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Triple Joy Vol. 5, Issue 108 www.theolivepress.es October 23rd - November 6th 2019
Proud as punch Picardo excited to govern Rock for third term as Azopardi offers Brexit olive branch
NEWLY elected Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo spoke of his pride at achieving a third term for his governing alliance. It came after the GSLP/Liberals took 52% of the votes with the GSD and Together Gibraltar sharing the Opposition seats on October 17. “I am delighted that people have
By John Culatto
deposited their trust in us once again,” Picardo told the Olive Press. “I think we’ve demonstrated a track record to be proud of, and that people thought it was worth ensuring we continued to remain in charge of
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Petrol bombs and bullets, Olive Press dispatch in Page 6 Barcelona
How we nailed a corrupt Champagne socialist MP Page 18 Check out Property October’s edition of the Rock’s 10 hottest More with a mortgage FREE Property Magazine s ty n’ ai er e Sp prop in -to az go mag
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their affairs.” The Chief Minister boasted of winning his third term with such a comfortable margin. “I’m very proud of the fact that they’ve won three elections on the run as this was an important glass ceiling for us,” said Picardo, whose party got 10 seats. However, with the advent of Brexit looming large, he was unable to spend long celebrating the record victory. “No, we didn’t have much time for celebrations because it was straight back into work on the morning of the 18th,” he added. His victory came after an intense month-long campaign, with 70% of the electorate making their voices heard. While the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD) and Together Gibraltar argued for change, the government naturally argued the opposite. One of the key battle grounds was the issue of Brexit, with the electorate clearly trusting the government the most. After receiving nearly 10,000 votes, Picardo appealed for unity ahead of ‘one of the most challenging times that we have faced’. “We’re in touch with officials and ministers In London in order to understand the latest twists and turns and what might happen,” he explained.
Who gets a job in Picardo’s new government? Page 4
E IV US CL EX
Overwhelming
The pharmacy at St. Bernard’s Hospital is the only place the newly-authorised products are available from. A Government spokesperson said: “HM Government of Gibraltar is pleased to announce the publication of the Drugs (Misuse) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (the “Regulations”), which amend the Drugs (Misuse) Regulations 2005.” Acting Medical Director, Dr Krishna Rawal said: “In my considered view, cannabis oil certainly has its place in the modern medical care of some patients. “Over time, I am certain that the increased use of cannabis for medical purposes will generate overwhelming evidence in support of its use.”
ALL AREAS COVERED
Find out why Spaniards and Brits held a joint Brexit protest near Gibraltar, see page 5
E IV US CL EX
MEDICAL marijuana in Gibraltar has finally become a reality as the Government has allowed the supply of cannabis products. Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) doctors will be allowed to hand out ‘cannabis-based products’ once they have undertaken the appropriate training. Patients with any of the following conditions are eligible for the medical cannabis: • Moderate to severe muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis that has failed to respond to • standard medications • Severe, refractory epilepsy that has failed to respond to standard medications • Severe and life-altering pain that has failed to respond to standard and rising levels of pain • control medications • Intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy despite the use of • standard treatments under supervision According to a government statement the GHA will ‘not administer such products by smoking’.
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Issue 34
CHALK & CHEESE
October 2019
DILEMMAS OF A BILLIONAIRE
Two historic homes, two opposite styles SEE PAGES VIII & XII
Spanish properties perfect for the mega-rich SEE PAGE IV
B
UYING a property is cheaper than renting in most parts of Spain, according to new In 15 major cities it is far calculations. cheaper to pay a mortgage to pay a landlord than According to the findings,rent, it has been discovered. of a mortgage come above in none of the major cities did the cost 31%
of the average family earnings. In some cities, such as 8% of the average salary,Merida, the price of renting is as low as found the report by global Century 21. estate agency
In Sevilla, the cost of buying of the average salary, which with a mortgage came to just 19% is €2,671 a month, while was just 16% of €2,776. in Valencia it Rental outlay in the same 26% of monthly earnings. two cities, meanwhile came to 32% and In Murcia - where the average salary is €2,683 a month are paying 20% on rent, - tenants while owners pay just 11% Another example showed on a mortgage. apartment in Madrid pay that the owners of a 90-square-metre tenants are paying €1,419 a mortgage of €960 per month, while per month, an alarming ily’s income. 40% of a fam-
Those looking to live better off buying thanin Spain are term, new figures show renting long-
Only Barcelona cost more to rent at 44% of average while Palma in Mallorca earnings, cost 34%. “Renting has become a necessity for many people to buy.” explained CEO of Century 21 for Spain who can’t afford cardo Sousa. and Portugal, Ri"Today, major cities around ing affordable and adequate the world face the challenge of provid“This is especially the case solutions. in large cities such as Madrid celona, where there is strong and Baroptions with affordable prices population growth, while housing The cost of rents in Spain are scarce.” years, according to a study have jumped by 50% over the last five by the Bank of Spain, using lected by Idealista. data colAlmost 23% of the population rent property, significantly the European average of less than 30%.
DIVIDE: Between average regional earnings and the cost of rent and a morgage
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ity.” The new mandate was delivered on the promise of a green and childfriendly Gibraltar, all despite the Collective current Brexit uncertainty. With the departure of Neil Costa a In excellent news for the exclave, portfolio reshuffle was announced Marlene Hassan Nahon, of Togethto best tackle the next four years. er Gibraltar, was given the biggest “This is not a one man band,” in- vote of all the opposition members. sisted Picardo. The daughter of Gibraltar’s longest “This is a team of friends working leader, Sir Joshua Hassan, said together to deliver collegiate gov- her recently-formed party brought ernment and collective responsibil- ‘a fresh approach, an attentive ear and a loud, fearless voice’. Local businessman Craig Sacarello received the most support of all her TG party members, just missing out on a place in parliament by 35 votes. The rest of the Opposition was made up of the GSD, who got six seats, recovering from a poor showing at the Reliable private hire transfer last election. services for any occasion “We will be there working • Luxury vehicles shoulder to shoulder with • Door to door service you,” announced Azopardi. • Airport collections “I meant what I said that if • Weddings transport you need our help during the • Sightseeing day trips Brexit crisis you will have it. • Restaurant shuttles “All we want in return is reciprocity and real involveFind out more at: ment.” www.simply-shuttles.com tel: 951 279 117 info@simply-shuttles.com
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NEWS IN BRIEF Cruise jumper A 75-year-old Dutch tourist has died after ‘leaping to her death’ from the eight floor of a cruise ship, before police recovered her body from the Gulf of Cadiz.
Hoof horror A BOY, 7, who was kicked in the head by a horse in Malaga has suffered serious trauma and is being treated in hospital.
Caught out FIVE people have been arrested in Fuengirola for the suspected thefts from two supermarkets.
Up to her old tricks
A SPANISH pensioner has been arrested after police launched an operation into a string of thefts from tourist apartments in Malaga. Police arrested the woman, 76, after she was caught red-handed in a holiday home during Operation Visillo. Police quickly worked out she had been involved in a string of thefts in Malaga.
CRIME
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
Pervert prof
A BRITISH teacher has been sentenced to eleven years in prison for sexually abusing a 15-year-old pupil at her posh private school. Carlo Troiano - who was accused of a similar crime in the UK - was also banned from teaching children for 16 years and is forbidden from contacting the victim for 17 years. The professor, 42, had been spotted dating the girl, who attended the private St.George’s British School of Almeria, in Roquetas de Mar, where he taught. The Almeria Provincial court heard how two fellow teachers had contacted the school’s head after seeing him and the teenager at the beach and a supermarket outside of school hours. However, the school failed
Expat teacher locked up for abusing teen at leading British school
to take action until the girl’s mother got involved with an official complaint some months later. The father-of-two from Liverpool, was convicted for ‘continued sexual abuse’ after he had groomed her in class, liking her Instagram posts and persuading her to get a tattoo done. When she warned him was ‘wasting his time’, he had pressured her into continuing to see him claiming he would quit his job and leave her class without a teacher. The relationship lasted eight months, having begun in April 2016 when the defendant kissed the victim on the mouth, despite her initial reluctance.
‘CEO fraud’ trio picked up POLICE have arrested three Spaniards after British company bosses were targeted by a €10 million computer scam. One person from Sevilla was held over the crime, dubbed ‘CEO fraud’ because it involves hacking managers’ emails. Detainees’ alleged crimes include membership of a criminal group, money laundering, disclosure of secrets and falsifying documents.
The scam affected firms from 12 countries, including Germany, Norway and the US. Also known as ‘Business Email Compromise’, the scam saw criminals use ‘phishing’, where they fraudulently obtained company bank details via email. Transfers were then made between the companies’ usual banks and the criminal group, with the total amount stolen put at €10,700,000.
They were soon having sex and the relationship only ended that November after the girl’s mother discovered what was happening and contacted police and the school. Troiano didn’t help his case when he fled Spain after being released on bail briefly in December 2017 and had to be tracked down and extradited from Germany to face trial. After sending him to jail, a trio of judges were highly critical of the school’s approach to the situation. “There is no record that it took any measures to clarify the situation and preserve the interests of the child,” they ruled. The school has been ordered to pay her €45,000 in damages to the girl if Troiano fails to pay her. Troiano had been hired in
2014, despite having been previously tried and acquitted in the UK for sexual abuse of a 16-year-old pupil in his classroom at Bankfield High School. The court heard that school management had been informed about this incident ‘months after the defendant was hired’ but did nothing. It criticised headteacher Neil Morris for failing to sack him, or impose any measures to minimise the risk to the school’s pupils, after uncovering details of a previous UK case on Google.
paedophile sting POLICE have arrested a man who impersonated a 17-year-old boy in order to collect indecent images of children. The 46-year-old man created several fake profiles on social media, which he used to contact the children aged between 11 and 13-years-old.
The man, who had contacted at least seven minors, was caught after one of the victims informed police. He initially tried to befriend the children on social media sites, before asking them for sexual videos of themselves.
Pandora’s box opens EXCLUSIVE By Jacque Talbot
NEW victims have come forward in an ongoing investigation into the dealings of a shady estate agent in Andalucia. As well as buyers, former employees and a tradesman also claim they have been left ‘high and dry’ by the antics of Nadine Dijkman’s Sotogrande agency Pandora Homes. One buyer, who we are not naming, is ‘extremely worried’ after putting down a €10,000 deposit to the agency supposedly for a €525.000 villa in Estepona. Her lawyer, Vaspurakan Baghdasaryan, of BGLawyers, revealed that her clients are ‘very unhappy’ believing the sale is unlikely to go through. “We have gone to police but it’ll be more money than it’s worth for my clients. Nadine hasn’t responded to our messages. She seems to have vanished,” he said. Meanwhile, one marketing consultant confirmed he is still owed money by Dijkman, who is from Germany, while various former staff also claim not to have been paid. It comes as a ten-day deadline, set by Dijkman to pay back €286,000 to a German couple over a property in Casares, passed. It is six months since the couple paid the money, wrongly, to her private account.
NEWS
www.theolivepress.es
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
Green for go!
