Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 92 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

Our promise - Our DNA: The best reporting in Spain in English

O ur D

Bitter about BREXIT

OLIVE PRESS

The FREE

See page 7

MALLORCA

Your expat

voice in Spain

Brexit deal last chance See page 4

Extra time Vol. 4 Issue 92 www.theolivepress.es October 30th - November 12th 2020

SWITCH: Chris Stewart swapping passports EXCLUSIVE by Lydia Spencer-Elliott

FAMOUS expat author Chris Stewart is becoming Spanish. The Driving Over Lemons writer has revealed to the Olive Press he is giving up his British passport because of Brexit. “I’m becoming Spanish because I’m so incensed by the absurd nonsense of Brexit,” said the million-selling author, who lives near Granada. “I love England because I was born there, I think of the green hills of Sussex and Surrey and my heart skips a beat,” added the former Genesis drummer. “I shall be like that forever, but above all I want to be European.” Brit Stewart gained a huge following with his first book that charted his life as a ‘self sufficient’ sheep farmer in a remote part of the Alpujarras region. He has published three further books on his nearly three decade integration into Spain. Since 2016, more than 350,000 Britons have applied for non-UK passports. In Spain, dual nationality is not possible. So, residents must make the difficult choice of whether they wish to be considered Spanish or British post-Brexit. Going native Page 6

2 147 834

National curfew tweaked to protect Balearics bars and restaurants LIFELINE: Balearics government has changed restrictions to try to help beleaguered hospitality industry BALEARIC residents have been given an extra hour to enjoy their evenings. But people living in Manacor won’t be allowed to leave the town. The autonomous government has adjusted a nationwide curfew imposed by Madrid to between the hours of midnight and 7am, compared to the 11pm to 6am originally decreed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez when he declared a state of alarm on Sunday. It means people will have to be home at those times unless they have a good reason

By Isha Sesay

such as travelling to or from work or caring for the sick and edlerly. The regional government decided to adjust the curfew after widespread condemnation from local business unions who said that bars and restaurants would suffer tremendously if they had to close by 11pm. This led to the Minister of Labour and Tourism, Iago Negueruela, meeting with union representatives, and hours later it was agreed that the

curfew would run from midnight Negueruela said that ‘the health situation in the Balearics is ‘one of the best compared to other autonomous communities, and for this reason, the government was willing to adjust the curfew. But the news came as authorities slapped an isolation order on Manacor. The municipality has had its borders ‘closed’ for 15 days since midnight on Wednesday after a surge in coronavirus cases. Manacor now has 458 COVID-19 cases per 100,000

Good excuse

THE President of the Balearic Government has apologised after she was caught in a bar at 2am apparently flouting COVID-19 regulations. Francina Armengol was found at Hat Bar in Palma on October 7. At the time, night venues were supposed to be shut by 1am. In response to the incident Armengol said she was only at the venue as one of her colleagues had suffered a fainting spell as they were walking past Hat Bar. She didn’t call an ambulance to not put any more pressure on the already strained emergency services.

APOLOGY: Armengol

“I am aware that the image I have shown is not appropriate and I apologise for what has happened,” said Armengol. This was in response to an allegation by the Balearic People’s Party (PP) leader Biel Company, that Armengol was drinking in the bar after hours. The Policia Local had raided the venue after several local residents complained about the establishment being open when it should not have been. When the owner was quesSee page 16 tioned by officers he said that he only kept the bar open because the President was one of his customers.

Tel: 952 147 834 TM

inhabitants and a positivity rate of 14.3% - the highest in the entire Balearic Islands. The perimeter closures will be applied to the centre of Manacor as well as the urbanisations of Son Talent, Puig de Son Talent and Jordi des Raco. Residents will only be permitted to cross the perimeter if they have a justified reason such as going to work. All restaurants and bars in these areas must close at 10pm and are prohibited from using their inside spaces. Terraces can open but only by reducing their capacity to 50% with staff at all times guaranteeing the safety distance between customers. Despite residents being allowed to move freely in the area, they have to stay at home and only carry out essential activities. Less stringent restrictions have been put in place across the rest of the islands since last weekend. Regional Health Minister Patricia Gomez said that bars will be banned from serving food or drinks at their countertops, and all orders must be taken at the table. The sale of alcohol in shops is banned after 10pm and shopping centres must reduce their capacity by half. The minister said the restrictions would be kept in place for ‘several months’. Opinion Page 6

Photo by Allan Binderup

- Ou

mise -

r pr o

CRIME

www.theolivepress.es

NEWS IN BRIEF Green cover FOUR Colombian drugs pushers have been caught using a greengrocer in Palma as a cover to sell cocaine. Police found several wraps of the narcotic stockpiled inside the cash register.

Child rape AN Ecuadorian man, 30, has been jailed for 10 years after repeatedly raping his 11-year-old niece at his sister’s home in Migjorn. The abuse only stopped when the child’s sister came home early one day and witnessed the abuse.

Blazing bins PYROMANIACS continue to plague the island with seven rubbish dumpsters being set ablaze on Avenida de los Pinos and Plaza de la Industria in Manacor, causing an estimated €1500 of damage.

Hostage held A MAN, 36, has been detained for holding his wife and their two children hostage inside their flat in Palma. A concerned neighbour had heard the woman’s screams and notified the police.

October 30th - November 12th 2020

Killed after sex British man launched frenzied attack on his wife A BRITISH expat had sex with his wife before killing her in a frenzied knife attack at their £450,000 Spanish mansion, prosecutors say. Wealthy businessman Geoffrey Elton, 56, attempted to smother Gloria Tornay and then tried to strangle her before she broke free after the bedroom romp, it is alleged. Court papers claim he then

By Kirsty McKenzie

chased Gloria, 58, through their Estepona villa with a 5.7 inch long kitchen knife, stabbing her 11 times on March 9 last year. Spanish-born Gloria was knifed in the back as she tried to flee her husband, prosecutors allege, and she died from massive blood loss.

POLICIA Nacional have revealed more details of the arrest of infamous Irish drug smuggler John Gilligan that could possibly link him with a 24-year-old murder mystery. Gilligan, 68, was arrested last in the town of Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, after a collaborative effort from Irish and Spanish Police dismantled a violent group of drug traffickers operating out of the area. Four parcels of marijuana and 15,000 prescription pills were intercepted in the post heading for the UK, which led police to infiltrate the gang led by the veteran criminal. During the investigation, four properties linked with the gang were raided, with police seizing a further four kilograms of marijuana buds and 11,000 more pills ready for shipment. In total, five men have been ar-

VICTIM: Gloria with Geoffrey Elton who allegedly killed her when she decided to leave him

He then allegedly shut off the power and told 15-yearold son to leave and threw

King pinned rested between Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa. Shockingly, a revolver type pistol was discovered in the garden of one of the properties which could possibly link Gilligan to the murder of a journalist in Dublin back in 1996. Veronica Guerin was gunned down by two armed men on a motorcycle after she began her own investigation into the wealth and lifestyle of Gilligan. Although his gang was found responsible for the murder in 2001, Gilligan himself was aquitted due to the unreliablity of evidence linking him to the case.

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

away mobile phones to slow the emergency response, it is alleged. Elton was found drenched in blood beside his wife of 30 years after trying to take his own life but was saved by medics and later charged with murder.

Paranoid

Spanish prosecutors want Elton locked up for 14 years and forced to pay €200,000 in compensation for her children if he is found guilty. Expat Elton moved to Estepona six years ago after retiring from his successful satellite dish installation company. Pals alleged Elton was ‘increasingly paranoid’ and reclusive.

Abductor foiled

TWO young children foiled a kidnapping attempt in Monturi. The 10-year-old girl and seven-year-old boy were walking home from school when a man approached them and demanded the children get in his car. They refused and ran home to tell their parents, who alerted police. The suspect has been described as a black male and middle-aged. He was driving a grey Renault C3 and was smoking a cigar.

Grisly discovery POLICE alerted by a passerby who saw copious amounts of blood splashed on the inside windows of a car found two corpses shot dead. They made the grisly discovery next to a petrol station in Peguera. The victims were a 37-year-old Spanish man and his 36-yearold Bulgarian girlfriend. Each had a single gunshot wound to their head and a shotgun was found between the man’s legs. Investigating police believe the deaths were part of a murder-suicide.

Join us for a celebration of history, art, heritage and pageantry in a unique part of the world.

