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Vol. 13 Issue 350 www.theolivepress.es August 19th - September 1st 2020
See our special on page 11
Lockdown lies By Laurence Dollimore & Dilip Kuner
Paedos in crime EXCLUSIVE: Expat Maddie murder suspect may have had an accomplice in 2017 sex crime Page 5
Life on the line Á chilling look at life on the frightening streets that are under the control of Spains drug lords Page 6
THE Spanish government was forced to step in after an English news site claimed the country would go into a second lockdown on September 18. Fernando Simon, director of health emergencies, made it clear that no such plan has existed. He singled out the story as ‘fake news’ - or a ‘bulo' in Spanish - in a heated, late-night press conference. The story, that was published on an English website based in Fuengirola, claimed the government would be introducing the extreme measure next month. It gave the specific date and cited 'two government ministers' it had allegedly spoken to. Written by 'journalist' Alistair Pike, it insisted the clampdown was needed – without explaining why. Pike, who is unknown to the Olive Press, has been writing for the group, we are not naming for legal reasons, for a few months. Incredibly, he and his publishers stood by the story despite the Olive Press confirming with the Spanish government and British embassy that there was no basis to the claim. The group even added that the Span-
Spain’s government dismisses fake news story that shook expat community
STEPPED IN: Fernando Simon dismissed lockdown claims
ish government was keeping UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson informed of the alleged lockdown plan. Understandably, the story caused considerable panic in Spain, with
many people taking it for truth. A media storm erupted, leading to several instances of tourists cancelling holidays in September, adding to the substantial damage already in-
Coronavirus clampdown: Last orders
The settings of some of Hollywood´s biggest blockbusters are closer than you may think Page 18
TRADING BEYOND THE HORIZON WITH BINCK
cafe licence - the vast majority - can open. Care homes have also been affected by the measures. New residents and staff returning from holidays must have a PCR test for symptoms. Visitors are only permitted to see their loved ones for one hour, one person at a time, unless the patient is near the end of their life. Minister Illa instructed Spain’s 17 autonomous communities to bring in the new measures with some provinces adding additional rules. In Marbella, beaches will close at 9.30pm with people being allowed until 10pm to leave to leave the beach. In the Balearic Islands, boat and pool parties have been banned, places of worship limited to 50% capacity, sports competitions postponed until October and any protest or gathering of more than 300 people now requires approval from the Health Ministry. Minister Illa has also recommended citizens limit social contact as much as possible and avoid those from outside their household. If meeting friends, groups of 10 THE SKY people or less are adDOCTOR vised. However, these safeguarding suggesALL AREAS COVERED tions are not currently enforced by the gov4G UNLIMITED ernment.
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THE Spanish government has issued a ban on smoking in outdoor areas where you cannot social distance. The move is aimed at halting the rise of coronavirus cases, Health Minister Salvador Illa said. Under new nightlife regulations, all restaurants and bars with food licences must close at 1am with a final entry at midnight. Additionally, restaurants can only be 75% full with a maximum of 10 people per table and diners must keep 1.5m away from other groups. Meanwhile, nightclubs and bars without a food licence must remain closed entirely. Restaurants and bars with a
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flicted on the fragile tourist market. However, a fierce backlash via social media has seen thousands condemn the story with many even calling for an advertising boycott of the newspaper group involved. Nationally, the story was largely ignored until various Spanish websites followed up the story, including respected news organisation el Correo. Finally, the government stepped in at the weekend to deny the claims with Fernando Simon angrily stating at a press conference in Madrid that it was ‘a bulo’. “I have no information of a second lockdown and the idea has not been mentioned. “They have printed a hoax story.” He added however, that the rest of August is crucial in ensuring the spread of the virus does not spiral out of control. "The priority is to control the transmission, to reach September with the lowest possible level," the epidemiologist said. "But we have to make an extra effort now." The health chief added that with an exerted effort, the situation in September could actually improve, but the public must continue to be vigilant. He insisted that schools would still go back as planned next month. "If a select amount of classrooms or schools need to close, it will have to be done," he said, "but we have to learn to live with the virus whether we like it or not."
Tel: 952 147 834
See page 9
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CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF Unmasked villain POLICE have arrested a man in Fuengirola after he removed his mask at a music concert and began to spit on, swear at, and attack, the officers on duty.
Family affair THREE people from the same matriarchal family clan, aged 46, 34 and 29, have been arrested for running two heroin and cocaine outlets in La Linea’s Las Palomeras.
Fast n furious A DRUNK driver near Ancon beach, Marbella, has been arrested after colliding with another car before bumping into several bystanders at snail speed when attempting to flee the scene.
Boozed up SIXTY revellers partying at an illegal rave in El Viso industrial estate, Malaga, have been raided by the police who discovered drugs and alcohol, but not a single facemask, at the scene.
August 19th - September 1st 2020
Nabbed at last Man who stole €1.5million in Gibraltar’s largest ever robbery cuffed by police after three years on the run in Spain A FUGITIVE responsible for the largest robbery ever carried out in Gibraltar has been hauled back to the Rock more than three years after his escape to Spain. Moroccan national Hakim El Laghmich, 34, was arrested on suspicion of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and extradited to Gibraltar following
a European Arrest Warrant from the Supreme Court. El Laghmich was part of a gang who, in just 25 minutes, stole €1.5million from tobacco wholesalers Southease Ltd. Three of the man’s co-conspirators are already in prison for their part in the heist that took place in June 2017.
VENUE: Crime scene
Vicious attack
GOTCHA: El Laghmich had been on the run in Spain for more than three years Armed with BB guns and security guard and tied up with their faces covered, workers at the New Harthe crime group assaulted a bours tobacco warehouse. They then took three bags containing €500,000 each and fled. Two of the men, Rachid Behdaoui, 53, and Samir Douaoui, 29, were arrested A WOMAN aged 44 has died in what near the scene of the crime police say was a case of domestic moments later. abuse. Behdaoui was imprisoned for The alleged perpetrator, a 42-year-old eight years and five months man from Algeciras , was arrested on while his partner in crime, Monday after police discovered the Douaoui, got three years and woman’s body in Saccone gardens in two months. La Linea. Meanwhile, El Laghmich and Police have revealed that the alleged another of the robbers Hamkiller had several complaints previousza Mesmoudi, 29, went on ly filed against him by the victim, who the run across the Spanish leaves behind a daughter. border. The initial autopsy showed that the Mesmoudi was nabbed in woman suffered a violent death. She October last year after police had internal hemorrhaging caused by spotted him stepping off a severe blows. ferry in Tarifa but El LaghThe alleged killer - the woman’s boymich evaded his spell behind friend - has been remanded in custody. bars until now.
Drugs station
Violent death
POLICE arrested five people and seized over a kilo of cocaine worth €75,000 when they busted a drugs deal on a petrol station forecourt. Police say that the perpetrators used two vehicles in the exchange which involved 1.23kg of cocaine as well as €4,700. The deal went down in the parking lot of a petrol station in Estepona, where the criminals maintained a telephone conversation from their vehicles, according to the authorities. Police followed the cars as they left the station. Further on, the criminals slowed right down as they approached a Guardia Civil convoy and tried to avoid being seen, which is when the police finally decided to arrest them. All five have been charged with drug trafficking, with two men remanded in custody.
A SECURITY guard at the Nao Pool Club is recovering in hospital after a vicious attack golf club-wielding thugs. The attack was triggered after one of the members of the security team had an altercation with a client at the entrance to the pool. The aggrieved client then left, returning with a group of friends armed with varying weapons including the clubs. They attacked the guard, leaving him with serious injuries from a blow to the head. Staff called 112 but the perpetrators had already escaped when police officers arrived at the scene. So far there have been no arrests for the attack. The Nao Pool Club is owned by the son of French business woman and TV star Olivia Valere and has already been subjected to an alleged arson attempt on May 20.
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NEWS
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Rebound
August 19th - September 1st 2020
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STUNNING: Rebecca looks good in pink
TOWIE star James Argent (left) has been spotted at Elliott Wright’s La Cala restaurant Olivia’s swarmed by beautiful women just weeks after his messy break-up with costar Gemma Collins (right). The Essex boy hit the town smiling in the sunshine before spending the evening chatting to two glamorous blondes and a brunette.
royal-ta!
ROBBED: Caprice Bourret
Caprice shaken MODEL Caprice Bourret has been left shaken after her Ibiza home was robbed and tens of thousands of euros worth of jewellery stolen from the property in broad daylight. The TV personality has had a house on the island for years and spends her summers with the likes of Rebekah Vardy there every year. Bourret was spotted at the Island’s courthouse filing a report soon after the crime took place.
Kate and Will send letter of thanks to school in Spain after Prince George was mocked on American TV THE DUKE and Duchess of Cambridge have sent the Public School of Hurchillo, near Orihuela, Costa Blanca, a letter of gratitude in response to their support for Prince George’s commitment to dance. Much was made of the sixyear-old’s school curriculum, after an American TV presenter mocked his apparent love of dance on Good Morning America in August 2019.
Heartless
ABC co-anchor Lara Spencer laughed and said: “Prince William says George absolutely loves ballet. I have news for you Prince William, we’ll see
All loved up in Marbella...
GRATEFUL: Kate and Will appreciate support By Simon Wade
how long that lasts.” Her ridicule sparked outrage among the dance community and modern
Girls in the mix...
LITTLE MIX girl band members Leigh-Anne Pinnock (left) and Perrie Edwards are living it up in Ibiza. While Edwards relaxed on a luxury yacht with Liverpool footballer boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Pinnock partied on a hen do at the boutique hotel Wi Ki Woo. “We aren’t allowed to dance but we still brought the party,” she told fans online.
CHILL: Perrie and Alex
society in general, leaving her no option but to issue an immediate public apology. It also prompted the Orihuela school, which has been committed to introducing dance into its curriculum for three years, into writing to Kensington Palace after the controversy, supporting the choices of the third in line to the throne. Almost a year later, the Duke and Duchess wrote on behalf of Prince George to thank the school for supporting his commitment to dance. School director Joaquin Marza said: “The letter received from the British Royal House is an award to the students, and helps us to continue with our dance projects.”
LOVE island couple Rebecca Gormley and Biggs Chris have been sunning themselves in Spain for over a month and show no signs of heading home to quarantine. Gormley, a former beauty pageant queen, has been posting loved-up pics online in Ibiza and Marbella as well as some stunning bikini shots.
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20th Anniversary! – 20 years serving you from our Mijas Shop
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NEWS
August 19th September 1st 2020
The long wait is over A CORRUPTION case that has rocked the town of Manilva is finally set to go to court 12 years after allegations were first made. Malaga Criminal Court will start to hear the case on October 29. Allegations began over a decade ago when the accused were running the Izquierda Unida party in the district. Outraged ex-councillor Dean Tyler Shalton believes the case has been allowed to drag on too long. He said: “After 12 years of waiting, some lives and reputations have been ruined beyond repair where the charged have been publicly judged as guilty in the
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meantime,” he told the Olive Press. “Now we will finally get to see if the charges were actually justified. If any of the parties are found guilty, fair play. But if found innocent, how will those lost years of reputation be compensated?,” said the expat politician. On trial is the current mayor, Mario Jimenez Rodriquez, ex-mayor Antonia Muñoz, Councillor for Social Affairs and Equality Francisca Lopez, former council members Diego Urieta Jimenez and Emilio Lopez Berenguer and former councillors Antonio de Haro Fernandez and Diego Diaz Jimenez.
ACCUSED: Jimenez and Muñoz The socialist politicians allegedly awarded Muñoz’s husband, Valentín Carayol Sanchez, more than €200,000 through 43 separate government grants. Muñoz’s husband was allegedly not the only family member to benefit, one of her cousins also allegedly received 50 government grants totalling almost half a million euros.
