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British buyers are down but the coast will bounce back, insist leading property experts in second Olive Press Property Observatory - Inside Property magazine, from Page 17
GO GIRL: ‘Home-saver’ awarded MBE
Page iii
Celebrity comings and goings
Page x
Fight to save Mijas’ oldest farmhouse
Page xi
Bilbao’s most powerful tower
Page xx
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Now in Andalucía! Follow us: Holland & Barrett Andalucía
Caught live Pixies, The Prodigy and Seal Pages 3 and 16
80 years on Expats in the Civil War Page 6
24 hours at San Fermin
Pamplona Bull-run madness Page 14
Tuna trawl Search for tuna on the Costa de la Luz Page 52
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Vol. 10 Issue 244
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July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Spaniards
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que creemos ha sido el resultado de una campaña xenófoba y llena de mentiras llevada a cabo en nuestra país. Nosotros somos los que estamos en la línea de fuego y los que sufriremos las consecuen-
If you can’t read this and you still want to stay in Spain it’s time you got some Spanish lessons... But, for now, as we’re so nice, see Page 7 for a translation
cias más de cerca. Queremos que los españoles entiendan esta grave situación que nos deja en el limbo y que podría impedir que siguiéramos viviendo aquí como llevamos haciéndolo durante años. Esta no es una petición insólita: el Reino Unido permite la posibilidad de obtener la doble nacionalidad tras cinco años de residencia. Curiosamente el Ministro Margallo conoce bien esta posibilidad ya que su hijo, que reside actualmente en el Reino Unido, la ha solicitado recientemente. Así que desde aquí os pedimos, esperamos e incluso suplicamos que os unáis a nosotros en esta causa. Algunos alcaldes y dignatarios ya se han unido a nuestra petición. Pero también necesitamos la ayuda de todos vosotros. Curiosamente los expatriados británicos lanzan este llamamiento exactamente 80 años después del comienzo de la guerra civil española en la que miles de jóvenes voluntarios británicos perdieron la vida. ¿Por qué? Porque creían en España. Y nosotros también. Estamos convencidos de que nuestra aportación a la estructura de vuestro país es muy importante. Queremos quedarnos aquí. No queremos volver. Para firmar la petición visitar change.org y busca ‘Doble nacionalidad para británicos con mas de diez años de residencia en España’ Translated by Mirian Moreno
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Opinion Page 6 OLIVE PRESS – 70mm x 40mm FRONT COVER 20th July
From €29m to €2,900, we found a Spanish property to suit every budget
Brexit Bounc
e BAcK?
An Olive Press of seven expertspanel While Brits make gathered to discuss has large amount of the up a marthe ket, others impact of Brexit like the Spanish propertyon the dinavians and new Scanarrivmar- als like ket. the Polish are filling in the gap While, they confirm left by the the market has suffered But drop in British sales. from initial knee-jerk the lull is widely actions, they remain re- seen as temporary, with timistic, expecting op- the think tank insisting market to bounce the once the exchange rate back stabilises, once the dust settles things will reon turn to normal. the political landscape Read the full in the uK and europe. tory, Part II fromObserva- OPTIMISTIC: page 14 Panel
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70 k+
buyers helped per year
THIS stunning property has come onto the near Marbella for market a staggering €29 million... Given, it is out of 99.9% of our readers budgets, we thought we’d have a hunt around for something cheaper, in the price ranges of €2.9m, €290,000, €29,000 and It’s actually a pleasant even €2,900. surprise what you for under €3,000 can get these plot below...just don’t days, including this lovely expect a prime Costa Sol location. Turn del to Page 32 to find out more
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Expat notice
ás de 15.000 personas han firmado ya una petición que concedería a los expatriados británicos el derecho a la doble nacionalidad en España. Necesitamos vuestro apoyo para garantizar que se nos permita seguir trabajando y viviendo en vuestro país. Hemos elegido vivir aquí y hacer de España nuestro hogar. Muchos de nosotros tenemos negocios, hemos formado una familia aquí. Algunos tenemos parejas de nacionalidad española y, aunque quizá no a la perfección, hablamos vuestro idioma. Creemos que contribuimos en gran parte al desarrollo de la economía local, especialmente en la costa. Históricamente hemos con-
Issue 9
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FIND HIM!
EXCLUSIVE AN arrest warrant has been issued for notorious Costa del Sol conman Nigel Goldman. Goldman, 58, who changed his name to Howard del Monte, was summoned to Fuengirola court in January over the defrauding of four expats to the tune of €750,000. However, he failed to show and a judge has now ordered police to bring him in.
Fraud
He was found guilty of fraud in the UK last year for the THIRD time and must wear a tag during his 12-month suspended sentence. Lawyer Antonio Flores, who is representing the victims, said he could face up to a decade in prison, if found guilty. “It has taken us two years to get to this stage and it is still just the beginning,” he added. Dozens of expat victims claim to have lost as much as €3 million to Goldman through a series of ponzitype schemes. He was first exposed through a series of Olive Press investigations.
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Wolf packs A NEW report into arrested Spanish jihadists has found a third of them wanted to attack Spain and a majority were part of ‘wolf packs’. Researchers at the Real Instituto Elcano found that of the 124 jihadists arrested in Spain since June 2013, 34.5% of them had Spain as their target. The report also found a shift from ‘lone wolf’ radicalisation – where vulnerable young males are gradually indoctrinated online – to one in which relatives and friends are increasingly involved. In 94% of cases from 2013, the terrorists were part of new cells or groups while 75% had a direct link to ISIS, contradicting the theory that most recruits are radicalised online.
CRIME
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
CONMAN ALERT
Expat saved from crazy dad
Warning after British rogue trader after launches Spanish property portals
FRAUDSTER: Russell Lloyd
ESTATE agents are being warned of a rogue trader’s property portals. British conman Russell Lloyd - who is behind companies findmyspan-
EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan
ishhome.com and homesearch-Spain.com - has been exposed in the UK for
Excessive police force slammed A GROUP of 20 holidaymakers claim they were attacked by Marbella police while they were trying to give first aid to a friend who had collapsed in the street. The group of Norwegian youngsters claim they were ‘repeatedly hit’ with batons after their pal collapsed from excessive drinking in the Sky Bar, in Puerto Banus. Three of the group told the Olive Press they had been ‘violently’ pulled off their friend Hermann, while they tried to resuscitate him as they waited for an ambulance. “The police were extremely excessive,” said soldier Mattias Martini, 23. “Myself and another friend who is an ambulance driver were trying to administer first aid but the police just wanted to move us down the street.” He added: “They were hitting us as we were performing first aid on Hermann, at one
point they dragged us both away and left Hermann on his own lying on his back after vomitting. “It was very very dangerous. “It was only when I showed my military ID that I was allowed back to Hermann.” In total, 11 members of the group, aged between 18 and 25, were hit and left with bruises. One of their fathers, Stiam Knudsen, was even whacked when he arrived on the scene, despite being sober. In the end it took over 20 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, at which point Hermann was taken to the Costa del Sol Hospital. During the short drive to the hospital his pulse momentarily stopped and the ambulance was forced to pull over for 10 minutes while paramedics performed life-saving CPR.
illegal business practices. Fuengirola-based Lloyd was outed on BBC watchdog show X-Ray for pressurising elderly people into giving him cash for building work that he then failed to do. The Olive Press can reveal that he has a number of convictions in the UK relating to malpractice. He was also banned from being a company director by UK Trading Standards after numerous illegitimate businesses were closed down by the authorities. However, this has not stopped him setting up in Spain as a computer programmer. Through his websites he claims to be ‘the most qualified computer coder in Spain’ and offers agents the opportunity to buy membership of his websites to display their properties.
“We do not need this kind of person operating on the coast,” Brian Berny, from Coast to Coast Properties in Sabinillas told the Olive Press. “Most agents here look out for each other and it is good to see agents along the coast sharing information.” Estepona-based agent Adam Neale from Terra Meridiana added: “If I was contacted by someone claiming they could transform my business online, the first thing I would ask for was independent evidence. If it couldn’t be independently verified I would not be using them.” Neither Lloyd nor Find my Spanish Home provided comment when contacted by the Olive Press. Don’t miss our bimonthly Property Magazine in this edition
A BRITISH expat has been released after being held captive by his mentally unstable father for two years. The 19-year-old was freed after sending police an SOS from his computer, bypassing his father’s parental controls. His email read: “Rescue. Assistance. Help me. I am desperate. My father abuses me. I am held prisoner. Please, do not get in touch with me because he would kill me.” The father believed neighbours in the Rivas Vaciamadrid district of Madrid were trying to poison them through their water supply and that he was the target of the Russian mafia. Witnesses say the son weighed six stone when he was carried away and that the house was infested with rats and cockroaches. The father has been charged with illegal detention and ill-treatment in the family and was released on bail.
Strike a pose PREGNANT Hilaria Baldwin has shown off her baby bump in an Instagram snap of her doing yoga beside her threeyear-old daughter Carmen. The 32-year-old Spanish wife of Hollywood star Alec Baldwin has been pregnant three times in four years. The former yoga instructor, from Mallorca, shares tips on staying active and healthy even while pregnant.
UK star dedicates hit song to new buddy Novak Djokovic EXCLUSIVE SEAL has dedicated one of his hits to tennis ace Novak Djokovic. The UK solo star dedicated Kiss for a Rose to the world Number One at a packed concert in Marbella. The Serbian beamed back as the British star greeted him with the Jamaican Patois ‘wagwan’. The British star struck up a friendship with Djokovicwhile on a whistlestop trip to the Costa del Sol. As well as hanging out on the tennis court at Hotel Puente Romano, Seal confessed he wanted to introduce his kids to Djokovic, who has been a frequent visitor to Marbella this year.
Family affair
Grand Slam for Seal Thousands watched soul star Seal belt out hits including Crazy and Fly Like an Eagle at the show at the
CRISTIANO Ronaldo has been enjoying a family holiday in Spain after helping Portugal to lift the Euro 2016 crown. The Real Madrid striker was spotted lounging on his yacht in Formentera, in the Balearic Islands. The player, 31, kept fans updated on Instagram, posting photos with his family and six-year-old son Cristiano Jr. IT is a Snapchat selfie to make your hearts melt. International model Alessandra Ambrosio smooching up with actress Eva Longoria at the annual Global Gift Gala, in Marbella. The pair were in town, alongside other stars, including Puerto Rican Amaury Nolasco of hit TV series Prison Break. Desperate Housewives star Longoria had attended the Global Gift party at Olivia Valere’s the night before alongside hubby Jose Baston. The pair were later seen brunching with a group of friends in Marbella’s old town ahead of Sunday’s gala. Victoria’s Secret model Ambrosio, who is stay-
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Caught live
BROMANCE: Novak watches Seal amazing time’. top Marbella hotel. They included Olive Press “Thank you for the tickets. competition winner Bever- The concert was fantastic,” ley Stonehewer who ‘had an she said. Seal had a great chemistry with the audience, cracking jokes and even venturing into the crowd to sing with fans. Only last month, the Grand Slam winner warmed up for Wimbledon on Puente Romano’s courts. One lucky Marbella lad also enjoyed an afternoon to remember when Djokovic ‘randomly’ picked him for a knock around. Posting the photo on Twitter, the Serbian said ‘It only takes two for tennis so when I need a hitting partner any boy or a girl watching could join me’.
Red carpet
GIVING BACK: Allesandra Ambrosio (left) and Eva Longoria while (far left) Ambrosio at ceremony ing in Marbs as part of Europe- in donations before dispersing wide trip, was spotted cycling the funds to charities around the world, including UNICEF, along the golden mile. The gala at Marbella’s Gran mothers2mothers and FundaMelia Don Pepe raises millions cion SOS.
The Sabinillas Bookshop
The Bookshop
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Photo by Maria Gonzalez
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CRISTIANO: With son
Double take ANTONIO Banderas looks like a different man. The Malagan actor has revamped his appearance for a new movie, in which he (aptly) stars as an aging rock star. His new look includes long, streaked curly hair, tattoos and tight, 70s style pants. Banderas stars alongside Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko in Salty, a Simon West movie adapted from the Mark Haskell Smith novel of the same name.
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Becks appeal DAVID Beckham was in safe hands at Wimbledon this year, thanks to a Gibraltar connection. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment soldier Edward Victor kept a close eye on England’s favourite football star and his sons Romeo and Cruz on Centre Court. The 24-year-old private was one of three RGR soldiers volunteering at the flagship tennis championship the day Becks took in the Roger Federer v Milos Raonic match. “I was very lucky to have met David Beckham, and he even said hello,” he told the Olive Press.
Marbs magic A STAR-studded month of music kicked off in Marbella with a popular show from Robert Plant and the Sensational Shape Shifters. Other bands playing the Starlite festival this year include Santana, Tom Jones and The Corrs. Shows include Phantom of the Opera, A Best of Musicals compilation and a Queen cover band.
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www.theolivepress.es News IN BRIEF
Prime time AMAZON is expected to launch its Prime video streaming service in Spain by the end of 2016.
New lliances
ROMANIA has announced it plans to work with Spain and India to create an international tribune against terrorism.
Liga TV
BeIN and Mediapro have launched a new TV channel to broadcast La Liga and Copa del Rey matches in Spain after acquiring La Liga pay-TV rights.
Blank check
UP TO one million Spanish bank accounts are being closed by firms whose clients have not handed over photocopies of their identification as required by laws to fight money-laundering.
Weaver win
OSCAR-WINNING actress Sigourney Weaver is set to win a lifetime achievement award at this September’s San Sebastian Film Festival.
WORSE OFF: The Lawtons
EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore EXPAT pensioners are losing hundreds of euros a month thanks to Brexit. Since the UK voted to leave the EU on June 23, British pensioners in Spain have seen their monthly allowances plummet. It came with the pound sinking to a 31-year low against the dollar and dropping nearly
NE WS
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Pension slashers Expat pensioners furious after losing hundreds of euros a month post-Brexit 10% on the Euro, sitting at around the 1.19 mark this week. “My pension has dropped by €301 a month,” Angela Webster, 73, told the Olive Press, “That’s a drop of €3,600 a year.” Webster, who works parttime as a gestor in the Canary Islands, says she works with
many expats who rely solely on their pensions. “I know dozens of people who were only just managing on their pensions anyway, so this must be making things very difficult,” said Webster, from Yorkshire, who was ineligible to vote having lived in Spain for 30 years. “We feel as though nobody has
Emergency call CONCERNED Estepona residents are battling for the Junta to build a new hospital. A pressure group - Plataforma Ciudadana Pro Hospital de Estepona - is demanding the Junta completes the hospital after it earmarked €16.9 million for the project in 2008. Building work was inexplicably shelved in 2010. "It's not fair,”a spokesperson said. “This is agonising for families of people who urgently need operations. It is unacceptable that the Junta hasn’t yet built this hospital.” CAMPAIGNING: Estepona residents
taken the concerns of the two million Brits who live in the EU into consideration, and particularly the pensioners. “They just didn’t think this out before voting to leave. You couldn’t run a business with that lack of forward planning. It’s like our future depending on the toss of a coin!” She added: “We now need confirmation that our circumstances won't change, that health cover will continue to be provided and that long term residents in other EU countries will continue to be treated in the same way as EU residents in the UK.” Alicante resident Diane Lawton 68, who relies solely on her pension, is down €200 a month. “While I understand their feelings on immigration, I feel the Leave voters didn’t look at the wider issues,” Diane, originally from Birmingham, but living in Spain for 20 years, added. Various pensioners on Facebook group ‘Bremain in Spain’ have lost as much as €533 a month since Brexit.
Empty Promise EXPATS are furious over a broken promise to ban circuses with animals in Mijas. It comes despite a council meeting, last month, that agreed to outlaw such entertainment. “We all approved the motion and a few days later discover posters all over the place for a circus with animals,” insisted a spokesman for the PP party. The town hall claimed the ruling had come too late to prevent the circus in Las Lagunas from setting up as it already had permission. ‘Any motion needs a month to take effect,” said a Ciudadanos spokesman. Only two years ago, a carousel ride with horses erected in the same area was outlawed after local protests. Mijas council agreed to ban the carousel after a 65,000 signature petition was received.
The best SPAIN is top of the pops for sun-seeking Brits. A survey of 1,000 Brits put Spain in pole position in the ‘best overall’ category, garnering 19% of the vote. Italy was a close second with 15% and France, while the most visited, was third with 9%. Spain was top in every category minus one, according to the website Onthebeach.com. It came top in the ‘best night out’ category, ‘friendliest locals’ and ‘best beaches’ categories.
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Brit who made history - for all the wrong reasons!
Voted top expat paper in Spain
IT was a bright summer morning in 1936, when British pilot Cecil Bebb took off from Croydon Airport. In small plane, Dragon Rapide with a navigator, Major Hugh Pollard, and two female companions, it was made to look like the group were off on an excursion to the Canary Islands. They were really flying to collect General Franco and take him to
OPINION National need FOR a decade the Olive Press has spoken to and for the expats of southern Spain. Whether British or Irish, Dutch or Scandinavian, we have tried to best represent their views and address their grievances. That is until now. This issue - for the first time in nearly 250 editions - we are reaching out to our Spanish neighbours and readers. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures and with the future of British expats in Spain at risk following Brexit, we are making a direct appeal to the Spanish to help in our hour of need. The bonds between our two countries are tight and go back a long way. We love your creativity, passion and food, you love our music, humour and style. And there is a lot, lot more. Too much to list here. Now, as the incoming British government confirmed that rights of Spanish immigrants in the UK would be respected, we hope the same will be afforded to us here. But there is one more thing. If a Spaniard can apply for dual nationality after five years in Britain, why can’t a Brit do the same here? Giles Tremlett and William Chislett’s petition asks for it after 10 years (we say five, and why not if you are legal and pay your taxes here). Changing the law would guarantee that long-established expats with families, businesses and ties to Spain are able to continue living in the country they love. We urge everyone - Spanish, English and Scandinavian alike - to sign the petition and turn this plea for help to become a strong demand that the Spanish government cannot ignore.
Silver lining THE optimism for the property market outlined in this issue’s Observatory is a surprising welcome break from the post-Brexit doom and gloom. Yes, some Brits may have put their purchases on hold, but they will be back once things stabilise, and other nationalities will fill the gap in the meantime. While the Brexit result still hurts for many reasons, it’s nice to know at least something isn’t going to pot!
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ADMIN/SALES (+34) 951 273 575 Newsdesk (+34) 665 798 618 A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in southern Spain - 200,000 copies distributed monthly (130,000 digitally) with an estimated readership, including the website, of more than 500,000 people a month. Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5 Calle Espinosa 1 Edificio centro comercial El Duque, planta primera, 29692 San Luis de Sabinilla, Manilva
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July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Morocco, where his army was garrisoned and waiting for him to launch the Spanish Civil War. A known rebel, Franco had been posted to the Canaries by the worried government in Madrid, so a Spanish plane would have looked suspicious. A British one went unnoticed. Organised via the London corre-
spondent of right-wing newspaper ABC, Luis Bolin, it was entirely top secret and went ahead perfectly to plan. It is not known if the British government knew about the plan, but had the word got out, the uprising might not have happened and half a million lives could have been saved.
As Spain marks the 80th anniversary of its bloody Civil War, Ana DeJesus pays homage to the US volunteers who risked everything to fight fascism
I
T began in Spanish-held Morocco on July 18 1936 with a military uprising led by General Francisco Franco against the Republican government of Manuel Azaña. It ended with the loss of 500,000 lives, many of them foreigners. Defying their own governments’ non-interventionist policy to join up and follow their passion, some of these non-native untrained volunteers risked not only their lives but their citizenship. Known as the International Brigades, they came from all over - from the United States, Poland, Sweden, Yugoslavia, Cuba, England, Peru, France – even from Germany and Italy, countries supporting the ‘enemy’. 40,000 volunteers in all, including a bunch of raw Americans who had never before held a gun in their hand, most of them under 20. Republican ranks had hitherto been comprised of many workers and peasants with the support of the Spanish government, Socialists, and Communists. Rebellious factions of the army, landowners, middle classes, and the Catholic Church supported the Nationalist right. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was the first American military unit to be fully integrated but this ‘secret army’ was a covert affair. The United States had adopted a policy of neutrality. Afraid of alienating isolationist voters, afraid that the liberal government in Spain might turn Communist, afraid of antagonizing Hitler, America refused to sell arms to a legallyelected government for the first time in history – a policy that implicitly favoured Franco. The Republicans could only purchase arms from the Soviet Union and even those efforts were hampered by a British and French naval embargo. Recruitment for the Lincoln Brigade was organised by America’s Communist party through word of mouth and advertisements in newspapers pretending to seek workers for Spain. But many of the volunteers were simply working men for whom the war offered idealistic adventure and escape from post-Depression unemployment. Their deployment was arranged secretly, as travel to Spain was banned. Pretending to be tourists or students, they crossed the Atlantic under the very real threat of losing their US citizenship, had their true mission been discovered. They were not alone although few volunteers were as inexperienced as the Americans, who were completely unprepared for combat against highly-trained soldiers. And yet for young African-American soldiers in particular, it was their finest hour.