Gong for Gollum
I miss Madrid
FORMER England striker Michael Owen has revealed his love affair with Spain - and regrets leaving the capital after just one year. The ex-Liverpool star revealed that the happiest time of his life was taking holidays in Ibiza as a youngster. The 39-year-old revealed that his first break on the White Island was at the age of eight and that he had been back many times since. He revealed he still returned to the Balearic island with his family every year and still misses living in Madrid, where he played for two years. Despite the disappointing stint at Real Madrid between 2004 and 2005 he described Madrid as a ‘brilliant city’.. “I got into tapas and local delicacies like jamon pata negra.” The language, culture, and lack of playing time contributed to Owen’s departure from Spain to Newcastle a year after his arrival. It is a decision he regrets to this day, believing he should have stuck it out.
IT looks like a scene from Lord of the Rings. But Leonore looked every bit the fairytale princess as she handed out a prize to a celebrated British director (right) at a prestigious award-winning gala. The teenage princess, 13, who is first in line to the throne, was pictured giving out a gong to Peter Brook, 94, who has directed a string of plays and films, including Lord of the Flies and King Lear. Her Father, King Felipe, 51, looked on proudly as she handed out prizes at the 39th Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo, mostly to top scientists, academics and novelists. Brook recently made headlines after calling Brexit a ‘stupid and sad’ mistake.
The perfect Splice!
Royals and tennis stars watch Rafa Nadal tie the knot at exclusive Night Manager villa
were among the guests at the stunning British-owned La Fortaleza villa, in Pollenca. The former fort, owned by UK financier Lord James Lupton, has featured in several popular TV series, including the critically acclaimed The Night Manager. The wedding dress was designed by Rosa Clara and made of French lace. Nadal, who is battling to be ranked the world’s no.1 tennis player this year, looked slick in a grey suit and tie. The 19-times Grand Slam winner met his HE used to be a regular insurance broker lover visitor to these shores. 14 years ago at the age So it is a welcome reof 19. turn for Lenny Kravitz, Other guests at the exwho is set to play on the clusive nuptials, includCosta del Sol next year. ed Juan Carlos I, former The American rocker, king of Spain, although who will play in Fuenhis great sporting rival girola in July, last Roger Federer was noplayed in 2015 in Marwhere to be seen. bella. Federer later told reHe will be showcasing porters he ‘did not songs from his newest know anything about album Raise Vibration it.’ as well as a string of Any honeymoon the hits from his 30-year couple hope to enjoy career. will have to be brief. In Kravitz has won four a few weeks time Nadal Grammy awards and is leading the Spanish sold more than 40 milteam in the Davis Cup lion records worldwide. finals in Madrid.
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IT is a brave return for American rock band Green Day. For the last time they played in Spain in 2017 an acrobat died as they went on stage. The acrobat fell to his death from a crane just before their show at Mad Cool Festival in Madrid. They are set to perform at the MTV EMA awards in Sevilla on November 2, in front of an estimated 20,000 fans. Green Day have sold more than 85 million records worldwide and have won five Grammy Awards.
Matagore
IT has only taken nearly two decades But Rafa Nadal has finally married his childhood sweetheart. A string of celebrities, tennis players and even Spain’s former King watched the tennis ace, 33, wed fellow Mallorcan Maria ‘Xisca’ Francisca Perello, 31 at the weekend. Some 350 guests watched the happy couple tie the knot during a super secret service in Mallorca. Tennis players, including Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco,
Kraving’s over!
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A MATADOR was put in ‘very serious condition’ after a bull pierced his groin and thigh with its horns. Gonzalo Caballero, 27, was at the Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, Spain, a tournament to mark Hispanic Day, when he suffered the devastating injuries. Watching in the VIP Stands was his girlfriend Victoria Federica, 19, the King of Spain’s niece. The bull charged at him, spearing his legs and tossing him in the air, before racing at Caballero again, severing the femoral artery in his groin. The bullfighter suffered wounds some 25cm – 30cm deep. He was taken to the bullring infirmary for more than two hours and then transferred to the San Francisco de Asis Hospital in Madrid, where he remains but is recovering at a steady rate.
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NEWS IN BRIEF Speedy service ROYAL Mail post will now be flown directly from London to Gibraltar under a new agreement to prevent Brexit delays.
Efficiency drive TRAINING and reorganisation of the public service will be carried out by a government reform called ‘Leading Together’.
Working solution UNITE the Union has recorded another victory by securing a 2.1% pay increase for Morrisons workers after long negotiations.
Trafalgar recalled TOP government and military officials held a memorial service at Trafalgar Ceremony to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21.
Win for health GIBRALTARIANS will enjoy new health services and surgery at the recently opened primary care centre at St Bernard’s Hospital. The specially built facilities will help attend to the 180,000 visits made by locals to the PCC and A&E each year. The phased move from the PCC’s current home at the ICC will be carried out over the coming weeks. “In the UK only 30% of the population see a doctor annually, while here it is four to six times the current population,” revealed former minister for health Neil Costa. “There is a cultural issue of wrong use of the A&E so now they can be referred to the PCC and vice-versa if it is someone who is really ill.” Acting medical director Krish Rawal told the Olive Press this new centre was ‘the way forward’ as all medical help is available in just one location. The new PCC integrates primary and secondary care which Neil Costa confided in the Olive Press was ‘the pinnacle’ of his career. New evening clinics will allow day workers to see a doctor for any non-urgent problems and even minor surgery. Counselling services and a sexual health clinic will also be available in a private area on the second floor of the new building. The new centre will now be open between 8am and 8pm with temporary free parking provided outside Bishop Canilla House.
NEWS Fur-nally! DOG lovers will be jumping for joy after the government announced a new doggy park. Minister for the Environment John Cortes revealed last week that Queensway Park Number two will in-
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
deed be pooch-friendly. There are also plans to regulate how much liquid is used to clean up dog mess from January 1, 2020. It comes after a group calling for urine cleaning rules to be relaxed and new dog exercise areas to be opened protested at the Piazza before the election.
Nearly 200 people signed an online petition condemning the ‘inadequacy and impracticality’ of the current rules.
Dog-friendly
Until now the only areas in which dogs could be exercised freely were the
recently unveiled Nuffield Pool park and the entrance to Alameda Gardens. The new dog-friendly park will be one of two being provided along Gibraltar’s busy western artery as part of the GSLP/Liberal Green Gibraltar campaign.
Ministers get new workloads
AN extensive reshuffle of government responsibilities was announced after the GSLP/Liberal election win. Newcomer Vijay Daryanani got his more natural Main Street business portfolio as well as tourism, traffic and transport. This means that Gilbert Licudi was left with just the port and maritime services, had he not taken on education, employment and public utilities. Apart from delivering a Green Gibraltar as a portfolio in itself, John Cortes got the Culture portfolio. He took that over from Steven Linares, who keeps Sport but also receives one of the hot potatoes, housing, as well as technical services and infrastructure. The other hot potato, health, will be taken over by Paul
By John Culatto
Balban along with the care portfolio. Justice passes on to Samantha Sacramento, who will run the Anti-Corruption Authority as well as Equality and Disabilities.
Responsibilities
Albert Isola seemed to avoid most of the harder assignments only adding Digital Services, broadcasting and town planning to his financial services workload. The first 80-year-old minister, Joe Bossano, gets procurement, training and apprenticeships on top of his economic development responsibilities. Dr Joseph Garcia will be
Balban and Linares will need to step up their game in the next four years
examining political reform and transparency as well as handling the bigger Brexit problem and other foreign matters. Fabian Picardo will make sure Gibraltar is a childfriendly city, as well as looking after the economy and all his other responsibilities. “What I’ve tried to do is ensure that every ministry has the right person to deliver as we go into one of the most challenging times that we have faced,” said Fabian
Picardo. “I think it’s important that we have ministers who are able to run their departments on their own.”
Light at end of tunnel BOTH the tunnel at the eastern end of the runway and Midtown park could be ready by March 2020, the government has revealed. Chief Minister
Fabian Picardo announced the news of the long awaited project, which aims to end long queues caused by planes landing and taking off at the airport.
Can you dig it? THE remains of former dictator Francisco Franco are set exhumed from the Valley of the Fallen this week. His body is set to be finally entered and placed in a family mausoleum in Madrid this Thursday. The former dictator’s body
has been at the controversial site since his death in 1975. But many Spaniards feel that the basilica, with has a 150-metre cross above, glorifies Franco rather than commemorating the deaths of 500,000 people who died during the Spanish civil war.
It would also free up the new northern entrance to Gibraltar where a number of new buildings will welcome visitors to the Rock. “The reason it hasn’t been finished before, is because the quality of the work has been subject to strict control by the government,” said Picardo. “We lost confidence in the contractor because of the litigation we’ve had so we now insist that every every item of work is checked by our professional surveyors. “That is why those works have taken an inordinate amount of time so we hope it will now be ready by the second month of 2020.”
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BREXIT
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October 23rd - November 5th 2019
5
British expat registrations up despite EU chaos Hugh’d of thought it BRITAIN’S new ambassador to Spain has insisted he is ‘not worried’ about tourism after Brexit, despite the collapse of Thomas Cook and the shockingly low figures this year. Hugh Elliott recently took over from Simon Manley as the UK’s top mandarin in Madrid. “I’m not worried about tourism after Brexit,” he told the Olive Press. “I think that British tourism in Spain is proving incredibly resilient to Brexit.”
Beautiful
As well as dispelling Brexit fears around tourism, Elliott also revealed his own Spanish holiday habits. “I have had some very fun and memorable trips down to the Costa del Sol and have played cricket at the Cartama in Malaga,” he said. He even said the northern city of Salamanca, where his wife is from, has ‘the most beautiful plaza mayor in the world’.
A SHARP drop in British expats from the census has been stemmed… in Malaga, at least. According to the latest statistics the numbers have gone up to 47,193 over the last few months. It is the first time the numbers have
grown since 2013, with the decline speeding up after the 2016 Brexit vote. One of the largest jumps was in Mijas, which saw a rise of 324 new British residents over the last two months. It brings the number of Brits regis-
tered in the town to 8,865 or more than 10% of the population. Fuengirola meanwhile saw more than 200 new registrations this year, while Manilva has seen more than that. “It’s great that despite Brexit, British
citizens who have been residing in Fuengirola for years have decided to stay here and register instead of going back home,” said councillor Rodrigo Romero. “It’s a sign that they are at ease here and enjoying a high quality of life.”
United against Brexit Thousands of local Spanish travel from around Andalucia in solidarity with British expats and Gibraltar THOUSANDS of Spaniards joined expats for a huge antiBrexit protest on the Gibraltar border. Over 2,000 people took to the streets - around 90% Spanish - to voice their anger at the ‘dangerous’ situation the UK’s departure would create. A trio of local mayors from La Linea, San Roque and Los Barrios joined expats from as far and wide as Jimena, Malaga and Sevilla. With the Rock looming just beyond the frontier, impassioned speakers took to the stage in La Linea to tell crowds why Brexit was economically damaging for Spain, the UK and Gibraltar. Protest co-organiser Juan Uceda, president of the Sociocultural Association of
Your needs will be met!
