Costa Blanca South Olive Press - Issue 20 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA FREE Vol. 1 Issue 19 www.theolivepress.es August 6th - August 19th 2020

Celebrities flock to Ibiza as they search for coronavirus relief...

Bye bye UK hola España!

Page 3

Resurrecting Red Hugh

In search of one of Ireland’s greatest heroes...

Page 9

Sunken treasure

The fight is on as Spain tries to claim a multi-billion euro fortune discovered on the sea bed...

Page 13

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Numbers of Brits making a new home in Spain jumps 500% as time runs out BRITS have been scrambling to make a new life in Spain with the numbers registering the country as their new home jumping fivefold in the run up to Brexit. New research has revealed that over 20,000 expats applied for a residency card (residencia) as part of the rush to stay in the country following the referendum in 2016. Spain is the most popular place for Brits to move to, according to the data, with thousands of Brits fleeing to the costas for sun, sand and certainty following the Brexit vote. Research from the WZB Social SciE ence n d Center s 3showed 1 / 1 an 2 average / 1 9 . of 2,300 people from the UK sought residency in Spain each year between 2008 and 2015. But after the referendum in 2016,

By Simon Wade & Kirsty McKenzie

the number rose by five times the amount, with 21,250 Brits registering between 2016 and 2018. The great expat escape is part of a wider trend seen across Europe, with researchers revealing that the number of Brits hurrying to take up citizenship in an EU state has soared by 500%, with a whopping 73,642 people moving away from the UK in 2016-18. While Spain was the most popular destination for Brits, Germany and France also saw a significant rise in the number of expats arriving from British shores. The spike suggests that the refer-

21/6/19 13:30

3 1 / 1 2 / 1 9 .

endum results vote prompted Brits to make their move official before Brexit was finalised and freedom of movement came to an end. Co-author Daniel Auer said: “The uncertainty surrounding Brexit has certainly caused large numbers of people to pack their bags in both directions.” He added: “These increases are of a magnitude that you would expect when a country is hit by a major economic or political crisis.” His colleague Daniel Tetlow said that the rise was a ‘striking commitment to integrate or socially embed’. He continued: “We’re observing a phenomenon and a redefining of what it means to be British European.” During the research, half of interviewees revealed they chose to

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leave the UK quickly, showing ‘increased impulsiveness, spontaneity and risk-taking.’ Brits voted to leave the EU back in 2016 and while the country officially left in January, Britain remains bound by EU rules during a transition period that lasts until the end of 2020. For years, many Brits have lived and worked in Spain without formally registering, but uncertainty over new rules means thousands are scrambling to preserve their residency and employment status. Despite 21,250 Brits successfully securing a residence card between 2016 and 2018, registering in Spain has now become an uphill struggle for many as Brexit looms closer. Torture by red tape: Page 6

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CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF ‘Killed own dad’ THE brother of Murcia´s Health Minister, Manuel Villegas, was found stabbed to death on the porch of his home in Murcia, with his 30-year-old son allegedly confessing to the killing.

World of pain TWO people were taken to Denia Hospital after six people got involved in a fight in Benissa after a man had a glass smashed into his face, whilst another participant was stabbed in the groin.

Day Trippers FOUR Madrid women have been arrested for stealing over €6,000 worth of clothing from four Alicante shopping centres as part of a tour round Spain in which they plundered stores.

Fisticuffs FIFTY youths got embroiled in a street brawl in the Sant Gabriel area of Alicante, with 17 participants, including nine children, being arrested and three needing hospital treatment.

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Secret world A glimpse inside some of Spain’s biggest drug lords’ lairs HIDDEN underground tunnels and concealed bales of hashish have been discovered after the largest raid on drug smugglers’ homes near Gibraltar. Two leading figures are still on the run after the Narcoville area, near La Linea were raided a month ago. One of them is Gibraltar’s Gareth Mauro (pictured right), whose fellow clan members were arrested in the police raids. Now the Olive Press can re-

veal more about Narcoville which has hit Spanish national headlines. Police recently found secret underground tunnels to transport drugs or money if one of the houses was about to be raided. The luxury houses - illegally built - have no numbers and are surrounded by metres-high walls, making them only visible from the air. The ‘drugs estate’ in the El Zabel area, covering

Terrifying knife attacks A KNIFE wielding robber has been arrested and accused of a string of terrifying crimes. Police say that the Murcia man was responsible for a four-day crime spree in Torrevieja. The 32-yearold from Molina de Segura allegedly detained three youngsters after he robbed a home and threatened to kill them if they told anybody about the robbery. He also allegedly robbed a 24-hour shop where he threatened to kill a woman employee with a beer bottle and locked her in a storeroom. An estate agent was his next target. He booked a house viewing, then threatened to kill the salesman’s family with a knife snatched from the property’s kitchen drawer. He is also accused of the knife-point robbery of two gold chains and a gold bracelet from a 79-year-old woman.

SLY: Crime rats underground four square kilometres and homes come equipped with high tech cameras keeping an eye on who is passing by,

Paedo teacher traced A TEACHER convicted of sexual assault at a Northern Ireland school has been arrested. The man had been based in Cartagena and taught English and music in 2004, before moving onto private tutoring. In the 90s, the cb5teacher served 18 months in jail for committing 12 sexual offences against children in Northern Ireland, which included the abuse of a boy aged under seven years. He was barred for life from teaching in the UK and Northern Ireland. British authorities lost track of the man, and in 2018 requested the Policia Nacional to locate him, after concerns he had returned to teaching overseas.

with police and journalists among the most regular visitors. It was recently revealed an Algeciras musician used the home of a drug smuggler as the setting for a music video released last year. Flamenco reggaeton star Canelita released the video 10 months ago and got ten million hits. It was filmed in the home of drug clan leader Jesus Heredia, who was recently arrested while he was having breakfast in Chiclana. Recent searches revealed 52 bales of hashish weighing 1.5 tonnes hidden underneath the base of a shower with bundles of cash hidden in a toilet and under the sink. Police believe up to 80% of the homes have been built using illegal funds.

Beware huggers HUGGER muggers are back on the Costa Blanca. A 22-year-old Romanian woman was arrested in Benidorm after stealing a watch and gold chain worth over €10,000 from a man at the resort’s bus station. Huggers have plagued the region for years as they stop victims and give them a tight embrace to thank them for giving help like directions. Whilst the victim is in a virtual bear-hug, valuable items like jewellery and wallets are snatched, with the hugger then running away with the stolen loot.

Target

Tourists and the elderly are often targeted with the thieves normally operating as a pair or trio, with one of them waiting in a car for a speedy getaway. In the latest incident, the woman was operating on her own and targeted a 60-year-old man. Despite fleeing the scene, the Romanian was identified by the Policia Nacional and arrested shortly afterwards.

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August 6th - August 19th 2020

SUMMER OF FUN

The stars have fled to Ibiza for the summer

BUNS OF STEEL: Love Island star’s Georgia (left) stays loyal to her jetsetting lifestyle

REAR VIEW: Georgie Shore star Charlotte Crosby stuns in sultry holiday snap

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Dele Alli and James Maddison toasted the end of the season with a break in Ibiza

THE biggest names from the world of sport, music and reality TV have proven that nothing can stop them from having fun in the sun. Celebrities from the A-Z list jetted to Ibiza in a bid to heat things up this summer after a glum start to 2020. Caprice, Rita Ora, Rebekah Vardy and former Boris Becker WAG Lilian de Carvalho were all among the stars soaking up the rays on the famous party isle. Of course the celebs weren’t shy splashing snaps of their luxury trips across social media. Posing poolside, Love Island gals Georgie Steel, Arabellla Chi, Kaz Crossley and Elli Brown all wowed fans with pictures of them sunning themselves on the White Isle. Fellow reality star Charlotte

Crosby, from TV series Georgie Shore, claimed she nearly “snapped my back in actual half” trying to take a sultry shot of her tanlines at Ibiza’s Bless Hotel.

SUN’S OUT: Rita Ora strikes a pose on the White Isle

Boys on tour

Meanwhile England football stars Dele Alli, James Maddison and Jake Grealish have all been spotted enjoying the end of the Premier League season with beers and a bevy of beauties during their Ibiza break. Despite their worldwide fame, all the celebrities will have to quarantine for two weeks when they fly back to the UK.

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NEWS IN BRIEF On tap CARTAGENA council is to spend €287,000 in improving pipelines for Los Urrutias, El Carmolí and Estrella de Mar.

Cord clots FIVE youths were arrested in Callosa de Segura for pulling the emergency cord on the Alicante to Murcia train service.

Flood aid

Give us our pensions Brits win ruling in legal battle to recover lost funds in CWM case

EXPAT pensioners hit by a By Alex Trelinski Spanish-based scam could get 70% of their money back. group of expat claimants The leader of a group of launched a private prosecuBritish victims trying tion in Denia to recover against CWM, money lost with a number with the failed of ex-employCosta-Blanca ees testifying based penin court. sions advisoAngela Brooks, ry company, who spearContinenheaded the letal Wealth gal move, told M a n a g e the Olive Press: ment(CWM), “This is an exhas welcomed tremely ima major rulportant piece Three Lions ing from of news from Malta. Malta and a The counmassive boost FOLLOWING THE try´s Arbiter in our bid as STORY: Since 2017 for Financial the Arbiter Services has has confirmed that CWM ordered Momentum Penwas unlicensed. sions Malta to compensate “The law in Spain clearly for 70% of losses suffered states that firms and indiby their clients who took viduals dealing with advice, out high risk investments insurance and investments with CWM, which operated must be licensed.” from Denia before folding A number of ex-CWM-emin 2017. ployees gave evidence Momentum have said that during the first part of the they intend to appeal the hearings Arbiter´s decision which this year. criticised them for dealing They told with an unlicensed compaa judge ny. that former Power grab In February, a 17-strong CWM boss Darren Kirby knowingly put up to €35 million of clients’ pension pots into highrisk investments, and that he took GUIDE responsibility for getting the consent of clients, which included pensioners signing ‘blank form’ dealing instructions. Money was then put into high-risk assets that netNew quality homes since 1958

THE Valencian government is investing €500,00 towards the Vega Baja region as the area approaches the first anniversary of last September’s flood disaster.