With a UNESCO world heritage site offering 120,000 years of human history and only short drive from the Costa del Sol, enjoy the warmth of the British Gibraltarians and splash out VAT-free in Sterling. Gibraltar. Sun, sea and history served with a very British twist. PROUD

BRITISH

For further information call: Gibraltar Tourist Board +350 200 74950 Or to download a brochure go to: www.visitgibraltar.gi

www.visitgibraltar.gi

Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC

Phoenician Empire Calentita

Jazz

INTERNATIONAL

THE ROCK The MoorishMusicCastle Festivals Food Festival Pillars of Hercules National Week, Chess, Snooker, Backgammon Championships 100000 YEARS Darts, LITERARY FESTIVAL

Neanderthal Settlements

ibraltar

#VISITGIBRALTAR

A year of Culture

Bring hearts, minds and souls

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

Queen Joan ICONIC Dynasty actress Joan Collins, 87, has been spotted in Madrid filming the new medieval series Glow and Darkness. Alongside Denise Richards, the Dame will star as Adelaide of Maurienne, a 12th century Queen of France and the second wife of King Louis VI. Her and husband Percy Gibson, 55, were stopped by fans outside their Madrid hotel, despite Collins being barely recognisable beneath a face mask, hat and sunglasses. Glow and Darkness will detail the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and feature other recognisable characters including Eleanor of Aquitaine, played by Jane Seymour.

Royal fashion ALL eyes were on Queen Letizia as she attended the National Fashion Industry Awards in Madrid. And the royal returned to one of her favourite high street Spanish designers for the occasion: Massimo Dutti. Paired with a black shirt and coat, Queen Letizia opted for an affordable pleated skirt from the brand.

Spotted

A royal favourite, Kate Middleton has also been spotted in Massimo Dutti this month. During a visit to the University of Derby, the Duchess of Cambridge paired knitwear and a check-print coat from the brand with black trousers and heels.

Bank in Malaga. Banderas intends to transform the theatre ‘completely’ by introducing a circular stage, which the audience sits completely around - ‘a daring and complicated proposal that we’re going to deliver’, he promised.

Princess Diaries

Heir to throne Leonor and sister Sofia were on hand to congratulate the prize winners

PRINCESSES Leonor and Sofia joined their parents on royal duty to meet and congratulate winners of the 2020 Princess of Asturias Awards. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia’s daughters met with the victors in Oviedo, in the Principality of Asturias in the north of the country. The sisters, aged 14 and 13, were every inch the perfect princesses on the day – wearing modest but stylish shirt dresses and face masks for the event.

Elegant

FAVOURITE: Kate

Aiming high

In great company HOLLYWOOD heartthrob Antonio Banderas (pictured) will return to his hometown of Malaga next year to direct and star in what will be the longest-running theatre show ever in any single Spanish city. The man behind The Mask of Zorro made this announcement in style, when his cast performed a song from the upcoming musical Company at the Teatro del Soho Caixa

October 30th - November 12th 2020

Meanwhile their mum Letizia, 48, looked elegant as ever donning a recycled green and blue floral dress and forest green high heels.

SISTERS: Leonor (left) and Sofia were in Oviedo

The annual awards are presented to individuals or organisations who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs. The award ceremony shares its name with heir to the throne Leonor who holds the title of Princess of Asturias. Each recipient present at the ceremony received a diploma, a sculpture expressly created for the awards by Spanish sculptor Joan Miro, and a

pin with the emblem of the Foundation. There is also a cash prize of €50,000 for each category, this amount is shared if the category has more that one recipient. The decision to go ahead with the awards amid the coronavirus pandemic with protective measures in place – one of which involved moving it from its usual venue, the Campoamor Theatre, which has capacity for 1,400 guests – to the smaller location, and limiting audience numbers.

SAVE MONEY WITH CHEAPER, GREENER ELECTRICITY Save up to 35% on your electricity bill Switch to our cheaper, 100% green energy tariffs today

FORMER Murcia basketball star Ovie Soko has penned his very own book one year after finding fame on Love Island. The 29-year-old’s self-help book will detail his life before the show and offer guidance, advice, and inspiration on how to become the ‘dopest’ person you can be. Announcing his happy news on social media, Ovie shared a snap of his debut book You Are Dope (subtitled Let the power of positive energy into your life). He enthused: “This book was one of the most exciting projects I’ve had the chance to work on over the last year, it was such a great experience making something of substance to GIVE BACK. “I think there is something that everyone can take away from the read to help them on their life journey. “Have a dope day people.” “Dopeness is innate, and it’s in everyone,” it reads. “You’ve probably been dope for a lot of your life and didn’t even realise it. Remember the time you did the washing-up for your mum and dad without them even asking? Dope.” During his time on Love Island, Ovie was praised for his level-headed attitude and was often the go-to guy when the other Islanders were having relationship woes. 100% Certified Green Energy

Solar PV Panels Save money and get paid if you produce more energy than you use

+34 951 120 830 | INFO@MARIPOSAENERGIA.ES | WWW.MARIPOSAENERGIA.ES

4 www.theolivepress.es Shuttle Shakes

NEWS

October 30th - November 12th 2020

Make or break

OOPS: Shuttle crashed A SELF-driving shuttle bus in Spain’s Madrid provoked a crash on its first day The vehicle was travelling at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour through the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid when it caused the accident. The driverless bus – carrying several passengers – stopped abruptly giving no time of reaction to the auxiliary car that was directly behind it leading to a collision between the two vehicles.

Abrupt

The incident resulted in some slight scratches on the rear bumper of the electric car to the disbelief of the relevant authorities and the university students passing through the area. The shuttle is the first of its kind to be used on public roads in Spain.

THE EU’s chief negotiator has delayed his return to Brussels to remain in the UK for intensive discussions with British counterpart Lord David Frost. Michel Barnier was expected to return on Sunday but agreed to extend 'intensive discussions', which have

Ran over ex A MAN has been arrested for allegedly running over his ex-wife and her friend with his car. The detainee, 40, mowed down the two women with his Peugeot 207 in Palma. According to witnesses, the vehicle had been moving slowly down the road before accelerating and making a sharp turn onto the pavement. The victims were attended to by paramedics for various injuries including concussion. It was at this moment that one of the women explained to responding police that it was her ex-husband that was driving the car. He was swiftly cuffed and subjected to an alcohol and drugs test.

Michel Barnier delayed his return to Brussels so he could remain in London and take part in ‘intensive discussions’ with UK Government been taking place in London, until this morning. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We are in now what is an intensive phase of negotiations. “I wouldn’t wish to pre-empt what’s being discussed. It’s the first time that we have been negotiating on legal texts and across all areas at the same time and we have welcomed that fact. “But there is also much work to be done if we are going to bridge what are the significant gaps that remain between our positions in the most difficult areas and time is very short.” Sources on the British team A MAN has been arrested for spitting on a bus driver who asked him to put on his face mask. The detainee, 22, had been travelling on the number 35 bus from Palma with his friend. The driver repeatedly asked the man to wear a mask but was ignored. The driver then pulled to a stop and ordered all passen-

By Kirsty McKenzie

said the extension of talks showed discussions are progressing. But they cautioned that there was still a 'long way to go' and they remain 'very far apart' on the issue of fisheries so a deal may not be reached. It comes as Downing Street was forced to play down claims that Boris Johnson is delaying talks with Europe until after the US presidential election. Reports suggested Number 10 would only risk a No-Deal Brexit if Donald Trump was to win. A victory for his rival,

Spitting mad

gers off. Angered, the man cursed and threatened the driver before spitting on him. The victim later tested negative for coronavirus, with his alleged attacker being tracked down the next day.

DELAYED: Barnier Joe Biden, would mean Boris Johnson having to give in to European demands. Ivan Rogers, who was the UK’s permanent representative in Brussels from 2013 to 2017, told The Observer that ministers in several European capitals believe the Conservative leader is trying to stall until the result of next week’s vote is known. Rogers said: “Several very senior sources have told me they believe Johnson will await clarity on the presidential election result before finally deciding whether to jump to ‘No-Deal’ with the EU, or to conclude that this is just too risky with Biden heading for the White House, and hence live with some highly suboptimal [for Johnson] skinny free-trade agreement.”

Expensive party POLICE have shut down a party where 56 people flouted coronavirus rules. Guardia Civil had received multiple complaints from neighbours about the large gathering at a farm in Petra. Residents reported hearing loud music and seeing dozens of people congregating outside the property. They claimed the revellers were not wearing the mandatory face masks or adhering to social distancing. Social gatherings in Mallorca had been capped to a maximum of six people by the Balearic government last week.

Screw missing AFTER the UK public named a multi-million pound polar research vessel Boaty McBoat face you would think public christenings would be off the cards. But an Ikea store in Valladolid once again thrust control into the public’s hands and asked them to name the street behind the shop. More than one thousand people voted in a Facebook poll, with 54% of voters backing the winning entry. Thus, Calle Me Falta un Tornillo, or I’m Missing a Screw Street, will now become an official address in the North West city.

Friends.

Reset.

Music.

At OD Port Portals we have our own star rating. In fact, we have all the stars of the Mallorca sky and we will enjoy them all together every summer night at OD Sky Bar, on our spacious terrace and at our restaurant On Top. A hotel full of local experiences, music, art, gastronomy, yoga, pre-parties, flea markets, brunches, concerts, Pilates, tardeo, sea, sun and all the stars. A hotel full of life.

Horizon.

Sunset.

Memories.

LIBERTYCASHBACK Until

When

23rd

DECEMBER

2020

YOU need it most

ALREADY A CUSTOMER?