By Charlie Smith
Spanish Workers in Gibraltar (ASCTEG) referenced General Franco as he addressed the border issue. “We do not want this to be a new 1969 when a damn dictator closed the border, breaking up families and friends and causing hurt we have not yet recovered from.” He called on politicians to allow workers in Gibraltar to be able to continue crossing the border without issues and without ‘unfair’ double tax payments. He later told the Olive Press: “Brexit is such a stupid idea, when you have the safety of the EU, why would you create something so dangerous?
UNITED: The Olive Press at La Linea Brexit protest “People in the UK were lied to by politicians during the EU referendum.” British expat Fran Jones, 62, said she and her pal Lucy had come to protest ‘to support the local people that Brexit affects.’ The Jimena resident told the Olive Press: “I worry about what will happen to La Linea,
because business with Gibraltar has given it a boost and it could really affect the town badly.” As we went to press, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was attempting to have his Brexit deal scrapped if MPs failed to vote on a timetable of departure. The odds on a general elec-
FOREIGN Secretary Dominic Raab has promised that expats needs will be met in an open letter to UK nationals in Spain. Raab tried to cool fears, saying whatever form of Brexit occurs, the UK government is trying to ensure a smooth transition. “We are making sure that on 1 November, every British national in Spain can go on living, working, studying and accessing healthcare. “We are working with the Spanish to make processes as smooth and straightforward as possible, whether you’re applying for residency or a new driving licence.”
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FEATURE
www.theolivepress.es
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than one million people a month.
OPINION Brexit blunder The Olive Press felt it was our duty to attend the recent protests at the Gibraltar border. When millions took to the polls in the 2017 Referendum, no one at the time could foresee the unprecedented ramifications that lay ahead. But while the UK deals with uncertainty, extended deadlines and maybe even fraught relationships with friends and loved-ones, the effects of the UK’s supposed imminent departure from the EU has become very real for those abroad - and not just British expats. The Gibraltar border has been flung into chaos. People who need to work in either La Linea or Gibraltar are already having to face lengthy customs checks. It’s an area where such procedures are already time-consuming. But now the strain is at breaking point. Political parties in the area have rallied together for organised protests, having seen the immediate devastation Brexit has inflicted on their local communities. Their whole system has been flipped upside down, which is why the Olive Press is firmly behind calling for a second referendum, whereby the inevitable ‘remain’ will be voted by most of the UK and the whole ugly matter can be put to bed. No one knew what Brexit really meant when they took to the polling station, but they sure do now.
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Democracy in flames
CARNAGE: Olive Press reports from Barcelona as Catalan independence supporters protest over jailed leaders
Fire and fury in Barcelona as Spain’s worst political crisis postFranco spills out onto city streets, discovers Joshua Parfitt
T
EARS streaming down his face, a young now refusing to consider any pardons folman draped in the Catalan indepen- lowing last week’s shock jail sentences, dedence flag recalled the moment his mands for dialogue and political solutions 92-year-old grandmother grabbed his descended into graffiti scrawled all over Bararm as he went out for the Barcelona pro- celona reading ‘P**a Espanya’ and ‘being tests. peaceful got us nowhere’. “Edward, don’t lose your head out there, be- “The government is wiping its arse with the lieve in the soul of Catalunya,” the 27-year-old Spanish constitution,” Ivan, a 21-year-old law youth worker recounted to the Olive Press, student at the Universitat de Barcelona, told while hundreds of protestors occupied Barce- the Olive Press. lona’s Placa Urquinaona before midnight on “I don’t believe independence is best for us, Saturday. but these sentences are a joke. He rattled out the well told story of how bru- “If the government does what the hell it wants tal repression was visited on Catalan culture anyway why should I respect any of them?” and language under Francoist This was the sentiment charSpain - before a bullet-proof acterising the seven days of police van careered around protests as 500,000 marched the corner of Carrer de les Jon- The police force - some for three days - from the queres. of Lleida, Tarragona said it was the provinces “Hijos de p**a!” Edward sudand Girona upon the Catalan denly screamed as hundreds ‘worst violence’ capital of Barcelona for a genof insults were soon joined by eral strike on Friday. they’d ever cans of beer and glass bottles The strike that stopped even flung in the face of law and orregional TV channels and experienced der. daily news websites was a celNothing could better describe ebratory, pacifist affair, with last week’s chaos after nine 21-year-old Dani saying protesCatalan politicians were jailed for sedition tors played ‘volleyball’ and danced to live muand misuse of public funds following the re- sic throughout the day. gion’s illegal referendum and failed indepen- But as night descended, the moderate madence bid in 2017. jority went home, leaving the most passionThe political crisis - which began in 2010 ate - and most radical - elements in a night when a government-backed court case re- Catalunya’s Mossos d’Esquadra police force voked increased powers for Catalunya - has described as the ‘worst violence’ they’d ever plunged Spain into its biggest constitutional experienced. crisis since experiencing post-Franco democ- “The police fired tear gas down on us from on racy in 1975. top of buildings and then shot people on the So damaging has it been to both Catalan and floor with rubber bullets,” 19-year-old Johnanational politics that Madrid’s brutal crack- tan, who used his skateboard as a shield, told down on referendum voters in 2017 saw the the Olive Press. Economic Intelligence Unit’s democracy scale “It was out-and-out war.” threaten to demote Spain from ‘full democ- The protestors likewise retaliated by slinging racy’ to ‘flawed democracy’, joining the likes rocks and paving stones that injured 207 of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. policemen, while 1,000 rubbish bins were With acting prime minister Pedro Sanchez torched and 128 were arrested for the violence. CRISIS: Barcelona descends into As the world woke up to photos of the carnage chaos as fervent protests continue on Saturday morning, the Olive Press headed
up to Barcelona to bear witness. Big groups of youths, once again, had started to mass by mid-afternoon around Plaça Urquinaona as hundreds sat down in front of riot police on Via Laeitana. A confused mixture of pride, anger and rebellion marked the shifting chants of ‘Catalunya antifascista’, ‘prensa Española, manipuladora’ (manipulating Spanish press) and ‘fuera el Rey’ (king out the King). As nightfall descended, the mood too became confused. Right-wing provocateurs among the crowd created mass brawls, while phone booths were toppled, the windows of a Burger King were smashed in, and balaclava-clad youths torched a mangle of outdoor umbrellas, potted plants and rubbish bins before armed Mossos d’Esquadra - Catalunya’s own police force - dispersed the crowd with a hail of rubber bullets. Protesters ripped up paving stones to hurl back at the helmeted agents, while one youngster boasted about beating a man he’d believed to be a ‘police informant’ with a stick. After the confrontation had dissipated, and the riot vans left Plaça Urquinoana after midnight, the tensions within the protest movement then played out with no police presence whatsoever. The most violent, anti-capitalist elements many reported to have flown in from Greece, Germany and France - were seen smashing shopfronts, while protesters draped in Catalan flags screamed ‘what are you doing? You are destroying Catalunya!’ The violence that made headline news across the world has been roundly condemned by all political parties in Spain, including a denouncement from Catalan president Quim Torra, who is still adamant on a self-determination referendum. The two largest grass-roots organisations behind the protests - Tsunami Democràtica and the Comitès de Defensa de la República (CDR) - are likewise non-violent. Tsunami Democràtica in particular, the social media sensation that instigated the shutdown of Barcelona’s El Prat airport, paraphrased Gandhi in their statement of intent during last week’s mass movements. “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind,” the statement, posted frequently to Twitter and Telegram, signed off. Following a Supreme Court order to take down Tsunami Democràtica’s social media accounts, one youth told the Olive Press Policia Nacional are allegedly tapping phones and arresting people on charges of belonging to a criminal organisation. This is the situation Spain finds itself in. Nine Catalan political leaders broke Spanish law by advocating an illegal referendum; but many Catalans stopped believing in the fairness of Spanish law long ago. Unless a solution that advances faith in plural democracy is sought the wounds of this centuries-old battle will not heal.
www.theolivepress.es
FEATURE
7
Laughing all the way to the bank
7 Olive Press online
October 23rd - November 5th 2019 that’s the
Spain’s best English news website
As homeowners in Spain win more power to evict illegal occupants, savvy squatters have moved on to bank properties
Users
808.1K ON TOP: Olive Press website traffic for last four weeks
THE PAPER WITH THE REAL NUMBERS THE Olive Press website ranks officially at 12,110th position in the world, after being certified by Alexa.com. The global ranking site, owned by Amazon, also ranks www. theolivepress.es in the Top 1000 sites in Spain and the UK. This means - by traffic numbers - we are the 578th most important website in Britain and 819th in Spain. Meanwhile we rank at 610th in Ireland and 82nd in Gibraltar. As a comparison other local freesheets Sur in English and Euro Weekly News came in at a lowly 155,094 and 29,569th. The Mallorca Daily Bulletin ranks at 680,424, while the Costa Blanca News ranks at 2.9m, Costa-news at 1.22m, Alicantetoday at 2.49m and Typically Spanish at 1.5m
MILLIONS OF VISITORS IT’S organised crime by any other name, committed by those who don’t give diddly squat for the rights of homeowners. Despite the seemingly random trail of destruction they leave behind, squatting has now become a sophisticated operation reenforced by ringleaders with up-to-date knowledge of the legal system. Last issue, Olive Press journalists investigated reports of squatters in Casares del Sol, an area so riddled with belligerent illegals that residents are ‘afraid’ to leave their homes and have even been threatened with knives. Meanwhile in Alicante, one of our reporters was chased down the street and brutally attacked after photographing By Jacque Talbot suspected squatters. It came after a string of stories about illegal occupations in both During our investigations, the Olive Press Calpe and Formentera del Segura, with po- has discovered that gangs are apparently lice, at least now, tackling the problem. searching online for bank-owned properties “These people are clever and opportunistic,” - and they run into their thousands across explains Olive Press legal columnist Antonio hundreds of developments. Flores of Lawbird, in Marbella. “They know Squatters like these so-called ghost develthe law inside out and so are protected. opments as it takes a longer time for them “Squatters usually go for the more rundown to be detected in a property areas where security is lower no one comes home to. and homes are not pro“The banks are less intected.” And oddly, this is all Squatters clined to initiate legal acdespite the new law passed tion, which is why their proptypically last July (Ley 5/2018), which erties are being targeted,” was supposed to make it says Flores. break in using easier for owners to recover “Any home which is outside their properties if they have ‘professional’ busy urban areas is vulnerbeen unlawfully occupied. able, as there is less secumeans The legislation was intended rity.” to drastically speed up the Squatters typically use eviction process, regardless property search engine Solof whether that property is owned or let out, via, the real estate arm of the Banco Sabso that squatters can now be ousted after adell Group, to find repossessed homes as just five days. For homeowners wishing to it provides a clear indication of properties take legal action against squatters the law left empty, making them sitting targets. requires either proof of ownership or a rent- Once squatters break in - reportedly using al contract. But because some squatters ‘professional’ and ‘sophisticated’ means are illegal immigrants, courts have made they then sell the keys to families and indiconcessions and identification is no longer viduals, charging around €2,000 to 3,000 a legal prerequisite for court proceedings a pop. The issue is a relatively recent one, and serving eviction notices. The court will surfacing after 2009’s financial crash when then issue an instant demand to the occu- Spain saw many property developers bepants to justify their presence. coming indebted to banks for large sums. If no proof of residence is forthcoming Unable to pay back the money, banks reposwithin the five days, a court order is issued sessed many of these properties en bloc befor the immediate return of the property to fore trying to sell them on. the owner/tenant.But the problem has not “It’s a mess because unfortunately the law gone away. Quite the opposite, squatters is quite soft with squatters and it’s very difhave simply changed their modus operandi ficult to get rid of them, while proceedings in and are now targeting bank-owned, or re- civil law takes a very long time,” says Marpossessed, properties.