Secret army BRAVE: International brigade soldiers and (right) AfricanAmerican volunteer Tom Page
With the US civil rights movement still 30 years away, African Americans like Tom Page saw war as an escape from racism and an opportunity to live out his political ideals as an equal. Page poignantly recalls that time in the documentary: The Good Fight: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War. He says: “It was the first time in my life that I was treated with dignity, that I was treated as a human being, as a man, not because of my colour, but as a person, and this means a lot to every individual. I hated to leave that country. I hated to leave it.” His views are echoed by African American nurse Salaria Kea O’Reilly, “I had no problems about being black. I forgot I was black.” The war they entered was unlike any the world had seen before. For the first time in history, civilian populations were systematically bombed by the German Condor Legion. Picasso portrayed the full horror in his painting, Guernica. After the fall of Malaga to Nationalist forces, over 100,000 civilians were forced to make a two-week mass exodus along the coast road
Remembrance
THE Spanish Civil War is being commemorated globally this week. • Television is weighing in with a documentary mini-series. ‘España dividida: La Guerra Civil en color’ brings these turbulent times to life with restored colour images from 80 years ago • The SCW80 Spanish Civil War Facebook Group is posting day-by-day accounts of the war and the role of the International Brigades
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Catalonia is staging a programme of events to ‘fight against the institutionalisation of forgetfulness. A campaign is underway to open the first international museum in Barcelona telling the story of the war In the UK a special beer called Brigadista is being brewed in homage to the men and women who volunteered to fight against Franco
to Almeria while under attack from air and sea in what became known as the ‘Caravan of the Dead’. By November 1936, with Republican defences crumbling in Madrid, Franco’s troops began invading the suburbs. The Lincoln Brigade first saw action at Jarama, in February 1937, defending Madrid. On the worst day of the battle, 127 died and 200 were wounded. However, the army of civilians and international brigades were able to hold off the Nationalist forces but suffered further heavy casualties as the fighting progressed. And by the end of 1937, with no planes and a shortage of weapons, ammo and medical supplies, Republican defeat seemed inevitable. The United States, France and England still refused to help, even as Hitler invaded Austria. Republicans rallied their forces for a last push in 1938 but were unable to turn the tide of the war. Fighting continued for five more months but for the Americans, with 70% of volunteers dead or missing, the war was over. Ultimately, the Republicans withdrew the international brigades in the hope that world pressure would force Franco to withdraw his aid as well. The Lincoln Brigade left Spain knowing there was no victory, only imminent defeat. “The pain of that loss never quite leaves you. It comes to me in various ways as the days go by,” explains Lincoln Brigade veteran Abe Osheroff. However these valiant volunteers went on to win admiration and a place in posterity from unexpected quarters. Ernest Hemingway wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls about an American volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, and George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia was similarly inspired, largely by British volunteers. World War II broke out in Europe six months after the fall of Republican Spain, when most of these able-bodied troops joined the United States army to fight fascism a second time.
www.theolivepress.es EXCLUSIVE
T
HE result was as devastating as it was surprising. With the Brexit referendum, David Cameron gambled on the future of 1.3 million Britons living in Europe and lost. It cost him his job. It might cost us a lot more than that. The subsequent meltdown of the Conservative and Labour parties is no consolation, when we have been cast into limbo while they play strategic – and often personal – political games. Wiser heads tell me not to worry, that Brexit will not be such a big deal. But that ignores the here and now, as well as the years during which Brexit is negotiated. It also assumes, wrongly, that British politicians are on our side. Those of us who came to Spain ten, 20 or 30 years ago did so in the knowledge that, by moving to an EU member state, we would be guaranteed our rights – and know our obligations - as European citizens. Yet who can now make life plans, for their family, their career, their personal finances or their offspring, when nobody in government bothered to prepare for this? If, like me, you were banned from voting because you had lived abroad for more than 15 years, then the result is an imposition. Our EU citizenship has been taken away, and there is nothing we can do about it. Or is there? The day after Brexit I found myself on the same television programme, Al Rojo Vivo, as foreign minister José García-Margallo. I was asked why I did not apply for dual nationality. I had to explain that Spanish law prohibited it. Even the minister seemed surprised. His own son, he told me, was asking for double nationality in the UK. I had not realised that Spaniards in the UK can take dual nationality after five years. This is the background to a change.org campaign I have set up with fellow journalist William Chislett, asking for joint nationality for Britons who have lived for ten years in Spain. This requires a relatively simple change to Spanish legislation. It was only last year, after all, that the POSSIBLE KEY: Could PP government Margallo’s son applying offered double for British citizenship nationality to Sepafter just five years in hardic jews (the London be a good omen descendants of for expats in Spain? those expelled in 1492). Germany is considering making a similar offer to Britons who live there. This is encouraging. We estimate there are around 25,000 Brits living in Spain who might take up the offer. This is only a guess. We believe that by restricting the petition to those who have paid social security contributions or taxes, our petition is stronger.
Fe at u re
expats the right to joint nationality in Spain. But we need your support to ensure we are allowed to continue working and living in your country. We have chosen to live here and call Spain our home, while many of us have started businesses here and are now raising families. On top of this, plenty of us have Spanish partners and speak your language, albeit often not perfectly. We feel we contribute a lot to the local economy, particularly on the coast, and historically our links to Spain, via writers such as Paul Preston, Gerald Brenan and Laurie Lee, is massive. Above all, we feel European and entirely opposed to Brexit, brought about by xenophobic campaigning and lies back home. Yet we are the ones in the firing line… and the ones most likely to be affected by it.
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It’s my home In a passionate dispatch, exGuardian correspondent in Madrid Giles Tremlett (right) talks about the tragedy of Brexit and why thousands of Britons deserve dual nationality
October 2015
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Petition for joint nationality ‘is really taking off’ MORE than 15,000 people have signed a They are also unable to vote in Spanish petition to give long-term British expats elections. dual nationality in Spain. “The plans of tens of thouThe plea by British journalists sands of British people who Giles Tremlett and William have made their lives here, Chislett has secured support their careers here, had famifrom leading Spanish intellies here have changed dralectuals and politicians. matically against their wills,” The post-Brexit petition urges Tremlett told the Olive Press. the Spanish government to “Other than being able to vote offer the 25,000 Britons who in the European elections, have lived here for more than we are completely disenfran10 years, a clear mandate to chised if we have lived out of remain. the UK for 15 years. Tremlett, a former Guardian “We are completely without a correspondent in Madrid and voice here, and we need one ex-Times journalist Chislett now as everything has been have lived in Spain for over put through the shredder 50 years between them. since Brexit.” Like thousands of others, CONCERNED: Chislett Spanish writers including they were unable to vote in Javier Marias and Elvira Linlast month’s crucial referendum, having do and historians, including Sir John lived here so long. Elliott have signed up. We intend to avoid the British governThe worries caused by Brexit are real and ment, at least for the moment, so as not immediate. Will we have the right to leave to become a bargaining chip for politiand then return years later? cians whose priorities are radically differCan our children leave in order to study, ent to ours. and then return to seek work? Instead, we will take the petition straight If you cannot find work, must you leave? to the Spanish government. Our plea is Will Britons be excluded from certain catbased on reciprocity, on the special status egories of jobs? What about elderly parthrust upon us by Brexit and ents who may have to be on our proven commitment brought over and looked to Spain. Once you live in after? Uncertainties such Dual identity is a realas these will only encoura country for ten age people to return to the ity. Once you have lived in a country for ten years you UK. That is not good for years you have have already shed a signifiSpain either. cant part of your old identity. already shed your Pressure must also now be Trips ‘home’ gradually seem put on new Prime Minister old identity stranger (the list is endless: Theresa May to protect the my list starts with ‘child-free’ futures of all 1.3m people pubs and Top Gear) and your living here. country of adoption becomes more and Spain has the largest community of Britmore familiar. ons in Europe. That is so for Spaniards in Britain, and for Is it not time, also, to organise a reBritons in Spain. sponse? Another argument, which I am glad to see backed here, is one I floated in the Guardian a few years ago - that expats should, like the French or Italians, have their own MPs in Westminster. We hope you understand our plight that It is now also being pushed by a new Olleaves us in limbo and could make us ineliive Press campaign, launched last issue… gible to work. and I hope you will all sign it too. Your minister Senor Margallo has said as ‘Politics’, the clever strategists of Podemmuch. os say, is ‘something you do or get done In the UK, a Spaniard can get joint citizenship to you’. after five years - a fact ironically known by With Brexit, it is something that has been Margallo whose own son, based in London, ‘done’ to many of us. has recently applied. This petition is a first attempt at salvaging So we are asking, hoping - even pleading something from the wreckage. that you come to our aid and help us when Please sign, and encourage Spanish we most need it. friends to do so as well. A few local mayors and dignitaries have alTo sign the petition (and that of the Olive ready come out and said it. Now we need Press) visit change.org and search ‘Doble everyone to help. nacionalidad para británicos con mas It is fitting that our appeal should come exactde diez años de residencia en España’ ly 80 years since the start of the civil war, in which thousands of young British volunteers or visit www.petition.parliament.uk/petilost their lives. tions/123429 Why? Because they believed passionately about Spain. And so do we. We add to the rich fabric of your country. We love it here and don’t want to go home.
olive press online
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Please let us stay!
n io e at pag l s an nt y Tr fro tor OVER 15,000 people have of s signed a petition to give British
Each print issue of the Olive Press can be read in its entirety on www.theolivepress.es And our site is updated July 20th - August 2nd 2016 daily with the latest news, making it one of Spain’s most visited news websites.
Giles Tremlett is the Economist’s Madrid correspondent, author of best-selling book The Ghosts of Spain and fellow of the Cañada Blanch centre at the London School of Economics
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the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016 www.theolivepress.es
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‘We want another vote’
NEWS IN BRIEF
Newbie RETIRING Commander of the British Forces Commodore Ian McGhie was succeeded by Mike Walliker at a ceremony in Gibraltar’s HM Naval base.
Czech, please THE Czech Republic has officially opened an Honorary Consulate in Gibraltar due to the increase in Czech tourists.
New skills THE Gibraltar Defence Police is training all patrol officers in emergency response procedures as part of its new ‘blue light training’.
Solidarity A MINUTE’S silence was held outside No.6 in solidarity with France and in honour of the victims of the Nice terrorist attack.
Photo by Clive Finlayson
Over-worked THE Royal Gibraltar Police are in talks with the Gibraltar Government for more staff, admitting it feels overstretched to near ‘breaking point’.
www.theolivepress.es
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Chief asks for second EU referendum, while studying a ‘devilish’ plan to stay in Europe
ROOM WITH A VIEW: Gorham’s Cave winsWorld Heritage status
Gorham’s Turkish delight
GORHAM’S Cave has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Gibraltar Neanderthal home and its sister caves were awarded the status at a key UNESCO meeting in Istanbul. It is the first time a Gibraltar site has been included in the UNESCO list. Professor Clive Finlayson, the Director of the Gibraltar Museum, says he is ‘delighted’ after leading the sixyear bid to gain UNESCO recognition. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he told the Olive Press. “We are delighted to be getting a world class badge for Gibraltar which will open many doors for us. It is a huge honour. “We knew we had a good site, but there is always that nervousness.” He added that while the official bid was launched in 2010, research has been 20 years in the making. “We are now looking forward to developing the site's potential through tourism and education as well as the research which continues to be undertaken.”
MONDAY
CHIEF MINISTER Fabian Picardo has called for a second referendum once a post-Brexit deal is struck with the EU. Picardo - who is still in talks with Scotland about remaining part of the European bloc - insists a second referendum should be held once people know what they are voting for. Meanwhile, Labour leadership contender Owen Smith has backed calls for a second referendum and said it would be ‘tempting’ to stop Brexit if he
became Prime Minister. A total of 96% of Gibraltarians voted to Remain in the EU, with just 823 people opting to Leave. “In the referendum two weeks ago it was either in, with our existing conditions, or out,” Picardo told the Financial Times. “But nobody knew what out meant.” He added: “Some people who voted to leave might have thought that an out deal meant something completely different. “Some people might have voted with rose-tinted spectacles, and others might have been persuaded on the basis of a false prospectus that Brexiters advanced.”
Mission for monkeys
BUS and taxi drivers have come to the rescue of Gibraltar’s mokeys, after their water supply dried up. The drivers, who ferry tourists to the top of the Rock, have been giving the thirsty macaques bottled water to keep them hydrated. And while emergency water sources have been installed around the Upper Rock, around a dozen complaints have been lodged with the Department of the Environment after two fresh water ponds dried up. The water situation has in fact become so bad that all water on the Upper Rock was switched
off for 24 hours, leaving the 300 Barbary macaques without a permanent water source. “This needs to be sorted out,” one resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the Olive Press. “The ponds are dry and we must fill them as soon as possible.” A ‘major infrastructure problem’ is being blamed and the government is working with the MoD and AquaGib to resolve the issue. A spokesman confirmed that both bodies were ‘trying to resolve this issue as soon as possible’.
Devilishly
Picardo also confirmed that alongside Scotland, Gibraltar was looking for a way to redefine the territory of the UK in a way that would leave Scotland, Gibraltar and possibly Northern Ireland as part of the UK, while allowing England and Wales to split. “It is a devilishly simple plan with devilishly complex details. But it is an option,” said Picardo. The Chief Minister also slammed Spain’s attempts at joint-sovereignty and said Spanish resistance could prove problematic to Gibraltar staying in the UK.
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POLITICS
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the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015
Third time lucky SPAIN is on track for another election before the end of the year. Acting Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz announced that there will likely be a parliamentary debate on the viability of any, if any, government formed by Prime Minister Rajoy on August 2. The leader of the conservative Popular Partido has been negotiating with all parties in a bid to form a viable coalition that can survive the mandatory vote of confidence before taking office. In line with the Spanish constitution, if Rajoy fails to obtain a majority of 176 seats, then
a second vote will take place two days later. In this scenario, Rajoy’s PP would only need a simple majority, which means more votes for than against. However, this requires support from the election’s runners up PSOE, or a large cluster of smaller parties. But PSOE has recently made it very clear that his party will vote against a government led by PP, potentially extending the sevenmonth deadlock. In the likely event that negotiations fail again, Spain will go to the polls for a third time.
Boris backing
New UK foreign secretary gives Rock-solid support
BORIS Johnson has promised Gibraltar the UK Hammond was twice noncommittal when will ‘never’ surrender the Rock’s sovereignty. pressed on the UK’s ability to back the Rock postThe new Foreign Secretary confessed he was a Brexit. ‘fan of Gibraltar’ and that the Rock would be fully Picardo called the meeting with Johnson ‘very involved in Brexit negotiations. positive’ ahead of the Conservative MPs trip to During a meeting with Chief MinBrussels to meet his EU counister Fabian Picardo in London, terparts this week. the pro-Brexit leader insisted: “I “Having an early opportunity am a fan of Gibraltar. I much adto explain all the personal and mire the place. economic concerns we have in “The people of Gibraltar have Gibraltar after the referendum repeatedly and overwhelmingly has been very helpful indeed,” expressed their wish to remain unsaid Picardo. “Mr Johnson will der British sovereignty and we will have the benefit of our briefing respect their wishes.” for his meetings in Europe.” He added: “We will continue to Meanwhile, exiting Prime Mintake whatever action is necessary ister David Cameron vowed the to safeguard Gibraltar, its people UK will ‘always stand up’ for and its economy, including mainGibraltar. taining a well-functioning border.” It comes amid ongoing concerns Johnson’s positive stance conover Spain’s acting Foreign Sectrasts with outgoing Foreign Secretary Jose Manuel Garcia retary Philip Hammond’s more SUPPORT: Johnson and Margallo’s sabre-rattling over cautious tones over recent weeks. Picardo co-sovereignty of the Rock.
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www.theolivepress.es 10 Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016 10 thewww.theolivepress.es
Walk which way? GOOGLE Maps may be great at getting you from A to B on the roads, but it is not much good when off the beaten track. And there are not many places more off the beaten track than Almeria’s Cabo de GataNijar natural park. But do not despair, a new app has been launched to help keen walkers amble through the natural park. Named Caminando por Cabo de Gata the app contains routes of varying difficulty as well as upcoming weather alerts and terrain descriptions.
WILD: Cabo de Gata
ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 77.67% Same week last year: 73.85% Same week in 2006: 69.77%
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G reen
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
To the capital!
Residents show appreciation after suspected arson attack
IBERIAN lynx are being reintroduced into Spain’s capital. Following a successful 15-year breeding programme in Andalucia, the endangered species is set to be introduced into southeastern areas of Madrid around the Cofio and Alberche rivers. In 2001, the number of lynx in Andalucia had plummeted to under 100 but that figure has now tripled.
BLAZING: Fire
By Rob Horgan
AN appreciation fund has been set up for the firefighters who tackled a huge blaze in La Linea and San Roque. The fire, which burnt for over 24 hours, forced over 500 people to be evacuated from their homes and a nearby hotel in Alcaidesa as the blaze reached a ‘level one’ alert. At least two cars were burnt out and minor damage was done to nearby
Firefighter fund properties in Alcaidesa in a suspected case of arson. It has now been confirmed
Water wanted A LACK of rainfall is threatening Andalucia’s vegetable crops. Low levels of water in reservoirs combined with a dry forecast for August could see farmers unable to plant winter vegetables. The general secretary of Malaga’s Union of Small Farmers is now urging the Junta de Andalucia to limit water used for golf courses and swimming pools.
Specialist Clinic for Dental Implantology and Advanced Oral Rehabilitation
that the fire in La Linea had four seats (starting points), while another fire was started in San Roque. San Roque’s Mayor Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix said said that it is ‘impossible’ for five fires to have been started so close to each other without it being arson. He also extended his thanks to the 80 firefighters who took charge in tackling the blaze and a fund has now been set up
RETURNING: Lynx
by residents in Alcaidesa. “We are collecting online and offline contributions from residents and friends of Alcaidesa towards a gesture of thanks from the local community,” Jose Luis Sousa told the Olive Press. “We want to raise awareness of the risks that these people take and express our gratitude to them for the admirable job they did in protecting us and our homes.” To contribute visit www.gofundme. com/2e723g4.
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SUNSEED Desert Technology, a hands-on practical centre for low impact living and environmental education is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a week of activities from October 15-23. The project in Almeria hopes to inspire visitors and volunteers to live more sustainably and work in harmony with nature. The activities include mural painting, treasure hunts, tours, and yoga.
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Ax ar q u i a
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Beach bums
Police in Torrox have begun to remove umbrellas that some beach goers use to reserve space for hours. Mayor Oscar Medina (PP) took to Facebook to discuss the measure and apologize to people who have been affected in the past few weeks by the ordinance not being implemented. The ordinance prohibits the reservation of space by placing any object or furniture in the sand without the physical presence of the person who owns it. It also specifies that any objects found in violation will be removed and stored by municipal services for a maximum of 14 days and can be retrieved after paying a €30 penalty. Medina clarified that the rule will not affect people who leave their belongings to swim, walk, or grab a drink in a chiringuito but will hopefully stop people who get up early to place their umbrellas but don’t come back for several hours.
AT RISK: Umbrellas
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AXAR QUIA
July 6th - July 19th
2016
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Motorheads unite! soon be VELEZ-MALAGA could circuit after on the national rally Rally Ciuthe success of its second
dad. people to The event brought 8,000 and around the Axarquia capital economy. €500,000 to the town’s of sports, The town hall’s head
EXCLUSIVE By Iona Napier
Axarquia town begs for water limits while unveiling swimming pool
people THOUSANDS of Colface being cut off from demenar’s water supply, its spite the town unveiling large swimming pool. Jose mayor Colmenar been Martin Garcia has after slammed by residentshours opening the pool just plea after making a public their for residents to limit water usage. reDon Jose Martin Garcia
said the rally, Maria Jose Roberto, for drivers which provides points ip, in the Andalucian Championsh in the nacould soon be included tional calendar. even more “This would bring beneSPEEDY: Driving spectators and economic fits,” she added.
Watergate Colmenar pool OPEN FOR BUSINESS: begging de- rupt’ town hall was vealed the town waterwhile for funds for tankers. posits were drying up‘bank- In spite of the situation, the residents claim the
A ‘APPY DAYS FOR NERJ
as well as tourists. the travel guide for expats have developed an in- Holdstock said: “The beauty of Nerjapp is that TWO enterprising expatsNerja. something new or interestteractive app to discover Holdstock and Chris every time we find the app, so it’s constantly British creators Robert Nerjapp, a mobile app ing we can add it to growing with information.” Brookes have launched users in real time with places to eat, local that allows users to find adventures in the The app, which updates useful tools includnotifications, also includes events, and unearth hidden bus timetables, restauing a map, translator, coastal town. numbers. have lived in the AxarThe entrepreneurs, who of five years, designed rant reviews and emergency time quia for a combined
with town hall went ahead the the annual opening with pool. municipal swimming “Do not use water unnecesto sarily and it is forbidden your use drinking water for or gardens, swimming pools said. car washing,” Garcia wa“It is imperative to savemust ter and that’s why we restrict it at present.”people The town of 3,500 has seen its water deposits the deplete gradually over last three weeks. a into rapidly “It is turning issue,” serious public health Colmenar expat Malcolm Press Coxall told the Olive last night. storm “We have a perfect exof insufficient storage, and tremely low water table peak summer demand.”seen While Facebook has seekresidents desperately town ing water options, the last hall told the Olive Press night it ‘expected a solution soon’.
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
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Water relief
July 6th - July 19th
2016
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EMERGENCY water tankers have been drafted in to Colmenar to deal with limited supplies. Mayor Jose Martin Garcia took the decision to bring in tankers after a series of 300 metre wells ran dry. It comes after residents slammed Garcia for unveiling a large swim-
ming pool, despite warnings that thousands of residents could be cut off from water supplies (see our story left). The tankers are a temporary fix while the town hall works with the Junta to ensure a more stable water supply.
Save our shelter
By Laurence Dollimore A NERJA animal charity is in crisis and is appealing to the public for help after having its shelter closed down. Only set up eight months ago, the APA Nerja Estacion Esperanza had managed to build kennels on rented land thanks to a flood of donations and volunteers. But despite their efforts the shelter had to be closed due to the overwhelming volume of animals, and due to the fact that the land could not be concreted, undermining the shelter’s hygiene. President Laura Leanne Downes told the Olive Press: “Maintaining a shelter on this scale is not an easy task, funds have to be raised for
Nerja animal shelter appealing for fosters after being closed down
IN NEED: Rescued dogs food, dogs and cats transported backwards and forward from vets, vaccinations given to puppies who also have to be micro-chipped as this is the law, and all the money to achieve this had to come from donations and fundraising.”