Fine time

Left for dead A MAN, 42, has been arrested in connection with the death of an illegal Murcia farm worker. The 50-year-old Ecuadorian died of heatstroke.

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BACKING DOWN: Carles

Confusion reigns

SPAIN’S prime minister has accused Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont of causing ‘confusion’ after signing a declaration of independence. Mariano Rajoy demanded he clarify if he had really declared independence following Tuesday’s nail biting address to the Catalan parliament. If so, Rajoy insisted he could trigger Article 155 of Spain’s constitution to allow Madrid to take direct control of Catalunya. “There is an urgent need to put an end to the situation that Catalunya is going through - to Continues on Page 7

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Expats lose millions in life savings

CONFUSION reigns over who through failed should foot the bill for Mallorca investment hotels hit by the collapse of airscheme line Monarch. Balearic hotels are facing a EXCLUSIVE €10million bill over the colBy Joe Duggan lapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from HUNDREDS of BritPalma. Administrator KPMG told the ish expats are battling Olive Press ‘the debt owed by to retrieve their penMonarch to hoteliers will rank sions after losing up to as an unsecured claim’ against £20 million in a failed pension investment OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby the defunct airline. and (above) team at “They will have to file a claim to scheme. the joint administrators for all Spanish-based finan- March charity bash the money they are owed,” said cial advisory firm Continental Wealth Mana spokesman. “It has not been determined agement (CWM) folded Many of them had (yet) how much money will be last month obliterat- transferred their private UK Untitled-1.pdf pensions available to creditors.” 1 16/06/2017 ing many 15:36 heartbroken

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through the company,

whose boss Darren Kirby has now allegedly moved to Australia. One Costa-del-Solbased expat told the Olive Press he sunk £59,000 through CWM, only realising he had lost £39,000 when his pension trustees sent a statement. “I couldn’t believe it. I have lost thousands of pounds,” revealed the victim, asking to remain anonymous. “The adviser kept telling me, ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t go below a certain level’.” His money, and that of others across Spain and France, was put into high-risk ‘professional investor only’ assets, it has been claimed.

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PENSION OUTRAGE

Brits’ life savings.

NEW laws in San Fulgencio will see flytippers and skateboarders using pavements in San Fulgencio slapped with fines of up to €1,500.

August 6th - August 19th 2020

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It is believed at least 300 of CWM’s 900 clients have had their pension pots decimated, with victims shocked to later dis- to end up back in Britcover the value of their ain on benefits.” investments had plum- “I have nothing but praise for Tony Barnett meted dramatically. However, a source [Trafalgar MD] and close to the case in- Stewart Davies [Mosisted: ‘There are still mentum chef execumany customers who tive]. They have been are happy with their magnificent in trying to recoup people’s pension portfolio.’ A n d a l u c i a - b a s e d money.” tax specialist Angie The Olive Press unBrooks, a leading ex- derstands it is highly possible legal action pert on pension liberation schemes and may be taken by some the founder of Pension parties against CWM, Life, has now launched a fight to help get victims’ money back. She is working alongside pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum Pen- based out of headquarters in Alicante, and its sions. “People are terribly executives. distressed,” Granada- Both the office in Javea based Brooks told the and the website have Olive Press. “They have recently shut. lost large amounts of When the Olive Press their retirement sav- spoke to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ ings.” denied She added: “Some of responsibility over the these people are going crash. “I have lost my world,” he said. A close associate of Kirby’s told the Olive Press former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’. “It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said.

COURT DATE: Kirby

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SPAIN’S PP party has set out audacious plans for a power grab to take control back from Valencia and the other autonomous regions. Leader Pablo anCasado his nounced commitment to strengthen the up central government’s role in the run to the national elections in a fortnight. He insisted that such a move would prevent corruption and lead to a drop in taxes. see It comes as the party attempts to off the threat from an insurgent Vox the Party, whose leader has described autonomous parliaments as the ‘cancer of Spain’. Under the plan, the PP wants to increagovernment se resources for regional delegations and paralyse any further transfer of power to the regions.

Supremacy

see Casado insisted the move would Spain being administered ‘more effectively’. his The election hopeful stated that reparty would carry out a sweeping view of how the regional authorities operate looking at ‘efficiency and equity.’ Spain’s quasi-federal political system to added was states’ ‘autonomous of the constitution in 1978. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose party drafted the the constitution, strongly opposed plan, insisting the PSOE would defend ‘tooth and nail’ the principal of regional self-government.

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Balearic Islands. “Prices have been rising most years since the recovery began, but nothing like they did in the boom years, and nowhere near enough to claw back the ground lost in the bust,” explained respected analyst Mark Stucklin, of Spanish Property Insight.

However, he added ‘at the very least, the data suggests that the Spanish property continued to grow last year.’ Mortgage lending to home buyers meanwhile was up 6.1% in January to 19,390 new loans, according to the Association of Spanish Notaries. The average new loan made in January had a value of €135,616, an increase of 0.9% in a year. As long as mortgage lending for residential acquisitions continues to increase, as it has done for the last few years, the Spanish property market is set to grow.

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Confusion reigns

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As sherry gets big in London, we look at some quirky Jerez cocktails

As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule over Columbus

They’ve been getting stoned for centuries. Now UNESCO is interested in Mallorca walls. SEE PAGE 6

BACKING DOWN: Carles

SEE PAGE 20

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Who’s paying us? EXCLUSIVE

CONFUSION reigns over who should foot the bill for Mallorca hotels hit by the collapse of airline Monarch. Balearic hotels are facing a €10million bill over the collapse that saw the emergency repatriation of over 110,000 back to the UK, many from Palma. Administrator KPMG told the Olive Press ‘the debt owed by Monarch to hoteliers will rank as an unsecured claim’ against the defunct airline. “They will have to file a claim to the joint administrators for all the money they are owed,” said a spokesman. “It has not been determined (yet) how much money will be available to creditors.”

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Expats lose millions in life savings through failed investment scheme

national and Momentum Pensions. “People are terribly disGranada-based tressed,” Brooks told the Olive Press. “They have lost large amounts of their retirement savings.” She added: “Some of these EXCLUSIVE people are going to end up By Joe Duggan back in Britain on benefits.” “I have nothing but praise for HUNDREDS of British expats Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] are battling to retrieve their and Stewart Davies [Momen(above) team at March pensions after losing up to OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby and tum chef executive]. They £20 million in a failed pension charity bash have been magnificent in tryinvestment scheme. It is believed at least 300 of ing to recoup people’s money.” clients have had Spanish-based financial advi- One Marbella-based expat remain anonymous. Press understands it me, CWM’s 900 sory firm Continental Wealth told the Olive Press he sunk “The adviser kept telling go their pension pots decimated, The Olive Management (CWM) folded £59,000 through CWM, only ‘This is guaranteed, it can’t with victims shocked to later last month obliterating many realising he had lost £39,000 below a certain level’.” discover the value of their inheartbroken Brits’ life savings. when his pension trustees sent His money, and that of others vestments had plummeted across Spain and France, was dramatically. Many of them had transferred a statement. a source close to their private UK pensions “I couldn’t believe it. I have put into high-risk ‘professionit has However, insisted: ‘There are through the company, whose 15:36 of pounds,” al investor only’ assets, the case lost thousands is highly possible legal action Untitled-1.pdf Kirby has now1 al-16/06/2017 been claimed. boss Darren still many customers who are may be taken by some parties revealed the victim, asking to legedly moved to Australia. happy with their pension port- against CWM, based out of folio.’ headquarters in Alicante, and Andalucia-based tax specialist its executives. Angie Brooks, a leading expert Both the office in Javea and on pension liberation schemes the website have recently shut. and the founder of Pension The group were pictured celLife, has now launched a fight ebrating at a charity ball as reto help get victims’ money cently as March this year. back. When the Olive Press spoke She is working alongside pen- to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ sion trustees Trafalgar Inter- denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” he said. A close associate of Kirby’s said former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’. “It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said.

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Vol. 1 Issue 13 www.theolivepress.es October 12th - October 26th 2017

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As Spain celebrates Hispania Day, the Olive Press runs a rule over Columbus

As sherry gets big in London, we look at some quirky Jerez cocktails

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PENSION OUTRAGE

Expats lose millions in life savings through failed investment scheme EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan

HUNDREDS of British expats are battling to retrieve their pensions after losing up to £20 million in a failed OFF TO OZ: Boss Kirby pension investment and (above) team at scheme. Spanish-based finan- March charity bash cial advisory firm Continental Wealth Man- Many of them had agement (CWM) folded transferred their prilast month obliteratvate UK pensions Untitled-1.pdf 1 16/06/2017 ing many heartbroken through15:36 the company, Brits’ life savings.