Blitz Spirit
Following the devastating fire that swept through Lazy Days Caravan Park near Antequera, James Warren visited the aftermath to see first hand the effects on the community
Wa k e s u r f Wa k e b o a r d Wa te r s k i
NOTHING encapsulates the British mentality more than the ability to smile in the face of adversity, to be able to show strength and courage through even the toughest of times. And no better example of this ‘Blitz Spirit’ has been displayed in the Andalucian town of Mollina. Residents of the Lazy Days Caravan Park were going about their daily business in the heat of the day, unaware that their lives were about to be turned upside down. At 4.30pm, a fire broke out to the south of the park, quickly taking hold as the warm afternoon winds carried the flames across the static homes. “I was watching the F1 on the TV when I noticed flames out of the window” explained Peter Thacker, a retired bus driver from Sheffield. “A young lad ran past the window with a fire extinguisher trying to put out the fire but it did no good,” he said. Without warning and with little time to react, residents of the park were forced to flee as flames engulfed the site. In total, 40 homes were completely destroyed and 70 people were evacuated, leaving just 15 homes still standing.
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AID: Donations have flooded in
DEVASTATED: The fire destroyed 40 homes “We were one of the lucky ones,” explained John Reid, a retired army veteran who had only been on the site for one month. “We had the flames just on the other side of the path to our home, but thankfully all that was damaged was a plastic sign that hung on caravan.”
Stricken
At the height of the blaze, 30 firefighters were on the scene with air support coming from the Andalucian Forest Fire Service (Infoca). By the time the fire was controlled, the town of Mollina was already beginning to come together to help the stricken residents. Official translator and liaison between the ayuntamiento and the British population, Miriam Lopez told the Olive Press: “The town hall’s main priority was organising the safety of everyone involved with special attention to their primary needs: food, medication, temporary shelter.” Within hours, the mayor of Mollina, Eugenio Sevillano Ordóñez opened up the local ‘Injuve’ youth hostel to shelter
Card Clarity THE BRITISH Embassy in Madrid has told the Olive Press that there is no need for expats with existing residencia papers to switch to the new TIE card after fresh rumours suggested that people need to make the change. Debbi Christophers from the Embassy said that there is no legal requirement to do so under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. “So long as you were registered as a resident before July 6 2020, then the current green A4 certificate or credit-card sized piece of paper will continue to be a valid document, even after the transition period of Britain leaving the EU ends on December 31.” Debbi continued: “The green paper residence certificate and the new biometric TIE card are and will be equally valid in proving your residence status and rights in Spain. This is irrespective of whether or not the UK and EU reach an agreement over future trade arrangements.”
LUCKY: Cathy and John Reid escaped the worst the homeless, which would be their base for 15 days while they organised alternative accommodation. A gofundme page was also set up by a friend of the village Maria Giles, and to date has already smashed its target with an €5,476 raised. When we visited the Injuve centre, the place was eerily quiet except for two or three people enjoying the afternoon sun. “We lost everything, completely gone,” explained Sue Johnston, resident of the park for just 12 months before the accident. “We tried to grab what we could but it was too late, even our brand new car was destroyed.” Next to Sue was Carol Piper and her beloved dog Bonnie. “I tried to run back in to grab Bonnie but the firefighters told me I couldn’t, I told them to sod off! She was all I had time to rescue, it all happened so fast.” Speaking to the residents of the park, the British stiff upper lip is mixed with a sense of anger. Many residents were scathing of the park’s emergency facilities, complaining that there was a lack of fire hydrants . “This is why the firemen had to leave after just 10 minutes,” said Peter Thacker, “One of the firefighters told me that if they had had access to water on the site, the fire would have been brought under control much earlier.”
NEWS
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August 19th September 1st 2020
Paedos in crime Mystery man may have abused children alongside prime Maddie suspect Brueckner MADDIE MCCANN suspect Christian Brueckner may have had another accomplice during a recent child sex crime in Portugal, the Olive Press can reveal. The blonde man of a similar height to the German paedophile was seen out with him on a night when he was arrested for exposing himself to chil-
PARTNER: Brueckner had a mystery friend centered around the local delicacy of snails, in Messines. That night at around 1am, Brueckner exposed himself in front of four children. The convicted paedophile was hiding under the slide of the park’s playground with his trousers by his knees, a police source told the Olive Press. Parents were alerted to the German by the children, who ran over to them distressed and alarmed. It was then an off duty officer approached Brueckner and demanded documentation. She held back four furious fathers as she quizzed the German. Brueckner claimed he had been merely urinating but the parents pointed out that the ground was bone dry. The officer called for back-up before asking Brueckner how he had arrived at the festival. He first told the policewoman he had arrived by car, but later changed his story after she asked where the vehicle was. It came as witnesses claimed a man who he was with had fled
EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke in Messines
dren in 2017. According to police sources in the Algarve, he arrived at a village festival with the mystery man. The pair were drinking at the local fiesta, an annual bash
Birthday treat SOARING 2,000 feet over the Spanish countryside isn’t how most people spend their 70th birthday. But this didn’t stop expat Linda Goatcher from taking to the sky for her birthday this month. Recently diagnosed with cancer, the fearless lady flew on a tandem paraglide trip alongside Summer Paragliding pilot Juan for half an hour. An adventurous expat, Goatcher has lived in Spain for 30 years and is currently
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Daring: Linda Goatcher settled in Jalon. Her friends were filled with pride as she set off on her expedition and have said they greatly admire her daring spirit.
the scene as the drama unfolded. They described him as having a similar appearance to Brueckner, measuring the same height with blonde hair. It is believed he may have taken off in the vehicle. It is known that two blonde men of similar height were seen outside the McCann apartment on the day she went missing in 2007. One was said to have blue eyes, like Brueckner, while the other had green. They were seen by two sisters who were on holiday, outside the Praia da Luz resort in 2007. Brueckner was announced the prime suspect in June after discovering his phone had been used outside the Ocean Club half an hour before Maddie vanished. On the night of his most recent arrest in June 2017, police discovered he had an Interpol arrest warrant against him. The warrant revealed he had a history of child sex crimes and was wanted in Germany, police in Portugal said.
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NEWS FEATURE
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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.
OPINION Line crossed THE recent massive raid against drug smugglers in La Linea’s Narcoville came as a surprise to many. For years these drug lords had inflicted their reign of impunity over the Gibraltar Campo. In the Rock’s shadow they had become social kings, riding sports cars and living a life of luxury. It had even got to the point that La Linea schoolchildren dreamed of being drug smugglers themselves as opposed to firemen. Through fear and their big bucks they dominated the Campo and few dared to challenge them. Even Gibraltarians lived there, hiding from the law and its consequences. It all came to a head a couple of years back when they had some serious run-ins with the forces of the law. First they ran over a local policeman in the street and then rescued one of their own from a hospital ward under police guard. They then barged into a Guardia Civil 4x4, with the officer claiming he felt like he was ‘in an episode of Narcos’. As news spread to all of Spain it was clear they had crossed a line and the reaction was swift. Suddenly, elite units were posted at road exits, checking traffic and looking for clues. When a police commander of the drug division was detained for working with the smugglers, it was clear the end was in sight. The big raid came after a COVID-19 lockdown that must have shocked the drug clans as much as everyone else. Narcoville had been untouchable because it was a symbol of opportunism and power, in a capitalist system that respects gain above all else. But that same power got to their heads to the point they felt they could extend their influence beyond any barriers. While it is clear that other clans will seek to fill the void left by those arrested, a line has at least been drawn in the sand which they will not dare to cross. Publisher / Editor
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Life on the Line Welcome to Narcoville Kirsty McKenzie reports on one of the most criminal and dangerous spots in Spain
C
risto keeps her eyes low as she serves us our drinks. A Fanta Limon and a Coke, both straight out of the freezer, she blasts the cans with hot water to melt the ice that encases them before sliding the drinks over to us. She’s been here since 2002, she tells me, but she won’t say her real name. She is working in a place that skims the line between La Linea and El Zabal, where the air is thick and the people are sparse - an industrial wilderness on the Spanish-British frontier. She knows better than to answer too many questions. She swats my probes away with the same ease that she bats away the flies that swarm
POVERTY: La Linea is one of the poorest cities in Spain around her cafe, making no effort to hide her disdain. Instead she exhales: “It’s frying here” and I watch a bead of sweat roll down her cheek. “Si,” I reply, “this place is on fire.” Welcome to La Linea, an enclave in southern Spain that got its name - the line- because it
DIVIDE: High walls separate luxurious homes from shabby apartments
Juan Carlos has been well and truly ‘cancelled’* but Spain’s reviled and exiled ex-king was once a symbol of unity revered by his loyal subjects.
Y
OU aren’t really the king of Spain until you’ve been exiled. Alfonso XIII slunk off in the shadows in 1931 after failing to implement a constitutional regime. Now, like his grandfather before him, Juan Carlos has fled the country in disgrace, this time following allegations of financial corruption. Accused of accepting a multi-million euro bribe from Saudia Arabia’s late King Abdullah in exchange for a high-speed rail contract, the runaway royal was sighted touching down in Abu Dhabi last week. In a letter to his son, King Felipe VI, Juan Carlos wrote that he had quit Spain due to the ‘public repercussions of certain episodes of my past private life’. One episode being the huge sum of money he reportedly transferred to his mistress Corinna Sayn-Wittgenstein in an apparent attempt to hide his railroad commission from authorities. Meanwhile, every animal lover in the entire world has heard about his hypocritical hunting trip to shoot elephants while Honorary President of the World Wildlife Fund. Born in exile in Rome in 1938, Juan Carlos was only 12 months old when General Francisco Franco defeated the Second Republic of Spain in the Spanish Civil War and began his 36 year dictatorship. Like Simba to Pride Rock in
is the crossing point from Spain to Gibraltar. Each day 36,000 people move daily across the border from La Linea to Gibraltar, along with 10,000 vehicles, 180 trucks and 40 buses. The imposing silhouette of the Rock of Gibraltar offers no shade to the residents of this gritty city, but there’s no doubt the shadow of drug crime and violence looms large here. It’s the proximity to both Gibraltar and Morocco - and the extreme isolation that the industrial town guarantees - that has made La Linea a key base for criminal gangs and drug kingpins. Located roughly eight kilometres south of San Roque, history tells it that when Franco closed the frontier in 1969, it was La Linea that suffered the most. Workers lost their jobs on the Rock overnight and the town’s population dropped by 35%. After 16 years of Spanish-imposed isolation, the gates were reopened in 1985 but the damage was done. Today the area remains in a perpetual state of decay and for the past 40 years or so, drugs have been the economic bedrock of this stifling and sterile nook of southern Spain. Unemployment rates in 2020 hover around
HUNTED: King shot elephant
By Lydia Spencer-Elliott The Lion King, the boy returned to his kingdom aged 10 as part of a covert plan to restore the monarchy in Spain. Dictator Franco took Juan Carlos as a royal hostage and governed the child’s life for just under two decades. But the allegiance proved advantageous when Franco named the prince his successor in 1969. Unlike his adviser, Carlos favoured reforms and quickly took apart the authoritarian regime. Twelve years later, Carlos publicly supported democracy amidst an attempted army coup and was praised by his subjects for derailing a return to dictatorship. The king became a symbol of unity and was fondly admired as the father of Spain’s third republic. His stock had never been so high. He was viewed as a hero for standing up to the forces of reaction and repression. He remained popular for years, but then controversy began to follow Juan Carlos. Along with a regular smattering of dodgy financial dealings, the king had been regularly lambasted by the public for his luxury hunting trips. In 2004, Carlos prompted significant outrage when he killed four bears - including a pregnant female - on a trip to Romania. And that wasn’t the end of his bloodthirsty hobby.