She said despite everyone’s inspiring efforts, the shelter had to be shut down. “It became apparent that the charity was no longer able to sustain the level of dogs in its care and the painful decision was made that the shelter had to close, the decision has not been taken easily nor quickly,” she said. The charity, which is still in operation until it finds a new shelter, is pleading for members of the public to consider adopting one of the many dogs left without a home. To foster a dog, all of whom have been socialised by the APA Walking Group, email apanerja@apanerja.com.
July 6th - July 19th 2016
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Time is of the essence IT is not true that Article 50 gives the UK two years to leave the EU (May day, issue 243). The article said there is a MAXIMUM of two years to arrive at an agreement with all members of the EU. But if this happens, things could go wrong. Countries such as Germany and France are pushing to start the negotiation officially, so I think that Gibraltar is not going to have two years to found a solution. I think that maybe Gibraltar is going to have difficulty to continue with the current special status and treatment. Sorry, but it looks like the British Empire does not care about its colonies. Angel Cervera, Los Barrios
Young workers, old retirees! THE who, why, what questions over Brexit will continue for years. But food for thought came from a fellow British expat with a 22-year-old son from his marriage to a Spaniard 25 years ago. The son, who has a Spanish passport, left home and moved to the UK to work three years ago, remaining to this day with a proper job, and not taking any hand-outs nor using the health service. He is similar to tens of thousands of young Spaniards working in London. Meanwhile here in Spain there are also tens of thousands of British expats, and while some are young and many are self sufficient, undoubtedly thousands work illegally, do not pay social security, and many others live here in retirement and regularly join hospital queues with regular aging health issues. There are two sides to every story! RL, Alhaurin
LE T T E R S
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Referendum conundrums
Police state
Staying put in Goa
WHY are the people of Gibraltar so completely against being part of Spain? (PP*ss off, issue 243) In the end it’s down to freedom and rule of law. These things are anathema to Spain. Just look at the new policing laws pushed through government in Madrid last year. Gibraltar has no wish to be part of a police state. I will help you out my Iberian friends: British Justice v Spanish ‘Justice’ – Slow justice is no justice Spain. Corruption in the UK v Spain – UK levels nowhere close to ingrained Spanish problem. Police – Spain 250,000 – Population 46 million – Police State. Police – UK 150,000 – Population 64 million – See the difference? Wolfgang Trench, Sevilla
WE recently looked to relocate to Tarifa as we considered that part of Spain with its unspoilt coast line and warm climate an ideal spot to find a summer rental property nearer to our UK family. The ease of entry at Gib' and the closeness of Tangiers made it ideal for our needs and those of our children and grandchildren. Having shared a wonderful month in the beautiful village of Betis we were ready to move on with our plans when Brexit happened. Back-stabber Gove, Spineless Boris, U-turning Cameron all combined to reinforce the correctness of our decision to leave that place and to stay in India, where we have lived for years. If you wrote this saga as a piece of fiction people would think it too fanciful by far. Throw in an opposition in turmoil and a rudderless ship and we feel Goa is the right place for us. We have been living here for over 11 years and some of our local friends are now telling us of problems being faced by Goans settled in England. Goans have been taking up Portuguese passports, to which they are entitled if they can prove Portuguese ancestry, and using then to settle in the UK, often at great cost. Needless to say many are now worried that they will be forced to leave.
Tough choice
THE Spanish defence minister’s offer is for Gibraltar to continue in the EU, with the same laws and fiscal system as now. So there would be no customs or problem on the border and co sovereignty. I think that is better than losing the financial centre and the online casinos when Brexit become real. But I think that the British government will not let you choose this option. Simon Sanchez, La Linea
Beetlemania We have just found a large beetle in the garden in Almunecar (Polyphlla olivieri). It is a potential pest of fruit trees but I can find no mention of it being in Spain. Is this a new invader as web only mentions Albania, Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Syria and Israel? Something else to blame on the Syrians! Is there anywhere to report this to council or who ever might be interested? Paul Craddock, Almunecar
Norman and Carole, Casa Susegad, Goa, India
Rectification Last month the Olive Press wrote a story about Brian’s Rent-a-Car being mysteriously ‘closed down’ by Google (Mystery closure, issue 241). The article quotes a David Ballard, when in fact Brian Johnson provided the Olive Press with comment.
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.
Number crunching 9
runners were injured, though none gored, in San Fermin’s final running of the bulls this year.
10
years later, an anniversary revamp of the Beatles Cirque de Soleil is in the works.
13 Spanish provinces put on
Orange Alert with temperatures of up to 41ºC expected during Spain’s first heatwave in July.
50% of Spaniards view Muslims in Spain unfavourably, according to a new Pew Research poll.
4,343
songs were censored in Spain from 1960 to 1977, and a new exhibition in Barcelona focuses on the absurd justification for censorship of some of these songs.
€1.5m in forged notes
were recovered in a raid in Murcia, as well as the forgery printers.
€18.48m
in illegal state subsidies are to be repaid by Real Madrid after a European Commission investigation into overpriced land deal with Spanish local authorities.
€43.5m
from EU funding programme Horizon 2020 went to health research centres in Catalonia last year, accounting for 42% of Spain’s total.
Gibraltar schoolgirl reaches semi
-final of Spanish TV talent show 3065 views
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BE ‘APPY!
NOVELIST: Marcelo Lujan
Award of words
la cultura
13 July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Hidden gems EMERGE FROM HELL
THE best independent films from around the world have been showcased in Madrid at the Hell Chess Film Festival. Organised by a Campo de Gibraltar film society called the Hell Chess group, the festival was held in the capital to grante lesser known films greater exposure. French film Carpe Diem won best pic-
ture, while Australian director David King, of Exit, won best director. Speaking to the Olive Press, festival director Jorge Blanco sang high praises for the two films. “Carpe Diem is a very interesting film about loneliness. It was made by a young French filmmaker [Gregoire von Rakowski]. It’s a very original experi-
mental film, with a good soundtrack using an opera singer and a mix of classical and contemporary music,” Blanco said. “Exit is a very experimental film in a very risky edition. It’s inside a person in a catatonic state. All [David King’s] life is devoted to making something different. This is the spirit of the festival.”
what’s on
M
alaga, August 6
Spanish singersongwriter Bunbury will take the stage for this stop on his 2016 Mutaciones Tour.
M
Download our app now and ARGENTINE novelist Marcelo Lubegin enjoying the best Spanish jan has won the Dashiell Hammett prize in Gijon’s news onNoir the go.Week for his novel Subsuelo. The prize is awarded annually to the year’s best noir novel published in Spain. Lujan previously won the Getafe prize, a smaller award given by the same body, in 2009 for his novel La mala espera.
Dolmen-ation T
Little square eyes
the prestigious label. The Dolmens are an ensemble of megalithic monuments made up of the Menga and Viera dolmens and the tholos of El Romeral. They are described as outstanding examples of megalithic architecture and are among the most recognised and quoted in the world. The Menga Dolmen is most famous for its significant geographical location. PROTECTED: Antequera Dolmens
Help walk rescue dogs from Triple A just behind La Canada on Saturday morning.
arifa, August 20
THE Antequera Dolmens have officially received UNESCO World Heritage status. The Olive Press The UN cultural agency made the decision after gathering in Istanbul to decide whether or not the elaborate TOP for news in Spain! structures, dating back to between 5,000 and 22,000 BC, were worthy of
KIDS can once again enjoy the open air movie screenings in Benahavis. The town hall announced it would renew the children’s summer screenings following the success of last year’s run. Screenings begin at 10pm in the Plaza del Pilar. Spongebob the Movie and San Andreas will play on Saturday and Sunday (July 22 and 23), respectively, while Minions and Jurassic World have already shown. Benahavis Town Hall will also update the schedule on its Facebook page as needed.
arbella, August 13
Historical Andalucian structures win protected status from UN
On the summer solstice, June 21, the morning sun shines over the peak of the Peña de los Enamorados and straight along the dolmen’s entrance corridor. The specific positioning would have had mystical importance for the prehistoric tribes who built it. It is believed the architects were farmers who resided in the Guadalhorce valley during the Neolithic period and copper age. It would have taken the combined effort of several communities to source and transport the stones and to complete the constructions. They have remained remarkably intact despite being built at least 5,000 years ago.
Juanito Makandé will play with other musicians like Muchachito, Mario Díaz, Tomasito, Diego Carrasco and Malamanera at the Tarifeando festival at the Plaza de Toros.
M
ijas, Ongoing
Enjoy €2 tapas during the Ruta de la Tapa at restaurants every Tuesday and Thursday night in July and August.
M
alaga, Ongoing
In July and August, La Concepción Historical and Botanical Garden will be open late on Wednesday nights for tours of the gardens enriched with music and actors playing the roles of the marquis and marquise of Loring.
14 14
the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
The Olive Press Insider’s Guide
www.allaboutandalucia.com
14
la cultura
www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
After eight hours on a night bus and a crack-of-dawn train from Madrid, Lance Rutkin pitches up in Pamplona, to witness the passion of those who run with the bulls
A There is a whole new way to discover Andalucia @allaboutandalucia @aboutandalucia @allaboutandalucia All about Andalucia
T the end of my first year at university, after months of exams, I vowed to do nothing, absolutely nothing. But after weeks of sleeping 12 hours a day and watching Netflix the other 12, I finally picked up a book, The Sun Also Rises, by legendary American writer Ernest Hemingway. I figured if I was going to be a loaf, I might as well be a learned loaf. The book gave me the promise of adventure. Its protagonist Jake Barnes was a frivolous loaf too, but at least he got out of bed. Set around Pamplona’s San Fermin festival, it opened a new world for me, painting a wonderful picture of Spain, its festivities and its peculiarities. So, it was a genuine joy to discover that my two-month internship with the Olive Press from Princeton University, coincided with the famous feria, albeit from a completely different corner of Spain. That said, even a 12-hour journey each way, didn’t put me off and I was rewarded with an intense 24-hour escapade at San Fermin.
Passion of Pamplona The glossary Encierro: The running of the bulls Corrida de toros: The bullfight, a bit of a misnomer since the literal translation would be ‘running of the bulls Chupinazo: The firework fired from the town hall at noon on July 6, signalling the start of San Fermin
Gigantes y cabezudos: Dancers who runaround town dressed as giants and big-heads, some standing four metres high Pobre de mi: Sung at the festival’s closing ceremony, when everyone gathers in front of the town hall to chant this mournful ditty. It means ‘Poor Me’, and after one day and night of San Fermin, it hits the nail right on the (sore) head
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Zack and I take a break from the jammed mass of people and grab an ice cream.
THEIR white outfits and red hankies are the big giveaway but their voices are just as strong. The crowd at the the front of the morning train to Pamplona from Madrid have all been to San Fermin before and are on song to a man. Already drinking and getting into the swing, as we cross beneath the aqueduct into Pamplona station, they chant traditional festival songs in harmony, con gusto.
0200
We return to the jammed mass… for more beer. And more beer. And more, and more err err
0300
1200
We leave Cafe Iruna and take a welcomed reprieve with a sit down drink in the Plaza de Castillo.
We arrive in Pamplona, and the train empties quickly as everyone races to cabs and buses. No one pays much heed to the people slumped asleep on station benches, some with their heads flopped between their legs, enduring the heat and their hangovers and wishing Hemingway had been wrong; but the sun also rises (early) on Pamplona in summer ...
1300
I find my way through the side streets to Plaza de Castillo, the town’s main square. Spent revellers (above) still nap under trees while hardier souls order up drinks and carry on carousing.
1400
At Cafe Iruna, a haunt of Hemingway’s, I sit next to two Americans and we all have a beer. Ron, 43, and his 18-yearold nephew Robbie (below) who’s here for a treat before he starts college in the Autumn. They wear the same relaxed smile. There’s something almost brotherly about the way they speak to each other, slouched in their chairs, as if 25 years and any father-son deference evaporated with the start of the festival. It turns out they have both read Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. Ron first read it when he was Robbie’s age - one of two reasons for bringing him to Pamplona. The other? Ron believes that San Fermin differs from other festivals. “You can go to any festival and see young people get drunk…,” he tells me. “Here, you still have tradition too.”
0400 - 0600
24 hours in San Fermin
MAYHEM: The moment bulls and steers charge past
1700
To the station to meet two friends off the 5pm train: Jeremy Kleiman, 20, and Zack Marks, 21, both from Florida. They check into their Airbnb apartment, then it’s off to buy cheap white trousers from a Chinese shop before we hit the city centre for tonight’s party.
0700
A band and some traditional dancers are performing for a strangely subdued crowd. A girl two seats down from us struggles to remain upright. With a few minutes to go, they put a kiss cam up on the screen. It moves from couple to couple as the crowd roars. It reminds me of home (and not in a good way).
0900
We clean ourselves up before heading to the station to catch our train home.
1000
1800 - 2000
They shoot the fireworks off much closer to the crowd in Pamplona than they do back in the States. The proximity makes for a damn good show.
0600
We get a bit lost but make it to the Plaza in time to get a good seat for the encierro, when the bulls finally run past at eight.
0800
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Jeremy and I pass out in a park outside the city walls. Zack (below right) still has energy and his eyes on a few girls and goes off to re-enter the fray. A couple of hours later, he returns to wake us, finding our wallets on the ground a few feet away - empty. I kept most of my cash in my shoe and only lose €10 but Jeremy has a hole in his trousers where his zipper pockets once were. Our practised pickpocket cut through them to get to his phone and wallet. No one takes it too badly, and we all get a laugh out of it. It’s hard not to, watching Jeremy walk back to Plaza del Toros with a giant rip in his trousers.
The bulls run, and it’s all over in a flash as animals, chased by men, disappear from view. It seems only one man got gored (not badly). But there was a scare in the Plaza as one bull straggled behind, causing havoc with runners still in the pit before the herders could get to him. The vaquillas emerge, one-by-one: heifers with horns so twisted or blunt they can’t gore anyone. Runners dance around these misfits, taunting them, and slapping their rumps to rile them up. One guy flips over the back of one. Jeremy turns to me and says: ‘This is kind of f***ed up.’
One of the festival’s few remaining ties to its religious origins is the procession of San Fermin. On July 6, the opening day, the town carries an ornatelydressed effigy of the saint from church to church before returning it to its eponymous chapel at Iglesia de San Lorenzo. I’m three days late, long after the buzz of the procession had worn off, but the church is open and worth a visit. The church (left) is seemingly dark and empty, but then off to the side I spot a choir, dressed in white-and-red, gathered in front of San Fermin’s statue. On the strike of three from a conductor they spark up a litany of hymns dedicated to Pamplona, Navarra and San Fermin. The conductor’s name is Pedro Goni (pronounced GOH-nyee) and the 72-year-old tells me he has been singing in the choir for 20 years, and they are raising money for people with Parkinson’s Disease.
We smoke cigars and drink some beers. We go to a concert in the Plaza de Castillo, which is little to write home about. The concert winds down, and we walk to the other side of town for fireworks, stopping at various bars en route, naturally.
15 July 20th - August 2nd 2016
MADNESS: Lance (in hat) having fun in a packed Calle Estafeta
2200 - 2400
We drink too much for too long, but so does everyone. It’s a bit of a blur, but we definitely check out Cafe Iruna at night. It’s buzzing and a lot of fun. The lights are bright, and even the walls seem to sweat. We spend
a lot of time squeezing through key bullrun street Calle Estafeta, one of Plaza de Castillo’s perimeter streets where revellers spill out from crowded bars to form a human barricade of boozers.
We have breakfast/lunch/tea all rolled into one, drink lots of water and sit quietly, waiting for our train. We don’t have our heads between our legs, but they’re hurting.
1100
The dry Basque countryside is flashing by. “It’s funny,” Zack says. “On the train into Pamplona, everyone’s dancing and partying. On the train leaving Pamplona, everyone’s quiet.”
FOLLOWING DOCTOR’S ORDERS...
MEDIC: Ignacio
He spends his festival days staunching the blood of San Fermin’s victims. But medic Ignacio Sanchez’ eyes sparkle with passion as he talks about the bull run. Despite all he has seen, he is still not disillusioned about the encierro. A 50 year-old Pamplona native, he
works as Red Cross Ambulance Coordinator for the duration of the festival and this is his 25th year. “It’s incredible. It’s a sensation. You feel alive running,” he says. Even so, he prescribes explicit advice for runners, especially first-timers. “When people start to run, not ev-
eryone knows when the bulls are coming. If you don’t feel comfortable waiting for the bulls, run to the plaza. You need to be confident about your fitness,” he says. He himself is not ‘so courageous’. In fact, he admits, he uses his job as an excuse not to run with his friends.
But he has been gored anyway. When I meet him he’s nursing a wounded right arm, received as he tried to pull a runner away from an angry bull. “The ambulance worker’s position is also risky,” he says. “And this is not the first time I’ve had impact with the horn.”
16 16
the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
la cultura
www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Caught l
Jon Clarke catches the Pixies, New Order and Chvrches live at BBK in Bilbao
YOUNG TALENT: Chvrches Lauren Mayberry
ive
This monkey was in heaven!
LEGEND: Black Francis of the Pixies lets roar during Friday slot, while (below) New Order IS demonic guttural screams cut Now in its 11th year, the wonderful festival is through the cooling mountain air like a breath of fresh air from others around the a gorilla in full attack mode. peninsula. Perched above the hip, industrial From such a short, unassuming man, city of Bilbao - a true foodie Mecca - it is surthe sheer energy Black Francis conjures up is rounded by green hills and counts on hunlittle short of breathtaking. dreds of trees around the site, with a funky Then again, this is the Pixies, a band that indance area literally hidden in a copse. spired Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, and ‘changed Top performances definitely included Scotthe life’ of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, while at tish band Chvrches, who are slowly coming school. of age and perhaps deserved a better slot erything from swamp rock to surf, and counPart psychedelic, part punk - totally rocking than 8pm. try to even pop, particularly with hits such as their near two-hour headlining set at Bilbao’s Striking singer Lauren Mayberry also did her BBK festival is almost perfect; one of the very Here Comes Your Man and Monkey Gone to bit to represent the feeling of most British best live shows I have seen in a decade in Heaven. pop acts in Europe these days, apologising Spain and easily up there with Blur at Benic- Highlights were definitely Debaser, which for Brexit and insisting the UK was full of ‘aris based on a film by Spanish genius Luis assim, last year. seholes’. Hardly drawing in breath, the band, tore Bunuel, and Isla de Encanta, appropriately ‘We are really sorry – we didn’t vote for Brexit in Spanish with its chorus ‘Me Voy, Me Voy’. through a mix of musical genres, taking in ev– we don’t understand it,’ she told the audience, before launching into a great rendition of the song Gun, with its chorus ‘better off dead’, which she appropriately dedicated to Boris Johnson. The new songs from album Every Open Eye came over well, but without a doubt, the highlight for most of the crowd was their hit Deepest Blue. New Order’s later headline slot on the second stage was a damp squib (and not just because of the drizzle), with Bernard Sumner showing little interest in the show, indeed anything, but his glass of wine, plopped on his amp behind him.
H SPANISH BAND: The Hinds
t live
Caugh BELTING IT OUT: Keith Flint
Firestarter By Ana DeJesus
UP to 50,000 young Spaniards went wild to British festival favourites The Prodigy. An incredible late surge saw the Alrumbo Festival in Chipiona, packed by fans of the indie dance group, famous for hits Firestarter and Smack My Bitch Up, which had everyone jumping around. Playing for nearly two hours, they came back on for an encore after the crowd begged with a classic Viking thunderclap raised in unison. The Cadiz festival, now in its seventh year, saw 150,000 spectators enjoy three days of live music. Highlights included Spanish indie rock group Lori Meyers, as well as massive underground rap band Violadores de Verso, in their only Andalucia show this summer. The night before Vetusta Morla played an amazing set, despite being let down by poor sound quality, while legendary US rappers De la Soul were forced to come on at 2am after their flight was delayed. Massive Dutch DJ Martin Garrix played at 6am, while Julian Marley and the Uprising and The Gipsy Kings also drew a decent crowd.
Whipped
The problem was the short, largely poppy set, geared heavily towards new material from recent album Music Complete, with few classics bar The Perfect Kiss and, to be fair, an excellent Blue Monday. While Everything’s Gone Green was OK, Temptation was butchered and Barney marched off at the end admitting: “You’ve been a great audience, shame about me.” The night was fortunately rescued by Arcade Fire, who brought a dozen talented Canadians for a master class in showmanship. They whipped up the crowd with genuine enthusiasm with highlights being ‘My Body Is A Cage’ and a duet between the Butler brothers. The crowd lapped it up. Other acts worth a mention are creative Canadian songwriter Grimes, who put Lady Gaga in the shade with an amazingly visual show, and Hinds, a fabulous girl group from Madrid, who are so incredibly infectious I can’t wait to see them again. Last, and indeed, very last, were Underworld, on stage at 2am, with a fabulous dance set that took me back a couple of decades to a field in, well, somewhere off the M25.
Property
Spain Property Guides
olive press
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GO GIRL: ‘Home-saver’ awarded MBE
Page iii
Celebrity comings and goings
Page x
Fight to save Mijas’ oldest farmhouse
Page xi
Bilbao’s most powerful tower
page xx
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Don’t get caught out when buying in Spain
Issue 9
When money talks From €29m to €2,900, we found a Spanish property to suit every budget
Brexit bounce BACK? AN Olive Press panel of seven experts has gathered to discuss the impact of Brexit on the Spanish property market. While, they confirm the market has suffered from initial knee-jerk reactions, they remain optimistic, expecting the market to bounce back once the dust settles on the political landscape in the UK and Europe.