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England.” The Olive Press exclusively revealed how CWM abruptly folded in 2017, salosing hundreds of expats’ life vings in the process. the The firm, which was based out of Marriott Hotel, in Denia, had ‘eight to ten’ telesales staff and clients sca-a ttered around Europe, revealed

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BACKING DOWN: Carles

Confusion reigns

Pension peril

who lost up BRITISH expats a failed pento €20 million in believe their sion advisory firm been phosignatures may have Fight docutocopied onto investment ments. extradition most living Given the whole up to 60 Around 300 Brits, to retrieve rying’. are battling very essence process can take may have in Spain, “This negates the are meant to they were days, it means he election their funds after Alicante-based of the service they “It is a blank me they knew what Wealth Manto run his entire the Catalan firm Continental offer,” said Flores. wherever, doing.” folded in Sepsome of campaign for Party agement (CWM)reported in the cheque to invest He added: “I believe European Democratic were made tember, as first whenever. the investments this is I think from Belgium. him to fight Olive Press a month ago. “If standard practice, without my knowledge.I do not left for AusHis party wants of Boss Darren Kirby of very worrying. that is the case because for all the documents for continued leadership in tralia following the closure ofhalf and I Javea “Signing blank recall signing sheets has gone down by to get it the regional parliament would be seen the company’s main elections. investments I had.” need compensation the December 21 by the Olive as irregular in a he had fices. An email, seen asking a cliback on track. who are spread across Puigdemont denied court of law. The Malto avoid jus- Victims, Press, shows CWM “But some people with a blank fled to Brussels left because Spain, as well as in Ibiza, and problem ent to sign and return France have lost everytice but that he these firms is that was lorca, Portugal, dealing instruction. thing and don’t 55, who fear illegal practices the Spanish government they were all inof oppres- Turkey, Another British expat, around to sign blank have enough to preparing a ‘wave vesting in highly against after being asked is trying to recover pensionlive on. One rePENSION risky investments sion and violence’ dealing instructions. were then €200,000, said some pots tired victim only the cliseparatists. OUTRAGE without convinced Their pension assets ers ‘have lost everything’. has €50,000 left “I’m absolutely preparing invested in high-riskout large that I sent ents knowing.” “My paper work my risk level from €480,000.” that the state was repression which promised to pay He claimed that has been altered, ‘medium’ to Andalucia-based a harsh wave of losses sustained have all commissions. pensioner was changed from lawyer Antonio instrucinvestors for which we would by he One 69-year-old whose he lost ‘high’ and my dealing Flores, been held responsible,” photocopied would hopefully told the Olive Press Lawbird tions have been firm after transferring and sellrecoverable said yesterday. be is com- €210,000 despite stating he BOSS: Kirby now in representrepeatedly for buyingauthorise,” are that failed “The Spanish state repression… €470,000 aversion Australia as the investments bust, were ing assets I didn’t ing some CWM mitting a brutal repression had a ‘low to medium blank into perform, or went policies. he said. to investment. victims, said signing ‘very wormoney left if we don’t battle state to risk’ attitude linked to life insurance looking “I still have some enough to you sign this he said. vestment sheets was Momentum together, the Spanish “I was asked, ‘Canwill fill in the “They should have been am still young Pension trustees now attempt15:36 We my fund but they were just and I may win this fight.” 16/06/2017 for me 1 to the blank form. To get compensation, but and Trafalgar are Untitled-1.pdf that trusting they out clients’ their own nests. In a show of supportaround details.’ I did ing to recoup CMW interests,” feathering deposed president, would act in my best losses. so far been 200 Catalan pro-indepentravelled to The Olive Press hasif CWM was dence mayors to stage unable to discover investBrussels on Tuesday registered to provide Spain’s offia rally. SPECIALIZING IN: ment advice with CNMV. cial financial regulator LAW

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Expats who lost millions rage at ‘unauthorised’ deals involving ‘worrying’ signing of blank sheets

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Govt in exile

beleaguered CATALUNYA’S to fight on leader has vowed from abroad. PuigdeIt came after Carles in to mont handed himself a EuroBelgian police when was ispean arrest warrant sued. politicians He and four other of reare accused on charges misuse of bellion, sedition, disobedience public funds, and breach of trust. now has A judge in Belgium to decide if up to two weeks the group they will extradite to Spain.

A SWIMMER swept away by strong currents managed to haul himself onto rocks where he collapsed and lay unconscious for a full day under the blazing sun. The 60-year-old Spanish man had gone for a cooling dip off Villajoyosa on Monday morning. When he failed to return home his wife reported him missing, with Guardia Civil launching an intensive search. No sightings were reported until Tuesday at 10.40am, when a Guardia agent spotted the man lying amongst some rocks in a hardto-access cove between Playa Estudiantes and Playa del Torres. Police say he had been swept away by strong currents before he managed to clamber ashore. He was taken to hospital in a weak dehydrated condition and suffering from sunburn.

DREAMY: Period home restored by British couple in Spain

Prices rise for two consecutive years, while mortgage values continue to grow

after expat Judge set to take further steps fails boss of suspect investment company to turn up at court

See pages 26-29

www.moraira-hamiltons.

HE average property price in Spain has grown for two consecutive years for the first time in a decade. The national average house price rose from between 3.9% to 8.4%, according to various sources. Along the Mediterranean coasts and on the islands, where most foreigners buy, the average price hike has been 4.06%, according to Tinsa, Spain’s leading property appraisal company. But the figures have mostly not yet made up for the big drops during the long six year recession, with the exception of the

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Issue 28

WOAH: Emerging from the rock, this stunning home in Valencia is trademark Fran Silvestre, a Spanish architect who is continuing to make his mark in the architectural world. See Fran-tastic page VI

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April 11th - April 24th 2019

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THE beleaguered boss of a failed wealth management company which allegedly lost expats more than €20 to million has ignored a summons court. Darren Kirby, of Alicante-based Continental Wealth Management (CWM), failed to turn up at Denia court on March 26. he According to Olive Press sources was due to turn up, alongside former business partners, who did turn up. The case involves a trio of investors, of who lost substantial amounts in money when the company folded 2017. foKirby allegedly fled to Australia llowing the collapse, finally returning to Alicante last year. “Darren has been sent a Burofax court which he didn’t sign for, so the will now have to pursue him in other ways,” a source said. and this “A judge is dealing with it’s under legal review,” he added. in “We understand he is currently

FAR right extremist Tommy Robinson says he will be ‘moving to Gibraltar’ after weighing up a permanent move to Spain following an alleged arson attack. The EDL co-founder, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, shared the announcement social media platform while climbing to the top of the Rock in flip flops on Monday night. The 37-year-old anti-immigration figurehead previously announced that he was ‘fleeing’ the UK after arsonists allegedly attacked property owned by his wife and left his family feeling ‘unsafe’. Extremist Robinson has been hinting for weeks about making a permanent move through videos posted to Russia’s VK platform. In a recent livestream, filmed at posh Marbella rackets club Manolo Santana Racquets Club, Robinson revealed he had secured places at local schools for his three children but was still ‘in the process’ of finding a permanent place for them to live. In another video he contradicted himself, pledging to return to the UK. Taking to Twitter one user said: “We embraced refugees during the Civil War. We rejected Franco. Many of us marched in a show of anti-racism on July 4. Our history is nothing without anti-fascism.

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ted large commissions for CWM. CWM used QROPS schemes to attract the pension pots of around 300 expat residents by promising high returns for risky investments. The private prosecution hearings were suspended because of the State of Alarm, but are expected to resume next month, with a summons issued for Kirby t o appear. A n g e l a Brooks said: “It shows that even a reputable firm like Momentum was taken in and it indicates how easy it has been for individuals to be hoodwinked.” One pensioner on the Costa Blanca told the Olive Press he had lost €210,000 after transferring €470,000 despite saying he had only a ‘low to medium’ attitude to risk.

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It is believed at least 300 of CWM’s 900 clients have had their pension pots decimated, with victims shocked to later discover the value of their investments had plummeted dramatically. However, a source close to the case insisted: ‘There are still many customers who are happy with their pension portfolio.’ Andalucia-based tax specialist Angie Brooks, a leading expert on pension liberation schemes and the founder of Pension Life, has now launched a fight to help get victims’ money back. She is working alongside pension trustees Trafalgar International and Momentum Pensions. “People are terribly distressed,” Granadabased Brooks told the Olive Press. “They have lost large amounts of their retirement savings.” She added: “Some of these people are going

to end up back in Britain on benefits.” “I have nothing but praise for Tony Barnett [Trafalgar MD] and Stewart Davies [Momentum chef executive]. They have been magnificent in trying to recoup people’s money.” The Olive Press understands it is highly possible legal action may be taken by some parties against CWM,

based out of headquarters in Alicante, and its executives. Both the office in Javea and the website have recently shut. When the Olive Press spoke to boss Kirby he ‘definitively’ denied responsibility over the crash. “I have lost my world,” he said. A close associate of Kirby’s told the Olive Press former CWM staff were all ‘very upset’. “It is still quite raw for them, and they are working out what to do next,” he said. Opinion Page 6

former member of staff. “It was a prestigious place but one she day they just shut the door,” said, asking not to be named. Victims had raised fears about being asked to sign blank dealing instrucintions and their pensions being vested in high-risk assets which paid large commissions. One pensioner based on the Coshe ta Blanca told the Olive Press lost €210,000 after transferringa €470,000 despite stating he had attitude. risk medium low to “I was asked, ‘Can you sign this blank form. We will fill in the detaiact would they trusting that did I ls.’ in my best interests,” he said. out “They should have been looking for me and they were just feathering their own nests. To me they knew what they were doing.” Lawyer Antonio Flores, whose firm Lawbird is representing a number of victims, said signing blank investment sheets was ‘very worrying’. of “This negates the very essence financial advisory services,”said Flo-

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NO SHOW: Darren Kirby res. “It is a blank cheque to invest wherever, whenever. “It is very worrying as they were investing clients’ money in highly risky investments as well as dubious hifunds just because they paid the gher commissions.” by He added that losses sustained investors should however, be recofaiverable as the investments that led to perform, or went bust, were linked to life insurance policies. got When the Olive Press finally he hold of Kirby in October 2017,lost denied all responsibility. “I have my world,” he said.