A right royal rogue... Amidst the devastating 2012 Spanish financial crisis, the king spent over €50,000 on a jaunt to Botswana to hunt elephants. This while he was Honorary President of the World Wide Fund for Nature, a title of which he was instantly stripped. He apologised and gave up his yacht in aid of the crisis but failed to quell the anger bubbling in the blood of the nation. After involvement with a tax avoidance scandal alongside his daughter Cristina and her questionable husband, Inaki Urdanarin, in 2014, tens of thousands of citizens took to the streets to demand a referendum to abolish the monarchy. Juan Carlos was forced to
abdicate and pass the crown to his son Felipe VI, later officially retired from all royal duties. From the days of glory to international embarrassment, Juan Carlos’ string of shameful sagas has sent shock waves through the once sturdy foundations of the Spanish monarchy. As the disgraced ex-king returns to the exile into which he was born, banishment appears increasingly like a royal right of passage. Now, with anti-monarchist fervour growing in the country, King Felipe will have to do a lot more than exercise his sovereign prerogative to safeguard the future of the Spanish throne. * You’ll have to Google it
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August 19th - September 1st 2020
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Thinking of you
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Vol. 13 Issue 349 www.theolivepres s.es August 5th - August 18th
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LUXURY: Police have targeted El Zabal’s high-end homes
look at our top ranking web stories over the past two weeks is revealing. Page view statistics are a crude but reasonably accurate way of seeing what our readers are interested in. Then why don’t we simply slavishly follow the online stats when laying out the newspaper? The answer is that we do use them as a guide, but they do not OLIVE give the complete picture. PRESS For an interesting read – and Right pair a newspaper that people look forward to picking up as soon as it’s out – there has to be a little of something for everyone. And this is where good old fashioned journalism comes in. 952 147 834 It is a judgment call and our team of experienced reporters and writers are well placed to make that decision. We all work hard and strive Complete package to put together the complete package. Of course news comes top of the agenda and we certainly print more than our fair share of hardnosed news reports. This is where website stats can help - for example the breaking news of a nightclub and partial smoking ban garnered plenty of hits, as did just about all our COVID related stories. But when it comes down to it, it would be an extremely dull paper if that’s all we put in. Which is why we always leave plenty of space for interesting in-depth features and articles. These not only allow our reporters and writers to stretch their wings, more LA CULTURA importantly they RESURRECTING RED HUGH provide you with I a fascinating and informative read. But it comes at a price – to the Olive Press not the reader! While the paper is free, the Olive Press still IN DEPTH: Fascinating features has to pay for the staff to keep on producing a quality newspaper and popular website. Some media groups have been cutting back on reporters –hundreds of posts have gone during lockdown in sections of the UK media. But the Olive Press believes in the value of its journalism so has continued to invest heavily in its staff during these moist difficult months. We believe there is light at the end of the tunnel – and when we reach it we will be ready and raring to go full steam ahead. We investigate continuing plans that threaten to destroy this paradise
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though we were on a public street. “How long have you been watching us? Why are you here?” he yelled over and over. “Borrar el video. Delete, delete, delete.” I was marched into the courtyard of the estate, littered with dirt, trash and empty bottles, where police were reprimanding a man. He was grunting and yelling - resisting arrest - and the crowd sur- FAMILIAR: Police are no strangers to the area rounding us was swelling. Police clasped their guns a little tighter. Morocco to document how drugs are taken I protested, ‘I am a journalist’, but the police from Africa across the water and into Europe. refused to let me go. The result is a miniseries for Netflix that’s Shay, a colleague with me that day, was been marketed to viewers as a glimpse at the sent to the car by officers to retrieve my ID. I ‘day-to-day of the conflict in one of the largest made moves to follow him and three officers enclaves in the country’, set to be released stepped in front of me, cornering me back later this year. The streets seem almost to be pulsing red on into the courtyard. “No,” one said. “You stay.” “La Linea is not a safe place,” says John Burthe humid August afternoon when we arrive. Shay returned with my ID - a driver’s licence. gess, an Anglo-American who’s worked on the After gleaning little from Cristo in our cafe Not good enough, apparently. Rock for a geo-tech company. stop, we park the car on the backstreets be- “This only proves that you drive, not who you “I know that two Spanish guys tried to abduct tween La Linea and El Zabal and open Google are,” a female officer said in Spanish. I was one of the girls on my team and the only reaMaps, flipping to satellite view in the hopes of incredulous. son they didn’t get away with it finding… something. It was clear the police didn’t was because Port Authorities Above the hum of the car engine and the buzz want anything filmed or phosaw it happening. This is not Two Spanish of mosquitos, I heard first a scream, then the tographed, insisting that I pera place you want to spend any angry voices of a crowd rising. We get out of manently delete whatever I had time in.” guys tried to the car and see that about a dozen armed recorded. That does not make I know I am lucky to leave La Linabduct one of ea with little more than a telling men, their faces masked but wearing black good journalism but attempting uniforms and the badges of the Policia Nacio- to argue with them only brought - and I am aware this incident the girls on my off nal, had surrounded the area. threats and increased hostility. is small fry compared to what The four story block of apartments is filthy - “We will take you to the police others have seen and suffered team sun bleached and peeling, the scene drained station,” the leader of the offiin this city this summer. of colour save for the damp, bright laundry cers continued to shout at us. For most of the year, the Spandraped from a stick outside the barred win- Later Shay explained my error - I had a flip cov- ish authorities have been closing in on Jesus dows. er on my phone and each time I was folding Heredia — better known as El Pantoja and alWe walked down the dusty road, into the fur- it over the officer was becoming more irate. legedly the biggest drug lord in the Campo de nace heat and I silently pulled out my phone “He didn’t trust you, that you were hiding Gibraltar area — with the brute force of the to film what looked to me like a drug raid. something. He didn’t believe you deleted it Central Narcotics Brigade. His apprehension On our way past, one of the officers caught and he didn’t believe you were who you said,” was the latest in a string of high-profile blows sight of us and was furious; he threatened to Shay said later. “He was worried they were against the drug barons. take me to the police station for filming, even identifiable.” Armed forces burst into his associates’ com“Even in a hat, pounds and the gang’s safe houses were mask and glass- raided by black-jumpsuited officers. On June 29, a huge raid on the secret properties saw es?” I asked. “Si,” Shay replied. 38 people arrested, 11 of whom are being “They are obviously held without bail. One had 52 bales of hashish weighing 1.5 nervous.” And they have a tonnes hidden underneath the base of a right to be. A city shower. Another had bundles of cash hidden with a population in the toilet and under the sink. Heredia himof 63,279, police self had been arrested on June 24 — while officials estimate dining with his family at a restaurant in Chithat there are more clana de la Frontera - all thanks to tip-offs than 30 gangs here from to the police and an ill-advised decision that employ around to let his top-secret mansion be used as the location for an outlandish music video by reg3,000 people. It’s this harsh envi- gaeton star Canelita last autumn. ronment and boom As a result, police stepped up their search for in drug trafficking the gangsters and their associates, uncovering that first caught the 17 high-tech hideouts across the El Zabal area. eye of the produc- With Heredia behind bars awaiting trial and tion company Atar two key members of the Castañas gang, GaAgreements togeth- reth Mauro and El Potito, on the run, the criminal empire in La Linea is starting to crumble. er with Mediaset. Producers carried For the police, uncovering the hidden narcoout 81 interviews ville shows the city is making progress in its and shot 336 hours struggle against the drug gangs - but how of footage, speak- many more people will have to put their lives ing to agents from on the line before the city can recover? Centro Plaza 56-57, Avda. Manolete s/n, 29660 Nueva Andalucia different police forcinfo@estucointeriors.com, www.estucointeriors.com, +34 952 810 633 Opinion Page 6 es and travelling to the 33% mark - a fact that has pushed many of its people into assisting the Rock’s smugglers by warehousing contraband tobacco from Gibraltar and drugs from Morocco before it is distributed throughout mainland Spain. The air is thick with dust and pollution and when I put my hand on the car window and heat ripples through the glass. We had come here to report on the secret narcoville busted by police earlier this summer in El Zabal. The luxury villas, many built illegally using criminal funds, boast swimming pools, hidden underground tunnels, escape routes, armoured doors and sophisticated surveillance systems. None of them have numbers and all are surrounded by metres high walls, making them only visible from the sky, where they are notable for their perfectly pristine lawns made of artificial grass - not even a gardener is welcomed into this impenetrable fort.
Football fan responsible controversial All Lives for rubs shoulders with Matter banner extremist Tommy Robinson, as he plans Costa move
PALS: Jake Hepple (left) with THE man sacked for Tommy lives matter’ banner flying a ‘white Robinson EXCLUSIVE above a football game has been spotted By Kirsty McKenzie shoulders with far-right rubbing activist tention in the Tommy Robinson on UK." the Costa del Robinson, Sol. the former remains in Spain and EDL leader Jake Hepple, 24, claimed was bility for the outlandish responsi- cently spotted on top of most reIs this Liverpool fan Spain’s the Rock, stunt at the teasing oldest Manchester City v Burnley plans that he was ‘moving ex-pat? game last Gibraltar’. to month. Robinson Both teams had taken said: “My fat little Page 5 support of Black Lives the knee in me to the top of this. Movinglegs got to Giminutes before Hepple Matter just braltar, stick that in your f*cking s*it plane to fly a White Lives arranged a paper.” Matter sign Extremist above the pitch. Robinson, who has been banned from Twitter, The Burnley fan and Instagram Megan Rambadt, who his girlfriend and Facebook following racist employment terminatedalso had her has been hinting for weeks rants, in relation making a about to posts she made on big move. fled to Spain earlier thissocial media, In an earlier video, filmed after enjoying racket sports at Hepple posted in supportmonth. a posh leisure on Facebook and appearedof the EDL centre in Marbella, the far-right acto with its former leader, in a pho- tivist said he was 'fleeing' to Spain Tommy from Robinson, as the pair met up on the attackthe UK after an alleged arson Costa Del Sol. on his wife’s UK Speaking from Manolo property. Hepple had been seen Santana in the Racrola 'Fish Alley' party strip. Fuengi- quets Club in Marbella, The fight is on as Spain Robinson tries to claim revealed A source, who did not a multi-billion euro fortune want to be sia's VK in a video posted to Rusdiscovered named, said: "He platform that he had on the sea bed... was here with places his girlfriend. I saw at local schools for secured O'Brien's Irish pub. them both in children but was still 'in thehis three Page 20 again.” of finding a permanent process' “They seemed relaxed place for something and having them to live. for the record. I am not a good The Brexit supporter, tribes and moving who has vo- nently. abroad or anywhere perma- becoming the perception he was now time, and cally opposed one himself. were say- UK, went on immigration into the “I’ve just had family issues and lo- The rabble-rouser, who does not unto say that he is looking ing they at permanently derstand Spanish, previously cation issues stated had been ‘which is pretty relocating his family, not me, that to deal with. My family that if a person See page 9 & 12 ‘does will free me up for the forced to with COVID’. hard to do, especially work that I do.” language, he should not speak our not be in the come to In another United Kingdom’. video he contradicted him- He added: “For all you snowflakes Spain to self and pledged I tors in the Spanish Now commentawill be back in the UK very press have questo return to the UK. soon, on the tioned whether e s c a p e Robinson, he will learn Spanish. real name Stephen Yax- streets of England, doing what I do.” media at- ley-Lennon, said: “Let me just clarify The 37-year-old admitted many had One twitter user in Gibraltar said: “We embraced refugees been ‘triggered’ when during the he was said to be weighing up leaving Civil War. We rejected Franco. Many of us marched in a show of anti-racthe UK, given his previt o c o n d i t i o ous anti-immigrant dia- ism on July 4. n s . E n d s 3 1 / 1 2 / 1 9 “Our history is nothing . without anti-fascism. Tommy Robinson is the worst of the English far-right and we don’t want 21/6/19 13:30 imperialist crap in Gibraltar.”
