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Vol. 5 Issue 129 www.theolivepress.es August 19th - September 1st 2020
Last orders
GIBRALTAR residents heading across the border will need to know of new Spanish coronavirus restrictions. A ban on smoking in outdoor areas where you cannot social distance is one new measure. The move is aimed at halting the rise of cases, 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 cafe licence - the vast majority - can open.
Tests
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. 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 and any protest or gathering of more than 300 people now requires approval from the Health Ministry.
TRADING BEYOND THE HORIZON WITH BINCK
Virus returns COVID cases on the rise with tally at highest since April
GIBRALTAR could declare another major incident after the COVID-19 Platinum Command announced cases are rising steadily. The number of active COVID-19 cases was 22 at going to press, the highest local tally since mid-April. This increase occurred as lock-
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down restrictions were relaxed this month when the number of active cases was brought down to zero, According to the Gibraltar Government, the new cases were brought on by UK visitors and locals visiting Spain in August. Two of the active cases are visitors to the Rock, with the other 20 being residents. In response ALL AREAS COVERED to this threat, the Platinum 4G UNLIMITED Command met to INTERNET discuss IDEAL FOR whether
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to declare another Major Incident. Government ministers, the new governor and Commander British Forces agreed to meet more often in the future. It followed another meeting by the Civil Contingencies Committee the day before. In his last live press conference the Chief Minister said that a Major Incident was unlikely to be declared until autumn but he is now changing his tune. “Platinum Command will continue to meet on a regular basis in order to maintain an oversight over the evolution of the pandemic in Gibraltar should it be necessary to once again declare a Major Incident,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. “In this way we will ensure that we are once again ready in the event that difficult decisions need to be taken going forward.”
Mobile testing areas have increased the aggressive swabbing programme started by the government. Mobile testing continues at the Piazza, followed by three consecutive days at Morrison’s supermarket. The government once again warned the public not to expose their loved ones and especially the elderly, to unnecessary physical contact. Not one person has died in Gibraltar from the virus and none of the current cases are hospitalised. Primary Care services are coming back online ‘slowly and with a flexible approach’, according to the authorities. “Services cannot simply be fully restored in keeping with a pre-set deadline,” said the Gibraltar Government. “They cannot be carried out without constant reassessments of the situation locally, regionally and globally. “Patients can expect to see face-to-face appointments and the return of established booking systems for the Primary Care See page 16 Centre shortly.” All health services were stopped in March when all staff were directed to handle a large breakout.
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Coke croak A LOCAL man was charged with importing half a gramme of cocaine after being searched by the Customs while walking into Gibraltar through the land frontier.
Jet-flee TWO Spanish nationals who entered Gibraltar illegally on their jetskis and were chased by police, have been arrested and bailed out.
Under the radar A VIRAL video that showed a motorised paraglider flying into Gibraltar at night is being investigated by the authorities.
Hookers raided FOUR people were arrested after the local police discovered a La Linea flat was being used as a brothel in Gibraltar’s neighbouring town.
CRIME
August 19th - September 1st 2020
Nabbed at last
A FUGITIVE responsible Man who stole €1.5million in Gibraltar’s largest for the largest robbery ever carried out in Gibralever robbery cuffed by police after three years on tar has been hauled back the run in Spain 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 al- GOTCHA: El Laghmich had been on the run in Spain for more than three years ready in prison New Harbours tobacco ner in crime, Douaoui, for their part in the heist By Lydia Spencer-Elliott warehouse.They then took got three years and two that took place in June three bags containing months. 2017. €500,000 each and fled. Meanwhile, El Laghmich Armed with BB guns and the crime group assaultand another of the robwith their faces covered, ed a security guard and bers Hamza Mesmoudi, tied up workers at the Accomplices 29, went on the run across Two of the men, Rachid the Spanish border. Behdaoui, 53, and Samir Mesmoudi was nabbed in Douaoui, 29, were arrest- October last year after poed near the scene of the lice spotted him stepping crime moments later. off a ferry in Tarifa but El Behdaoui was imprisoned Laghmich evaded his spell for eight years and five behind bars until now. months while his part-
Plot punctured TWO Spaniards who allegedly tried to smuggle cigarettes to Spain inside the tyres of their car have been arrested by Customs officers. The pair caught the attention of law enforcers as they acted suspiciously driving along Flat Bastion Road at around 4pm. Customs officers pulled the vehicle over on Line Wall Road and searched it. They then took it to their Four Corners depot where the car was inspected and found to have 14 cartons and four cigarettes in the front left tyre. “The defendants then admitted that all four tyres were loaded with the same amount of cigarettes,” said HM Customs Gibraltar. “In total, officers seized 57 cartons and six packets of cigarettes.”