Are you a victim or former staff member? Do you know more about at the case? Contact the Olive Press newsdesk@theolivepress.es

Cold comfort A CHILLY Alicante councillor has complained that the air conditioning settings at a routine meeting were ‘sexist.’ Vanessa Romero, leader of the local Podemos (socialist) group, made the remark during a plenary meeting of the city council. She said she was too cold and called the temperature of the air conditioning ‘micromachismo’. “We are getting cold over here, we are experiencing a micro-machismo and we are here to talk about equality,” Romero told Alicante mayor Luis Barcala. When Barcala responded: “I suppose this is a joke!” Romero claimed that the air conditioning was set to comfort models of between 24-27C, a standard that was established in the 1960s and based on the comforts of the average man aged between 40 and 70 years old.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es FOOTAGE has emerged of Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner driving a battered VW campervan across Spain soon before the little girl disappeared. The convicted sex-offender is seen laughing and joking in the T3 Westfalia, which has long been regarded as a potentially vital piece of evidence in the case. In the video clip released by the Mail Online he is seen giving three young German travellers a lift from Malaga on the Costa del Sol to Vera in Almeria. He had started his journey from his base in Praia da Luz before taking the trio on board. Just five weeks later, on May 3, 2007, Maddie vanished from an apartment in the Portuguese resort, where Brueckner lived for seven years. One of the men in the video, identified only as Tomas, told the Mail Online of his horror when years later he realised that

Laughing monster

Convicted rapist and Maddie case suspect videoed joking on Spain trip five weeks before she vanished By Dilip Kuner

the ‘good Samaritan’ who had given him and his two friends a lift was in fact a convicted rapist and the prime suspect in the Maddie case. The three people – two prize winners and a DJ – had accepted a German radio station challenge to transport a caravan

trailer from Faro in the Algarve to a destination in the German region of Saxony, surviving on just €10 a day. They could only use vans and trucks to tow the caravan that were volunteered by members of the public. Brueckner got involved when a friend tipped off the trio that he might be able to help. The then 30-year-old told the men he sold cars in Portugal and

Alive and kicking

FAN: Frank turns 102

LIFELONG Liverpool fan, Edmund ‘Frank’ Francis Woodhouse turns 102 at the end of the month - and says the secret to a long and happy life is ‘moderation and football’. Born on August 23, 1918 ‘Franky Boy’ has lived his life to the full even serving as a flight engineer for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He married sweetheart Selina in 1952 after a chance meeting in a lift at the Post Office where he worked. The pair remained happily mar-

ried for over 66 years and had a son and daughter together. After Selina passed away in 2018, Frank moved to Malaga where he enjoys the company of friends - and cheering on Liverpool from his armchair.

had borrowed the Westfalia. The Olive Press has revealed that Brueckner was no stranger to Spain and had several times visited the hippy community in the remote Granada municipality of Orgiva. For the past few days German police – who believe Maddie is dead – have been excavating a vegetable plot in Hanover to uncover a ‘secret cellar’. The Olive Press website last week revealed that Maddie may still be alive and never left Portugal. The sensational claim was made in a Portuguese national TV documentary. In the incredible claims, a Portuguese teacher told the ‘Sexta as 9’ programme that she is convinced she saw Maddie as a teenager in 2017. “She told me she is sure she is alive,” RTP journalist Sandra Felgueiras, who anchors the Panorama-style show, revealed. “It’s an amazing interview and the Portuguese police are not discounting it. They say it is not impossible,” she added. “In fact they have confirmed to me that a line of investigation

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Lamb shocker

EVIL: Rapist Brueckner has been opened on the sighting,” she added. The claims centre around the female teacher, named Maria, who is convinced that she saw a 13-year-old Madeleine in a supermarket on the Algarve, in July 2017. She became convinced a week ago when she discovered that the supermarket Apolonia, in Praia da Gale, near Albufeira, was just 200 metres from where main suspect Christian Brueckner and his then-girlfriend Nicole Fehlinger, both German, were accused of stealing €100,000 in November 2007. The teacher, who studied German, said she had been standing three feet from the girl in the supermarket and had a very good look at her. “I remember perfectly as I looked her straight in the eye, they were blue, maybe a little green, but I completely fixed on the right eye and its imperfection.” Did you see Brueckner in Spain? If so, contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es.

ALMORADI police rushed to the scene of a lamb slaughtering, as neighbours reported blood running from drains into the street. As the Muslim community celebrated Eid al-Adha, Festival of The Lamb, one was ritually killed in an apartment block’s communal area. This practice is prohibited in common areas and must be done using specific hygiene and animal welfare measures. Police immediately denounced the group and sent the dead lamb to a specialist company for disposal as hygiene measures were not observed. Almoradi mayor, Maria Gomez, pledged a heavy hand against rule-breakers. “It’s prohibited to sacrifice animals in homes and common areas, and this is even more important this year with the coronavirus pandemic. That means we will be even tougher against any kind of infraction,” she pledged.

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 two million people a month.

NEWS FEATURE

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S ND O

R C O ST

OPINION

Paradise

Missing the point NO stranger to the courts, alt-right extremist Tommy Robinson caused a stir online last week when he served up the news that he was ‘unsafe’ and ‘fleeing’ to Spain after an alleged arson attack on his wife’s car in the war-torn county of Bedfordshire. Speaking from the padel net at Marbella’s plush Manolo Santana Racquets Club, the 37-year-old whined that his family no longer felt secure in the UK and grumbled that relocating with his wife and children ‘was pretty hard to do’. It’s all pretty rich coming from a full time rabble-rouser and former leader of the English Defence League. Robinson – real name, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - is well known for taking aim at people who dare to escape dangerous situations and who strive to make better lives for themselves. He may well be a dab hand at padel - but it looks like when it comes to immigration, he is completely missing the point. And while there’s a chance he wouldn’t know hypocrisy if it whacked him in the face, we also have a sneaking suspicion he is playing a game with us all. There’s no doubt that Robinson is extremely childish, as evidence by his puerile online insults and the elaborate game of hide and seek he’s been playing across Spain in recent weeks. Listening to him bang on is a surreal experience. We don’t, as it happens, struggle with the idea of a British expat taking an anti-immigrant stance - it’s not exactly rare. But the zeal with which he blasts his critics as ‘snowflakes’ is near comical. An attention seeker first and a right-wing activist second, Robinson previously stated that if a person ‘does not speak our language, he should not be in the United Kingdom’. If he wants to convince us that he’s any smarter than the bumbling monkeys he came across while shuffling his ‘fat little legs’ up the Rock in sliders, then the next time he thinks about blasting minorities or thumping padel balls at luxe resorts, we hope he instead puts himself in a shaded corner, shuts up and downloads Dialingo. It’s time for him to stop playing the court jester - he now needs to listen and learn. Publisher / Editor

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

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2012 - 2020

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T’S one of the last unspoiled paradises along the Cadiz coastline. A four-kilometre crescent of soft white sand and Caribbean blue water, fringed by a scattering of beach bars and surf schools.

Until now, this little piece of heaven has managed to dodge the scheming plans of humans. But that could soon change as the wildlife haven is under threat from property developers plotting to build

60 houses and a 240-room hotel along its pristine shore. This February, revised plans were approved by Tarifa town hall for ‘Montevaqueros’. Due to be completed in Spring 2025, the project by Valdeva-

queros Pueblo SL has sparked outrage ever since it was originally approved in 2012. Demonstrations attended by 20,000 protestors prompted legislative change that completely forbid the building of

Torture by red tape Lydia Spencer-Elliott finds out what Brexit really means for Brits trying to stay legal in Spain and becomes ensnared in bureaucratic horror story

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

HERE are certain things in life that simply don’t make sense: Donald Trump’s speeches, tomatoes being a fruit and the fact that Beyonce still hasn’t divorced Jay-Z. But nothing leaves me more completely flummoxed than the Spanish bureaucratic system. I thought I empathised with the frustrations of immigrants in Britain. But like childbirth or being kicked in the balls, you can never fully understand the pain until it happens to you. To permanently live, work and eat patatas bravas in Spain, expats must have a TIE residence card, which automatically assigns a foreigner’s identity number (N.I.E) alongside it. In 2019, 365,967 Brits officially registered in Spain. But since the UK collectively gave EU membership the boot, our VIP pass through the paperwork maze has been ripped from our self-entitled clutches and red tape has become an instrument of torture to garrot us with. First I visit Estepona police station, but in the current corona climate, walk-ins are a no-go. Online, the only appointments available are in Ronda, so I accept my fate and fill up the car with petrol. It becomes apparent on arrival that Manuel from Fawlty Towers has left the hospitality industry and taken up a position processing immigration paperwork. Here, ‘I know nothing’ isn’t an excuse but a solemn promise. Every person has the memory of an Alzheimer’s patient, the personality of a door knob and the attitude of Lauren Cooper. Bothered? They are not. With a deadpan glare, Manuel tells me to

CROSSROADS: Expats left struggling with Spanish red tape go to Malaga. When I enquire as to why, his reply stings: “Because you chose Brexit,” he claims. I assure him, I did not. Anyway, isn’t Britain in the transition period until December 31? “Please leave my office,” he says. Of course, the trouble began in England. Somewhere amongst the onslaught of debates and negotiations, I had been sold an optimistic lie: Brits could break up with their European partners, keep the perks of a multinational relationship and live our merry lives while taking back control of our country - whatever the hell that really means. This type of lie is called an ‘informational cascade’. In other words, it is repeated so many times it is spoken into existence. The lie gains

credibility, yet it is actually an avalanche of misinformation. And, in the Comisaria de Policia, there’s a stick of reality dynamite ready to blow it to smithereens. When I call the office in Malaga, they tell me to go back to Estepona where my quest began. And so, the bureaucratic tumble dryer starts up again, hurtling me round in circles while bashing my head against the sides with a Catch-22. There is no semblance of sanity to this procedure and it progresses at the speed of a three-toed sloth; a snail moves faster. Alas, it is already time to face the consequences for our country’s democratic choice. When looking in at the EU members club from outside in the cold, it is clear life is going to get a lot tougher for Brits wanting to remain abroad.