While Brits make up a large amount of the market, others like the Scandinavians and new arrivals like the Polish are filling in the gap left by the drop in British sales. But the lull is widely seen as temporary, with the think tank insisting once the exchange rate stabilises, things will return to normal. Read the full Observatory, Part II from page 14
Spain Property Guides
THIS stunning property has come onto the market near Marbella for a staggering €29 million... Given, it is out of 99.9% of our readers budgets, we thought we’d have a hunt around for something cheaper, in the price ranges of €2.9m, €290,000, €29,000 and even €2,900. It’s actually a pleasant surprise what you can get for under €3,000 these days, including this lovely plot below...just don’t expect a prime Costa del Sol location. Turn to Page 32 to find out more
OPTIMISTIC: Panel
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18 the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016 €450,000
€295,000
www.theolivepress.es
CADIZ €450,000 REF: WW589 Ongoing business opportunity, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz
LA QUINTA €295,000 Fabulous 2 Bedroom Apartment, La Quinta, Costa del Sol
This block of four refurbished apartments represents a wonderful opportunity to purchase a small business. Apartments extend over the first and second floor of a grand building. 2 minute walk to beach / PicturesqueLocation / Solar Panels / Totally Renovated / Stunning Views, / Rooftop Terrace Bed 6 | Bath 4 | Built 353 m2
Fabulous 2 bedroom apartment with the accommodation all on one level. The property is beautifully presented and has stunning views to the La Concha Mountain and the sea. Air Conditioning (Hot/Cold) / Communal Gardens and Pools / Covered Terrace / Electric Blinds / En-suite Bathroom Bed 2 | Bath 2 | Built 146 m2
€235,000
REF: WW584
€175,000
GUADALMINA ALTA €235,000 REF: WW471 Ideal Apartment for Golfers, Guadalmina Alta, Costa del Sol
ESTEPONA €175,000 REF: WW104 An immaculate apartment with solarium, near Estepona, Costa del Sol
This light and bright luxury apartment has spectacular views overlooking Guadalmina Golf Course. This property has potential and could easily be made into a super holiday home. Frontline Golf / Close to Golf Courses / Fireplace / Well Established Community / Close to Amenities Bed 3 | Bath 2 | Built 126 m2
A beautiful top floor two bedroom apartment, benefiting from a roof top solarium of 90 m2 with 360 degree views and only 7 minutes walk to the beach. Lift / 24 hr Security / Sea and Mountain Views / Outside Dining / Private Parking Bed 2 | Bath 2 | Built 85 m2
tel: +34 952 880 941 info@winkworth.es www.winkworth.es
Property
www.theolivepress.es
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Shoppin’ in the USA
RITZY: Park Avenue
The Great Escape
MORE UK residents are considering a move abroad in the wake of Brexit. Searches by UK residents to move abroad jumped 30% following the referendum result according to data compiled by cost of living comparison website Expatistan. In the two days after the UK voted to leave the EU, comparisons between UK cities and non-UK cities on the site increased by 50.8% from the week before. The website also found that there was more interest in moving abroad from cities with higher percentage of Remain votes. Canada, Germany, and Thailand were the most popular countries researched.
SURGING: Malaga
Mala-gains
MALAGA has seen the highest property price increase in Andalucia. A new report by TINSA, the leading Spanish property valuation society, has revealed enviable year-on-year increases across the whole of Malaga province. Casares, Torrox, Torremolinos, Mijas, Malaga city, Nerja and Marbella all saw the price per square metre increase by more than 5%. Only Fuengirola and Rincon de la Victoria saw slight decreases. Malaga also had the highest volume of sales, with 39.3% coming from foreign buyers. Meanwhile, a global ranking of 150 cities by their increases in property prices has shown a 4.9% increase in Malaga city. The report, conducted by London real estate consultants Knight Frank, listed the Costa del Sol city at number 70.
SPANISH fashion mogul Amancio Ortega has been on a real estate shopping spree across the Atlantic. Ortega, the founder of Inditex, the firm behind brands like Zara and Massimo Dutti, has most recently snapped up the Murray Hill hotel in New York for €61 million. Boasting 205 rooms in 83,000 sq ft on Park Avenue, the neoclassical-style
dwelling was built in 1928 and will now be operated by Spanish hotel company Grupo Iberostar. Ortega bought a further two properties stateside last year through his property investment firm Ponte Gadea. He splashed €130 million on an office building in New York’s Soho district in December, after buying up an entire block on Miami Beach for a cool €333 million.
Congratulations Maura!
19 III
On the up
RESIDENTIAL property sales in Spain increased by 23.6% in May year on year. The figures from the National Statistics Institute are the highest since January 2013. The bulk of the increase came from the second-hand market and the sale of new homes, which increased by 26.7% and 12% respectively. The highest number of home sales per 100,000 inhabitants was recorded in the Balearic Islands and La Rioja, while Andalucia registered the most home sales in total, followed by Catalunya, Valencia and Madrid.
Expat receives royal honour for service to British homeowners in Spain
By Rob Horgan
WHEN Maura Hillen packed her bags and headed to Spain nine years ago, she could never have imagined what a pivotal role she would end up playing in the lives of hundreds of expats. Leaving her busy life in London’s banking sector, Maura and husband John moved to Albox for a ‘slower pace of a life in the sun’. But it didn’t take her long to get involved in local politics. In fact, just one year after setting up in Spain, Maura was named president of Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora No! (AUAN), a body that defends property owners. Since then she has spent the best part of a decade fighting battles on behalf of the hundreds of expats wronged by the property system (Not to mention being voted into local council where she currently acts as deputy mayor for Albox.) And now, eight years since she took the reigns at AUAN, Maura, 53, has been awarded an MBE for her services to the British community in Spain. “I am of course very pleased but AUAN is a collaborative effort and I see this as more of an award for the association and its members than me personally,” Irish expat Maura told the Olive Press. “It is a real vindication of our efforts over the last 10 years and we are all delighted.”
Collaborative
In total, AUAN represents 500 expats, mostly British, Irish and Belgian. Under Maura’s leadership the association has defended the rights of homeowners, won compensation claims for countless victims and even forced change in Spain’s murky legal system. Her personal highlights include watching the Spanish senate vote ‘virtually unanimously’ to amend the criminal code in March 2015. This allowed a person who had purchased a property built without planning permission by a rogue developer to be compensated prior to demolition. Her work also led to a change in administrative law, to allow compensation to homeowners when their planning permission was revoked due to an error on the part of the administration. But, for Maura, greater things are still to
IN QUESTION: Axarquia homes
LEGALISE IT
HONOURED: Maura Hillen to recieve MBE
Tireless contribution
British Ambasador to Spain, Simon Maley: “SINCE 2008, Maura Hillen MBE has made a tireless contribution towards resolving the property problems that affect thousands of British homeowners in Spain. I am very pleased that Her Majesty The Queen has approved this honour, which recognises her dedication and resilience. “Under her leadership, AUAN is a professionally-run, well-respected organisation that has secured expert legal advice and in turn proposed realistic solutions to the Spanish regional and national authorities. come. “My proudest moment is yet to come but it is coming soon,” she said. “On July 2021 the parliament of Andalucia will vote on a bill to amend the planning laws of Andalucia (LOUA) which will allow many more properties to become legalised. “There is every indication that this bill will be passed. This will be my proud-
THE Junta is in talks to rectify a law passed in 2012 that restricted many property owners’ ability to maintain or modify their buildings. Save Our Homes Axarquia (SOHA) proposed amendments to provide a framework for the owners to legalise their homes. Under the current law, the houses are recognised, but the owners cannot take out a mortgage or receive planning permission, severely limiting what they can do with their property. SOHA estimates that the new legislation could affect upwards of 10,000 homes in the Axarquia.
Top of the props HIGH PRAISE: Manley “I know Maura intends to keep campaigning for more action to resolve outstanding cases and to increase the legal security for future buyers.” est day.” Maura is also determined to finally win compensation for Len and Helen Prior whose property demolition nightmare has been ongoing since 2008. And she has already begun work to see a reform of the Land Registry. Clearly as determined as ever, Maura deserves all the praise she gets.
DEMAND in Spanish property has reached a 10-month high, becoming the most popular country among overseas buyers. One in eight visitors to Themovechannel. com were enquiring about properties in Spain, the highest amount of interest it has had since last September. “With UK buyers accounting for a significant portion of users, June’s Top of the Props report proves that Brits are far from out of love with Europe,” said Dan Johnson, Director of Themovechannel. com. “Spain, however, is not just a European lifestyle favourite, but a sought-after opportunity for investors. The country’s economy has been steadily growing each quarter since the third quarter of 2015, with property prices also having bottomed out in key areas. “The country remains attractive for EU and non-EU buyers alike.”
IV
Property
Short term pain, long term gain
www.theolivepress.es
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
20
Yes, some British buyers have pulled out, but the Olive Press’ second Property Observatory discovers a panel of experts optimistic post Brexit much thanks to buyer diversification. By Laurence Dollimore
T
HE EU referendum was always going to have an impact on the property market in the British buyers favourite of Southern Spain, the question was which way?. Now after months of divisive campaigning, the nation voted for Brexit, sending shockwaves around the world and throwing up many questions, most of them still unanswerable. But of all the talk of doom and gloom and ‘the end of the world’ narratives, what has really happened to the Costa property market in the short term? The Olive Press sat down with a panel of seven local property experts, from cur-
rency analysts to surveyors and developers to lawyers to ask what they have seen so far… and, perhaps more importantly, where they see the market going this summer and towards 2017. This month’s roundtable discussion, hosted by Real Capital Solutions-SPP, in Centro Plaza, Marbella, included SPP boss Taylor Cox (TC), alongside: Mark Rickard (MR) from Smart Currency Exchange, Alex Radford (AR) from My Lawyer in Spain, Campbell Ferguson (CF) from Survey Spain and estate agents Scott Marshall (SM) from PropertieSpain, Jerry Kyrk (JK) from Fastighetsbyran, , and Adam Neale (AN) from Terra Meridiana.
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LEFT TO RIGHT: Alex, Taylor, Scott, OP editor Jon Clarke, Mark and Campbell
BREXIT BLUES
Market loses around 20% of British buyers Optimism however over a bounce back British sellers more likely to negotiate High end market least affected
SM: I lost two sales the day after Brexit on June 24 and have had several cancelled appointments. Many others are now just waiting for the market to stabilise, they say ‘we like it and we want it but we will wait’ until it all calms down. Luckily, we have diversified rapidly to market to other nationalities and have luckily had more interest from Belgium and other European clients since then and things are still attractive here because the prices are still low. CF: We had three surveys cancelled the day after Brexit, which says it all. AN: We also had a few clients pause for sure, but we envisage them coming back once the exchange rate starts to improve for the pound. It has created uncertainty and dropped the exchange rate making it more expensive for UK buyers, at least in the short term
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TC: Obviously uncertainty is never good for the market, we lost 20% of our British buyers (post Brexit), which is not great but it’s not catastrophic. The realities will not be known for more than two years, the real interim game is the currencies, with around 50% of our British buyers now waiting for Sterling to stabilise before they jump in. But I would say the drop in the pound is more a problem for the sub €200,000 market. I would be more nervous for these sales because the buyers are on tighter budgets and could feel the difference. People with money who are buying in places like Marbella, they don’t like to wait around. On top of that, if you’re British, where else are you going to go? It is still Southern Spain. The sun is still out. Turkey and Egypt are too dangerous, Florida is too far away and the dollar too strong, Spain is still the best place for a holiday home. Some pessimistic people will remain nervous but I think things will stabilise and return to normal fairly soon.
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involved in euros in the purchase it means the buyer’s exposure is minimalised wealthier buyers with spare cash will push on because they want their property now and have probably set their sights on it a long time ago, they don’t like to wait or to put their lives on hold. JK: I noticed in the run up to the vote that the Scandinavians were definitely more reluctant to buy and nervous about the result, but ever since it has been fantastic and they have jumped back in. I think they were simply more concerned about the vote itself than the actual result and our sales at Fastighetsbyran have actually been better in July than in May and June combined. I guess they realised that the world has not ended and have carried on with business as usual. MR: On top of that, buyers can also now negotiate more and get a discount, to make up for the loss with the pound. It is also possible to do the purchase in Sterling if the sellers are British, although some notaries are not keen on it, due to the tax complications, so don’t count on that always being possible. AR: That said, my legal firm is seeing more and more people doing a large chunk in pounds, say 20% in euros and 80% in Sterling. Yes, sure some notaries don’t like it, but some are happy with it, so you just have to find the right notary. AN: My advice to UK residents living permanently in Spain is to stay calm and see what happens. Both Europe and the UK need each other, Germany runs a trade surplus with the UK, the UK is the third most important export market for Germany after the US and France; in contrast the UK is the ninth most important country for imports to Germany. Both sides have very good reasons to negotiate an amicable divorce settlement. The pound will bounce back
Property
www.theolivepress.es
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
21 V
ARE PRICES SET TO GO DOWN? TC: I don’t see prices decreasing because we are dealing in quality assets, and there aren’t many quality assets around today, the supply/demand ratio is still very much in our favour regardless of Brexit, people still want mid-market or high quality homes.
where British sellers are concerned. The British will be more willing to negotiate now. In the prime locations however, I expect them to stay the same or go up a little. It is more in the lower end of the market where prices will be affected more.
AN: They are definitely going to continue going up
MR: The Spanish are also coming back to the coast again, from the key cities of Granada and Cordoba, and they are a much bigger market than the Brits, so
CF: I don’t agree. I think they will actually go down, particularly
they will be making up for it... leading to price increases. SM: On top of this, it is so hard to get licences to build, so it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve all three criteria Location, quality and price. To get all three nowadays is pretty difficult, last year or the year before no problem, but this year it’s much harder, so that makes sure prices stay up and continue to rise.
CF: People are jittery in Sotogrande because if the PP stay in power they are going to be far more likely to push for joint sovereignty of Gibraltar and make things very difficult. The old Franco-faction of the party has a fixation on Gibraltar and see Brexit as their golden opportunity. Workers are nervous about buying in Spain and working in Gib. It means more people are looking on the Rock because they do not know if they will be able to get to and from Spain each day.
Nationality trends Polish and Chinese new arrivals Arabs returning More South American investment
MR: The Polish are buying a lot more at the moment, and I have heard quite a few South Americans are coming too, particularly from Argentina. CF: Yes there has definitely been an increase in Polish buyers, it is a growing economy and there are many Polish who have made money in the UK and Ireland and they are now investing what they have earned into a holiday home in Spain. AR: We actually had a Polish sale today. Cultured buyers who actually bought a place in Granada city after earning their money elsewhere, so yes definitely a growing market. TC: Development-wise there is an increase in South
The Olive Press property observatory panel this issue included
Taylor Cox
American interest too, there are now three big Chilean funds buying up land and properties here. JK: In addition, the Scandinavian market is continuing to grow and this month has been crazy, but I have also seen an increase in Chinese buyers and due to an improvement in oil prices a lot more Arabs are coming back. SM: In terms of small buyers the Americans are coming and lots of Canadians too, in fact two of the biggest funds out here right now are American. AR: Yes lots of Canadians, it’s such an international market here and that seems to be becoming even more so now.
Alex Radford
Campbell Ferguson
SM: I agree that the government could
NEW RENTAL LAWS Rent likely to increase Can add value to property CF: It will affect the low level market a lot more because they look to rent out their properties on the cheap, so they are losing out on the extra costs. AR: We have had quite a lot of registrations since the new rental laws actually, and it is not too expensive, it’s reasonable, and it’s more straight forward now as there are no grey areas, you just have to pay your tax, end of story. CF: Additionally, if the property complies with the laws it will actually earn more in rentals than those that don’t, because you have a stamp of approval and it increases the confidence of your clients. JK: Rent prices will go up for sure, it is what happened in Barcelona and Madrid and for sure it will happen here, but that will lead to more people wanting to buy so I guess it’s good for us.
Jerry Kyrk
Mark Rickard
Concerns for Gibraltar Fears of a PP government Jitters in Sotogrande Increase in interest on the Rock
make things very difficult at the border, especially if PP gets into power again. Foreign Minister Margallo has made it clear what his intentions are. JK: Gibraltar is very important to Spain’s economy, particularly on the Costa del Sol. They do spend money here, from Sotogrande to Marbella, in particular, so I think to undermine that would be a bad move. AR: I agree. I am sure they will keep the border open, Spain relies a lot on Gibraltarians spending their money here. I think the UK will spend six months debating what relationship we are going to have with Europe and I think we can negotiate for many of the same terms we had before. MR: But let’s remember Spain does what it wants, whatever logic there is, whatever Brussels insists, if they want to close the border they will close the border. Continues Page 22
Scott Marshall
Adam Neale
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VI
Property
www.theolivepress.es
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
THE HOTSPOTS
MIXED FEELING: On Banus, (inset) Manilva and (below) Benahavis
Axarquia still up and coming Quality properties in demand New shopping centre in Torremolinos a potential ‘game changer’
TC: Estepona to Mijas is still the key area to buy, although I personally love Sotogrande because I think it is so well laid out, but I do think the impact of Brexit may be felt there for a while because of how close it is to Gibraltar. I think going East is the logical way to go, and all the way to La Herradura, which is a great spot.
na will continue to grow. I know someone building 700 homes there at the moment, and soon there will be the massive shopping centre in Torremolinos, which will be huge. TC: That new centre is going to be incredible, it could change the game there for sure, Benalmadena and Torremolinos markets will benefit a lot from that.
SM: Estepona is doing very well right now as are Nerja and the Axarquia region. What is important is that you are not more than 50 minutes away from a good airport, otherwise you might have trouble selling.
AR: I also know someone who is thinking about building 2,000 properties in Nerja, but I think Torrox and Rincon de la Victoria are going to see the best growth in the Axarquia because they have less restrictive planning laws and are nearer Malaga.
AR: That rules La Herradura out, but Nerja is definitely fine. I also think Benalmade-
General trends
Manilva shaky, while Banus is also losing its edge Benahavis more international British dominance fading
TC: There are funds increasingly buying up land and renovating developments in Manilva and around that way, which can be a fun game to be in, as long as you’re the cheapest product, because as soon as a big half built site next door is liquidated by Banco Popular, whoever, and another fund gets in there and undercuts you, you’re dead in the water. CF: I heard that the top level are not coming into this area as much because places like Banus are just so terrible as an environment, they need to clean it out. The high quality shops like Gucci etc are also having second thoughts because they are finding that people are just not coming to them as much, they’re wondering if Banus has lost its spark. JK: I think Banus is still a magnet. It still brings people and I think we slowly see that
STUNNING: Axarquia towns such as Competa, could be in line for a boost
PRIMROSE R E A L E S TAT E
as new restaurants and new places are opening, but of course the second row is more sleazy as it always has been. Maybe there should be an effort to clean it up a little. CF: I have seen changes in the makeup of Benahavis, it used to just be Brits, but now we are seeing Belgian, German, Dutch, mainly it used to be British but it’s changing. AR: In general the market here has become increasingly international, I know Mark’s currency clients here were from 25 different nationalities, whereas ten years ago it was like 80% Brits, but now that’s all changing, this is an international market, the Scandinavians love coming down here, the Germans, Belgians, Arabs etc, the Brits no longer have such a big hold on the market. They are big, but after Brexit, slightly less so.
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VIII
Property
www.theolivepress.es
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
24
Keep calm and carry on
THE dust has settled on the post-Brexit property panic. In place of worry, practicality has taken over and Costa del Sol property expert Andrew Dodd is ready for normal service to resume. “Brexit left us in shock, but things are already getting back to normal,” Andrew, sales manager at Homefinders explains. “The immediate reaction was understandably to panic. We received a lot of calls from buyers and sellers who were worried about the impact of Brexit, but after a week things started going back to normal.” He added: “The first call I received on Friday morning was EXPERIENCE: Homefinders from a Scottish couple who wanted to pull out of their pur-
I
n the short-run I expect the UK's referendum vote to leave the EU to have a depressing influence on the property market in Malaga and Alicante, where the British have long been the biggest group of foreign buyers. More than anything, British demand is driven by the strength of the pound relative to the euro. When the pound goes up, British demand follows with a lag of about one or two quarters before it shows up in the property registry's sales figures. So British demand surged in the second half of last year on the back of a strong pound, then dipped slightly in Q1 this year after the pound started to slide. The Brexit storm has subsequently pushed the pound to a two-year low against the euro, so when the Q2 & Q3 figures come out later this year, I expect to see a significant reversal in the growth trend that started in 2013. It's not just the pound, of course. The uncertainty generated by the Brexit vote is also a problem for British buyers, especially those thinking of relocating to Spain. How will rights to health care, pensions, public education, and freedom of access be affected by the UK's exit from the EU? What will the new order look like? Nobody knows for sure, which will give a significant number of people cause to put their buying plans on hold for now. But I suspect that, if Brexit had led to a surge in the value of the pound, British demand would have increased regardless of the uncertainty. Purchasing power trumps other consideration. Looking ahead the markets seem to think the outlook for the pound isn't great, so we may be in for an extended period of weakness in British demand affecting lower and mid-market segments on the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca, and to a lesser extent the Balearics and Canaries. With fewer buyers around
Mijas estate agent is already seeing post-Brexit bounceback
chase despite searching for their dream home for months. “However, after the weekend they called back and decided that nothing is really going to change in the long run and now they are continuing with their deal.” And it is a trend that Homefinders are seeing time and again. After an initial slump as buyers and sellers worried about life after Brexit, the market has begun to pick up and things are getting back to how they were before June 23.