Shut up FIVE people have been arrested after a video of them fighting went viral on social media. Originally the RGP arrested a 31-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man, after seeing videos of them arguing by the GASA bathing area. Three other people were detained after further enquiries and also charged with public order offences. “Enquiries relating to the incident and other persons involved are ongoing,” said the RGP. “This type of anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and we are appealing for any witnesses to the incident to contact us.”
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TWO cars loaded with 4,600 cartons of cigarettes were seized as smugglers escaped on launches. At 1.15am on August 17 two vehicles were spotted driving at speed into the area of Mons Calpe Road/ Emerson’s Place. Customs officers quickly raced to the scene by land and sea and were just in time to catch the suspected smugglers getting onto a fast
launches and speeding off. “Both vehicles were left with the boot doors open and loaded with master cases of cigarettes inside,” said HM Customs. “A search of the area revealed some more cases of cigarettes scattered amongst the rocks.” “In total officers seized 4,600 cartons of cigarettes of various brands.
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FAGS A LOT: Four thousand six hundred cartons of cigarettes seized
NEWS
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August 19th - September 1st 2020
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STUNNING: Rebecca looks good in pink
Rebound
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!
Kate and Will send letter of thanks to school in Spain after Prince George was mocked on American TV 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.
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 how long that lasts.”
All loved up in Marbella...
GRATEFUL: Kate and Will appreciate support By Simon Wade
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.
ESTUCO INTERIORS
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.”
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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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Wa k e s u r f Wa k e b o a rd Wa te rs k i Amazing place for everything from a day trip to a week’s holiday Perfect for everyone from absolute beginners to pros
NEWS
August 19th September 1st 2020
Crash landing
Political row over flights cancellations
FLIGHTS being cancelled this winter by carriers to Gibraltar could hurt the economy further, the Opposition has warned. The Gibraltar Government has hit back saying that there is little that can be
By John Culatto
done when we are in the middle of a global pandemic. GSD Opposition spokesperson Damon Bossino said
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the government could look to help pay for the costs of British Airways flights as it did during the lockdown. They believe that the closure of the port to cruise liners together with the flight cancellation could damage the tourist trade. In response, the government said this was ‘unfair and misleading’ as this was happening in the middle of an airline catastrophe. “The point is that this is a global issue and not a Gibraltar issue,” Vijay Daryanani, Minister for Tourism said.
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“The Government has already demonstrated that it is prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure the continued air connectivity of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom. “It is clear that Mr Bossino has once again not presented the facts properly in a feeble attempt to be critical.”
OP QUICK Crossword Across 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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NEWS
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C del Sol PARTYING on the Costa del Sol is behind several of the new Gibraltar COVID-19 cases, it has been revealed. Two cases reported in mid-August have been reported to have been from clubbing teenagers who visited Spain’s southernmost coast. It comes as the Government has continued to warn the population that COVID-19 kills, and that it is better not to socialise in large groups. Although the Spanish government has now stopped nightclubs and ordered restaurants to close at 1am, many people are still going to social gatherings. “The virus is being spread at parties, barbecues and family gatherings,” said the Gibraltar Government. “When socialising, particularly in Spain, take extra care. “It is more important than ever to obey the law and stick to the rules. “The virus has not gone away.”
August 19th - September 1st 2020
Results are in
STUDENTS have received a mixed bag of results for their A-levels this year. The pass-rate in Gibraltar remained similar to 2019 with over 90% achieving A-C grades. However as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, teach-
Taking off
Long wait is over as students finally find out A-level grades after coronavirus lockdown ers were asked to predict the grades of each student as exams could not be held.