www.theolivepress.es

August 6th - August 19th 2020

in peril

As plans for a hotel fronting the beach biosphere reserve of Valdevaqueros rear their ugly head yet again, Lydia Spencer-Elliott heads to Tarifa to take a closer look

‘homes or any other type of constructions, buildings or facilities,’ apart from those relating to conservation or education. Undeterred by public outcry, the developers re-submitted their proposal, scaled down from the original plans for a 1,400-room hotel and 350 homes. This 90% decrease in the buildable DETERMINED: Tarifa residents fight to save Valdevaqueros area has been promoted as a ‘benchmark for ecological urbanisation’. But locals remain cion will also affect the nearby during lockdown, allowed dozless than convinced. “Even if they want to disguise Rio Vaya, where wildlife such ens of previously banned deit as sustainable, their project as flamingos rest on their mi- velopment projects to begin is doomed to failure. It’s clear- gratory route from the Sahara. up and down the Andalucia ly illegal because endangered Tarifa mayor Juan Andrés Gil coast. has been ac- Claiming that it will blend bats and other cused by those aesthetically with the enviwildlife live on against the proj- ronment, the Montevaqueros that land,” says It is not ect of pushing development consists of lowNoelia Jurado plans ahead de- rise, low-density buildings of the protest Marbella and spite their neg- with tourist facilities and pubgroup Salvemos it should not ative environ- lic amenities. But residents Valdevaqueros. “Building on look like it say mental impact. are more concerned with preEconomic down- serving the area than profit or grassland where protestors turn in the town commercial growth. bats hunt jeophas prompted “It is absolutely outrageous ardises the enthe relaxation of that these plans have been tire colony no matter how many homes they construction restriction laws approved,” says Jurado. “They build. Tarifa is an attraction in order to grow tourism and just aren’t in the public interfor its nature. It is not Marbel- increase employment levels est. Salvemos Valdevaqueros la and it shouldn’t look like it.” in the area. It comes as the has collected tens of thouThe heavily protected beach so-called ‘LISTA law’, passed sands of signatures, received has a high ecological value and is home to endangered horseshoe bats and lesser mouse-eared bats, amongst other wildlife. Listed by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve, the land joins together two natural parks: El Estrecho and Los Alcornocales. Construc-

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Olive Press online ‘Spain’s best English news website’

We lead, others follow

hundreds of messages from supporters and sent mass emails to the Junta de Andalucia government. From people inside and outside Andalucia, support for the cause has been overwhelming.” Refusing to be defeated, protestors have taken their objections to the European Union. Aside from wildlife preservation, residents are concerned by the overpopulation that more homes in the area could bring. “Tarifa’s infrastructure is already hugely stretched,” a local business owner told the Olive Press. “Traffic, water, sewage issues - the area simply can’t handle any more people.”

e at the Olive Press like to think we are at the forefront of English language investigative journalism in Spain. And we are glad to see that the mainstream British media seems to agree with us. When they need to find out more about what is affecting visiting Brits and the expat population in Spain, the Olive Press is more often than not the first source they talk to. Over the past few weeks our reporters have been called on by such publications as The Daily Mail, The Sun, Mail on Sunday and The Daily Telegraph to investigate and delve deeper into the hot topics of the day. Editor and owner of the Olive Press, Jon Clarke together with Digital Editor Laurence Dollimore have broken some of the biggest stories about Madeleine McCann in recent weeks. Where they led, not just the British press but also media outlets world-wide have followed. They tracked down prime suspect Christian Brueckner’s former best friend to the Andalucian town of Orgiva, identified his former home in Portugal and uncovered sensational details about his ex-girlfriend and their life together. TV too has recognised the authoritative nature of our journalists. Sky News turned to our News Editor Dilip Kuner (above left) when they needed first hand reaction to the news that returning UK holidaymakers would have to self-isolate for 14 days. We at the Olive Press recognise there is only one reason we are respected so much by the British press – and that is the quality of our staff. We hire professional journalists and give them the chance to do what they do best – dig deep to get to the heart of the matter. And so we are delighted to introduce our latest two recruits. Kirsty McKenzie (above right) is a talented and committed reporter who has many years experience on the Daily Record in Scotland. Lydia Spencer-Elliott (left) is at the start of her career but already has experience as an intern with The Times, Sky and Reuters. We wish them a big welcome as the latest in a long line of quality journalists to work at the Olive Press.

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: pledge not to cancel flights to and 1- Ryanair from Spain after announcing mass losses (20,464) right leader Tommy Robinson flees 2- FarEngland to set up new life as immigrant in Spain (19,665) - Maddie McCann prime suspect Christian 3drove Brueckner filmed laughing and joking as he through Spain just weeks before little girl vanished (19,519)

in Spain’s Benidorm is set for 4- Leadingaeyesore massive makeover (13,717) Spain sees worst COVID-19 figures in EU as 5-more than 1000 test positive for second day in a row (13,456)

THREATENED: Flamingos could soon face construction disruption as the bulldozers move in to start a property scheme

Get in touch today at sales@theolivepress.es or call us at 00 34 951273575 for a special quote

LA CULTURA

what’s on

etro

IN the Polideportivo Municipal there will be drive in movies every Friday and Saturday throughout August in Los Alcazares. Movies start at 10pm, email cultura@ losalcazares.es to book your space.

argain

THE NEW Lorca tourist wristband is offering huge savings on main attractions, such as Lorca castle and San Patricio church for just eight euros from the Tourist Information Office and Convento Visitor Centre.

lass act

THE work of iconic Valencian painter, Joaquín Sorolla will be featured in a new exhibition at Valencia’s Museo de Bellas Artes until August 31. His work focuses the middle and lower class as well as everyday Valencian life.

Missing link

TWO sharp stones discovered at the Atapuerca archeological site in Burgos are being hailed as the missing link in a chain of events going back nearly 1.5 million years. The quartzite stones were carved by a hominid about 600,000 years ago and provide the evidence that humans have lived in the area for 1.4 million years. Spanish paper El Pais reported Maria Martinon-Torres, director of the National Research Centre on Human Evolution as saying: “Thanks to this discovery Atapuerca is the only site that can tell the entire history of human evolution in Europe with all of its human species.” The two tools were found at the Gran Dolina dig and are believed to have been used for cutting meat.

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Culture or cruelty By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

BULLFIGHTING represents a contentious part of Spanish culture. Some think it is tradition, while others consider it pure cruelty. As the first bullfight since lockdown took place last week near Madrid in Avila, the debate on whether the ‘sport’ still deserves its place in Spanish culture rages on. Matador Octavio Chacón pranced around the bullring with abandon as he enticed

As crowds are sparse at the first corrida since lockdown, activists claim there is no demand for the sport in modern day Spain the animal left and right. Many cheered but activists were also present to film the event and highlight the gruesome reality for others online. This was not the only reason there was a strange atmosphere in the stands. Social

distancing measures were in place, meaning all spectators stood one and a half metres apart and wore masks for the duration of the event. The arena, as seen in the video, was mostly empty on July 19. Many live events have struggled to adapt to a new

Opera opens MADRID’S famous Teatro Real has opened its doors after the coronavirus lockdown. It hosted a production of Verdi’s La Traviata complete with full orchestra and choir. COVID-19 safety measures were put in place and the audience capacity cut in half to enable the theatre to throw open its doors for the first time in 100 days. Before the curtain went up Spanish journalist Iñaki Gabilondo made a short speech in the name of the theatre and called for a moment of silence to remember the victims of the coronavirus pandemic. To allow for social distancing, the orchestra pit was doubled in size and the interval time was increased to 40 minutes so that the pit and the stage could be disinfected.

ittle zen

No need to bend over backwards to find activities for the little ones. Calpe’s Kids Yoga Club happens every Tuesdays and Thursdays from 17:30.

History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.

normal since the pandemic. However, protestors say this lack of interest in the event reaffirms their argument that the sport should stop receiving government funding. The National Association for the Defense of Animals (NAFA) claims bullfighting is increasingly rejected by society. Currently, bullfights receive funding from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Autonomous communities, municipalities, the European Union (EU), and city/town councils. Videos taken by the group and posted online show the matador repeatedly stabbing the bull before the animal slowly dies from injuries to its nose and mouth.

