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Justice edges nearer THE law is catching up with the bosses of a dodgy expat-run financial advisory firm whose clients lost millions through risky pension investments. Criminal proceedings are now underway against the former directors of Continental Wealth Management (CWM), which was based at the Marriott Hotel, in Denia. The proceedings against boss Darren Kirby (above) and associates involves 15 former clients, represented by a well-respected law firm based in Moraira and Denia. The Olive Press can reveal that a Madrid tribunal gave the green light for legal claims back in January. The judicial probe was ‘damning and comprehensive’ and opened the door to various criminal cases against the former directors. According to our source - a British victim, based on the Costa Blanca the tribunal ruled that the company ‘acted illegally in Spain’, “It also confirmed CWM was not insured and not properly regulated to manage clients’ pension funds,” said the expat, who lost €200,000. “Now we can see a glimmer of light,” added the father-of-two, who asked to remain anonymous, at this stage. The source is part of a wider group of 150 disaffected investors who collectively lost €15.3 million through a total of 308 risky investments. As CWM failed to reply to the Madrid tribunal’s verdict within a 15day window, former clients are able to seek criminal prosecution through the Spanish courts. The boss of the legal firm currently taking action in Denia told the Olive Press this week, it was just a ‘matter of weeks’ before a trial is scheduled. “We have filed a comprehensive case and we expect it to be accepted by the court this month,” he said.
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We’ve got the power! By Joshua Parfitt
DOZENS of expats are joining gypsies and Down syndrome candidates in the most diverse local elections in Spanish history. All around the Costa Blanca, Brits, Scandinavians and other northern Europeans have thrown their hats in the ring in the hope of representing the important international community at a local level. Dozens of foreigners have been
Expats fill up the ballot lists for vital local elections - in which FINALLY foreigners count! included on the various political party lists in a bid to become councillors. In a country - where up to 50% of many coastal towns comprise expats - local elections are vital. The poll this Sunday (May 26) is the ONLY vote, apart from the Eu-
After a rare Velazquez was discovered in New York, the Olive Press explored Spain’s most pricey paintings
See Painting by numbers, page 14
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ropean elections, in which expat residents can take part. “If we leave the EU, this election would be our last chance to have a say in our futures,” explained British expat Terence Curran, who is a candidate with the PP in Javea. The commander of a local firefighting unit is running under mayoral candidate Rosa Cardona in a campaign focusing on young people, security and integration. Meanwhile Andrew Shaw, who moved over from Britain 27 years ago, is running with Podemos in Javea. He hopes to make public transport more eco-friendly, introduce more bicycle lanes, as well as curb emigration inland by controlling rent prices. In the nearby village of Ondara, Candida Wright is running for the PP after spending four years as the head of HELP Denia. “Over these years, I have seen that more assistance is required from within local government for expats,” she explains. Ciudadanos in Moraira are also fielding two British women, Dawn
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Watkins and Linda Gimeno, with passions ranging from animal welfare to helping expats communicate better with the town hall. In what is believed to be the most diverse elections in Spanish history, four young adults with Down syndrome candidates are also standing in Valencia, Extremadura, Sevilla and Murcia. “I want my city to be a pioneer in working with people with disabilities and for us to truly have a voice and a vote,” Sevilla candidate Lopez-Saez de Riba explained. The employee at the Barceló Renacimiento Hotel says ‘people like him’ can offer ‘so much more than people think, including a fresh outlook and a different point of view’. It comes after four gypsies were elected to congress in April’s general elections in a Spain first. The PP, PSOE, Cs and Podemos each brought one gypsy to the country’s house of representatives from Sevilla, Madrid and Tarragona. They have all vowed to chip away at the xenophobia and systemic discrimination affecting gypsies across Spain. Many other gypsies are standing in the local elections around the country.
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Please help us! Expat pensioners assaulted as their once luxury apartment block is ‘mobbed’ by squatters
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
A GROUP of British pensioners are pleading for help after their block of flats descended into ‘hell’ due to squatters. The expats - who have lived in the Denia urbanisation for a decade - are desperate after a mob
Your reporters, here to help on the Costa Blanca Introducing News Editor Laurence Dollimore and Reporter Joshua Parfitt Contact them with any stories or news on 951 273 575 or email newsdesk@theolivepress.es (Personal contacts on page 6)
of ‘gypsies and squatters’ began breaking in five years ago. They insist neither the police or local authorities have helped to tackle the illegal occupants, who have taken over 25 of the 64 apartments in the Mirador
Monte Pedrera complex. “They have turned what was once a lovely community into a no-go area,” said the 72-yearold, who is too frightened to give her name out of fear of retaliation.
Sculpture attack
Message from the angels
A FOUNTAIN in Alicante’s most iconic square has been attacked by a man with a hammer. The legs of the horses in the sculpture in Plaza de los Luceros were shattered by the 38-year-old assailant. An arm of an angel was also badly cracked in the attack. The Spanish man has been arrested on a charge of crimes against cultural heritage.
A SERIES of Whatsapp messages to a girlfriend have spared a teenager from a prison sentence for armed robbery. The 19-year-old Spanish student from La Nucia was arrested in 2018 on suspicion of holding up a casino and robbing €11,500 at gunpoint. But a Benidorm court heard how WhatsApp messages backed his alibi that he was texting his girlfriend when the assault took place. After an expert’s report confirmed they could not have been manipulated and also placing him at home, he was found not guilty.
The grandmother continued that the squatters had punched a number of pensioners and even broke a handyman’s arm with baseball bats. “We came here for a peaceful retirement and what we’ve got is
Firebug in trouble
A PARTYGOER in Benidorm has been arrested after setting off a fire extinguisher in a karaoke bar. The man, a Brit, yanked the extinguisher from the wall and covered the floor, tables, drinks and sandwiches in thick white dust.
Justice for rapist A BRITISH man who raped two teenage girls 40 years ago has been jailed following extradition from the Costa Blanca. Jeffrey Waite, 66, carried out the attacks in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the UK. However, he managed to skip a court hearing in 2016 and fled to Torrevieja, before a European arrest warrant led to his capture in March last year.
Waite was found guilty of raping the teenagers, one of them underage, in Hartlepool. They likened him to a ‘madman’ and an ‘animal’.
hell on earth,” she told the Olive Press. “My partner got punched in the gut and the eye by one for simply asking to turn down a karaoke system blaring out during siesta hours,” she continued. They are due to attend court this week over the assault, but are not expecting anything to be done. Other residents, who include Germans and Spaniards, have also come under attack. “A handyman tried to stop three men breaking into an apartment and was thrashed by baseball bats just five weeks ago,” the pensioner said. “They broke his arm in two places.” The problems began when the recession curtailed sales in the block in 2007 and only 11 of the 64 apartments were sold. Many of the vacant homes were later seized by the squatters, a number of them even being sublet for money, it is claimed. Collectively the 11 owners are having to cover all the communal bills for the urbanisation, which includes a ‘€20,000 debt’ incurred by squatters stealing electricity and water In addition, they claim the developer owes €200,000 to the community. Police told the Olive Press they were unable to enter the properties as they are on ‘private land’.
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Red-dy for action? HE came as the vanguard of Liverpool’s arrival in Spain for their most important game of the season. Striker Roberto Firmino landed on the Costa del Sol a week before the arrival of his team mates for warm weather training in preparation for the Champions League final next weekend. The Brazilian forward, 27, arrived in Malaga aboard a €23 million priva-
STARS: The Spanish trio
Leftie luvvie
HE is a voice of a generation of Spaniards, who remember the transition from dictatorship to democracy. So it’s no surprise that legendary filmmaker Pedro Almodovar is backing the PSOE to do well in elections this weekend, and hopes Vox gets thwarted. The Oscar-winning director said he felt a sigh of relief when Spain backed the left wing government at last month’s general election. Speaking at Cannes film festival, alongside Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, he said it felt like Pedro Sanchez’ victory had ‘given him his country back’.
Deplorable
“I, like all Spaniards, was horrified by our last parliament,” he said, “the infighting and insults were deplorable. “Before the elections, I felt like I was not living in the country that I knew and worked for, fortunately, the result has given me back the democratic Spain I know and love.” He added it was ‘dreadful’ that the far-right Vox party won any seats and was ‘appalled’ that Miquel Iceta was blocked from becoming the first gay leader of the Senate by Catalan leaders.
te jet, in an attempt to overcome his groin injury for the final on June 1. He was spotted at the Marbella Football Center in San Pedro training with the club’s strength and rehabilitation assistant David Rydings. The remaining 22 Liverpool players jetted into Malaga on Monday, where they will stay for seven days before taking on Tottenham at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.
Not funny any more EXCLUSIVE: The financial battle that finally killed off expat comedian Freddie Starr
A STRANGER has agreed to pay for the funeral of expat comedy legend Freddie Starr. It comes after the tortured funnyman died in impecunious circumstances at his home on the Costa del Sol. The dad-of-six was found by his carer in a chair at his home in the La Cala Hills development, in Mijas. While Olive Press readers also generously offered to pay for his funeral here in Spain, one, Michael Fogg, a funeral director, in Sheffield, has agreed to fly his body home to the UK. “Freddie was much loved by the people in this country and deserves a proper send off,” he said. “This won’t be a sma-
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Falling Starr
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EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan Hills bolthole, he insisted it had not been his intention to flee justice over the failed libel action he took against a woman who accused him of sexual assault. Cutting a shambolic figure and talking slowly and painfully, he said: “I have had a quadruple bypass. It wasn’t a matter of planning anything. I always come to Spain anyway. I love it here. “I didn’t run away because of the court case. If you haven’t got socks, you can’t pull them up. I’ve got no money plain and simple.” Happily showing his horrific chest scars from the bypass operation, he explained how he was now trying to put together the pieces of his shat-
MILLER TIME: Sizzling Sienna DOWN AND OUT: Starr is trying tered life. Describing Karin Ward as ‘full of lies’ for claiming she was groped by him, he now hoped that Spain would offer him some sanctuary. A long-time visitor, who once owned a holiday home in Benalmadena, he continued: “The people are nice down here, I enjoy the lifestyle and weather.”
to repair his tattered life, he
An emotional Starr also recalled his last appearance on stage and the moment he realised the curtain on his career had finally fallen. “I was trying to get back to work in my wheelchair. I had the oxygen bottles on the back of my wheelchair and I was fighting for my breath.
The Only Way Is Marbs… or La Cala de Mijas!
ll funeral.” Starr, who starred in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2011, had a quadruple heart bypass surgery after he’d had a heart attack a year before. A heavy smoker, Starr collapsed on the reality TV show, later moving to Spain in 2015, where he spent his days quietly. A neighbour told the Olive Press this week that reclusive Starr would ‘just sit indoors all day long and he never had any visitors’. He had been attempting to pay a €1.1m bill for losing a court case against someone
RICKY Gervais has slammed a matador who wiped away a bull’s ‘tears’ before slaying the injured animal, labelling him a ‘sequinned c**t.’ The British funnyman took umbrage at Morante de la Puebla’s performance in Sevilla when he wiped blood from the bull’s face with a handkerchief. The Comedian, who presented the Oscars, has long criticised animal cruelty and often spoken out against ‘traditional’ blood sports.
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Comic Freddie’s attempt to escape UK justice in Spain has been anything but easy, he tells the Olive Press HE was, no doubt, hoping for a return to the happy holidays he spent on the Costa del Sol in the 1980s and 90s. But fallen comic Freddie Starr’s return to Spain has been marked with controversy, after being accused of trying to escape UK justice. Indeed, as he admitted to the Olive Press, this week, his purchase of a home in Mijas has, in fact, done little to cheer him up. After cashing up in England in a bid to escape a libel bill amounting to over a million pounds, he admitted he was now ‘shaking hands with the devil’. Adding he was almost suicidal, Starr said: “I’m very down. I’ve been up there and I’ve shook hands with God and I’ve come down here and I’ve shook hands with the devil.” Speaking outside his La Cala
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NEWS
A TOUCH of TOWIE glamour wowed the opening night of Elliott Wright’s new Costa del Sol champagne bar. stylish The reality TV star boogied the night with new girlfriend Sadie Stuart, away a host of The Only Way is Essex 23, and Jessica Wright, Ferne McCann regulars. die flaunted their figures as theyand Sadancefloor at Olivia’s in La Cala. hit the And as the drinks flowed, businessman Wright revealed how happy he be with Sadie and to have the castwas to of the popular TV show at his new restaurant. “It’s was a fantastic night and it was to see all the TOWIE cast,” he told great ive Press. “They’re like my familythe Oland I love the programme.” He continued: “And it’s great being with Sadie...we’re very happy.” Despite insisting he had left the he is once again set to feature in show, TOWIE series, which kicks off the new other ‘Marbs Special’ in October.with anAnd on top of that, he has even roped new squeeze, a singer from London, his into taking a turn, although she will not be-
come a regular. She told the Olive Press: “It’s been great. I’ve only got a few short cameos where introduces me as as his new girlfriend. he “However, I won’t be going back show when it returns to Essex... I’mon the to stay out here in Marbella. Who going knows what the future holds?” Elliott’s cousin, TOWIE star Jessica, who celebrated her 30th birthday this month, was also delighted to be at Olivia’s. She said: “I’m happy to see Elliot’s restaurant. It’s stunning. We’ve been new most nights. I am really proud of him.”here Meanwhile, fellow reality TV star 24, had her dancing shoes well andFerne, back on after a recent foot injury, truly which left her on crutches. She said: “My foot is still quite but it’s so much better. It was aswollen, injury and I had torn two ligamentsnetball left ankly but I’m all good now and in my boogying away.” The entire TOWIE crew have been filming in Marbella for a week with them set to stay for another week.some of
has claimed
“They said ‘Freddie Starr’ and I knew as soon as I walked on that I was in trouble. “I said, ‘Sorry ladies and gentlemen, you have paid good money but I just can’t perform’. “They understood, gave me a round of applause and I said, ‘This is the last time you will ever see me on stage.’” He concluded: “I used to be the biggest paid person in Britain for 15 years but all of a sudden it has stopped.” Starr, who was driving a silver Mercedes, moved into his gated property around two months ago. Locals said he was often seen in bars around the complex and seen eating in various restaurants in La Cala.
Sienna stuns San Sebastian SIENNA Miller wowed fans at the 63rd San Sebastian film festival in skin-tight gingham dress and heels. Arriving straight from London Fashion Week, the actress and model was promoting her new film, High Rise. The week-long event premiered 45 films and saw British actress Emily Watson receive the Donostia Award in honour of her work.
STRAIGHT OUTTA
ATES! FADED: Starr (left)CASEM and Olive Press story who accused him of sex abuse, a claim he always denied. He told the Olive Press it was a ‘massive battle’ for him and insisted he had no money and was ‘suicidal’ after moving to La Cala Hills. “I’m very down. I’ve been up there and I’ve shook hands with God and I’ve come down here and I’ve shook hands with the devil,” he revealed in an exclusive interview “I have had a quadruple bypass. I always come out here, it wasn’t a matter of planning anything. “I didn’t run away because of the court case. If you haven’t got socks, you can’t pull them up. I’ve got no money. “I used to be the biggest paid person in Britain for 15 years but all of a sudden it has stopped.” Starr started out as the frontman of Mersey band the Midniters in the 60s, before he shot to fame in the 70s on talent shows like Opportunity Knocks and the Royal Variety Performance. He was also written into history after the Sun’s famous headline, ‘Freddie Starr ate my hamster’ in 1986. DANCE-OFF: TOWIE girls and (top) Elliott and Sadie
IT’S not quite the streets of Compton, and it’s certainly no 8 Mile Road, Detroit. But for New York rapper Beniton braltar was super phat and right the Menace, the Rock of Gion the money! The artist has recorded the promo video to ‘This world’ at the top of the rock, with several Barbary macaques as backing dancers. Beniton is already a self-declared lover of Gibraltar, having performed on stage with reggae star Maxi Priest at the National Day concert this year, as well as the 2014 event. “I was there a year ago and the love was tremendous,” he said. A new movie, Straight Outta Compton, about the life of legendary US rap band N.W.A, has just been released.
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Hips didn’t lie
SHAKIRA has been cleared of plagiarism over hit song La Bicicleta in Spain. The Barcelona-based singer, 42, was accused by Livan Rafael Castellanos, a Cuban singer, for using melodies and lyrics from his song Yo te quiero tanto. Music publisher MDRB had filed a complaint in 2017 on behalf of Livan. But a Madrid court ruled that Colombian Shakira, who dates footballer Gerard Pique, was in the right having insisted she had ‘never heard’ Livan's song before.
White lines
THE eldest son of the world’s most famous drug dealer has signed a publishing deal. Expat Roberto Sendoya Escobar - who goes by the name Philip Witcomb - has lived on a Mallorcan finca for years. His notorious drug lord father, Pablo, became one of the world’s richest men, controlling 80% of the global cocaine market, before he was shot in 1993. “This really is one of the most extraordinary stories I have ever read,” said British publisher John Blake, who lives near Escobar junior’s farm. “Pablo’s life has already been the subject of hit TV series Narcos, but Roberto’s story is on a whole new level. “The tales of murders, guns, drugs and billions of dollars are just extraordinary.”
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Kindness of strangers Hotel victory
No wonder you’ve got hives, dear! HOMEOWNERS in southern Spain were shocked to discover that a buzzing sound that was keeping them up at night had been caused by 80,000 bees in their bedroom wall. The Granada pair had been bothered by the low humming sound for two years. Eventually a local beekeeper worked out what the problem was and stepped in to help. “It was an unbearable noise and I don’t know how they managed to put up with it at all,” explained beekeeper Sergio Guerrero. The professional has been getting more callouts this year than ever before and believes Andalucia's bee population is in better health than a decade ago. It comes as conservationists around the globe mark World Bee Day amid a decline in the global population. See the buzz on bees, page 24
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
OFF STREETS: Flegg A ‘RECKLESS’ development high above Javea has spread panic among residents living below it. The group of locals and expats have now launched a petition to stop the construction of the villa on Calle Franz Joseph Haydn. It comes after a massive boulder came crashing down next to one of the 27 bungalows in the Balcon al Mar urbanisation, following heavy rain at Easter. The residents ‘100 Lives’ petition calls on Javea town hall to halt construction until the cliff is protected.
Getting connected
EVERY municipality in the Marina Alta will be able to reach Alicante airport by bus, new plans from the Valencian government have revealed. Denia, Javea, Teulada, Calpe and Altea now have direct routes, with 13 new buses running. All towns will also now have a direct link to Denia’s Marina Salud hospital.
A HOMELESS Brit found sleeping in a Benidorm bar has been helped home after well-wishers booked him a hotel and a flight. John Flegg was found at the World Famous Black Chicken karaoke bar, where staff took pity on the pensioner.
They booked him two nights at the Hotel Helios, which has a pool and a spa, before finding him a flight home. They sorted out a transfer and linked up with friends of Flegg back home, who could take care of him. Diane Brash, who collected
At risk
John from Leeds Bradford Airport, incurred an ₤18 fine waiting for him, but had it waived by police. Harry Shorrock, a bartender at the Black Chicken, said: “There are far too many people to thank, but John’s home and safe and that’s the main thing.”
Petition demands construction stop to protect 100 people living below The group wants an urgent safety study to be conducted to ensure their safety. “I fear they are going to bury us alive,” said Ana Fernandez, 57, who started the petition.
“Whenever it rains I get terrified the rocks are going to start falling on us.” Fernandez said drilling began in January when a ‘tremor’ shook the books from her bookshelf.
Need to get stiffer CONVICTIONS for driving under the influence of drink or drugs have surged in Spain by 10%. Official figures show that convictions increased to 56,173, in 2018, compared to 51,085, in 2017. The convictions represent 21% of all crimes in Spain, while 40% of drivers who died in road accidents were intoxicated. Pere Navarro, head of the DGT national traffic authority had said: “It’s not clear to me that the solution lies in higher penalties.”
