steven Saunders FMCGB - www.thelittlegeranium.com - steven@thelittlegeranium.com

0034 952 49 36 02

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HOW FAR ARE YOU Cheers! But PREPARED TO GO? nothing to YOU MAY NOT NEED TO READ THIS wine about The world’s second favourite wine

Winning year is a little-known Valencia vintage for Spanish AN Albacete wine is officially the world’s second favourite wine tipple according to a popular wine app. SPAIN topped the list of wine exporting nations with a record harvest last year. According to the Spanish Wine Market Observatory (OEMV), Spanish vineyards produced over 52 million hectolitres (5.2 billion litres) of vino last year, up 53.7% from the year before. Almost half of Spain’s exported wine was sold in bulk at the bargain price of €0.40 per litre. Much of that wine went to France, where it was bottled and exported for a profit.

Spaniards may not drink as heavily as their French or Portuguese neighbours, but thanks to telephone app Vivino’s 10.5 million users, little-known Alaya wine has come out on top. And, no, it hasn’t got anything to do with a certain Sotogrande polo club. Alaya 2011, made in Almansa, equidistant between Albacete and Alicante, has won the international consumers’ vote in the search for the world’s best wine under €45.

Important

“We’re delighted that the public have voted our wine top in Spain as at the end of the day they’re more important than the critics as they have to drink it,” said the Murcian bodega owner Miguel Gil. The vintage came second only to a French pinot noir in a system where wine enthusiasts photograph the label of the wine they tried and rate it from one to five. The Spanish wine is a bargain at €20 per bottle versus the winning Dairyman Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 which retails at €36. And in third place was a 2010 Italian wine, Primitivo di Manduria Sessantanni, made in Puglia.

A dog’s life,

by Eddie the hotel hound

Nature calls

OWN to the beach again! But because it’s still summer we can only go early in the morning and late in the eve-

ning. It’s good at that time of day, though, because apart from there being no policemen on quad bikes, there are also lots of other dogs for me to meet. I’m a good dog and generally make friends easily IF I’m not on my lead, but put me on a lead and aggression abounds. Admittedly, fun is to be had on the beach even when there aren’t that many people about. For some reason waves don’t frighten me and if he-who-must-be-obeyed is out throwing himself about in the waves like a demented one, I’ll swim way over my depth to be with him.

Eddie ponders beach etiquette and makes his servant work

The world divides into two types of people: those who make do and those who think some effort is worthwhile for the very best that life has to offer.

If you are in the “make-do” category please don’t waste your time by reading any more of this. Oh, and have as nice a day as you can. If you are prepared to go the extra mile or two for a great experience perhaps you should read on because in the hills near Ronda is a very special place which you need to know about. You really must visit an award-winning hotel and restaurant tucked into a fold of the valley Guadiaro. You’ll find an old water-

mill situated by a mountain stream which is offering great food, service and 18 comfortable rooms in a peaceful rural setting. The Times has just selected the place as being one of the top 20 hotels for foodies in the whole of Europe. Trip Advisor users have voted it one of the best hotels in Spain every year for the last seven years. And it’s still a relative secret. Molino del Santo in the village of Benaoján, near a sleepy railway station, is the place you need to visit. Check out the website for more information and to see menus. www. molinodelsanto.com It’s worth the effort – if you’re the kind of person who won’t settle for mediocrity. Reservations usually essential. Telf 952 16 71 51 or e.m info@molinodelsanto.com

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But there are two other games I like to play. One is to move to urinate on other people’s beach gear – maybe a towel, a windbreak or a fisherman’s gear… It’s so funny to watch him run after me to stop me doing it. For maximum amusement, this should be done as far away from him as possible so that he has to shout as well, drawing attention from all and sundry. The second good beach game is to make him use the black doggy bag as far away as possible from a bin. I never answer nature’s calls anywhere near a receptacle so that he has to carry the bag as far as possible. It’s important to train him properly to attend to my every need.