A NEW CLIENT?

€60 CASHBACK

€30 CASHBACK

on each new policy

on your first policy & €60 from the second policy onwards

Take out a new Car, Life, Home or Funeral policy NOW to access our Cashback offer – because tough times deserve little treats!

There’s no limit on the number of policies you take out, so there’s no limit on Cashback!

preferred expat insurer

Visit your agent or call 91 342 25 49 Offer valid from 27th August 2020 to 23rd December 2020. Policies must be paid by direct debit. Applies to new car, life, home and funeral policies only. Not for renewals or replacements. Conditions and minimum premiums will be applied in all cases. Visit our website www.libertyexpatriates.es or ask your broker/agent for full details.

The Olive Press all editions FP (342mmx256mm) October 28

NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.

OPINION

Going nati

Beggars belief WE remain in the grip of a global pandemic and governments around the world have correctly focussed on dealing with this. But the countdown to Brexit is on and now is not the time for the UK government to stick their head in the sand otherwise the devastating consequences of a No-Deal will follow. Beggars can’t be choosers - that’s the attitude most of the EU countries have towards the UK government now. And how could they not? It’s hard to take UK leader Boris Johnson seriously at the best of times but the suggestion he might inflict a No-Deal Brexit on the UK, in the midst of a global pandemic, beggars belief.

Mixed messaging

EL CHEF: Cooking at home

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

Laurence Dollimore laurence@theolivepress.es

Kirsty McKenzie kirsty@theolivepress.es

John Culatto johnc@theolivepress.es

Isha Sesay isha.sesay@hotmail.com

Lydia Spencer-Elliott lydia@theolivepress.es

Simon Wade simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Admin Sandra Aviles Diaz (+34) 951 273 575 admin@ theolivepress.es

Office manager Héctor Santaella (+34) 658 750 424 accounts@ theolivepress.es

Distribution ENQUIRIES (+34) 951 273 575 distribution@ theolivepress.es

As best-selling author Chris Stewart takes Spanish nationality, sealing a 30-year love affair with his adopted homeland, Lydia Spencer-Elliott talks to the famous expat about pandemics, politics and surrendering his British passport

Illegal Algarrobico Hotel faces demolition after 16 years

HE notorious Algarrobico Hotel in Almeria may finally be demolished 14 years after construction was halted. Money has been set aside in the preliminary 2021 budget of the Andalucian regional government (Junta) to send the bulldozers in and flatten the massive 411 room, 21 floor illegal building. It was partly built on protected land in the Cabo de Gata national park, leading to howls of protest from environmental groups desperate to keep the virgin beach unspoilt for future

Newsdesk: 0034 951 273 575 For all sales and advertising enquiries please contact 951 27 35 75 Head office

Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5, Calle Espinosa 1, Edificio cc El Duque, planta primera, 29692, Sabinillas, Manilva Deposito Legal MA 1097-2020

AWARDS

2016 - 2020 Best expat paper in Spain and the second best in the world. The Expat Survey Consumer Awards.

2012 - 2020

Named the best English language publication in Andalucia by the Rough Guides group.

ILLEGAL: Monstrous construction

NDS O

About time!

“People come here and say, ‘blimey, it looks like Afghanistan’,” jokes Chris. “All we can

from civilisation to his isolated farmhouse in Granada’s Alpujarras.

Publisher / Editor

IKE Peter Mayle and Carol Drinkwater, his books have inspired a mass exodus of Brits hankering for the good life abroad. But unlike A Year in Provence which brought the world and his wife to Mayle’s door demanding pastis and autographed copies, unsolicited visitors will never bother Chris Stewart unless their name is Indiana Jones. El Valero, his finca wedged between the Sierra Nevada slopes and the Costa Tropical, is way too inaccessible. Indeed, Driving Over Lemons, the title of his first international best-seller, is only one of the hazards to negotiate along the white-knuckle mountain route

BALEARIC officials are doing a high-wire balancing act over the latest COVID-19 state of play on the islands. Coronavirus case rates are ripping upwards but as bars and restaurants get another kicking, foreign tourists are still being wooed. As the National Government put in place a night-time curfew last weekend to slow down new infections, it became clear that many experts doubt that a curfew is the answer. Stopping illegal parties was said to be a big motivation for the measure, but the hospitality trade is being made to suffer. Exactly the kind of businesses that tourists want to use for a pleasant night out. At least in the Balearics the curfew had been tweaked to allow an extra hour in the evening - at the same time as putting stricter restrictions on Manacor. National figures show that bars and restaurants have caused less than 3% of coronavirus outbreaks, with 40% coming from home gatherings of families and friends. So why do regional politicians keep saying that they welcome UK tourists to an area that is a ‘safe place’ to visit as the shutters get pulled down early? Managing the pandemic is a thankless task, but a bit of logic and consistency would help along the way.

C O ST

generations. The Olive Press has long campaigned for the hotel to be demolished – indeed the story featured in the first ever edition of the Olive Press in 2006. Now it looks like the authorities have finally decided to take the plunge and level the site – as they were ordered to do in 2016 by Spain’s Supreme Court. It overturned a 2014 decision by Andalucia’s TSJA court which ruled in favour of developers Azata Del Sol. The Supreme Court also decreed that the land belongs to the Junta. The ruling accepted arguments by Greenpeace and the regional government that the land should be protected. The property on Cabo de Gata beach had at the time been the focus of a decade-long legal battle. A building licence was granted for the project in 2003 with Greenpeace directors dubbing it ‘Hotel Illegal’ in 2006. The president of the Junta, Juama Moreno, has now promised to demolish the Algarrobico as part of a ‘green’ programme outlined by the regional government. It is not yet certain that the hotel will be demolished as the budget for 2021 has yet to be finalised.

see are rivers and mountains, there are no other houses. It’s the perfect place for a lockdown. “Things were closing down even when I was young and travelling and I never got to Afghanistan, which is one of my few regrets,” he continues on a more sombre note. “Now it’s very difficult to travel anywhere in the world. My daughter has lived in China for the past six years and we visit her every year … but not this year.” One move this born-again campo dweller will never regret is upping drumsticks and the chance of fame in a British rock band to farm sheep in the wilds of the Spanish countryside over three decades ago. Alongside classmates Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford and Anthony Phillips, Stewart spent much of his youth playing in a school band that would later become Genesis. He never got to tour the world playing The Silent Sun. Instead, when he was bumped from the band in 1968 to make room for John Silver, he hit the road to travel and work in Europe. “It was destiny that drove me to Spain” he says. “When I was 20 years old I came to the country to learn guitar. There is not a single day I regret

IDYLL: Stewart spends his days rearing

October 30th - November 12th 2020

www.theolivepress.es

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

Our promise - Our DNA: r pro The best reporting in Spain in English NA

mise -

- Ou

native

O ur D

Don’t stop the press

T’S fair to say that right now we all have a huge weight on our shoulders - and some days it’s difficult to understand how the world keeps turning. Between a global pandemic and the looming challenges of Brexit to the USA election and the senseless brutality taking place OLIVE in Nigeria, keeping up to date with PRESS local news can often feel daunting or even pointless in comparison. Clicking through social media or Google, everyone is keeping their OUR SQUATTER eye on the bigger picture. And HELL while that’s no bad thing, it’s also so important to keep track of what is happening close to home. That’s where the Olive Press comes in. Local reporting campaigning has always been in this paper’s DNA for 14 years. Since 2006, we’ve taken pride in making sure institutions are held to account - so that nothing ever slips through the net. We work to a very high standard, never afraid to take on difficult stories and we won't let anything stop us getting to the truth of the issues that are important to our readers. Local journalism is vital to connect and inform people about the community they live in, helping the co-ordinate campaign groups or identify where neighbourhood efforts are most needed to look after the vulnerable in the area. In recent issues, we’ve spoken to the neighbourhood watch groups who are trying to keep their homes safe from squatters. We talked to expats fearful that their bank accounts would be shut by the end of the year and residents who have rallied together to retrieve packages from their hapless local post office. Our stories prove that news is about the everyman - not just people in positions of power. All those years ago we promised to create a newspaper that sets the agenda. One with clout, substance and authority. A title that gives a voice to everyone in Spain and brings political issues from local regions, not just Madrid. One that challenges the global-centric nature of today’s journalism. Objective achieved - and we’re not for stopping. The

HAPPY: Chris at home in the hills (above), with wife Ana and their much-loved dogs (left), and the renovation of their fashionable finca ‘El Valero’ in the Alpujarras over the years (below)

ANDALUCÍA

Your expat

Mijas Costa

FREE

voice in Spain

Vol. 13 Issue 353 www.theolivepress .es September 30th October

13th 2020

MEET THE STARS AT SAN SEBASTIAN

AN OLIVE PRESS SPECIAL

REPORT: SEE PAGE 3

Royal sweep

QUEEN Doña Sofia has caused a stir in the Axarquian town of Rincon de la Victoria. fishing The 81-year-old monarch pate in International Beacharrived at the coastal town to particithe world's beaches after Cleaning Day, an incentive to tidy up During her 30-minute a summer of use. visit, Queen Doña Sofia mask and refuse bags and donned gloves, a joined the volunteers in from the Virgen del Carmen collecting trash beach. In an effort to keep the crowds to a minimum media was kept in the during her visit, spite this, almost 700 dark until the very last minute, however deDuring her 30 minuteonlookers gathered to show their support. stay the support from overwhelming, with shouts the audience was of 'Long live the Queen!', and 'Long live Spain!'. 'Beautiful!' The love for the former versy surrounding her monarch is far removed from the controtion into his corruptionhusband Juan Carlos I and the investigathroughout his reign.