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Years’ War would be immortalised by the 1960s Disney film - The Fighting Prince of Donegal. Based on the novel Red Hugh: detta against the En- of Donegal by Robert T. Reilly, Prince glish monarchy must depicts the film the Irish leader’s ascension be fearless, persistent to the throne after the death and pretty nifty with of his father. sword. In the mountainsa tional Like all good heroes, the ficHugh successfully multi-tasks of 16th-century Ireland his preparation for battle while there existed such simultaneously man; a warrior with de-a Kathleen courting his love interest, McSweeney. termination, valour and Some critics thought the tale Spanish soldiers on was side, who lost his life his predictable and simplistic, others the pursuit of freedom. in embraced it as unostentatious fun. Whatever the reception, one fact reThe story of ‘Red Hugh’ importance for Spain has huge mains indisputable: the reality was and the more grisly than northern city of Valladolid, Disney audiences where could have stomached. he was believed to be the chapel grounds of aburied in can convent. But when FrancisWarning the astery was leveled in 1836,mon- At just 15 years old, Red Hugh the convent and the bones of Red was kidnapped by the English Hugh were not there. Now, army cheologists are searching ar- Castle.and imprisoned in Dublin His abduction served for the skeleton of the eight-toed a warning to the O’Donnell as clan: Irish rebel beneath a branch if you rebel against the English of Banco Santander in the monarchy you will face the concity centre. sequences. The red-headed rebel was But after five years of captivity, born into the powerful he escaped with help from a loyO’Donnell dynasty in Coun- al friend ty Donegal and fought ney homeof his father. The jourduring a bleak Irish valiantly for control of his winter nearly cost the renegade nation against Queen his life. Red Hugh recovered from Elizabeth I. But, rather severe fatigue, but lost his two than a Mel Gibson his- big toes to frostbite. torical fiction epic, the The chieftain was quick to begin chieftain’s bravery invasions to reclaim Irish land in the Nine that had been commandeered the English in his absence. by 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 tiator, Red Hugh ventured surrounded the ar- after the siege to plead with to Spain His body was taken to the royal mada and killed to continue his support and the king ace in Valladolid with pomp and palsend fur- emony. A four-wheeled cerh u n d r e d s ther soldiers to Ireland. But the mishearse drove of men in sion proved fatal. Before help could the corpse to its resting place, sura bloody be granted, Red Hugh mysteriously rounded by guards, state officers and flaming torches to signify died a few miles from battle. admiration. the city. Some A persua- said an infection killed the 29-year- As a mark of respect, the king honsive nego- old warrior, others claimed he was ored Red Hugh with a special burial in the Chapel of Wonders poisoned by a British spy. - a Franciscan convent where explorer Christo-
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The bones of a fearless Irish chieftain could be entombed beneath a branch of Banco Santander in northern Spain
By Lydia Spencer-Elliott
F Braveheart taught us anything, it’s that a rebel with a ven-
Train of thought
HERO: Red Hugh
LEGEND: Archaeologists
are trying to find Red Hugh
who has been remembered
in statues (left)
pher Columbus would be Relatives of the buried a century later. rebel offered DNA samples have afterlife, Red Hugh has Now, nearly two centuries af- identify which belong to help become an Irish symbol ter his remains were reportto the of Gaelic resistance. chieftain. ed missing from the site, The dig for answers and the the Archeologists will also have bonesdiscovery of his true to study the height, could finally location of his burial chapel sex, age of each skeleton and confirm whether infeccontinues beneath a for tion or English cunning in Valladolid where 16street clues - unless one is discov- brought skel- ered with two toes the chieftain to etons have been unearthed. missing. his suspicious demise An escapologist even in his in Spain.
BBC TV viewers got a taste of Spanish culture when mer UK Secretary of forfor Defence Michael State llo launched his latestPortiprogramme.
Sporting his trademark colourful clothing, he travelled to Spain for the first episode in a new series of Great Continental Railway Journeys. It was a deeply personal journey for Portillo. TRIP: Michael Portillo He carried with him a copy of Bradshaw’s guide book, 1936 – the year that the from yer before seeking asylum in ish Civil War eruptedSpan- Britain. most travellers to the and There he was shown his facoun- ther’s secret try were volunteer soldiers political file beor fore he headed war reporters. off to Madrid He stopped in Salamanca, and Aragon. Here he explored and where Portillo’s father, shared worked as an anti-fascistLuis, with viewers different aspects law- of Spanish culture.
The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: for Spain from 22 Euro1- Listed travelpeanalerts countries (46,239) BREAKING: Spain orders closure of all ni2-ghtclubs and nationwide smoking ban to fight COVID-19 resurgence (25,812) Spain’s Balearic Islands records highest 3-number of COVID-19 infections since start of the pandemic (12,409) NEWS: Spain confirms there is no 4- FAKE plan for second lockdown in September (12,381) Fear of brain swelling virus being spread by 5-hospitalised mosquitoes in Spain’s Andalucia as 18 people and 5 in intensive care (12,327)
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is regarded as
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LETTERS
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ON THE RUN
Mallorca Issue 86 OLIVE PRESS
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Paradise in peril
Yet anotheer virgin beach under threat as developers plot a new resort...
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EXTREMIST: Tommy Robinson
Tale as old as time
Sunken treasure
The fight is on as Spain tries to claim a multi-billion euro fortune discovered on the sea bed...
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Numbers of Brits making a new home in Spain jumps 500% as time runs out BRITS have been scrambling make a new life in Spain with to By Simon Wade & numbers registering the countrythe Kirsty McKenzie their new home jumping fivefold as in the run up to Brexit. New research has revealed that certainty following the Brexit vote. Research from the WZB Social Sciover 20,000 expats applied for residency card (residencia) as parta ence Center showed an average of of the rush to stay in the country 2,300 people from the UK sought residency in Spain each year following the referendum in 2016. between 2008 and 2015. Spain is the most popular place Brits to move to, according to for But after the referendum in 2016, the the number rose by five data, with thousands of Brits fleetimes the ing to the costas for sun, sand and 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 referendum 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 cerIf you suffer from... Or you need... tainly caused large • Mobility problems numbers of people • Help with to pack their bags in • Pain / Breathlessness washing /dressing both directions.” • Falls / Stumbles He added: “These • Supervision increases are of a magnitude that you You could be entitled to extra income would expect when a
KIM CLARK
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Before we joined the Common Market, a good deal of my time was taken up by standing in queues of about 200 foreigners winding round the Ayuntamieto for about five hours in rain or shine to apply and reapply ad infinitum for work permits or/and residencias or permanencias. Back in the 70s, I targeted a young man in the immigration office and burst into copious tears and wails until he would have done anything to get rid of me. Crafty huh? We would normally find that more paperwork would be urgently needed that had suddenly appeared overnight, and this would go on time after time until either the supplicant or the sadist behind the desk gave up. Things did not improve until we joined the EU. Fortunately, I am retired now with a Spanish pension and residencia, but I have a long memory and am not holding my breath that things won’t return to the way it was before. Good luck with that!
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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 phenomenon and a redefining a of what it means to be British European.” During the research, half of interviewees revealed they chose to 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 January, Britain remains bound in 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.
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Anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson flip flops between a decision to move from UK
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do.” The 37-year-old admitted many had been “triggered” when he was the said to be considering leaving UK, given his previous anti-immigrant diatribes. The rabble-rouser, who does not understand Spanish, previously stated that if a person “does not speak our the language, he should not be in United Kingdom.” now his hints at moving permanently to Gibraltar have been met with backlash from appalled locals. Taking to Twitter one user said: or There is no place for the far right the far left in Gib. So please #TommyRobinson , do us all a favour and go away. #Gibraltar” Another agreed: “nobody in Gibraltar is going to welcome you with open arms. We’re the dirty foreign people you hate. F*ck off, Tommy if Robinson. or maybe it’s better I tell you in Spanish, seeing as you Vete much. hate multiculturalism so a toma por culo.” A third wrote: “We embraced refreugees during the Civil War. We jected Franco. Many of us marched in a show of anti-racism on July 4. “our history is nothing anti-fascism. without Tommy Robinson is the See page 5 - 14 worst of the English farright and we don’t want imperialist crap in Gibraltar again.”
form. at In a recent livestream, filmed By Kirsty McKenzie posh Marbella sports club Manolo Santana Racquets Club, Robinson loof revealed he had secured places at but “My fat little legs got me to the top cal schools for his three children this in sliders. Moving to Gibraltar, was still ‘in the process’ of finding a stick that in your f*cking s*it paper.” permanent place for them to live. The anti-immigration figurehead The Brexit supporter, who has vocalpreviously announced that he was al- ly opposed immigration into the UK, ‘fleeing’ the UK after arsonists by went on to say that he is looking at legedly attacked property owned permanently relocating his family, his wife and left his family feeling ‘which is pretty hard to do, especially ‘unsafe’. Extremist Robinson, who with CoVID’. has been banned from Twitter, Ins- In another video he contradicted tagram and Facebook following rac- himself, pledging to return to the ist rants, Stephen has been UK. Robinson, real name “let me just h i n t i n g yaxley-lennon, said: the record. I for weeks clarify something for or anywhere a b o u t am not moving abroad m a k i n g permanently. and loa perma- “I’ve just had family issues My family ALL AREAS COVERED nent move cation issues to deal with. up for the t h r o u g h not me, that will free me v i d e o s work that I do.” snowflakes I 4G UNLIMITED posted to He added: “For all yourvery soon, on R u s s i a ’ s will be back in the UK doing what I INTERNET VK plat- the streets of England,
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. real The EDl co-founder, whose name is Stephen yaxley-lennon, shared the announcement on a social the media platform while climbing to top of the Rock in flip flops on Monday night. the In video, the 37-yearold said:
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Summer of fun
Celebrities flock to Ibiza as they search for coronavirus relief...
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Gill Brookes-Parry
Sunken treasure
The fight is on as Spain tries to claim a multi-billion euro fortune discovered on the sea bed...
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Numbers of Brits making a new home in Spain jumps 500% as time runs out BRITS have been scrambling make a new life in Spain with to numbers registering the countrythe their new home jumping fivefold as 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 Brits to move to, according to for the data, with thousands of Brits fleeing
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ing between 2016 and 2018. The great expat escape is part of a wider trend seen across Europe, with researchers revealing that number of Brits hurrying to take the 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.
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expect when a country is hit by major economic or political crisis.” a His colleague Daniel Tetlow said that the rise was a ‘striking commitment to integrate or socially embed’. He continued: “We’re observing phenomenon and a redefining a of what it means to be British European.” During the research, half of interviewees revealed they chose to leave the UK quickly, showing ‘increased impulsiveness, spontaneity and risk-taking.’ The spike suggests that Brits voted the referendum results 2016 and to leave the EU back in while the country officialvote prompted Brits to ly left make their move offi- bound in January, Britain remains by EU rules during a transicial before Brexit was tion period that lasts until the end finalised and freedom of 2020. of movement came to For years, many Brits have lived an end. and worked in Spain without forCo-author Daniel Auer mally registering, but uncertainty said: “The uncertain- over new rules means thousands are ty surrounding Brexit scrambling has certainly caused dency and to preserve their resilarge numbers of peo- Despite employment status. ple to pack their bags securing 21,250 Brits successfully a residence card between in both directions.” 2016 and He added: “These in- has now 2018, registering in Spain creases are of a mag- for many become an uphill struggle as Brexit looms closer. nitude that you would Torture by red tape: Page 6
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Tommy I hope you realise that you are a foreigner in Spain and Gibraltar. All nationalities live amongst each other here. Please behave because the law will not put up with your behaviour. People know your face and what you believe. Give your family the life they deserve and live a peaceful, safe life. Let your children grow up and have friends of all nationalities. You my lad have not done yourself any favours. It’s time to realise that your family comes first and life is what you make it. Good luck, but I do think that wherever you live you will always be noticed.