“At the end of the day, Brits didn’t go on holiday or move to Spain because it was part of the EU,” Andrew adds. “Brits came to Spain for the sun, the beach, the food and the lifestyle; none of that has changed. If someone had their heart set on retiring to Spain, Brexit won’t change that.” In fact Dodd believes Brexit may in fact encourage British expats to fast track retirement plans in order to get the move done before Britain officially leaves the EU. Homefinders was established in 1999 and the team has more than 40 years experience between them. For more information visit www.homefinders-network.com or call 952 493 290
What next for British demand?
Market analyst Mark Stucklin takes a look at life after Brexit for the Spanish property market
vendors might have to adjust their price expectations fore, but it is interesting to note how the Brexit vote is down in search of a buyer. But some professionals in influencing people's expectations. the business report the upper end of the market ap- Judging by recent comments from British PM Thepears to be unaffected by Brexit so far: It seems that resa May and Brexit Minister David Davis, if a deal people with money who can afford to is going to be struck, it will only do so will buy regardless. apply to people already classified I've also heard reports from agents as expats by a certain cut off date I have seen of a bounce in British interest since (a reciprocal deal affecting British the Brexit vote, perhaps led by Britexpats in the EU, and EU expats dramatic increase ons who are disillusioned with the in the UK). If that is the case, idea of living in the UK outside of Eu- in Britons looking anyone thinking of relocating to rope. And I for one have seen a draSpain should do so sooner rather into Spanish matic increase in the number of Britthan later, whilst the UK is still a ons looking into the Spanish 'Golden full member on the EU. But then ‘Golden Visas’ Visa' scheme, which gets you qualiagain, who knows what the new fied residency in Spain in return for order will look like, and how long it an investment of €500,000 or more will take to set up. in Spanish real estate. I think Britons seriously con- What about the long-run implications? As nobody sidering this route are over-reacting, as I guess we knows, it's guess work for everyone, and all depends will end up with a deal that allows expats to live in Spain on more or less the same conditions as be-
on your expectations for the UK's future outside the EU. If you think the UK will go into relative decline outside the EU, then you have a reasonable investment case to make for investing in Spanish property, which is now remarkably cheap after eight years of crisis and price declines (though high transactions costs in Spain are bad for investment returns). In this scenario the pound will go down and Spanish house prices might rise, making Spanish property a good investment for Britons, who also get the utility value of a home in the sun. And there's never been a better time to use the biggest mortgage you can afford to buy a home in Spain. Long-term fixed mortgage rates are astonishingly low, so you can lock into a 20-year loan with a fixed rate of close to 2%. If you believe, as I do, that inflation is inevitable, then that will also help you work off your loan, whilst leaving you with a bricks and mortar asset with intrinsic value. But if you think the UK has a bright future outside the EU, then Spanish property might not be such a good long-term investment relative to property in the UK, or other UK assets. But if all you want is a holiday-home in a nice place, then sit tight and wait for the pound to recover as the UK confounds the expectations of everyone but the Brexiteers, or buy now with a mortgage and watch all your ownership costs decline with a strengthening pound, whilst putting as little equity on the line as possible. Mark Stucklin runs www.spanishpropertyinsight.com for buyers, owners, and vendors of property in Spain
Survey Spain analyses Brexit’s impact in second quarterly report
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rexit is the biggest item to have hit the market in years. Prior to the vote on June 23, the Pound fell slightly, but the principal effects were in potential buyers waiting for the vote before committing themselves, some with a clause permitting them to pull out of the contract in the event of a Leave victory. Since the vote there has been a marked drop in British interest, evidenced in this office by three pre-acquisition building surveys being cancelled the day after the vote. Foreign exchange companies report that they have experienced a considerable drop in enquiries from the UK, but many more enquiries from Costa del Sol to transfer funds into sterling. After the vote, the exchange rate dropped by 10% and has maintained that low-level, making property purchase here by sterling buyers that much more expensive. However, for sellers wishing to go back to the UK, they are now going to achieve 10% more sterling when they sell. Accordingly, some sellers indicated that they are prepared to drop their asking price and/or permit negotiation on that price. Whilst the British market leads in some areas, it is not the only one and thus buyers from other currencies will have found more bargains. The end result is likely to be a continuing reduction in UK buyers, both due to volatility in the exchange rate, but also uncertainty with regard to health care, working rights, tax levels, etc. The UK political situation has stabilised slightly with the appointment of a new prime minister who has stated ‘Brexit means Brexit’ and therefore the perception in the market will be that it is something that we have to deal with. However, there could still be legal and political challenges to it so in addition to the uncertainty regarding the eventual economic environment for UK passport holders,
there is continued uncertainty as to whether the UK will pull out of the EU and when that might be. Instruct Within Spain, there was also an electionInstruct three Surveyor Lawyer days after the Brexit vote,Building which, as in December last year, was inconclusive. But given that the property markets of the costas are so heavily influenced by international buyers, Buy with Knowledge & Confidence the areas where these buyers predominate are largely unaffected by Spanish national politics. The exception to this and significantly affected by +34 952 923 520 Brexit, are the areas where Gibraltar residents, Connect with us! workers and investors admin@surveyspain.com catering for them have surveyspain.com traditionally purchased. These areas are likely to be significantly affected by Brexit, with concerns that the economy of Gibraltar will be severely hit and even the border with Spain closed as it was in 1969. The Popular Party is also the most strident in its demands for the change of sovereignty for Gibraltar and in continued harassment of businesses, tourists and general personnel travelling to and from the British colony. In general, the market has undoubtedly been shaken by the run up to and especially the actual Brexit decision. However, most sectors of the market are just getting on to deal with it as best they can. The general impression is that most serious potential buyers are unlikely to put their lives on hold for years whilst the Brexit effect is worked out and will proceed, but perhaps with a little more caution than before. Whilst these experiences are principally relating to the British buyer market, as stated above, other nationalities working in other currencies are seeing opportunities left by the absence of the British, which is likely to be a temporary situation. The natural assets of climate and close proximity to northern Europe with a stable government and economy will continue to attract buyers and sustain the residential market.
Contact Campbell and the team on +34 952 923 520 or email info@surveyspain.com
Property
MARBELLA EAST
www.theolivepress.es
Ref: OP9067
Immaculate family villa with breathtaking views
SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA
Sensational 4-bedroom villa located in the tranquil residential area of El Rosario, within a 5-minute drive to the beach. Gazebo with BBQ and kitchen. Offered fully furnished, ready to live in!
GOLDEN MILE
Ref: OP9130
Stunning 5-bedroom family home in one of Marbella’s most up and coming areas. Privacy and tranquility, walking distance to all amenities.
GOLDEN MILE
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Built: 341 m² Plot: 2,000 m² Price: € 1,395,000
Modern villa in Nagüeles. Rare opportunity to acquire a fully renovated 3-bedroom villa in an ideal location. Easy and affordable to maintain!
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Ref: OP7067
Family home in Marbella Hill Club. 4 en-suite bedrooms, stunning sea views from all levels, night security. Lots of potential. Priced to sell.
GOLDEN MILE
Ref: OP9308
Built: 324 m² Plot: 1,390 m² Price: € 1,650,000
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Ref: OP7561
3-bedroom corner townhouse with patio & garage in this Andalusian pueblo style complex. 10-minutes’ walk to the beach. Priced to sell.
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25
X 26
Property
the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
For Sale
www.theolivepress.es Prince - While the world is still mourning the loss of this music legend, superfans with cash to burn can get that bit closer to their idol by snapping up Prince’s Marbella palace.The 13-bedroom mansion in “Paraiso Alto” on the border with Estepona is on the market for a princely €5.25 million and, like its owner, it doesn’t do things by halves. The salmon pink des res overlooking the Med boasts an outdoor jacuzzi, a duplex master bedroom suite and a colonial-style double staircase with white marble balustrades sweeping down to a chandeliered entrance hall. All that’s missing is lighting to turn the rain purple.
Buying
Brangelina - Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie fell so in love with Spain they couldn’t help but buy another family home. The eight-bedroom €3.47 million mansion, has stunning views of the Mediterranean and Puerto Andratx, west of the Mallorcan capital of Palma.
Spain has long been a honeypot for celebrities. But while Brangelina, Gillian McKeith & co are moving in, others are buzzing off to pastures new. Laurence Dollimore clues up on the celebrity comings and goings that are leaving some stellar pads up for grabs
Live like a celeb E VER since the Marbella Club hosted the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Laurence Olivier during the 1950’s, the Costas have been a hotbed for an international Who’s Who. Think Russian President Vladimir Putin, now investing in a Marbella hideaway, and Status Quo’s Rick Parfitt who gave up Rockin’ All Over
For Sale
Glenn Hoddle - Score a five-bedroom mansion in swanky Sotogrande for €2.4 million and you get to boast that football commentator and ex-Spurs star Glenn Hoddle once lived here. He’s moving on from Spain after 13 years to explore his love of golf in other parts of the world. The threestorey bolthole boasts spectacular views of countryside and features an amazing pool and sun terrace.
www.theolivepress.es 26
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
For Rent Audrey Hepburn - While the Hollywood beauty is no longer with us, her Golden Mile mansion in Marbella where she stayed regularly in between filming, is still in tip-top shape. Not yet up for sale, Fine and Country Marbella are renting out this gorgeous beachfront villa for €1,000 per day. The four-bedroom hideaway comes with its own pool and is surrounded by towering horticulture to give you all the privacy you need. A more perfect spot for breakfast than Tiffany’s!
the World to settle with his family in Alhaurin. But life moves on, and so do some of the stars. And while it’s not a case of ‘I’m a Celebrity - get me out of here’ (they’ll miss Spain almost as much as we’ll miss them) there’s always a fresh batch of big-name arrivals to look forward to. And while they pack up, you could move in ...
For Sale
Rick Parfitt - The rock legend is changing the Status Quo and moving on from his Guadalhorce Valley mansion. Nestled into the foothills of Alhaurin El Grande, this sixbedroom, five-bathroom villa could be yours for a cool €995,000. It comes complete with Whatever You Want (more or less) including tennis courts, a swimming pool and a garden to rival any horticulturist’s wildest fantasy.
Buying
Gillian McKeith - The 56-year-old Scottish health guru and hubby Howard Magaziner are said to be in the process of buying a dream property in the soaring Serrania de Ronda. The couple are understood to be buying a 26-bedroom hotel in Cortes de la Frontera.
Property
www.theolivepress.es
High demands SPAIN needs to build 100,000 homes per year for the next 10 years to meet demand. A new report states that by 2025 demand will stabilise at 140,000 homes. This forecast pales in comparison to the near 800,000 homes built in 2005 alone, during Spain’s ill-fated property bubble. The report concludes that by the end of this year, the shadow of Spain’s unsold housing stock in the residential market will have disappeared.
NEW LAW: For Basque hotel
¿Habla Vasco? A NEW law will require hotels in the Basque Country to greet customers in the native language if they want five stars. EH Bildu, the leftist Basque national party, proposed the legislation that prohibits nonBasque speaking hotels from receiving highest marks. “It’s evident that not greeting [customers] in Basque is incompatible with the highest ranking,” said EH Bildu parliament member Isker Casanova.
the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015 www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Town hall blasted over ‘neglect’ of historical farmhouse FURIOUS PP members have launched a campaign to save one of Mijas’ oldest buildings. The early 20th century farmhouse, named Las Garcias, sits by an A7 town in Mijas Costa and is described as the only evidence early life in the area. The PP said it condemns the neglect and ruin that has allegedly been allowed to occur under the watch of Ciudadanos, after the rival party broke its pact with the PP in April and assumed full control in Mijas. While the PP had put forward an economic bill to restore the farmhouse when in power, it failed to receive enough support from the opposing
27 XI 27
NEWS IN BRIEF Church going town ALHAURIN de la Torre’s local council announced that renovation has begun on the Torrealqueria district church square.
Big sale
A FIVE-STAR Barcelona hotel, the Pullman Barcelona Skipper Hotel, has sold for €90m.
Growth spurt RUINED: Historic farmhouse under threat in Mijas
Close to collapse
parties. It said in a statement: “The PP of Mijas demands that
the executive, headed by former Socialist Juan Carlos Maldonado, do something,
and start procedures to invite tenders for the rehabilitation of this building immediately.” It is feared the building is close to collapse as visible cracks have begun to appear from young man. “When I was explorthe outside. ing and soul-searchThe PP said it has long ing I realised the hotel business is a place I have always been committed to the felt at home,” he says. idea of renovating the “In every strange land you go to, the hotel is a house and making it sanctuary and a place where you can feel comfort- an attraction, ‘in order able.” to not lose the undeniHe added: “My mission is to enrich the lives of my able historical and ethguests from the doorstep, whether it’s having a cappuccino or helping a young guy propose to his future nographic character’ of the site. wife in the lobby.
New Sunborn skipper
HIS wife calls him the ‘cruise director’. Now Marc Skvorc is taking the helm of the good ship Sunborn Gibraltar. The luxury yacht hotel’s new general manager landed on the Rock after a 25-year career, with spells at worldclass companies like Ritz Calton, Hilton and W Hotels. Following a 12-year stint in Finland, where he founded Helsinki’s award-winning Klaus K Hotel and Sky Lofts, the 49-year-old father-of-two aims to bring the Sunborn ‘to the next level’. But Skvorc was first bitten with the hotel bug while travelling extensively through Europe as a
SPAIN’S residential property sales grew by 23.6% year to year in May, the largest growth in a year since January 2013.
Dirty laundry
POLICE have arrested 11 Russian and Ukrainian citizens who laundered €10m through Spanish property sales.
Hedged bets
A MALAYSIAN investment group, AmProp, will move millions in property investments to Spain. London currently comprises 90% of their property portfolio, but Brexit has given the group anxiety.
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Cambridge grad
Regional Sales Manager Kelly Eason explains how political uncertainty is bad for currency markets
I
F you have transferred funds to or from Spain in the last nine years there is a high possibility that you would have spoken to or been indirectly associated with Kelly Eason. Regional Sales Manager of Cambridge Global Payments, Kelly worked in the financial markets in London in the early ‘90s for over a decade and subsequently worked for many years with two of the UK’s leading currency providers in Spain before successfully joining Cambridge Global Payments - one of the largest global bank-independent providers. Established in 1992 and launched in Spain at the start of 2015, Cambridge Global Payments transfers in excess of €27 billion annually. The firm has grown from strength to strength, all due to the demand from private clients to receive an excellent rate of exchange coupled with an impeccable service. Cambridge is authorised with the FCA, and the measures it has in place to protect and support its clients (including their data and payment transfers) instil a strong sense of confidence. A simple registration process gives clients the option to easily save up to 4% compared to a high street bank on cross border payments. Regarding the recent drop in value of Sterling, there’s no-one better than Kelly Eason to explain. ‘‘Political uncertainty is never good for a currency, and we have seen Sterling suffer tremendously over the last few weeks following the Brexit referendum result
cerned as to the value of their currency now or the value of the currency they intended to buy. “Hindsight is a wonderful thing and we have seen a significant increase in clients employing hedging strategies to protect themselves from adverse market movement. Hedging isn’t a technical or scary term, in this case it just means contingency planning and we can help our clients by offering products that allow for reduction of risk from currency fluctuations and set limit orders with stop losses.’’ Sophie Hull, Client account executive for the Cambridge Global Payments in the Marbella office, adds: ‘‘Exchange rates fluctuate constantly, so whether you are buying your dream home in the sun or repatriating your funds back to your home country, Cambridge Global Payments are here to offer you access to excellent rates of exchange all partnered with a personal & reliable service’’ Please contact Cambridge Global Payments so we can support and offer you options to make the most of your money. If you have never spoken to a currency specialist before then allow us to be your first and if you are currently using a bank or alternative arrangements to convert your currency then why not speak to us DREAM TEAM: Kelly (left) with colleagues to ensure that you have the best deal – you may be surprised. which has understandably sent shock- For a no obligation discussion or to waves through the international financial compare rates why not contact the team on 0034 952 830 176 or email markets,” she said. “Many of our new enquiries were con- costadelsol@cambridgefx.co.uk
Looking for a simpler life?
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July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Whatever happens, sunny Spain will always be one of the UK’s favourite destinations
No change, no fear
W
ELL what a year 2016 is shaping up to be! It is certainly the year of the superlatives... not only is it the busiest summer for holiday rentals on the Costa del Sol, it also brings the most changes and concerns with the new rental laws and the Brexit result. As yet, the UK has not taken any action to officially exit the EU, and when it does do begin the process there will be two years before it leaves. When that happens, sunny Spain will still be one of the best destinations for the UK, either as a holiday guest, owner, or a family wanting a lifestyle change. So, how will all this affect owners of holiday rental properties in Spain? For the foreseeable future there will be no change. The main concern at the moment is the exchange rate, but this can go either
way and the UK is resilient enough to weather this period well. Reports from real estate agents say that the property market is still buoyant and, as predicted, this is also proving to be a very busy summer for the Costa del Sol with accommodation bookings up by significant amounts, which is great news. We are also busy helping our owners register their properties for the new rental law, assisting them with tax advice and helping them to ensure that ownership of a property in Spain is a good experience. In a time of change, we would like to take this opportunity to reassure our owners that we will continue to offer the best service possible to them and their guests to help ensure the future remains bright, and whatever changes or decisions are made, we are always here to help.
Visit www.homecareontheweb.com for more information
Cambridge can connect you with it. Whether you are buying currency for the purchase or sale of a property, mortgage payments, school fees, pensions or general bills, Cambridge simplifies the process. We provide fast and affordable ways to make foreign exchange payments. We offer: ▫ a price commitment that consistently beats the high street banks ▫ the ability to move funds online or offline, all assisted by your personal account manager ▫ efficient, award-winning international wire transfer services With over 20 offices worldwide and over two decades in business, Cambridge is FCA regulated, and provides the security and peace of mind you need to effectively manage all your overseas payments.
Office: (+34) 952 830 176
Contact our Costa del Sol location at (+34) 952 830 176 or costadelsol@cambridgefx.co.uk for more information!
N340, KM 189
www.cambridgefx.co.uk
costadelsol@cambridgefx.co.uk Local 6, Centro Comercial Andasol Marbella, Malaga 29604
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the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015
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XVI 32 the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
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€29m to €2,900 W When a mansion in La Zagaleta is priced at an eye-watering €29million (one of the most expensive EVER seen on the Costa del Sol) Lance Rutkin asks what can you get for €2.9 million, €290,000 … or even €2,900?
E know it’s one of the priciest places to live in Spain but what are they selling in La Zagaleta? Plots of gold? A €29m public price tag for a villa is a local record-breaker by our reckoning and it’s being advertised now, here on the Costa del Sol. Not to knock the Olive Press salary
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structure but there are no potential buyers in our office, even if it did bring Vladimir Putin’s private life within zoom lens reach of our next exclusive. Instead of forming a penny-pinching pity party, we organised a tongue-in-cheek search for what you can buy a few rungs down the price ladder.
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
€2.900.000
€29.000.000
LAS BRISAS, NUEVA ANDALUCIA LA ZALAGETA
Price: €29m Bed/Bath: 10/10 Area (Building/Plot): 1600/6900 Amenities: private office, library, gym, bar, wine cellar, billiard room, home theatre, bowling alley, golf simulator, sauna, steam baths, salt bath and, of course, that must-have caldarium (ED: what’s that?) Other details: The villa boasts a south facing vista of its flat plot and the Mediterranean. (We also happen to know that deer and wild boar live in La Zagaleta, too.)
Price: €2.9million Bed/Bath: 6/6 Area: (Building/Plot): 730/1595 Amenities: covered terrace, fireplace, pool, golf course access, two-car garage, wine cellar, solarium Other details: La Concha views as the villa sits beside the 18-hole Las Brisas golf course
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MARBELLA
€290.000
€29.000
Price: €290,000 Bed/Bath: 2/2 Area: (Building/Plot): 167/Amenities: AirCon, terrace, marble floors Other details: The penthouse apartment in Elviria offers a panoramic view of the Med, the golf course and La Concha
Property Law • Conveyancing Inheritance • Probate • Wills None Resident Taxes Family Law & Divorces • Claims Setting Up Companies We cover from Estepona to Nerja and Inland
TORREMOLINOS CENTRE
We speak English, Spanish, Scadinavian, Dutch and French
Price: €29,000 Bed/Bath: Studio with bathroom
Area: (Building/Plot): 20/Amenities: Lift Other details: Microscopic rather than bijou but the location has something going for it - two minutes walk from the train station and eight to the beach
And for just €2,900 you can also get these two great deals €2.900
Dolores Perujo Palomo Tel: 0034 952 587 704 Email: bonafide@bonafidecosta.es Abogada Lawyer nº 4905 C/Cartama, 25 - 29649 La Cala de Mijas, Malaga
€2.900
ALMERIA
Price: €2,900 Bed/Bath: 0/0 Area: (Building/Plot): -/12 Amenities: None Details: The price buys you a plot designated as an open parking space, though it’s very close to the beach. If you want covered parking, an underground garage space will set you back €6,000
AVILA Price: €2,900 Bed/Bath: None Area
(Building/Plot):
-/414m2 Amenities: None
Details: This plot near the Castille town of Avila may require a fair deal of labour, but you could end up rubbing shoulders with former PM John Major, who holidays here
PS...
