Olive Press Gibraltar Newspaper Issue 15 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

Property olive press

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March 30th

- April 12th 2016

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LIVING ON THE EDGE

Iconic Spanish architects complete innovative cliffside pad on the Andalucia coast

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Something of it was created a challenge, Pablo Gil and by architects Jaime Bartolome on a 42-degree slope on the Granada Commissioned coastline. couple from by a young Madrid, every single window of the home, near boasts stunningSalobrena, views of the sea. The state-of-the-ar t design split over two floors features a ‘dragon-scale’ inspired curved roof, floorto-ceiling windows and an infinity pool. Its position hillside helpsdug into the stay cool in the inside months and the summer warmer in winter. joyful living, “The project innovative construction combined the return of techniques, craftsman-

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Photo by: Jesus

Granada

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La Cala del Sol, Local No. 17, Cala de Mijas, 29649, Malaga tel: +34 951 401 921

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Up IN THE wOrLD!

EVEREST veteran Stephen Venables has West Country swapped his in hilly Gaucin.home for a pad The intrepid who found famemountaineer, peditions throughleading exthe Himalayas, has chosen soaring Andalucian mountains over Somerset countryside. “It’s a strange though I’ve spent irony that life calling myselfmost of my a mountaineer, yet this is the first time I’ve actually lived in the mountains,” revealed Venables, 61. Venables and wife Rosie, from Bath, bought a pair of small, adjacent town houses and have knocked them through to create one larger village home. “We are reliant expat communityon the local because are only just learning how we speak Spanish,” to Venables foundhe said. ing a new route fame forgKangshung Face up Everest’s first Briton to and was the summit without extra oxygen. He has also explored Antarctica.

Caption

IT brings a meaning to thewhole new living life on the concept of edge. Perched above the Med, Casa del Acantilado (The Cliff House) project from is the latest wacky Madrid weird and GilBartolome. architects

Local No. 17,

Cala de Mijas,

ship and the cave as an environmental strategy,” said Bartolome. Caption

Property special ist for both buyer and a seller As featured on Rightmove Overseas and Propertyguide s.com 29649, Malaga

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Gibraltar government ‘concerned’ over Vladimir Putin’s unofficial Mediterranean navy base

Front page Fab

RUSSIAN naval activity in the straits has become ‘a matter of concern’, admitted the Gibraltar government. It comes after it emerged that leader Vladimir Putin’s vessels are stopping off at least 10 times a year at the Spanish north African enclave of Ceuta, just 68 km from the Rock. It has led to a stinging rebuke from a group of MEPs over Russia’s use of Ceuta as a regular refuelling base for its submarines, destroyers and frigates since 2011. Some 11 MEPs complained to the European Commission that it amounted to a breach of the EU’s sanctions against Putin for his annexation of the Crimea. A spokesman for the government told the Olive Press: “The use of a Spanish

EXCLUSIVE By Joe Duggan port by the Russians when Spain is a NATO ally must be a matter of concern.” However, he added: “The defence of Gibraltar is the constitutional responsibility of the United Kingdom and so is any matter related to the presence of Russian submarines in this area.” Spanish diplomatic sources have claimed the stops are ‘routine maritime activities and never military activity.’ The Russian stop-offs are granted by the Spanish Foreign Ministry on a case by case basis and bring around €1 million a year to Ceuta’s economy. This behaviour has not been supported

in the US, with one Washington-based think tank, The Heritage Foundation, describing Spain’s willingness to allow the Russian military to operate so close to Gibraltar as ‘a potential security problem’. “This behavior is unbecoming of 21stcentury NATO allies,” it said. “The topography of Gibraltar makes intelligence gathering a core function. “Having Russian submarines resupply mere miles away presents a potential intelligence and security problem for the U.S. and its allies.” Neither the British Ministry of Defence or Foreign Office were able to comment as we went to press.

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IT is not often you see Gibraltar’s Chief Minister on the front page of a Spanish newspaper… for all the right reasons. But Fabian Picardo graced El Mundo this weekend with the quote; “The British monarch will always reign over the Rock.” He was responding to questions in a doublepage article regarding Gibraltar and Spanish foreign minister Margallo’s claim that Spain would push for joint sovereignty in the event of Brexit. “The people voted to stay British in 2002, and given Margallo’s behaviour since then, there would be even less people in favour of co-sovereignty now,” Picardo said.

CRIME NEWS

March 30th- April 12th 2016

www.gibraltarolivepress.com

Scam alert A NEW phishing scam is targeting Gibraltar residents. Fraudulent emails claiming to be from ‘NatWest Security Center’ are currently doing the rounds. The scam is believed to have originated in the UK, but it now appears that account holders living on the Rock are being targeted. The RGP has issued a warning about the scam to all Gibraltar residents. “The email is designed to steal your account information,” a RGP spokesman said. “NatWest account holders in particular are being targeted.”

Smoked out A 500KG cannabis haul has been recovered from a boat off the coast of Gibraltar. The rigid hull inflatable vessel (RHIB) was seized by Port Authority officers on March 22 about one mile west of the Detached Mole. The drugs were stored in small slabs and pellets inside the boat’s collar, which was apparently being towed by another vessel.