CHAOS: Post floods She says the developer has drilled ‘eight metres’ deep just metres from the cliff face where loose rocks and boulders hang over the ‘most populated’ urbanisation in Balcon al Mar. She has been joined by a mixed group which includes many British, Swedish, Austrian and German residents. “When a garden collapsed after the Easter floods it blocked our only exit for four days,” Fernandez, who is an engineer, told the Olive Press. “But when this falls it will be 10 times worse, and endanger 100 lives.”
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
THE Olive Press has helped a terminally ill expat get a refund of €526 for a Benidorm hotel he is unable to stay at. Derek Rees, 75, was handed the money after the Magic Aqua Rock Gardens hotel accepted that he has late-stage emphysema. The British pensioner had wanted to spend three nights with his son’s family there last weekend, but was told he could not bring his mobility scooter, which has a vital oxygen tank on it. As he had already paid by credit card the hotel was refusing to pay back the money. “This wouldn’t have mattered a couple of years ago, but now on a limited pension I’ve spent months saving up for this,” he explained. “I can’t deal with this stress as I have only months left. I just wanted to have a final break with my son.” When contacted the hotel initially asked for proof of Rees’ medical condition, before agreeing to a full refund. It was a mistake and we will refund the money,” a spokesperson told the Olive Press.
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www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than 500,000 people a month.
OPINION Vote for change This is the big one. The one chance every four years when we can make a difference with the lives we have made over here. Expats of every nationality will be joining queues at polling booths around Spain this Sunday. We can certainly make a difference with expatriates in most towns on the Costas making up well over 20% of the electorate, often up to 50%. So make sure you go out and vote and make your views count - assuming you are registered, that is. Above all, ensure you vote for the local team that best understands the wealth and diversity we bring to their towns. The Olive Press sides with no particular party for in every town the candidates are different and offer unique and individual strengths and weaknesses. But, one thing for sure, it’s best to vote for a change of mayor, as four years is more than enough time to introduced the schemes the current crop promised in 2015.
Save Alicante’s livelihood THE sun-baked coastlines along the Marina Alta are extremely lucrative for developers. Unbeaten views of the Med offer a paradise, with buyers from all over Europe clamoring for a slice of the property market. But developers appear to be flaunting environmental impact studies for fast cash. The ‘save 100 lives’ petition launched in Balcon al Mar, in Javea, concerns 100 residents whose homes are literally on a cliff-edge. A luxury home, reportedly on the market for €2.4 million, has had eight-metre foundations to make way for an ‘underground swimming pool’, according to resident Ana Fernandez. Her home, one of 27 bungalows, is on the other side of a dangerous precipice that already saw a seven-foot boulder crash down after the floods on Easter Sunday - narrowly missing a bungalow inhabited by an Austrian pensioner. Fernandez’ petition urges the town hall to halt development until the site is secured. Authorities must take the necessary precautions to avert this disaster, which would not only be a national tragedy, but severely damage Alicante’s prospering housing market.
Publisher / Editor Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es
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FEATURE
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
We promise you change! Joshua Parfitt meets the passionate, hardworking local expats who are standing in the local elections this weekend
E
LECTION season is coming to an end. Last month’s national and regional elections saw the right wing PP party’s worst-ever result, as well as far-right party Vox winning its first seats in Madrid. Meanwhile the PSOE socialists held out in both Valencia and in central government, with Pedro Sanchez almost certain to now boss the country for the next four years. But before the ballot boxes are put away for the foreseeable future, expats are finally able to play their part in the choice of politicians. That is locally in the selection of mayors in the upcoming municipal elections this Sunday. There are tens of thousands of you around the Marina Alta region, which has some of the highest concentrations of foreign residents in Spain, with the village of Lliber 70% British, and Benitachell registering 60% foreign citizens, half of whom are British.
DEMO: The elections come at an important time for the EU In order to vote, foreign residents need to be on the padron and also registered to vote. This needed to be done before January 30 to vote. Now, all you have to do is turn up on Sunday having done your research and choose one
Dawn Watkins, Ciudadanos, Teulada-Moraira I have lived in Moraira most of my life. I was brought up here, went to local schools and - apart from a few years working abroad - have been here ever since. For the last 17 years or so, I have worked for a family-run construction company. I feel fully integrated into the local community and think it’s time to give back to the town that I call my home. I am proud to support our candidate for Ciudadanos, Adrian Ruiz, in his bid to become our next mayor. I strongly believe I came to Spain just over 27 years ago. it’s time for change in After a few years in Cordoba, and then Teulada-Moraira. And CiuMadrid, I came to the Marina Alta, and I dadanos is the political have happily settled in. party to make it happen. Podemos in Javea is made up of people Our electoral programme from all walks of life - we’re ordinary peocovers pressing issues, ple passionate about, among other things, social justice such as improving our and the environment. local economy and touIn Javea, popular as Jose Chulvi and his PSOE may be, it’s rism, addressing public clear that after eight years in power we have seen few signisafety issues, improving ficant improvements in the town. existing infrastructure and Therefore, the proposals in our manifesto will focus on: an boosting health and social eco-friendly transport system and functional network of bike services. But most imporlanes; affordable rental contracts to curb the emigration of tantly for me, a topic close families to cheaper towns further from the coast; more jobs to my heart, is improving and better working conditions, especially for the young; the animal welfare and susconservation of green areas; and tainable development. the control of land speculation. I urge all residents who These proposal are realistic and are eligible to vote to do achievable. If you are eligible to vote so - only then can change on May 26, I wholeheartedly encoutruly happen. rage you to do so.
Andrew Shaw, Podemos, Javea
of the four or five parties that is hoping to be elected in your town. As to be expected there are many expats, British and other northern Europeans, who are standing for election across the Marina Alta. Here a few of them tell the Olive Press why they are standing:
Carole Saunders, Partido Popular, Calpe I first became involved in politics in Calpe 20 years ago, when I joined the local environmental association. The burning issue at the time was ensuring the salt flats of Calpe would not be drained and turned over to the developers - an idea of the socialists of the time. In the end, we turned the Salinas into a protected nature reserve. I first stood as a candidate in 2007, but unfortunately experienced the downside of the Spanish system of proportional representation. I missed out on a council position because, after a recount, our party lost the 10 votes that would have got me a seat. In 2011, I presented in an independent party and got voted onto the council. We made a pact with the Partido Popular, and I have since joined that party. In my role as Councillor for Citizen Participation, Associations and Senior Citizens, I have worked tirelessly for the community. I enjoy my work immensely and hope to continue to do so.
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Terence Curran, Partido Popular, Javea This year might be the most important ever with the Brexit cloud hanging over British heads. Over 800,000 British residents have the right to vote in the local election throughout Spain. We need to send a message that we want to be part of Spain and stay in the EEC. I myself am a father of four, have
lived in Javea over 20 years, and I am an administrator for local dog shelter APASA. I’m also known as ‘commander’ of a local firefighting unit. As a candidate of the Popular Party in Javea, I am happy to state that our objectives focus on improving the integration of all foreign nationals.
We will add English and German to town hall information, and ease access to official web sites. Aside from integration, we are also focusing on young people, improving parking, boosting security, reactivating neighbourhood policing and implementing the fire prevention plan that Javea deserves.
FEATURE
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Candida Wright, Partido Popular, Ondara For the past four years I have been assisting the infirm, the elderly and people in need in my role as the president of HELP Denia. Over these years, however, I have seen that more assistance is required from within local government for expats.
Ondara Partido Popular has seen the same need to have a coordinator for expats. Our ambitious plan to build a day centre is a big dream for me - it will guide people through the obstacle course of social services, and at the same time assist the overLinda Gimeno, Ciudadanos, loaded staff. Thankfully, Teulada-Moraira the PP want to do just that. More expats are moving I have lived in Spain since 1988, but to towns like Ondara, whebecame part of Ciudadanos because re they can integrate and it gives me the opportunity to particitake part in town life with pate in the management of my town. wonderful fiestas. I have worked for many years in MoraiI therefore am planning to ra, and have my house, sons and granbe involved in the cultural dchildren here. I have become part of side of the town. the local community and enjoy all the town’s events and I want to promote our theafestivities. tre, our bullrings for social I really share Ciudadanos’ simple, effective and achievaevents and the refurbished ble ideals, and I would like to be part of a big shift here. marketplace, El Prado, Mostly, I want to bring my knowledge and experience to which is perfect for promofacilitate communication between our fotional engagements. reign residents and their town hall. Also on my list is to build I firmly believe that Adrian Ruiz will be a two new tennis courts, fantastic mayor, and will bring the chanand halve the entrance ge we really need in Moraira. cost for children using A vote for Ciudadanos in the municipal sports facilities. elections on May 26 will not be wasted.
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Elena Gwyn-Jones, Partido Popular, Javea
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As a candidate of the Partido Popular, my aim is to focus on the young generation of my town. I am the youngest PP candidate, at 27 years old, and I own the Footworks dance school in Javea. Growing up here, I have not seen local children engaging in the after-school sports clubs that we enjoy in Britain. Neither do kids here have access to the quality sports facilities that I have seen in the UK. I want to change all that. I want the young generation to have more opportunities and a nurturing environment to keep them on the straight and narrow. I want more green areas, bigger parks and more activities to get people involved in everything from dancing to planting trees. As a sports councillor, I will do all I can to make change in this beautiful town. Aside from sports, however, the PPs aims are to put the town hall websites in other languages, and make it easier for foreigners to participate in political life. Finally, I want to stress that the PP has the only women running for mayor in Javea, Rosa Cardona.
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What were they thinking?
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Risky roundabout
Council clangers never come bigger in Spain than at local election time
L
OCAL government can be a dry old subject but some crazy town hall initiatives have kept us entertained over the years for their dubious nature or downright absur-
There’s a whole feature on ugly roundabout artworks in Spain waiting to be written but there’s one in Cantabria that’s more than simply an affront to aesthetics. Commissioned by Torrelavega Town Hall, the piece consists of four enormous
dity. If you’re still chuckling over Estepona’s farcical ‘death slide’ (below) then you’ll enjoy our giggle-worthy roundup of government gaffes.
sheet metal boards devoid of any decoration. Not only ugly, the vast ‘artwork’ blocks traffic visibility and dazzles drivers with reflected light, making the roundabout downright dangerous.
Oh chute! What was marketed as Spain’s ‘longest urban slide’ must have had one of the shortest runs. Within 24 hours it was forced to close after several users were severely burned and bruised while riding it. The €28,000 stainless steel attraction, measuring 38 metres and with a gradient of 33 degrees, was described by locals as a ‘vanity project’ by mayor Jose Urbano ahead of the local elections.
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On the rocks Fuengirola Mayor Ana Mula famously dispatched a group of 10 people to the beaches to paint the rocks in brightly-coloured hues. Her intentions were to embellish the area and hopefully export this ‘unique’ art form to other resorts along the coast. But after being laughed out of the council chamber by fellow politicians her initiative is also on the rocks.
Non-Olympic stadium
Dissing the homeless
After the triumph of Barcelona’s 1992 Olympic Games, Sevilla Mayor Alejandro Rojas came up with a plan for a stadium to help in his city’s bid for the 2004 Olympics. But he overlooked the fact that Sevilla is a small city compared to competitor s like Rome, Stockholm or Buenos Aires. Sevilla predictably lost it’s bid, thus the costly Estadio La Cartuja never fulfilled its real purpose.
Ana Botella’s tenure in Madrid is remembered for a whole chapter of chaotic decisions but one in particular helped her off the mayoral ticket. In 2014 she ordered a total revamp to the design of bus shelters to prevent the homeless from bedding down in them on chilly winter nights. The measure was branded cruel and elitist and was halted by a request stop. It was no surprise when later that year Botella announced she would not be running for mayor in the 2015 elections.
Roman remains? Nah, let’s have a car park For obvious reasons, Spanish law requires an immediate halt to construction work when historical remains are discovered. Excavations may only resume once the treasure trove is safe. However in its wisdom back in 2006, Ecija Town Hall decided it didn’t want to wait, and carried on regardless, shattering a priceless Roman mosaic and a series of Muslim graves in the process. In fact under the city’s main square, the town hall had discovered a Roman forum in amazing con-
dition, a hot spring, a gymnasium and a temple, as well as dozens of private homes. But instead of preserving the last remains of the great city of Colonia Augusta Firma Astigi, the local government built a 300-capacity car park over it. Dr. Sonia Zakrzewki, a lecturer in archeology at the University of Southampton who had worked at the site, told the Olive Press it was ‘totally shocking’ at the time... no kidding!
Almost an own goal Barcelona’s first female mayoress Ada Colau risked being lynched by thousands of disappointed football fans during last year’s World Cup when plans to show the Spain v Russia match on a big screen in the city were almost kicked into touch. And all because the government was too late granting the license to show it. At the eleventh hour, after an eruption of complaints across social media, the screening went ahead and Colau is still on side as mayor.
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Spain’s environmentalists issue doomsday warning as groundbreaking study reveals alarming levels of micro-plastic in Pyrenees, writes Heather Galloway
S
UMMER is approaching and city dwellers in Spain love nothing more than to get away from the heat and dust of urban life, opting for the coast or the Pyrenees where the air is clean and fresh. Or is it? An ominous new study suggests that no matter where you go to get away from it all, the air is thick with microscopic particles of an all-pervasive material that is woven into the structure of our modern economy: single-use plastic. And now its poison has spread to one of Europe’s wildest natural landscapes. Measuring less than 5mm long, micro-plastic is not only swirling like shoals of deadly nano fish in the Mediterranean, it has also reached a remote ‘pristine wilderness’ in the Pyrenees. More shocking still, it is being found in the kind of volumes you might expect to find in Paris or China’s most industrial zones, according to a study carried out by Steve Allen, a researcher in mi-
VOICE: Greta Thunberg
cro-plastics at Strathclyde University and his partner, EcoLab scientist Deonie Allen. The density of the micro-plastic particles in a cross-border area was measured in the French meteorological station of Bernadouze, 1,425 metres above sea level, over five months between 2017 and 2018. The result was a daily average of 365 particles per m2. According to the study, most were invisible to the naked eye and could have been transported from up to 95 km away. “It opens up the possibility that it’s not only in the cities you are breathing this in, but it can travel quite some distance from the sources,” Allen wrote in Nature Geoscience journal. “Plastic litter is an increasing global issue and one of the key environmental challenges we face on a global scale.” As the nearest hamlet is 25 km away from the target research area, it is not known if the particles came from Toulouse or from the Spanish cities of Barcelona or Zaragoza. According to Alba García, who runs Greenpeace Spain’s Plastics Campaign, the particles could even have been transported by storms from the marine environment. Spain is the main culprit, after Turkey, for the quantity of plastic in the Mediterranean – a scandalous 126 tonnes daily, according to a study by Orb Media earlier this year. This chemically-charged debris, eaten by fish, acts as a magnet for other chemicals in the water, making them ever more toxic. Spain is also the fourth biggest consumer of plastic in Europe, possibly due to tourism with most tourists spending on single-use plastic items, 70% of which are never recycled.
GREEN
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
WASTE MOUNTAIN: Alarming levels of plastic in the Pyrenees
Purge the plastic!
2017 and it is predicted to rise by a furTen easy ways to cut the crap ther 40% in the next 10 years. Though EU legislation will ban single-use • Buy fewer clothes plastic products such as cutlery, straws, • Carry your own water bottle balloon sticks, cotton buds, polystyrene • Shop less online packaging and cups by 2021, there is • Buy unwrapped vegetables still no legislation to curb the amount of and other foodstuffs plastic companies use. • Carry your own takeaway co“Some countries were more flexible and ffee cup others like Italy less so,” says Alba, refe• Bin dry waste without a bin rring to the environmental lobby’s efforts liner to nail an ambitious deal. “Italy was very • Shop with reusable grocery opposed, in fact, as they have a big plasbags tics industry. Spain was a little bit more • Avoid frozen foods stored in pro-sustainability, despite the fact we plastic bags also have a plastics industry here.” • Buy soaps and shampoos in Plastic has been around for nearly a bars or in containers labeled century and as manufacturers’ assorecyclable ciation Plastics Europe points out, it is • Carry your own take-away ‘the ultimate versatile material, making container possible numerous technological in• Buy wine with natural corks novations, new design solutions, environmental enhancements and cost-savings.’ But surely scientists can come up with re-usable products.” something less contaminating to take Eva González, director of Ecodes, a non-profit organization their place? for sustainable and “Compostable mateeco-friendly developrials or bio-plastics are We believe that ment, agrees. “We bealternatives that are lieve that getting away still based on the throwgetting away from the throw-away away culture,” says Alba. “These are up to from the throw- culture is fundamental for the wellbeing five time more expensiaway culture is of our planet and for ve than normal plastic meeting the UN Susbut they don’t get to fundamental tainable Development the root of the problem Objectives,” she tells because they still have me. “When it comes to plastic in them. That is why Greenpeace is so persistent about bioplastics, it is true that some have plastic in them and some are not biodegradable. The ones that are will only do so under certain conditions, such as the temperature of the soil or environment they are deposited in. If those conditions are not met, they don’t biodegrade.” The only viable option appears to be to transform the industries based on single-use plastic into reusable industries. “We can create an economy based on reusing products that have to be washed and put back in the consumer chain,” says Alba. The window of opportunity is still open. As 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, fiesty founder of the global Fridays for Future movement, told UK MPs in the Houses of Parliament this April, “Humans are very adaptable; we can still fix this. But the opportunity to do so will not last for long.” OFFENDERS: Plastic waste by country
But one of the main problems is the lack of ready, cheap alternatives to the imperishable material that is now part of the air we breathe and the water we drink. The Orb Media study found that 92% of bottled water and 83% of tap water is contaminated by micro-plastic particles. “People throwing away plastics is part of the problem,” Alba tells me. “But the main cause is the density of these materials everywhere. If you go to a supermarket, it’s impossible to get out of there without plastic.” Despite growing unease among consumers over the choices available to them, the plastics industry continues to boom. Production of thermoplastic used in water bottles rose 4.7% year on year between 1990 and
GREEN
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Herd mentality SHEPHERDING classes have begun for the first time in the province of Alicante. The Agrarian Experimental Station of Elche is now offering two-week intensive courses to train future shepherds, as well as future goat, sheep and cattle farmers. Classes consist of both theory and 44 hours of practical assignments. Valencia boasts 2,916 goat, sheep or cattle herds, of which 906 are in the province of Alicante. Practical assignments include milking, and the free course has already welcomed 20 participants.
Fish out of waters A TROPICAL fish common to Indonesian waters has been caught off the Costa Blanca in a troubling sign for environmentalists. The tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) was hooked off the Segura river estuary near Torrevieja, and was the second catch in two months on Spain's eastern coast. “The catch shows the temperature of the Mediterranean must to be increasing," a spokesperson for the Natural Chronicles of Torrevieja said.
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Sunnyside up British expat cafe is first on Costa Blanca to install new solar panels A BRITISH-run cafe has become one of the first on the Costa Blanca to install solar panels following the repeal of restrictive laws across Spain in April. Cappuccino in Orba installed three panels this month, which owner Tamzin Ellis says will ‘pay for themselves within ‘two years’. The previous so-called ‘sun
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PESTS: Blue crabs
Cl-awful cretins
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
tax’ denied owners of solar panels any access to the mains, stifling domestic usage of renewable energy. “It seems criminal to me not to use the sun when it’s hitting the roof all the time,” Ellis, 41, told the Olive Press. “I was surprised to
see in England how many people have solar panels when we get much more
Dark times VALENCIA has the worst light pollution in all of Spain, new research has revealed. A project led by Spanish astrophysicist Alejandro Sanchez analysed 2,000 districts in Spain looking at types of lighting, street lights and power emitted per square kilometre. Valencia came out worst in all categories, emitting 9.2 W/km² compared to Cordoba province’s 2.1 W/km², the lowest in Spain. “We’re not the only astronomers in the animal kingdom,” Sanchez said, saying nocturnal pollinators and birds become disorientated in artificial light.
sunshine in Spain. “It’s silly that they aren’t installed when houses are built.” Ellis added that renewable energy was more than a financial concern, as her cafe already shuns plastic water bottles, uses non-torrefacto roasted beans and composts everything ‘right down to the napkins’.