This boils down to visitor numbers and pages viewed and we had 1.6 MILLION pages read over the last four weeks (see Google Analytics graph above), with 1.2 MILLION visits. Using the research of another respected site Similar Web we discovered that the Euro Weekly News is getting around 460,000 visitors a month (around a third of ours) and the Sur in English a fraction of that. Google Analytics cannot lie and, before undertaking any advertising campaign, any savvy business will always ask for the last few months official visitor figures.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOUR BUSINESS? bella property lawyer Vicente Ortiz. “Of course this new law has helped, but it is only applicable to individuals. “That means companies, banks and other financial institutions cannot benefit from it.” The government could easily have covered business-owned properties in the new legislation but some blame also lies with the banks. While making their properties harder to break into with reinforced doors and windows and other security measures, financial institutions need to find a way to quickly liquidate their assets. A spokesman for Sabadell told the Olive Press that when one of their properties is illegally occupied, they try to find an equitable middle-ground solution which satisfies both the bank and the new owner. However it may not be so cut-and-dried. “We offer the houses at a reduced rate if there are squatters present,” a Solvia representative told this newspaper. “Everything else is out of our hands.”
Squatting is an ancient tradition and the oldest form of land tenure. In the UK, the post WW2 years of 1945-55 saw the biggest wave of squatters in its history when hundreds of families and former members of the armed forces occupied buildings, including army camps. The Daily Mail newspaper at the time referred to these squatters as ‘heroes’.
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The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:
1 2
- Spain’s met office warns of another ‘torrential’ gota fría to hit the Costa Blanca from Monday (35,922) - FINNISHED: Most wanted gang boss captured on Spain’s Costa del Sol after evading Finland police for two years (28,398)
3 4 5
- British father and son who vanished from Spain’s Costa del Sol likely ‘killed in botched drug deal’ as ransom call from Morocco revealed (24,225)
- Around 40 people forced to leave homes near huge fire in hills of Spain’s Costa del Sol (20,732) - Number of British expats registering on Spain’s Costa del Sol SURGES as Brexit looms (17,306)
8
www.theolivepress.es
NEWS
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
Lighting up
Hospitals, courts and more
A BRITISH teenager who plunged seven floors to his death in Andalucia has been named as Max McMullen. The 15-year-old, who is believed to have attended Bath’s Beechen Cliff school, died in Cordoba, where he was an exchange student. His tragic death came just two days into a week-long trip with other students and is still being investigated. The teen, a player at Walcot Rugby Club, was fixing a broken blind in the house of the host family he was staying in, according to reports. Local sources said the exchange trip’s travel insurer is now responsible for repatriating the student’s body. Police said there is no evidence to suggest criminality.
Butterfly help
A CHARITY is gearing up for its annual awareness day for people with Epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition, also known as Butterfly Skin. DEBRA Butterfly Children’s Charity hopes to raise more awareness for the condition which causes skin to be extremely fragile - as soon as a baby leaves the womb. The lightest touch causes painful open wounds, covering up to 80% of the body, leading to a life of disability and severe pain.
A total of €2.6 million has been set aside for initial studies for the hospital. Other Malaga projects to get a boost include Antequera’s dry port, which has received a cash injection of €13million and the new Torremolinos law courts, with €1.9 million reserved.
Malaga will receive the most of any province in Andalucia, followed by Cadiz and Sevilla. Mijas meanwhile will get a total of €6.5 million to spend on two schools, while €500,000 is being set aside to reopen the CIO catering school nearby.
drug deal death
British father and son had been back and forth to Costa del Sol in year before they vanished, reveals family A BRITISH father and son who mysteriously vanished from the Costa del Sol were likely killed during a drug deal gone wrong. That’s what the family of Daniel Poole, 46, and his son, Liam, 22, fear, having not heard from them since April. Liam’s grandmother Kathy Catney, 63, believes they were probably shot while on a trip from West Sussex to Estepona, where they were last seen on April 2. “I think Liam’s died. I think he’s been killed,” she revealed. “I hope he’s not at the bottom of the sea . . . I hope. People say he is but I want the chance for people to give him back to me,” she added. “I think his dad got into some bother and Liam got caught in the crossfire.” She continued: “We always sus-
MALAGA has started installing its 2019 Christmas decorations, ahead of the big switch on at the end of November. Cordoba lighting company, Illuminations Ximenez, is in charge of the city’s display this year. As ever, Calle Larios will remain the focal point of the seasonal light display, despite the town having recently sold the street’s famous light tunnel to Liverpool.
EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore
pected [Daniel] was up to no good but we just didn’t ask questions. “He was going to Spain to do some sort of deal. Whether that was property or drugs, I really didn’t know,” she told the Times. The pair had made three trips to Malaga in the four months before they vanished. A family source told the Olive Press in June they ‘knew the pair were dead’. “We will never see them again, they were obviously doing something illegal and it’s gone south,” he said. “Liam was such a good boy, he was smart and has obviously
been influenced and dragged into this mess, it’s so tragic.” The young computer technician had no criminal record, while his father Daniel, a car mechanic with convictions for drug dealing, is related to the notorious London-based Richardson crime family on his mother’s side. Gang leaders Charlie and Eddie Richardson were alleged to have tortured victims with bolt cutters and pliers during the 1960s.
The Olive Press can reveal that the family received a ransom demand for over €100,000 the day after Daniel and Liam disappeared. The ransom request was never made public, but police traced the call to a phone in Morocco. The family’s story featured on BBC One’s Inside Out with Glen Campbell, which was shown in the UK last week and featured the Olive Press.
Sun scare
SPAIN has banned two children’s sun creams after they were labelled ‘dangerous’ by a consumer group. It came after the creams, which claimed to be Factor 50, turned out to be SPF 15 and 30, after studies by consumer group OCU. Both creams by Isdin and Babaria have now been withdrawn from sale.
OP QUICK Crossword Across 7 Ceded (7) 9 Wear away (5) 10 Creatures (7) 11 Scowl (5) 12 Remove dirt with a broom (5) 14 Cosmetic brand (7) 16 Permanently inactive (7) 18 Aegean island known for its sweet wine (5) 20 Gaiety (5) 22 --- Ffestiniog (7) 24 Form of address for a woman (5) 25 Late (7)
Down 1 Road around an obstruction (6) 2 Dregs (8) 3 Notion (4) 4 Acts (8) 5 Game played on horseback (4) 6 Minute (6) 8 Miller’s nickname (5) 13 Wide view of an extensive area (8)
OP Sudoku
Tragic end
A BRAND new hospital is to be built next year in Malaga. A whopping €208million has been set aside to build the facility in the car park of the existing Hospital Civil. A new metro line is being constructed underneath the new hospital.
15 Fruit drink (8) 16 Bivouac (6) 17 Forbidden (5) 19 Shallow dish (6) 21 Whirlpool (4) 23 Peak (4)
All solutions are on page 53
Property
go S - p m to p ain ag ro ’s az pe in rty e
www.theolivepress.es
Issue 34
chalk & cheese
October 2019
Two historic homes, two opposite styles SEE PAGES VIII & XII
Dilemmas of a billionaire
10
Spanish properties perfect for the mega-rich SEE www.theolivpress.es
More with a mortgage
B
UYING a property is cheaper than renting in most parts of Spain, according to new calculations. In 15 major cities it is far cheaper to pay a mortgage than to pay a landlord rent, it has been discovered. According to the findings, in none of the major cities did the cost of a mortgage come above 31% of the average family earnings. In some cities, such as Merida, the price of renting is as low as 8% of the average salary, found the report by global estate agency Century 21. In Sevilla, the cost of buying with a mortgage came to just 19% of the average salary, which is €2,671 a month, while in Valencia it was just 16% of €2,776. Rental outlay in the same two cities, meanwhile came to 32% and 26% of monthly earnings. In Murcia - where the average salary is €2,683 a month - tenants are paying 20% on rent, while owners pay just 11% on a mortgage. Another example showed that the owners of a 90-square-metre apartment in Madrid pay a mortgage of €960 per month, while tenants are paying €1,419 per month, an alarming 40% of a family’s income.
Those looking to live in Spain are better off buying than renting longterm, new figures show Only Barcelona cost more to rent at 44% of average earnings, while Palma in Mallorca cost 34%. “Renting has become a necessity for many people who can’t afford to buy.” explained CEO of Century 21 for Spain and Portugal, Ricardo Sousa. "Today, major cities around the world face the challenge of providing affordable and adequate solutions. “This is especially the case in large cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, where there is strong population growth, while housing options with affordable prices are scarce.” The cost of rents in Spain have jumped by 50% over the last five years, according to a study by the Bank of Spain, using data collected by Idealista. Almost 23% of the population rent property, significantly less than the European average of 30%.
DIVIDE: Between average regional earnings and the cost of rent and a morgage
II
PROPERTY
On the slide October , 2019
Mark Stucklin
www.spanishpropertyinsight.com
The property market is in the biggest decline since 2013, but things should turn around by Christmas, writes Mark Stucklin
S
PANISH home sales data for August 2019 reveal a market on the slide with transactions on the decline in almost all areas of interest to foreign investors, though there are reasons to think the setback might not last. Whichever figures you look at, the number of home sales recorded in August were lower than the same month last year. There are two main sources of home sales figures in Spain; on the one hand, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) based on source data from the Association of Spanish Land Registrars, and on the other, the Spanish Notaries’ Association. The data from the INE is based on the number of deeds of sale inscribed in the Land Register each month. Inscription can take place weeks or even months after the sale, so these figures lag the market by a month or two. The data from the notaries is based on the number of sales completions they witness each month. Their figures are more timely but subject to significant revision in the months that follow.