And if you’ve only got €2900 you could always take this great value offer in your awardwinning Olive Press newspaper
OLIVE PRESS COSTA DEL SOL
€2.900
-
Price: €2,900 Readers: 500,000+ Area: Half-page Details: If property isn’t your preferred investment strategy, consider a more diverse approach. Get your foot in the door of a lot more houses than you could ever afford to buy with a 10-issue, half-page ad campaign with the Olive Press
the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015 www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
We’re the U.K’s leading retailer of vitamins, minerals & herbal supplements. FUENGIROLA
Miramar Shopping Centre. Local B-20 Tel. +34 952 586 849
SEVILLA
O’Donnell Street, 32. Local 1 Tel. +34 955 673 996
MARBELLA
Ave. Ramón y Cajal, 7. Local 1 Tel. +34 952 766 327
GRANADA
New Opening
Puentezuelas Street, 18 Tel. +34 958 254 954
Holland & Barrett Andalucía Bulevard de La Cala Edif. B, Local 11, La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa, 29649, Malaga tel: +0034 952 493 290 fax: +0034 952 493 215 email: info@homefinders-network.com 1A-2063: WELL PRESENTED APARTMENT 1 BED 1 BATH Well presented 1 bedroom apartment boasting brilliant views of the ocean and surrounding mountains. The property is offered to the market with high quality furniture. The apartment includes a spacious open plan living and dining area. The community is very well run and the pool and gardens reflect that. The apartment comes with its own underground parking space, on that floor you will also find a community office where you can take up any queries you may have whilst living there.
110.000 Euros 2A-2582: PRIME HOLIDAY OR PERMANENT HOME 2 BED 2 BATH Offering to the market this 2 bedroom third floor apartment situated in the beautiful town of La Cala. This apartment boasts an american style fitted kitchen along with a terrace overlooking a well kept pool and gardens. Location is key here being minutes away from an array of shops, resturaunts and bars and of course La Calas gorgeous beaches making this a prime holiday or permanent home.
220.000 Euros
2A-2580: BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED CORNER APT 2 BED 2 BATH Beautifully presented corner apartment in this sought after development. Within 5 minutes walk of the beach and shops and only 10 minutes walk into the centre of la cala. The property enjoys a sunny south west facing aspect with over 30m2 of terrace to make the most of outside living. Comprises: kitchen, lounge, 2 double bedrooms (one-ensuite), shower room and comes with garage and storage space. Immaculate and one of the best on the market so close to La Cala!
220.000 Euros 3V-3109: IMMACULATELY PRESENTED VILLA 3 BED 2 BATH VILLA Immaculately presented villa in a desirable location and within walking distance of amenities, the beach and la cala. Currently a single storey property with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, utility, entrance hall and lounge. The villa has ample terraces with some sea views, a lawned area and a newly fitted pool that enjoys all day sun. A carport provides parking and there is a gym/ guest 4th bedroom. The villa is being sold with plans to build another level. Making it a very attractive proposition.
220.000 Euros
www.homefinders-network.com
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Agony Uncle
W
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
34
With Leon Cohen
HEN I arrived in Spain more than 23 years ago, I had noPick up the phone for a body I could call on to give me less stressful life in Spain advice or help. It was a matter of making decisions and hoping for the best. Sure, there were services available, however I preferred to follow my instinct using my vast experience attained over my many years of working and travelling the world. Was it easy? Hell no, but it was exciting and very interesting. Thanks to having done my due diligence, I began to speak and write in Spanish, understand the rules, culture and dominate the bureaucracy, so much so that I was constantly approached by other expats for help. I had committed myself to refurbishing an abandoned Finca, without water or electricity, for resale. The resale didn’t happen, instead an agro-tourism business was created. This led to a totally new experience where every day I learned something new. Planning regulations, permissions, paperwork, building specifications, all types of bureaucracy, etc. You name it, I touched it. A great learning curve had been established. An inheritance that would be used constantly over the years and still to this day. While the business was active I had constant contact with the locals, expats, holiday makers, farmers, distributors, suppliers of services, etc. allowing me to benefit from such a vast range of information. I soon found myself assisting others, expats and locals alike. To a certain de- FORMER HOTEL: Leon’s finca in Granada gree, I came to be accepted as a type of peculiarities, from assisting people how ‘guru’, someone with knowledge, a kind to deal with their problems, from expats of Mr. Fixit. who needed to obtain a building licence, I found myself confronted with all sorts of obtain a Social Security card, pay their
Here to help
traffic fine, negotiate a property purchase, set up a Spanish business, deal with their tax declaration, find a suitable location for a wedding reception, well, the list is never ending... So that’s why I now concentrate on being of help. I offer those who need to resolve matters and obtain a service of quality. It’s a professional, honest, transparent service from someone who has been there. I have also taken on collaborators, all specialists in their field, professional, honest and able to look after the interests of the client. Quality, service and loyalty before profit, that’s our motto and our reputation is based upon it. How do I function? Very simple, I listen to all that have a genuine problem that they wish to solve. I offer an initial opinion and allow for the client to decide as to whether they wish to proceed. If the client wishes to and I am not able to deal with it directly, I submit it to one of my collaborators, the one most likely to satisfy 100% the needs of the client. I guarantee their work and keep the client constantly aware of the process, hence keeping stress levels to a minimum. Examples dealt with over the past 12 months; Tax returns; property conveyancing; planning permissions; property registration for tourism; NIE documents; Spanish driver’s licence applications; finding and negotiating a venue for an event, just to name a few... Charges and likely costs are discussed at the outset and are assessed in accordance with the complexity of each case.
For more information call Facilitator Spain on 692212567 or email facilitatorspain@gmail.com
MAKEOVER: Lighthouse in Torre del Mar
New horizons
Axarquia lighthouse to finally receive lomg-awaited refurbishment A DILAPIDATED lighthouse in Torre del Mar will be renovated following a €50,000 grant from Velez-Malaga Town Hall. The works, to be carried out by local company Atico Metal, are expected to be complete within the next two months. The town hall plans to install a small information centre and plaques, while the interior and exterior will be restored and the spiral staircase repaired. Deputy mayor Jesus Perez Atencia said: “The refurbishment is necessary now as a historical revindication of the town, to undertake the restoration of an emblematic building.”
Bulevard de La Cala Edif. B, Local 11, La Cala de Mijas, Mijas Costa, 29649, Malaga tel: +0034 952 493 290 fax: +0034 952 493 215 email: info@homefinders-network.com 1A-2063: WELL PRESENTED APARTMENT 1 BED 1 BATH
2A-2580: BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED CORNER APT 2 BED 2 BATH
Well presented 1 bedroom apartment boasting brilliant views of the ocean and surrounding mountains. The property is offered to the market with high quality furniture. The apartment includes a spacious open plan living and dining area. The community is very well run and the pool and gardens reflect that. The apartment comes with its own underground parking space, on that floor you will also find a community office where you can take up any queries you may have whilst living there.
Beautifully presented corner apartment in this sought after development. Within 5 minutes walk of the beach and shops and only 10 minutes walk into the centre of la cala. The property enjoys a sunny south west facing aspect with over 30m2 of terrace to make the most of outside living. Comprises: kitchen, lounge, 2 double bedrooms (one-ensuite), shower room and comes with garage and storage space. Immaculate and one of the best on the market so close to La Cala!
110.000 Euros
220.000 Euros
2A-2582: PRIME HOLIDAY OR PERMANENT HOME 2 BED 2 BATH
3V-3109: IMMACULATELY PRESENTED VILLA 3 BED 2 BATH VILLA
Offering to the market this 2 bedroom third floor apartment situated in the beautiful town of La Cala. This apartment boasts an american style fitted kitchen along with a terrace overlooking a well kept pool and gardens. Location is key here being minutes away from an array of shops, resturaunts and bars and of course La Calas gorgeous beaches making this a prime holiday or permanent home.
Immaculately presented villa in a desirable location and within walking distance of amenities, the beach and la cala. Currently a single storey property with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, utility, entrance hall and lounge. The villa has ample terraces with some sea views, a lawned area and a newly fitted pool that enjoys all day sun. A carport provides parking and there is a gym/ guest 4th bedroom. The villa is being sold with plans to build another level. Making it a very attractive proposition.
220.000 Euros
220.000 Euros
www.homefinders-network.com
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Power tower
Torre Iberdrola epitomises Bilbao’s emblematic rise to economic powerhouse status
T
OWERING 165 metres over one of the country’s most populated metropolitan areas, the Torre Iberdrola boasts 40 floors, 22 lifts and the ever essential helipad. Designed by Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli, the financial and commercial epicentre is the tallest building in Bilbao, and has been praised for its elegant, sober lines and its use of glass with travertine, marble and metal. Built in the Abandoibarra district, which has undergone huge renovations, the skyscraper houses mostly office block as well as an auditorium that can hold up to 200 people. It is the first building in Europe to obtain the LEED Platinum certification for its sustainable design - the highest rating achievable from the US Green Building Council - reflecting the city’s commitment to sustainability. The imposing structure is home to almost 40 global companies, including British Telecom, KPMG, Nespresso, Canon, PWC and of course, the Iberdrola headquarters. The presence of global companies is largely thanks to the city’s heavy industrialisation in recent years, which has led to it becoming the second-most industrialised region of Spain behind Barcelona. Mirroring London, it has become a vigorous service city, and is still experiencing an ongoing social, economic, and aesthetic revitalisation process. This began with the iconic Guggenheim Museum (pic above right) and continued with the airport terminal, rapid transit system, tram line, and the multi-purpose venue Azkuna Zentroa. As the Basque economy continues to grow, so too will Bilbao’s development, with the Torre Iberdrola central as the epitome of its successes.
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
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HELIPORT
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IBERDROLA
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NOT TO BE SNIFFED AT: Tower by the Guggenheim celebrated flower dog
KUTXABANK VIDA ASEGURADORA
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KUTXABANK GESTíON
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NORBOLSA
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IBERDROLA ART EXHIBITION
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PLANTA DE EVENTOS
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AENOR
OFICINA PILOTO
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WHITE HOLE
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URíA MENéDEZ
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CARECHE
ACCENTURE
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BOOKING
BILBAO GAS HUV
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NESPRESO
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BRITISH TELECOM
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TRAINING EXPRESS
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CBRE Y OTROS
ZIB
IBM 15
ACCENTURE
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ERNST & YOUNG AVALON
MARSCH 13
ANDBANK
DIALOGA GROUP
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PWC WILLIS
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EL MUNDO PWC
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VINZEO
CANON
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MERISANT
AON
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EVERIS
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KPMG
ACCENTURE
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SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
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SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
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bussiness center
EVERIS 3
RESTAURANT
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Property
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the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015 www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
LIBERTYHOME
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The Olive Press – 342 x 256mm (PROPERTY INSERT Page)
20th July
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the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
Brexit seminar with My Lawyer in Spain - What happens next?
In association with the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain Come and listen to the experts
When: 28 July from 17.45 to 19.30 Where: Marbella Golf & Country Club 18.00: 18.15: 18.25: 18.40: 18.50: 19.00: 19.10:
Welcome and networking Setting the scene - Alex Radford - My Lawyer in Spain Notary Alvaro Toro - Impact of Brexit on British people in Spain Legal impact of Brexit - Isabel Perez Blanco - My Lawyer in Spain Mortgages? Fluente Finance Abroad - Marc Elliott Private Health Insurance - Danni Worth - Op de Beeck & Worth Currency specialist: Currencies Direct, Smart Currency, Rational FX & Money Corp What is happening to the pound? Where is it going? 19.20: Q & A Who should attend: British businesses and people
How to find Marbella Golf & Country Club: Coming from Malaga on the CN340, you will find the exit to Los Monteros just 4km before Marbella and Puerto Banús. If you are coming from Marbella the same exit will bring you to the Marbella Golf Country Club in 5 minutes from the centre of the town.
If you are interested in attending please confirm your attendance by email to enquiries@mylawyerinspain.com or by calling +951 203 095 website: www.mylawyerinspain.com
Property
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Project managers can help things run smoothly, as long as they are professionals
The Property Insider
by Adam Neale
What to look for in a project manager
W
HEN deciding on a property to purchase, there’s an oft-cited mantra almost everybody agrees buyers should use: location, location, location. When it comes to project managers, a similar shibboleth could be: experience, experience, experience. And, just in case, it’s well worth adding an extra word—insurance—too. Project managers act for clients at every stage of a building project, from helping select architects and contractors, to ensuring all the paperwork is in place, to supervising the construction process, all to guarantee that the project is delivered to budget, on time, and complies with legal and quality standards. But, just as with estate agents in Spain, there are no laws regulating who can call themselves a project manager and no defined rules or guidelines about what project managers do. So, how can you decide if the people or company selling project management services are bonafide professionals? To find out, we talked to Chris Warren, a partner in Renson Management, a Sotogrande-based project management firm and one of the longest established and most reputable companies on the Costa del Sol. (Disclaimer: Renson is the project manager firm we recommend to clients who are interested in such services.) Chris trained and worked as a quantity surveyor in the UK before setting up shop in Spain in 1996. Over the last 20 years, Renson has worked on dozens of new-build projects, in-
cluding about 30 homes in the exclusive La Zagaleta urbanisation, as well as property refurbishments and facilities management and maintenance. Chris concurs that the most important thing you should look for in a project manager is experience, not just in terms of the length of time they have been managing projects, but also with regard to the variety and complexity of the projects overseen. Chris and his partner, Keith Johnson, have both been working for more than 40 years in the construction industry and have managed all kinds of projects, from hospitals in Algeria to residential property and office buildings in Spain and the UK. While they prefer to oversee a project from start to finish, they are often called in during construction to remedy problems other less experienced project managers have missed and get work back on track. Renson has been ISO 9001-certified for quality management for over a decade, Chris adds, meaning the firm is regularly audited to make sure its practices meet independent quality standards. The added advantage Renson offers is that it is one of just a handful of project management providers on the Costa del Sol to have professional indemnity insurance, so if something does go wrong with a project during or after construction, clients have a means of redress against the firm. In 16 years of continuous cover, Chris notes, Renson has yet to receive a claim.
Terra Meridiana. 77 Calle Caridad, 29680 Estepona. Tel: +34 951 318480. Office Mob: +34 678 452109 Email: info@terrameridiana.com. http://www.terrameridiana.com
NEW LOCATION FOR LA PERLA PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Jane Clay has opened the doors to her plush new office in Sabinillas and couldn’t be happier!!! With it’s central location it’s now even easier to pop in and have a chat to resolve all your doubts on your property in Spain. La Perla Living in Bahia passed on to be La Perla Property Management in 2010 and Jane has over 29 years experience of managing property on the coast. In DLP San Pedro in 1987 then in Sotogrande in Paniagua and followed by La Paloma de Manilva where all the infraestructure was renewed and all the villas built, moving on in 2003 to La Perla de la Bahia where she now manages 140 of the properties onsite. The services are dedicated to taking the ‘hassle factor’ out of being a homeowner in Spain, making your life as easy as you want it to be and increasing the enjoyment of your property. They are always making improvements to be able to offer an even higher quality of service. They offer an array of services for your convenience and they can be specifically tailored to your situation or needs. Services include: Cleaning packages A, B & C Annual Air-conditioning Contracts Insurance Brokers Gardening & Plants Welcome Package Personal Secretary Weekly Check Maintenance Service They can manage the Sale or rental of your property for long or short lets. If you bought your property as an investment or as a second home, they can arrange rentals for the periods where the house is not being used with the advantage that they always have a person on site to help the rental clients and to make sure that your house is always being looked after. Jane Clay – La Perla Property Management jane.clay@laperladelabahia.com janelclay@hotmail.com Tel : + 34 952 890 930 Fax: + 34 952 897 377 Mobile + 34 620 368 288 Conjunto San Luis, Portal 3 Local 4 (next to Banco Popular), Calle Isaac Peral, San Luis de Sabinillas, Manilva, 29692 Malaga
www.laperladelabahia.com
Jane and her team can’t wait to welcome you to their new office and help you in all your needs
www.theolivepress.es
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Arboleda · Atalaya
Treana · Benahavís
Aria · Mijas Costa
A collection of exciting new development releases brought to the Costa del Sol by Real Capital Solutions Spain. Launching 2016. So ph i s t i c a t e d Villa s · U ltra H ig h L ux ury Apa rtme n ts · Mod e r n A p a r t m e n t s
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For sales information please visit:
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www.RCSspain.com/2016 info@RCSspain.com Tel: +34 951 239 866
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ANDALUCIA’S international tourism has seen BE ‘APPY! abundant growth over the past year, according to new figures. A report by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) shows that 18.1% more international tourists have visited Andalucia so far this year compared to 2015, the highest increase in Spain. This statistic comes on the heels of the Costa del Sol’s Download May tourism our app report, now and which boasted a robust one million tourists to the holiday mecca. begin enjoying the bestseason Spanish projection stands Meanwhile, the peak on the go.six million visitors, although at a news whopping this figure could theoretically be hampered by a weak pound.
Gotta catch ‘em all!
1 euro is worth 1.12 American dollars 0.77 British pounds 1.47 Canadian dollars 7.44 Danish kroner 8.71 H Kong dollars 9.36 Norwegian kroner 1.55 Singapore dollars
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
NEWS IN BRIEF
Skin in the Game
Coming Soon
SPAIN’S young people have been moving abroad in droves tonews search for TOP for in Spain! better job opportunities. Since 2012, 1.6 million ambitious Spaniards under the age of 34 have left the country in a bid to gain international experience. Last year, 98,000 Spaniards relocated, with the majority choosing the United Kingdom (12,263), while other popular countries were France (9,892), Germany (9,536) and the USA (9,196). THE viral Pokemon Go app has finally arrived in Spain. Worth more than €10 billion, it has been downloaded by millions around the world and is making around €1.6 million a day. The official Pokemon Go announced the move on TwitTHE tax authorities are crackter: “Starting now, Trainers in ing down on nightclubs across Italy, Spain, and Portugal can Spain. download Pokémon GO ofA major raid against tax fraud ficially from the Play Store or has seen more than 500 tax inApp Store.” spectors and law enforcement There was such a demand for officers search the premises of the game to come to Spain that more than 100 bars, pubs and app-creators had been making nightclubs. knock-off versions in a Spanning 11 regions, the Habid to cash in from cienda raid is part of a drive the phenomenon. to weed out fraud at nightlife Knock-off app Go venues in tourist-heavy areas. Catch Investigators have discovered Em All! undeclared transactions and Hungry the use of software that allows Monster. for a dual accounting system, IO had where money in the second become Spain’s account stays under the radar most popular free of the Hacienda. app. It borrowed elThose being investigated include notorious Ibiza clubs Privilege and Space.
Exchange rates
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NETFLIX has acquired the Spanish show Skins, as the streaming company increases its investment in Spanish content.
Pokemon app finally made On the available in Spain after fake versions flooded the market move The Olive Press
Club raiders
the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015
BEIN and Mediapro have started a new channel, BeIN La Liga Spain. The channel will stream La Liga and Copa del Rey games.
Left in the Dark THE PP’s comeback ascent to power has left solar energy producers in Spain worried, as the industry views the party as a hinderance to solar power.
ements from last year’s Agar. io, where a cell in a petri dish gobbles up neighbours to grow. “People can see that these games are not the real thing, but they download in hopes of recreating some of that experience until the actual app arrives,” said Serkan Toto, founder of Kantan Games Inc., which specializes in Japanese mobile games. Spain joins Portugal, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, US, Germany and the UK as the only countries where the app is available. The Pokemon Go app sees 151 Pokemon characters dotted around on a real-life map. Once users arrive to the location, the Japanese cartoon character will appear on their screens. They must then flick their on-screen ‘pokeball’ towards the creature to catch it.
Last chance saloon
SPAIN has increased its corporation tax in a bid to avoid potentially devastating EU fines. Large companies will now have to pay a percentage of the tax on expected profits before their annual tax declarations. If they over-pay, they will have to apply for a compensation on the following July tax return. The government expects the hike to create an additional €6bn along with a further €1bn from a planned tax evasion crackdown. The government has to convince Brussels that they can bring the deficit down to 3% if they are to avoid fines for missed deficit targets.
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KEEP CALM & DIVERSIFY - By Karim Micael Assad / International Financial Adviser
these tumultuous times that the world is experiencing right now? Simple, DIVERSIFY. In other words, don’t put all your eggs into one basket. Therefore, an important principle when it comes to investments is to diversify your portfolio by spreading your investments over multiple, unrelated products which reduces the risk of a sudden, unexpected outcome i.e The Brexit and Negative Interest Rates.
What is ‘Diversification’
As Warren Buffett was once famously quoted saying “Diversification is protection against ignorance. It makes little sense if you know what you are doing.” Nothing can be further from the truth now than ever. Ever since the UK had their surprise outcome from the Brexit referendum, market volatility has been at an all-time historical high. The VIX (better known as the fear index) went through the roof when the final results came in, to a drop of almost 42% last week, the biggest decline in history. We have seen several countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Japan in the past years cut their interest rates to negative or below zero and by mid-2016 some 500 million people, a quarter of the world economy, are living with rates in the red. This situation was unheard of before the 2008 financial crisis, but now it has unfortunately become the norm, an upside down world where borrowers get paid and savers get penalised.
Zero Hedge
So what do you do in order to protect your family and your hard earned assets from
According to Investopedia, the definition of diversification is a risk management technique that mixes a wide variety of investments within a portfolio. The rationale behind this technique contends that a portfolio of different kinds of investments will, on average, yield higher returns and pose a lower risk than any individual investment found within the portfolio. In a basic, diversified portfolio one might include several investment categories such as stocks, bonds, funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), cash and a whole host of other asset types. A loss in one product is offset by gains from another product. As such, one can expect to get decent returns, though the returns would not be exceptionally high or exceptionally low. Your allocation to each of these broad categories should be based upon your investment goals, your tolerance for risk, and your time horizon for needing the use of the money. In short, your asset allocation should be an outgrowth of your own personal financial plan. There are two types of risk that you will experience when investing. The first is the undiversifiable risk or Systematic/Market risk which one cannot avoid, it is not specific to a particular company or industry, and it cannot be eliminated or reduced through diversification, it is just a risk that investors must accept. These are things like the interest rates, inflation rates, exchange/currency rates, political instability and war.