RESPECT: Governor and (right) flags

Alert, not alarmed Security levels remain substantial following Brussels attacks

THE governor has asked Gibraltar to be ‘alert but not alarmed’ following the terrorist attacks in Belgium. The Rock’s security levels have not been increased and remain substantial, after suicide bombers in Brussels killed at least 34 people. Governor Edward Davis, who assumed duty in February, said the thoughts of the people of Gibraltar are with those in the Belgian capital. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo added: "This is another appalling and shocking attack on Europe, on our freedom and our liberty. “The Government empathises strongly with the people

of Belgium who are having to go through this dreadful incident."

SILENCE: For Brussels

The Belgian flag was flown at half-mast outside government headquarters following the attacks at the airport and on the metro, which have since been claimed by the socalled Islamic State. Moorish castle was also lit up in the colours of the Belgian flag, with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo sending a letter offering sympathy to Belgium’s Prime Minister. The Gibraltar Security Council said it would continue to monitor and review the situation on a regular basis.

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Hey now, Haenow!

FAULTY TOWERS: Cameron

Was it a knockdown price, Dave? By Iona Napier HE should probably know better… or at least his advisors should. British Prime Minister David Cameron has been staying at an illegal hotel on his latest sojourn to Spain. The Conservative leader will have hopefully got a knockdown price at a hotel in Lanzarote that should have been knocked down years ago. In his seventh visit to Spain in as many years, he booked his family into the controversial Hotel Gran Castillo, in Playa Blanca, which has infringed numerous laws. The five-star hotel’s building permit was cancelled by the Canary Islands Supreme Court in 2007 for breaching the 1991 building plan.

Monstrosity

A judge ruled that the ten-swimming pool ‘monstrosity’ exceeded both capacity and height rules and ‘does not fit in with the landscape’. However, the hotel which was built in 2006, has so far avoided demolition, despite flaunting these and various other regulations. Either way, Cameron seemed oblivious as he ate paella on Thursday while alone for 24 hours before his wife Samantha arrived on Friday. It gave him ‘time to think’ as he told a press conference. Cameron is fond of this part of the world, having stayed around the corner in San Bartolome, two years ago, when he got stung by a jellyfish. Indeed, the country has become a firm favourite for the Camerons, who have enjoyed breaks in Granada and Mallorca, while the Olive Press revealed he holidayed twice in Ronda, before he became Prime Minister. The town hall believes the UK PM’s visit advertising value of more than €1.2 million.

ILLEGAL: Hotel Gran Castillo

THE winner of X Factor 2014 will perform at Gibraltar’s May Day Celebrations. Ben Haenow, whose single Something I Need sold 214,000 copies in its first week, has been confirmed for the Casemates Square show. The May 1 celebrations start at 11am and include live music and all round family fun. Haenow, from England, released his eponymous debut album in November 2015 which included the hit single, Second Hand Heart, a duet with Kelly Clarkson. Haenow confirmed this January that he and Simon Cowell’s record label Syco had parted ways after just one year of working together.

March 30th- April 12th 2016 SITTING PRETTY: Haenow

Hook, line and sinker SARAH Ferguson is the latest in a long line of art lovers to get Hooked. The Duchess of York and Gibraltar’s very own art legend, Christian Hook, had great success fundraising together in London last week. The two friends were on hand for a private auction in Mayfair, which raised €44,000 for the charity Children in Crisis. Among the items to be auctioned were Hook’s 2014 portrait of Fergie, which fetched thousands. Hook also whipped out his palette on the night and did an impromptu portrait of the Marchioness of Milford Haven in front of the star-studded crowd. The winner of Sky Portrait Artist of the Year 2014 is no stranger to famous faces with boxer Amir Khan, actor Alan Cumming, and BBC star Sue Johnston all having sat for him. The event at Clarendon Art Gallery saw Fergie and her Spanish ex-boyfriend, Man-

One of Gib’s finest exports proves a right royal success

FERGIE: Picture perfect and (right) with Hook uel Fernandez, reunited – albeit just as friends. They are reported to have split up several weeks ago following a relationship lasting over a year.

Dance Trance Chance HE put the cast of MTV’S Ex On The Beach under his spell. Now hypnotist Stuart Ashing is asking Gibraltar to look into his eyes. Volunteers will be plucked from the Rock crowd on April 2nd to help Stuart with his unique Dance Trance, much to the audience’s amusement. And with over 60,000 people falling under his trance so far, Stuart’s 25 years ex-

HYPNOTIC: MTV cast

perience as a comedy hypnotist make him one of the best in the business.

Poggio calls it a day GIBRALTAR’S man in London Albert Poggio has announced his retirement. The director of Gibraltar House will quit politics at the end of June following the EU referendum. Poggio revealed to the Olive Press last month that he has been lobbying Westminster MPs heavily ahead of the crucial vote on Britain's future. He was appointed director of Gibraltar House in 1988 and is senior vice chairman of the Calpe House Trust, which offers care to Gibraltarians travelling to London for hospital treatment.