Maddie

Chief suspect ‘confessed’ to kidnap at Granada festival...

Page 5

LITTER QUEEN: Doña

Saintly town

All you need to know about San Pedro de Alcantara...

Sofia helped in costa

clean-up

Squatters take over British expat’s property meant for while threatening toher sick daughter kill entire family

A BRITISH expat has become scared to leave her own EXCLUSIVE “When they finalter being terrorised by house afBy Laurence Dollimore a family of ly had a lawyer, squatters for the past two years. he managed to Tina Cackett, 64, claims find a misprint been verbally assaulted she has ble began when Tina bought and re- house, which the in the escritura ceived several death sits just across the family since they threats from out riverbed from her own a dried which he claimed illegally took in Competa, home, over the property next Malaga, at the end of suggested the into hers, 2018. heritors which she also owns, might in December The previous not have had the 2018. owners, very close to, had died,who she was right to sell the On one occasion, Tina, and the in- property, carer, had to barricade a live-in heritors of the property decided but to was just a typo.” it side her home while herself in- sell it to Tina. To make of the squatter family the father “I wanted a home for my daughter ters worse, matrepeatedly Kristine, screamed at her in she is often ill and needs had to find Tina her driveway hospital that he was going to kill a new treatment or looking after, solicitor so the setup was ideal,” “It was terrifying,” Tina,her. Tina ex- discovering after SCARED: Tina chester, told the Olive from Col- plained. Cackett and daughter her Kristine (left) previous one was charging looked deranged, like Press. “He But while waiting for the deeds her for started throwing to be hours not worked. something, and just kepthe was on put into her name, which rocks A tour of Spain’s most iconic Tina claimed, “even their at him,” that he was going to kill screaming eral weeks, the squatters took sev- She now has the documents child was in ormoved in der to prove me and that and changed castillos... he had friends who would she bought the home shouting death threats, it’s just horcome and Since then the locks. kill me. a legal battle has ensued, legally and is hoping for a resolution rible, and the mother is supposed to be a care worker! Even this year, but everything which has been delayed “His wife was holding Page 20 my daughter has been has received and extend- slowed down due to the COVID-19 begging him to leave him back and ed on technicalities. threatening my driveway “The messages, which we haveWhatsApp pandemic. first couple of times saved for while they Meanwhile police. I turned p h o n e d means up without a lawyer, which continues to the squatter family “I’m scared to the case gets adjourned,” leave threaten Tina and her p o l i c e . ” added Tina. take my dogs for a walkmy house to loved ones. “I’ve been told it’s in case they The trou- tic they use a lot to buy time. a tac- Just three weeks ago Tina’s partner do something to me. “This was also threatened by the father, and family has ruined our lives it’s just not fair, while mother and son, who I paid all is only around 12 years their bills they’re living rent free in my property and driving old. around in “They told him to ‘go a new car.” back to England you Tina has contacted two privateEnglish madman’ and ly-run squatter removal companies but they said as there is a court case ongoing they cannot take on her case. THE SKY AUTHORISED It comes as Spain’s right DISTRIBUTOR wing parties are hoping DOCTOR Take control of your to clampdown on squatting, future and ALL AREAS COVERED make your own financial which has soared during KEEP SQUATTERS OUT! choices! coronavirus pandemic. the 4G UNLIMITED The Partido Popular and BinckBank.com/horizon Special Anti “Okupas” INTERNET want to see stricter Vox meaIDEAL FOR sures, including thousands alarm offer STREAMING TV of euros in fines and three years in prison. up to Immediate Police ALSO IPTV, However left-leaning SATELLITE TV parties response fear it may criminalise gling families who havestrugCall: +34 611 475 892 tel: (0034) 952 763 840 unable to pay rent duringbeen colin.securitasdirect@gma the info@theskydoctor.com il.com COVID-19 crisis. www.theskydoctor.com

Page 9

TRADING BEYOND THE HORIZON WITH BINCK

moving. I’ve been here for three and Johnson and all those other decades and I love the country fools have dealt with it.” with a passion. We’re the rich- His enthusiasm for Spain radiest people in the world because ates from the pages of his quarwe have beautiful countryside tet of autobiographical books and this wild mountainous land- chronicling his misadventures scape around us.” in the Granada countryside. Today he and his wife Ana spend More than two decades since their days shearing sheep and the first was published, they still planting olive trees with a par- resonate with expats, travellers rot, two horses and homebodies and sundry dogs alike. and cats for com“I think I just Spend their pany. Chris feels talked about unidays shearing versal issues and safer and happier in Spain than in experiences,” sheep and the UK - and so reflects Stewart. attached is he to planting olive “I tapped into a his adopted homeuniversal vein. trees land he is set to Everyone you prove it by taking talk to says ‘oh Spanish nationalwow I’d love ity. to move to a different coun“I’m about to become Spanish try, get out of the rat race because I’m so incensed by the and get into the countryabsurd nonsense of Brexit,” he side’ but barely anyone fumes. actually does. “And If I could personally thank “Our lives are so saddled (Prime Minister) Pedro Sanchez by the desire for comfort, for how he’s handled this aw- security and convenience. ful pandemic then I would,” he Those are three words that adds. “Just look at how Trump I hate. People shop on Am-

g sheep

azon because it’s convenient even though the people working there have a crap time on zero hour contracts. “It makes me realise how lucky I am, even during a pandemic. There is a monstrosity present in so many forms of work, corporations who don’t give a stuff about their employees. That’s capitalism for you … it’s given me a great run but I detest it.” Driving Over Lemons has sold over 1.5 million copies to date but the

state of the world has shifted considerably since it was published 21 years ago: “Of course, inevitably, the world has changed,” says Stewart. “But the way it’s changing at the moment is so sudden and so profound.” However, the 69-year-old author is keen to look towards life beyond COVID-19: “Coronavirus is a global issue but it hasn’t made all the other problems go to sleep,” he says. “I feel sort of guilty that the world my generation has handed to the next is pretty tainted, in particular with regard to climate change. And politics is moving towards a totalitarian right-wing way of doing things. It’s really unpleasant. “One of the fundamental changes in Spain of late is the arrival of the wretched VOX Party,” he mourns. “I see them as a grim future and something we should all be afraid of. This country suffered 40 years of vicious dictatorship and you can still see the dregs of it in some elements of Spanish society today. “We must fight tooth and nail against the ignorance and hatred espoused by these people it’s simply not the Spanish way.” For Chris, now a best-selling Spanish author thanks to his new national identity, it will be the Spanish way forever. “I love England because I was born there, I think of the cosy little green hills of Sussex and Surrey and my heart skips a beat,” he says. “I shall be like that forever, but I want to be European.”

Castle heaven

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: Squatters run riot on Costa del Sol as orga1-nised gangs hand over keys to top properties (59, 195) property price falls predicted for 2-theMajor Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca in Spain (53,574) - Spain’s Costa Blanca wakes up this 3invisible morning to new 50% capacity rules as ‘the enemy’ sweeps through the region

(50,817)

to declare state of alarm 4- Breaking: Spain tomorrow (26,284) Spain’s Costa Blanca to get 5- Breaking: night-time curfew ‘as soon as possible’ (21,317)

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

Opinion Page 6

LA CULTURA

what’s on

aunted hotel

Happy snappers

SCREAM Farm opens its door to terrify visitors on Halloween with a blood-curdling experience at Ca Na Susi hotel in Valldemossa. Discover a haunted forest and ghoulish performances under a limited capacity.

estive fun

THE annual Fira d’Artesania returns to Pollenca from November 8 to 11. A perfect opportunity to pick up some early Christmas gifts, with the fair offering everything from live music and art workshops to gastronomical delights.

October 30th - November 12th 2020 RUN by the Natural History Museum in London, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards select the best animal kingdom moments caught on camera each year. And of this year’s winners, three of the acclaimed artists have come from Spain. Winner of the Behaviour: Birds category, Jose Luis Ruiz Jimenez spent hours in chesthigh water in Brozas, Extremadura, waiting to get a shot of this great crested grebe family (left). Jaime Culebras, winner of the Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles category, was similarly determined and walked for hours in Ecuador’s Andes to capture the first ever image of a Manduriacu glass frog feeding (right). And the future looks bright for the next generation of Spanish photographers as Andres

A Spanish vision

HOME at last – that’s where €3 million painting Antes de la corrida (Before the bullfight) has finally landed after a scandal in New York last year threw it into the limelight. The gallery owner at the European Fine Art Fair alerted the authorities when Spanish businessmen Andres Lietor and Carlos Sanchez, owners of the company CCF21, each attempted to claim ownership of Joaquin Sorolla’s timeless masterpiece. Lietor is the son of a businessman convicted in the notorious Malaya corruption case that rocked Marbella.