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A year of Culture

Bring hearts, minds and souls

LA CULTURA IF Braveheart taught us anything, it’s that a rebel with a vendetta against the English monarchy must be fearless, persistent and pretty nifty with a sword. In the mountains of 16th-century Ireland there existed such a man; a warrior with determination, valour and Spanish soldiers on his side, who lost his life in the pursuit of freedom. The story of ‘Red Hugh’ has huge importance for Spain and the northern city of Valladolid, where he was believed to be buried in the chapel grounds of a Franciscan convent. But when the monastery was leveled in 1836, the convent and the bones of Red Hugh were not there. Now, archeologists are searching for the skeleton of the eight-toed Irish rebel beneath a branch of Banco Santander in the city centre. The red-headed rebel was born into the powerful O’Donnell dynasty in County Donegal and fought valiantly for control of his nation against Queen Elizabeth I. But, rather than a Mel Gibson historical fiction epic, the chieftain’s bravery in the Nine Years’ War would be immortal-

Do you have a what’s on? Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es

ised by the 1960s Disney film - The Fighting Prince of Donegal. Based on the novel Red Hugh: Prince of Donegal by Robert T. Reilly, the film depicts the Irish leader’s ascension to the throne after the death of his father. Like all good heroes, the fictional Hugh successfully multi-tasks his preparation for battle while simultaneously courting his love interest, Kathleen McSweeney. Some critics thought the tale was predictable and simplistic, others embraced it as unostentatious fun. Whatever the reception, one fact remains indisputable: the reality was more grisly than Disney audiences could have stomached. At just 15 years old, Red Hugh was kidnapped by the English army and imprisoned in Dublin Castle. His abduction served as a warning to the O’Donnell clan: if you rebel against the English monarchy you will face the consequences. But after five years of captivity, he escaped with help from a loyal friend of his father. The journey home during a bleak Irish winter nearly cost the renegade his life. Red Hugh recovered from severe fatigue, but lost his two big toes to frostbite. The chieftain was quick to begin invasions to reclaim Irish land that had been commandeered by the English in his absence. As a fellow Catholic territory fighting to rid itself of protestants, Spain’s King Phillip III supported the effort and sent boats of warriors to Kinsale. When Spanish ships docked at County Cork, English troops sur-

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Resurrecting Red Hugh By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

rounded the armada and killed hundreds of men in a bloody battle. A persuasive negotiator, Red Hugh ventured to Spain after the siege to plead with the king to continue his support and send further soldiers to Ireland. But the mission proved fatal. Before help could be granted, Red Hugh mysteriously died a few miles from the city. Some said an infection killed the 29-year-old warrior, others claimed he was poisoned by a British spy. His body was taken to the royal palace in Vallado-

lid with pomp and ceremony. A four-wheeled hearse drove the corpse to its resting place, surrounded by guards, state officers and flaming torches to signify admiration. As a mark of respect, the king honored Red Hugh with a special burial in the Chapel of Wonders - a Franciscan convent where explorer Christopher Columbus would be buried a century later. Now, nearly two centuries after his remains were reported missing from the site, the dig for answers and the true location of his burial chapel continues beneath a street in Valladolid where 16 skeletons have been

The bones of a fearless Irish chieftain could be entombed beneath a branch of Banco Santander in northern Spain

unearthed. Relatives of the rebel have offered DNA samples to help identify which belong to the chieftain. Archeologists will also have to study the height, sex, and age of each skeleton for clues - unless one is discovered with two toes missing. An escapologist even in his afterlife, Red Hugh has become an Irish symbol of Gaelic resistance. The discovery of his bones could finally confirm whether infection or English cunning brought the chieftain to his suspicious demise in Spain.

LEGEND: Archaeologists are trying to find Red Hugh who has been remembered in statues (left)

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11/5/20 9:46

Love gets toxic in divorce boom

Leading legal firm offers speedy split from just €1,200 as Covid crisis sees a sharp rise in marriage break-ups MARRIED couples in Spain have been keeping lawyers busy with a big rise in divorce enquiries caused by the COVID-19 lockdown. Money problems and the long period of being cooped up together has proved too much for some relationships, including British couples living on the Costa Blanca. Jose Maria Lomax, of Sun Lawyers, explained: “We’ve had a lot of people contacting us about getting a divorce in the last few weeks and it’s much cheaper to get one here compared to back home in the UK or other northern European countries. “We quote just 1,200 euros for a couple and they will have to add on between 400 euros to 500 euros for an attorney to represent them at a court hearing.” Spain has the third-highest divorce rate in the European Union, with 57% of marriages set for an unhappy ending, according to one recent survey. One reason perhaps, for the high rate could be that the whole divorce process is relatively straight-forward in Spain. “The key point is for both parties to reach an agreement, which will include declaring all their assets, like their property, car, or boat,” Jose Maria added.

“Sun Lawyers will put everything down on paper and then it will be down to the couple to sign the formal agreement before it is submitted to a court”. If one of the couple wants to stay in their currently-owned property, a value will be worked out and included within the document. Once the paperwork is finished, then it is sent to the local court and it could be as soon as six months in seeing a divorce finalised. Jose Maria added that when the court appearance takes place will be down to where you live on the Costa Blanca. “In the south of the region for areas like Torrevieja and the Orihuela Costa we are talking about a six to eight month wait, while it is on average two months quicker for Denia and Javea in the north”. The hearing is just a five minute routine procedure and is held in front of a court official who approves the agreement and grants the divorce. “The whole divorce process is not complicated and we offer a professional service to guide people through it,” added Jose Maria. See contact details right

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BUSINESS

Travel restrictions will lead to catastrophic decrease in seasonal employment

SPAIN’S unemployment rate could soar by 2.3 million if countries such as the UK and Norway continue to impose quarantine on people returning from holiday resorts, a new study has revealed. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has estimated that, globally, 76.4 million people could lose their jobs as a direct result of travel restrictions. Seasonal employment in Spain represents a total of 15% of the GDP in the summer months but, with increasing numbers of holidaymakers reluctant to travel to popular hotspots such as the Costa del Sol and the Balearics, many hotel, restaurant and hospitality workers will

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Jobs misery beckons

By Lydia Spencer-Elliott

BLEAK PROSPECTS: Unemployment in the tourism industry is set to soar find themselves surplus to requirements. Under this ‘worst case scenario’, the

Slim pickings

FURIOUS UN officials have demanded Spain improve living conditions for seasonal farm workers before somebody dies. Three fires erupted and injured four people in worker shanty towns near Huelva. Troops were deployed on Saturday, July 25, to build a migrant camp after concerns were raised by local officials. Mostly without running water, electricity or sanitation measures, the current workplace accommodation is squalid and a breeding ground for COVID-19. The Spanish defence ministry hopes that the army logistics team will be able to prevent possible coronavirus outbreaks in settlements made vulnerable by fires.

WTTC estimate there would be a 62% decrease in GDP compared to 2019. This reduction would represent a financial loss of more than €8.7 billion to Spain’s tourism industry. These figures are backed up by research and statistics from Exceltur, Spain’s Alliance for Tourism Excellence. At the very best, the WTTC expects restrictions to be lifted by autumn but, according to Spanish economist Nadia Calviño, this will

require a new tourism model to be put in place. Calviño hopes that the rebirth of the tourism industry will create a ‘modernisation’ of the Spanish economy. “The process should allow growth over a long period of time without generating imbalances such as those carried out in the past and achieve more inclusive and sustainable growth,” she said. Currently, anyone returning to the UK from Spain must self-isolate at home for 14 days.

Why are so many Brits in Spain putting their trust in Chorus in 2020? Just a few years ago Chorus Financial was a relatively unknown firm with less than 100 clients. Now we sit amongst the most respected firms in Europe, with hundreds of happy clients around Spain, and internationally. We are incredibly proud of our various awards and achievements within the industry, but none of this would’ve happened if you, our clients and regular readers, hadn’t put your trust in us. We know choosing a financial adviser is one of the most important decisions in your life, and we are always incredibly grateful when a client decides to put their faith in us. Despite the current turmoil, 2020 has been our busiest year on record, as more and more Brits in Spain choose to work with a Chorus Financial adviser. Under health guidelines we have done our best to reduce face to face meetings to a minimum. Technology has improved as a result of the lock down and we now have access to both pension transfer and Spanish compliant investment options with fully online sign-up procedures. These technological improvements have allowed our clients even better access to information and service on their plans, so we can make investment changes, top up a policy, set up a withdrawal etc, all with the click of a button. Clients are now signing up with Chorus from all corners of Spain, the Balearic Is-

lands and The Canary Islands. This technology and the ability to service our clients remotely - email, telephone, Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp etc, has also helped us focus on reducing costs even further for clients. In Spain we regularly see clients paying layer upon layer of fees, and charges often exceed 4% a year (mostly without the client’s knowledge). Chorus is approaching a point where the average total cost of your investment or pension product, ongoing service, advice and portfolio management is close to 1% per annum (excluding the fees applied by third party fund managers). As with many t h i n g s , Chorus are leading the industry on this. Coupled with the industry leading performance of the Chorus portfolios, and the fact clients can now access both pension options (SIPPs & QROPs) and Spanish compliant in-

vestment solutions with a low set up fee, and no tie-in or exit penalties, there has never been a better time to have your financial options explored as a Brit living in Spain. Perhaps the number one factor as to why so many clients are now choosing Chorus is that when we present your charges, we do this with the highest level of transparency possible. This means that not only do we break down, in both % & £ terms, exactly what you are paying to Chorus, but we also do the same in terms of your total cost of investing, both in the first year and ongoing. This level of detail is required for firms based in the UK, but is not yet a legal requirement in Spain. Either way, Chorus feels this is the most honest & ethical approach, and we insist on working to UK FCA standards, despite the fact we are operating in Spain. After all, why should Brits in Spain expect any less than they would re-

Providing multi-award winning advice for your pensions, investments & tax planning.

By Sam Kelly DipPFS, EFA, BA (Hons). Managing Partner, Chorus Financial ceive if they went to a UK based adviser? As Chorus grows, we remain acutely aware of how important it is to provide outstanding service to our clients at all times. There is nothing worse than having the person looking after your investments and pensions ignore your emails or calls, so we will always promise to reply within the shortest possible time. We generally get back to clients on their queries the same day but will always ensure that any client contact receives a reply within 24 hours. Regardless of where you live in Spain, we have no doubt that Chorus Financial is your number one choice for ethical and transparent investment and pension advice in Spain. To explore your options, without pressure or obligation, contact me directly on s.kelly@chorusfinancial.es, +34 664 398 702 or visit www.chorusfinancial.es for more information.