To get in touch with Eddie, contact his owners Andy and Pauline at the Hotel Molino del Santo. Bda Estacion s/n, 29370 Benaojan, Malaga. 952 167 151 - 952 167 927. info@molinodelsanto.com

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Peace and Style at Hotel and Restaurant Molino del Santo

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the

Covering Andalucia in 2015 with over 200,000 papers (130,000 digital) and around 500,000 visits to the website each month… The Olive Press just keeps growing!

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Telephone: 951 273 575

September 3rd - September 16th 2015

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What a helmet! MANCHESTER United goalkeeper David De Gea’s transfer to Real Madrid has collapsed after the Spanish team received the paperwork after the midnight deadline.

FINAL WORDS

Fresco fame A SPANISH woman’s cack-handed attempts to restore a fresco of Christ is to be the subject of a new opera after going viral on social media.

Star geezer SPAIN’S most iconic author Miguel de Cervantes will be immortalised after the Society of Spanish Astronomers launched a campaign to name a star after him.

Wasp plague A GIANT nest of killer bee-eating wasps has caused a Bilbao music festival to be cancelled.

VUELTA a Espana riders were treated to more than they bargained for when a man in a lime-green ‘mankini’ welcomed them to Sabinillas. The cyclists were confronted with the bizarre sight as they passed between Estepona and San Roque, before heading up into the mountains to make their way to Vejer de la Frontera. Peter Sagan of the Tinkoff-Saxo team won the third stage, while Dutchman Tom Dumoulin currently leads the way. Sagan has been forced to retire after being hit by an official motorbike, while Belgian cyclist Kris Boeckmans is in a coma after crashing during the Puebla de Don Fabrique to Murcia stage. The final stage takes place in Madrid on September 13.

Photos by Thomas Gonzalez

De Gea on hold

Its no picnic BLUNDERING builders destroyed a 6,000-year-old tomb in Galicia after mistaking it for an old picnic table. The ancient artefact’s heritage status was meant to give it protection. But instead the clueless craftsmen put a new concrete table in its place. Galicia’s Department of Culture, Education and Universities is investigating the error, which took place in Cristovo de Cea in the north-west part of the province. Jose Luis Valladores, the town’s mayor, said: “No one told me. The site wasn’t even marked.”

A NAKED man filmed riding on top of the roof of a car in the San Pedro tunnel was a Russian tourist. His Russian friend has now been charged with dangerous driving after she sped through the tunnel at 100km/h last month.

Hermit hunt

Sanctuary seeks a loner ‘pure in spirit’ to guard isolated hermitage

IF the costas are getting a bit too much, greener pastures beckon with a job opening as a hermit. Isolated Catalan shrine Our Lady of the Rock perched

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SECLUDED: Fit for a hermit

By Iona Napier high in the mountains, needs someone ‘pure in spirit’ to watch over the hermitage and ensure it continues to run properly. Advertised on Facebook, the picturesque shrine, in Mont-roig del Camp near Tarragona, is a popular pilgrimage for Catholics.

Religious

The perks include board and lodging and a salary of €1,000 a year and the successful applicant must avoid ‘all immoral activities’. The hermitage must also be kept tidy and watched over at night. Oddly, being sociable is a must, as duties include entertaining tourists and visitors. “Keep in mind the religious and cultural character of the sanctuary and leave all

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LAID BARE: Tourist

ANCIENT: Flower

Putting down roots THE first flower on Earth bloomed in northeastern Spain. The Montsechia flower flourished an incredible 130 million years ago. Now scientists have discovered that the plant grew underwater in what was an area then covered in lakes.

uncivil or immoral activity outside,” the advert reads. The sandstone chapel, dating from the thirteenth century was painted by artist Joan Miro, in 1916.

GARETH Bale has conducted his first in-depth interview in Spanish. In the TV exclusive, the Welsh international revealed he was committing himself to Real Madrid this season and hoped to win trophies. The former Spurs striker talked about the first game against Gijon and how he was adapting to life in Spain.