Trail

evilish disguise

The trail eventually led police to Brussels, where the artwork was recovered. Now it hangs in the embassy in Belgium, back on Spanish soil for the foreseeable future. Spanish courts believe that the Sorolla masterpiece is one of several valuable paintings that were ‘gifted away’ in order to avoid confiscation to pay fines and compensation. Sorolla may not be as renowned as cubist genius Pablo Picasso or surrealist Salvador Dali, but he was one of Spain’s most influential and sought-after artists. Born in Valencia in 1863, his portfolio boasts moving exposés of social injustice, skilful depictions of people and landscapes and even a portrait of the American president William Howard Taft.

MASTERPIECE: Sorollo’s Antes de la corrida

OP QUICK Crossword Across 7 Angolan capital (6) 8 Hibernian (5) 9 Thin layer (4) 10 Try to make someone believe they are going mad (8) 11 Thugs (5) 12 Propose (7) 15 Source of teenage angst (7) 17 Seventh sign of the zodiac (5) 20 Not non grata (8) 22 Move along in a stream (4) 23 Literary genre (3-2) 24 Mourn (6)

Down

OP Sudoku

YOUNGSTERS can take part in a fancy dress competition at Specsavers in Santa Ponsa until Saturday (October 31). Just pop into the store wearing your scariest outfit for a picture in front of a spooky backdrop to win a €60 voucher at Pizzeria A Casa Del Padrino.

Luis Dominguez Blanco won the 10 years and under category with his shot of a European stonechat bird in Andalucia. Kate Middleton, patron of the National History Museum, presented the highest accolade, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, at what was the first ever virtual online awards ceremony.

1 Erstwhile Peruvian President (8) 2 Kind of band (3-3) 3 Squads (5) 4 Topping the agenda (5,2) 5 Upholstery trim (6) 6 "Be quiet!" (4) 13 Overcome (8) 14 Stet (5,2) 16 Allow (6) 18 "A date which will live in ---" (6) 19 "Someone Like You" singer (5) 21 Mountain path (4)

All solutions are on page 14

LA CULTURA

Flying high

PRIZE: Trophy on offer

Very cultured THIS year’s cultural awards will be streamed by the Ministry of Culture on its social media channels. According to the government, they ‘recognise cultural potential, ability, talent and achievement, supporting the community’s cultural development’. “The Cultural Awards are a celebration of our rich and varied Culture,” said Cortes. “They recognise the importance of Culture in our community, and the contribution by so many – some during a whole lifetime.” Pre-recorded at the Sunborn Hotel, the event will be shown on November 3 at 7.05pm.

AFTER writing her debut novel simply to ‘spice up’ early retirement, expat Jacqueline Carpenter, has gone on to enjoy worldwide acclaim with her sequel, too. The Olive Press first interviewed the ex-City broker last year when her debut novel Louisa was published. The historical tale of family life in war-torn Kent had sold really well and is still continuing to receive positive reviews. With such success, Carpenter decided to continue writing and the sequel to Louisa has just been published. And Joan is already receiving great reviews, with Sheila Thompson from USA saying: “Enjoyed Louisa, and this follow up wasn’t a disappointment. Felt you lived there life of ups and downs with the characters. Can’t wait for the next one” One picture sent to her showed a Virgin Airlines pilot in his cockpit reading Louisa, taken by Michelle Smith after Jacqueline held a photographic competition for her readers. Jacqueline is currently writing the third, as yet untitled, novel of her trilogy. Both Louisa and Joan are available on Amazon and Kindle.

Do you have a what’s on?

If you’re struggling to learn Spanish, take a break - the history of the world’s second mostspoken native language is a lot more fun, writes Cristina Hodgson

INGUAPHILIA. That’s not a sexual practice, it’s the love of language and Spanish is full of tantalising trivia. But that’s only to be expected considering Spanish grammar has been officially around since 1492, first published in a book by Antonio de Nebrija the same year Columbus discovered America. As the official language of 20 other countries it is the second most spoken lingo in the world, natively, after Chinese (Mandarin) and before English. It is additionally the third most used language on the Internet, after English and Chinese. It’s also an old language, basically a dialect of Latin, and it appears in texts that were written over 1,000 years ago. Las Glosas Emilianenses are among the earliest forms of written Spanish, believed to have been penned in 964 by an unknown monk at the Suso monastery in La Rioja. The texts comprise Spanish and Basque notes made in the margins of a religious Latin manuscript. As well as its 17 tricky tenses, gender-bending nouns and nasty irreg-

With LIBERTY SEGUROS you can have the home insurance that meets your needs!

son, it offers cover for garden furniture of €12,000 to help protect treasured outdoor spaces. Homeowners might have other worries too, such as drip irrigation systems. Again, with LIBERTY SEGUROS policy holders can have cover up to €500 for burst or broken pipes to help with repairs. Goods in storage rooms can also be insured up to €3,000; and jewellery left outside of a safe can be covered up to €10,000. What’s more, individual jewellery pieces worth up to €6,000 do not need to be itemised in the policy, and policy holders can increase their money in cash cover at home too. It’s also worth noting that LIBERTY SEGUROS’s new home appliance repair cover includes 2 services per year up to 300€ – including parts. The maintenance of air-conditioning filters is also covered to include filter cleaning twice a year. In this manner, the units can continue to work just as they should, at the same time as helping occupants to avoid the health issues associated with their usage. And that’s not all! As another example, refrigerated goods (which are not usually covered in the case of tripped fuses) are included in home policies with LIBERTY SEGUROS, offering €150 towards

Liberty Seguros has a dedicated Expatriates Team that can be reached by calling 91 342 25 49. Alternatively, the location of your nearest agent / broker and detailed information on its products can be found at: www.libertyexpatriates.es

Talking trivia

We have you covered IBERTY SEGUROS has adapted its Home Insurance plans to provide solutions that best suit your individual requirements. Understanding that every customer’s needs are unique, it has created additional coverages to allow you to enhance and complement your home insurance cover. Regardless of the plan you choose, you can now add Optional Packs to your home insurance to ensure your plan is perfectly tailored to you. For example, if you own a second home and are concerned about being an ideal target for squatters, LIBERTY SEGUROS offers a complete legal defence guarantee, covering up to €6,100 in legal costs for Illegal Occupation proceedings. Owning a rental property has additional worries, such as tenant vandalism that can lead to complex and expensive legal proceedings. For this reason, LIBERTY SEGUROS offers a guarantee of up to €3,000 to cover acts of vandalism by the tenant. This allows landlords peace of mind to enjoy profitable rental incomes without added worries. LIBERTY SEGUROS also knows how much gardens and terraces mean to homeowners. For this rea-

October 30th - November 12th 2020

Send your informa tion to newsdesk@theolivepr ess.es

lost food and medicines. This comes as standard. LIBERTY SEGUROS really does have you covered and always has your real needs in mind! Furthermore, you can also take out additional covers such as a Civil Liability extension and non-payment of rents; or Mandatory Civil Liability for hunters, Civil Liability for potentially dangerous dogs, cover for vehicles kept in a garage… amongst others. And, as always, 24/7 emergency home assistance through a multi-lingual freephone number. What’s more, if you are a new Liberty Seguros client and take out a Home, Car, Life or Funeral policy now, you will receive €30 Cashback on your first policy and €60 from the second policy onwards, or €60 Cashback on w new policy if you are already a customer. Great cover, great Cashback! For more information, simply call or visit one of the more than 300 LIBERTY SEGUROS qualified brokers and agents. They are available to provide friendly and expert advice about the best coverages and options to suit your specific needs. Speaking in your language, the LIBERTY SEGUROS team can help you to find the cover that will be perfect for you. Visit l i b e r t yex p a triates.es to find the name and details of your nearest agent!

ular verbs, you may have discovered that the Spanish language also has some wacky onomatopoeias, especially when it comes to the animal kingdom. Apparently pooches yap ‘wow-wow,’ feathered friends tweet ‘pio-pio’, ‘iii-aah’ is the heehaw of a donkey and cockerels crows ‘ki-kiri-ki’ Meanwhile, a sneeze is ‘achí’, ‘chof’ a splash and ‘toc toc’ a knock on the door. Not quite essential to survival in Spain - no doubt a residency card would come in much more handy at least you can impress your new Spanish friends. On the plus side, Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn for native English speakers. Really! According to the experts, it takes around 22-24 weeks to achieve what they call ‘general professional proficiency’ in reading and speaking. However, you really know you’re picking up on the local Spanish lingo when you try to sit through an English documentary which has been dubbed into Spanish but you ironically don’t understand a word that’s being said. Curiously, your brain will instinctively try to pick out your mother tongue, which has been semi-silenced under the Spanish translation, and goes into overdrive filtering the two languages at once. Congratulations, you’re on your way to bilingualism, and you’ll never be

able to watch a dubbed documentary ever again… And the fun doesn’t stop there. Once you’ve gained speaking and reading proficiency, you still have to master the art of gesticulation. Discourse in Spain is accompanied by body language that can’t be ignored. You’ll find a lot of frantic hand movements going on (and often arms too), emphasising words, and the full gamut of facial expressions.