Beam me up Robbie LED Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant is landing in Marbella with his Sensational Space Shifters. The former wildman is set to headline at this year’s Starlite Festival, alongside Tom Jones and Carlos Santana. The legendary singer will play the Marbella Auditorium in Nagueles on July 16, while Santana plays on July 24 and Tom Jones on August 1. In 2014, Plant cancelled his upcoming Spanish tour citing ‘exhaustion’.

PLANT: Marbs gig

Dancing queen THE star of US hit show Dance Moms has been teaching Gibraltar’s budding ballerinas how to strut their stuff. A big figure in the dance world, Abby Lee Miller put local performers through their paces at a masterclass on the Sunborn. Among those attending was Britain’s Got Talent star Jonathan Lutwyche, who is home in Gibraltar after breaking a leg during training at Joffrey Ballet School in New York. The Abby Lee Miller Dance Company is currently on a world tour with dates all over Europe next month. Dance Moms was first broadcast in 2011. The reality TV show is now in its sixth season.

NEWS

March 30th- April 12th 2016

Holy hike

NEWS IN BRIEF

World’s greatest GOTHAM’S Cave’s bid to achieve World Heritage Status looks likely to be accepted when the UNESCO Committee meets this July in Turkey.

Right anglers THE Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers has welcomed the Government’s decision to issue Temporary Boat Licences from April 1.

Easter acts GOOD Friday was observed with the traditional Outdoor Stations of the Cross down Main Street, led by Monsignor Paul Bear and making a total of 13 stops.

Holiday fever MORE than 50 volunteers spent Easter Sunday putting together and delivering food hampers to the elderly and vulnerable living alone in Laguna and Glacis estates.

Army man to walk from the Rock to the Dome of the Rock By Joe Duggan

IT’S a Long Way to Tipperary, as the British Army’s famous song goes. But it’s even further to Jerusalem for an ex-Royal Gibraltar Regiment colonel about to set off on an 8,400km charity hike from the Rock to the Holy Land. The retired Lieutenant Colonel Mark Randall’s route will take him to Santiago de Compostela before crossing the Pyrenees, through France, then Italy, Albania, Greece and Turkey. He will then get a boat to Israel via Cyprus. Randall is raising money for various charities and is expected to take between nine months and a year to complete the walk. In 2015, he published his

LOVES A STROLL: Randall, here with Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo book Walk To The Rock about his 75-day hike from Cardiff to Gibraltar. Randall raised £17,000 for charity during the gruelling 2,200 km walk.

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NEWS

March16th- March 29th 2016

Unexpected guests The Rotunda Winston Churchill Avenue Tel: +350 200 66991 (Onine shopping) Tel: +350 200 68666 SPOTTED: Humpback whale and (inset) stock image of basking shark

IS it a boat, is it a submarine . . . no, it’s a basking shark! Oh and a humpback whale! First, a basking shark caused commotion when it was sighted off Catalan Bay, with swimmers warned to steer clear of the water. Although the Department of the Environment did cool fears by confirming that basking sharks, the second largest shark species, are in fact harmless to humans. Then, just days later, reports of a juvenile humpback whale in the Bay of

Gibraltar surfaced. Mariners have been asked to be extra vigilant while navigating Gibraltar’s waters as all whales are protected under law and Cetacean protocol. Vessels are required to give the mammals a 60m exclusion zone, so as not to disturb them or intercept their trajectory. It is unclear whether the mammals were Spanish, and were thus illegally encroaching on British Gibraltar Territorial Waters in search for supper.

Not fidgeting! Chief minister hits back as equal rights activist slams government inaction THE government has hit back at claims that it is being ‘fidgety’ and ‘indecisive’ in its stance towards same sex marriage. It comes after Equality Rights Group chairman Felix Alvarez questioned leader Fabian Picardo’s commitment to his pre-election pledge of improving equal rights for the LGBT community. Alvarez claimed government inaction ‘runs the risk of creating the impression in both the LGBT and wider community that they are more keen on properly satisfying outdat-

EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan ed bigotry than on making a clear determination in favour of social progress’. Dismissing Alvarez’s comments, Chief Minister Picardo told the Olive Press that the government was complying with its ‘obligations to the letter’. “The Government is being far from indecisive on the subject of equal marriage and is complying fully with its manifesto

Big push at Westside STAFF and students at Westside Comprehensive have raised a record £23,000 for charity. The money has been raised through a series of fundraising events over the last 10 months. A sponsored walk, a reading challenge and a choir performance have all taken place to raise money, while one of the more bizarre fundraisers was a ‘prankathon’ which involved students pulling pranks on their teachers for a week. The money will be split between 21 charities including Research into Childhood Cancer, Calpe House and Women in

BIG LOVE: Pupils Need. Other causes to receive funding were child marriage charities and the current refugee crisis. The fundraising effort is an annual event for the school, with this year’s total a new record.