Freezers
She said the panels supplement her power-hungry coffee machines during the day, and fully supply the fridges and freezers during quiet hours. “We would need a bigger system to be completely self-sufficient, but all that requires is a few more panels.”
INVASIVE blue crabs have been spotted crawling up the beaches of Moraira in their first sighting in the Marina Alta. The American blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) has been decimating fisheries and native species along the east coast of Spain since first sighted in 2012 in the Ebro Delta, in Catalunya. Since then the species has spread as far south as the Mar Menor in Murcia, where the invader has driven out the native green crab species. “It devours everything, and the catch of local crabs and cockles has fallen as a result,” Joan Balague, head of a fisherman’s association on the Ebro Delta, said earlier this year. Female blue crabs can produce up to eight million eggs as many as 18 times over two years. The crustacean’s only known predator is the octopus. Balague believes intensive fishing is the only option to control the invasive species and recover lost profits. In 2018, Ebro Delta fisherman netted 53 tonnes with a value of €136,000, and the crab is slowly becoming popular in Valencian dishes such as paella.
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NEWS
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NEWS IN BRIEF Remain in Spain BRITS lose their upbeat holiday feeling less than four days after returning from a getaway, new research from University College London has revealed.
Record books BUSINESSES will now have to record the daily hours worked by their employees across Spain. The new law comes following government concerns of staff doing unpaid overtime.
Pepe la loser MORAIRA’S ‘war of the supermarkets’ is now over as a Valencia court rejected Pepe La Sal’s claim that the MASYMAS on the Moraira-Calpe road was built too close and without proper authorisation, and should be destroyed.
Wi-Free ALTEA, Beniarbeig, Gandia and Gata de Gorgos are among the 510 Spanish towns that will receive free Wi-Fi in public spaces as part of a €120 million EU-wide project.
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Dirty protest Rubble trouble for Brit restaurateur in bizarre land dispute AN expat restaurant has found its entrance blocked by truck-loads of rubble over a land dispute. Police have been called in to investigate how the debris ended up dumped at British-owned Novas Restaurant, in Javea. It comes after a neighbour claimed he owned part of the car park of the restaurant. After demanding money from
the British owner Paul Kingham, he took direct action. “First he demanded €150,000 for its sale,” Kingham told the Olive Press. “Then after a second demand of €400-a-month rental was refused, he tipped two truck loads of rubble on the five-metre strip of land.” But that wasn’t the end of it. The following week the angry neighbour sprayed paint over
it and then pushed the restaurant’s own gravel aside. “I told him I can’t afford his stupid amounts of money so
Slam on the brakes! SPAIN’S worst car rental companies have been named and shamed. Consumer group Which? has warned British holidaymakers about half a dozen brands, which holiday makers should particularly avoid. Bottom of the rankings was Goldcar, for the fifth time in six years, with 38% of customers insisting they would never use the firm, owned by Europcar. A shocking 20% of customers reported problems with the embattled operator, mostly due to credit card changes and poor service. The second-worst company is InterRent and the third-worst is Firefly. The best firms are Cicar, based in the Canaries, as well as AutoReisen and Alamo. Which? editor Rory Boland recommended
always looking at quality and not just going for the cheapest option. “One wrong turn at airport arrivals could easily make or break your holiday,” he said. “In an industry dogged by unscrupulous practices, making the right choice is paramount.”
he retaliated with soil and boulders.” He added that Novas luckily still has road access through an opening on the other side of the restaurant. “It’s bullying, and I don’t want to get into a game of it,” Kingham, 47, said. He has now taken matters to the police.
CHILDISH: Rubbish dump
Ripped apart by dogs
AN expat has been hospitalised after being attacked by a pack of feral dogs. The Bulgarian man, 30, had his clothes ripped off by the group of four dogs, who began to devour him. Police were forced to fire 11 shots in the air to send the dogs packing, after being called to the attack at the Santa Teresa industrial estate, near Malaga Airport. The man, whose name has not been given, was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Virgen de la Victoria Hospital in Malaga.
Bus tragedy A TOURIST has been killed after a bus ploughed into her on a pavement in Benidorm. The woman, of Portuguese nationality, was hit on Calle Ruzafa on Tuesday evening. The vehicle crashed into the façade of a shop and killed the woman, described as between 25-30 years old, while she was accompanied at that time by a friend. The driver of the vehicle is ‘in shock’ and ‘unable to explain’ what happened, according to local reports. The bus was loaded with tourists headed to different hotels in the Costa Blanca destination.
Do you have a what’s on?
LA CULTURA
You morons!
INSULTS have been branded ‘therapeutic’ in a new book by Catalonian author Sergio Parra. In Mecaguen!, published by Vox, Parra says that expletives are ‘necessary’ for reducing stress levels and regulating hormones. Drawing upon neurological research, Parra even maintains that individuals who lose language through brain trauma can still ‘swear’ as curse words are stored in a completely separate part of the brain.
Knife
“I do not apologise for foul language. It is a resource that we cannot do without, but shouldn’t abuse," Parra said. “Like a knife, it can be used to kill, or to spread butter.” Parra defends frequent swearing as ‘cultural richness’, while stressing that eloquent, ancient slurs have been lost to crude modern swear words. His book favours Spanish words from the Siglo de Oro, which would be contemporaries of old English slurs like ‘driggle-draggle’, ‘fustylugs’ and ‘saddle-goose’. His book looks at blasphemy and taboo words, and compares 18th century puritanism with the modern-day ‘witch-hunting’ of politically incorrect words on social media.
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Huge not to be missed Titanic exhibition sails into Alicante NINE Titanic survivors are giving an amazing insight into the infamous tragedy at a special Alicante exhibition. Held at the Lonja del Pescado, the show, which has already opened, features a recorded interview with the survivors, as well as authentic objects, images and documents recovered from the British passenger liner’s doomed voyage in 1912. Ocean-floor photographs of the present-day Titanic
My craft will go on REPLICA: Of doomed cruiser
Apocalypse now ISAAC Newton’s apocalypse prophecy has inspired a Costa Blanca design studio to build a baffling hotel in Madrid. The hotel, called 2060 The Newton Hostel, is named after the English scientist’s prediction that the world will end 41 years from now. The studio has a base in Denia, and its newest creation has now been shortlisted for the prestigious Hospitality Design Awards, which will presented on Broadway in New York in June.
“We wanted to instill in our visitors the urgency to live every day as it were their last,” said Wanna One studio’s founder Esther Mengua. The designer from Gandia added that ‘travellers aren’t satisfied with just any beautiful space’ anymore, which lead to the hotel’s bizarre concept. The 27-bed hotel in a converted warehouse in Lavapies features encouraging sayings on the walls, as well as a sauna, jacuzzi and sun-
bathing area. “It’s a massive accolade for our work to have been chosen alongside 780 other projects in the awards,” French national Cathy Figueiredo said.
from National Geographic’s Emory Kristof line the exhibition’s walls, while an interview with blockbuster director James Cameron discusses the most up-todate forensic research on the wreckage. “Although we have original objects I do not give too much value to them, because I think they are just tools for us to tell the stories that happened on board,” said Jesús Ferreiro, president of the Fundacion Titanic. “When I spoke to survivors and asked what were their strongest memories, I expected them to be the screams - but no, it was the moment when 1,000 people in the sea suddenly went quiet.” The exhibition features the world’s biggest Titanic model, a 12-metre long copy lit up by 3,000 lights for in-depth viewing. The exhibition, which fills nine lorries when on the move, has been travelling for two years. After Alicante it will move on to Italy, France, the UK and New York.
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Ghosta Blanca ONE of Spain’s most-haunted buildings has become the scene of an illegal art exhibition by a notorious Swedish guerilla artist. The Preventoria Agua de Busot near Villajoyosa, built in 1865, is said to be haunted by spirits from when it was a tuberculosis hospital during the Spanish Civil War. One of the many ghosts that have been filmed by paranormal TV shows is a woman burned alive by a brazier. Now the anonymous artist Czon has placed ‘40-50 images’ around the ruined building, disused since the end of the Civil War. “The art has been created as a homage to the supernatural spirits and ghost, like as the white lady wandering this building,” Czon said. “We have taken over the haunted stairway and made a free illegal art exhibition for all who dare to go there. The exhibition will be open 24/7, until someone steals or trashes it.”
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No strings attached The fourth edition of the international Ronda Guitar Festival 2019
D
on´t miss this great opportunity to visit Ronda as the emerging greats of Spanish flamenco lead a vibrant lineup at this year's fourth International Guitar Festival from June 10th - 15th. The flamenco stars will be joined by Jule Malischke, from Germany, and Luciano Pompilio, from Italy, in a series of fabulous concerts being held in the historic mountain town. The extended six-day festival was founded in 2015 by Andalucian maestro Paco Seco, alongside British wife Lucy Stewart, of the Ronda Guitar House. "The magic about this festival is it unites Romantic Ronda with iconic Spanish guitar!" Lucy told the Olive Press. "Ronda is such a breathtaking place to visit and then accompany that with great music and a delicious glass of Ronda wine! If you are a music lover then it is just heaven on earth with Classical, Flamenco, Andalus and Fingerstyle musical styles on offer by exceptional artists of an extremely high international standard.” The festival also offers an exhibition of guitars from artisan craftsmen from Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th June demonstrated in the matinée concerts. All the festival's activities are held at the Santo Domingo exhibition centre in the heart of the historical old-town. The price of the tickets are 15€ and the festival Bono 75€.
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Spanish art expert Javier Portús has attributed a painting from the Metropolitan Museum in New York to Velázquez. Previously thought to be the work of the Spanish master’s son-inlaw, the Caballero Marquand’s new provenance ups the Met’s Velázquez collection to six pieces, while adding huge value to the painting itself. Sale prices can be misleading when it comes to assessing real market value and artistic worth but the numbers are nonetheless telling. Check out our gallery of record-selling Spanish masterpieces by Spain’s most renowned artists.
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Painting by numbers Claire Leibovich delivers a masterclass on Spain’s most astronomically-priced artworks you can’t afford
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SPAIN has announced a safety review of all its historic monuments in the wake of the Notre Dame Cathedral blaze in Paris. Security arrangements and electrical fittings will be checked at historical sites nationwide to ensure that the country’s cultural heritage is safeguarded. Culture Minister Jose Guirao said: “Obviously the Notre-Dame fire was an alarm bell and we will review all the installations. “The danger is with old electric installations which have to be surveyed.” Architectural treasures due for inspection include the Burgos and Santiago de Compostela ca- THE Metropolitan Museum expert Javier Portus, head thedrals, the Alhambra Palace in in New York has unearthed of Conservation of Granada and the Basilica of the another painting by Diego Painting pre-1700 Spanish at the PraVelazquez in its collection, Sagrada familia in Barcelona. bringing the total number of do museum in Madrid. works it holds by the Spani- Previously the work had been attributed to Juan sh master to six. The moody oil painting Bautista Martinez del Mazo, REVEALED: Velazquez’s son-in-law, Knight Marquand is a Velazquez who known as Knight Marquand, donated to the museum in was also a painter. son. 1889 by Henry G. Marquand, The museum is cautious but “I think it is a Velazquez. and it deserves attention. Portus says he is confident it It is a work that has always “It is a portrait with quite RONDA’S iconic Arab baths was identified by Spanish is by Sevilla’s most famous caught my eye at the Met remarkable qualities, and it will soon be back in business seems plausible that Velazfollowing the devastating floods quez is the author,” he said. last October. Portus believes the painting The 5th century treasure was was completed in 1649 or THE mysteries of Andalucia’s almost completely destroyed 1650 during Velazquez’s seStonehenge have been uncovered very own when the outer wall caved in cond trip to Italy and that team of Spanish and American by a joint due to the overflowing Guadathe subject may have been archaeologists. levin river during serious floods Juan de Cordoba, King FeDolmen de Soto, a 6,000-year-old six months ago. lipe IV’s business agent in megalithic monument, was discovered in Following a €175,000 cash Rome, who spent most of 1923 near Huelva, where excavations revealed injection from the Junta, the his time collecting classical carved and painted standing stones depicting wall is being restored under the sculptures for the royal houfigures holding weapons. watch of local architect Sergio sehold. An investigation by the universities Valadez, who is also overseeing Velazquez, born in 1599, of Alcala, Huelva, Sevilla, Castilla-La Mancha the recovery of the Paseo de los was the leading artist in the and Experts also found Texas revealed an entire ancient Inglesas and the Santa Maria court of King Philip IV, and complex monument which haseight skeletons in the buried beneath a 60-metre wide been dated back to the church. one of the most important mound. 4th millennium BC. painters of the Spanish Golden Age.
New work by Andalucian master recovered in US museum
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Ancient runes
FLASHBACK: Our Velazquez RIS E LIKEstory last issue
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what’s on Don’t miss Bob FOLK fans should try getting the last tickets to Bob Dylan´s concerts. The legendary singer is coming to Sevilla on May 3 and to Fuengirola on May 4.
Book fun MALAGA is holding a Book Festival on the Plaza de la Merced. Dates are April 26 to May 5, from 11 to 1.30am and 5 to 9pm.
Go classical GET down to Clínica Buchinger in Marbella on April 27 to hear Alexander Kliuchko, this year's winner of the International Piano Competition María Canals.
Polo chic IF you want to see horses and royalty, head to the Kempinsky Hotel in Estepona on May 4 and 5, for the Costa del Sol Polo Cup.
MATRICULATION OPEN – PLACES GOING FAST
Sixth Form College in Málaga
LTHOUGH still celebrating the really get to know this Sixth Form Cosuccess of their first A level llege, after taking the decision, around the Spanish Red Cross and give basic exams in January (100% A-B this time last year, to leave the school IT classes to adults once a week throuin 43% of the subjects taken, gh their “Andalucia Compromiso Digiwhere he did his IGCSEs. “I decided 72% A-B grades in Sciences and Mato tal” Earlyprogramme. Other Bird Discount students move to Phoenix College Malaga beare up until 15th April ths), eight months after first opening language classes such cause I thought the education would doing as Ger- Spain for university. The Only Specialist Sixth Form College their doors to students, Phoenix Colle“He encouraged man and French a nearby academy. in Málaga be more personal because we have teaching A-Level courses in and PCE (Selectividad) subjects me a lot to keep on top of current ge is now revving up for the Summer UK small classes and the teachers are Therefore, we have more freedom and & Spanish political issues, and even level exam season. “It’s hard to belie-A Please contact us for you more skills forinformation university design my own Geography able to support us whenever we need this teaches ve we’re at the end of our first year allife.” coursework are at: Calle Méndez Núñez 5, 1º D (junto them for instance if we have a query We a plaza Uncibay) Málaga 29008 based CallEmelie around Málaga us on: +34 952 22 02 75 Email us ready,” says Co-Director Miss Ridyard. info@phoenixcollegemalaga.com Gillestedt isat:hoping to study Pascual Polo, studying city centre.” with homework we can immediately Maths or “Our students have worked so hard Maths, History, Mechanical Engineering Politics and Spanish, count on them to solve our questions, www.phoenixcollegemalag a.com and deserve every success.” will most likely something which could be more diffi- though hasn’t yet decided where – her study in the UK Students like Juan Gonzalez del Cid, but hasn’t decided current list includes cult in larger schools.” studying A level Maths, Further Maths, which degree yet. But the UK, Australia or Oxbridge hopeful Analia Cabello Physics and History and planning he is is keeping the USA! his op“At Phoenix to studying A Level Maths, Further Ma‘A challenging, study Maths & Economics at univertions open. “At Phoeths, Physics and Chemistry, and wants College we have a sity in the UK, have also had time nix I’m also studying to to study Maths. She likes the fact that PSC (Personal, Social enjoyable learning Matematicas and Cultural) program Applicaa college like which has motivated das and Economia de environment Phoenix acts as me to go outside of Empresa, two hours which pushes a stepping stone my comfort zone. I’ve a week for each, our between school done as OCR (Obsteacher is very good students’ and and helps us a lot. This university. tacle Course Race) “We have study competitions and also means I have the choiperiods ce of applying to Spaduring triathlons, and am volunteering for the nish universities if I want.” the school day Red Cross even though where we don´t bit challenging due to it has been a Arun Dave studying A level Maths, Furthe fact that I’m ther Maths, have classes so not a native Spanish speaker.” Physics and Chemistry, planning to study Chemical Engineewe have to organi- “I hadn’t studied History, se our own time. Politics before, but Mr Geography or ring or Cosmology at university in the Riley is very pas- UK, possibly You can use that sionate about his subjects, at Durham or Manchesso I enjoy ter: “Being a smaller time to finish your them now.” Lucia Mera school means we is considering can all go away homework, or do a degree in Derecho (Law) or Relacio- went to Madrid together on trips. We other things like nes Internacionales, for a UCAS conference voluntary work. I drid but she isn’t yetpossibly in Ma- and in March we visited Manchester, CHILLING: Sixth form students in common room am a member of than she knows she decided, other where we saw Les Miserables at the wants to stay in Palace Theatre and visited museums
AT WORK: Phoenix students in science class
and art galleries. Next year we’re going to CERN for a Physics trip.” Phoenix College Málaga aims to provide a challenging, enjoyable learning environment which pushes students to set and strive for their own targets, while providing support and guidance where needed. “We look for a minimum academic level of five GCSE passes (or equivalent) including Maths & English, but what we really encourage are applications from students who want to explore and fulfil their potential,” explains Mr Mitchell, Co-Director.
Enrollment for September 2019 is open. Call us on or email us at info@phoenixcollegema952 22 02 75, see our website - www.phoenixcollegemalaga.com, laga.com. Also find us on FB, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information contact www.rondaguitarfestival.com
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) The Malaga-born maestro is the priciest artist hands-down, not only in Spain but the world. Les Femmes d´Algers (Version O) (above) set a world record price when it was sold for US$179 million (€125 million) at Christie’s New York in 2015. It remains one of the top-selling paintings of all times. Picasso completed it in 1955 as part of a series of 15 paintings and numerous drawings based on Eugene Delacroix’s Women of Algiers. It was acquired privately by former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim, but you can see other versions in museums around the world. Version L is held by the Berggruen Museum in Berlin, and Version N by the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Picasso´s second most expensive painting is Le Rêve (¨The Dream¨), which fetched $155 million (€113 million) at a private sale in 2013.
The 1932 portrait represents the artist’s mistress Marie-Thérese Walter, who was 22 at the time. And the list of record-breaking sales goes on ... Garçon à la pipe sold for $104,2 million in 2004, Nude, Green Leaves and Bust ($106.5 million, 2010) and Dora Maar au chat ($95.2 million, 2010) to name but a few. Guernica, Picasso’s most famous work housed at Madrid’s Reina Sofia Museum, has been valued at around $200 million dollars, although it has never been sold and is considered too fragile to move.
Joan Miró (1893-1983) Far behind Picasso but still pretty pricey, this Barcelona-born Catalan artist moved to Paris in the 1920s and joined the Surrealist movement. Painting (Blue Star), (1927), is a key work from his surrealist period, in which some of his emblematic symbols float amidst the intense blue he described as ‘the colour of my dreams’. It was sold in 2012 to an anonymous buyer for £23.5 million (€30 million) at Sotheby’s London. At the time the auction house’s head of Impressionism and Modern Art, Helena Newman, said the high figure represented an ‘unprecedented demand’ for the best of 20th century art. Miró’s second top-selling
work, Painting-Poem (1925), also from his surrealist period, sold at Christie’s London in 2012 for £16,6 million (€21 million).
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Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) The second best-selling Spanish artist in the money stakes for his Portrait of Paul Eluard is also a Catalan. Dalí met French poet Eluard and his then-wife Gala in 1929 and, having been commissioned by her husband to paint her portrait, promptly began an affair with her. The pair eventually got married in 1934. Eluard and Gala’s daughter inherited the painting but sold it in 1999. It was resold in 2011 at Sotheby’s London for €16 million. A year later Dalí’s Printemps necrophilique (1936) went under the hammer for $16,3 million (€12,5 million) at Sotheby’s New York. The painting was originally owned by the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who often collaborated with Dalí. Simon Shaw, then head of Impressionist and Modern Art for the
auction house, noted: “Surrealism continues to present exciting opportunities for collectors, given the wide range of material available at varying price points ... and the fact that great masterworks remain in private hands.”
Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) This Sevilla-born artist is most famous for his Baroque masterpiece, Las Meninas, painted in 1656. It is safe to say, however, that this world treasure will not be on sale anytime soon. It’s so valuable that Madrid’s Prado museum will not even lend it out for exhibition. However his Retrato de una niña (left) was sold in 2017 to an anonymous Spanish buyer in Abalarte, Madrid for €8,7 million. The work was attributed to Velázquez by Richard de Willermin, an expert in 17th and 18th century European art, after an x-ray revealed a crown of stars hidden by an overpaint. “There is an unquestionable connection through the clothing and the technique. The girl stands with a crown of stars, as with the Immaculate Conception at the National Gallery”, said Willermin. He also suggested that it was an early work by Velazquez as a young apprentice, before he became
Last but not least is this Aragonese Romantic artist who was appointed royal painter to the Spanish court in Madrid at the age of 40. The theme of bullfighting was a source of inspiration throughout his life, featured in a 1793 series of prints and, during his final years in France, in a set of four lithographs, known as Bulls of Bordeaux. (The Goyesca bullfights in Ronda in September are an annual homage to the artist.) His priciest painting also takes the corrida as its theme. Bullfight Suerte de Varas which he painted in Paris in 1824 captures the moment when the picador confronts the bull (known as the suerte de varas). It was sold at Sotheby’s London in 1992 for $7.9 million and whisked off to the Getty Museum in Malibu, California. Goya’s second best-seller is a drawing from his personal sketchbooks - ‘journal-albums’, as one expert
painter to the Spanish court. Don Pedro de Barberana y Aparregui (left) has also been attributed to Velázquez. Probably painted between 1631 and 1633, the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas acquired it in 1981 for a reported $6 million.
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Francisco Goya (1746-1828) called them, in which each drawing is an entree to a story complete in itself. A job lot of 105 drawings were sold at auction in Paris in 1877 after which they were dispersed into private collections lost track of. Bajan riñendo (or Visión
de bajar riñendo) was one such ‘lost drawings recently rediscovered in a Swiss family’s collection. They sold it through Christie’s London in 2008 for £2,28 million (€ 2.87 million) - more than double its valued worth.
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DOZENS of expats are joining gypsies and Down syndrome candidates in the most diverse local elections in Spanish history. All around Andalucia, Brits, Scandinavians and other northern ropeans have thrown their hatsEuin the ring in the hope of representing the important international
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OUTRAGE AS EXPAT WESTLEY CAPPER GETS BAIL AND IS JUST...
Almodovar at his best Page 16
Party time National Day kicks off in Gib Pages 19-22
DAYS AND OUT
British killer back at multi-million euro luxury villa just three months after killing expat in drunken hit-and-run
A two-year mystery
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IT only took three months. Indeed, just 91 days after killing a Bolivian mother while under the influence of drink and drugs, British expat Westley Capper is back at his multi-million euro luxury villa. Capper - who is also being investigated over the unlawful detention of missing expat Agnese Klavina - has been granted bail after coughing up €360,000. This is despite Capper admitting to the hit-and-run that left mother-of-four Fatima Dorada thrown 20 feet to her death on a roundabout in San Pedro in May. The privately-educated Capper is now living at his exclusive Benahavis bolthole, it can be revealed, enjoying the heated pool, expansive grounds and use of a chauffeur. In total, the Olive Press can reveal his
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vian’s disappearance and the British expats remain the main suspects. The pair have been charged with aggravated unlawful detention and have to report to a Marbella court twice a month and are forbidden from leaving Spain under their bail conditions. A source close to the investigation told the Olive Press that police are ‘closing in’ on the location of Agnese’s possible death.
HE mystery surrounding missing expat Agnese Klavina continues exactly two years since her disappearance. Yet, the Olive Press can reveal that after months of inactivity, police are narrowing in on the location where Agnese was taken after leaving Aqwa Mist nightclub, in Marbella, with Brits, Westley Capper and Craig Porter. September 6 marks the second anniversary of the Lat-
family have paid the court €50,000, plus €310,000 in ‘blood money’ set aside for the family of Dorada. This is in addition to the €300,000 bail money his father, multimillionaire businessman John ‘Freddie’ Capper, has put up in the case of missing Latvian Klavina,
who vanished after being seen getting into his car after a night out in Marbella two years ago (see pullout above). During Westley’s recent 91day stay at Alhaurin prison (he was released last Tuesday) the Essex-man lost 35 kilos and now strikes a ‘shadow of his former self’, according to an Olive Press source. Capper was arrested, alongside sidekick Craig Porter, at a curry house in Estepona
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just hours after slamming his Bentley into Fatima in pouring rain and then fleeing the scene. He faces four charges including manslaughter, failure to aid his alleged victim, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and an offence relating to false documentation. A source close to the investigation confirmed that the 38-year-old’s Bentley remains impounded and that the terms of his bail prevent him from driving. Capper is already banned from leaving the country under bail conditions set in the ongoing missing persons case of Klavina. Fatima’s husband Tomas Ramirez told the Olive Press he was stunned by the ‘heart-
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A PAIR of cold-hearted expats went for a curry after killing a mother in a horrific NABBED: Corner hit-andrun incident. Notorious Brit Westley Capper supped beers and pal Craig Porter chatted with Alhaurin prison wearing just 30 min- flops flip utes after knocking and EXCLUSIVE THE ex-boyfriend over the The son a grey t-shirt. of missing Bolivian mother By Laurence Dollimore of multimillionaire Lisa Brown, has old in San Pedro.of a two-year- Fred Capper was arrested and Rob Horgan in Copenhagen. been arrested in Estepona Privately-educated Simon Corner, 33, Capper - India after restaurant Mini Ordering chicken linked to the disappearance tradition to Spain is facing exa tikka for questionof launched to trackmanhunt was las and drinking Cobra masastunning Latvian ing over the disappearance him lager, the pair had fled Klavina, in 2014 expat Agnese He had been driving down. of Lisa, who has a the crash, a black which happened nine-year-old been remanded - has now English-plated Bentley son. in custody af- Continental, GT Monday evening.at 8.30pm on ter pleading guilty Corner is expected alongside at Marbella friend court. Liverpudlian Craig his “They were acting strange and before a San Roque to appear Por- seemed ter, who is also He was seen being fore the end of the judge becharged with Jolal to be in a rush,” waiter taken to the disappearance week, alongUddin, 34, told the side another British of Agnese. Olive Press. “Soon another is believed to be his man, who three people joined them TRAGIC: Paramedics Fugitive Corner, accomplice. were locked in hushedand they whose real try to revive victim Mini India name is Dean Woods, conversation at the back and (top) has been wanted for questioning of the restau“ I saw the car rant. since Lisa disappeared from threw her flyinghit her and it of Agnese outside Aqwa “It was clear they THE stepfather of her home in Guadiaro last November. Mist missing Amy Fitzpatrick Jose Maria, 25, 25 metres,” nightclub in Puerto to work out what were trying guilty of killing her Banus, in has been found Spanish authorities brother Dean. restaurant Inch of Japanese 2014. minutes later the to do, then Former Mijas resident fear the 32-year-old Scot police arrived Dave Mahon the worst thing said. “It was While his lawyer insists and they took them may have slaughter after his I have ever not been been murdered he has stepson died fromwas found guilty of manseen. “Incredibly just two outside. and dumped Dublin in 2013. charged, a single stab wound at sea. have not returned the courts in men was enough,” local police- “Everyone rushed towards Mahon is now facing his passport A European Arrest her and he has to from the restaurant.” Eyewitnesses at he added. he had taken out a a potential life sentence, after report to police was issued last month Warrant a jury knife and viciously twice a month. Tobacconist Antonio scene revealed that the crash an argument on New stabbed the teenagerruled ner, who fled Spain for CorNavarro “He is after an’s body was sent the wom- added: “I saw the "If Mr Mahon had Year’s Day. Lisa’s disappearance,soon after Bentley go on the still having to attend metres through the flying 25 screeching past, then first wouldn't be dead, not taken the knife out of his pocket abandoning his yacht in Sotogrande. air. heard a month,” saidand 15th of every and he has admitted Dean thud.” Sean Guerin. a police source. that," said his lawyer Lisa’s sister, Helen “A lot Capper pleaded "Mr Mahon has admitted guilty to the scenes.is going on behind the said: “An 'innocent' Jordan, taking the knife out hit-and-run in Marbella stupid thing to do was had nothing to hide man that yesterday. Meanwhile court “It is a scary case and Mahon and Audreyand had tragic consequences", he a very, very has been to the Far East, Europe, I am added. Porter pleased he is has been released drey’s two children had moved to Mijas Costa in 2004, Ireland currently locked and beyond. on bail. with Auup. Essex-man Capper Amy went missing Amy and Dean. “While we are delighted drives a “He shouldn’t number of luxury at the age of 15, withfour years later in mysterious circumstances, have been out in that he's been caught, ing a Mercedes cars includ- the first place.” we still have a They have always evidence pointing to neglect by her long road to go. We S-Class and Marbella insisted they had lives in the exclusive still appeal appearance, and later Town Hall nothing to do with parents. to anyone that her disreturned to live in development, near Madronal while has promised meanIreland. to make she might be toknows where alterations to the He is not expected Marbella. CALLOUS: Capper contact the road Guardia Civil.” and (right) Porter bail, as he is alreadyto be given in central San Pedro, system David Cameron vestigation for the under in- the second death near as it is has vowed to ‘make sure everything the new abduction boulevard in two months. possible is done for Lisa's family’.
Expats - linked to missing Agnese Indian moments after hit-and-run- head for an killed a mother
CAUGHT!
Mahon Guilty!
HOME: Capper and our previous story less nature’ shown by Capper. “I cannot understand how he has shown absolutely no remorse, has not reached out to the family and clearly has no conscience whatsoever,” the 48-year-old builder said.
Heartless
“It really puzzles me. What a heartless person he must be.” Capper’s London-based lawyer said he could not confirm or deny that Capper had been granted bail. “I have not been instructed on how to answer questions on this,” Robert Taylor of Cubism Law said. “I have been on holiday and I will be talking to my client in the next day or two.” Neither the police, nor court, would comment on the case. Opinion Page 6
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include Elizabeth Morrison and Paul Knight for Izquierda Unida in Sedella, Liz Keag for Por Mi Pueblo in Competa, and Chris Cluderay for Ciudadanos in Alcaucin. In Manilva, where nearly 50% the population is foreign, it is of no surprise to find Dutch business who is standing with the PP lady Kaat Buelens, from the party in Mijas. PSOE, competing against The former UK political current British councistrategist is running llor Dean Tyler Shelalongside former maton. yor Angel Nozal in a “I’ve finally decided campaign to restore to get on board and security and cleanimprove my town. liness to the town’s “It’s been a long time streets, as well as recoming and will be a duce bureaucracy, enpleasure if I can get courage transparency in,” she told the Olive and improve animal Press. welfare. In what is believed Meanwhile, Lonto be the most didoner Chloe Gavin verse elections in is running with the Spanish history, four PSOE in Periana, in young adults with the Axarquia, for the Down Syndrome are first time after mostanding in Valencia, ving to Spain 19 years Extremadura , Sevilla ago. and Murcia. She hopes to im“I want my city to prove integration be a pioneer in worof the international king with people community and boost with disabilities and tourism, an essential for us to truly have sector for her village. a voice and a vote,” In the nearby village Sevilla candidate Loof Arenas, Ann and pez-Saez de Riba exSimon Hewitt are plained. supporting the PP The employee at the party, saying they Barceló Renacimien‘need to stand up for to Hotel says 'people something they believe like him' can offer 'so in’. much more than people British businessman Dathink, including a fresh rren Sands is also standing for outlook and a different point the PP party in Mar- of view'. bella. It comes Anne Hernandez, a elected after four gypsies were well known figure in neral to congress in April’s gethe expat communi- The elections in a Spain first. ty through her group each PP, PSOE, Cs and Podemos brought one gypsy to the Brexpats in Spain, country’s house of representatiwill stand for new Mi- ves from Sevilla, Madrid and Tajas party Movimiento rragona. They have all vowed to Vecinal Mijeño and chip away at the xenophobia and will concentrate on systemic Reliable private hire transfer animal welfare, the gypsies discrimination affecting across Spain. services for any occasion environment and gypsies are standing Many other in the local Brexit. • Luxury vehicles elections around the country. Other expats running • Door to door service Opinion, pg 6 • Airport collections
In a country - where many coastal towns comprise up to 50% expatatriates - local elections are vital. The poll this Sunday (May 26) is the ONLY vote, apart from the Eu-
TWITTER has launched a new Emoji with the face of Mariano Rajoy. The jestful emoji of the current acting Prime Minister was created as he launched his upcoming investiture bid, which starts on Wednesday. The playful, animated emoji can be activated by hitting #InvestiduraRajoy on your keyboards until September 2. Rajoy rant - Page 8
Agnese shocker as Capper ‘walks free’ on lesser charge
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ropean elections, in which expat residents can take part. “We can actually make a difference in this election,” explains Olive Press columnist Bill Anderson,
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Lib Dem leader jets into Gib to issue stark warning and an optimistic possibility EXCLUSIVE By John Culatto
played games with Gibraltar in the past and it was the intercession of the European Union that brought them back into line.
Pressures
X
“Now if we walk away without deal - which is what Nigel Faragea and Boris Johnson among others are arguing for - they’re totally vulnerable.” He believes that the UK needs to stay in the European Union to ‘fight these damaging pressures’. The leader believes the process of STABLE: Lib Dem leader Cable issues Brexit message in Gib Brexit is not going well even though He there is currently ‘an anti-Brexit thatbelieves optimistically, however, “Brexit is going badly,” he continthe decision could still be re- ued. majority in the House of Commons’. versed. “The only way to resolve it is to go back to the people with the option to remain. “We now have a good prospect of remaining in the EU which is what people in Gibraltar want.” He also insisted he had no reEURO MP hopeful Rachel Johnson grets about the coalition that reverse Brexit as her brother Boris has met Fabian Picardo (pictured left) in a bid to brought the Tories and David On a visit to the Rock, the Change Johnson seeks to become UK Prime Minister. Cameron to power in 2011. braltar, said that to ‘revoke Brexit isUK MEP candidate for South West England and Gi“It was the right thing to do “I want Gibraltar to have the same a very good idea’. in the circumstances,” said “I hope Spain is generous and not ease as it had before,” the former journalist insisted. punitive with Gibraltar as negotiations Cable. “We had a very good It comes as her brother, former Foreign continue.” coalition government that Secretary, Boris Johnson threw his ring to replace Theresa May as UK hat into the provided strong and stable “Of course I'm going to go for it,” Prime Minister. leading Brexiteer Johnson said when government. wanted the top job. asked if he “Nowadays, Britain is sadly The former London mayor is favourite a very divided country and supporting him, according to YouGov. to succeed May with 39% of the Tory grassroots we need to get past Brexit His closest rival, fellow Leave campaigner, Dominic Raab has just 13%, while to get back to the things that cabinet ministers Jeremy Hunt, Michael other really matter.” cock and Rory Stewart are all on single Gove, Sajid Javid, Andrea Leadsom, Matt Hanfigures.
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VINCE Cable has warned that Brexit will ‘really hurt’ Gibraltar. The leader of the Liberal Democrats made the warning during a visit to the frontier. During the whistle-stop visit, he insisted the UK’s departure from the EU was ‘not a good option’ for the Rock. “It’s very clear that Brexit is not good option for Gibraltar,” Cable,a 76, told the Olive Press. “The overwhelming majority of people here voted against it. “They’re more British than the British and more European than the Europeans. They want to keep those two identities and that is absolutely right. “Brexit will potentially cause serious disruption.” He continued: “The Spanish have
Johnson - I’ll vote to remain in second referendum
In Mallorca - Issue 54 Opinion Page 6
Voted
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(Free or paid for) May 10th - May 23rd 2019 Vol. 3 Issue 54 www.theolivepress.es
Property
We reveal the property portfolios of Spain’s leaders
A tour of Spain’s most prolific ‘pavilion’ creators, SEE PAGE XII
property Malaga’s bestmagazine
expat paper in Spain
By Mason Edwards
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Issue 29
May 2019
The places they SHOULD have filmed
Game of Thrones in Spain... ...Plus our pick of the best castles for sale in Spain this year
See page XVIII
PROPERTY MAGAZINE INSIDE
Winter isn΄t coming Agents report good start to 2019 as confidence from Brits returns
ONE of the Costa del Sol’s leading agents be- and with the pound staying lieves the stalling of Brexit has brought an ex- so many people failed to makelow at around 1.10, cellent window to buy. a decision “But now that a hard Brexit has been to buy. The six-month delay of the UK leaving practically added to Parliament effectively ruling Europe, ruled out and the markets are seeing the likeliBrexit, has left a healthy situation out a hard hood of staying in the customs union the pound for British has strengthened a lot. buyers, believes Ben Bateman, of Holmes Prop- “With it being steady at around erty Sales in Sotogrande. 1.16 weeks now it means you can get a lot for a few Not only is the pound approaching its more for level against the euro since 2016, but strongest your pound and also take advantage of the pagrowing anxious to sell, having often sellers are ralysis and maybe get a better deal on what you had prop- want.” erties on the market for longer than expected result of the Brexit uncertainty and delay. as a He believes there are many buyers hovering and waiting to buy… and “While the pound has strengthened prices hav- weather and swimming.as an analogy he cites the en’t really increased,” explains the boss togrande’s longest-established agency. of So- “They’re already in their shorts and ready for a swim. They’re dipping their toe in the “Many buyers who put their homes on pool, but ket towards the end of 2017 have not the mar- will they jump in right away or wait an hour or to sell as quickly as we had forecast been able so? It’s just a matter of time. and have “All I would say is don’t now been on the market for 4 to 6 months miss this window, the lon- best time to buy is now.” ger than they had hoped for, due to a paralysis Other agents have reported in the market. similar findings, such “With months of uncertainty regarding Brexit Continues on Page III
Dream Killas EX CL US IV E
action following Olive Press helps victims take rental scam skyrocketing reports of holiday by Palma-based company “I spent two years saving up for this trip, and we just can’t afford to pay for a new villa. The kids are devastated.” We helped the family make a police denuncia, as Deleslie will lose ‘more than €12,000’ as flights for 18 members of her extended family were already booked. She showed the Olive Press emails asking Dream Villas Spain for a full refund, after which ‘general manager’ Rosella Alba Gutierrez has shut off contact. Spain’s Companies House reveals is that Dream Villas Spain, which registered as Digital Dream SL, was incorporated in 2014 for ‘data processing and web hosting’. Based in Carrer de la Fe, in Palma, Mallorca, it filed tax returns from 2014 to 2017. There is no available phone number (the one on the website has been disconnected) and the name Rosella Alba Gutierrez appears nowhere in
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(Free or paid for) Vol. 3 Issue 53 www.theolivepress.es April 26th - May 9th 2019
We’re here to stay! HUNDREDS of new British residents have registered to live in Spain. The number of registered UK tionals has zoomed up despite nathe spectre of Brexit. In Mallorca there were 119 more Brits registered at the end of last year compared to 2017. And the numbers are expected to have risen further over the last quarter, believe experts. “I think many people are worried, so that has increased registrations,” Anne Hernandez, president of tional support group Brexpats nain Spain told the Olive Press. “And a lot of Brits are currently moving to Spain, because they don’t want to leave their dream move any longer.
A
ll about
Vol. 3 Issue 53
Is this Mallorca’s
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Arber at Tema
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April 26th - May 9th
THE BIG
2019
Ed. Peter, thank you for letter. You won’t be surprised to learn that you were one of many people who wrote in to us after the ‘Heads up’ story. Thank you for bringing this website to our attention. It seems that the ‘bird poo’ trick really is one of the Costa del Sol’s oldest scams.