Barmy army
Stephen Kim Raymond, Marbella
Tommy has clearly sent a few of his minions to come on here (the Olive Press Facebook) and call us all lefties. Funny. He must feel so hurt and rejected that we don’t want his scummy little arse here in Spain. Julie Frank, Malaga
Mr Worldwide It’s great that he’s making good use of his new Irish passport. He can now have his UK citizenship revoked at any time without leaving him stateless and come January he will be stuck in Europe for the rest of his life due to his custodial sentences in the UK. Cheerio and Good riddance. Jody Saunders, Warrington
See page 9
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SHIPPERS
Because Spain won’t let him stay with his criminal record he’ll never get residence. Gibraltar must seem like his best bet. But he’s got no idea, they’re all foreigners there. I wonder if he met the apes? Sylvia Hadfield, Malaga
Has anything piqued your interest in this week’s Olive Press? Have your say on the matter by emailing letters@theolivepress.es or message us on at www.facebook.com/OlivePressNewspaper or Twitter @olivepress
Data revolution
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Criminal mind
Vol. 4 Issue 86 www.theolivepress.es August 7th - August 20th 2020
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OP QUICK Crossword Across
Dilip Kuner investigates how a data innovator is revolutionising the 1.25 trillion-dollar pharma industry
1 Rubber (6) 5 False (6) 8 Burden excessively (8) 9 Principal (4) 10 Family (4) 11 I o W town (8) 12 Irritate (4) 13 Gone by (3) 14 World’s longest river (4) 15 Skew-whiff (8) 18 Lower jaw (4) 19 Flightless bird (4) 20 Tied up (8) 21 Elder (6) 22 Something unusual (6)
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HE availability of data has completely transformed the traditional pharmaceutical industry with the most significant impact in drug discovery, clinical trials and patient outreach. However, the biggest challenge facing the executives is to put this non-synchronous data to use. To innovator and data designer Inderpreet Kambo, this challenge isn’t intimidating, but an exciting opportunity. Over the years, he has helped pharma companies around the globe in adopting data technologies to improve drug discovery, optimised drug-pricing and better outreach. One of his novel contributions to the field of pharma analytics world is RDNavigator (www.rdnavigator.com) which focuses on a specialised niche in the market – rare disease where the patients are sparse and difficult to find. The patients are tracked almost in real time at different points of time in their treatment journey. Any deviation in the patient drop-off or change in their behaviour is quickly captured which helps in timely business decisions. The work received international accolades when Inderpreet Kambo and his team presented it at the World Orphan Disease Conference in Spain
(2019). This is not a one-off achievement under Inderpreet’s belt. He has also been instrumental in developing initiatives like FIA 2.4 that is a proven commercial success and supports pharma companies to price their drugs effectively. The platform enabled how price of a drug could influence the likelihood of drug prescriptions and its abandonment. By creating and developing such novel, industry revolutionising solutions, Inderpreet has proved that with smart data solutions, it is possible to improve existing and traditional healthcare delivery models. Using AI, he is helping pharma executives, investors, and companies make sense of the data that has been kept in silos for ages. Considered as an expert on commercial reporting and AI guided patient finding, he is the one who is leading the much-needed change with out-of-box and innovative methodologies.
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Bye bye UK hola España!
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Olive Press readers respond to the news that far-right extremist Tommy Robinson plans to move to Gibraltar after fleeing from Britain to the Costa del Sol (Online, August 8)
MALLORCA
The Summer of fun
Celebrities flock to Ibiza as they search for coronavirus relief...
August 19th - September 1st 2020
2 Effect a radical change (13) 3 Squeeze together (7) 4 Spacious (5) 5 Experience (7) 6 Characteristic rhythm (5) 7 Thick (13) 13 Account checker (7) 14 Atomic (7) 16 Literary genre (3-2) 17 Discourage (5)
All solutions are on page 22
Villa-ins SO drugs barons have managed to build a whole estate of illegal villas complete with tunnels to hide and escape from police when needed (Secret World Andalucia Issue 349)? One wonders how they have managed to get away with it! I can’t even put up a shed in my garden without permission from Mijas council - as well as paying a sizeable fee. I would have thought they would be easy pickings for the authorities looking to raise some cash to spend in the area. After all, wasn’t American gangster Al Capone eventually jailed for tax evasion rather than murder or racketeering? Maybe the drugs barons could be arrested for money laundering. James Donaldson, Mijas
Ripped off Ryanair not cancelling flights is a loophole for them not to give refunds! (Online, July 28) My family was due to fly to Reus (Salou) at the start of August but due to government advice we can no longer go because our insurance will be void. There’s no way I’d take four children aged 3, 7, 11 and 14 without medical cover! Now, because Ryanair won’t cancel flights and are probably sending empty planes to Spain, we can’t get a refund, an insurance pay out or cash back from the bank. Scandalous! We have lost £1,300 in flights. Kirsty Cooper, UK
Pipe down Jim Davidson is an oik... (Online, August 5) The real Spain is a far cry from the Anglo/ Germanified Beniyork and such. The real Spain has culture and a richness that Mr Davidson will never take the trouble to discover. His loss. But he should keep his trap shut. Heidi Schmid, Switzerland
Good news I WAS happy to read that the Maltese authorities have ordered Momentum to repay 70% of the lost pensions in the Continental Wealth Management (CWM) case (Costa Blanca Issue 36). People really are struggling financially having been missold risky investments and it seems reasonable to me that Momentum should repay at least part of the investments. They might not have directly sold the pensions, but they certainly had a duty of care to ensure their customers had been given appropriate advice. It is a shame they are appealing against the decision - many of the victims need their money now. I hope for their sake that the appeal is heard quickly and not allowed to drag on. Janet Reilly, Alicante
LA CULTURA
Enemies side by side By Cristina Hodgson
MORE than 200 Christian, and Muslim burials have been unearthed in Malaga. The archaeological excavation, which began in November of last year, covers the grounds of the former Astoria and Victoria cinemas in the centre of the city. The work, which is in its final phase, has been extended by
August 19th - September 1st 2020
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
Meet Utopia Avenue – The biggest band you have never heard of
U UNCOVERED: Skeletons date back to 15th century
Muslim and Christian burials unearthed from reconquest of Spain period
two months until the end of September, due to delays provoked by the state of alarm where work was temporarily halted and also because of
GOOGLE has joined forces with more than 110 Spanish institutions so people can sample the best of the nation’s cultural heritage from the comfort of their own homes. The project, called Maravillas de España (Wonders of Spain), seeks to explore ‘the cultural and heritage richness of Spain through the five senses’. It is a collection that includes virtual tours, reports and high resolution images all accessed online. The portal has also included an exhibition called ‘The Thyssen on
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the sheer volume of remains discovered. In February of this year some 90 bodies were found, believed to belong to Castilians who took part in
Google it!
a Plate’ in which 25 Spanish chefs prepared a dish each inspired by a painting housed in the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum. The exhibition is divided into five major chapters, and works such as La botella de Anis by Juan Gris and the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona are explored virtually.The exploration of the archaeological site of Madinat Al Zahra also stands out amongst the 150 options.
the city’s conquest. The number has now risen to over 200. The remains are now subject to an anthropological study and then they will be transferred to the Museum of Malaga, which has an archaeology section. Archaeologists believe the bodies unearthed could be ‘conquistadores’ who took part in the conquest of Malaga from Moorish rule. Experts believe that the level in which the bodies have been discovered suggests they were buried in the 15th century, at the end of the Moorish era. Some bodies have been found facing Mecca, in line with Muslim burials, while others have been found facing upwards, arms crossed over the body, in line with Christian practise. The excavations, currently in their third and final phase, cover an area of 800m2 and are up to 9.44 metres deep, and have also revealed Roman remains.
topia Avenue takes place in the swinging 60’s where free love, sex and drugs clash with war, death and riots, and follows the eponymous band’s rise to the heady heights of stardom over a two year period before suddenly disappearing into obscurity. Using colloquialisms and pop-
ular references from the time and place, David Mitchell is particularly talented at transporting the reader to a specific moment in history. You would be hard pushed to think of a musical act or artist from ’67’68 who does not get at least a cameo. Slightly less eclectic than his previous novels, Utopia Avenue is no less captivating.
€19.90 The Bookshop San Pedro, www.thebookshop.es
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LA CULTURA
what’s on
S
ail Away Nothing is dreamier than the sea at sunset so sail away for two hours with cava, beer and tapas around Sotogrande with Random Fun Adventures for only €44pp.
B
ummer school Give your children from the ages of 3 to 10 the chance to learn Spanish this Summer at Bubble Marbella who teach through play to keep things fun at €80 per week or €20 per day on 666299037.
August 19th - September 1st 2020
Nautical dreamer 3. Narciso Monturiol Did you know the submarine was invented in Spain? Meet Narcisco Monturiol the man who revolutionised underwater navigation. Who was he? Narciso Monturiol was born in Figueres, a coastal city in northeast Spain,in 1819 and got his law degree in 1845. He would never practice law. Instead, he wrote journals and pamphlets espousing what were then considered radical beliefs in pacifism, communism and gender rights. He believed that each individual should contribute to society “according to their abilities, according to their needs’. It was communism - pure and simple. He also published Spain’s first communist newspaper La Fraternidad, but the political climate was opposed to such beliefs and it wasn’t long before his work as a writer and publisher was suppressed. Narciso was forced into exile in France. What happened next? With his life in turmoil, Narciso began to think that scientific knowledge, not political activism, was the best hope for a more perfect society. Back in Spain, he looked out over the sea from his home in Figueres, and thought ocean travel might be the way forward.. Narciso wondered if oceans might hold new medicines, or new
SINGLE IMPLANT
and undiscovered minerals that could foster new industries. Underwater plantations could harvest new food supplies or introduce new fibres for textiles. The economic possibilities were endless! What did he do? Narciso Monturiol walked away from his revolutionary past. He went from utopian communist to a submarine inventor. He studied oceanography, nautical engineering, biology, physics and surrounded himself with experts in these fields. By 1859, he developed his first submarine prototype named Ictineu I (from the Greek: “fish-ship”). It made its first “dive” in Barcelona’s harbour. It was a submersible built out of olive wood and supported by oak rings.Over the next 2 years, Ictineu I completed over 50 dives. A new prototype Ictineu II was launched in 1867 with improvements in ballast tanks, oxygenation systems, underwater propulsion, double-hull designs and depth control. These were major breakthroughs and among the first innovations to solve the fundamental problems of deep-water submarine navigation.
IMPLANT BRIDGE
So his invention was a success? Yes and no. The submarine worked, but getting it to the next level came at a price - namely funding. His requests to the Madrid central state fell on deaf ears. Ironically, this dedicated communist, turned to venture capitalism. He targeted the public to raise funds, formed a company (La Navegacion Submarina) and did what all good capitalists did sold shares. While he may have compromised his communist vision for capitalist backing, he never lost his belief that science, not politics, was our best hope. Ultimately, the money dried up and a devastated Narciso had to abandon his submarine construction, but not his vision. He continued to write and lecture, always passionate that under-water travel would improve the world. Monturiol was correct that submarine technology would benefit mankind.. He died in 1885, a man ahead of his time. But in 2013 Ictineu 3 was launched from a Catalonian ship-building facility. It is capable of reaching depths of 1,200 metres making it one of the deepest submersibles in operation today. Its name pays tribute to Monturiol’s Ictineu I &II. A replica of Ictineo II proudly overlooks Barcelona’s harbour, while a metal sculpture of Ictineo I can be seen on Avinguda Diaguda in the city centre.
IMPLANT DENTURE
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lues Tunes Head down to Bahia en Vivo on August 29 for a line up of award-winning bands at The Island of Blues Festival in Cadiz with tickets from €25 online.
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os Secretos Grab tickets online to see the Madrid band Los Secretos premier their greatly anticipated new album at Marenostrum Castle Park in Fuengirola on August 27.
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Do you have a what’s on?