ADAMANT: Alvarez commitments,” Picardo told the Olive Press. “The GSLP/Liberal manifesto clearly provided for a public consultation via a Command Paper that would report in June, and Government embarked upon this process soon after the election.” He added: “Responses have now been collected and are currently under consideration. The normal and proper procedures for a Command Paper are being followed. “That is not to be indecisive: it’s to comply with one’s obligations to the‎ letter.” The spat comes after the government announced that it will appoint a ministerial committee to consider responses to a consultation on one civil marriage law for all. Something Alvarez believes is another example of the government being ‘indecisive’ and backtracking on their pledge for greater equal rights.

Opinion. Page 6

March 30th- April 12th 2016

OPINION Cold waters THE continued presence of Russian nuclear submarines and warships just a few miles from Gibraltar is, at best, alarming…at worst provocative and dangerous. It certainly seems odd that Spain - a NATO ally of the UK - should allow Vladimir Putin’s forces to refuel and disembark in Ceuta. And the spectre of Putin using Ceuta as a base to spy on Gibraltar’s sensitive military installations has been raised. After all, the Russian submarine Novorossiysk, which is almost impossible to detect, docked at the north African enclave last year. The unpredictable Russian leader makes an unwelcome next-door neighbour and it is encouraging that 11 MEPs are demanding answers fast.

He’s got a point CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo is well within his rights to hit back at claims that he is not doing enough to push through same sex marriage. Far from being ‘fidgety’ or ‘indecisive’, as Felix Alvarez claims, the government does appear to be following up on its election pledge. After all, the command paper which was always set to report in June, is running to the exact time frame the government set out in the first place.

BREXIT - Your vote matters Do you qualify? Overseas UK nationals who have been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years can vote in UK Parliamentary General Elections, UK-wide referendums, and European Parliamentary elections.

Register You will need to know you National Insurance number and date of birth, and have your passport to hand if you have one. If you don’t have a National Insurance number you can still register, but may have to supply more information to show who you are.

Declare You have to sign an annual declaration once you have registered to renew your registration every year. So if you were registered to vote for the 2015 General Elections you will have to renew your registration with your local Electoral Registration Officer in the UK or register again.

Vote You can choose how you wish to vote. You can vote by post, by proxy (voting by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf ), or even in person at your polling station.

www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

the EE

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Spain’s relationship with its environment has been frosty to say the least, but does the Supreme Court ruling over Almeria’s Algarrobico signal a dawn? By Tom Powell and Rob Horgan

OR Gibraltarians, an escape to the Spanish countryside is a chance to enjoy some untamed wilderness. The windswept beaches of the Costa de la Luz, the mountains of the Serrania de Ronda and the rugged Almeria landscape are all firm favourites. But for decades neighbouring Spain has taken its stunning environment for granted, with corrupt politicians and greedy businessman putting Father Wallet above Mother Nature. During a decade-long struggle, a 20-storey hulk on a Cabo de Gata beach came to represent everything about Spain’s

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Caption

internal war between the forces of economics, politics and the environment. The Supreme Court’s decision to – once and for all – declare the Algarrobico Hotel illegal could mark a turning point in environmental thinking. Following the landmark ruling, it looks likely that ‘El Horrible’ will finally be torn down. This decision could result in much more than an enormous pile of rubble on a barren beach – it has the potential to

kickstart an environmental revolution. The ruling sends out the message that Spain is putting its wild and wonderful environment above the back pockets of the corrupt elite. But wait, hang on, haven’t we heard this all before? A little investigation reveals the Algarrobico is far from the only environmental planning battle being waged, and that there’s a long way to go before we win the war.

Deja vu... TO demolish an enormous hotel like the Algarrobico is a massive task, but not unprecedented. In 2002, The Gran Hotel de Atlanterra on the Costa de la Luz in Cadiz, was blasted to pieces in a controlled demolition. The nine-storey megalith had been built by a German company in the early 1970s, but was ruled to have broken environmental protection laws and never opened. At the time, then Environment Minister Jaume Matas hailed the act as a ‘milestone in the recovery of protected coastal areas’. “This is an important day for environmental policy in Spain and all the people who spent 20 years fighting and vindicating the recovery of this natural area,” he said. “This must serve as an example which will follow for the rest of Spain’s coast.” Only time will tell if the Algarrobico will follow the Atlanterra and become another humongous pile of debris or kickstart real change.

IME is running out and none of the major political parties have any type of direction as to where they are going. April 29 seems the deadline day for the parties to try to pull together a coalition government that can run Spain for the next four years. But after more than 90 days since the December 20 elections left a fractured parliament and an ungovernable state, the four major political forces have refused to budge on their positions. The Socialists will once again try to convince leftist Podemos to join its pact

Stalemate Political uncertainty continues in Madrid with major parties at loggerheads with the centre right Ciudadanos party. But Podemos want too much power in any future government, which the Socialists are not willing to yield. At the same time, Podemos don't want Ciudadanos to be included in the pact. So then what? The ruling Popular Party, the government which is in a transitional stage, is still opting for the great pact between Ciudada-

nos and PSOE. The problem is that neither party wants Mariano Rajoy to continue as prime minister in which he insists. There have even been calls within the PP that he must step aside. We are all back to square one. The political parties don't seem to be too concerned that the gruelling process will have to continue, even after the next elections, if there is

RIO

ALEGRI

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Gibraltar Olive Press represents the local and expatriate communities working or living on the Rock with 10,000 copies distributed fortnightly on a Wednesday.