Flapping They may intimidate at first, these flapping arms, clicking fingers and peculiar gestures that seem to be an intrusion into your personal space, but don’t be offended. The gesticulations are part of the culture. You’re not being told off and it’s not a sign of disrespect. Remember, you’re only truly bilingual when you include your shoulders, arms, hands, eyes and even mouths in the conversation... And once you can do it without feeling like a total plonker, you’ll be a credible candidate for that residency card - or, at least, you’ll look the part. You might also appreciate that the correct pronunciation to ñ is roughly like an English ‘ny’ and you definitely don’t want to confuse año (year) with ano (anus). You’re welcome!

Lengua loca · 8 more fun facts: 2

As well as being rooted in Latin, Span fluenced by nine centuries of Moorishish has been significantly inwords in its vocabulary have Arabic occupation, and over 8,000 na (olive), arroz (rice) and almohada roots - azúcar (sugar), aceitu(pillow), to name but a few. Spanish is the official language in 20 sovereign states and one dependent territory.

The first steps toward standardisati Spanish language as a whole) were on of written Castilian (the taken in the 13th century by King Alfonso X of Castile.

Unlike other languages, the resembla and the modern written language is nce between Old Spanish so similar it makes medieval documents easy to read.

E is the most frequently used letter pearance on average in the writtenin Spanish with 13,68% aplanguage, while W is the least used, with only 0.01%.

The most used word in Spanish is the

According to the Spanish Royal Acad emy (RAE), the longest word in the Spanish language, with 23 lette rs, is ‘electroencephalographico’ (a monitoring method to record electrical activity of the brain).

Spanish is a phonetic language, whic h means that words are written as they are pronounced.

preposition ‘de’

BUSINESS €100 billion blow October 30th - November 12th 2020

Tourism industry sent back 25 years by coronavirus crisis

Mind the Gap

JOBS in Spain could be at risk after Gap announced it was considering closing stores across Europe. The American clothing giant revealed it was proposing changes to its business model outside the United States in a move that could lead to 129 store closures. Gap, which currently had 75 locations in Spain including concessions in El Corte Ingles, said it wants to focus on its domestic American business. “Franchisees already operate in 35 countries through 400 stores and we believe there is significant room to expand our franchise footprint,” Katrina O’Connell, Gap’s chief financial officer, said at a virtual investor event.

Flagship

The news comes just over a month after the brand opened a flagship store in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarters on September 3. Despite the new store, the retailer has struggled to compete with high street rivals for a number of years and is the latest fashion chain to consider closing stores as shoppers slow down on clothes shopping during the pandemic. Earlier in the year Gap said that it planned to close more than 225 unprofitable Gap and Banana Republic stores globally.

OLD DAYS: But will busy beaches make a return?

SPAIN’S vital tourism sector is expected to take a €100 billion hit by the end of the year. This would mean the industry will have reverted to income levels last seen in 1995, according to the Exceltur tourism association. The organisation has up-

By Dilip Kuner

dated its predictions after regional governments started to impose new restrictions in an effort to halt the rise in COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks. More than 1 million peo-

Christmas cuts CHRISTMAS usually requires plenty of helpers to get the job done, but there will be a 60% drop in festivity fuelled employment in the Balearic Islands this year. Recruitment rates will fall back to 2013 levels, data suggests, with 8,395 job contracts no longer required in the region. The study, carried out by human resources company Randstad, has analysed the most active sectors in the festive period: hospitality, commerce and logistics. Between the three sectors hospitality will suffer the biggest hiring blow, with less than half (42.6%) of the number of seasonal jobs available than last year. Across Spain, the data estimates there will be an overall 34.5% drop in seasonal hiring compared with 2019. Loss of job opportunities will be significantly higher in the Balearics meanwhile, with a 60.3% decrease. This means the Balearic Islands will suffer the largest employment drop in the country over the Christmas period. The Canaries and Extremadura follow in the loss league but at much lower percentages, with 49% and 44% recruitment reductions respectively. Unemployment in Spain has risen by 10% since July, revealed a study by the INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica) this week. More than a quarter (25.65%) of expats in Spain are unemployed, revealed the survey. Meanwhile, 14.77% of the Spanish population are without work.

TAXES on plastic packaging are to be introduced as part of attempts to cut environmental waste. Spain’s government plans to limit the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic products and hopes to raise €1.8 billion from the new ‘green’ taxes. Ministers are also considering a higher levy on sugary drinks in the hope of raising a total

of €6.8 billion, its draft budget showed. The hike will see value-added tax on sweetened beverages jump from 10% to 21%. Parliament has already given the green light to the implementation of the two more controversial taxes. Firstly the so-called Google tax will see a 3% charge on digital services, such as advertising and data sales, on

ple have been infected in Spain, with 34,000 deaths attributed to coronavirus so far. Exceltur’s vice president, Jose Luis Zoreda, said: "We could go back 25 years in terms of what the Spanish tourism sector generates," adding that it would be a ‘dire scenario’. Now the association is calling for cash handouts to tourist-related businesses similar to the bail-outs provided to banks in the financial crisis of the mid to late 2000’s. Zoreda claimed that the government had not realised how badly the sector had been hit by the crisis and needed to urgently provide direct aid and extend the nation’s furlough scheme when it runs out in January.

Lockdown

The tourism industry accounts for 12% of Spain’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 13% of employment. The sector was initially devastated by the threemonth coronavirus lockdown then hopes for a successful summer were dashed when the UK and some other countries imposed self isolation rules on returning holidaymakers.

Green tax

revenues booked locally by large tech firms such as Google, Amazon and Facebook. A second controversial tax, known as ‘Tobin tax’, is expected to raise €850 million next year in Spain. A 0.2% rate would be applied to transactions of shares of listed companies with a market cap higher than €1 billion.

By Dilip Kuner

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Suspend Belief Malaga’s Gran Senda welcomes spectacular new addition to Spain’s popular hiking route MALAGA’S Caminito del Rey will welcome a new addition in the form of a 54-metre suspension bridge on a section of the popular Gran Senda de Malaga hiking trail. The 70-metre high structure has been years in the making, and will finally be opened to the public this Sunday. The bridge will join Canillas de Aceitunas to its neighbouring Sedella across the Almachares riverbed, and will form part of stage seven of the BOSSES of airline company IAG have announced that 70% of Vueling, Iberia and British Airways flights will be cancelled. Meanwhile, rivals Easyjet and Ryanair will fly at 25% and 40% respectively indicating a bleak outlook for all major airlines. It comes after the IAG travel giant reported a €1.3bn loss in their third quarter, which was even worse than financial experts had predicted. Due to coronavirus, pas-

WHAT a cunning lot the Brits are! Wherever they stray across the globe they stake out a corner and stock it with traditional artefacts to remind them of home. And no shrine honours this custom more sacredly than the good old British pub. Union Jacks and pictures of the royal family are often prominently displayed, along with dartboards, faded posters and examples of that subtle British humour.

October 30th - November 12th 2020

Life behind bars

By David Baird

STUNNING: Walk is hoped to attract tourism revenue popular route. Large areas of the 650 kilometre trail have seen many improvements in recent years, with many parts of the Axarquia portion of the route receiving brand new metal walk-

Air cuts

senger numbers were down by 78% with operational flights only half full. IAG fired Spanish British Airways CEO, Alex Cruz, last week after four chaotic years at the head of the company that saw IT meltdowns and staff strikes.