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Summer 2020
This pictureperfect enclave is where the A-listers go to play, writes Kirsty McKenzie
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T’S not a town, nor a village... and it’s definitely not a city. However, it boasts half a dozen championship golf courses, a top equestrian centre, a marina to rival any in Spain and a world-renowned Polo tournament. Throw in miles of beautiful beach and a teeming nature reserve and you have the unique world of Sotogrande. With a scene-stealing location and near-perfect weather, it’s not surprising that this is one of Spain’s most desirable places to live. Head down the Costa del Sol west towards the famous pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar and Jebel Musa in Morocco) and you will eventually come to Sotogrande. Roughly 100km from Malaga, Sotogrande is where business moguls and A-List types move to upgrade. This is an enclave of privilege, where most people
ParadisePlayground
have a yacht (or at least a RHIB) and many can work exactly when they want to. Think the family behind Gonzales Byass, the Botins who own Santander bank and the Chief Minister of Gi-
braltar, this is where they all Welcome to the Spanish come to rub shoulders, but Riviera which for more than very much stay in the back- half a century has attracted ground. wealthy expats from all over And then there is the su- the globe through many of per wealthy Ayala family - the same pleasures and diswho own their own private tractions as its original Palm polo fields - and sporting Beach counterpart. superstars including Eddie Although the streets are Jordan, Glen Johnson and lined with identical palm Glenn Hoddle, who have trees and perfectly colour bought property here. coordinated homes, this is Throw in a dash of royalty, Spain and not the Floridiwith Fergie and an coast, so (shhss, don’t the preening Filled with mention her ex) smugness that coming most often accompleasure and years and the panies a cevisits by former lebrity lifestyle distraction , PM Tony Blair, is tempered by and you have welcome to the an easygoing a heady mix of Spanish Riviera nature and disstardust, pararming charm. ticularly come Sotogrande summer time. might never But don’t expect to bump have existed if Swissair into them. They come and hadn’t sent a pair of comgo in chauffeur driven cars plimentary flight tickets to and live in the comforting the Philippines-based Ayala knowledge that theirs is one Corporation (which gave its of the most discreet and name to Sotogrande’s sechighly sought addresses in ond polo club). the country. The CEO Joseph McMicking sent Enrique Zobel – the founding father of polo in Sotogrande – to scout for land to realise his dream resort. Zobel’s brief was to find an estate with good travel links and ‘an abundance of water’. Gibraltar was the only ‘good travel
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link’ at this time and so Sotogrande’s early settlers – wealthy families from the Philippines, Belgium, Austria and France in the main – flew in via London. In the early years they had to make their own fun, taking it in turn to throw lavish house parties. Soon the cream of European aristocracy was summering in Sotogrande, alongside the Domecq (sherry) and the Ford families. The Spanish arrived en masse after 1969 when Gibraltar was cut off by Franco’s border closure. In the 70’s to attract the professional middle class and correct the estate’s ailing balance sheet, Sotogrande opened its multi-coloured port. It has never looked back. The beaches are a huge draw as well. Playa Sotogrande at the front of the
“I’ve been here in Sotogrande Port for 15 years. I moved here by mistake! Someone offered me a job and I’ve lived here ever since. If you can afford to live here it is fantastic, because of the security and education. It is full of nice people and a positive attitude everywhere.” Nico Muntean
Soto Speaks
estate, is two km long, and playa Guadalquiton – its bigger, less accessible but more tranquil brother – lies to the west of Sotogrande estate. The fishing village of Torreguadiaro – with beautiful beaches and some good tapas restaurants – is Sotogrande’s neighbour. Many residents also head inland for the off-resort shops in Pueblo Nuevo, which is steadily drawing more and more expats with its traditional charm and great location. Today Sotogrande’s founders would be suitably impressed. The luxury enclave embodies that particularly Spanish ideal of modern life: a careful blend of culture, exercise and indulgence. Laidback portside restaurants serve up smoothies and salads under umbrellas, overlooking the impressive yachts that line the shore while the rolling hills in the distance welcome hikers and cyclists - which is why so many locals have such a healthy glow and ridiculously good abs. Just as they work hard to stay toned Continues on Page 12
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in Sotogrande, great effort goes into keeping the place beautiful. As pretty and as promising as a box of fresh paints, the port’s eye-catching architecture and perfectly pruned fountains are near
utopian in their presentation. From the moment you enter the palm tree-lined streets of the port, you are instantly transported to a kind of grown-up Disneyland. This is the undisputed
playground of the Costa Del Sol, and boy, is it fun: you can spend your income on practically anything here, from polo to a game of golf on one of the best courses in the world. Work hard, play hard - that’s Soto’s unofficial motto.
The first word in luxury Costa del Sol homes with a touch of class
“
Sotogrande first attracted the attention of British buyers, particularly retired people, in the late 1970s, when the area moved on from appealing to just Spanish families to international buyers,” says James Stewart of James Stewart in association with Savills, an estate agent with decades of experience in the area. “But now we’re seeing a real mix of people. The close proximity to Gibraltar, the high reputation of the school and the incredible sporting facilities and great bars, and restaurants mean we’re seeing a young crowd coming into the mix. It really is the place to be.” It is easy to see why Sotogrande, a spectacular residential resort with superb golf, tennis, equestrian, yachting and polo facilities
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STAR: Seve with James
on the Costa del Sol, has become more popular than ever. The area has benefitted immensely from the purchase nearly six years ago of Sotogrande, SA for €225 million and the considerable investment that followed, including a new five-star luxury hotel, SO-Sotogrande which is due to open next year. “That’s been the one missing part of the jigsaw,” adds James. “A really good hotel.” The countryside and views are spectacular, and the port has charm without the gimcrack tourism that has stained other locations, such as nearby Puerto Banus. The most expensive proper-
“I’m originally from Bolton and I’ve lived in Spain for 33 years but I moved to Sotogrande five years ago. I like how peacefully it is here and that the sun shines nearly every single day of the year.” Chris Edmondson
Soto Speaks
ties James has sold here was a €7.3 million home in 2007 and another at €7.5 million in 2017, and it doesn’t take much to see why celebrities such as Hugh Grant, Glen Johnson and Marcos Alonso, love coming to stay. James says that ‘it is all very discreet, not blingy but old school’, adding, ‘in Marbella they shout about money, here we whisper it’. Sotogrande might be special, but property here won’t always break the bank. “I think the cheapest thing I have sold recently is a studio apartment for €80,000. There really is something for everyone,” says James. “It’s a good time to buy because of all the investment in the area and you get more for your money than you would in other areas. “Sotogrande is 5,000 acres, what you really are getting here is the luxury of space. It’s safe and understated, but everything is done brilliantly. You’ve got everything you could possibly need here.”
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HERE’S no use crying over spilt milk. But it is perfectly reasonable to have a meltdown over a disappointing pastry. “I was crying every morning because I couldn’t find good bread or croissants in Sotogrande,” laughs the owner of Foodisiac Laurence Forcione whose own bakers now start cooking at 4am every day. Trained at the famous Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris, Forcione and his wife Adina have an eye for the finest ingredients. Open from 9am until midnight, the restaurant forgoes traditional Spanish siesta hours to effortlessly switch gears from cafe to fine dining at midday. The vibe mie with gastronocombines bistronoVisit www.foodisiac.es pride themselves on mie and the couple for more information. pretentiousness. “We excellence without perior experience in strive to create a suristy way. No shorta relaxed and toucuts,” says Forcione. The menu is Mediterranean with an Asian twist and Forcione’s favourite dish on the menu is the tender beef Entrecôte, which they source from a butcher in nearby Estepona. But in their quest for excellence, Foodisiac ingredients are increasingly sourced from further afield - the coffee from Honduras is especially addictive. Situated in the marina, the restaurant boasts idyllic views, trendy interiors and a thriving atmosphere despite the depletion of tourists this summer season. Regulars travel from Gibraltar and Marbella every week just to get their Foodisiac fix after browsing in Sotogrande’s Sunday market. It is perfectly tailored for the entire family as well as more demanding foodies and wine lovers and comes garnished with stunning marina views.
FRESH CUISINE
OPEN EVERY DAY 9AM TO MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER
FOODISIAC RESTAURANT – RIBERA DEL MARLIN 25, LA MARINA DEL PUERTO DE SOTORANDE, 11310 SAN ROQUE www.foodisiac.es – Instagram: foodisiac_life – Facebook: foodisiac – reservations@foodisiac.es +34 856 399 163
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Sotogrande’s perfect pizzeria
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OMETIMES it can be very hard to find good food at an even better price. But head to Sotogrande and it becomes much easier. It is exactly what La Pala restaurant owner Nico Muntean offers right at the heart of the marina. “I want to show people that we do things the right way,” he told the Olive Press. And he certainly does, with Nico and his friendly staff adapting the menu to make sure there is a selection of delicious dishes to suit every taste. La Pala offers exceptional value with regular promotions ensuring the best prices in Sotogrande. Kids eat free between 6-7pm when you book a table, and they can be easily entertained with the open-style kitchen inside. Despite having a heavy focus on Italian food, cooked by two chefs at a wooden fire oven, Nico believes the star dish is the freshly-made classic Spanish tortilla with truffle oil. It goes hand in hand with his philosophy of serving clients with restaurant service, fine dining dishes but working in a relaxed manner. A chilled vibe is also what he’s aiming for, as he points out that the restaurant’s ambiance is very relaxed, with frontline views of the marina. “Families are always made to feel welcome,” Nico says, as he points out that it’s the ‘small details that make all the difference’.
August 19th - September 1st 2020
A Question of Sport The world famous annual tournament returns for its 49th year
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housands will descend on Sotogrande for one of the biggest events of the World Polo Tour circuit. For a month the Santa Maria Polo Club, the ‘Wimbledon of polo pitches’, will host 10 teams of 50 horses and 200 staff, along with spectators, who include the Brunei and British royals. The club has long been considered the polo set’s favourite field in Europe, but this year marks the start of a new era as players return to the
IN ACTION: Teams from around the world are competing
grounds for the first major event since the coronavirus outbreak forced all sport to
“I work in Gibraltar and I’ve lived in Sotogrande for three years. I moved here for the way of life - it is very relaxed. There is a village mentality. I like it, it’s all very calm.” Steve Whittell
Soto Speaks
be reigned in. But it seems nothing will stop the annual event, now in its 49th year from racing ahead. President of the Santa Maria Polo Club, Antonio Ortiz said: “Although the exceptional circumstances we are experiencing influence the format of this year, the important thing is that the tournament continues and we can see again high-level polo. He added: “Despite all the
adversities, we wanted to keep this appointment, which is one of the emblems of the summer of Sotogrande. It is one of the few major events that remain this year in Andalusia and we want to help the economic recovery of the country.”
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PROPERTY SPANISH people under the age of 34 would have to double their average salary to be able to buy a property. According to the Spanish Youth Council (CJE) under 34’s earn an average €961.03 when they need to earn €1,935.57 per month to afford their own home. At that level they would be able to spend less than 30% of their income on mortgage and oth-
August 19th - September 1st 2020
No chance er costs involved in owning a property - the level banks consider viable when making home loans. The main obstacle for millennials when it comes to buying a property is scraping together enough cash for a deposit.
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The CJE says that together with the money needed for taxes and fees, youngsters would need to save about four times their annual salary. Renting an apartment is not a viable option for many, with rents in some areas reaching 90% of average salaries, forcing people into sharing an apartment, renting a room or living with their parents.
Silver lining
Villages becoming more popular during pandemic THE coronavirus pandemic may be having the unexpected side effect of breathing new life into Spain’s small villages. For years many smaller municipalities, particularly inland, have struggled to hold on to their dwindling populations as young people moved to the cities and coasts in their search for work. But the lockdown and in-
crease of telework would appear to have encouraged a growing interest for houses in villages of less than 5,000 inhabitants. According to the Idealista property portal, in January 10.1% of searches for property on its site targeted smaller villages. By June that percentage had increased to 13.2%. By communities, only the Balearic Islands registered a reduc-
An eAsy life
149.000€
3 bed, 2 bath Build: 140m2
This fantastic country property sits within a plot of 2800m2 which consists mainly of olive trees and some established fruit trees. At the rear of the property there is an area for parking that leads down to a pretty cobbled terrace with wooden gazebo. SEARCH: Spanish villages seeing surge in interest tion in interest in smaller towns (from 11.4% in January to 11.1% in June).
the 45 major cities was 0.6%, with just 20 cities – nine in Europe – seeing price decreases. Although Madrid has seen a significant drop, wealthy investors seeking a bargain may find bigger bargains elsewhere. Stockholm, Zurich, Berlin and London suffered a drop of more than 3% in the same quarter, although prices in general in those cities tend to be much higher than in Madrid.