PALMA DE MALLORCA SANTACATALINA-MALLORCA
HIVE: A market trader with his wares and an impromptu exercise class in a Santa Catalina square
“Some of them just say they ‘want CAT to escape the UK’.” By the end of 2018 there were 10,315 British nationals registered in MalTO lorca, compared to 10,196 in 2017. 11 The drop of expat numbers mostly The Olive Press spends a week TURN happened since 2013 due to in fashionable Santa Catalina the PAGE deep six-year recession, which was the worst in Spain’s history. This now looks to be in reverse Spain as a whole, despite Brexit. in “I know many British people who are continuing to move to Spain,” said British councillor in Malaga Dean Tyler Shelton. “At the same time I think Brexit has been a factor in pushing more Brits to register in Spain. Most have no intention of going back,” he added. There are 330,911 Brits registered as living in Spain. Alicante has the highest number with 69,289 registered in 2018, up from 66,397 in 2017. Last month, a royal decree was passed giving Brits living in Spain A BRITISH until December 31 2020 to apply for bogus PalmaTV star has slammed a Kent, revealed that when his family a Foreigner Identity Card, granting based travel company found dozens of tourists had been that stole ₤5,000 for a non existent arrived this month, the owner, who them legal status in the country TM after rental. gave his name as Klaus, was comscammed out of millions of euros Brexit. from various sites, which illegally Professional chocolate taster Angus pletely baffled and knew nothing about the rental or website. uploaded villa photos from legitiKennedy lost Kennedy told the Olive Press they the press” Angus told the Olive mate sites. the money when had chosen Among those scammed were British his family dis- in Arta out the seven-bedroom villa Press. of 780 different homes “I think many more have been Rugby Union star Dean Schofield, covered a Ger- for rent on the duped and the scam could be worth who lost €50,000 on a fake villa man man living But he only site. in realised they had been millions.” Mallorca. at the Mallorcan scammed when villa they had never arrived, an airport pick-up Sadly this seems true, after we ex- This time, the website used to book and they caught a taxi posed a string of fake holiday web- the trip, dreamvillasspain.com, was booked through to the €600-a-night property to find sites duping tourists coming to remarkably similar to those created Untitled-1.pdf 1Dream 16/06/2017 Villas 15:36 the bewildered Spain two years ago and again German. See page 32 Spain. last before. “I was determined to get to Among its claims is the goal to ‘crethe year. Kennedy, from house and immediately contacted In a series of investigations we Continues on Page One of Spain’s most Santa Catalina is a cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, true melting pot for people watchers, writes foodies Jon Clarke and Gillian and Keller
DESCRIBED by locals city’ Santa Catalina as ‘the village in the ed over the last few years. feel of Montmartre has the same charming There has been in Paris or Hampstead a huge influx of expat London. in in particular Scandinavian buyers, over recent years, At the same time Palma’s trendiest neigh- and Santa Catalina today is vastly bourhood has the sort different to the area that Palma residents remember more normally expect of hip locals you would a decade ago. to find in Ibiza or New York’s Greenwich Village. “It’s amazing how With the city’s best such a short time,”much it has changed in food market, some explains estate agent its most exciting restaurants of Miguel and, bit by bit, “We Llinas, from First Mallorca. some of the coolest have seen houses selling that this achingly coolshops, it is little surprise two million there for up to euros and it is not the square metre - onebarrio has become - by national market just the interthat loves Santa Catalina. places to buy in Spain. of the most expensive We are increasingly The area may be small also looking to buy,” getting local Mallorquins he explains. wide, stretching from - only seven streets This is perhaps Feixina park to busy no surprise, as the Calle Joan Crepsí suburb increasingly becomes but it has literally explodPalma and more and THE place to eat in more hip and trendy at Simply Delicious Continues
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the list of employees. Another victim told the Olive Press this week she had booked a villa in Marbella as a surprise getaway for TheOlivePress-256x170-B18-year-old IKE-4.indd 1 four friends and five daughters as a post-A Levels present. Sarah Adam, based in London, told us she is convinced she has also
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been scammed. The company, which steals pictures from other holiday rental websites and pockets the deposits of unsuspecting holidaymakers, has not responded to requests 2/8/18 17:01 The Olive Press has for comment. also reported the website as fraudulent to a web hosting provider.
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Long road to Madrid
16/06/2017 Untitled-1.pdf into1Lewis Spanish teenager who zoomed 3 Hamilton’s racing line, see page
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LIVERPOOL and Tottenham fans have been advised to fly via Palma to Madrid after flights shot up to more than €1500 this week after the British teams’ decisive victories. The English clubs booked their spots in the Champions League final on June 1 after pulling off two of the best comebacks in history by beating Barcelona and Ajax, 4-0 and 3-2 respectively. Alternative routes have quickly been revealed for those travelling to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, including flying from Manchester to Brussels, to Palma, and then Madrid, and returning to Manchester via Berlin, working out at just €175.
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This means that across the salary brackets, income tax rates will be reduced gradually over the coming four years to bring them in line with the current levels in Madrid. Income from investments Income accrued from private pension plans, investments, capital gains and property rentals affects foreign residents and locals alike, and in this regard Spain is already attractive and there is no need for much change. Currently, top rates for these categories of income range between
19% to 23%, which is favourable compared with other countries in Europe. Wealth Tax This tax was introduced in the early days of Spain’s new democracy as a way to raise much-needed public resources, and it has stubbornly hung around ever since. Although there has been no official announcement yet, the plan is to eliminate it from January 1 2020. Whether or not this will happen regionally or nationwide remains to be seen. Watch this space!
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The right-wing coalition in Andalucia also voted down bursaries for the less well-off to attend university (From tax-crippled to tax haven, Issue 4). It also supports privatising higher education, as well as the state health system - by stealth. I am against tax cuts when they hit services to the disadvantaged - I speak as a taxpayer. For a quote and some friendly advice
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Maybe Mercadona are in on the act? I have noticed a deterioration in the quality and variety of their produce over the past few years. Shop elsewhere.
Julie Wilkinson, Cortes de la Frontera
Michele O'Sullivan, Alicante
Leaps and bounds
God’s a Tory
Mercadona has made fabulous improvements in the last few years and the range is improving all the time. I can’t complain about the staff at all. It is better than Supersol, Lidl and Aldi. I used to have to shop in three supermarkets to get what I want, but Mercadona has it all. The law is there to protect employees for holidays and they also seem to get decent pay for Spain. Advertise here for as little as as €80 per issue
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A BRITISH EuroMillions winner whose first splash out was a holiday to Spain has said she is ‘bored with her life’ and wants a job.
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POLICE have warned social media addicts about fake news postings in Spain. It comes after a Good Samaritan who helped an ill neighbour home from a supermarket became the centre of a vicious online attack leading to a police investigation.
Dip s**ts A MERCADONA customer has been left baffled after a best before date was printed on ‘her houmous’ rather than on the packaging.
She must be a devout conservative then (Nun and void, Issue Voted 4, BEST expat pg 32). paper in Nun Mind you, Spain and she might void declare that God told her to do it because he is a Tory!
Vol. 13 Issue 317 www.theolivepress.es May 8th - May 21st 2019
Good Samaritan accused of abandoning dogs outside supermarket collected them minutes later
Jennifer Knowles, Malaga
FAKE NEWS SHOCKER
It happened after a local in Gandia, Alicante was spotted by a young woman leaving two dogs in the car park of Mas y Mas in the town. Jumping to conclusions - in classic fake news fashion she posted a picture of his car and number plate on Fa-
cebook. Under the claims of abandonment, she described him as a ‘son of a b****’ and appealed for ‘help’. Police were soon called and traced the car to his home, finding his ‘abandoned’ dogs at home, well-cared for. They also had obligatory microchips and up-to-date vaccinations. The man explained that since dogs were not allowed in the supermarket he had expertly trained them to wait in the car park. And they were there waiting patiently when he returned ten minutes later. He had simply taken the neighbour home and was caring for her when police called around. Police have now warned Fa-
A SPANISH nun could face three years in prison after changing the election ballot of two pensioners from PSOE to PP. The alleged crime took place in an old people’s home, as the sister accompanied the pair of residents to the polling station for the April 28 general election. One of the pensioners, at the Mercy of Bilbao residence, wanted to vote for the ruling Socialist PSOE party and the other, the centrist Basque PNV. Regional affiliate of the PSOE, the PSE-EE said the Electoral Board had registered the potential crime, which could land the nun with a six to 36-month jail term.
Wait until you are elderly, and are doing your very best to Saucy CV Gaysper says boo! just go shopping - and you take your eye off your bag for a Paul Demopoulos, Javea second - please. These thieves pick on the vulnerable. People should have some compassion. No one deserves to be robbed, we need to clamp down on the scum that steal. Oh the irony Push and Mull
A TWEET from Spain’s Vox party has backfired after a ‘gay ghost’ emoji was used to represent LGBT people. As the image spread online, the LGBT community reclaimed the symbol as
A LIVERPOOL fan caught pushing people into fountains in Barcelona ahead of the Champions League tie, has been named as Martin Mullen.
Tulip Wijsmuller, Palma
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Andalucia’s new right-wing coalition is good news for taxpayers, writes Adam Neale
T
HOUGH Spain is a midd- ll-to-medium businesses for so le-income country by Euro- long. pean standards, it has long The change in direction is desigbeen associated with high ned to make Andalucia more at- Inheritance Tax taxes. tractive to investors, both national The first levy to be significantMost home buyers are drawn and international, as well as to ly slashed, since April this year here by the quality of life rather give businesses and entrepreneuthan the tax breaks. But now the- rs a much-needed respite from spouses, children and parents have been enjoying a whopping re is good news on the horizon the traditionally heavy tax yoke. 99% reduction in tax due on inheand with the rise to power of a ritances and gifts. new coalition, the regional Junta A new broom In fact, smaller amounts are seems intent to change taxation effectively not taxed at all, and a for the better. The end of 40 consecutive years In fact, in record time Andalucia of Socialist rule in Andalucia property received in this way will now be subject to just 1% taxahas gone from being a place of means a sweeping reduction in tion, not 8-to-10% of its market crippling taxes to one that could taxes is in the offing - great news value as was the case until now. even be described as something for homeowners, investors and of a tax haven! business people. Income Tax First came the virtual abolition Suddenly, fiscal matters in the reof inheritance tax by a coalition gion have gone from being a deteof parties on the right that have rrent to an asset, with conditions Income Tax, too, is set to be effecmade good on election promises that are actually more attractive tively lowered thanks to a revised to lower the fiscal burden that than those on offer in Portugal, income bracketing, with the qualification of ‘low’ incomes raised so has crippled individuals and sma- Britain or even Madrid. that they benefit from lower rates.
Inside job
Peter Mahaffey, Bedford
NG YEARS RE AZI PO AM
Voted
ING FOR RT
EXCLUSIVE THE Olive Press is helping victims By Joshua Parfitt take legal action against a Mallorca holiday rental company that scammed holidaymakers thoulost €6,000 after booking a villa sands for rental villas across Spain. alsothe Costa Blanca for some some It comes as this paper was contact- on needed family time’ after losing ed by three new victims of Dream ‘much mother to lung cancer. Villas Spain, following our report her nephews and nieces were reon celebrity chocolate taster Angus “Mylooking forward to it as they have Kennedy, who lost €6,000 on a bo- ally been abroad,” Deleslie told the never gus rental on the Costa Blanca. Press. One of the three, Petra Deleslie, 42, Olive
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Just recently you published a piece entitled ‘Heads up’ about how an elderly couple were robbed by a ‘birdshit’ confidence trick on the Costa del Sol near Mijas Pueblo (Heads up, Issue 317, pg 2). You asked if any other of your readers has been similarly scammed. Well I was, in Marbella, in 2017 in almost identical circumstances! My story was published on an excellent website run by an American couple who specialise, as amateur sleuths, and track down pickpockets across the Continent. Please see more of the details at: http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/pigeon-poop-pickpocket-in-marbella-spain/ I highly recommend this website, which has lots of practical tips to help travellers or locals to avoid these scams. Victims can also report their episode in order to help build up a picture of where the gang (almost certainly the same one) is currently operating. There’s even a photograph of the principal gangster!
FROM TAX-CRIPPLED TO TAX HAVEN?
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On the case
PROPERTY
XXII
May 2019
Readers react to the Olive Press investigation into the murky side of Mercadona, after a string of expat robberies (The Cult of Mercadona, Issue 317, pg 7)
Expats fill up the ballot lists for vital local elections - in which FINALLY foreigners count!
community at a local level. in total, hundreds of foreigners have been included on the various political party lists in a bid to become councillors.
And action!
+THE SKY DOCTOR+
Shop horror
FINAL WORDS
16
Rules for life
their own using the hashtag #gaysper to mock the far-right party. One twitter user said: “The worst thing the far right could have done was give the LGBT community a new cute symbol.”
cebook users to be careful of publishing un-checked facts online. This is exactly what newspapers and journalists are carefully trained to do.
VOX’s mayoral candidate for Marbella used to help run a luxury brothel in the city, it has emerged. Rosa Maria Calvente Martin, who is standing in the May 26 municipal elections for the far-right party, was head of the firm that ran Milady Palace in Puerto Banus. Between 2009 and 2011, she worked for Suncres Costa SL, the company that managed the gentlemen’s club.
Just a thought, but I’m hoping the producers don’t accept pro-Brexiters citing UK immigration as a reason for their move (Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun wants British expats for new series with filming to start on Spain’s Costa del Sol, online, May 1). We need them like a Reservas / Bookings : 952 59 03 93 hole in the head. C/ San Sebastián, 8. Mijas Pueblo
Is there a war against Mercadona? I’m sorry, but in any supermarket and store - even at the manicure station in your beauty salon - in any country in the world, you should keep an eye on your belongings. Isn’t this one of the first rules of life that we teach our kids?
“Descubre nuestro gran secreto”
Margaret Wever, Aruba “Discover ourRuss great secret” Taylor, Moraira www.aromacafeandsecretgarden.com
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Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing newsdesk@theolivepress.es or alternatively message us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress
Olive Press Crossword 1
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Across 1 Drunk (6) 5 Ornamental flowering shrub (6) 8 Omelette essential (3) 9 Whine (6) 10 Yearn (6) 11 E.g. the Romanovs (5) 13 Athletic shoe (7) 14 Pains (5) 17 Periodic (5) 20 Fuzzy (7) 22 Long-continued practice (5) 25 Leaning letter (6) 26 Mature animals (6) 27 Did possess (3) 28 Stump up in advance (6) 29 Creeping (6) Down 2 Republic containing the northernmost point in Africa (7) 3 At no time (5) 4 Vale (4) 5 Con (7) 6 Clap (7) 7 Strange and mysterious (5) 12 Observe (3) 15 Facial deformity (7) 16 Incomplete (7) 18 Acknowledgement of debt (1,1,1) 19 Become less dark (7) 21 Coming after (5) 23 Moved back and forth (5) 24 Instructed (4)
BUSINESS
On the clock
A NEW law will force all companies in Spain to record employees’ hours in a crackdown on rampant unpaid overtime. It comes as the latest workforce survey showed unpaid overtime accounted for as many as 2.6 million work hours a week. “The initiative must help correct the situation of precariousness, low salaries and poverty that affects many workers who suffer abuse in their working day,” said the PSOE, introducing the decree. Regardless of size, every company is obliged to track workers start and leave times with failure to comply leading to fines of up to €6,250. The measure has triggered many questions regarding enforcement but authorities have simply said that inspectors will ‘use common sense’.
17
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Bank rupture
Spain-based tech company takes the lead in race to deliver high speed future travel A SPANISH tech company has unveiled designs for a 1,000 km per hour train in a bid to create the world’s first ‘hyperloop’ travel system. Valencia-based Zeleros is one of eight companies around the world working on variants of the Hyperloop project inspired by tech billionaire Elon Musk to deliver train travel at airline cruising speed. “Though it is a difficult project, we are proud of what we are achieving. “Our objective is to have our technology ready in four to
Frozen sunshine
British Supermarket
MODEL: Hyperloop project to cut Madrid to Barcelona journey time to 25 mins
Hyped up five years for cargo and eight or nine years for passengers,” said Zeleros CEO David Pistoni. The hyperloop concept would revolutionise transport with
a levitating ‘pod’ travelling through a vacuum to reach ultra-high speeds, cutting travel time from Barcelona to Madrid to a whistlestop 25 minutes.
Stockists of
Moraira Store Opens ICELAND is opening a new express store on the Costa Blanca this month. The shop will open on Avinguda de la Paz in Moraira and will be smaller than the British firm’s supermarkets in Benissa and Javea. Sales will begin on Wednesday 29, just days days after two Iceland stores are opening in Portugal and a week before one opens near Torrevieja. “We’re stocking everything a British expat might want to feel at home,” said Becky Williams, marketing manager for Overseas Mercados, who operate
the stores. “Even Spanish customers are buying from Iceland and loving it.” Williams told the Olive Press the new store will stock everything from Dolmio pasta sauces, to Mrs Hinch Spring Awakening bundles and even Waitrose products, such as the Heritage collection. “Last time we opened a store in Spain we had people queing round the block,” Williams said. “Iceland is a great place also for elderly residents who may struggle with Spa-
Wednesday 29th May
M
ONEY Marketing, a UK newspaper for financial intermediaries, has published details of a Freedom of Information Request it made in relation to complaints received by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) regarding Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) products. Paz 18, MorairaIt revealed that over the most recent 12-month period, 22 SIPP ante) providers made 48 complaint relpe take the CV 745ferrals heading to towards the Ombudsman regarMoraira. ding investments. n road for around 11km. This latest revelation follows a e sea on your right, SIPP stay on dispute the road until involving financial night club on your left. planner Berkeley Burke and the ght onto Paseo Senillar, you will see FOS which it was heard that markets on your left at theinbottom the firm failed to carry out full due diligence on a £29,000 unregulated collective investment enissa take the N332 towards Teulada and off the N332 onto CV-740 towards scheme forMoraira one of its clients. It
IRA O FIND US
0034 965 734 000
BY Christina Brady
also follows a high profile but as yet unresolved case against Carey Pensions. The judgment reached by the FOS in the Berkeley Burke case was significant because it placed a clear supermercados emphasis on the duty of care SIPP providers owe their clients to proper-
As other financial advisers come under scrutiny, Blacktower remains a name you can rely on ly vet unregulated investments. What Makes for a Reliable SIPP Provider? In light of the Berkeley Burke ruling and the latest FOI revelation, any person who is considering the
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Roboshops MERCADONA has announced a €120 million investment deal to automate distribution of fresh food. Robotics firm Cimcorp will provide cutting edge climate control technology to ensure vegetable and fruit products remain fresh. New distribution warehouses will also be built in Sagunto, San Isidro, Zaragoza and Huevar with the project expected to serve around two million shoppers. “The main objective of these four centers,will be to meet the demands of our stores, secure growth in perishable product sales and eliminate the overexertion that results from the manual handling of orders,” explained Mercadona.
Trust in us
Mediterraneo. Follow signs to the CV-743 a, you will see a large car park with a right, at the bottom of the road on the e the first exit, then turn left on to Av de the sport centre, then right into Carrer de Overseas Supermarkets is on your right.
www.overseas.es
nish, and like the feel of a home from home.” The store will be open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Sunday.
“Spain is a world leader in many fields and this is an opportunity to continue being leaders in what is going to be key modes of transport in the future,” Pistoni added It comes after an Andalucian firm built the very first passenger capsule for the highly anticipated rapid transport system. Artificial, based in Cadiz, reached the global milestone last year in a project with California-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies. Named Quintero One, the 105-feet long capsule offered a glimpse into the future of travel. Speaking this week, Pistoni added: “Hyperloop is a reality. It is no longer a matter of whether or not it is going to be done, but of when it is going to be done.”
SANTANDER Bank has informed unions of plans to axe 11% of its workforce in Spain. The measures are a part of wider moves by the Eurozone’s biggest lender to drastically cut costs while pursuing higher profitability in Latin America. The move would see Santander close 1,150 branches in Spain and cut 3,700 jobs. “it is highly worrisome that such a high number of jobs are destroyed and our first objective will be to try to reduce the figures proposed by the bank,” said Spanish union Comisiones Obreras.