According to the notaries there were 30,351 Spanish home sales in August, a decline of 4.5% compared to the same time last year. Home sales have declined for four consecutive months, and in five of the last six months, according to the notaries. You have to go back to the 2013 when the market was just starting to turn around after the real estate crash to find declines as big as this. And this is the first time since 2012 that we see four consecutive months of declines in sales. There’s little reason to fear another crash today because the circumstances are so different (for example the total lack of a credit bubble and new construction still down 90% compared to what it was), but it is certainly starting to look as if the wind has gone out of the market’s sails, at least for now. That has implications for buyers, vendors, and property professionals, who might want to adjust their expectations accordingly. The number of Spanish home sales inscribed in Spain’s Land Register in August for sales completed in the proceedings months was 32,329 excluding VPO subsidised
housing sales, down 20% in a year (-21% if you include VPO sales). That’s the second decline in the last three months and the trend is clearly down. ing the biggest hit (-40%), and even As these figures lag the market by the perennially popular Costa del a few months, this big decline was Sol (Malaga province) down 30%. to be expected given the 21% de- Only the small market of Almecline we saw in the notaries’ figures ria managed to clock up a positive in June number of just 3%. Year to date the With the notaries’ figures in hand, picture is less negative with some we can expect another double digit big markets like Catalunya still up on decline in the INE’s last year, but the key figures next month. markets of Alicante The INE figures also (Costa Blanca), MalExperts blame a aga give us a breakdown (Costa del Sol), of sales by type of Spanish mortgage and the Balearic and property (new / reCanary islands are sale) and by region. law introduced all smaller in the first There were 6,426 eight months of this in June for new sales and year than they were in 28,945 resales redisrupting sales 2018. Experts blame corded in the month, a new Spanish mortboth including VPO, gage law introduced and both down 21%. in June for disrupting sales before Although the new figures don’t in- and after that, which can clearly be clude off-plan sales they don’t bode seen in the notaries’ figures and is well for developers if they point to- now showing up in the INE figures. wards a trend. The regional picture From the notaries figures it looks was one of widespread declines in like the declines are getting smaller all areas of most interest to foreign (June -21%, July -17%, August buyers, with the Canary Islands tak- -4%) and we may even see a return
to growth in September if the trend continues. But experts also warn that the current political instability in Spain, with elections due in November, and the Catalan independence drive hanging over them, is undermining the confidence of potential buyers, who could be forgiven for adopting a wait-and-see approach. To which I would add foreign demand appears to be cooling fast thanks to high transactions costs, unattractive tax laws, and the lack of transparency and professionalism in the Spanish property market all taking their toll on foreign demand now that prices are not so attractive. I don’t expect another crash but it looks like headwinds are playing a bigger role in the market than before, and could set the agenda for the next few months. That said, all experts quoted in the Spanish press forecast a return to moderate growth in sales during the last quarter of the year. www.spanishpropertyinsight.com
October 2019
Fast track
TOOLS DOWN
NEARLY two dozen estate agents have taken part in an organised cleanup at Fuengirola beach. The employees of Swedish agency Fastighetsbyran, which has several branches on the coast, helped make the beach a tidier spot. The team mucked in and disposed of used cans, cigarette butts and plastic. The day was part of Fastighetsbyran’s new green initiative, with many more projects to come in the future.
THE number of people employed in the Spanish building industry still remains under half pre-financial crisis levels, new figures have shown. Just 1.28 million people were employed in the construction trade during the second quarter of 2019, compared to 2.68 million people in 2008, before the global crash. Andalucia employs around 213,000 people in the building trade, more than any other region in Spain. However, this is still less than half the 441,300 people in the region working in the trade before the crash.
A REVOLUTIONARY new method of construction could radically speed up government housing projects after Brexit. The new system sees homes built abroad before being transported to the Rock on ships. This would not only quicken construction but also decrease noise and dust involved in local construction. “I have already made arrangements to start taking the first steps towards off site manufacturing for buildings,” said Minister for Economic Development Sir Joe Bossano. “This is this is where the industry is now compared
Flatpack construction
Gibraltar to have homes pre-built outside the territory to cut labour costs post-Brexit
to where it was in 1991, when we had the building components factory in Gibraltar. “It is different technology, you can actually build the entire flat elsewhere. “And, of course, there are huge advantages in terms
By John Culatto
of speed and cost because you would be less subject to the weather on a building site.” The move is part of the post-Brexit economic plan that would mean less ma-
terials need to be brought over from Spain. “MMC (Modern Methods of Construction) produces everything that you need offsite, and you just assemble it onsite,” he revealed. “So while you’re doing for example, foundations
Palatial buy
TWO iconic Malaga buildings are being put up for auction. The well known Correos building next to the river, a structure valued at €16.8m, will go to auction in December (right). Currently the home of various Junta departments, as well as the tax authorities (hacienda), the new buyer will have to at least partly use it for public services. The second building, the Palacio de la Tina (left), a complex also known as the Palace of Ink, is valued at €12.45 million. It is currently being used by the Junta.
in Gibraltar, your actual buildings can be growing somewhere else before being brought here.” The former Chief Minister had planned to visit an MMC plant which had received billions of UK government investment.
3 III
Cranes back AROUND 10% more building licences have been passed this year in Malaga. So far 5,850 new homes have been approved in the province, which is reflected in a sharp increase in cranes towering over the coast.
Casting call
HIT Channel 4 show Sun, Sea and Selling Houses has returned to Spain scouting for a new cast of home buyers. The programme follows British estate agents hoping to find UK expats their dream home in the sun. If you are currently house hunting in Almeria or Alicante then producers at Ricochet are waiting for your call. “We’re looking for people house hunting in November and December,” a spokesperson told the Olive Press. “Whether their budget is €50,000 or €5 million, or the house is a holiday home or a permanent one, we would love to hear from them. “It’s a really lighthearted, fun show.” Those interested should email spain@ricochet.co.uk or call 00 44 1273032190
4X VIII
October , 2019
PROPERTY
BLACK & WHITE JON CLARKE is wowed by the sumptuous styles of brand new Costa de la Luz suites hotel Plaza 18 IT has the sort of hip, highend charm one would normally associate with a capital city. Yet, Plaza 18 sits in the heart of the Cadiz town of Vejer de la Frontera, best known for its cutting edge cuisine and magical light. A collaboration between the town’s emblematic Califa hotel and award-winning London interior architect Nicky Dobree, it combines modern, contemporary style with the careful conserva-
DESIGNER: Dobree
tion of a 19th century townhouse. In short, luxury has finally arrived on the Costa de la Luz. While there are many stylish and comfortable places to stay on this rugged, lesser-known Andalucian costa, few comprise the sheer opulence of Plaza 18. This is, of course, appropriate for the 1896 gem, that was built on foundations dating back to the days of 13th century Al-Andaluz.
Working with local craftsmen and using entirely organic building materials, Dobree has ensured it has a harmonious connection to the region. This meant lifting and relaying the original black and white floor tiles, while the massive glazed roof lantern (or ‘montera’) was carefully dismantled and repaired. It ensures a wonderful sense of light in the main atrium, where a stone staircase and wrought-iron
balustrade rises up magisterially on two sides to the handful of suites upstairs. There are only six suites in total, each with their own distinct style and measurements. What unites them are the full-height black lacquered doors with quirky circular brass handles, designed by Dobree herself. Each bedroom is the very epitome of comfort, wellappointed, with amazingly deep mattresses and pillows to sink a battleship, while the bathrooms are luxuriously curated and have their own evocative scent. A communal lounge features a series of paintings bought by Dobree over the last few decades and a welcoming honesty-style drinks tray, plus a large selection of teas and coffees. Meanwhile a terrace out back is the perfect place for guests to enjoy breakfast served on hand-painted plates with views over the classic Cadiz town and over towards Morocco. Best of all though, is the side door taking you straight into Califa hotel, and its groundbreaking courtyard restaurant, consistently voted one of the best on the coast. www.hotelplaza18.com
PROPERTY
14 XII
Portals to progress
October , 2019
In the penultimate part of a series on the renovation of an ancient townhouse in Ronda, Gabriella Chidgey reveals how to work with windows, doors and town hall rules There were only two glass windows in the whole 350-metre squared building. Other than these 1980s additions there were just metal shutters which banged noisily in the strong winter winds. It being an 18th century townhouse in the casco historico of Andalucia’s most romantic town, the facade was completely protected so the sizes of the windows and doors needed to remain exactly the same. Worse, the council decreed the windows must be wooden, or at least appear to be made from wood, and they must be within the natural range of wood colours. It turns out there is an aluminium window that imitates wood grain, and both the builder and the architect suggested it as it is both practical and economical and they knew we were on a budget. But it made my husband and I cringe. It is true that wood is expensive and it warps in the extreme Ronda climate, but I love its warmth and I eschew imitation so pine windows and shutters were dutifully ordered from a local factory, then painted and fitted by a carpenter. Beware, for this takes at least
a month to arrive (in our case much longer) but they meet EU regulations meaning the seals and double glazing meet the standards required to guarantee maximum energy efficiency. With the panes, form follows function so I opted for contemporary simplicity and found an ebony matt varnish to stain them the darkest brown allowed. The original window bars or rejas - were already painted black so they toned well. On the back of the house we were not constrained by size or the colour code so we mixed white with a transparent matt varnish so that the natural grain was visible. The main entrance doors and a second set, just inside a traditional ‘San Juan porch’,
NO WASTAGE: The original front door and its foot-long key was painted matt brown while a set of old doors were used to make a wardrobe
DON’T TOUCH: The conservation of Ronda Romantica apartments was by order
were hundreds of years old complete with studs, iron bolts, a hand-wrought light arch (see above) and an ancient lock with a key. And I’m not joking - about a foot long. There were so many layers of mucky brown paint that had we attempted to strip them I doubt we would have been left with any doors at all. Instead, we just painted over
everything with, yes, you guessed it, the blackest, matt brown paint I could find, using the Farrow and Ball colour Tanners Brown as a guide. The original doors inside the house were old, rustic and uneven, however they still worked, or would, with a little care and repair. Some stayed in position, others found new thresholds, and a couple became doors for a new wardrobe. Most were repainted in a matt version of the original yellow ochre, copied by a local paint shop from a fragment. I prefer harmony to contrast so I differenti-
ated the new from the old by years to get this far) I used painting the doors a stronger the builders before they left mustard shade. the site. My plan had been for the They used thin bricks (rasilcarpenter to lones) covbuild the kitchered with ceens for each ment (mescla) None of the apartment, to create the appliances, in structure and and use a local white marble for any of the five divisions for the surface. the fridge and Since the buildwashing maapartments, ers were finchines, etc, and fitted ishing and the the counter top windows still was made with in the carpenthe remainder ter's workshop, it seemed of the floor tiles used in each prudent to choose another apartment. course. In three apartments we laid With speed being of the es- reclaimed baldosas hidraulisence (it already taking two cas (encaustic cement tiles), in one old barro tiles, and in the more modern flat, new terrazzo tiles which looked great when paired with a black tap. But typically job done, builders off, we found that none of the appliances, in any of the five apartments, fitted underneath. Although built to a standard height, we had forgotten that the width of a brick was 10cm in comparison to a couple of centimetres of marble. I should have drawn a proper plan, as I had for everything else, and I should also have created one kitchen first to alert me to any problems. Luckily, we managed to sort it out by shaving away a few cm in some places and removing the top and the feet of the washing machines. Badda boom, everything now fits perfectly and with the lovely hand-made curtains from a local lady it looks like it was planned this way in the first place. Next month I’ll take you through my choice of furnishings. Visit www.alcantarilla.co.uk to stay at Ronda Romantica or call 00 34 654152122 to speak to Gabriella
7
That’s a wrap
A CINEMA has been fined for stopping filmgoers bringing food and drink into screenings. Zafra’s Multicines was slapped with the €3,000 fine for imposing the ban. Spain’s Federation of Cinemas (FECE) has welcomed the move describing it as ‘positive’. It comes after a 2017 law insisted cinemas should allow customers to bring in their own drinks and food.