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Bargain hunt
IF you want to buy a luxury pad in Madrid, now might be a good time. According to the latest report by Knight Frank, the capital’s high-end property market is one of the worst performing ones during the coronavirus pandemic out of 45 major cities around the world. From April to June prices in the luxury property sector in Madrid fell 1.5%, for a year-on-year decrease of 0.9%. The average second quarter fall across
PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
Castilla y León had the biggest incçrease, from 23.7% of searches in January to 33.7% in June. It is followed by the communities of Navarra (from 18.1% to 26.6%), Castilla-La Mancha (from 35.5% to 43.4%) and La Rioja (from 20% to 26%). In Madrid they grew from 3.7% to 6.2%, while in Catalonia they grew from 9.7% to 11.9%. Conversely, Canarias was the community in which this type of municipality generated the least interest (3.2%), followed by Madrid (6.2%), Andalucia (9.9%) and Asturias (10.3).
by mortgage broker Tancrede de Pola
Save time and money by using a broker says mortgage expert Tancrede de Pola
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HEN it comes time to secure a mortgage, the borrower can avoid ever meeting with the bank manprospect can be a daunting one, especially for ager unless he or she wants to. The broker can even represent the borrower on completion at the notary if people not used to the Spanish system. There are many different products on offer, each with they are required to do so. But the broker’s job does not end there. It is the broker’s prerogative not just to find its own advantages and some with their own risks. a mortgage for the client, but to find the best possible It is essential to choose the right mortgage match for the individual client’s needs and that suits your particular circumstances their circumstances. and needs. This is why it is a good idea to A broker will Lenders are still looking for the most creduse a Bank of Spain accredited broker such as the Finance Bureau - the right one will save you time it-worthy clients but different banks have different criteria and it is important to save you time and more importantly save and more match these correctly to ensure the mortyou money. However tempting it may be to gage is approved. In fact The Finance Bucut out the middleman when searching for importantly reau doesn’t even charge a broker fee una new mortgage, you might want to think save money til completion…in other words we are only twice before going it alone. Brokers deal paid on results. A good broker will be aware with bank managers day in, day out and of all the products available and where to have been doing so for a number of years. As a result, they build up strong relationships with all find the ‘right deal’, which is particularly important in types of lenders which gives them the edge when it Spain, where it is very difficult to remortgage into a difcomes to finalising a mortgage agreement. More im- ferent product with a different bank. So when the time portantly they know which lenders to go to and which comes it is important to remember that the broker is to avoid, which inevitably cuts out a lot of wasted hours there to give you unbiased advice which wouldn’t be on searching the unknown. In fact, by using a broker, the offer if you went direct to the banks.
To contact Tancrede for all your mortgaging needs call: 666 709 743 or for insurance queries Call: 951 203 540 or Email: tdp@thefinanacebureau.com The Finance Bureau Centro Commercial Guadalmina, 2nOffice No. 7 Guadalmina, 29670
Mollina Office +34 952 741 525 info@inlandandalucia.com
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Affordable Business August 19th September 1st 2020 Contacts
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
Piggy delights
LOVERS of Spanish ham still have a chance to celebrate Spain’s favourite cured meat . A festival celebrating jamon in all its many varieties is in full swing in A Cañiza in Pontevedra (Galicia). The gastronomic event is a perennial favourite attracting lovers of speciality hams to the lush region of northern Spain. The festival continues until the end of August and includes many fun activities as well as the chance to sample many different pork specialties. Magic and music shows are always popular, while the characteristic ‘cabezudos’ (big headed costumed figures ) will hold processions, all with COVID-19 distancing restrictions in place.
HEALTH bosses have discounted fears that coronavirus can be spread via food. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said there was no need to worry after China announced that it had discovered COVID-19 particles in imported food. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of
the WHO's emerging diseases unit, said: “We do not believe the coronavirus can be transmitted through food. If we have understood correctly, China looked for the virus in wrappers,
and tested for it on hundreds of thousands of samples and only found it in very few - less than 10 were positive.” However, she added : “We know that it can stay on the surface (of wrappers) so have given guidelines for food workers to stay safe in their working environment.”
No go!
TUI cancels holidays to Spain until end of the month TUI has cancelled all its flights and holidays to Spain up until August 28 on the mainland and August 23 on the Canary and Balearic is-
Wizzing in WIZZ Air has revealed it will be opening up new routes to Alicante and Malaga from this autumn. The budget airline, which is setting up a permanent UK base at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, will also expand its range of flights to Larnaca in Cyprus, Faro in Portugal, Lublin in Poland, Kosice in Slovakia and Suceava in Romania. The new routes are expect-
Stay healthy
August 19th - September 1st 2020
ed to take off from October 22 and are available to book on the Wizz Air website, with prices starting at £17.99. The airline claims it has nearly 1.8 million seats on sale, with 107 routes from the UK on offer for the rest of 2020. The Foreign Office currently advises against non-essential travel from the UK to Spain and Portugal.
lands. People already abroad will be able to return. The flights and holidays company said that the cancellations are due to travel restrictions imposed by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which is advising against all but essential travel. A company spokesperson said: “Due to the continued UK Foreign Office advice against all but essential travel to all areas of Spain, TUI UK has extended holiday cancellations to mainland Spain up to and including Friday August 28 2020 and the Balearic and Canary Islands up to and including Sunday August 23 2020. “All affected customers will be able to amend their holiday for free and receive a
CANCELLED: TUI holidays to Spain put on hold
booking incentive or cancel and receive a full cash refund. “Due to the ongoing uncertainty, customers due to travel to all areas of Spain before Monday August 31 can amend for free and receive an incentive up to £500, or cancel and receive a full cash refund. “Customers currently on holiday will be able to continue their holiday as planned.” The UK introduced a 14 day self-isolation period for anyone arriving from Spain on
June 27 despite pressure from Spanish authorities the restrictions remain in place. Tourism authorities in Spain are desperate for the government to change its stance - but the Foreign Office has shown no sign of doing so. The current FCO travel advice is “The FCO advise against all non-essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks in the country.
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Arriba! LOVERS of Mexican food have a new place to go in Benalmadena’s Puerto Marina. Cantina Mexicana is the latest venture opened by Metro group, which is behind a string of some of the Costa del Sol’s best and most popular restaurants. And it brings an authentic taste of Mexico to the coast, with a wide selection of up-to-date and traditional dishes from pulled chicken burritos to crispy cod tacos, cheesy quesadillas to slow roast pork ribs and a great selection of salads. This is not a ‘chain’ restaurant – each dish is cooked and prepared by its own brigade of chefs, who are trained to the highest standards. The refurbished and restyled restaurant was previously run by Metro as Coast, which served a selection of Italian dishes. But now they have undergone an exciting change of direction to spice up the dining scene in the popular marina. Located next door to the famous Kaleido Bar, Cantina Mexicana is the newest restaurant for Mexican food and amazing margaritas and cocktails. Cantina is open from 5pm to midnight. For more info see: cantinapuertomarina.com or call 951550335
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
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Set jetters Y By Kirsty McKenzie
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man with an open shirt, glistening sixpack and pair of binoculars may not be the first image most places would use to attract tourists. But this is no ordinary man. This is Bond, James Bond. And visiting the exact spot where he met Halle Berry emerging from the water in Die Another Day, is a surprisingly easy mission to accomplish. Forget the Hollywood Hills, Spain is the place movie buffs need to flock to if they want to see the locations from their favourite flicks. Although the film was imagined to be set in Cuba, the movie’s breathtaking scene was actually filmed on La Caleta Beach, in Cadiz - and is one of a series of blockbuster moments that set-jetters can reenact this summer. Not only has 007 and his perfectly shaken martini graced our shores - Bond has also shot in Bilbao for The World Is Not Enough and Madrid for From Russia with Love there are dozens of other famous faces who got ready for their close up right here. Across the Bridge, Lawrence of Arabia, The Bourne Ultimatum, Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Kingdom of Heaven, Perfume: Story of a Murderer, 55 days in Beijing, and even Kubrick’s Spartacus have also played a role in making Spain a star of the silver screen. Here’s our roundup of all the mustsee spots from your favourite movies.
our first mission, should you choose to accept it, is to be on the lookout for Bond Girls in Cadiz. Die Another Day was filmed at La Caleta, squeezed between the castles of San Sebastian and Santa Catalina at the west end of the city. Enjoy a drink
Mad about film? Live the dream and go visit the dreamy locations seen in your favourite movies
at Parador de Cadiz, where there is a poolside café bar, before following in 007’s footsteps and heading out to La Caleta beach. Later, take in the sunset with a walk along the seafront promenade, said to be Spain’s oldest, with a view to kill for.
ICONIC: La Caleta beach and Bond both witnessed Berry emerge from the sea
August 19th - September 1st 2020
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A
lmeria is the ultimate spot for thrill seekers - it’s where Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford filmed several scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Sergio Leone shot his spaghetti westerns here too, after seeing the star potential of the sandy Tabernas Desert. Now, 60 years on, it is still worth a visit. Here you’ll find Fort Bravo, a working film set that is open to the public, where bandidos still bite the dust following the daily botched bank job. The expansive mountain range provides the ultimate backdrop, but there are also sets - a small crumbling white church, the town square, the stables, courtroom and saloon bar, where you can enjoy a can-can show after a long day of riding alongside Spain’s Lone Rangers. Also worth a vistit is Cabo de Gata Natural Park, where, as well as a dip in the sea, you can visit Cortijo del Fraile, the setting for Lorca’s Blood Wedding and used in a couple of Sergio Leone’s ‘Dollars’ westerns.
ARRIVAL: Natalie Portman arrived in Sevilla
S
ultry Sevilla is a must-see for everyone, movie-buff or not. If it’s good enough for the A-listers, it’s good enough for us. Hightail it around arguably Spain’s most stunning city on this high-end trip where every corner is picture-perfect. Take in the sights by foot and kick-off off your day with tapas before whirling around the Royal Alcazar fortress-turned-palace. In 1962 the Alcazar was used as a set for Lawrence of Arabia, while The Patio de las Doncellas was used for the court of the King of Jerusalem in the 2005 movie Kingdom of heaven. Lastly, stop off at the Plaza de España - it’s best viewed at night when the queues ease and the building lights up in its entirety. The jaw dropping centre of the Spanish-American exhibition of 1929 was chosen by George Lucas as the spot to immortalize Amidala’s arrival to the planet Naboo in The Attack of the Clones.
SET: Clint Eastwood is no stranger to Fort Bravo
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BUSINESS
AROUND 1.35 million jobs have been lost in Spain since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Of this number, 1,074,000 were lost in the second quarter of 2020 according to INE, Spain’s official statistics department. This was the biggest quarterly fall in employment in the country since 1976, when official stats were first gathered. The number dwarfs the
August 19th September 1st 2020
Jobs blow
770,899 jobs lost in the first three months of 2009, after the global financial crash. About 285,000 workers lost their jobs in the first quarter of 2020, as the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak began to make itself felt.
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At the moment another 1 million workers are furloughed under the ERTE scheme, which is set to end in September, although it may be extended. The services sector has been particularly badly hit with 816,900 jobs lost in the second quarter. According to Eurostat, Spain has the highest official unemployment rate in the European Union at 15.6% just ahead of Greece (15.5%).