“This academic year will have been an extremely surreal year for students and teachers with students finishing their school journey in an unexpected and very unusual manner,” said the Department of Education. “This milestone, the culmination of their years in school, has unfolded in a manner that nobody would have intentionally designed.” Of the 607 pass grades, 11 students achieved grade A and above, making them Gibraltar Scholars.
Difficult
HARD WORK: School work finally finished
THE amount of divorces has gone up since the lockdown, according to local lawyers. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in family life with a slight increase in marital breakdown after the first wave of the pandemic. “When you are living with somebody 24/7 any problems you might have had in the past are just amplified,” said Gibraltar lawyer Anne Balestrino in a GBC interview.
Viral break-up “That gives you more of a push to then go ahead and separate.” She also suggested this could have been because of the backlog of cases. The divorce law was reformed last year to allow them to take place after only a year of the ceremony itself.
“It has been a difficult year in many ways and one which has been full of uncertainties,” said Education Minister Gilbert Licudi. “Despite this, our students have now received their results and many will be extremely proud of their achievements. “Not all students will have achieved the grades they expected. “Our schools will be available to advise and assist these students in continuing the pathway which they have chosen.”
TWITCHERS: Niche market could boost tourism THE Rock is hoping to lure more UK bird watchers to Gibraltar with its first ever online festival. The Gibraltar Tourist Board kickstarted the Virtual Birdfair last week, which runs until August 23. Exhibitor ‘stands’ feature organisations and charities normally present at the live event. The Birdfair is the UK’s largest birding event which normally takes place in Rutland Waters. It attracts thousands of visitors interested in birdlife both in the UK and abroad. The event is supported by Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS) The GONHS has this year contributed to the online lecture events taking place from August 18. They form part of a library of recorded lectures available to watch for three months after the Fair. “Gibraltar is one of the most important spots for birdwatching and bird migration,” Minister for Tourism, the Hon Vijay Daryanani MP, said. “In these challenging times, when many visitors are seeking outdoor activities, our strength in this niche market highlights the richness of Gibraltar’s tourism product. “The great work carried out by the Ministry of the Environment and GONHS helps us to promote Gibraltar as a leading destination in this field.” Thousands of migrating birds pass through Gibraltar every year, including several rare species.
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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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NEWS FEATURE
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
A
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Vol. 13 Issue 349 www.theolivepres s.es August 5th - August 18th
2020
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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
See page 6
Summer of fun
Celebrities flock to Ibiza search for coronavirus as they relief...
Page 3
Streets of heat
The streets seem almost to be pulsing red on the humid August afternoon when we arrive. After gleaning little from Cristo in our cafe stop, we park the car on the backstreets between La Linea and El Zabal and open Google Maps, flipping to satellite view in the hopes of finding… something. Above the hum of the car engine and the buzz of mosquitos, I heard first a scream, then the angry voices of a crowd rising. We get out of the car and see that about a dozen armed men, their faces masked but wearing black uniforms and the badges of the Policia Nacional, had surrounded the area. The four story block of apartments is filthy sun bleached and peeling, the scene drained of colour save for the damp, bright laundry draped from a stick outside the barred windows. We walked down the dusty road, into the furnace heat and I silently pulled out my phone to film what looked to me like a drug raid. On our way past, one of the officers caught sight of us and was furious; he threatened to take me to the police station for filming, even
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. into the courtyard. “No,” one said. “You stay.” “La Linea is not a safe place,” says John BurShay returned with my ID - a driver’s licence. gess, an Anglo-American who’s worked on the Not good enough, apparently. Rock for a geo-tech company. “This only proves that you drive, not who you “I know that two Spanish guys tried to abduct are,” a female officer said in Spanish. I was one of the girls on my team and the only reaincredulous. son they didn’t get away with it It was clear the police didn’t was because Port Authorities want anything filmed or phosaw it happening. This is not Two Spanish tographed, insisting that I pera place you want to spend any manently delete whatever I had time in.” guys tried to recorded. That does not make I know I am lucky to leave La Linabduct one of ea with little more than a telling good journalism but attempting to argue with them only brought - and I am aware this incident the girls on my off threats and increased hostility. is small fry compared to what “We will take you to the police others have seen and suffered team station,” the leader of the offiin this city this summer. cers continued to shout at us. For most of the year, the SpanLater Shay explained my error - I had a flip cov- ish authorities have been closing in on Jesus er on my phone and each time I was folding Heredia — better known as El Pantoja and alit over the officer was becoming more irate. legedly the biggest drug lord in the Campo de “He didn’t trust you, that you were hiding Gibraltar area — with the brute force of the something. He didn’t believe you deleted it Central Narcotics Brigade. His apprehension and he didn’t believe you were who you said,” was the latest in a string of high-profile blows Shay said later. “He was worried they were against the drug barons. 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? different police forcOpinion Page 6 es and travelling to
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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
one of Ireland’s
greatest heroes
LA CULTURA
8
what’s on
B
ookworms rise
GET your eight to 12-year-old children reading at the John Mackintosh Hall Book Club between 11am and noon on August 19 and 26.