LA CULTURA
Metro treasure
Archeological dig below Metro has uncovered remarkably preserved remains from yesteryear FOUR 18th and 19th century pools used to treat animal skins have been found under the Malaga Metro.
The extremely well preserved ruins are located near the original port of Malaga and the Guadalmedina river.
Banksy bargain THE work of camera-shy British graffiti artist Banksy can sell for millions of euros. However a lucky buyer managed to snap up two of his works for just €2,000 each from a Madrid gallery. Love Wins, a photograph of the artist spray painting the same text on the West Bank wall, and a screen print of children
on swings spinning around a fragment of a wall were sold by gallery Salon du Connaisseur. The sum is a drop in the ocean compared to the €11 million that Banksy’s Parliament Devolved sold for earlier in October. The painting depicts MPs in the House of Commons as chimpanzees.
“These pools are from the industrial era and we believe they belonged to a leather factory and were used to tan leather which was dyed in the pools,” sources at the Ministry of Development said. The ruins are the latest excavations to be uncovered during works to expand the Malaga Metro to Alameda Principal gardens. A traditional Islamic house, a main road to a Muslim suburb and a row of decorative boulders dating from the 17th and 18th centuries have also been discovered. The artefacts will be disassembled and eventually transferred to another room which will be built in the Metro tunnel in the area of Callejones del Perchel. This will serve as an exhibition, where the remains of the Islamic Avenida de Andalucia will be available for public viewing as well. Because of the development of further urban infrastructure, some of the remains left will have to be left unearthed.
17
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
Raising hell
YOU’LL be in stitches when a Halloween cinematic favourite gets a local makeover on stage for charity this month. Catalan Bay will be the setting for a comic adaptation The Village of the Damned for the day before and after Halloween. “The film is a very old and famous sci-fi movie,” director Andrew Dark told the Olive Press. “I have then transplanted it to our very own Rock setting it in the 90s with the rising tensions around the cigarette smuggling.” White Light Theatre company will also be holding a fancy dress competition with a £100 prize over October 31 and November 1. “We produce in order to give back,” added Dark. Tickets for the play are available on buytickets.gi or at the door of the John Mackintosh Hall theatre where it is held. Profits from the performance will go to the GBC Open Day and Stay Clean.
what’s on All in theshoes Dancing mind LOOK out for some MARBELLA’S H10 Antop daluciadancers young Plaza Hotel at Danza hosts the Mind, Body Academy’s Annual & Spirit ChoFestival fromCompetition reography October 26 - 27, at John 11am Mackintosh to 8pm. Hall on the evening of October 24.
Fun-gus Family is JUZCAR funday holding
its popular Mushroom Gathering Weekend, atheguided SUPPORT Aniwalk inthrough mals Need Founthe forests on dation foraging Octoberfor 26 mushrooms, with its child-friendfrom November ly Halloween 8 - 10. Spooktacular Stall at the Parliament Lobby Absolutely from 10am.
nuts Bigger picture THE ‘Big Chestnut Roast’
in Ojen,outMalaga, will CHECK some interhave its 27th artwork edition esting historical in the exhibition village square, in an by the on November 3 where Gibraltar National Arvisitors starting can alsoonenjoy chives Nogames and food. vember 4 at the Gibraltar Fine Arts Gallery.
You’ve been Rock runner Tango’d
WATCH three of the top LA Tango will trail Portena runners in the world celebrate its Rock 10th from anrun up the niversary on Casemates into Nerja O’Hara’s November with a huge Battery in 8the Eurafrica concert. Trail on November 3.
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18
LA CULTURA How we nailed a champagne socialist MP
October 23rd 9th - October - November 22nd 5th2019 2019 Octo-
Crta de Cadiz 174 (Opposite Puerto Banns (Behind the Casino) Nueva Andalu cia Malaga Spain Sat 26th & Sun 27th October FREE-DEMONSTRATIONS-TALKS Over 50 Stands & Inspirational talks & demonstrations this weekend 11 am - 8pm 12.00 Demonstration of Mediumship Jan Siggs International Medium 12.30 Mediumship Demonstration Michael Hardy Spirit Medium 1.00 True Health starts in Your Gut Anita Verhoogt/Anita Smith (Sat) 1.00 Talk on Your Inner Child Paulo Akasico (Sunday) 1.30 How to recognize & improve you ESP Robert Williams Mentalist 2.00 Psychic Eye Reading Demonstration Devanshu Herke Wiersma 2.30 Demonstration of Mediumship Jayson Harrington Medium 3.00 Demonstration of Clairvoyance Julie Cook Wales Welsh Witch 3.30 Clinical Hypnotherapy for PTSD Sarah Yuen The Beat Retreat(Sat) 3.30 Past Life Regression /Clinical Hypnotherapy SarahYuen (Sunday) 4.00 Demonstration of Spiritual Mediumship by Jennifer Mackenzi 4.30 Psychic Demonstration Wales top Psychic Lee Petulengro 5.00 Ho’ opono’pono Hawaiian Healing Method Marion Diaz (Saturday) 5.00 Time Line Therapy (healing the past) Marion Diaz (Sunday) 5.30 Take Control of Your Health With Essential Oils Lotta Hammer 6.00 Demonstration of Tarot Nadine Buckman Tarot & Psychic Artist 6.30 Acupuncture Qigong Spain Penelope Knight
In the second part of a story on Blair babe Margaret Moran, the Olive Press nearly gets the wool pulled over its eyes
I
FOUND myself rushing out of the office as Jon flew down the stairs. He had his phone out and was demanding to know Marcus’s number. We got to the street outside and he leaned against his car as he called our editor. “I don’t care how sick you are, mate, you’ll get over it. What you’ll never get over is missing a story like this. “How soon can you be down here? What - three hours? That’s not good enough. Twenty minutes and we’re leaving without you. Alright, half an hour. This is an exclusive, mate! “What do you mean you can’t drive? You’re joking, right? I’ve never heard of a journalist who couldn’t drive. Look, if you don’t come down now I’m going to come up the mountain and drag you out of bed.” Jon then called Jake our distributor to ask him some questions about his fall out
with Margaret Moran and by the time he had finished talking Molly had turned up and dropped Marcus off. He looked more peeved than sick, and was wearing a large woolly scarf wrapped around his throat. “About time,” said Jon, stepping into his car. “Get in, the pair of you.” “No, wait,” I said “the tracks are too rough for this up there. We’ll need to go in mine.” And so the three of us climbed into my car and set off for the valley running to the east of Cerro Negro where, if Jake was to be believed, a British politician was in some kind of Mexican standoff with several locals. The road, although
potholed in places, was fine until we reached the hamlet of Tíjola, a strung out collection of whitewashed houses almost at river level, where it narrowed considerably. After another mile the road turned into a rough track as it veered off uphill to the left and passed by some abandoned ruins.
Goons
Jon was taking charge of the situation, fiddling with his camera and issuing orders. “Jason, you’re the photographer and the driver. I want you to take pictures of the house from every angle and keep the car outside with the engine running while we go inside.
“f you see any of the locals getting beaten up you need to get pictures, understand?” I nodded. Marcus gave a squeak of protest from the back. “I don’t feel well, can’t I stay in the car too?” “No,” said Jon sternly. “You are the editor of the newspaper; she needs to know we mean business.” “But,” Jon added; “don’t open your mouth unless she asks you a question. Keep quiet and let me do the talking. Make sure you record everything – you do have a recorder don’t you?” All this sounded fine but we had very little idea where her house was located. After a few forays down blind tracks,
Lemons and hard nuts to crack
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SCEPTICAL: Driving over Lemons author Chris Stewart didn’t expect the Olive Press to survive for very long
A few weeks after our launch I saw a familiar looking figure walking around Orgiva with the kind of characteristic jaunty lope that identifies a certain type of Englishmen. A tallish man, with curly greying hair and glasses, there was no doubt it was Chris Stewart, the author of the bestselling book Driving over Lemons. In his book Stewart, a former Genesis drummer, detailed his move to La Alpujarra in the 1980s to escape Thatcher’s Britain’ and his subsequent transformation into a penniless hill shepherd. I had read it one miserably grey Christmas Day back home and went to bed that night thinking I’d like to move to that mythical sounding place. Luckily for me, my wife Michelle was also up for the idea. And now, here we were. Much had been made of the success of his book and Stewart had become something of a local hero, credited with putting the Alpujarras on the map and initiating Orgiva’s rejuvenation. The mayor, it was said, had even talked about erecting a bronze statue in the plaza to the writer, apparently to his horror. As I passed him, I noticed that the famed writer was eating churros, those fried sugary dough sticks that are dunked in hot chocolate for breakfast. There was nothing unusual about this but I couldn’t help noticing that they were wrapped in a familiar-looking newspaper with a green masthead. When I went back to the office, Marcus leaped up from his desk and grabbed a copy of Driving over Lemons from the office bookshelf. “You know what I’m going to do?” he ranted. “I’m going to carry this book around with me and if I see him in the street I’ll rip out a page and wipe my f**king arse with it!” I never did find out whether Marcus carried out this threat, but the next time I saw Chris he was drinking from a fountain in Pampaneira. I introduced myself and told him about The Olive Press. “Yes, I’ve seen it,” he said. “Good luck with it – other people have tried the same and failed in these parts. It’s a tough nut to crack.”