War goes FEATURE

MADRIDS MATTER no real winner. The 2016 budgets have been passed so we seemed covered for the rest of the year. Not really a fine way of looking at things. But politicians want to play politics, it is part of their blood. They must broker that tiny compromise before they can satisfactorily say they hammered out deal.

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Vol. 9 Issue 226

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The strongest boy in the world? EXCLUSIVE

Brit pulling Meet the 15-year-old tyres and trucks, flipping records world smashing

EXCLUSIVE By Tom Powell

November 12th

THE Trafalgar lighthouse on the Cadiz coast commemorates an old battle – and now it’s embroiled in a new one. The public monument, built in 1860, stands in an area of serene natural beauty near Canos de Meca on the Costa de la Luz. The landmark is a popular tourist attraction, looking out to the very spot where Admiral Nelson’s British Navy defeated an allied French and Spanish fleet in 1805. Now, 200 years after Nelson’s heroic victory and death, a German firm has been awarded a contract to convert the monument into three luxury holiday apartments, and in the process remove public access. Floatel is to take control of the 34-metre lighthouse for the next 30 years, and plans to begin renting the apartments as early as this summer. A group of Cadiz businessmen including long-established expat James Stuart, boss of the Califa Hotel group, filed an official complaint with the Cadiz port authority over ‘irregularities’ in Floatel’s application. They had hoped to turn the lighthouse into a museum and visitor centre for all to enjoy, a campaign backed by the Olive Press. But at the moment, the second Battle of Trafalgar isn’t going as well for the Brits as the first.

- 25th 2015

PROPERTY BOMBSHELL

in shock afMARBELLA is plan was ter its 2010 urban 16,500 scrapped, leaving houses in legal limbo. since 1986 All properties built could be illegal. to “It brings great uncertainty who could potential investors,the ensuing recoil as a result oflawyer Antochaos,” Marbella Olive Press. nio Flores told the Marbella SOS

March 30th- April 12th 2016

Battle of Trafalgar

PAGE 19 WN BEGINS - FROM THE FESTIVE COUNTDO only English-language The original and r in Andalucía investigative newspape

olive press

the

FEATURE

- Page 31

Page 3

We will fight them on the beaches

battle is beA DESPERATE the iconic ing waged to stop being Trafalgar lighthouse as a public privatised and lost monument. close The historic landmark, Nelson’s to where Admiral an alBritish navy defeated Spanish fleet Nelson lied French and and cherNAVAL HERO: in 1805, is loved guaranished by many expats. lighthouse, which came second, The emblematicalso in a spot the appearteed to maintain as well built in 1860, is beauty, loance of the lighthouse, of serene natural de Meca, on as add a free interpretation Caños near cated and picnic centre, restaurant to 25 staff. the Costa de la Luz. after Nelarea employing 15 plan But now, 200 years victory, a By contrast, Floatel’s just two son died in a heroic Trafalgar is of involves employingmain enbattle second staff, closing the off more being fought. has been trance and cutting land and For a German firm to convert than 50% of the awarded a contract into to the public. landmark buildings the stunning charge for apartIt also plans to opening three luxury holiday process cut entry with limited ments, and in the times. to chalit off from the public. motivated was controversial Stuart the Under after being Floalenge the decision agreement, company of the swayed by local opinion. tel is to take control for the green group In particular, Accion has 34-metre lighthouse en option the Ecologistas with the next 30 years, with 10. filed a complaint against to renew for another of Cadiz Cadiz Port Authority However, a group longFloatel’s plans. the privatisabusinessmen including The lighthouse James Stu“We are against such established expatarms against BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR: into private apartments tion of public facilities art is taking up is being converted is fighting to stop it add- as the Trafalgar Lighthouse,” turned down, he the project. while (right) Stuart looking being would also take over explained a spokesman. has environmenJoined by local boss of the Authority is simply of ed: “We costs of the The Cadiz Port Authority the Olive Press. same for a way to ‘relieve itself talists, Stuart, the running and 15 to respond of key art told in Vejer, burden of main- lighthouse, but at the same until November have the united with a group Califa Hotel group bid “It should Roman ruins at the financialsite’. official com- has it open for every- to both appeals. the businesses in a the has now filed an pro- time keep port au- Spanishit entirely open to the status as near Tarifa, taining to enjoy.” Opinion Page 6 plaint with the Cadiz Baelo Claudia, museum and Insisting the last-ditched in to keep proposal, to do with one there is a thority over ‘irregularities’ test has nothing application The Califa group’s public. the light- where own is free to the public.” Floatel’s application.who runs “We firmly believe should the site the Port his group’s The businessman,and restau- house and its environs Stu- His group believes domain,” hotels of public a string de la Luz, be in the rants on the Costa

green Expat unites with iconic group to save se Trafalgar Lighthou tion from privatisa

What a waste PLANS for a giant composting waste site are being fought by Estepona residents. Nearby homeowners launched their protest when the town hall approved the project to be built on protected land. They are complaining that the site infringes on environmental law because it is also less than 2km away from thousands of residential properties. The protestors have collected

over 100 signatures in a change. org petition, and served the town hall and the Junta with a denuncia for breaching environmental law. The site’s developers, however, insist that the composting site violates no laws and will have no impact on nearby homes. A meeting between residents, land owner and architect is scheduled for this month, with a decision expected to follow.