20/05/2019 16:16
www.theblacktowergroup.com
question of whether a Self-Invested Personal Plan might be suitable for them should run through a checklist of important questions including the following: •
Does the SIPP provider have suitable professional indemnity insurance? • Who is providing the indemnity cover and can it be relied upon? • Does the cover come with any limits and exclusions? • What is the level of excess provided by the cover? • Have you received appropriate, independent advice regarding your suitability for a SIPP transfer? • Has your advice resulted in a positive recommendation – i.e. you have been told that a SIPP is in your best interests? • Is a SIPP compatible with your cashflow needs? • Is a SIPP compatible with your legacy plans – i.e. the future needs of your spouse and/or descendants? • Are you a sufficiently sophisticated investor to understand the implications of a SIPP?
SIPPs Planning with Blacktower FM Blacktower FM firmly believes that an investment plan should be designed to meet your particular goals, cash flow needs, time horizon and risk tolerance. We are committed to ensuring that our clients with international pensions receive independent advice and that they develop a diversified portfolio of assets and regulated products offering long-term and tax-efficient solutions to their particular cross-border financial concerns. Blacktower Financial Management (International) Ltd have been established for over 32 years and has worked with clients through the good and the bad times, offering sound, independent financial advice, we will be by your side both now and in the future. The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.
Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV in Spain
18
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
BUSINESS
Property AGONY ANT
Fun and Clock off games 18
Expat writer gets families playing games again with launch of innovative children’s party organising business
A
N innovative author on the Costa Blanca has launched a new children’s party business following the success of her 2018 book railing against the perils of screen-time. Gadgets Away, 100 Games, released in February last year, gave parents fun games to engage their children at home or on the move. But now British expat Fiona Jennison has begun Fiestas in Pyjamas parties, in which she hosts creative games like ‘shark’s tail’ and ‘draw in the dark’ to keep children active and entertained. “It’s a shame that families don’t play games anymore,” Jennison told the Olive Press. She said technology was ‘of course amazing’ but in excess can dull minds and lead to unhealthy habits. But a game like ‘draw in the dark’, in which each child is blindfolded and asked to draw from a verbal description, provides hours of fun and interaction. “One that I start with is called ‘smelly shoe detective’, where they have blindfolds, take their shoes off and then have to find them by sniffing,” Jennison added. Jennison has six tents she takes round to each household, which she can leave overnight after entertaining the children with magic tricks and activities. “When my daughter was five we organised a big pillow fight - it was simple but still her most memorable party ever,” Jennison said.
GAMES: To get children away from screens
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YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES
New employment law sees workers ‘clocking in’ and carries fines of up to €6,250 for bosses
A
S of May 12 2019, a new law cigarette, or with more ‘labour-orienis in place in Spain to track tated’ things such as sales reprethe number of hours that em- sentatives’ daily itineraries, where ployees work. employees are given flexibility, and The purpose of Royal whose work performanDecree 8/2019 is to ce is rated by numbers clamp down on the wi- Records must be in turnover, not hours despread practice of (not to mention emunpaid overtime which kept for at least ployees that work from some estimates put at four years and home). 3.5 million hours. The work hours records be available to must be kept for at Not complying may mean fines of between least four years and be employees €626 and €6,250. available to employees, The habit of clocking in their representatives, and out of the workplaand the Labour and Soce is however antiquated, and puts cial Security Inspectorate. workers under the spotlight in par- Already various app developers have ticular when going out for breakfast created specific platforms to moni(a very Spanish tradition), smoking a tor employees’ registration, inclu-
Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.com Your electric car is now fully covered thanks to Liberty Seguros
E
LECTRIC cars were a novel sight on roads until just a few years ago, but with the technology becoming more accessible and being made available in more desirable cars, electric cars are fast becoming a more realistic option for many car buyers. It is well known that electric car maintenance is really economical and also the running costs are also very low. They also contribute to the protection of the environment and buying an electric car has some fiscal advantages too. Liberty Seguros wants to support the development of the electric car, improving and adapting its products to the needs of its customers and adding to its continued commitment to caring for the environment in favour of a clean and friendly energy. For these reasons Liberty Seguros car insurance now contains, free of charge, new benefits for electric cars to be totally covered, such us: Travel Assistance: Immobilisations that have their origin in battery discharge will be covered. From 0Km, emergency recharge or towing to the nearest recharge point assigned by the insured is included. Adapted pricing:
Watts up? charging are included within the damage, fire and theft cover up to a value of €400 (limit per claim per year). Batteries: Batteries are included in the cover of damage, fire and/or theft even if they are owned by third parties. Civil liability:
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ding controversial geolocation apps to pinpoint employees’ whereabouts through their company mobile phones, all of which should be fully notified and agreed with the employee. According to the Ministry of Labour, The Employment Inspection Service will act prudently, refraining from inspecting ex officio companies rather acting on the basis of workers’ complaints of legal infringements.
Damage caused by impact or collision of the vehicle into recharge installations owned by third parties is covered. The damage caused to third parties are covered in cases of fire that originate in the insured vehicle during the recharge
operation. Limit of this guarantee: €300,000 per claim. So if you are thinking of changing to an electric car and contributing to the care of the environment, now with Liberty Seguros, electric car insurance coverage is complete thanks to the new guarantees and benefits included within the Liberty Car product.
Also, don’t forget that you will get some fiscal advantages too, such as: Reduction in the Road Tax. This reduction depends on the council of each municipality, and can be up to 75%. Free use of green (ORA zone) and blue parking areas (depending on the municipality). Free access to restricted areas in city centres like Madrid. Help and Subventions under MOVES program (BOE, February 4 2019) With insurance, not only for car, but also life, home, business, commercial, funeral, etc., Liberty Seguros is considered the preferred expat insurer in Spain today. Liberty Seguros has an extensive network of over 300 brokers and agents that are dedicated to providing unbiased, friendly and expert advice, in your own language, to discuss the most suitable cover for you.
To find out more visit www.libertyexpatriates.es or simply call 91 342 25 49
PROPERTY Tax break crackdown
Too little too late?
THE rise in rural property sales has surpassed hotspots like Madrid for the first time in years… but there’s a catch. During the last quarter of 2018, purchases rose the most in Extremadura (19.1%), and prices the most in Castilla-La Mancha (16.8%) and Castille & Leon (11.5%). However, the markets inland are much smaller and sales have been so low that any increase would bring a high percentage. In reality, the interior regions are still suffering a depopulation crisis as hordes of young people move to the cities and coasts in search of work. Meanwhile, sales fell the most in the Canaries (-9.8%), Cantabria (-7.8%), and the Balearics (-7.2%) – whilst prices fell the most in Aragon (-7.2%).
Rent joy RENT rises will slow down to around 10% this year, a property giant has predicted. Albirana Properties, part of Blackstone, said the nationwide increase will be lower than previous years. The company, which rents out just under 10,000 homes across Spain, said rents increased by 14% last year.
A LEFT-wing coalition government may see tax breaks for property investors come under fire, experts have warned. It comes after the PSOE began seeking support from anti-capitalist Podemos after failing to win an overall majority in last month’s snap general election. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez has already announced his party wants to review tax breaks for landlords who rent to long-term residents as a way to bring more cash to Spain’s coffers. Meanwhile, Podemos, led by Pablo Iglesias, has made housing affordability one of its main issues. The far-left party blames investors for the surge in house prices in hotspots such as Barcelona, Madrid and the Balearics. It is also calling for the end of tax breaks for Real Estate Investment Trusts, known as SOCIMIs, which receive tax relief for investing in rental homes for three years or more. “SOCIMIs are designed to encourage investment in rental housing, which is a tricky business in a country where eviction of non-payers is slow and expensive,” explained Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight. “Podemos blame SOCIMIs and
DUMAS
Left-wing government could spell danger for property investors
other investors for rising housing costs in hot markets, rather than high demand. The rental sector is a capital intensive business, and without SOCIMIs there would be less investment in rental housing, meaning fewer homes and lower quality – all bad news for renters.” He added: “Though nothing is yet certain, it’s likely the next Government will be some sort of
coalition between the Socialists, Podemos, and perhaps some nativist parties from the Basque Country and Catalunya.
19
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Paradise regained A BRITISH family who lost their investment in a retirement home when a Costa Blanca construction company folded have been paid damages following a 15-year battle. Richard and Pauline Pope were awarded €72,000 for money they lost paying Monte Puchol SL to build a house near Lliber in 2004. The company’s bankruptcy affected 17 British couples, the majority over 70 years old, who lost all their investments. Jose Antonio Martin Rodriguez, from Legal Action Asociados, has now won close to €300,000 from Bankia and Bankinter in the Provincial Courts of Alicante and Cartagena. The legal firm estimate a full payout to victims will cost the banks ‘more than €3 million’, yet currently only 6 of 30 claims are favourable, and only two so-far successful. Martin Rodriguez said the win paid to the Popes included 'interest accumulated over the last 15 years'. Many of the Brits involved sold houses in the UK to pay for their future retirement homes, with at least one family now forced to live in a camp site.
Cliffhanger A LANDSLIDE has left an unbuilt house in Marina Alta teetering over the abyss. The extended terrace that looks over Porticholl island and Barraca beach is now exposed over a 200-metre sheer drop. The home, built upon a rocky outcrop, is the latest victim of the Easter rainfall, which saw the worst flooding in the area for 72 years.
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GRUPO AUTOMART’S GUIDE
To The Way Used Car Buying Should Be Buying a used car can be a smart financial move but an impulse buy could land you with a lemon. When you’re headed to a dealership make sure you’ve done some basic research to help you make an informed decision.
GRUPO AUTO MART can help you tick all the boxes. We have a dealership in La Nucia and in Benissa and we have recently opened our new garage AutoMart Talleres in Benissa, headed by our very experienced mechanic and his equally qualified team.
ONE. Take a moment to write down what you want from a car. How many people will it need to seat? Do you want a big or a small car? Do you want an automatic (for those sore knees maybe?) or is a manual your style? A convertible or something sporty?
Our staff are all bilingual English/Spanish speakers and are happy to answer any questions, including financing the car if necessary, to make sure you choose a car that is right for you.
TWO. Set your budget and the price of the car should include the following: • 1 year’s warranty • ITV • Background check • Full inspection of the car by a professional mechanic • Road tax paid for the year • Name and transfer plus ALL the paperwork done for you. • Part-exchange should be welcomed
THREE. Consider your financing options. If you are not planning to buy the car with cash, you should be able to talk to your dealership about the type of car you want within your price range.
Please browse through our updated website grupoautomart.com which list all our cars and details. And if you see a car, for example that’s in Benissa but you live closer to La Nucia, we will take it there to save you time. And the other way round too. So if you think you can answer number ONE, why not come by and test drive a car today. And if you can’t, let’s do it together. And GRUPO AUTO MART has an extra point to add to number TWO. They will deliver your newly purchased car anywhere within 150kms of either dealership. Now that’s a very handy extra indeed!
FOUR. Do a test drive. This is probably the most important part of buying a used car – feeling how it actually performs. Move the mirrors, open and close the windows. Do the seatbelts move easily? Does the radio work? Do you feel comfortable?
We make buying a car in Spain easy.
FIVE. Don’t feel pressured into buying a car. Take your time so that you feel happy about your purchase.
BMW 325 Ci 2.5 Year 2004 2500cc, 190 hp Automatic, Petrol 171,000 km
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CITROEN C4 1.6 HDi Seduction Year 2012 1600cc, 90 hp Manual, Diesel 124,000 km
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NISSAN Qashqai Tekna 1.5 - Demo Year 2017 1500cc, 110 hp Manual, Diesel 32,000 km
BENISSA
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PEUGEOT 508 SW 1.6 Year 2012 1600cc, 110 hp Manual, Diesel 87,000 km
10,995€
AUDI Q3 TDi 4x4 Year 2013 2000cc, 175 hp Automatic, Diesel 97,000 km
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RENAULT Megane Tech Road Energy dCi Year 2017 1500cc, 110 hp Manual, Diesel 27,000 km
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FORD Kuga 2.0 TDCi Trend 2WD 4x2 Year 2009 2000cc, 135 hp Manual, Diesel 92,000 km
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PROPERTY
21
Standing tall S
PANISH architects have won the Best Tall Building under 100 metres award. Fermin Vazquez Arquitectos claimed the prize at the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat awards for the Itaim Tower apartment block in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The CTBUH Annual Awards, this year held in Shenzhen, China, recognise projects that have ‘made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall buildings in the urban environment and that contribute in a broad way to sustainability.’ The Itaim Tower looms over Itaim Bibi, a neighbourhood in deep transformation that is moving from the traditional network of horizontally-spread detached houses to a skyline of high buildings, mainly homes that meet the growing residential demand of a prosperous upper-middle class in the country’s financial capital. The building comprises 123 small apartments – of about 30-sqm each – distributed along 85m in height, that are built over a platform of communal areas (squash court, indoor pool, restaurant, common room, etc.) and a basement parking area.
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Standing small
A SHELTER used by hikers, hunters and mountaineers in southern Spain has received quite the make over. Architect Martin Lejarraga completely renovated the small refuge in Murcia’s Sierra de Jumilla mountains to ‘improve its functionality and enhance opportunities for users to engage with nature.’ The Casa
del Angel received a new concrete roof to provide better insulation while the walls were clad in red tiles and a new terrace was created. “The project aims to open the hut up to the outside, to the people and to the mountains,” said the architect. “Besides maintaining the key use of the construction, the programme is also developed through shades, nooks and benches onto the open space.”
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BREXIT PAVES WAY FOR TIMESHARE MEDIATION
Brexit should be seen as an opportunity and not a hindrance for those in the UK fighting disputes over unwanted timeshares says a Spanish legal expert. The claim comes from Adriana Stoyanova, a lawyer with Malaga based M1 Legal, specialists in timeshare contract law linked with the UK based European Consumer Claims Ltd.
the separate enforcement mechanisms available for arbitration may offer greater certainty and advantage in comparison to litigation.” But she added that Brexit gives mediation the opportunity to reinvent itself for a number of reasons: faster than general litigation; cost effective - mediation will be much cheaper than general litigation; protective against legal costs (in the UK) when a valid offer to mediate is made; mediation is confidential, benefiting parties saving their good public image; balances the power; mediation saves the relationships between businesses; it can negotiate payment plans which would keep businesses' cash flow healthy. European Consumer Claims Ltd are the UK and Europe's leading experts in helping to release people from unwanted timeshare contracts and making claims for people to get their money back, assigning Spanish cases to their legal experts M1 Legal in Malaga.
“Brexit is most likely to affect disputes where one timeshare party is based in the UK and the other in an EU member state,” said Stoyanova. “Although it is still not clear what would happen if and when Brexit takes place, clients negotiating contracts with UK based companies would be well advised to agree on EU based instead of British jurisdiction.
“This means to think about mediation and arbitration as an alternative,” added Stoyanova. “It seems likely that arbitration will be less affected by Brexit, at least from a legal perspective. The legal framework supporting arbitration will remain unchanged, and
632
cases in the courts
299
cases being prepared
Timeshare Tip 1 If your resort offers you an upgrade, be very careful as normally the existing contract is cancelled in favour of a new contract showing the upgrade. The problem arises when the new contract is written in accordance with the current law resulting in the inability to sue the resort in respect of the earlier unlawful contract.
Timeshare Tip 2 If you are surrendering your timeshare back to your resort, be careful when signing the surrender document as it will normally include a disclaimer clause which will prevent you from taking any legal action against your resort or it's associated companies.
In 2019, M1 Legal currently has secured 50 victories totalling £753,612
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Maxima 1 Legal S.L. is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activities under registration number FRN 836561.
in
If you wish to discuss your timeshare problems please call ECC advice line on 0203 670 4616 or visit www.ecc-eu.com If you have any other enquiries regarding this story call 0034 951 562 209 or email pr@m1legal.com.
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“The practical steps that all parties involved in cross-border contracts will take into consideration include thinking carefully about potential dispute and enforcement issues, and adopting a 'conditional' dispute resolution clause that allows a degree of flexibility as the UK's position becomes clearer.
Recently, M1 Legal attended a legal professional networking event which was held over 2 days creating great local and international brand awareness. They were situated side by side with leading Spanish law offices along with Law and higher education professionals from the UK. They happily answered questions from consumers and professionals throughout the two days educating people about timeshare claims.
ne
Stoyanova said the harmonised EU regulations covering these matters will likely no longer be applicable to UK jurisdictions after Brexit and could lead to costly time consumption and even parallel proceedings and contradictory judgements.
Malaga Legal Professional Networking Event
ow
For example, so far in 2019 M1 Legal has secured 22 victories on jurisdiction against timeshare company Club La Costa who appealed against Spanish court decisions to try and get the hearings in the UK. But the judge ruled the cases should be heard in Spain which is of greater benefit to UK clients. All 22 cases will be resolved by the Spanish courts.
In the picture: M1Legal lawyers Patricia Criado and Jaime González
vi Po ta W p in tio e' f re or n ju a to st co ab ff tim e ov e Av an e .C es Pa a Ice d rq rm H ha an l ue en e a nd i M Sa ad re i n 29 4 ram en o in fo 65 th a z d ffi r c r e M m f 1 lo S T e M or 20 ej ija al ija 4 8 ad s C ch s C B Bu a, ild 52 os os at ta in 08 g ta –
“This enables them to benefit from EU laws regarding the recognition and enforcement of judgements in civil and commercial matters and judicial assistance in document delivery and taking of evidence.”
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Wine decline SPANISH wine tourism failed to live up to its grape expectations last year with a big 7.8% decrease, new data has revealed. Businesses in the sector suffered a loss of €80 million, despite three million people visiting bodegas and wine museums last year. The Spanish Association
of Wine Cities, which released the figures, blamed the decline on the closure of the Route of Emporda in Girona, one of Spain’s most popular wine tours. It comes as the average price of admission to bodegas increased to €9.79, while average visitor spending also grew to €19.98.
23
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
WATCH OUT, WATCH OUT
T SLUMP: Spanish wine tourism
HE Olive Press continues to go from strength to strength along the Costa Blanca. The paper - our fourth edition - has been warmly received from Benidorm to Gandia and as far inland as the Jalon Valley, as our trio of dedicated distributors put out 13,000 papers every fortnight. Every other Thursday thousands of you have been out to locate them at the hundreds of supermarkets, restaurants and golf clubs along the coast. Many of them now have stands, with dozens being added by the month. But this week we come with a stern warning: on no less than three occasions we have heard of bitter rivals either hiding, stealing or binning our papers. And one of our team spotted an elderly lady pick up a bundle outside a bike shop in Javea, possibly to line a litter tray.
This, dear readers, is theft and we do not take kindly to this sort of behaviour. Apart from investing a lot of money on the paper and ink, we have a team of NCTJ-trained journalists and, of course, the distributors who need paying to do their jobs. Please, please, please, if you see such despicable behaviour, we ask you to remind these uncaring cretins that our papers are owned by us… but a personal gift to you, our valued readers. Of course, our industry would die without competition and we encourage it... we just ask you - our readers - to help us maintain a fight fair. Here, are a small handful of our key drops around the region.
Paella s mis to t no r pe pa E TH power in Costa Blanca Local cooking legend Quique Dacosta sets up shop in Blighty to export proper paella
THREE-Michelin-star chef Quique Dacosta is to open a new Spanish restaurant in London, centred on his native paella. ‘Arros QD’ in Fitzrovia, will feature an open wood-burning fire, allowing guests to watch the authentic Valencian dish be freshly prepared. The cook, whose eponymous eatery in Alicante received three Repsol Suns, will also serve other rice dishes, seafood and more avant-garde
RICE KING: Dacosta
creations. “I am excited to bring part of our tradition and gastronomy to one of the most important capitals of the world,” Dacosta said. “With this project I am materialising a passion I’ve been nurturing for decades: to reinstate the rice culture from eastern Spain to its rightful home. “Paella is one of the bestknown dishes around, yet also one of the most mistreated.” Meanwhile, renowned Spanish designer Lazaro Rosa-Violan has been drafted in to decorate the 140-seat restaurant at 64 Eastcastle Street, which spans two floors. Like his operation in Denia,
which uses ingredients within 75km of the premises, Dacosta has committed to sourcing the best of fresh British produce for the new opening on June 7. Alongside paella, he will include dishes made from Welsh duck breast, morel, black trompettes and porcini aioli, with each dish designed to be shared. Dacosta’s Marina Alta restaurant has held three Michelin stars since 2013, and has held a position on the World’s 100 Best Restaurants List. Dacosta’s portfolio also includes michelin-starred El Poblet, as well as MercatBar, Vuelve Carolina, and most recently Llisa Negra, all in Valencia city.