Y
oung talent
CATCH the live debut show of local singer Tiffany Ferrary who will be playing popular songs on the afternoon of August 21 at the Zoca Tavern in Reclamation Road.
P
icturing COVID
SEE portraits of those who helped fight the pandemic in the Frontline Workers art exhibition from August 25 to October 2 at the GEMA Gallery in Montagu Bastion.
R
ocking onwards
FIND out the images that make Gibraltar what it is at the National Celebrations Photographic and Art exhibition in the Fine Arts Gallery opening on August 26.
ARTISTS will be vying to design a stained glass window at the Central Hall which is to become a new event space. A competition for the best design is being held by the Ministry for Culture for the historic building which is currently being refurbished. The building, known as the South Barracks Chapel until the mid-20th Century, features three tall stained-glass windows at its entrance. Although they were removed some time ago, they are now being replaced with a modern design. “Individual artists are encouraged to be creative with their choice of theme and design,” said the Ministry of Culture. “They are required to provide a written element to be submitted alongside their design outlining the rationale behind their inspira-
August 19th - September 1st 2020
Touch of glass Contest launched
DESIGN: Artists invited to enter the competition elements of the window.” By John Culatto The closing date for entries is September 25 at which tion. The design will need to point the winning entry take into account the overall will be chosen by a panel of building and the structural judges.
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
Google it!
The award goes to... INDIVIDUALS and groups from the worlds of art, literature, dance and music have been nominated for the 2020 Cultural Awards. According to the organisers at the Gibraltar Cultural Services, the awards ‘recognise cultural potential, ability, talent and achievement’ on the Rock. Judges considered all works produced since July 2019 and decided on a shortlist of candidates. In September 2020, public voting will decide who takes the top prize in the junior, youth and senior sections of the competition. Junior candidates include Gibraltar Young Musician of the Year Aditya Dhanwani, poet Angelika Jane Bosco, Jake Torres with his Corona Travel Book and dancing sensation Nathan Villalba. The 2019 World Dance Cup silver medal winner Amy Wink, dramatist and blogger Carmen Anderson and the Youth Service all got nominated in the youth section. The senior nominees were successful artist Beatrice Garcia, Gibraltar Poetry Anthology for a book on local poetry and Maribel Matthews for two art awards this past year. Finally, Bayside School with their headmasters portraits, the Gibraltar Youth Service for their mental health work and JM Memorial Foundation that held a Moroccan exchange project were nominated in the senior section. In September 2020, the GCS and the general public will vote for their preferred winners while raising money for charity. The Awards ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday November 3, 2020 at the Sunborn Hotel.
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.
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19th August
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ll about
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This pictureperfect enclave is where the A-listers go to play, writes Kirsty McKenzie
I
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 10
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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
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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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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’.
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.”
genuine wood fired Authentic Italian pizzas
3 TV’s showing all live sports Lunes-Viernes/Mon-Fri: 18.00 - 01.00 Sabado & Domingo/Saturday & Sunday: 12.00-01.00 tel: 956 79 03 90 Paseo del Puerto, San Roque, Spain
BUSINESS
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.
Resurgence
The organisation’s Composite Leading Indicators Index (CLI) which forecasts economic activity in the next six to nine months, gave Spain a score of 93.72 points, down from 94.31 in June. By contrast the average
August 19th - September 1st 2020
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Falling behind 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.