Rail to nowhere IT is one of the most expensive tracks of railway that will never be used. Incredibly some 77 kilometres of AVE rail track was laid between Antequera and Marchena, before the project was scrapped by the European Union. Costing €279 million, the ‘El AVE ghost line’ was abandoned after the EU slammed it for breaking environmental laws, in particular, for building a viaduct over the protected Los Ojuelos lagoon. European Environment Commissioner Janez Po-

El Bulli battle TROUBLE is brewing at the site of what was the most famous restaurant in the world. Plans to expand former 3-Michelin star restaurant el Bulli into a gastronomic hub took a blow last month, when environmentalists got wind of the plans and kicked up a storm. They claimed - and the law agreed - that chef Ferran Adria’s plans were a breach of environmental law as el Bulli is located in the Costa Brava’s Cap de Creus Natural Park. In the face of opposition, Adria has been forced to scale back his expansion plan by 300%. But he has not given up his dream to create a mega, gastronomical think-tank on the site of his former restaurant. New – albeit scaled-back – plans for the national park site have been submitted.

tocnik demanded that the bridge be torn down two years ago as it disrupts the habitat of key breeding birds protected under EU law. As of yet, no action has been taken and the AVE line remains a scar on the face of Spain’s wild habitat.

Upsetting the bird bath Chicken run

GREEN groups are desperately campaigning to save a pine forest from being turned into a huge battery chicken farm. Production company Jesus del Rio has applied for permission to upgrade its current premises in Segovia in order to home 228,000 chickens. However, Ecologistas en Accion claims that the original installation of a 35,000-chicken farm was illegal in the

first place. The group has been campaigning for the removal of the livestock factory since 2007 when 2.9 hectares of the Pinarejos forest were cleared to make way for it. That, claims Ecologistas en Accion, is almost six times the amount that was authorised by regional government. The planning office is currently reviewing the expansion request.

AN artificial island home to 180 villas, a luxury hotel and an 18-hole golf course is sending birds sparrow in Extremadura. The Marina Isla de Valdecañas was denounced by environmentalists as long ago as in 2007. In fact a demolition order was passed by the Supreme Court in 2011, as the island development was deemed to be responsible for a major drop in bird population. However, the order was suspended when the Junta de Extremadura claimed demolition would cause greater damage to the birdlife than keeping it there. (The €32 million estimated cost of knocking it down was no doubt a factor in the decision.) Ecologistas en Accion has now submitted a plan to the regional government which reduces the environmental impact of demolition while also cutting the cost.

March 30th- April 12th 2016

NEWS IN BRIEF

Car pooling EMBARGOED vehicles in La Linea are going to be redistributed by the town hall for use within the police force and other departments.

Legbreaker A 45-YEAR-OLD man was pulled from his car by firefighters after he broke both his legs in a head-on collision in Castellar.

Lingo love A TOTAL of 780 students have signed up for English classes this summer at the Universidad Internacional Menendez Pelayo in La Linea.

Care call CHILDCARE in Algeciras will receive a big boost after the town hall announced plans to construct a new nursery.

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR

You spin me right round

Charity cyclists take on Strait of Gibraltar

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Booming again?

DECKED OUT: Ferry spin class

CAMPO de Gibraltar gym bunnies are gearing up for a seabound charity spinning class to Africa. More than 120 intrepid keep-fit fans will cycle on the deck of a ferry cross-

ing from Algeciras to Tangiers and back on April 30. Using exercise bikes from gyms all over Algeciras, the ship-shape participants hope to raise money for

Criminal gang busted TWELVE stolen cars and 1,724 kg of hash have been seized in a police swoop in La Linea. A 30-year-old man and 29-yearold woman were arrested in the raids, which also recovered 2,800 cartons of cigarettes. The investigation began after police discovered a stolen car in Barrio de la Atunara. Further searches revealed several more stolen vehicles parked in nearby garages. The cars had fake licence plates and had been stripped of their back seats and spare tyres to allow more drugs to be transported.

NABBED: STOLEN CARS

Plataforma de Solidaridad Vecinal and Cáritas. The charities provide aid and support to local impoverished people. “The riders will enjoy an adventure pedalling on the sea while enjoying a spinning class to music and admiring spectacular scenery,” said spokeswoman Laura Poyatos.

BUSINESS in Algeciras is slowly starting to increase again following years of economic recession. Last year the number of firms in the town grew by 2.1%, according to the National Statistics Institute. There are now 5,540 companies registered in Algeciras, which is still some 300 off the 2012 high. The increase was evident across all sectors, but particularly in construction, an industry which had seen a serious fall over the previous four years.