Jamie’s joint JAMIE Oliver’s restaurant empire has collapsed just as he opened a brand new eatery in Spain. The British food mogul was forced to pull the plugs after suffering losses of €30 million last year However he insisted this week that his new restaurant on the Costa del Sol, will stay open. Jamie’s Deli at Malaga airport offers a range of healthy takeaway food. The restaurant from the 43-year-old Naked Chef star will serve salads, sandwiches, pizzas, hot dishes, cakes and drinks Oliver, who angered Spain in 2016 with his ‘chorizo paella’ invention, is joined by two other new airport outlets, Café di Fiore and international chain Eat.
THE Olive Press is now distributing all over the coast in a whole host locations. Found at golf courses, tourist offices, museums and petrol stations, it has become the most sought-after English newspaper on the Costa Blanca every fortnight. Look out for one of our many stands, as seen below at local newsagents. We print around 15,000 copies every issue and take our distribution very seriously, and
DENIA DENIA DENIA DENIA
Carrefour Consum Denia market Tourist office
JAVEA JAVEA JAVEA
Iceland Yorkshire Linen Bay Radio
BENISSA BENISSA
Iceland Pepe Sal
MORAIRA MORAIRA MORAIRA MORAIRA
Pepe Sal Iceland Quick Save Telitec
GANDIA GANDIA
Carrefour Tourist office
ALBIR ALBIR ALBIR
Consum Mendoza Albir Sur
CALPE CALPE CALPE
Consum Britannia clinic Calpe Dental
PEDREGUER PEDREGUER
Harris Furnishing Monroes
ALTEA ALTEA ALTEA
Yorkshire linen Dial Prix Albir Colonial
ALFAZ DEL PI
Costablanca supermarket Mendoza PMR
ALFAZ DEL PI ALFAZ DEL PI
Please get in touch at newsdesk@theolivepress.es or distribution@theolivepress.es to suggest new drops.
need you, the readers to keep us informed of numbers... and more importantly if each location needs more or less papers. We also want to know where you would like to see it and where you don't think we should bother. Here are a select group of a few dozen key drops. Please get in touch at Newsdesk@theolivepress.es to find your nearest drop or suggest another.
FINESTRAT
Marina S
JALON JALON JALON
Cafe Ole Garcia Villas Hamiltons
TEULADA TEULADA
Consum First Stop
BENITACHELL
Lady Elizabeth School Javea golf club
BENITACHELL
Advertise with The Olive Press TEL: (+34) 951 273 575 EMAIL: sales@theolivepress.es
24
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Bees are buzzing off the planet … a sign we’re on the brink of ecological Armageddon? As conservationists around the globe mark World Bee Day, Claire Leibovich got busy to find out
“
IF the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Beyond its chill-producing sensationalism this fam o u s quote
The buzz on bees
- most frequently attributed to Einstein although there are other claimants to authorship - makes a stinging point. Bees are not only a crucial component of our ecosystems. They ensure food security for all. Bees are the kings and queens of insect pollinators. A third of the world’s food production depends on them. Additionally, they i n - dicate the health of an ecosystem; if something is wrong, changes in their behaviour are an early warning sign. There are around 20,000 known species of bees, of which only a few
make honey. The western in biodiversity. honey bee (apis mellifera, Spain showed a steady Latin for ‘honey-bearing growth in honey production bee’) is by far the most pro- in the early 2010s. However the honeypot started shrinlific. Honey is an important tradi- king in 2016, according to tional and economical fac- a Ministry of Agriculture retor in Spain. The country is port. downwards curve home to 2.45 million beehi- This ves and more than 30,000 could be due to the crisis beekeepers, which makes that has been ravaging the it the largest beekeeping globe since the end of the nation in Europe, ahead of 20th century with the sharp decline in France and other pollinaGreece. It is also one of NGOs forced the tors such as butter flies, the EU’s top government to hummingbirds honey produand bats. cers, hiving off 20 000 create a National In 2015, the tonnes of the Action Plan for International Union for the delicious necbees Conser vation tar every year. of Nature Amateur bee(IUCN) asseskeeping is also a buzzing market, lea- sed European bee species ding to heightened aware- for the first time. The organess of their essential role nisation reported that 9.2% of wild bees are facing extinction in Europe, while 37% of the population is diminishing. The largest numbers of threatened species are located in south-central Europe but the Mediterranean region is the most data-deficient. Why bees are buzzing off Many factors can be fatal to these winged benefactors. The Colony Collapse Disaster (CDD), first given a name in 2006, designates the unexplained decline in worker bees. The phenomenon has been observed throughout the history of apiculture and as far back as 1869, but to this day there’s no consensus on what causes it. However, there has been a drastic
FOOD,DRINK &
CRUCIAL: Global food supplies depend on the humble bee
Un-bee-lievable! ●● The earliest known record of humans harvesting honey comes from an 8,000-year-old cave painting Cueva de la Araña in Bicorp, Vale at La ncia. ●● A honeybee’s wings beat around 230 times per second, which creates their buzz. ●● Honey can be preserved a long time due to its acidity, lack of water and content. In 1922, archeologist How hydrogen peroxide ard Carter tasted the honey discovered in King Tutankh amun's tomb. He said it was delicious! ●● During its life (6-8 weeks), a wor ker bee will fly the equivalent distance of one-and-ahalf times around the Earth to produce one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey. ●● Honeybees outnumber hum ans in London (by 30 to one in summer ) due to the rise in urban beekeeping.
DID YOU KNOW? increase in CDD in the last two decades. Most other factors contributing to colony loss are due to human activity and modern globalisation. For example, bees are more vulnerable to disease due to the faster circulation of parasites. The varroa mite, originally from Asia, is a particularly virulent pest that arrived in plague num-
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PEST: The Varroa mite parasite has plagued Spanish bees
bers in Spain during the mid-80s. Another bee-attacking parasite is nosema apis, also from Asia, observed for the first time in Europe when they made landfall in Spain in 2005. Pesticides also have a harmful effect, both on bees and honey quality. Greenpeace found that two thirds of the pollen collected by bees is pestici-
TRAVEL
25
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Gimme a break...
...Not in Madrid for Champions League weekend unless you’re a millionaire...or you like camping FORGET a cheeky spring escape in Madrid at the end of the month when Tottenham meet Liverpool in the Champions League final. For the average price for a two night stay in the capital is coming in at around €5000 for the hotel accommodation alone, discovered the Olive Press. Take Booking.com, some 88% of the site’s rooms are now booked in Madrid, and hostels charging 10 times what they usually do! A two night stay on the weekend of May 31 to June 2 could be the most expensive ever in Spanish (even European) history. The Olive Press was unable to find a two-night stay for less than €1000 on Booking.com or Trivago. Plenty are over €20,000, including Hotel Wellington at €24,000 (see right) and Santa Mauro at €26,000 (where Beckham once lived) and
that’s before you even order a Coke! And if you thought you were clever - perhaps staying in Toledo, Aranjuez or Chinchon, three attractive towns within easy reach of the capital - well give it a go. Most of the hotels are already full and what's left was not much less. And Airbnb is no different - most flats and apartments were costing well over €2,000 for two nights! But all is not lost, as Madrid has a handful of campsites available for Champions League weekend, all for under €50 per person per night. The Olive Press found five sites near the city, which still have space, including the Monte Campsite near Lozoya with tent pitches from just €15.20.
Here are three great alternatives if you’re on a budget next weekend de-contaminated. Neonicotinoids are a type of pesticide particularly threatening to bees. They are made of synthetic substances similar to nicotine that affect the central nervous system of insects. In April 2018, the EU agreed to ban the outdoor use (but not in greenhouses) of the three most dangerous neonicotinoides (imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin). Most countries in the EU have yet to approve the motion, however, meaning that the ban is not effective and these pesticides are still being used. Moreover, many more detrimental pesticides are still in use. Climate change, urbanisation and monocropping – growing a single crop on the same land year on year without rotation – are other factors decimating bee populations. In April, pressure from NGOs forced the Spanish government to create a National Action Plan for bees and other insect pollinators in line with EU recommendations. Along with a blanket ban on the three aforementioned nicotinoids, other initiatives include ‘promoting bee-friendly habitats, sustainable agricultural practice, the creation of suitable urban environments and reduction of the risk from plagues and parasites.’ How this will act out precisely has yet to be discussed. Bee Responsible World Bee Day on May 22 is an opportunity to learn more about these flying phi-
lanthropists and what each of us can do, individually and collectively, to slow their decline. Even though Spain is one of the largest producers in the EU, 80% of the honey consumed in Spain is imported from China, because it’s cheaper. As the Olive Press reported last month, Chinese supermarket ‘honey’ is fake - made, more often than not, from rice or corn syrup. You can support local beekeepers by buying their products at farmers’ markets, or from sustainable local producers with an anti-pesticide policy. Whether you have garden or balcony plants, ban the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. If you must, choose natural alternatives. It is also a good idea to check that the plants you buy are not pre-treated. A bee-friendly garden is a wild garden. Prefer native plants and let weeds grow. There are many lists out there of roots and flowers that best attract bees and other pollinators. You can also leave a shallow container of water for bees in the hot summer months. Make sure to put pebbles, twigs or corks in the water so that the bees don’t drown. But the most important thing you can do is educate yourself about bees and encourage people around you to do the same. Read books and blogs, watch documentaries or join an association. In A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings, one of the latest books on the market, bee-keeper Helen Jukes shares how bees helped her reconnect with nature and herself.
1
Camping Pico de la Miel - Located near the N-1 motorway, this campsite set back in the idyllic town of La Cabrera, has great access to Madrid. This mountainous landscape is home to the fascinating San Antonio Monastery, as well as the Atazar Reservoir, a relic built during the General Franco era.
BIG WEEKEND: And big prices (below) for fans It comes as Liverpool and Tottenham fans were advised to fly via Palma to Madrid after flights also shot up to more than €1500 after the British teams’ decisive victories. Officials at Madrid Barajas airport insisted fans should avoid the airport as it will be close to capacity and unable to deal with the influx. “We are currently recommending bypassing Madrid as it normally only handles 2,000-3,000 passengers an hour. That number is expected to rise to more than 6,000 per hour, causing lengthy passport control delays in and out. Air Charter Service spokesperson Glenn Phillips said: “We are suggesting flights to Zaragoza or Valencia which are both a few hours away.” The English clubs booked their spots in the Champions League final on June 1 after pulling off two of the best comebacks in history by beating Barcelona and Ajax, 4-0 and 3-2 respectively. Fans were angry as each club has been allocated only 16,613 tickets for the all-English final, a decision
2
both sets of fans have criticised as ‘measley.’ Thousands of expats around Spain are planning to make the journey to the capital. They include a group of Liverpool fans from Ronda, led by Charlotte Wilmot, an English teacher, who is hiring a minibus, as well as a group of staunch Spurs fans from Javea, on the Costa Blanca, who are ‘likely to hire two minibuses’.
Camping Internacional Aranjuez - This camping pitch on the border with Castilla-La Mancha is nestled in a bend of the river Tagus.Just across, is the stunning French-influenced Royal Palace of Aranjuez, the site of several treaty signings and Spanish monarchy deaths.
Description: Holiday cabin Price for two nights: €110.50 Sleeps: Four Distance from city: 67km Driving time: 1 hour, 3
minutes Breakfast: No Amenities: Two bedrooms, full kitchen, bathroom, porch, parking, room service
www.picodelamiel.com
3
Camping Capfun El Escorial - The Manzanares River river is just nearby this great spot, while the Retiro Park is equally good for a morning walk. Meanwhile the town of El Escorial with trains into Madrid, has a wealth of bars for Champions League celebrations or commiserations, as well as the monastery, declared a World Heritage Site since 1984. Description: Holiday cabin Price for two nights: €80 Sleeps: Three Distance from city centre: 56km Driving time: 1 hour, 4 minutes Breakfast: No Amenities: One bedroom with two beds, full kitchen, bathroom, porch, parking, room service, TV http://www.capfun.es/
Description: Caravan/tent Price for two nights: €32 Sleeps: Seven Distance from city: 50km Driving time: 45 minutes
Breakfast: No Amenities: Plot of 80-100m2, water and drainage system, TV and electricity socket www.campingaranjuez.com
Something for everyone at
HILL TOP GASTRO PUB
Breakfast 08.00-13.00 – Lunch 13.00-18.00 Evening Meals 18.00-22.00 Thursday karaoke – Tuesday quiz night LIVE music most Saturdays (check Facebook) Pool and Terrace ALL SPORT biggest screen in Moraira, enclosed terrace Open 7 days week, early until late
www.hilltopgastropub.eu
Calle Móstoles, Moraira tel: 965 74 43 66
26
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Stepping up
I
What’s on Gibraltar
Hotting up!
Tens of thousands raised at iconic Gibraltar landmark, writes John Culatto
T has become one of the Mediterranean region’s veritable challenges. While not quite as stiff as Ronda’s famous 101 race, or the Malaga marathon, Gibraltar’s Med Steps Challenge is not to be sniffed at. This iconic walk heads uphill from Jews’ Gate on the southern end of the Nature Reserve at 180m above sea level, up towards O’Hara’s Battery at 419m, close to the summit of the Rock. It’s a rite of passage for the locals, and expats along the coast alike, and
many famous people have undertaken it from former Miss World Kaiane Aldorino to famous politicians. Now a sizeable £20,000 has been raised for Cancer Relief in Gibraltar during the Med Steps 5 Challenge. Now in its fifth year, the weekend event included a race (involving five team members) and a family fun day, with Mark Tewksbury, Petra Arvela and the Royal Navy divers taking the honours. The Cancer Relief centre at South Barrack Road aims to give victims the support they need to fight the life-threa-
ANNIVERSARY: Med Steps 5 Challenge celebrates its fifth edition this year
A VISTA: View from the top
tening disease. by the Royal Engineers and now forms There are over 100 different types of part of Gibraltar’s UNESCO World Hericancer with 14 million new cases re- tage Site at the top of the Rock. corded every year. Its breathtaking views over the MeThe nature trail is unknown to most diterranean make it one of the most tourists who visit the peaceful and colourful rock, yet it is voted walks on the coast… Number One on TripAd- You might, in fact and it is surprisingly visor out of 58 different peaceful and green. things to do in Gibraltar. you probably will, And you might, in fact Some 94% of visitors bump into groups you probably will, bump rate it as ‘excellent’ or into groups of monkeys of monkeys on on your way up. ‘very good’ on the global travel site. Latest improvements your way up And it is not hard to see have made the steps sawhy. fer and more accessible Originally built by the than ever without losing British military to give access to a any of its charm. number of command posts, the path For more info, visit http://www. zig-zags up to O’Hara’s Battery at the visitgibraltar.gi/see-and-do/ southern tip of the Rock. military-history/mediterraOver the years it has been refurbished nean-steps-12
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
s spring turns to summer there are few better places to be in June than the Rock of Gibraltar. The month marks the end of the Spring Festival and the start of the bathing season. Even with the beaches filling up there will also be loads on around Gib. It all starts with learning in the Mind Kind workshops and a Disability symposium on June 1 and 4 respectively. See how buff you can get at the Peak Classic bodybuilding competition on June 8. Then forget about all about all that hard work at the annual street party at Casemates and World Music Festival on June 12 & 13. The following week, on June 20 you have a choice of entertainment. You can reach some high notes at with a performance of opera or laugh your worries away with Jason Manford at St Michael’s Cave.
Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.
With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling. Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist. PROUD
BRITISH
For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
www.visitgibraltar.gi
Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC
Phoenician Empire Calentita
Jazz
INTERNATIONAL
THE ROCK The MoorishMusicCastle Festivals Food Festival Pillars of Hercules National Week, Chess, Snooker, Backgammon Championships 100000 YEARS Darts, LITERARY FESTIVAL
Neanderthal Settlements
ibraltar
#VISITGIBRALTAR
A year of Culture
Bring hearts, minds and souls
27
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
An interactive photo booth experience is a musthave for your special event this year
T
innovative Magic Selfie or Magic Mirror at your next event? You'll never have taken a selfie like this before! Our devices are available to hire throughout the whole region and for excellent prices.
Sponsored posts on our website with to your site and with an average of links 20,000 page views per day
Magic Selfie
Magic Mirror The first moment you lay eyes on the Magic Mirror,
you will realise it is not your traditional photo booth - it's the next level of entertainment. With a fully interactive 65" mirror, elegant looks, amazing image quality, instant prints, built-in games, picture sign features and more, the Magic Mirror is sure to keep your guests entertained during your party! It offers customisable print templates, customisable touch screen animations, various backdrops and frames, an email feature and a SMS feature for your guests to send their photos directly to their phones.
Get in touch with us via the advert below for a fun and unique experience.
Fully interactive digital copy of the newspaper containing all advertisi ng seen online globally via Issuu
We promote you on our hugely popu Facebook page with 17,000 likes lar and as many followers
The Olive Press gives you more!
Welcome to Costablanca MagicMirror The interactive photo booth experience. The must have to bring fun, laughter and memories to your special occasion! Make sure your guests and event are the talk of the town. Many customise features to make your photo booth experience personal and unique. Forget the traditional Photo Booth. Why not have the New Innovative Magic Selfie or Magic Mirror at your next event! You’ve never taken a selfie like this before! Our Magic Selfie and Magic Mirror are available to hire throughout the Costa Blanca Region.
Contact us today for availability and pricing tel: +34 649 018 410 www.costablancamagicmirror.com Costablanca-Magicmirror
ur to s Yo ory d 00 er st ote 0,0 low 2 l om ly fo pr ar ok ne bo ce Fa
The Magic Selfie is the perfect photo booth for your event. It's gorgeous ring and inviting mirror draw guests in, so your event will shine in the spotlight. The Magic Selfie can do traditional photos, GIFs, Burst GIF animations, boomerangs and videos. It offers a customisable start screen, several photo templates, a choice of different filters, digital props and instant sharing to email and SMS.