By James Warren

ways, allowing walkers to traverse the steep rocky cliff faces. The bridge cost €600,000, and it is hoped that the tourist attraction will bring much needed revenue to the area. President of the Malaga Provincial Council, Francisco Salado, praised Canillas de Aceitunas, council and town mayor Vicente Campos, who was instrumental in the creation of the project. Salado also detailed the unique challenges that the construction team faced in completing the mammoth structure. Modern transport solutions such as helicopters and zip lines were used alongside some more traditional methods such as pack mules for carrying smaller loads.

nce, like most people, I figured that running a pub on the Costa del Plenty must be a barrel of laughs. But way back, when the coast was young and you tripped over celebrities on every corner, I interviewed some of its famous bar owners and jet-setters who revealed a more sobering truth. The advice they gave me then is just as valid today, so if you’re thinking of going into the trade yourself, take note. What drew most of them to the Costas were such obvious attractions as sunshine, cheap booze, low taxes, an easy-going lifestyle, carefree beach days, sunshine, cheap booze… but in the wee small hours a rather different story emerged. How difficult it is to get a

STAR ATTRACTION: Stewart Granger was just one of the actors at Daphne’s bar

suntan when you work 15plus hours a day. How red tape trips you at every turn. How impossible it is to get reliable staff. Ask any landlord for their top tip on running a pub and they’ll probably tell you: ‘Don’t!’ while conced-

ing it has it’s fun side. Then they’ll regale you with anecdotes about their more outrageous customers and start dropping names. Back in the Marbella scene of the 1970s those names included Brazilian playboy Baby Pignatari, bullfight-

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

October 30th - November 12th 2020

Running a pub in Spain is a sentence to hard labour even if the sun’s shining and the customers are celebs. David Baird shares some of the amazing bar stool stories tapped from legendary landlords during the Costa’s early days

GOOD TIMES: The Victoria Inn, Torremolinos

How's this for a sample of the wisdom on their walls?

er Luis Miguel Dominguin, King Simeon of Bulgaria, the Duchess of Alba, Sean Connery... So what does it take to run a pub? According to the veterans, iron nerves, infinite patience, business aptitude and - the biggest challenge - liking people. Peter, who once ran Peter’s Place in Los Boliches, listed the occupational hazards as ‘gout and cholesterol. It’s nice to make money but you have to treat it as a laugh, a joke rather than a commercial proposition’. According to Eileen Wendell who, with her husband, ran Jac’s Bar on Fuengirola’s Paseo Marítimo: “You’ll never get rich in this job, but over the years you build up a relationship with people and they become your friends. In the 1960s there were artists and writers here. Then came the retirees, who had lived in places like Kenya. I remember Georgina, married to a playboy known as Rotters. She threw a birthday party here and everybody rode straight into the bar on horses.”

In San Pedro a popular bar, which doubled as a library, was run by former actress Daphne whose showbiz background attracted fellow thespians. She recalled Stewart Granger and Ray Milland sitting at opposite ends of the bar one day slagging each other off with outrageous comments. Remember Granger in one of the screen’s most amazing sword fights with Mel Ferrer in Scaramouche? His costar Eleanor Parker described him as ‘a dreadful person, rude...just awful’. But despite his reputation, the day I chatted to him in Daphne’s bar fresh from his leading role in The Wild Geese, he was amiability itself. Later he lost most of his fortune through a bad investment

MORE SIR?: The Oliver Twist kept customers happy

in Estepona real estate and moved to California. The more affluent Costa visitors knocked back their sherries in the Marbella Club, run by Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, who played a big part in attracting the rich and famous to the coast. Also on the scene was the aristocrat Don Jaime de Mora y Aragon (below) who acted in some 30 films when not running Marbella’s tourism office and aiding Saudi wheeler-dealer A d n a n Khashoggi with his real estate investments. I met him when he started a bar. There he was, with his monocle and silver-topped cane, as elegant as usual - although it was hardly a career move likely to go down well with his sister, Fabiola, Queen of Belgium! Most bar owners concurred with Audrey Hassall from Yorkshire, who with husband Joe ran Nerja’s Plaza de Toros: “The best aspect is the people you meet.” “One day a fellow came in on a pony, his feet almost touching the floor on either side,” she recalled. “He ordered a beer, drank it down, turned the pony around and rode out. An American customer stared after him and asked: ‘Say, how much do you pay that guy?’ “ In the 1980s one of the In-places was the Sinatra Bar at the entrance to Puerto Banus. It throbbed

FAVOURITE: Bottle Bar in Marbella was popular

with pulsating music, mil- listen, not comlionaire yachtsmen, glam- ment. You must orous girls and beach bums not be excitable of all nationalities. and you should In contrast, Wyns Bar, at La dilute what anyCapellania in Benalmade- body says by na Pueblo, was a popular 80%.” haunt for British under- Jan and Barry world figures, including from Rotternotorious East End villain dam who run Ronnie Knight. The Bottle Bar These days, the customers on Marbella’s are more respectable. But Calle Fuerte back then, as I discovered hadn’t much myself, if your face did not use for cossfit, you could be made to ies either. feel very uncomfortable … “People conA pub’s atmosphere can sidering opening a bar make all of the difference should first try working in between success and one in their home country failure. One Costa publi- and not just dream about can frightened off clients the sun,” advised Jan. through his violent argu- “Many come here for the ments with his wife (going sun and end up working 24 into business together can hours a day.” really test a One of the marriage). On hazards of runtop of that he ning a bar, Jan ‘First try concealed his revealed, was poor knowl- working in a bar that customedge of Spaners tended to in your home ish by giving a misplace their cool reception false teeth! country before to the locals. Pub toilets, Spain’ Liverpudlian along with Alan Blunaircraft loos, dell (pictured appear to be above right), of the Harp favourite locations for this Bar, Marbella, stressed: unfortunate habit. “Anybody thinking of com- Dorothy Clifton, who ran ing here on a romantic mag- The English Pub on Marbelic carpet...forget it. I don’t la’s Calle Peral, summed even own a pair of swim it up: “You meet the good, trunks.” the bad and the ugly, the He advised: “When custom- famous and the infamous.” ers are talking, you can only Swedish customers are the

craziest, she told me: “They are noisy, boisterous, drunk when they got off the plane and never sober up. “The French are tight and the English take time to unwind,” she continued. “But even if a Spaniard only has a few coins left in his pocket, he will still spend them. They love playing darts and they even like my steak and kidney pie. My favourites are the Dutch. They are so friendly and ready to spend without questioning.” Over at the Victoria Inn in Torremolinos, Mike Small, an ex-submariner from Bedfordshire, noted that many British holidaymakers weren’t sure which country they were in. “Quite a few apologise when they come to pay. “They say ‘I haven’t got English money, will Spanish do’?”

COLUMNISTS

Hats fantastic I Photos copyright Robert Pilsner @robert8pilsner

had a little cultural and fun escape when I stepped in to the Palma Hat Week Exhibition at Hotel Saratoga. Austrian organisers, Count Karl Maria Kinsky and Countess Judith Margarethe Kinsky created Palma Hat Week in 2019 to bring together milliners from around the world to celebrate what is surely the epitome of style, glamour and a nod to the days when women wore hats and gloves as part of

their daily attire. Being English we too have that fashion history when men wore top hats, which were regarded as a status symbol, way before the cliché sports car. For women, hats were used to imply wealth. Today hats serve a more practical purpose, to shade and protect us from the elements. But I for one think, and I’m not alone as the exhibition proved, that despite the sometimes impracticality of hats, they are one item which can instantly make you feel glamourous and unique. Austrian Art collector, Count Kinsky, who has Arte & Casa Gallery in Port d’ Andratx and lives in Mallorca, also exhibited 30 original art works of Salvador Dali at the second International Palma Hat Week Exhibition, STYLISH: Terenia modelling where designone of the fabulous creations ers entered hats and imag-

October 30th - November 12th 2020 Terenia Taras Telling it like it is

Terenia celebrates the epitome of style and grace at Palma Hat Week

inative face m a s k s , making this exhibition unique to this unprecedented year! This season, the P a l m a Hat Week t h e m e was Fifty Shades Of White and as Countess Kinsky explained: “In February, when we announced our theme we could not foresee if 2020 would be the ‘Black Thursday’ for the millinery industry because all horse races, countless weddings and garden parties were cancelled, meaning many milliners didn’t get any more orders and lived at the subsistence level.” Count Kinsky summed it up perfectly when he said the theme, Fifty Shades of White, “is the colour of hope, a light in a time of absolute darkness, in a world that has gone off the rails. A torch as a sign of love and solidarity.” For me, I felt liberated from the stresses this year has brought upon us as I was

Mama, we’re all crazy now

Giles takes an in depth look at his favourite two months in Spain

I surrounded by such stunning millinery creations and fabulous art. I’m already looking forward to next year’s International Palma Hat Week, not just because I’d wear an extravagant hat everyday if I could, but because we must support all industries, especially ones which simply bring us joy. The winning hats were presented at a gala dinner held at Hotel Saratoga, Palma; First Place Wies Mauduit, (Netherlands) Second Place Kinga Erdely (Germany) Third Place Olivia Rose Millinery (UK) Other millinery entrants included: Audrey Doherty (Ireland), Judith M. Countess Kinsky (Germany), Antonio Guardiola (Spain), Cornelia Palzer (Germany), Julita O’Toole (Ireland), Debbie Wiseman (UK), Haidee Neill (Australia), Megan K Hughes (Canada), Antje Lücke (Germany), Bethany White (UK), Jane Fryers (UK), Roisin Kelly (Northern Ireland/UK), Amber Van Thull (Netherlands), Shirley Anderson (Sweden) Arieli Marcondes (Brazil) and Katie-Scarlett Gentry (US).