LA CULTURA
19
October 9th - October 22nd 2019
SHAMELESS: Moran and her villa cutting off locals’, leading to our first big exclusive followed up by the Mail and Telegraph
I began to worry about the failing light. Already the sun was beginning to sink and much of the valley was entering into deep shade. Also,
where was the gang of goons we had been warned about? “I thought you said you knew where it was,” said Jon. Presently, and not a moment
too soon given the fading light, we saw a small group of men loitering by the side of the track. “Hombres,” called out Jon, “we must speak to the English señora as a matter of urgency.” His Spanish was pretty good compared to ours, to be fair. With a shrug, one of the men pointed to a flat-roofed cortijo
COLOURFUL: Not all the residents of nearby Beneficio were fun-loving, free lovers
Pow wow man tied to a crucifix One of our most interesting early stories concerned Beneficio – or ‘Benefit’ - the commune of thousands of new age travellers up the mountain near Cáñar – and a South African man. The man had turned up there some months before, and had quickly muscled his way onto the so-called community council and seized the talking stick at a pow wow, meaning nobody else was allowed to speak from then on. In this way he had established himself as a kind of mini tyrant and nobody had dared to challenge him. At some point it all come to a head when he accused a British hippie of sleeping with another man's wife. He then exacted punishment on the man by tying him to a crucifix and keeping him there for several days inside a 'prison tepee'. Eventually the man was released but he was then run out of town, chased stark naked down the mountain with a bull whip in the middle of the night. This was enough for the local police to go up to Beneficio and arrest the man, who was taken in and thrown into the cells, much to the relief of the other residents of the commune. Further investigation revealed he was a fugitive wanted in connection with a serious crime and he was later jailed in Granada. Everyone enjoyed that story.
a bit further down the valley. “Casa de la inglesa,” he said simply, stepping aside. So these were the ‘thugs’. When I pulled up outside the house my mouth was dry. “Remember,” said Jon, “keep the engine running and turn the car around so we can get out of here in a hurry – we don’t know what kind of protection she’s got.”
just come in.” “Now you tell me,” I said. “Nice woman,” said Jon, and Marcus and Jon got out of the Marcus nodded in agreement. car and I watched them walk to “She explained the whole conthe front door and knock. flict thing with Jack, or whatThe door opened, spilling out ever his name is. To be honest, warm light, and a short exit’s her I feel sorry for, I mean change took place between it’s private property, so why Jon and the short woman who shouldn’t they be able to cut off stood there. A moment later the track if she’s being bullied they all stepped inside and the by them? Your man, she said, is door closed. I turned the car a bit of an anarchist. around and sat there with my “It’s like the Wild West round hands on the steering wheel here, she says. People just with the engine running. don’t respect the rule of law.” I tried to imagine what was goWe drove on in silence for a ing on inside. Perhaps there while. So, it was nothing more would be arguing, with accuthan a storm in a teacup. sations and rebuttals flying Suddenly Jon startled me, around, as Moran’s protectors shouting, “Stop!” stood on a hair trig“What is it?” I ger, ready to eject said, stepping the unwelcome She’s taken us on the brake. guests. I thought an Did Tony Blair’s in with a sob animal had ministers have MI5 out in protection? I had no story, a cup of run front of the idea. car. tea and some Time passed. An “Don’t you hour went by and great wines see what darkness fell. Hunshe’s done?” ger was beginning he said. to bite and I enter“What did I say Marcus? I said tained the idea that maybe I don’t look into her eyes. She’s should go and tell them to hurry gone and charmed us. Taken us up. I turned off the engine. in, told us her sob story. You did Vaguely, I wondered if they had record everything, didn’t you?” been tied up back-to-back or He reached into his pocket and something. pulled out his phone. Stepping Almost two hours had passed out he leaned against a tree when the door of the farmand connected with a newspahouse opened again and Jon per in London. and Marcus stepped out into “Yeah, give me the news desk,” the night. I started the car enhe said. “I‘ve got a story for you. gine, but they were not running Are you ready for this? You’ll away from the house, they were love it.” walking slowly. Afterwards I drove back to Ór“What the hell happened?” giva and parked outside the I said, half-annoyed but also office. Marcus made his apoloeager to hear what had gone gies, starting to walk off in down. the direction of the bus stop. “Sorry about that,” said Jon “we “Where do you think you’re gogot invited in for a cup of tea. ing?” Jon called out. “We’ve got And she had something mea very busy evening ahead of dicinal for Marcus’s flu. Turned us.” out she had some really great Marcus turned back and gave wines in her cellar.” him a withering look. “Too ill,” “She rustled up a decent bit of he groaned. tapas too,” croaked Marcus. “Nonsense,” replied Jon, “You “We totally forgot about you out do have a coffee machine, here,” said Jon. don’t you?” “You should have
The Olive Press: News from the Land of Misfits by Jason Heppenstall is available on Amazon
20
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
Right call BOSSES of publicly owned construction company GJBS have agreed with union officials to give workers more rights. The accord signed on October 18 with Unite the Union saw their salaries increased to bring them in line with the Housing Works Agency. Workers now have an attendance bonus and sick leave, maternity and paternity provision and can now form part of the Superannuation Pension Scheme. “Unite would like to thank GJBS Management team and the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo QC MP for the positive resolution to our members claim,” said Unite’s Christian Duo.
BUSINESS
Scare space
Costa del Sol will haemorrhage over a billion euros in tourist cash due to Brexit, say experts EXPERTS have warned that the UK’s departure from the EU could result in a €1.4 billion loss between 2019 - 2020 in the Costa del Sol’s tourism sector. The Brexit deadline of October 31 has caused uncertainty and a decline in British tourism in Andalucia of 3.3% in the third quarter of this year. If there is no deal agreed, it is feared that fewer tourists will travel to Spain’s
southern coast, meaning businesses will be affected. Malaga Airport is also among the top three European airports with the most direct flights to the UK. Luis Callejon, president of the Association of Hotel Entrepreneurs of the Costa del Sol (Aehcos), said: “We are worried because we still don’t know what can happen and where British tourists will decide to travel to.
DECLINE: In Costa tourism over EU withdrawal
“If they are able to travel easily, they will continue to come to the Costa del Sol
Spaniards switch off THE percentage of people in Spain who do their weekly supermarket shop online has fallen. Around 2.4% of shoppers now buy their supermarket shopping on the internet, compared to 3.4% in 2015. The number of consumers who either regularly or occasionally make purchases online has also fallen. Less than 25% of people now buy items online in regular or sporadic intervals, according to data from the Association of Large Consumer Companies (Aecoc). The organisation’s report, which studied consumer trends, also found that discount stores continue to grow in popularity. Also, 13.8% of consumers listed discount retailers as their second favourite place to buy. Only supermarkets were more popular.
and other Spanish destinations, but if there is a difficulty, they will go to other countries and the losses will be substantial.” It comes after UK Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay warned a no-deal Brexit would threaten European tourism, saying if the UK left without a withdrawal agreement, it could majorly affect an industry ‘valued at around half a billion pounds a year.’ The National Institute for Statistics published last month said that the number of British tourists visiting Spain dropped this year by 2.2%.
‘Turbocharged’ economy A DOUBLE taxation agreement with the UK will soon be passed in the Gibraltar Parliament, it has been revealed. It comes after the Queen’s Speech guaranteed the promised Common Market between Gibraltar and the UK that was previously a part of EU economic freedom. These deals are unique to Gibraltar among British overseas territories and Crown dependencies. “In this year’s Queen’s Speech we have secured confirmation of Gibraltar as unique in this respect,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo in his election victory speech. “We have already turbo-charged our economy with a double taxation agreement on October 17. “There are important opportunities to do business in and from Gibraltar.” The triumphant Picardo said this agreement was ‘a partnership well beyond colonialism’ as it had international recognition. They fulfil Picardo’s goal of achieving what he had earlier called ‘an ever closer relationship within the bounds of our constitution’ after Brexit. The agreements lay the foundations for the Think Gibraltar campaign recently launched in London, which aims to bring more UK businesses to the Rock.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
21
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
Playing store detective A NEW app that tells users if supermarket foods are ‘ultra-processed’ has been launched in Spain. The app ‘MyRealFood’ is the brainchild of Carlos Rios, a social media influencer and nutritionist with more than 1.5 million Instagram followers. He said he aimed to raise awareness of the ‘realfooding’ movement, a diet based on avoiding processed and
GREATS GO TO WAR
AN Italian trattoria that specialises in tripe is hoping to steal a Madrid eatery’s title and become the world’s oldest restaurant. Paolo Trancassini, the owner of La Campana in Rome, believes his restaurant has been open since 1518. He is now asking the Guiness Book of Records to re-examine the title of the world’s oldest restaurant, currently held by Sobrino de Botin which opened in the Spanish capital in 1725. The Madrid establishment counts American writers Ernest Hemmingway and Truman Capote among its previous customers.
pre-cooked products. Rios said the movement is ‘not a fad’ and estimates that 80% of what consumers buy in supermarkets is ultraprocessed. The new app allows users to scan produce before purchasing and check whether food is ‘ultra-processed’, ‘healthy processed’ or ‘real food’.
Feed the world By Robert Firth
OVER 200 Andalucian restaurants will take part in Restaurantes Contra el Hambre, an initiative aimed at reducing child hunger. The 10th anniversary of the campaign is being celebrated by the publication of a restaurant guide that lists eating establishments committed to reducing child hunger. Money raised by the campaign will go to the charity Accion Contra el Hambre, which fights to reduce child hunger. Each participating restaurant will feature ‘solidarity’ dishes that will see between 0.5 and 2 euros of their price donated to the charity to be used for ‘prevention,
Nature nosh
Top restaurants in Andalucia join nationwide campaign to end child hunger
diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition’. A shocking 45% of deaths in children under the age of five around the world are caused by hunger. Andalucian chef Jose Carlos Garcia, who owns an eponymous Michelin starred restaurant in Malaga, is among the top Andalucian chefs taking part in the initiative. “All restaurateurs have a responsibility to share and put our entire team on guard to collaborate in the fight against hunger,” he
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
said. Paco Morales of Michelin starred Noor restaurant in Cordoba, is also supporting the campaign. Other Andalucian restaurants helping out with the
project include Sale Los Atanores, which specialises in sourcing ingredients for meals locally and Sevilla’s upmarket Restaurante Oriza. In total over 1,200 restaurants across Spain will participate.
HAUTE cuisine is getting a horticultural twist under the helm of famed dessert chef Jesus Escalera, the latest addition to Restaurant L’Olive’s talented team at La Reserva Golf Club in Sotogrande. So don’t be surprised to find plants, petals, leaves and edible toadstools in your pud! The visionary chef who recently showcased selections from his avant garde autumn repertoire will be a welcome addition to the swanky eatery which is presided over by head chef Javier Rebollo. L’Olive specialises in international dishes that take diners on a ‘gastronomic voyage very much inspired by nature’.
Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.
With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling. Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist. PROUD
BRITISH
For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
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Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC
Phoenician Empire Calentita
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INTERNATIONAL
THE ROCK The Moorish Castle Festivals Food Festival Pillars of Hercules Music 100000 YEARS National Week, Chess, Snooker, LITERARY FESTIVAL
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A year of Culture
Bring hearts, minds and souls
22
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
COLUMNISTS
Dolly Mixtures Just when you thought things couldn’t get more PC, meet Wheelchair Barbie and her genderneutral grandkids, writes Belinda Beckett curvier shapes championed racial and body image issues. Today Barbie is the epitome of diversity with over 100 personas and counting. But sales of the doll have been on a downward spiral so, for her big Six-O, ‘to elevate the conversation around physical disabilities’, Mattell has put her in a wheelchair and given her a removable prosthetic leg). You couldn’t make it up, although clearly someone did. Coming soon is a samesex Barbie wedding set so it looks like poor old are my friends). It was the new Creatable World ‘gender-neutral’ dolls from the same Mattel family which are tipped to be one of the hottest items Santa Amazon will be delivering to family homes this Christmas. A doll for everyone – ‘designed to keep labels out and invite everyone in’, they come with prepubescent bodies, androgynous features and mix-andmatch hair and clothes that can be styled as male, female or in-between. The LGTBQ community seem to like it - America’s National Center for Trans-
gender Equality has even retweeted tweaked lyrics to Aqua’s Barbie Girl song: ‘I’m a non-binary doll, In a binary world, You can brush my hair, Please use the pronoun ‘their.’ Mattel admits, “Some parents may feel uncomfortable about a toy that creates a situation where gender will need to be discussed with their child”. And it certainly makes a lively topic for ye old traditional Christmas Family BustUp.