BAD TIMES: Spain heading for economic reckoning The CLI index in the United States rose to 97.44 points from 95.99 the previous
Stories to treasure In a wonderful new idea, Spoken Portraits takes on tributes and your life story
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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 commislocal salsa club in a tight fitting Tim found the 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 April, Rosie produced a tremendously This 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.”
SURPRISE BIRTHDAY
To find out more about Spoken Portraits by visiting www.tickertapeproductions.co.uk or contacting Rosie directly at rosie@tickertapeproductions.co.uk or on +44 (0) 7985464314
OP Puzzle solutions Across: 1 Eraser, 5 Untrue, 8 Overload, 9 Main, 10 Clan, 11 Yarmouth, 12 Itch, 13 Ago, 14 Nile, 15 Lopsided, 18 Chin, 19 Kiwi, 20 Tethered, 21 Senior, 22 Rarity. Down: 2 Revolutionize, 3 Scrunch, 4 Roomy, 5 Undergo, 6 Tempo, 7 Unintelligent, 13 Auditor, 14 Nuclear, 16 Sci-fi, 17 Deter.
SUDOKU
Quick Crossword
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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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVELSour taste
Delighting foodies A tasty way to help the planet
IDEA: Daniella Tilbury
STEPS to make Gibraltar’s food catering more planet friendly are being taken across the public service, business and local community. Sustainable catering is the brainchild of Gibraltar’s resident expert on the matter, Daniella Tilbury. The former Gibraltar University vice chancellor is now Commissioner for Sustainable Development and Future Generations. At the start, it will influence the food served at official functions, government meetings and sponsored events like Calentita. It will then be extended to food provided at schools, homes and
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 expected 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.
hospitals. Tilbury has published a document to inform how best to source ingredients and raise awareness about sustainable food. “People’s wellbeing and the health of our planet rely on food choices that respect planetary boundaries and human rights,” revealed Tilbury. “Our daily choices make a significant difference not just to our own life chances but also to the future of the planet.” Tilbury has worked with the Sustainable Gibraltar Food Working Group formed in 2018 which aims to improve the sort of food eaten on the Rock.
Sustainable
“Sustainable catering is about selecting and engaging with catering suppliers to promote good practice and support more responsible food choices,” said Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change John Cortes. “It responds to a growing awareness of the environmental and health impacts of our diets and the need to procure and handle food responsibly whilst achieving best value for money. “This Government has a commitment to a healthy, safer and more sustainable Gibraltar.”
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
A TEAM from a Spanish university has produced a 100% organic liqueur using lemons grown in the Vega Baja region of the Costa Blanca. Professors Angel Carbonell and Pilar Legua from Elche’s Miguel Hernandez University led the project in association with local lemon liqueur manufacturer, Vega Scorza, to come up with an additive free organic drink. Months of tests eventually produced two versions at 20% and 40% proof, using only natural ingredients. Pilar Legua said: “The key to the recipe was to produce a liqueur that uses oils both from the lemon rind and the lemon leaf in the manufacturing process.” Some 85% of Spain’s lemons are grown in the Costa Blanca and Murcia regions, and one aspect of the research has been to see if parts of the fruit not used in making the drink can have applications in other areas like cosmetics.
Carbonell and Legua
August 19th - September 1st 2020
DISCLOSURE: Strict rules apply
Flying fines TRAVELLERS to Gibraltar could be fined up to £1,000 if they do not inform customs they are coming from a country badly hit by the pandemic. The latest COVID-19 rules force travellers to declare if they have been in ‘a relevant area’ in the two weeks before arriving on the Rock. ‘Relevant areas’ are defined as being outside the EU and UK islands with a number of exclusions. These include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay and China. This list is updated every two weeks by the European Commission. The legal duty to report to authorities for a test was extended from just people who could have the virus to anyone from these ‘relevant areas’. “These rules enable the Government to be able to act where someone has been to a ‘relevant area’ and is unwilling to get tested for Covid-19 or is refusing to self-isolate,” said the Gibraltar Government.
Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.
With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling. Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist. PROUD
BRITISH
For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi
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FINAL FINALWORDS WORDS
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.
OLIVE PRESS
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Vol. 5 Issue 129 www.theolivepress.es August 19th - September 1st 2020
Flummoxed flamingos
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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