The advisers trading as Chorus Financial are members of OpesFidelio and authorised to give financial advice subject to contract in parts of the EEA, including Spain, CNMV No Registro Oficial 3970. OpesFidelio is a trademarked network of the Aisa Group which includes Aisa Financial Planning Ltd and Aisa International s.r.o. Aisa Financial Planning is authorised and regulated in the UK as an independent financial adviser for UK retail clients by the Financial Conduct Authority, Reference number: 189652, and has permissions throughout the EEA under both directives IDD and MiFID. Aisa International s.r.o. is authorised and regulated in the Czech Republic as a financial adviser by the Czech National Bank and has permissions through selected EEA countries, including Spain.

Investment contracts are intended as medium to long term investments, and all investments have some level of risk. Figures in our articles are examples of what can be achieved and cannot be guaranteed; the value of your investments can go down as well as up. Fees and charges can vary and will be fully explained to you before any advice can take place. This article should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular product.

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Grape Expectations Cordoba’s DO Montilla-Moriles kicks off Europe’s harvest season and it could be a vintage year

GOOD YEAR: Vineyards have thrived

ICONIC: The star-studded sun trap attracted Princess Di and rock stars

Royal revival Mijas’s famous celebrity haunt Hotel Byblos is making a return By Andy McInnes

“We are delighted to collaborate with Intriva to redevelop and rediscover the splendor of this famous building and welcome it into The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio,” said Nuno Galvao Pinto, regional vice president of development Europe, Hyatt. “The illustrious past and distinctive architecture of the hotel make it a perfect fit for the brand and we expect it to be a truly exceptional addition.”

The iconic hotel was bought by UK business tycoon Lord Alan Sugar for €60million soon after its closure 10 years ago, but he became embroiled in a lengthy legal wrangle with troubled developer Aifos. Following a settlement, the property was snapped up by Madrid based Ayco Immobiliaria in 2016, but they only got as far as applying for a works licence. It was snapped up by an international investment group last year and will now be operated by prestigious luxury chain Hyatt.

COVID-19 aside, 2020 is looking like a very good year for Spanish wines. The weather has smiled on the vineyards of Montilla-Moriles, one of Spain’s 68 DO wine regions and always one of the first in Europe to bring home the harvest. Although centred around the cities of Montilla and Moriles, the region extends through 15 other municipalities often referred to as the Empire of Pedro Ximenez, where winemaking dates back to Roman times. The first pickings will be early white varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo and Moscatel, which produce the

By Cristina Hodgson

first musts for making young wines, followed by the native Pedro Ximenez grapes. The quality is expected to be ‘excellent’ thanks to the ‘generous rain in spring, together with the high temperatures these last few weeks’, says Juan Manuel Centella, President of the Viña de Asaja Cordoba sector. ‘This has favoured a good and advanced ripening of the grape,’ he added. A scarce and localised presence of diseases and pests has also allowed for optimum quality of the grapes.

The expected crop is estimated to be 20% less than the previous season, which closed with 55 million kilos of white grape. September will mark the culmination of the work in the vineyards which is usually celebrated with a riotous harvest festival. The Fiesta de la Vendimia, declared a Festival of Regional Interest, is one of Spain’s oldest and greatest traditions. Coronavirus has withered this year’s massed public revelries on the vine but ther is nothing stopping you from seeking out a bottle from last year and celebrating with your own socially-distanced toast.

Nutty for acorns JOSE Pizzaro, the esteemed Spanish chef currently working at his eponymous restaurant in London, is determined to get acorns on the UK menu. “I make a rosca, a sort of honeyed doughnut, with acorn flour” he told The Independent. “The flavour’s amazing, and it’s naturally gluten free. I’m working on a version of a marron glace…”

Wild

It is no surprise that Pizzaro is an acorn enthusiast. Extremadura, where the chef grew up, is a province best known for its

wild oak forest. But Pizzaro will be squirelling his nuts to the UK from the upmarket Andalucian Iberico ham makers Cinco Jotas in Jabugo, Huelva. Andalucian acorn season has been delayed this year due to lack of rainfall. But when it begins, Pizzaro has plans to ship a huge order of acorns from quercus ilex or Mediterranean oak trees over to the UK. Currently, Spain possesses half of the entire world’s stock of this type of acorn. After the nuts travel 1,325 miles from Jabugo to Pizzaro’s restaurant in Liverpool Street, let’s hope he rustles up something tasty.

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SUDOKU

A world famous hotel on the Costa Del Sol where Princess Diana, The Rolling Stones and Antonio Banderas partied is scheduled to finally reopen in 2022. Celebrity favourite Hotel Byblos in Mijas, shut its doors on May 31, 2010 after 24 years as one of the most prestigious Five Star establishments in southern Spain. However, following its acquisition by Hyatt International in July 2020, it will be redeveloped into a luxury 200 bedroom resort. The property will be managed by Marugal Hotel Management and will be the first Hyatt branded hotel in southern Spain.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Lawyers, Guns and Loadsamoney S

URELY it was a typo. Or yet another shameless attempt at clickbait. But something in the headline just didn’t ring true: Spanish Shipwreck Found - Treasure Worth $20 Billion! While the discovery of yet another Spanish shipwreck was plausible, $20 billion – a number that exceeds the GDP of many countries – seemed inconceivable. I did the math: $20 billion equals 20,000 million! From what I know about Spanish shipwrecks, even $20 million sounds like an exaggeration. But in fact, the Spanish galleon San Jose, sunk in 1708 and recently discovered off Columbia in South America, is regarded as ‘the Holy Grail of all shipwrecks’ for its incredible sunken treasure. Although this is not so much a story about the booty or the naval conflict involved. It’s more about how these battles, once waged by gunships on the high seas, are now fought by

Three centuries after the British blew it out of the water, the booty battle for Spain’s most valuable treasure ship has shifted from the high seas to the high courts. Jack Gaioni reports.

lawyers in the high courts. In June of 1708 the San Jose set sail from Cartagena, Columbia, with a cargo whose value exceeded Spain’s annual income. The gold, silver and emeralds aboard, mined by slaves in Spain’s colonies, was vital funding for its expensive War of Spanish Succession against the British. So bountiful was San Jose’s cargo that, had it arrived safely, it might have changed the course of Spanish history. The British knew this and had other ideas. They viewed the San Jose as a ‘bank vault with sails’ and ventured to capture the ship and ‘appropriate’ its treasure for English coffers.

British Commodore Charles Wager and crew, armed with pistols, swords and knives tried three times to board the ship and were repelled. Wager then fired a cannon blast across the bow of the San Jose as a warning to surrender. That one mis-shot scored a direct hit on the ship’s gunpowder store.The galleon exploded and went down with 600 Spanish sailors and all of its treasure. For the following three centuries it has rested on the floor of the Caribbean, 16km off the Columbian coast. Then in 2015, the US-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute ‘officially’ discovered it, identifying the wreck in 600 metres of water via a high-tech robotic submarine. The bronze cannons, engraved with unique dolphin images, were proof positive that it was indeed the San Jose. And yet, 300 years after the gun-battle at sea, and five years after the ship’s discovery, the modern-day battle over its valuable cargo has just begun. Columbia claims the cargo is theirs. After all, it had set sail from a Columbian port and was found in their territorial waters. Columbia’s president considers it an important part of his country’s cultural heritage.

SUNKEN GALLEON: Divers inspect a wreck in their search for treasure The US salvage company, how- there are some legal preceever, is claiming ‘finders’ keep- dents. ers’. They make the case that In a similar case (2007), the the entire discovery was only American firm Odyssey Maritime made possible through their Exploration made an interesting own due diligence and funding. discovery. About 160km off the Indigenous groups from Peru, coast of Portugal, they manColumbia and Bolivia are also aged to salvage a ‘sizeable but staking a claim since their an- undetermined’ quantity of silver cestors mined the minerals as coinage from the wreckage of slaves. a Spanish frigate, the Nuestra Enter Spain, whose legal team Señora de las Mercedes. claim ‘not-soThey transportfast’ - there was ed her back to no entity known Tampa, Florida, Spain cites as Columbia for further asinternational when the San sessment. Not Jose went down. long after, the maritime law It was then part Spanish governto claim the of the Spanish ment challenged Empire. Furtherthe ownership of treasure more, Spain is the silver within citing Internathe US district tional maritime court system. A law which states that if a wreck bitter five-year court battle enis proved to be a warship, the sued but ultimately the courts cargo remains the property of ruled against Odyssey and the its country of origin (i.e. Spain). $357 million worth of silver Columbia has countered with was returned to Spain, where assertions that the ship was it remains under the auspices on a commercial, non-military of the Museum of Underwater venture. Archeology. Complicated? No doubt, but In yet another Spanish ship-

DRAMATIC: A depiction of the British attack that sent the San Jose and its cargo to the bottom of the sea

wreck wrangle, the courts ruled another way. In 1622 the Spanish treasure ship Señora Atocha sank somewhere between the Florida Keys and Havana, Cuba. It was heavily laden with copper, gold, silver, gems, indigo and, perhaps its most valuable cargo, tobacco. Once again, an American maritime salvage company identified and recovered some of Atocha’s booty. Spain, the State of Florida and even Cuba all claimed title, trying to force Treasure Salvors into a contract, giving them a 25% finders’ fee but no more. The salvage firm demanded full recompense and for eight years the case was adjudicated in international maritime law courts, state courts and even the US Supreme Court. Ultimately, the finders were awarded the rights to the entire treasure. Granted, legal rights to Spanish shipwrecks can get confusing. When there are over 1,000 documented Spanish ships wrecked en-route home from the New World, the stakes can be pretty high.