But I’m wondering what all the fuss is about. Apart from Sindy with her modest B-cup, all my dolls were gender neutral including - to my huge disappointment when I ripped off his combat trousers – my brother’s Action Man. And anyway they’re not that PC as they’re all made of
plastic. Biodegradable Barbie has yet to be invented. Pending that, I rather fancy Hasbro’s gender-swapped version of Monopoly, entitled Ms Monopoly, where women players earn more than men. Bring it on!
I can’t stand up for falling Giles Brown suffered a very British this week, but is now down accident available as the perfect panto pirate
AUTUMN is upon us. The season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’ that comes as a welcome relief after the summer madness. Americans call this time of year Fall, which is somewhat appropriate as that is exactly what I did last week, with painful consequences. I had just left a friend’s house - they were out - and was walking back up towards my
car when ‘BAMM!’ I tripped over two very small steps and went sprawling face down. I realised straight away that I’d gone about 120 degrees over on my ankle and couldn’t get up. I was, to put it mildly, in pain. In the circumstances, my only option was to shout out for help. Perhaps it’s a peculiarly British thing, but whereas our
OP Puzzle solutions
Quick Crossword
Across: 7 Yielded, 9 Erode, 10 Animals, 11 Frown, 12 Sweep, 14 Yardley, 16 Extinct, 18 Samos, 20 Cheer, 22 Blaenau, 24 Madam, 25 Overdue. Down: 1 Bypass, 2 Sediment, 3 Idea, 4 Performs, 5 Polo, 6 Teensy, 8 Dusty, 13 Panorama, 15 Lemonade, 16 Encamp, 17 Taboo, 19 Saucer, 21 Eddy, 23 Apex.
SUDOKU
S
HE sashayed onto the market in a clingy zebra print onepiece in 1959, the first doll with proper breasts and an hourglass figure. Barbie turns 60 this year and I’d like to know the name of her plastic surgeon! But although she doesn’t look her age, she’s not the blonde/brunette 34-2434 bombshell I recall from Christmas toy shop visits of childhood (Mum got me a Sindy doll – ‘British-made, better class and more demure’). Not many people know that the original Barbie was modelled on a German doll called Lilli who was a prostitute gag gift handed out at bachelor parties. Nobody’s perfect and Mattel her American makers have been tweaking bits over the years to keep her relevant, morphing her from 60s dolly bird to 70s disco queen to 80s career woman. Astronaut Barbie and Presidential Candidate Barbie became the cheerleaders in the ‘glass-ceiling’busting’ Nineties while Noughties Barbies in a range of skin tones with
Mediterranean friends would yell and scream and generally startle wildlife all the way up to Ronda, the British way of calling for help is generally done in an apologetic way so as not to disturb anyone Fortunately a Danish friend happened to pop her head out of a nearby window, and asked what I was doing. I stoically informed her that, not being in the habit of lying face down on pavements of a Wednesday evening, I had fallen over, and was in some distress (the best answer ever to that question by the way, was from vintage Glasgow comedian Chic Murray who, when asked ‘did you fall?’ replied ‘no, I was trying to break a bar a chocolate in my back pocket’). My friend helped me to my (very painful) feet and plonked me on her sofa to recover. The resultant nerve damage and bruising means that I’m writing this column with a set of crutches by my side, but the positive angle is that I should be an expert on them if anyone needs a Long John Silver for panto this Christmas!
SPORT Granada gains
GRANADA CF have made a great start to the new season, sitting third in La Liga, only two points off Barcelona who sit top. The newly-promoted Andalcuian team have made an unprecedented start, winning five games, drawing and losing two. The side earned their fifth win last weekend, beating Osasuna 1-0 in a hard-fought game. And Granada have stunned champions Barcelona last month, beating the Catalans 2-0, and even in their recent defeat to Real Madrid, a 4-2 loss, Granada tried until the bitter end. So far they have earned 17 points, which is their best ever start to La Liga. Only one team was relegated after earning at least the same points from their opening nine matches in the league - local rivals Sevilla, in the 1971/1972 season. Granada have scored five goals with headers, more than any other team in the top five European leagues.
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Last-gasp entry SPAIN secured its place in the 2020 European Championship in the dying embers of the game against Sweden, which finished 1-1. Rodrigo Moreno salvaged a point for the side in the 93rd minute, the away side having trailed since the 51st minute when Marcus Berg opened the scoring from close range. The Valencia striker saved Spain’s blushes, finding himself in the right position to tap in a crossed ball. The point leaves Spain top of Group F, five points clear of Wednesday night’s opponents, who will now have to file for automatic qualification with Romania. Spain will want to better their exit for World Cup 2018 in the round of 16, when Russia trounced them 4-1 on penalties.
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Basque in glory A list of the fastest balls ever recorded featured Jai Alai, a sport known to the Basque region but not so well known to the rest of the world A BASQUE sport is the third fastest ball game in the world, new data has revealed. Jai Alai involves a ball bouncing off walls and accelerating it to high speeds with a handheld cesta, a curved racket. In 2017, sportsman of the game, Ibon Aldazabal, reached 305.77km and broke the sport’s top-speed world record which had previously been held for over 40 years. It’s been listed third of the fastest balls to ever occur in sport. Baseball came fifth, Giancar-
Sport for all lo Stanton hitting a ball at 199km and Aroldis Chapman throwing at 172 km in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Sam Groth served with a speed of 263.4km in tennis during the 2012 Busan Open in South Korea, and following that in football, the hardest ball was kicked by Ronny Heberson. His freekick flew into the net at 210.8km in 2006 for Sporting Lisbon.
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* Fu l l y co m p re h e n s i ve o f fe r va l i d fo r n e w c u s to m e r s o n l y. G u a ra nte e s u b j e c t to cove r, re p a i r at a p p rove d g a ra g e, a n d co u r te s y ve h i c l e ava i l a b i l i t y. S u b j e c t to co n d i t i o n s. O f fe r e n d s 3 0 / 1 1 / 1 8 .
Property damage to your bike It’s summertime, and the Spanish open roads beckon. Whether you ride a motorcycle, moped or motorized bike, there is nothing like letting your bike take you where you want to go. But before you suit up and head out, check that your motorcycle insurance includes standard coverage items such as property damage to the bike. Bike insurance policies from Línea Directa include total theft by third parties and any damage in the event of an accident resulting from a collision or impact. Compensation If the repair estimate exceeds 100% of the bike’s market value, then it will be considered a total write-off. In this case, compensation is calculated according to the bike’s age; during the first 12 months: value as new, from month 13 onwards: market value. Damage to the tyres are also covered, with 80% of their value as new if no liable third party vehicle is identified, and 100% if the other vehicle is identified. Standard equipment is also covered and compensated at replacement value. Repair costs, following an accident, are also covered 100% provid-
October 23rd - November 5th 2019
ing the insured submits the relevant invoices.
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Ways to save money on your bike insurance Línea Directa recommends you shop around not only to find the best price but also the best coverage, by comparing detailed quotes. Don’t cancel your policy in the winter because you won’t save on premiums, and with many fair weather riding days throughout the year, you won’t be insured if you want to go for a ride. Keep a clean record to help keep your premiums as low as possible. Always secure your bike in a locked facility and install an anti-theft device. Tips for safe, claims-free biking Before each ride, check your bike’s tyres, brakes and oil and petrol levels. Wear an approved helmet and if it has been involved in an accident then buy a new one. Wear a jacket, pants, gloves and riding boots, fluorescent or reflective materials will make you more visible to other road users especially at night. Remain alert at all times, especially at intersections and blind corners. Always respect speed limits and adjust your riding to the road and surface conditions.
We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 952 147 834. More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com
The second fastest ball ever recorded was Ryan Winther’s drive in 2013, which soared at 349.38km at the Orange County National Driving Range in Orlando. The fastest ever was achieved in badminton in 2017, when Mads Pieler Kolding struck a shot that hit a velocity of 426 km in a Indian Premier League match, speedier than the fastest ever bullet train.
THE Balearics government is beefing up funding for women’s sports and marginalised groups with a budget three times the size of last year’s. It comes as part of the Islands’ plan to promote the integration of female athletes and disenfranchised groups in mainstream sports, and this year there’s €180,000 in the pot. The extra money will sponsor youngsters at risk of social exclusion and subsidise sports training for women. The social integration project will receive €60,000, sports technical training for women will get €20,000 while €100,000 will be put towards women’s and mixed teams at a national level. By contrast, last year such projects received a budget of just €60,000 overall.
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Slap for a punch
FINAL WORDS
A FORMER monitor of a juvenile centre in Jerez de la Frontera has been fined €180 for punching one a young immigrant they cared for.
Winning dress THE 2020 Evooleum contest, which chooses the best olive oil in the world, named Spain’s ‘Gold Bailen Picua’ as the winner.
Card cars THE Urban Mobility delegation has announced plans for all La Linea taxis to have card machines installed to accept payments.
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Trick or treat?
Spanish officer causes diplomatic incident after driving into Gibraltar to buy chocolate treats with work mates A SPANISH Proteccion Civil chief never imagined that nipping to Gibraltar to treat work mates to some chocolate would cause a diplomatic incident. But when Jesus Manuel Narvaez, head of the El Burgo Protección Civil, drove three colleagues onto the British territory on Sunday, that’s just what happened.
After finishing their shift in Manilva, Narvaez asked permission to make the excursion. Narvaez wanted to buy chocolate and canned butter to treat his team. “I wanted, in some way, to motivate my colleagues,” he revealed “to thank them for their dedication. “We didn’t know you couldn’t enter Gibraltar with an official
Bleat street
OVER 2,000 sheep have taken over the streets of Madrid for a bizarre annual event. The Fiesta de la Trashumancia took place in the Spanish capital, along an old migration route shepherds traditionally used to take livestock south for the winter. Sheep wear bells for the celebration, which was updated in 1994, and this year also featured 100 goats.
SNACKTIME: A trip for treats landed four officers in hot water vehicle.” “If they had told us it couldn’t be done, we would have turned around, parked in La Linea and changed our clothes and entered, but no one told us anything.” The vehicle passed the border without being stopped by Policia Nacional or British police. But when it parked in Governor’s Street, people began to take pictures. “A couple of police approached us and told us we couldn’t have an official car like it and took us to the police station,” added Narvaez. “They treated us well.” They were questioned before
being returned to the border. The footage of the car on the Rock incensed Chief Minister Fabian Picardo however, before suspending four border officers, pending an investigation. “The incident is more than just concerning,” the newly reelected leader wrote in a statement. “I am asking all relevant bodies to explain to me how on earth this has happened and to ensure it does not happen again.” He added: “This is frankly not acceptable. Our systems have failed today and they must not fail again..”
Car-ma Sutra A RANDY couple filmed romping in the front seat of a car while driving along a motorway in the wrong lane have been jailed. Footage showed the woman straddling the driver buttnaked as the vehicle rode along the AP-6 toll road near Villacastin on December 15 last year. The ‘zigzagging’ car passed several vehicles, including one road user who had to stop and overtake in order to avoid a collision. A judge banned the two defendants from driving for two years and a day, and also slapped them each with a two-year suspended sentence.