Ferry good deal FERRY prices between Algeciras and Ceuta are to be slashed. In a bid to make the trip more economically viable, the number of ferries making the crossing to the Spanish enclave is also reducing. Algeciras Town Hall initially tabled the plan and it has now been approved by Ceuta mayor Juan Jesus Vivas. “We have to take the issue of maritime transport very seriously,” Vivas said. “It is a chronic problem that hemorrhages money. The new schedule is expected to be implemented in May. The current average price of a one-way ticket to Ceuta from Algeciras costs €35.

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Wave power comes to Gibraltar as historic new installation completed

Strawberry fields not forever

Subject to availability. Terms & Conditions apply.

INTERNATIONAL supermarkets are demanding urgent action to stop Spain’s strawberry growers sucking key wetlands dry. Companies including Sainsbury’s, M&S and Coca-Cola are campaigning over unsustainable water usage in Huelva and Sevilla. The consortium of supermarkets and food companies claims current strawberry growing practices will lead to ‘severe environmental damage’ in the Doñana National Park. The group is now demanding the introduction of a land plan set out by the Junta in 2014 but yet to be implemented. The plan includes the eradication of 1,500 hectares of unauthorised strawberry cultivation. “We strongly support the land use plan and urge all parties to cooperate on its urgently needed implementation,” a spokesman said. “We believe that continued pressure will ultimately lead to severe environmental degradation of the ecosystem and in particular the Doñana National Park, as well as to a reduction in the long-term availability of strawberries from the region.”

NEIGH-SAYERS: Clampdown

Wipeout!

THE opening phase of Gibraltar’s firstever wave power installation has been completed.

Israeli firm Eco Wave Power completed the 100kw device on Gibraltar’s Ammunition Jetty earlier this month.

Once completed, the wave power plant will provide the Rock with 15% of its power needs. Testing on the plant is now underway and the wave inAFTER three years of stallation is expected to be globetrotting, Spaniard fully operational by the end Nacho Dean has reof April. turned home. The next phase will expand Malagueno Dean quit the commercial scale power his job as a lifeguard plant to 5kw. and totted up 33,000 Health Minister Dr John Corkms. He took in four tes told the Olive Press: “It’s continents and 31 couna source of clean, renewable tries, and becomes the energy and it will potentially first Spaniard to walk play a significant role in helparound the world. On his travels he was ing us to meet our EU comchased by men with mitments in this respect. machetes in Mexico, “It will also serve to put mugged at knife point Gibraltar on the map as a STROLL ON: Spaniard’s global trek in Peru, and arrested leader in the deployment of in Iran for taking a selfie – but Dean said his “I needed to launch an environmental mes- innovative marine technolojourney was about spreading awareness of cli- sage for the care of nature and planet earth, gies.” mate change. and the most savage way to demonstrate my Eco Wave Power has received And he documented the effects of climate commitment was to walk.” European Union funding for change as he went. He added: “There were some scary moments the scheme, which will help “It was always a dream that I had, to walk along the way but the most enriching part of the Rock meet its 2020 rearound the world,” he says. my journey was the people I met.” newable energy targets.

Walk on the wild side

Everything , e n o y bu e n o t e g e c i r p f l ha

Hobble, hobble, toil and trouble GUARDIA Civil officers are clamping down on the mistreatment of horses. New laws to protect horses in Andalucia were introduced last year but have largely been ignored. However the Guardia’s environmental arm, Seprona, is to enforce the law more stringently. As of April last year it has been illegal to hobble a horse, which involves tying its front legs together, allegedly to improve patience. Animal psychologists suggest the practice can trigger mental problems and panic attacks. Fines of up to €10,000 can be dished out for first-time offenders, while repeat offenders can face a total ban on keeping horses.

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March 30th -April 12th 2016

Soldiering on Art in Gibraltar helps Afghan veteran cope with double amputation

A FORMER Gibraltarbased artist and novelist has spoken out about losing both legs while fighting in Afghanistan. In his memoir, Anatomy of a Soldier, Brit Harry Park-

er describes the moment his life changed. Returning from a night mission in 2009, Parker stepped on an IED bomb as he walked across a field close to Camp Bastion.

ROYAL RESPECT: Chichon

Top fellow FIRST he wowed New York, now he’s taking over London. Gibraltarian conductor Karel Chichon has just been elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, one of the top music conservatoires in the world. Chichon is currently conducting a series of performances at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Fellowship to the Academy is an honour bestowed on musicians who have distinguished themselves within the profession.

Flamenco flair ISRAELI artist Ilan Itach currently has a show at the Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery. Dreaming on Hebrew Flamenco is inspired by Morocco, Jerusalem . . . and his flamenco dancer wife Sharon. Itach combines oil and Japanese inks to produce colourful dance portraits. The exhibition runs until the end of the month.