Equity/ Debt vs Funds Equity has high risk but also has the highest potential to give high returns over the long term. Equity has become volatile and many market players are predicting that this volatility is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Debt or Bonds are generally more secure and provide consistent returns, with a lower volatility as compared to equity. Fixed deposits offered by banks and companies are generally secure too. However, with the reduction in interest rates, the prices have become too expensive compared to the yields they are offering, since there is an inverse relationship between the price and the yield. To reduce risk and to increase diversification, invest in funds rather than directly investing in shares. Small saving schemes are offering attractive returns, safety, convenience and liquidity and are among the most popular investment avenues today.
Re-Cap Diversification reduces and helps an investor manage risk by reducing the volatility of an asset’s price movements. Also, diversification among assets with low correlations to one another further reduces risk. Keep in mind, that no matter how diversified your portfolio is, risk can never be eliminated completely because we have no way of knowing which investments or asset classes will perform well or poorly or when. The key is simply to find a balance between risk and return; this ensures that you achieve your financial goals while still getting a good night’s sleep. Keep calm… Call us now for a consultation to discuss your situation on either 952 816 443 / 603 310 872 or email: karim.assad@blacktowerfm.com
The second risk is the diversifiable risk or Unsystematic risk. This risk is specific to a company, industry, market, economy or country and through the use of a proper diversification strategy one can mitigate or reduce these adverse business and financial risks.
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Price of fraud CORRUPTION costs the Spanish more than €87 billion each year, enough to regain cuts in health and education. Every day an average of six people involved in corruption cases are arrested for a total of 7,140 in the past four years. Some €47.6 billion out of the total €87 billion goes to the state administration for the extra costs that come with fighting so much corruption, according the National Chamber of Markets and Competition. The Malaya case alone cost €2
Fighting corruption costs the Spanish almost €90 billion each year billion to execute. €1.2 billion has been spent on the ERE scandal investigation and the investigation for the Pujol case cost almost €3 billion. Corruption costs each Spaniard more than €500 a year, a figure that continues to grow as the number of cases rise.
Minister of the Interior Jorge Fernando Díaz said: “There were 389 arrests for corruption in Spain in 2010, in the past year there were 2,442,” Each month an average of ten new cases of corruption are uncovered. The number of people arrested for these crimes also continues to grow. Social Security fraud is the most frequent, making up more than 16% of the total. Bribery, corruption, and fraud follow with more than 8%.
SKY ROCKETING: Corruption costs
Spain sanctioned
LIBERTYCAR
THE European Commission has concluded on Tuesday that Spain failed to take ‘effective measures’ to reduce the deficit of 5.1% of the GDP against the goal of 4.2%. Spain and Portugal, which also failed to adequately reduce its deficit, could face fines but so far the Commission has seemed reluctant to punish the countries as they have made clear efforts to keep the deficit under control. Germany, however, would prefer to use Spain as an example to other member states by issuing heavy fines. France and Italy, which also face sanctions, want a more lenient response. If the issue is included on the agenda for the next Ecofin meeting, Spain will have ten days to lodge claims and the Commission will have twenty days to create a sanction proposal. If not, the sanction proceedings will be moved to the fall. Spain prefers delayed proceedings due to current political instability after the repeat elections. Nothing is certain but the Commission could either order budget cuts and fines up to €2.1 billion or the proceedings could be cancelled entirely and the fine left at zero euros.
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44 44 the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
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www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Olympic fever will have well and truly gripped the world next month (and Olympic Fever isn’t slang for the Zika Virus by the way)
I
Going for Gold
T promises to be an unforgettable spectacle with the world’s finest athletes competing at this pinnacle of sporting excellence with its Olympic values of fair play, gentlemanly conduct and respect for the opposition…. That is, unless Mongolia are delving back into their past and modelling their Olympic squad on Gengis Khan. It was whilst pondering the Mongolians (as you do), and other smaller nations represented at the Olympics this year, that the thought occurred to me: if Marbella finally declared independence from the rest of Spain – and after years of town hall ‘management’ by Gil, Muñoz and
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OP blogger Marianne Hill on the fate of bullfighter Victor Barrio
L
AST week a young man lost his life live on TV. A shocking occurrence. But are people mourning his death? Qué va! Instead it is being celebrated by so-called animal lovers because this particular young man was Victor Barrio, a 29-year-old bullfighter who was killed at a corrida in Teruel. The day he died, my Facebook feed was full of people sharing links to articles and video clips of the actual moment he was fatally gored. Sadly, I wasn’t surprised to see that the majority of comments posted on these links were full of vitriol, with hundreds applauding Barrio’s death and wishing the same to all bullfighters and people who watch them. ‘The best thing for him!’ screamed one comment. ‘The only thing that would make it better is if there were a fire in the bullring and the doors were locked so that all the participants and spectators suffer and die together.’ Really? I too despise bullfighting. It is an abhorrent sport. I see no entertainment value in watching an animal endure torture and death. Like many of us, I feel physically sick to see any living creature deliberately hurt or abused and would love to see animal blood sports outlawed worldwide. However, just as I wouldn’t wish this on any animal, nor I
Roca, Madrid has rightly regarded Marbella as a Banana Republic for over a decade now – what events could the brave new nation expect to win Olympic medals in? And what new events would the organisers have to sanction so that Marbella had a sporting chance? Located as it is on the sparkling shores of the Mediterranean, you would think Marbella would be in with a fair chance of a gong in one of the sailing events. Unfortunately though, most of the action on the waters off Marbella takes one of two forms. However, the introduction of the five kilometre superyacht/floating gin palace
cruise could see Marbella on the winners’ podium, especially if the crews had to moor outside Nikki Beach and pick up a dingy full of bimbos in the shortest possible time. They would also excel in a 14 km moonlight contraband dash across the Straits in a stripped-down powerboat. Their biggest opposition in this event would be expected to come from Morocco, Gibraltar and, of course, the Guardia Civil. Strangely enough, swimming doesn’t feature highly in the list of events that Marbella could expect to do well in. Although the town boasts an impressive range of beach clubs, very few people actually swim in the pools. This is possibly due to the on-air admission of one of the TOWIE girls that when she goes to a champagne spray party in Marbella, she prefers to pee in the pool rather than queue for the ladies. Charming. Talking of champagne parties, Marbella could certainly pick up a medal for champagne spraying, and, judging by the amount of white powder and rolled up banknotes left behind in the cubicles, downhill ‘skiing’ too... Then there is track and field. Marbella could expect to bring home a host of medals in the Blue Riband events of 100 and 200 metres. You only have to clock the speed that the Lookie Lookie men sprint out of Banus when the Policia Local are doing a spot check to realise there is a wealth of talent out there. The same also goes for the girls working the second line. If you’ve ever watched the speed and teamwork that these ‘ladies of negotiable virtue’ employ in getting a leg-over when to have become so prevathey spot a group of drunken lent in the news: terrorist golfers - all while wearing high attacks, high school shootheels - you’ll realise they are ings, child abuse deaths, naturals for the 4x100 metres every day there is so much hurdles. tragedy in the world. But Other events would require we mustn’t lose sight of the small changes, such as the fact that life is a precious Pole Vault becoming the Pole thing and should be valued Dance, and the Women’s Trias such. athlon comprising of Sunbed, No, I didn’t like what Victor Fake Tan and V-Jazzle. Marbella Barrio chose to devote his could also do well in the shootlife to. Yes, I feel strongly ing events although only in the that bullfighting should be ‘drive by’ and ‘automatic weapbanned. But do I celebrate ons’ categories. the goring of a young man With this wealth of medals who died soon afterwards, gained, the only final point to an event shown so publicly consider is the anthem to be on live television that was played. And although Bamboundoubtedly viewed by his lero, the Benny Hill theme and family and friends? Not a Spandau Ballet’s Gold were all bit of it. For that would be considered, in the end I decided heartless, and if we can reon any song from George Bengard the loss of any life so son. After all, he’s played here flippantly and with such ferenough times to be put in charge vour, then I despair of the of composing the Marbella Anfuture for this world. them!
Death in the afternoon
wouldn’t I wish death or suffering on any human being. Within my class of young children at school is the son of a Spanish bullfighter; a very famous bullfighter. While this father is not a personal friend of mine, nor are we close, he is a person, and a very lovely person at that.
Heartless
While I don’t agree with what he does, this doesn’t take away from the fact that he is a loving family man with a wife and a four-year-old son who chooses to do something that I personally don’t like. Does this mean I would be happy to see him die in the bullring? And would I rejoice that he got his ‘comeuppance’ practising a sport that so repulses me? Of course not! In recent times, death seems
www.theolivepress.es The Olive press launches a special regular section on the many issues for expats over Brexit
BREXIT Bulletin
Referendum debate is called A RECORD-BREAKING petition has forced the House of Commons to debate proposed referendum rule change. The House will hold the debate on September 5. Over 4 million people signed the petition that asked Parliament to change the rules of the referendum. The petition specifies that any referendum with less than 75% turnout or any result with less than 60% backing be nullified. A House of Commons spokesperson said: “The debate will allow MPs to put forward a range of views
Sponsored by the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015
Voiceless
Petition for expat representation in UK parliament gathers speed on behalf of their constituents. At the end of the debate, a Government Minister will respond to the points raised.” A Leave supporter, William Oliver Healy, created the petition on May 25, nearly a month before the referendum.
A PETITION for expat representation in UK Parliament has garnered over 1,000 signatories. The petition demands that the large body of expats in Europe (estimated at 1.3 million) as well as 30,000 Gibraltarians are given an official voice in Parliament. Incredibly, the group has no MP or other government body to represent it in London. And in the wake of Brexit it is more
Lawyers Unite MORE than 1000 lawyers have signed a letter to former Prime Minister David Cameron, informing him that he is not bound by the referendum. The lawyers clarify that the results are simply ‘advisory.’ They impressed on Cameron that parliament must act before he, or now his successor Theresa May, invokes Article 50.
Meanwhile, in Spain fraud lawyer Victoria Westhead has her say: Dear EXPAT, As a fraud lawyer I, along with other lawyers, are satisfied that the narrow vote to leave the EU was tainted by a toxic mix of deceit and lies deliberately calculated to mislead voters that cannot, as claimed, be democratic. Deceit and lies that were all the more believable being underwritten by Michael Gove, The Secretary of State for Justice who, without any plan himself, denigrated expert advice that the economy would be badly damaged as “Operation Fear”. The much maligned experts were correct, with Expat pensions instantly devalued, at the time of writing, by some 12%. The lies: - We send £350 million to the EU every week let’s fund our NHS instead. - Intimating that Turkey’s membership of the EU was an imminent possibility. - What about acquired rights for expats in the EU or EU citizens in the UK? The EU.Leave website states: I live in Spain – won’t I lose my right to live in other EU countries? “No. Your right to live in Spain is protected by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties – these are known as ‘acquired rights’ and means that any rights you have relied upon under a pre-existing treaty will continue. This applies to living in other EU countries too!! This also goes for all EU nationals currently residing in the UK.” Article 70 of The Vienna Convention applies to the protection of rights of states not individuals. I intend to write strongly worded letters to all MPs prior to the parliamentary debate on September 5. Expat interests need be taken into account and if MPs are to act with honesty and integrity they must take into account the effect of the deceit and lies on the outcome of the narrow referendum result and support our demands for a properly informed second referendum debated by the whole House of Commons. Register your support by contacting Victoria Westhead via her website at www.britishlawyerspain.com
Victoria Westhead
important than ever that British expat rights to live and work across Europe are protected. After submitting our own petition on change.org and to the UK petitions committee the Olive Press is now backing an existing petition which already has the backing of 1,000 signatories. The petition needs to reach 10,000 by September 17 in order to warrant a response from government. If it reaches over 100,000 signatories then the issue must be raised in the House of Commons. To sign visit www.petition.parliament.uk/petitions/123429
MAY MEETING: Picardo and PM
Commons ground FABIAN Picardo has met new British Prime Minister Theresa May in the House of Commons. The Chief Minister and Deputy Dr Joseph Garcia met May after watching David Cameron's final Prime Minister's Question Time. On Wednesday evening, May went before the Queen to be formally appointed as the new PM following David Cameron's resignation. Picardo put to May Gibraltar's 'concerns and economic issues' and 'challenges' following the Brexit referendum. The Chief Minister said: "We also discussed some of the rhetoric we are hearing coming from EXPATS in Spain will have the care-taker Foreign Minister their futures decided at the of Spain and the free movement same time as arrangements issues that could arise at our for EU citizens living in the frontier.” UK are made, David Davis has said. The new Brexit Minister said he was determined to win a ‘generous settlement’ for the 1.2 million Brits in THE British government has the EU, alongside Europe- launched a webpage for Britans working in the UK. ish nationals travelling and Davis ruled out ejecting the living in Europe following the three million EU residents EU referendum. The webcurrently in the UK, al- page states that negotiations though said the government to leave the EU may take up to may act if there is a ‘surge’ two years or more but for now of late arrivals. the UK remains a full member “We will get a generous entitled to all the benefits and settlement for EU migrants obligations that come with that. here and a generous settle- While there will not be any imment for British citizens in mediate changes, the governthe EU,” said Davis. ment will need to make new Meanwhile, new Interna- arrangements with the EU for tional Trade Secretary Liam Britons living and travelling Fox has said he wants Brex- abroad. In the meantime, exit to be completed by Janu- pats can find information on ary 1, 2019. The prominent passports, healthcare and penLeave campaigner is push- sions at https://www.gov.uk/ ing for a quick exit, which guidance/advice-for-britishwould mean triggering Ar- nationals-travelling-and-livingticle 50 by the end of 2016. in-europe.
Deal on cards
Help at hand
45 45
MORAL SUPPORT For Costa Expats A GROUP of British Mijas residents have formed a ‘Brexpat’ group to voice the particular concerns of Brits living in the community post-Brexit. Around 11,000 Mijas residents are registered British nationals. Mijas’s mayor, Juan Carlos Maldonado, urged residents of his municipality to remain calm. Maldonado added that the city wants the Brits ‘to continue to feel at home in Mijas, regardless of the Brexit result.’
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the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
48
QUEEN: At ceremony
Royal approval
QUEEN Letizia and the acting Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, Iñigo Méndez de Vigo, have presented the Iberdrola scholarships during a ceremony in Madrid. King Felipe IV and the Spanish electrical company’s chairman Ignacio Galan also presented the scholarships, which aim to support the development and knowledge of renewable energy, environmental protection and energy efficiency.
education
www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Spanish is on sale
A new study claims that learning spanish is cost and time-effective GOOD news for expats on the Costa del Sol looking for cultural immersion: Spanish ranks as the third cheapest language for Brits to learn. Spanish also shares the title for the quickest to learn with seven other European languages: Portuguese, Swedish, Romanian, Italian, Danish, French and Dutch. The study, performed by Voucherbox, an online coupon site, surveyed paid language-learning classes across 28 different languages and
compiled the average time to fluency and the average cost per hour. According to their results, a person can achieve fluency in Spanish with 600 hours of study, at €12.01 per hour. The total cost is €7206 for fluency. Spanish came behind Portuguese at number two and, surprisingly, Indonesian at number one. Though fluency in Indonesian takes an additional 200 hours of study, it only costs €7.43 per hour.
Rest in peace
A SPANISH Civil War veteran who spent his life teaching about the horrors of fascism has died aged 102. Cordoba-born Virgilio Pena was also a member of the French Resistance during World War Two and a survivor of the Nazi’s Buchenwald concentration camp. He was awarded the prestigious Legion d’Honneur award just last year for his work in schools, where he spent most of his life educating young people on Europe’s war-torn past.
Skill shortage SPANISH companies are struggling to fill posts in the country which has the second highest unemployment rate in Europe. Modern companies are unable to find sufficient workers with the necessary skills. The workforce does not have the qualifications the market needs due to flaws in the education system. Spain has not invested enough in technology in schools and English education. Spanish recruitment firm Randstad estimates Spain may struggle to fill up to two million posts through to 2020. There are not enough digital professionals to fill lower positions even when the top posts are filled. The skill shortage hurts the profitability and productivity of companies looking to hire Spanish workers. HERO: Veteran Virgilio Pena
Here comes the fun
Para adicio nosot Reser
For re
visit MOST kids summer camps involve a trip to the beach and a few games of tag. But at Tarifacamps, your youngsters get to try a range of cool sports, including kitesurfing, cycling and paddle surfing. At this summer camp with a difference, kids have an exciting overnight sail around the Rock of Gibraltar, overseen by a certified crew and skipper of course. And then there is a range of other activities, including beach CAMPING RIO JARA | www.campingriojara.com volleyball, hiking, windsurfing, beach football and kayaking, PIZZERÍA LA OCA DA SERGIO, TARIFA not to mention yoga and art classes. Organised by Tarifa’s Blah Blah Blah language academy HURRICANE HÍPICA | www.tarifahip.com there is the additional optional Spanish class to help your kids improve their language skills. Organ The camp offers both a day camp option from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, costing €450 per child, and an overnight option from Sunday to Saturday at €650 a week. The price includes food. The camps run for three weeks from July 17 to August 14. For more information, visit tarifacamps.com. Colabo
P a n R
For registration and full activity program visit
CAMPING RIO JARA | www.campingriojara.com PIZZERÍA LA OCA DA SERGIO, TARIFA HURRICANE HÍPICA | www.tarifahip.com
F v
For registration and full activity program visit www.t
Health
www.theolivepress.es
Tampon Tax
SPANISH women are threatening to take their hygiene business to Canada. A group of Spanish women have launched a campaign to protest the ten percent tax on feminine hygiene products. On their website, Tampons from Canada says that if the tax is not lowered to four percent they will start ordering tampons from Canada in bulk. The Canadian government removed their ‘tampon tax’ last year in response to arguments that feminine hygiene products should be treated like other necessary items like food and water.
Autism link
A SPANISH study has found that boys who are exposed to paracetamol before birth are more likely to have symptoms of autism during childhood. It suggests that acetaminophen, widely prescribed to pregnant women, can impact brain development and behaviour in children who are exposed in the womb. Researchers in Barcelona asked 2,644 mothers about their use of paracetamol during pregnancy and evaluated the children either at age 1 or 5 for their attention abilities. Boys who had been consistently exposed had more autism symptoms, while every child who was exposed consistently was more likely to be hyperactive and impulsive.
the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015 July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Zika fears grow
Drink up? A NEW infographic has revealed where in Europe you can and cannot safely drink tap water. Created by citybase apartments, the infographic warns of diarrhoea, Hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera when drinking unclean water, or even just using it to brush your teeth. Spain and the UK have been given the all clear, but most of Eastern Europe and Russia are, according to the graphic, a no-go for tap water. Advertorial A LITTLE over a year ago, Hospital Clinica Ochoa launched the ReLExSmile technique in their Ophthalmology Unit, the most advanced microsurgery of the market in the field of laser surgery. A technique that allows eliminating nearsightedness and astigmatism in a few minutes. So far, hundreds of patients have benefited from improving their visual acuity. In fact, up to 97% of patients operated with this technique highlighted that their vision the next day of the operation was “good” or “very good” and practically 100%, despite the nerves caused by ocular surgery, described the procedure as “comfortable” or even “very comfortable”. Hospital Clinica Ochoa became at the time the first and only center of Malaga, a place it still holds, in using this treatment. But what is the ReLExSmile technique and what makes it so special? Developed by the prestigious firm CARL ZEISS, it is the most innovative technique for correcting myopia and astigmatism, providing great advantages and com-
Hospital Clinica Ochoa celebrates its first anniversary of the pioneering ReLExSmile laser technique
Laser quest
fort for the patient. In addition, it is the least invasive procedure in eye surgery,
which allows interventions without cuts in the cornea and respecting its structure.
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This means that subsequent complications are minimal and patients can recover their normal activity almost immediately. Other advantages are the elimination of dry eye syndrome, of the risk of infection or a considerable and ostensible reduction in the amount of severed. In conclusion, ReLExsmile is the very forefront in laser techniques for the correction of myopia and astigmatism. Work, sports and driving without glasses or contact lenses will be a reality within a few days after this surgery in Hospital Clinica Ochoa.
SPAIN’S Health Ministry has confirmed the first case of the Zika virus being sexually transmitted. With that the total number of cases of the Zika virus in Spain has risen to 167. Twenty-two of the confirmed cases are pregnant women. The other 166 cases were detected in people who had recently returned from affected countries. There have been five cases detected in Andalucia. Zika spreads to people primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito but it is also transmitted sexually from infected men and can be passed from pregnant women to their fetuses. The symptoms of the illness are usually mild but scientists believe that the virus is responsible for a surge in infants born with microcephaly, a birth defect that results in smaller head size and developmental issues. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika or microcephaly.
Ask the Optician – Summer Eye Care
Amrik Sappal, Store Director, Specsavers Opticas Fuengirola
A how-to guide on protecting your eyes this summer
A PIONEERING: Laser surgery
Pop-up surgery A WOMAN in Spain has died after having openheart surgery in the street. The unnamed 48-year-old was allegedly stabbed in the neck and chest by a 55-year-old man after an argument broke out on the streets in Madrid. She was in such a critical condition that paramedics operated on her in the street where they found her. When they arrived at the scene, they discovered a stab wound in the side of her chest. They decided to immediately cut into her chest wall and massage her heart. They managed to stabilise her and transport her to hospital, but she died within minutes of reaching the operating table.