HAVE two favourite months in Spain. May marks the beginning of the summer season: the temperatures rise, the countryside is magnificent in its full bloom and the first events of the social scene take place. There is always a feeling of optimism – that businesses will enjoy a record year, that old friends will come and visit and that new friendships in Marbella’s cosmopolitan mix will be made. September on the other hand, is the gentle unwinding of the summer season as the madding and maddening crowds dissipate, the sun loses some of its fierceness and a chilled out vibe returns. I may be stating the bleeding obvious, but 2020 has been a little different. The lockdown was harsh enough, but the ‘new normal’ made operating a business a real struggle, especially when quarantine restrictions meant that the normal flow of tourists, including the wedding parties, off season visits by relatives and sun starved golfers, was reduced to a sparse trickle. Maybe the lockdown caused a short circuit in the minds of the

@tereniataras

FREE ASSESSMENT WEEK

OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 7 Luanda, 8 Irish, 9 Film, 10 Gaslight, 11 Goons, 12 Suggest, 15 Pimples, 17 Libra, 20 Approved, 22 Flow, 23 Sci-fi, 24 Lament. Down: 1 Fujimori, 2 One-man, 3 Gangs, 4 First up, 5 Piping, 6 Shhh, 13 Surmount, 14 Leave in, 16 Permit, 18 Infamy, 19 Adele, 21 Pass.

less desirable members of Marbella society but, along with the graphs showing the rise of cases as the second wave of coronavirus crashed around Spain, the only other uptick seemed to be in the number of high profile criminal incidents that made the national and international press. The majority of these – including the high profile kidnapping at gunpoint of the second-in-command of a Dutch drug baron and the recent shooting of a Brit on a Saturday night – took place on the stretch of road known as the Aloha Strip – with its bars, lounges and restaurants. Previously this area of ‘Golf Valley’ was best known as the place to spot nothing more menacing than Bruce Forsyth, Ronnie Corbett, Jimmy Tarbuck and other household names from the world of light entertainment. They were normally heading out to play on one of the three golf courses in Nueva Andalucía, although Sean Connery was best approached with caution, especially if he had been hacking around the Los Naranjos course.

Sleepy

In the past decade, this sleepy spot has transformed and it’s not uncommon to spot Premiership footballers, world champion boxers and the obligatory reality TV stars. It has also become brasher, with supercars roaring up and down the strip. Perhaps it is that brashness that has encouraged an ‘anything goes’ mentality. Over the past couple of weekends my social media feeds invariably carry the question ‘Anyone else hear gunshots in Aloha’ as the police cordon off the area once again?’ As the wannabie and real gangsters continue to regard it as something of a free fire zone, it’s safe to say that the title of ‘most dangerous road in Spain’, that used to be applied to the frankly terrifying N-340 coast road in the 70s and 80s, has now been taken by the Aloha Strip. In the immortal words of Noddy Holder, Mama, we’re all crazy now.

SUDOKU

HEALTH

THE incoming cold drop will stop the West Nile virus outbreak in its tracks, experts have said. According to the Doñana Biological Station, once temperatures stop exceeding 20C, the mosquitoes which spread the disease will stop reproducing. It comes after the virus has infected dozens of people and claimed the lives of seven this year after first being detected in Sevilla. Mosquito populations boomed by more than 30% this year thanks to a wetter-than-average May and the coronavirus lockdown which saw people confined to their homes for weeks on end. The virus was first detected in humans in Sevilla towns close to marshlands along the Guadalquivir river, before also being found in Cadiz. While many areas have been fumigated, many large rice paddies, where the blood suckers are known to breed,

October 30th - November 12th 2020

Freeze, suckers! Mosquito-borne West Nile outbreak will be brought to a halt by cold winter weather cannot receive the same treatment until they are harvested (usually in October). Residents have naturally been warned to steer clear of rice crops and all marshland areas. Additionally, as long as temperatures remain close to 30C, as they have done in Sevilla this week, there will continue to be mosquitoes and the risk of West Nile virus spreading. Therefore people are advised to use repellents and nets in their homes where possible. There are currently 36 people still infected with the West Nile virus in what is the largest mosquito-borne outbreak in the country since Malaria in the 1960s.

DROPPING DEAD: West Nile mosquitos cannot breed in the cold The West Nile virus is a dis- by mosquitoes, which have ease transmitted to people been infected usually by birds. Birds are considered a reservoir of the disease and normally act as healthy carriers, although they play a very important role in the spread of the virus. Live-in Carer £83 - £105 per day. Around 80% of infected We are a highly awarded care provider looking for experienced people, according to the carers for nationwide opportunities. So, if you are a carer with World Health Organisation at least six months’ experience and want to keep your Spanish (WHO), do not experience lifestyle while working in the UK, please get in touch. symptoms. Of the 20% of carriers who do show symptoms, the most serious cases can lead For more information call Jayne on +34 634345685 or to meningitis, which can email Jayne.Nuttall-Blake@thegoodcaregroup.com lead to brain damage and death.

Work in the UK. Live in Spain.

FIBRE Shouldn't Your New Normal Include

from

Terms and Conditions Apply to All Offers

up to

600Mb

ING OU AV

LANET RP

TH FIB WI

Tel: 965 743 473 sales@telitec.net www.telitec.com

€

plus IVA

per mth

The

OLIVE PRESS

Reuse Reduce Recycle

FREE

We use recycled paper

Family feuds AN 85-year-old lady had to call the police after her grandson claimed she was making life ‘impossible’ and threatened her with a razor.

FINAL WORDS

Long tail A YORKSHIRE terrier named Kike has found its way back to its loving family in Malaga after disappearing two years ago.

Trolley dash A PADDED shopping trolley by Zara that sold out in 24 hours in Spain and is due for the UK market has been dubbed ‘perfect for stockpiling’ by Tweeters.

Nose for it

MALLORCA

Your expat

voice in Spain

Vol. 4 Issue 92 www.theolivepress.es October 30th - November 12th 2020

Plane crazy

A WOMAN who booked a flight from Stansted to Valencia ended up in Kiev when she boarded the wrong plane. Inka Fileva, 30, was looking forward to a romantic break visiting her boyfriend in the Spanish city. But when she got off her Ryan Air flight cold water was poured on her dreams as she realised she was not in the sunny Costa Blanca capital but in the chillier clime of Ukraine. Bar worker Fileva, who is

Wrong gate mix-up means passenger ends up in Kiev not Valencia

SCOTLAND is looking to Andalucia in its fight to save its wildcat from extinction. The Scottish wildcat is Britain’s last native cat species and with fewer than 100 believed to exist in the wild, the feline is on the brink of extinction. Habitat loss and cross-breeding with domestic cats are the main reasons

The right cat-itude

Melting away ICE cream sales for consumer goods giant Unilever have plummeted across Spain while sales of hand sanitisers and soap have surged.

originally from Bulgaria but now lives in London, had slept through the whole journey. The first idea she had that she was not where she should be was when she disembarked. It was when she spotted that none of the signs were in Spanish and the police looked ‘different’ that it dawned on her that she was 3,000 kilometres away in the wrong country.

why it is on the verge of extinction, despite the fact that it has been protected under UK law since 1988. Andalucia, which has proven itself as the number one refuge for the Iberian Lynx with 57% of the animal’s popula-

By Dilip Kuner

She posted her story on Facebook, saying: “I’m in Kiev at the moment! Waiting at the airport and the worse part is there is no Ryanair office here so everything is taking ages to sort out! “I don’t understand how my ticket got scanned and

tion, is collaborating in the international partnership Saving Wildcats. It is now offering expert advice on the development of a captive breeding programme for the Lynx’s Scottish ‘cousin’.

WRONG GATE: Inka passed and how I came here without a visa.” She explained that she had gone to gate 54 instead of 44 by mistake. But with staff scanning her ticket she had no reason to suspect she could end up on the wrong flight. Eventually, the situation was sorted out and Fileva finally arrived to the welcoming arms of her boyfriend in Valencia. But in a final twist her luggage didn’t make it - instead it was flown to Manchester.

BARCELONA’S Mossos d’Esquadra police force is training 400 rescue dogs to detect COVID-19 in humans. Dogs are already working at Finland’s airports to detect the presence of the virus and have been recently incorporated into airport checks in Dubai, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. According to researchers running Helsinki’s pilot scheme, a dog is capable of detecting the presence of the coronavirus within 10 seconds and the entire process takes less than a minute to complete. The scheme has now reached Barcelona, where the pooches are being trained to detect COVID-19 in human beings. Josep Peris, former head of the Mossos d’Esquadra, has launched this project under the name ‘K-anary’. All the canines that form part of the team have been found in dog shelters where they were abandoned. Training takes approximately one month, after which the canines are able to detect the virus in about 200 people an hour.

952 147 834

* O f f e r v a l i d f o r n e w c u s t o m e r s o n l y. S u b j e c t t o c o n d i t i o n s . E n d s 3 1 / 1 2 / 2 0 .

TheOlivePress-256x170-HOME0720.indd 1

20/7/20 13:08