Our Twitter feed gives users direct to all our stories and every digital access newspaper published
s r r nd ou e sa in pap ou s s Th viewnew l of ita g di
HEY are guaranteed to bring fun, laughter and magical memories of your key special occasion this year. Our Magic Mirrors and Magic Selfies are guaranteed to ensure that your events become the talk of the town around the Costa Blanca area. Many of us custom-make photo booths or otherwise to make our experience personal and unique. But forget the traditional photo booth! Why not have the new
r ur ou s Yo ry to er o st ed llow t o ee 0 f Tw ,00 7
te l ee ia 00 si Fr tor 0,0 eb i 1 w ed ur ay o -d in r-a to si vi
It’s a kind of magic
When you take out an advertising campaign with the Olive Press, you get a lot more than just the printed newspaper
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28
HEALTH
www.weekender.news
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
buff: Get your sexy back p everything you love Docs in the dock
STAFF shortages have been blamed for the death of a 20-month-old girl at a Spanish hospital. The young patient was being treated for vomiting, when she was administered a lethal by BPT dose of intravenous glucose. runners and yoga enthusiasts The topping thetragic list. incident occurred at the According to Regional boardHospital of in certifiCastellon, ed plastic Vinaros surgeon which an 30 an Walter L. Bernacki, inquiry found hadMD
‘inadequate ratio’ of staff to patients. A court case is investigating four doctors and two nurses for ‘murder due to serious professional negligence’. but treatments The additional little girl was originally taken for to optimal the may be required hospital with ‘persissculpting results. tent vomiting’, “TruSculpt iD iswhere a very it was new laterdevelopment found that in exciting there were also ‘disnon-surgical contouring. tractions body in the work The lower abdomen and love environment’.
r built thing. ff is a othing short- can ntuate ou are of Ohio Plastic Surgery in handles can be treated in just a r way Central Ohio, “The newest single 15-minute comfortable non-surgical body contouring treatment session. Our patients better system is Cutera’s truSculpt have been very pleased with the e. Far iD that uses radiofrequency body sculpting results they can people (RF) technology to target and achieve with this innovative your system,” g and permanently destroy fat inKIM says Dermatologist CLARK e good trouble spots (think muffin tops Jeffrey S. Dover, MD, FRCPC finally and love handles) - in just 15 of Skincare Physicians in with no Chestnut about comfortable Hill, MA. If youminutes suffer from... Or you need... giving downtime. We have found that By and large, people are • Mobility • Help with worksproblems on all skin doing the treatment washing / dressing Pain /and Breathlessness physiques, having types, • sizes including individuals y. • Falls / Stumbleswho • Supervision of were previously not considered body contouring mally candidates Youforcould be entitled to extra income body procedures.” UK sickness / disability What’sby claiming more, truSculpt look an average fat living in Spain ing to iD producesbenefits while n and reduction of 24 percent, and improvements are TO seenBOOK A CONSULTATION . And visibleFOR ADVICE OR ularly in 6 to 12 weeks callfollowing 950 169the 729 or 663 297 568 Multiple areas ave a first treatment. www.ukbenefitsinspain.com , with can be treated in one session,
Aborted flights
THREE doctors and a pilot have been arrested in Morocco for facilitating abortions with medication smuggled in from Spain. A trial is underway for loving their truSculpt iD the three men after the results. In a separate study 24-year-old pilot was cauof individuals who had the ght trying to bring the ‘ArUNTHINKABLE: Our said ancestors ate each other to conserve energy procedure, 100 percent totec’ drug into the mainly they were satisfied, would get Muslim country this monNeanderthals in Spain ate th. it done again and would refer www.weekender.news The drug, used mostly for a friend for truSculpt iD. And each other to save energy joint problems, can also everyone felt better in - or out not chasing faster animals trigger abortions and is of - their clothes. banned in Morocco, where So, if you’re thinking about termination of pregnancy looking into a new kind of is a criminal offence.
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Charges
Abortions are only permienergy catching other hu- mammal species, including tted to ‘preserve the life of mans than quicker, more deer, and 22 men or women the mother’ and only once agile animals, despite their who had not been eaten. her partner has authorifellow men being much less Lead author of the study sed it. but additional treatmentssaid: loving“Our their The truSculpt iD Jesus Rodriguez calorific. operation was uncoby BPT may beanalyses required forshow optimal results. In a separate study that Homo Although less fatty, the huvered during the separarunners and yoga enthusiasts sculpting results. of individuals who had the antecessor , like any pre- te trial of two women for man toppingmeat the list.would have had“TruSculpt iD is a very procedure, 100 percent said selectedin its preysatisfian justAccording as many nutrients. to board- excitingdator, new development they were ed, illegal would getabortion, where following the principle of and Scientists came tosurgeon their conthey revealed the name of certified plastic non-surgical body contouring. it done again would refer optimising thelove cost-benefit clusions discovering the medic Walter L. after Bernacki, MD The lower abdomen and a friend for truSculpt iD. Andwho carried out and show the bones of seven of Ohio Plastic Surgery indiviin handlesbalance, the inprocedure. can be treated in they just a also everyone felt better - or out Central who Ohio,showed “The newest single 15-minute comfortable only of - their clothes.The doctor initially denied that, considering this duals evidence non-surgical body contouring treatment session. Our patientswereSo, you’reclaims, thinking about balance, humans a if‘hiof being eaten by humans but later admitted system is Cutera’s truSculpt very pleased prey with the looking into athe newcharges. kind of gh-ranked’ type. at the archaeological site have of been iD that uses radiofrequency body sculpting results they can personalized body sculpting Gran Dolina, in the Basque “This means that, when Some 50,000 to 80,000 (RF) technology to target and achieve with this innovative without resorting to drastic with other prey, a truSculpt iD occur in the country. permanently destroy fat in your system,”compared says Dermatologist measures, find abortions a Dover, lot ofMD, food couldprovider be obGiveaways included country each year, despite trouble spots (think muffin topstooth Jeffrey S. FRCPC near you by searching tainedPhysicians from humans at low the ban. marks, cuts and fractures and love handles) - in just 15 of Skincare in https://trusculpt.com/find-amade purposefully to no expoThe government recently comfortable minutes with Chestnutcost.” Hill, MA. provider. downtime. We have found that Thelarge, research se bone marrow. By and people has are been pu- agreed in principle to loothe treatment works on all skinwere blished in the Journal of sen the laws but it has not The human remains types, sizes and physiques, found among nine other Human Evolution. yet held a vote on the issue. including individuals who were previously not considered candidates body contouring CLINICAforBritannia is offering its most successprocedures.” ful and innovative laser procedure yet: GreenWhat’s more, truSculpt Light™ Laser PVP. iD produces an average fat The PVP for ‘photoselective vaporisareduction of stands 24 percent, and tion improvements of the prostate’ and refers to the use of visible are seen green lightfollowing to treat enlargement of the prosin a 6 to 12 weeks the gland. Multiple areas firsttate treatment. Laser PVP has been enthusiasticanGreenLight™ be treated in one session,
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29
Go nuts!
EATING nuts in the first trimester of pregnancy will improve the child’s brain development, a Spanish study has found. Some 2,200 mothers and their children were studied across Asturias, Guipuzcoa, Sabadell and Valencia over a period of eight years. The children’s neuropsychological development was assessed using several internationally validated standard test 18 months, 5 years, and 8 years after birth. The group of children whose mothers munched more nuts during the first trimester of pregnancy obtained the best results in all the tests measuring cognitive function, attention capacity and working memory. The nuts involved were almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pine nuts and hazelnuts. “The nuts provided high levels of folic acid and, in particular, essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6,” said lead Barcelona-based ISGlobal researcher Florence Gignac, “These components tend to accumulate in neural tissue, particularly in the frontal areas of the brain, which influence memory and executive functions.”
Chorizo, pastries and cereal could increase your risk of depression, say Spanish scientists PEOPLE who regularly eat ultra-processed foods like Spanish chorizo are more likely to be depressed, new research has found. According to the study involving 14,000 volunteers, consumers of ‘low nutritional quality’ products are 33% more at risk of the disease. The work was published by Spain’s University of Navarra in the European Journal of Nutrition. A total of 14,907 people who had never had depression
Sausage surprise were monitored for an average of 10 years during the project. Among the test subjects, 774 new cases of clinically diagnosed depression were detected. Those who consumed ultra-processed foods were a third more likely to suffer depression, with the risk heightened for those who
Free pill
THE Spanish Government has modified its advice on pregnant women taking paracetamol. Leaflets issued by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) deny a link between the use of the painkiller during pregnancy and harm to the child. The AEMPS text says current information, ‘does not show
an association between the prenatal use of paracetamol and the impact on the urogenital system or neurodevelopmental alterations’. The Ministry of Health adds however that the drug should only be used ‘if considered clinically necessary’ and ‘at the minimum effective dose and for the shortest possible time’.
had low levels of physical exercise. Clara Gomez Donoso, a researcher at the university, said previous studies had found that, ‘ultra-processed food increased the risk of hypertension and obesity’.
Synthesised
She added: “These cardiometabolic conditions share pathophysiological mechanisms and risk factors with depression.” The Nova classification identifies ultra-processed foods as industrially manufactured products, containing refined or synthesised ingredients, and that no longer resemble the original ingredients. Refined ingredients include sugar, starch, vegetable oil and salt, and synthesised ingredients include trans fats, hydrolysed protein and additives.
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Colon cancer hope A CHARITY-FUNDED laboratory on the Costa Blanca has made a ground-breaking discovery that could stop the spread of colon cancer. Denia hospital’s Molecular Oncology Laboratory, part-funded by Cancer Care Javea, used DNA sequencing to identify 36 genetic mutations never before defined in science. The mutations turned out to be resistant to all existing treatment, and were responsible for metastasis in other parts of the body.
Genetics
RISK: Processed food Sweets, sausages, industrial pastries and breakfast cereals are among the worst offenders in Spain. “They are characterised by low nutritional quality, convenience, availability and hyper-palatability,” added Clara Gomez.
The results were presented at the second National Human Genetics Congress in Madrid this month by representatives of the laboratory. Next, scientists will develop pharmaceutical drugs to block the newly-defined mutations and stop them spreading. Cancer Care Javea spent eight years fundraising for the creation of the laboratory, and has a charity shop in Javea Park.
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30
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Alicante Airport pandamonium was just about worth it for an English bowl of jellied eels, writes Loraine Gostling
G
COLUMNISTS
GetTING ConnectED By Loraine Gostling
Hank Marvin
OOD day fellow ‘Cos- yone’s favourite shouty-man, Jeremy Kyle. ta Blancans’. Well, I have not really Now, I have very rarely wathad oodles of time ched his programme, mainly to do much pondering lately, because five minutes of it mainly due to being packed made my ears bleed and my off to the land of tea, fish eyes glaze over in total disand chips, Yorkshire puds belief, but I am pretty sure and...dare I mention it, Bre- that the recent TV disaster made Señora xit! May sigh with Despite my orirelief, as the ginal promise Take attention tabloids, TV, when I wrote radio and the my debut coaway from whole world lumn a few the most and his wife weeks ago, aswent hell for suring my reaembarrassing leather on der and his cat balls-up in history the rights and that I would wrongs of Jenot mention rry’s entertainthe B-word, I feel I have to just throw out ment and took the heat away there, my recent conspiracy from her for a while. theory regarding the relative So anyway, another Jeremy bites the dust it seems, folack of Brexit crap of late. It would seem to me that the llowing in Clarkson’s footslatest ploy to take our atten- teps (although, sorry, I have tion away from the most ex- to admit having a soft spot pensive and embarrassing for that particular bad boy as balls-up in the history of the he does make me chuckle). jolly old Untied (no that isn’t Now only Corbyn to go and a typo) Kingdom, was ever- we have a winning treble.
MADNESS: Queues at Alicante airport
Digressing again it seems, as my point was to tell the tale of my trip to Essex last week. I have a beautiful daughter who lives there and as much
as I love living in Spain, I do have to have a regular dose of her infectious giggles from time to time. When the plane touches down on that green and pleasant land, I do think about what I actually miss about England, but I have to admit that, apart from a few special people, there is not that much to lure me back. This particular trip did not start so well because I had totally forgotten that Ryanair changes its baggage rules more often than I have replaced the empty loo roll. So, having packed everything into one cabin bag and made sure that my jacket pockets were big enough to store a laptop and half of Boots’ cosmetic counter, my daughter and I set off for Alicante airport, where, upon arrival, we were informed by the flashing board that our plane had been delayed. Oh well, it was only 55 minutes, so we could browse the Toblerone and smell the latest designer aromas at leisure in Duty Free. Having stuffed my smell-u-like €9,00 Mercadona spray and three bars of MasyMas fruit and nut choc into the aforesaid case, I resisted
the urge to part with a few The chips were worth the hundred Euros for some Dior wait though. and three bars of chocolate By now, I assume you realise with two thirds of it missing! that all was not well at AliWe toddled along and chec- cante airport and our flight ked the flashy box again, had been put back yet again. whereupon we established Do we know what is causing that another hour had been this? added to the delay. No of course not, but hey-ho, Oh well, hungry anyway, so the gate number had come we went and played with the up, and naturally it was the Burger King one-armed-ban- one furthest away from whedit, managing re we usually to order some board, but at fast food, but least we could I had to return to without the 50 walk off those c e n t s - w o r t h the naughty step chips. of dressing I just 30 and wait for Mr Within wanted as I do minutes, we not hold a de- Ryanair to relieve had arrived gree in Sauce at the front us Communicaof the queue, tions, so had showing off to give it up how well we and accept that I must do had packed our tiny cases battle with the free, impos- with everything a woman sible-to-open-without-the-co- needs for five days, when rrect-tools plastic pouch of we were told that we should ketchup. have booked priority and The fast food order, via the that I now had to pay and speedy ordering system, arri- return to the naughty step at ved 45 minutes later. the back of the queue and By this time the airport was wait for Mr Ryanair and his running amok with disgrunt- trusty card machine to come led, delayed passengers and relieve us of €40, the cafrom all parts of the world ses, and our dignity it seems. and by the time we found a It was my intention to tell table, I had learned to swear more about our adventures in eight different languages. in England but it seems that I have had my usual attack of verbal diarrhoea and I have already exceeded my Olive Quota for this week. Although, I cannot sign off without revealing the cause of airport mayhem, which continued for yet another 90 minutes, sitting on the plane while we waited for ‘Monsieur Le Misery’ to allow us to fly over their airspace. Our journey home, five days later, you will not be surprised to hear, was equally as stressful and I didn’t even get to Burger King that time. But that story is for another day. In the meantime, it was worth all the hassle just to have that bowl of jellied eels!
Across: 1 Stoned, 5 Azalea, 8 Egg, 9 Snivel, 10 Aspire, 11 Tsars, 13 Sneaker, 14 Aches, Down: 2 Tunisia, 3 Never, 4 Dell, 5 Against, 6 Applaud, 7 Eerie, 12 See, 17 Tidal, 20 Blurred, 22 Usage, 25 Italic, 26 Adults, 27 Had, 28 Prepay, 29 Edging. 15 Harelip, 16 Sketchy, 18 I O U, 19 Lighten, 21 Later, 23 Swung, 24 Bade.
SPORT Gloves off GREAT British boxing has selected an eight strong amateur team to travel to Spain for the annual Boxam Tournament. This year the British team includes two female boxers with past medal winning experience at the elite five day event in Valencia. Sandy Ryan, who won gold at last year’s event, will be joined by rising star Chloe Watson who won the 2018 youth level final. The men’s selection includes 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallists, Sammy Lee (Light-heavyweight) and Frazer Clarke (Super-heavyweight) The boxing will commence on May 15 with the finals on the 18th.
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May 23rd - June 5th 2019
Time served
Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool squad land in Marbella to prepare for their Champions League final with Tottenham LIVERPOOL have begun training in Marbella for their second Champions League final in two years, it has emerged. On May 20 Jurgen Klopp’s side jetted in for their seven-day warm weather break, their third on the Costa del Sol this season. The Liverpool boss had considered Mallorca before settling on Marbella, where the Reds trained a year ago, during their last European cup bid. That push for the title saw Liverpool lose 3-1 to Real Madrid in Kiev, with Gareth Bale twice getting on the scoresheet for Los Blancos. This time the Merseysi-
de club, who finished the Premier League campaign on 97 points, one behind champions Manchester City, meet Tottenham in Madrid on June 1. Both English teams will compete for their first silverware of the season at the Spanish capital’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium. It comes after the sides produced two historic comebacks in the compe-
Saving race
LEWIS hamilton has celebrated his Spanish Grand Prix win by sending gifts, including an F1 car, to a terminally-ill fan. Harry Shaw, from Surrey, who has a rare form of bone cancer, had sent the F1 world champion a ‘good luck’ message before his race in Barcelona. TREAT: Hamilton car for fan The Brit driver said the boy
became his ‘spirit angel’, helping him to a fifth world title, ahead of his Finnish Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas who placed second. Mercedes and Hamilton sent his Spanish Grand Prix trophy to Harry’s home, and even organised for a full-size replica of his F1 car to be parked on the youngster’s driveway.
Klopp stop
tition’s semi-finals last week, as Spurs beat Ajax 3-2 and Liverpool bounced back to hit Barcelona 4-0.
Liverpool, who claimed their fifth Champions League title in 2005 under Spaniard Rafael Benitez, will be hoping the Marbella break can help them produce the goods once again. The Marbella Football Center in San Pedro is a favourite for Liverpool, the players previously having been spotted cycling and completing training drills at the ground. Meanwhile, Klopp’s squad have been known to let their hair down at celebrity haunt, La Sala restaurant in Puerto Banus.
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JAVEA has welcomed home its greatest ambassador after sporting star David Ferrer played his last-ever professional match this month. The former world no. 3, born and bred in the Marina Alta, lost 6-4 6-1 against Alexander Zverev at the Mutua Madrid Open after being 4-1 up during the first set. Ferrer lamented he could not compete ‘physically’ any more and wishes to return to Javea and ‘slow down’ after a globe-trotting career. “It’s been a very emotional night, this was the only match that I have lost and not been sad about,” he said. “I have my trophies at home, but what I will take with me is the love you've shown me, always in my heart.” Zverev, 21, said he idolised the three-time Davis Cup and 27 ATP-title winner, and asked the crowd for a standing ovation before breaking his hero’s serve to take match point. Ferrer’s wife, Marta Torrel, and son, León, will welcome the star home to Javea after a 19-year career that has seen him earn the seventh-highest career prize winnings of any male tennis player. He has said he enjoys teaching youngsters and would like to dedicate his time to this ‘next year’.
Voted
How high A DOPEY marijuana smoker in La Lonja asked a plain-clothes police officer for some cannabis while the agent was busy arresting two dealers in charge of a drug den he had entered.
FINAL WORDS
Stark stats OVER 300 Spanish girls have Game of Thrones names, with 57 Daenerys and 279 Aryas, the National Institute of Statistics has revealed.
Media buzz A SQUASH championship in Asturias has been publicly denounced as sexist after promoters gave winners in the female category a hair removal kit, an electric file and an intimate stimulator.
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Popular bar for Brits accused of hate crime for renting out ‘midgets’ A PUB in Benidorm is facing an investigation for displaying the words ‘Wanna rent a midget??’ on its streetfront signage. Chaplins Bar offers the rental service for hen parties and stag nights, where people with dwarfism are often
Swelter skelter A SERIES of prolonged heatwaves are forecast to hit Spain from next month as temperatures reach life-threatening levels. WRONG? Man for hire
www.theolivepress.es
May 23rd - June 5th 2019
JAMMED: 15 cars have got stuck in street this year A CONCERNED resident has called for a permanent solution after foreigners keep getting their cars stuck in her street. An alarming 15 cars have been removed by a crane from outside Maria Morales’ home in Granada’s Albaicin district so far this year. The Spaniard explained that dozens more had become trapped on Calle Oidores, over the years with most having to reverse. She slammed the town hall for IT in doing nothing about the proBeniblem apart from putting up a dorm. small street sign. T h e “When we moved here in 2014 travel a car got stuck almost every agency offers hen and stag day,” Morales revealed, “The party goers a selection of GPS sends them here and they dwarves dressed as ‘tran- realise they can’t get through nies’, ‘umpa lumpas’, ‘po- when it is too late. licemen’, ‘leprechauns’ or “One time a German couple got ‘brides’. stuck and started panicking beThe website’s advertisement cause they could not open the reads: “LET US HANDCUFF doors. your stag, hen to a mini su- “The woman climbed out the perman, policeman or other boot but the man remained trahero or little villain. pped for over two hours.” “We can also provide the Locals would like to see a revery popular Dwarf stripper movable bollard installed at the too. It’s a novelty strip that end of the street. you and your group will ne- Have you been stuck there? Or ver forget.” somewhere similar? Send your Chaplin’s bar were unavaila- stories to newsdesk@theoliveble for comment. press.es
Happy little Chappie? ‘handcuffed’ to a bride or groom-to-be for the night out. But now the Benidorm boozer has been accused of infringing upon the ‘human rights’ of the disabled and of carrying out a ‘hate crime’. “We will now ask the City of Benidorm to withdraw the pub’s licence, and call for a prosecutor specialised in disability law,” said Felipe Orviz, a lawyer for the Alpe Achondroplasia Foundation, which supports those suffering from achondroplasia, or dwarfism.
&
Orviz added that the term ‘rent’ was ‘denigrating’ to midgets and dwarfs. A spokesperson for British party organiser Benidorm Weekender however told the Olive Press the man was only ‘doing what everybody else does and making his own money’. “If someone wanted a dwarf we would of course ask first, it’s not like he’s forced into it.” Social media users commented that the dwarf in question makes ‘€200 an hour’ for his trade with FK
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