S the summer is in full swing, temperatures rise and people hit the beach, we see more and more people coming into the store with sore eyes. Here’s how to protect your eyes this summer. Q – Can the sun damage my eyes? A – Yes, I am afraid it can, exposure to UV rays causes a painful irritation to the cornea at the front of the eye. In extreme circumstances this can lead to cancer of the cornea, age related macular degeneration, cataracts and even blindness. Please note that children’s eyes are particularly sensitive, so it’s vital to protect them. You can protect the family’s eyes by wearing large or wraparound sunglasses which are marked UV 400 and a hat for total protection. Q – I am really suffering from hayfever, how can I stop my eyes watering and being sore? A - Hayfever can irritate the eyes and make them water or feel dry and itchy. There are many hayfever remedies available which help reduce the symptoms, including issues with your eyes. If you find your usual brand has stopped working, try a few different ones as every year can be different. If your eyes are reacting quite badly you could also try an antihistamine eye drop, but unfortunately you cannot use these with contact lenses.
Summer squinting
Q – What should I do if I get something in my eye? A. It is easy for sand or small objects to get into your eye when you’re swimming and spending time on the beach and it’s important to follow the right advice if this happens. Try not to rub your eyes or rinse eyes with running water, as this could scratch the cornea and cause infection. If you are in pain, go to your nearest opticians who will try to locate and remove the object or refer you for treatment. All Specsavers’ sunglasses offer the maximum UV protection and we have a great new range for summer 2016. Eye tests are currently free and we are offering 2 for 1 including sunglasses for the special price of 59€, until the 4th of September. There are Specsavers stores in Marbella and Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol, to make an appointment or find your nearest store visit www.specsavers.es.
Marbella 952 863 332 Avda. Ricardo Soriano 12 Fuengirola 952 467 837 Avda. Ramón y Cajal 6
Designer glasses from only 89€ OLIVE PRESS – 105mm x 256mm – Colour
20th July
Applies to one pair of designer glasses, selected frames only – please see blue stickers in store indicating reduced frames. 1.5 scratch-resistant single-vision lenses. Other lenses and Extra Options available at an additional charge. Cannot be used with other offers. Offer ends 4 September 2016. ©2016 Specsavers. All rights reserved.
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the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
www.theolivepress.es
Food, drink & travel with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com Costa del Sol restaurant gets TV makeover on Gordon Ramsay style show
MADE OVER: Frank’s A LAS CHAPAS eatery has relaunched after having a TV makeover. Frank’s Restaurant has been transformed after hosting Germany’s answer to Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. TV chef Frank Rosin and his team, alongside interior designers, spent four days re-training the staff and kitting out the dining area. “It’s amazing, we are all in shock,” the restaurant’s publicist Claudia Langer, 54, told
Kitchen dreams
the Olive Press, “We were all in tears, even head chef Frank had a tear in his eye!” The basic green and plastic tables and chairs received simple wooden replacements, while a new ‘chill-out’ zone and flower beds added the final touches.
Put away the Pimms BRITS may put away a fair amount of sangria when on their holidays, but the country’s love affair with the drink goes back further than first thought. In fact it has been revealed that Spain’s national tipple was invented by the British. According to Father Esteban Torres’ 1788 dictionary British expats living in India were the creators of sangria. Defined as a ‘drink invented by the English’ the word sangria reportedly originates from the old English word sangaree which was inspired by the word sangre (blood) because of its colour.
Following the Kitchen Nightmare’s formula, the restaurant hosted 30 test-eaters, who ranked the restaurant out of ten across five categories of food, drink, ambience, value and service. “Although we were quite shocked to only get 19 out of 50, the feedback was positive and we learned so much so it was really helpful,” said Claudia. The training and makeover aimed to address the criticisms of the test eaters before they were invited to score the restaurant again on the final day of filming. The restaurant’s new menu will be a German-Mediterranean fusion, and head chef Frank Henkel, 51, aims to source everything locally, even the wines! “We want to support local produce and we aim to have no Italian or French wines, only Spanish,” he said. Star of the show Rosin said he knows the madeover eating spot will be a success. “We have a formula that works and is very successful,” he told the Olive Press, “They are going to do just fine, and if they need any advice me and my team are just a phone call away.” Asked what he thinks about Marbella’s food scene he said. “I love Marbella, I have been coming here since the 1980’s, you either have very good restaurant’s or very bad, there is no in between.”
Straying from tradition
Saturday 30th July from 1pm – 15€ “Kat & Co produced what I would describe as ‘nightclub blues’…its is smokey, it is sassy and it is very classy” – Blues Matters Magazine Calle Virgen Milagrosa 10 29713 Los Romanes - La Viñuela Provincia Malaga t: +34 951 509 071 www.las-orquideas.com/en
SEEN by many non-Spaniards as Spain’s national dish, paella is originally a Valencian special and one of the identifying symbols of the region. Valencian paella is believed to be the original recipe with origins that go back to the 16th century. It has evolved slightly as the dish gained popularity and spread to the rest of Spain and the world. Surprisingly chorizo is one of the most common variations but is not a traditional ingredient. Mixed paella is also not considered genuine. According to Blue Sea Hotels and resorts, only 5% of the Spanish restaurants in the UK’s ten biggest cities serve traditional paella. The UK’s take often includes chorizo, pancetta, and peas.
NEW VENTURE: Eneko
Ready, set, Eneko
THE chef behind the world-renowned Azurmendi restuarent in Bilbao is set to set up shop in a new restaurant in London. Eneko Atka will open the doors to his self-named restaurant Eneko on August 1 at the prestigious One Aldwych hotel. And for the month of August all meals will be half price. Work at the Covent Gardenbased hotel began last winter, after three-time Michelin star chef Atka announced the news of a London venture. And One Aldwych hotel general manager Kostar Sfaltos has liked what he has seen from the Basque chef. “Eneko has incredible vision and passion for Basque cuisine and shares the same high standards of quality, quest for innovation and respect for traditions as we do,” he said. The restaurant will focus on Atxa’s ‘fresh modern Basque style’ and dishes include Traditional Talo, Cod Bizkaina and Basque Style Risotto.
51 July 6th - July 19th 2016
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Food, drink & travel
restaurant | lunch and dinner
ROB: With new fishy friend and Tuna museum (right)
WWW.ELMUELLE-ARRIATE.COM ESTACIÓON DE ARRIATE | ARRIATE (MA 7400, KM 4) 0034 637 784 416 | 0034 952 166 370 CLOSED ON MONDAYS
Tuning in I
C O C K TA I L • G A S T R O B A R RESTAURANT ASADOR
Tlf: +34 952 82 57 07 E-mail: nikisbarmarbella@gmail.com www.nikisbarmarbella.com Plaza Jose Palomo 1, 29601 Marbella, Málaga, Spain
Rob Horgan indulges his fish fetish with a trip to the tuna towns of the Costa de la Luz where they do bluefin by the bucketload
T’S as hard to escape as the coast’s ever-present Atlantic breeze. From Conil to Canos de Meca, Bolonia to Barbate and everywhere in between, tuna takes TUNA MURAL: In Zahara pride of place (and not plaice) on Costa de la Luz lunch menus. In Zahara de los Atunes, the spiritual home of being a major social and gastronomic event, this meaty megafish, Bar Casa Juanito offers 24 these festivals are economically essential for mouthwatering variations on the region’s most- many of the smaller villages which rely on the celebrated dish. work for their fishermen, factories and restauBut it is not just in restaurants that tuna is cel- rants. And their popularity has grown because ebrated. Throughout Zahara and along the paseo of the eco factor. in Barbate, giant sculptures of bluefin tuna are The almadraba is a perfect example of sustainlofted on pedestals 10 foot off the ground. able fishing - only tuna are caught and only the There’s another at Barbate’s tuna museum biggest kept. There is no waste where you can purchase it and no overfishing due to the every which way. strict quotas in place. And during May and June, Invented by the Phoenicians the four main tuna fishing some 3,000 years ago, the towns of Conil, Barbate, almadraba is positioned in Tarifa and Zahara proclaim a section of the sea close to their fishy love affair to the the Straits of Gibraltar, where world with rutas de atun the tuna pass on their way to tapas festivals. the warmer Mediterranean to At this year’s Zahara event, spawn. held after the first full moon in May, 80,000 tuna Still plump from the fat reserves they built up to tapas were consumed in a frenetic three-day fish keep warm while wintering in the colder Atlantic fest. and to provide energy for the long journey south, The locals are extremely proud of their fishy ob- the fish is at its most succulent when caught session. along the Costa de la Luz. “If you grow up on the Costa de la Luz, you grow Once the nets are full, they are encircled by a ring up eating tuna,” says Pedro Alcon, the 24-year-old of boats and lifted out of the water where the son of a tuna fisherman from Bolonia. largest specimens, some weighing over 500 ki“Tuna is our most important dish. The economy los, are selected by expert fishermen. depends on it and the locals can’t get enough.” The almadrabas are put out again in September He adds: “If you like tuna and don’t want a n d October when the to pay a fortune then there is notuna return, a lot where better in the world.” slimmer, producAs part of the May celeing a drier, less sucbrations, fishermen culent meat destined from the four towns for the canneries. set up a complicatThe ‘spring catch’ cered labyrinth of nets, tainly lived up to all called the my expectaalmadrations and, ba, to catch after fairly atun rojo tonning into as bluefin it over the are named weekend, in Spain, this tuna adafter the dict can’t colour of wait to go their flesh. back for anAs well as ARTSY: Sculpture of bluefin tuna in Zahara other fishy fix.
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www.theolivepress.es with DINING SECRETS of
ANDALUCIA.com
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Catch of the day
Did Rob Horgan really eat a whole bluefin? This is his weekend tuna order: Tuna tataki: By far my favourite way to eat tuna - lightly seared, chilled, thinly sliced and served with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger. Tataki is best shared, as a whole serving can be overbearing.
PRIZE QUIZ the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015
2
Bizarre, brilliant and baffling. By far the most left-field take on tuna I encountered on my trip, these spicy mashed-up tuna and chilli parcels are kind of moreish but at the same time, I was unsure if I really liked them. Bruschetta de atun (tuna bruschetta): For someone who likes his tuna raw (how fresh tuna should be served on the Costa de la Luz) this was somewhat disappointing although if you like your tuna cooked brown in the middle it’s worth a try.
Ijada de atun: Doused in salt and accompanied with a slice of tomato and white onion, the thinly sliced ljada de atun is satisfying without being spectacular.
?
Win a Free Night’s Accommodation with dinner and breakfast included at an award-winning hotel in the Mountains near Ronda. Answer these four questions:
1 Paquete de atun picante (spicy tuna parcels):
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3 4
In July 2016, which hotel is NUMBER ONE in Andalucia, out of 1792 listings according to Trip Advisor? Is it: a) Molino del Santo in Benaoján? b) There is no b) Which hotel has over 1000 Trip Advisor Hotel reviews and 350 restaurant reviews to support its claim to be the best in Andalucia? Is it: a) Molino del Santo near Ronda? b) There is no b) but feel free to read the reviews. Which hotel near Ronda was chosen by “The Times” newspaper as one of the 20 best hotels in Spain for food? Is it: a) Molino del Santo near Ronda? b) There is no b) – no other hotels in Andalucia were mentioned. Which very special hotel is offering special last minute deals for The Olive Press readers during July and August? Is it: a) Molino del Santo in Benaoján station? b) There is no b) but e-mail for our special rates at any time.
HOW TO ENTER: E-mail your answers to info@molinodelsanto.com before the 31st July to enter into the prize draw telling us why you deserve to win the prize. The winner will be notified on the 1st August 2016. Prize must be taken before the end of October 2016.
ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt Atun Maguro (tuna sushi): The epitome of international dining with local ingredients, this is a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds and these tuna jewels are best enjoyed at Vejer’s San Francisco food market, at Sushi Time.
Atun en manteca (tuna in butter): Slapped in as much lard as your grandmother’s roast potatoes, this is an acquired taste. Even when served with crackers, the lard can overpower the tuna and I won’t be ordering it again.
More information of any kind e-mail
info@molinodelsanto.com
www.molinodelsanto.com | info@molinodelsanto.com | 952 16 71 51 ESTACIÓN DE BENAOJÁN, NEAR RONDA, MÁLAGA
Food, drink & travel
54 54 the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016
www.theolivepress.es July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Rob Horgan reports from up where the seagulls fly as La Sala takes its dining experience to dizzy new heights
S
TRAPPED into a leather racing seat at a restaurant table hovering 50 metres above Marbella, I was poised to try the craziest take on ‘haute cuisine’ ever. Combining fine dining with aerial thrills, La Sala in the Sky has taken eating out to a whole new level. And with the soccer star-owned restaurant group backing it, I was expecting a lot more than ‘high tea’. With views across Puerto Banus to the sparkling Med in one direction and iconic La Concha mountain in the other, they’ve certainly scored with their high table dining concept, where even the air tastes like wine. As I made my way past Banus bullring to the crane that would winch me skyward to the dining world’s new 50-me-
Pie in the sky
tre high club, the sight of the 22-seater restaurant pod swaying above me made my stomach somersault like a chef flipping a burger. But after one glass of wine and a reassuring pep talk from Luke, my waiter and host for the evening, I was raring
to try this new foodie flight of fantasy. Although I’d have to wait on a little longer for the first sitting to finish. Marbella Mayor Jose Bernal and his entourage were still up there, having arrived ‘fashionably late’. In fact, the delay was a blessing in disguise as we were able to watch a fabulous sunset turn day into starry night day while we were airborne. But as all 22 diners buckled up, a cry of ‘get me off, I suddenly have somewhere to be’ came from across the table. I won’t spare his blushes: it was OP columnist Giles Brown, who looked a hugely relieved man to be out of his ‘hot seat’. Conquering his vertigo will have to wait for another day. With a replacement found to take his abdicated ‘high chair’ and a round of chanting ‘Up, up, up, up!’ the crane swung into action, and we all relaxed as we watched Marbella retreat to toy
STRAPPED IN: Marbella Mayor
PERFECT HOST: Luke
town dimensions from the best seats in the house. The food - show cooking at its best - was another spectacular highlight: a five-course dinner prepared by famed local chef Aitor Perurena in front of diners. First ‘up’ was a bloody mary foam with avocado and fresh cockles. The nerve-soothing glass of Marques de Riscal white served with it also worked wonders, even going to the heads of those who don’t normally have one for heights.
Up next was tuna tartare with lime cloud, wakame seaweed and soy mayo - a zesty twist on a firm favourite deserving of lofty praise. One or two seagulls were eying up the possibilities of hijacking free feast on the wing as we were presented with an enormous cardinal prawn topping a tempting spider crab cannelloni. Then came the piece de resistance: teriyaki-lacquered beef with celery and asparagus, tender enough to cut with a spoon, served with a delicious Yllera red wine. And lemon mousse in the shape of a white Magnum ice cream was not the finale. After a glass of La Sala’s premier rosa cava to toast the chef and his worthy team, I was beginning to feel giddy and we hadn’t even started the descent. But all too soon we were back down to earth, wondering whether dining out could ever reach such heights of perfection again. The dining experience lasts 70 minutes and introductory offers start at €99+IVA. To reserve your ‘food flight’ visit www.lasalainthesky.com or call 952 781 522
K KOKOMO RESTAURANT, GARDEN & GRILL
For information and reservations
951 560 905 / 685 218 054 Please mention The Local when responding to advertisements Page 89
www.theolivepress.es
Sport
55 the Olive Press November 11th - 25th 2015 July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Red-faced Gibraltar Red Imps consider suing Sky Sports News after embarrassing statistics gaffe
SKY Sports are in hot water after mistaking a series of spoof statistics on the Lincoln Red Imps as facts. A Twitter user had posted a mock-up Sky Sports ‘profile page’ of the Gibraltar club which featured several hardto-believe ‘truths’. But seemingly without double-checking, the Sky Sports News team picked them up before news presenter Mike Wedderburn reeled them off as fact. According to the picture, the Imps play to an average home crowd of 28, had never scored a goal against a professional club (despite having advanced to play
PUCKER UP: Chipolina plants a kiss on Casciaro
Walker hails Imps’ Celtic effect GAFFE: The faked grahic
to sue, saying in a tweet: “Lincoln Red Imps Board are reviewing the very damaging and defamatory reporting made last night on a TV channel.” Sky Sports had been analysing the team after their shock 1-0 triumph over Glasgow’s Celtic in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier. They have since apologised and rectified the duff information that was broadcast.
Celtic) and cannot train on Tuesdays as a local metal detecting society uses their pitch. The ‘statistics’ also claimed striker Lee Cascairo spent six years in prison for selling Class A drugs while manager Julio Cesar Rebus was hired after winning a competition. The Gibraltar side are now considering whether or not
Tour blimey!
Olympic security SPAIN’S Olympic team has hired a private security firm to watch over its athletes at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil. In a first, the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) has contracted Madrid-based Prosegur, who will be responsible for monitoring the movements of all members of the Spanish delegation and keeping watch at the four official team hotels. Three members of Spain’s Olympic sailing squad were robbed at gunpoint back in May while walking to breakfast in the host city.
CHRIS Froome has extended his lead to 1min 47sec on stage 16 of the Tour De France to strengthen his grip on the Yellow Jersey. Powered by his Mallorca-based Team Sky, Froome stayed out of trouble on a scorching hot day to come home in 13th place. The two-time Tour winner is in good shape going into the final week, which takes the race into the Alps before Sunday’s Paris finish. Olive Press Advert – Gaston:Layout 1 08/07/2016 13:27 Page 1
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LIAM Walker believes tonight’s Champions League tie with Celtic could land Lincoln Red Imps players a big-money move. The Lincoln ace and his teammates won worldwide praise for their 1-0 victory over the Glasgow giants at Victoria Stadium last week. “We’re really happy that the football world is taking notice of us,” Walker told the Olive Press. “We are starting to put ourselves in the shop window and there is a chance for the Celtic game to be an option for some players to move on.” Meanwhile, goal-hero Lee Casciaro has swapped shifts with a police colleague so he can fly to Glasgow for the crunch tie. “When I get back, I’ll cover their shifts. It was the only way,” he told the Olive Press, “football is my passion.”
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the Olive Press November 14th - 25th 2016 with over 200,000 papers (130,000 digital) Covering Andalucia
and around 500,000 website visits each month…
Voted BEST expat paper in Spain FREE
Spain of thrones
Game of Thrones has announced it will be filming its penultimate seventhseason in Spain.
FINAL WORDS
Whoops
advice
AMAZON SPAIN accidentally leaked Sony’s new ‘Playstation 4 Neo’ games console by offering it early on its website.
Reeled in
SPAIN has cut the number of feature films it will subsidise this year in half, falling from 40 to 20.
Poke-no!
TWO Japanese tourists playing the Pokemon Go app were expelled from Barcelona’s dangerous Rovira Tunnel after illegally entering in search of Pokemon characters.
Vol. 10 Issue 244
www.theolivepress.es
July 20th - August 2nd 2016
Dreaming of grandeur Gay couples are huge fans of the hotel room where Franco slept the night before civil war
TURNING IN GRAVE: Franco (right) and his bed
A HOTEL room where General Franco slept the night before launching the Spanish Civil War has become a huge magnet for the pink pound. Charming room 3 has become the most
sought after room for gay couples staying at Las Palmas’ Hotel Madrid. It was here that the former dictator slept on the night of July 17, 1936, before British pilot Cecil Bebb flew him to north Africa from where he launched the feted civil war. He had checked out early on July 18, leaving for the airport at 5.15am. The room still has the same furniture, and the door’s keyring holds a miniature portrait of the dictator, whose uprising triggered the bloody conflict that cost 500,000 lives. “If somebody doesn’t like the keyring, we can remove it,” said hotel owner Francisco Yanes. “We recently had one Italian in that room who had also slept in Mussolini’s old IRELAND bed.”
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NO ANIMALS HARMED: In Cantabria
Running with the blowups
OPPONENTS of bull running may need to reconsider the Spanish tradition. A video taken at a festival in Cantabria appears to show a normal bull run on a small street except for one thing: the bulls are people in blowup plastic costumes. The four inflatable bulls took to the streets in Santillana del Mar bumping into amused runners and onlookers with their flimsy horns. Nobody was hurt or gored during the run.
For summer break: read break-up IF you’re reading this on holiday then you should perhaps think about how much you drink tonight. Up to half of British couples fall out when on holiday together, according to a survey. If true, then over a million British tourists to Spain could be returning to UK shores, newly single this summer. An amazing 40% of tourists fight between one and two times per day, with
arguments sparked over where to go out, too much drinking and spending too much money. The overwhelming factor in the break-ups is accredited to spending too much time with your other half. The survey, by car hire comparison site Holiday Autos, also found that 28% of Brits argue in the first 12 hours of arrival while 5% erupt into a blazing row within the first half hour.
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AN interactive map has been launched for dog owners who want to take their pet to the beach. Sadly only Playa del Castillo Sohail, in Fuengirola, and Playa Arroyo, in Totalan, in the Axarquia, are currently on the redcanina.es site. Playa de Camposoto, near Cadiz, and Playa El Cable, near Granada, are also currently included.
Hungry monkey! NEVER before have the Rock’s Barbary Macaques looked more like the humans they share Gibraltar with. On a recent trip up the Rock, Olive Press reader Richard Lake was left ‘in awe’ by the sight of a monkey tucking into a packet of biscuits. “It was unreal, it was like watching a human eat,” insisted teacher Lake from Shrewsbury. We couldn’t agree more, particularly after we got a photo of a monkey handling and then drinking from a Coke can (inset). Send your photos from around the Rock to newsdesk@theolivepress.es
Happiness: Bars not books SPANIARDS rarely visit museums or read a book. In fact, only 30% ever visit exhibitions or a library. Meanwhile, some 40% have not read a book for at least a year. In contrast, a study by the Center for Sociological Investigation (CIS) shows that 60% go to a cafe or bar at least once a week, while 20% of those visit every day. At least the diet seems to be bringing happiness, with 70% putting happiness at over seven out of ten or above.