Coins

International law covers a spectrum of legal precedents making questions of ownership, national sovereignty, and finders’ fees even more speculative. Are the salvage companies pirates or archeologists? Are they plundering for profit or playing an important part in Spain’s cultural heritage? These questions are for the courts to decide. Recently, beachcombers along the east coast of Florida, armed with nothing more than handheld metal detectors, found a few Spanish coins which had washed ashore. The coins have been valued at $7,000 - a modest sum when compared to the San Jose treasure but not bad for a day at the beach. Florida’s law states that if the coins were found on dry land, the possession goes to the finders. If the coins were found in the water - even one centimetre of water - then they might be property of Florida or Spain or Cuba ... The beachcombers aren’t saying. My advice? Call a lawyer.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Back to the beach

HE sight of chiringuito beach restaurants putting out their parasols is the annual signal that summer has arrived. A little late this year, perhaps, but COVID-19 has not altered the allure of wining and dining on the Mediterranean shoreline with your toes in the sand. And where else can you enjoy the freshest fish, caught the same morning from the very ocean lapping at your feet.

Sardinas! The daily catch is threaded onto wooden espeto skewers and gently grilled over hot embers, often from traditional blue fishing boats. Along with an ice cold beer or a chilled white wine and uninterrupted Med views, it’s the perfect treat on a hot summer’s day. Often ‘temporary’ establishments boarded up in winter or dismantled and reassembled from scratch, chiringuitos

blossom into thriving locations come summer to become an indispensable aspect of beachgoing in Spain. Yet for such an iconic Spanish summer tradition, their history is not well known, maybe because it is hotly disputed. In the 1930s, ‘chiringuito’ was used to describe open air food and drink stalls in Catalunya and the Balearic Islands, and the term spread throughout the country. However, a chiringuito

in Barcelona claims to be the original and first of its kind in Spain. Taking pride of place on Ribera de Sitges beach, ‘El Chiringuito’ first opened its doors in 1913. The name was bestowed by one of their most regular customers, a journalist called Cesar Gonzales-Ruano who nicknamed his favourite writing spot after the Cuban name for coffee, ‘chiringo’. Ruano is said to have chosen

Scarlet Jenkins explores the history of Spain’s iconic chiringuitos the name in homage to his time in Cuba, where ‘chiringo’ was the name given to the coffee 19th century sugar cane workers drank during their break time. It is believed that small kiosks made of cane and leaves were built so that the workers would have somewhere to sit and sip their chiringos. However, Diario de León recently published an article claiming an alternative origin. Their theory is based on an 1899 report

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in La Publicidad detailing an arrest on Barcelona’s Paseo de Colón, right next to a drinks kiosk called ‘El Chiringuito.’ The article also theorised that the word chiringuito originates from rum, not coffee, as it was the name for cane brandy in 18th century Spain. The Real Academia Española, however, considers the Sitges ‘El Chiringuito’ as the first and original in Spain, and the first to coin the word with that meaning. A letter sent to the owners in 1983, still displayed on the wall to this day, confirms that the word ‘chiringuito’ and its new meaning would be added to the official Spanish dictionary. Traditionally, chiringuitos open in June for midsummer’s San Juan beach bonfires (cancelled this year) and close in mid-October. Between those dates, you’ll be most unlucky to find a beach in Spain without one. With their reputation for fresh fish, a repertoire that extends to cod, swordfish, prawns, squid, octopus, and sea bass, garnished with crisp and colourful salads harvested from the local huertas, you can’t miss this quintessential beach dining experience. It’s the very taste of summer in Spain. What’s your favourite chiringuito? Send your picks to newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

HEALTH

August 6th - August 19th 2020

Let’s talk sex!

Lisa Burgess

It has so many benefits, even if DIY is the only safe way to enjoy it these days, writes Lisa Burgess

Banged up! A GROUP of migrants rescued off the coast of Alicante have been forced to isolate following fears that they had contracted coronavirus. Out of the 79 immigrants saved from Costa Blanca, 17 were thought to have Covid-19, with four officially testing positive for the virus. The group - thought to be from Algeria - was reported to have included five children and a baby. They will all remain in quarantine at the General University Hospital of Alicante, a judge has ruled. Due to their close proximity onboard, the Valencian Superior Court of Justice (TSJCV) agreed on the terms of their isolation with the Ministry of Health. The Magistrate said the group would be in quarantine “to avoid risks to public health”. On a visit to the city of Alicante, the Minister for Equality and Inclusive Policies and Vice President of the Generalitat, Mónica Oltra,

ell-known American German sex therapist Dr Ruth once said: ‘When it comes to sex the most important six inches are the ones between the ears’. I am not entirely sure she’s right but sex is beneficial to both your physical and mental health. According to researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of antibodies than students who had less sex, which shows it boosts your immune system. Other benefits include bladder control: it’s a good workout for your pelvic floor muscles, avoiding incontinence later in life; and you can burn five calories per minute having sex, versus watching the television at one calorie per minute, so ditch the remote and tone up. Dr Ambardar, a Californian psychiatrist says: “After orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released which is responsible for the feelings of relaxation and sleepiness”. Men seem to have a particular aptitude for this post-coital state. But what a nightmare to navigate dating and sex as a singleton during these times. There is no current evidence coronavirus is transmitted through semen or vaginal fluids but it has been detected in the semen of people who have had, or are recovering from, the virus, according to the Mayo Clinic which says more research is needed. Passionate kissing is out the window in the

said the migrants should not be “stigmatised”. In the case of immigrants who have tested positive for the virus, she stated that “any infected human being is a victim of the virus and not the executioner of anyone”, adding it was not helpful “to stigmatise a group that is not the cause of the pandemic or reference to the largest outbreaks.”

CHECK UPS: Migrants screened for Coronavirus

DATING: A young Lisa in Ireland latest COVID dating advice, as coming into contact with a person’s spit through kissing could expose you to the virus. Sexually arousing indeed. The world-famous clinic advises that if you are not with a long term partner, sexual activity during COVID-19 should be virtual, via text, photos or videos and preferably encrypted for privacy. Make sure you upload Whatsapp. The safest type of sexual activity is masturbation - romance is on its knees! Upon hearing this I recalled a saucy quote by the unforgettable Mae West: “Good sex is like good bridge, if you don’t have a good partner, you’d better have a good hand”.

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Pride and prejudiced

FINAL WORDS

CATALAN Dragons player Israel Folau has outraged fans after not taking the knee for the Black Lives Matter movement when playing against St Helens in Sunday’s Super League rugby match.

Sky-high scrap TWO men have been arrested after a fight broke out on a flight from Amsterdam to Ibiza. Tensions rose between passengers, one topless, after several drunk men refused to wear facemasks.

Stitch in time CLEANING staff at the Ministry of Justice have been awarded the Cross of San Raimundo de Peñafort after turning the basement of the government building into a hand-sewn face mask workshop.

Your expat

voice in Spain

COSTA BLANCA SUR / MURCIA FREE Vol. 1 Issue 19 www.theolivepress.es August 6th - August 19th 2020

Dirty Minks

Brits on top

Spain may have a reputation for being a country full of passion and fiery lovers. But it seems that when it comes to bonking, it is the Brits that come out on top. Prudish Brits have defied expectations as new stats reveal that

Latin lovers not the lotharios they are made out to be couples in the UK are having the most sex in Europe. To collect the data BettingTips4You.com asked 2,729 adults in a relationship from

11 countries how often they slipped between the sheets. British lovers claimed to get randy around 12 times a month. Germany came next, with 11 sessions a month followed by the Netherlands This is Spain’s most ‘handsome’ man 2020. and Belgium Manuel Romo, from Extremadura, has been named the most on nine. handsome man in Spain. The 24-year-old has won the title of Meanwhile Mister International Spain 2020, after entering the beauty competition held in Castellon, on July 24. latin lovers Contrary to the ruling of the competition, a poll held by El limped beHuffington online revealed that 96% of 3009 voters, dishind with agreed with Romo being the best looking man in Spain. couples from The six foot three beauty pageant winner wore a national Italy, Spain costume, a gold swimming speedo, and an evening outfit for and France the categories in the competition. admitting Romo has a degree in Administration, Business management, that they did and Law, and is currently living in Portugal. the horizontal In an interview with ¡Hola! he said his new title gives him a tango just two chance to be an ’ambassador for the 21st-century man, who to four times cares for himself on the outside but also on the inside.’ a month.

Who’s looking good?

The average love-making session for Brits was said to last around 19 minutes, with 15% saying they usually did the dirty after drinking alcohol. Over a quarter of respondents said they preferred to bonk before breakfast, while some 21% said they preferred sex before going to sleep. Of those who preferred sex in the morning some 36% said it was because it set them up for the day and 38% said it was because they were too tired in the evening. Spokesman John Pentin said: “Surely, this survey dismantles the myth of the Latin countries being hot-blooded lovers. “The EU should be worried that with Brexit they are losing the best-performing sex country in the whole continent!”

SCIENTISTS have begun research to see if humans can catch coronavirus back from minks after an outbreak in a farm in La Puebla de Valverde during the height of the virus. At the time, 14 employees tested positive for COVID-19, with two others becoming infected after the operation was closed down. Currently researchers say it is “plausible” that some workers caught the virus back from minks but are uncertain of the extent of the threat. Over 92,000 minks were killed at the farm in Aragon as approximately nine out of 10 of the animals had contracted the virus.

Teen surprise TRAFFIC cops who pulled over a driver found he was a 13-year-old barely able to peek over the steering wheel. Alicante Policia Local agents got early morning reports of a car driving erratically around the Lo Morant park area of the city and intercepted the vehicle.