Falling behind
Spanish economy dragging its heels on road to recovery
SPAIN is in danger of lagging behind the main advanced economies in Europe in recovering from the coronavirus crisis. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) the Spanish economic position worsened last month while other Eurozone countries saw a strengthening of their position. The organisation’s Com-
In a wonderful new idea, Spoken Portraits takes on tributes and your life story
T
IM was a theatre impresario putting on a B e t w e e n ballet starring Rudolf Nureyev. them, they During one show he was summoned described what backstage by stage manager Dan. he was like at significant In a bizarre case of mistaken identity, the points in his life for a ‘Portrait world-famous dancer had punched him in the of Adam Through the Ages’. stomach before leaping in front of the audience. His old friend William, for example, reDan was refusing to start the second half until he membered how as a 30-year-old TV lawyer got an apology, but Nureyev was unrepentant. living in Manchester, Adam became obsessed The Punch is one of the wonderful stories from with Coronation Street because his office had Tim’s life that he had been trying to write down live CCTV of the set. for years but was finding it impossible to put pen “He would call me up and tell me that Vera had to paper. just put on her wig!”. Then he found Rosie Oliver. Rosie is an audio His ex-flatmate Nick also recalled how, ‘in the producer who makes ‘Spoken evenings Adam would go to the Portraits’ – privately commissalsa club in a tight fitting Tim found the local sioned radio-style features about open-neck shirt with chest hair people’s lives in their own words. whole interview popping out,and dance the She guided Tim on what would night away with divorcees from process be best to talk about and he Bolton’. quickly unblocked once she got This April, Rosie produced a tremendously out the microphone. surprise tribute to NHS workers After a couple of recorded interLisa and Stephen. liberating views and lots of very careful edThey were due to get married iting, she produced a beautifully but had to call off the wedding packaged 60 minute audio CD with copies for because of lockdown.Their families commishim to give to his family. Tim said: “I found the sioned Rosie to call up and record 14 friends whole process liberating.” and relatives who told the story of the couple Tim is just one of many people Rosie has made and what’s great about them. Spoken Portraits about. “Everyone knew how disappointed we were Adam is another. when we had to cancel the wedding,” said bride-to-be Lisa. “It really was brilliant to hear them say those wonderful things … I laughed a lot, I cried a lot, and smiled till my face couldn’t His was a surprise 50th birthday gift from take it!” family and friends from around the world who As Shola, who commissioned Rosie to intercouldn’t get together for a party. view her father, remarked: “I don’t think it is Rosie interviewed 22 of them over the phone an exaggeration to say that a Spoken Portrait and internet, from Ronda, in Spain, to San is one of the most precious gifts you could ever Francisco, in America. give to yourself and those you love.”
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posite Leading Indicators Index (CLI) which forecasts economic activity in
Black August HOTELIERS on the Costa del Sol have predicted dire occupation numbers for August, the most important month of the season. The occupation forecasts for this month have been reduced to 39.9%, as announced on Monday by the Association of Hotel Owners of the Costa del Sol (AEHCOS). “The significant decline in the British market has marked us these two months. In Malaga alone, they represent 26% of the reservations,” said a spokesperson from the AEHCOS. Some 90% of British reservations have been cancelled, representing 70% of arrivals to Malaga.
Stories to treasure
the next six to nine months, gave Spain a score of 93.72 points, down from 94.31 in June. By contrast the average for developed countries strengthened from 97.04 to 97.98 points over the same timescale. An OECD spokesman said: “The CLI for Spain points to tentative signs of a slowdown.” In June, the organisation had warned that the Spanish economy was the one most threatened by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an estimated contraction of GDP in 2020 of between 11.1% and 14.4%, depending on whether or not there is a resurgence of the virus.
Resurgence
Employers in the sector are confident that the British Government will reverse the quarantine measure imposed. However, even a change of course would not guarantee a recovery in the market, given that in addition to the cancellations, tour operators such as TUI have stopped operating in the peninsula and Jet2. com has suspended flights until mid-August.
The CLI index in the United States rose to 97.44 points from 95.99 the previous month, although it is still 1.74 points below the reading for July 2019. It shows a ‘continued strengthening’ of the economy. This improvement in the economic outlook for the US is shared by most of the large OECD economies, including the euro area, whose CLI index has improved to 97.29 points from 96.68 the previous month, although still 2.39 points below the level of a year earlier.
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COLUMNISTS
August 19th - September 1st 2020
‘L’etat Covidigitalitis c’est moi’ A spot of self-isolation from the computer can reboot your health, writes Lisa Burgess
Lisa Burgess
Time stands still for no one as Giles has found out down the years
I
SPEND way too much time on the computer so I’ve now set limits on my technology use. COVID-19 has forced many of us to work from home and overuse of the laptop is creating a myriad of health problems. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one, caused by repetitive movement of your joints, especially your wrists, and one in eight tech professionals are sufferers. Back problems are another. I regularly hunch over my computer leading to incorrect posture and musculoskeletal problems. Then there’s computer vision syndrome which comes from prolonged use and causes degenerative eye problems. More alarming still are the psychological ill effects of online trolling and cyberbullying, which I unhappily encountered. I appeared in an episode for a Channel 4 series and a member of Ladies of Spain Facebook group commented, ‘What an awful woman who clearly can’t dress properly’, among other nasty jibes. They got a surprise when I responded and instantly backtracked. Be careful what you write online! As Rudyard Kipling wrote, ‘Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind’. So use them wisely. I feel truly sorry for children who face online abuse. The physical and psychological effects from this include self-es-
OUCH: Give yourself a break
teem issues, sleep disruption, depression, anxiety, fear, isolation and feelings of worthless leading to suicide in some heartbreaking cases. We should limit computer time for our kids. Computers have lots of memory but no imagination which is crucial for a healthy, rounded, automation-free childhood. But we should all keep an eye on their overuse so give your mouse a minibreak and your body time to reboot. As John F. Kennedy memorably said: “Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all”.
PIONEER: Young Carlos denouncing a military coup saved the country’s flegling democracy
I
T’S been a busy week broadcasting, what with reporting on the rise of coronavirus cases and the shutting down of late night bars and discos – although my own Saturday Night Fever sessions are now thankfully, long behind me. There’s nothing worse than going clubbing in Marbella and bumping into a friend’s kid. I gave up on the nightlife scene after a 20th anniversary bash at a club I used to frequent. Chatting to a young woman at the bar, I mentioned that I had been at the opening night two decades
before. ‘I don’t remember the opening night’ she replied. ‘Yeah, it was pretty wild, heh?’ I said, unleashing my most Clooney-esque grin. “No, the reason I don’t remember the night is that 20 years ago I was four.” I gave up being a night owl shortly after. One of the pieces of news that hit home, however, was the emeritus King Juan Carlos leaving Spain and going into self-imposed exile. If you were born in the 80s, then the story seems to be a simple case of an ex-monarch fleeing Spain to avoid finan-
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cial disgrace. But if you came to Spain in the 80s, as I did, then the story takes on a different aspect. For many people, Juan Carlos was the embodiment of Spain and its remarkable transformation from dictatorship to democracy. Franco never intended that the young Juan Carlos would change Spain to a modern democracy. Under the dictator’s plan. Juan Carlos would rule as a 20th century equivalent of an absolute monarch. It says something of the young Juan Carlos’ determination that when he ascended to the throne he chose not to take that path, and when the coup attempt came in 1981, he appeared on national television to denounce it. From that moment on, Juan Carlos was Spain. As the country became full EU members, images of the handsome king and his family were regular features on TV. The high water mark came in 1992 – Sevilla held the World Fair and Barcelona a magnificent Olympics where the young Prince Felipe led in the Spanish team and a nation burst with pride. And now this. The old king, the Royal Family riven with financial and domestic scandals, flees the country as it heads into a medical and economic disaster. As another Bourbon monarch once said: “L’etat c’est moi.”
HEALTH
August 19th September 1st 2020
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Hospital plea Uproar over late opening of Estepona Hospital amid coronavirus pandemic OUTRAGED residents have formed the Plataforma para Apertura Integral de Hospital protest group (PAIH) to demand the swift opening of a
Wash it to use it UNTIL a COVID-19 vaccine is available, facemasks are a necessary part of our daily routine. In the case of reusable masks - these are made with fabrics authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Health - wearing it is only half the battle, you also have to wash it. After their use, it is necessary to clean and disinfect them correctly to maintain their effectiveness.
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OPEN!: Petition set up
new hospital building. Mayor of Estepona Jose Maria Garcia Urbano delighted The Ministry of Health’s recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting reusable masks— of which they give two options— are as follows: 1. Put the reusable hygienic masks in the washing machine, with the usual detergent and a washing cycle at a temperature between 60º and 90º. This recommendation also applies to clothing. 2. Immerse the masks in a 1:50 dilution of bleach (20ml bleach, 980ml water) with warm water for 30 minutes. Then wash them with soap, and water and rinse to remove any remaining lye. Air dry.
residents last year after announcing that the much needed medical facility was completed and would be ready for use within the month. After conflict between the council who paid for construction and the Junta de Andalucia whose health service is responsible for equipping and staffing it, the building remains empty over a year later.
Pressure
“People simply cannot understand why the building is empty when, due to COVID-19, there is intense pressure on the Costa del Sol Hospital,” said PAIH Chair David Dominguez. “Before last May’s election the council organised guided tours of the new building and told us it would soon be open.” The action group has been lobbying for signatures on a petition to break the deadlock.
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
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THE creator of The Wire David Simon has been in an online spat with right wing Francoists after Pablo Iglesias, leader of the political party Unidas Podemos, recommended the show on Twitter.
Own goal NICOLA Sturgeon warned Scottish football matches could be cancelled after Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli snuck off for a secret holiday to Spain without quarantining on his return and further breaches from Aberdeen players.
Melon bonanza MURCIA is forecast to have a bumper year for melons and expects more than 220,000 tonnes of the fruit to be harvested despite hail storms destroying much of the crops in June.
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Vol. 13 Issue 350 www.theolivepress.es August 19th - September 1st 2020
Some friend!
Road racer writes off best mate’s Lamborghini AN adrenaline junkie has been left red faced and facing charges after ploughing his best friend’s €265,000 LamACCLAIMED matador Enrique Ponce got a surprise when he stabbed the bull he was fighting at El Puerto de Santa Maria stadium in Cadiz. The raging animal got its own back when it stabbed Ponce in the bum with its horns. The Valencian bullfighter came away from the tussle with torn ligaments, bruising and a five-inch gouge on his right buttock.
borghini supercar into an electricity substation. The boy racer’s blunder occurred last Sunday morning at
Bummer
Ouch: Ponce caught
WRITE OFF: Lamborghini was left in a sorry state around 7am in the south-western Andalucian town of Huelva. Local emergency services were called to a collision involving the high-performance car after reports of local idiots driving recklessly and road racing. In a video circulating online, the driver can be seen revving up the 639 horsepower engine of the lime green Lamborghini in a built-up area of the town before speeding off out of view. Moments later, the vehicle is observed crashing through a wall of a local substation. According to ABC de Sevilla, the two occupants of the vehicle fled the scene. However, they were tracked
down later that morning receiving medical attention at the Juan Ramon Jimenez Hospital. The hapless pair will be charged with reckless driving and endangering public health. A statement from the Policia Local of Huelva said that the car was loaned to the driver by a friend. The crash caused power outages for more than two hours in the area as firefighters and local electricians worked to repair the damage caused. The car in question is a €265,000 Lamborghini Huracan Performante. It has a potential top speed of 325 kilometres per hour and accel
SOME of the 800 flamingos born last spring on Torrevieja´s salt lake have been finding it a little bit tricky to establish their sense of direction. Most of the hatchlings managed to fly off safely to their new homes, but one bemused bird caused problems for astonished motorists as it playfully darted between cars on the CV-90 around the Costa Blanca city. Another ended up chilling out on La Zenia beach, around five kilometres from its birthplace. It spent a day fleeing bathers and sampling the local fare before it got tired and graciously allowed rescuers to take it to the Santa Faz nature centre in Alicante. The salt lake was established as the Costa Blanca’s first detected flamingo breeding area in 2002 and almost all of the birds have now left. Naturalist Juan Antonio Pujol, said: “Many of the youngsters go to humid areas like the Hondo de Elche and Santa Pola, as well as closer by at Torrevieja’s La Mata lake. “Occasionally some do get lost and that could be dangerous if they fly next to a road.”
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