Lucky to be alive at all, his heart had to be restarted five times by air ambulance crew. In his book, the 32-yearold soldier said that losing his limbs was ‘like losing a loved one’, but added he has found solace in his former passion. “Writing and drawing have been key to the restitution of my independence and sense of self,” said Parker, who spent much of his life in Gibraltar, owing to his father’s role in the army. And it was during his time on the Rock that he first fell in love with art. “I used to watch the planes landing and draw those or the aircraft carriers,” he said. “I never really said I wanted to join the army as I was more into drawing.” Parker went on to study at Falmouth Art College, before taking history of art at University in London. He has now also completed a postgraduate course in fine

Metalheads ahoy

IF you’re soaking up the sun this summer and suddenly hear what sounds like World War Three erupting in the harbour, don’t fear. It’s just the sound of the legendary Full Metal Cruise docking in Gibraltar. The cruise, now in its fifth year, starts and finishes in Mallorca, with stops in Gibraltar and Malaga. Passengers are treated to live music from metal bands, karaoke and jam sessions. RETURN TO PAST PASSION: Harry Parker

art at the Royal Drawing School in London and was chosen as a torchbearer for London 2012.

Art swap BUDDING artists have the opportunity to swap the Rock for Berlin in a new exchange programme. The Gibraltar-Berlin Artist in Residence Exchange is aimed particularly at those who want to develop their work in urban spaces. The selected artist will travel to Germany in July with all expenses covered, plus spending money. In autumn, one artist from the Lichtenberg Studios will come to Gibraltar.

Full Service Marketing, Design and Web Agency Mint on the Rock is a full service marketing, graphic design and web design agency based in Gibraltar. MINT is at your service in every way that matters to your business success. We’re thinkers and doers, we’re creators and producers – we’re passionate, responsive, love a challenge and deliver great results every time. (+350) 540 40661

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la cultura

11 March 30th -April 12th 2016

The führer’s butterfly collector

E collected butterflies along the Costa de la Luz and was instantly recognisable, thanks to his rather bizarre appearance. Emaciated by a childhood bout with malaria, with thick glasses and huge ears that stuck out from his skull at right angles, Adolf Clauss was known in this part of Spain as ‘The Shadow’. Yet his covert activities from Huelva to Gibraltar changed the course of the Second World War and, by default, greatly influenced the British legacy on the Rock. In true expat fashion, Clauss often claimed Spain was his ‘Homeland’ but Germany ‘The Fatherland’. The Clauss family had made a fortune in supplying staples

and industrial supplies to the burgeoning British-owned Rio Tinto mines in Huelva province.

Elaborate

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the British and German expatriate communities lived side by side in harmony, and in many cases, riches. But the outbreak of the Second World War changed everything. Germany sought Spain’s allegiance as payback for the military support Hitler had provided Franco in the Spanish Civil War. Meanwhile, England hoped for Spanish neutrality, realising the tactical importance of the Mediterranean coastline. Gibraltar, in particular, was strategically important for merchant and military shipping, and

would be vulnerable if Germany enlisted Spain as an ally. Out there with his binoculars, Adolf Clauss was not so much looking for butterflies but monitoring every ship coming and going from the ports of Huelva, Cadiz and especially Gibraltar. And he was not alone. He was actually running the largest and most efficient German spy ring in Spain. Clauss enlisted (mostly through bribes) the services of dockworkers, harbourmasters, the Guardia Civil, taxi drivers, fishermen and shopkeepers. His spy network had the ear of the Führer himself, Adolf Hitler.

Operation Mincemeat

SUPER SPY: Adolf Clauss

Operation Mincemeat has been used as a plot device in film, fiction and theatre. The 1953 best-selling novel The Man who Never Was (later turned into a film) were inspired by the incidents involving Adolf Clauss. Interestingly, James Bond author Ian Fleming was actually involved in the preparation of the hoax, and used elements of it in You Only Live Twice. In 2010, Simon Corble launched his play Operation Mincemeat at The Adelaide Fringe Festival (Australia) to critical acclaim.

How a bogus butterflycatcher spied on Gibraltar for the Nazis, writes Jack Giaoni

This fact was not lost on British Intelligence Agencies however, and, in a shrewd game of double agents and espionage, the British were able to use his against him. In what historians have come to call Operation Mincemeat, Clauss fell victim to his own success. An elaborate disinformation plan was accomplished by persuading the Clauss spy network that they had intercepted ‘top secret’ documents. The ‘official’ papers, deliberately attached to a corpse that was allowed to wash ashore, gave false details of the Allied war plans. The elaborate hoax revealed an imminent Allied invasion of

Greece and Sardinia – instead of the actual target of Sicily. Clauss sent the false details to Hitler himself who fell for the deception. Thrown off the scent, the Germans redirected their defensive efforts. Thousands of lives were saved and Operation Mincemeat is said to have changed the entire tide of the war. German influence in the Mediterranean was greatly diminished and Gibraltar remained British without serious threat. Today there are still German and British expatriate communities along the length of the Costa de la Luz, sharing the beautiful beaches, climate and Spanish lifestyle.

what’s on

nremitting Solace, March 30 Renowned poet, author, toastmaster and motivational speaker Coty Benrimoj will be giving a talk with all proceeds going to Clubhouse Gibraltar at Boyd’s King Bastion Leisure Centre.

alpe House fundraiser, April 2 April Fool’s Party Dance in aid of Calpe House Trust Fund featuring freestyle dancing and music from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Info: 54017533 or 54506000

rank Sinatra tribute, April 2 Ol’ Blue Eyes lookalike Martin Joseph takes to La Sala’s stage for this evening of classic Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr hits. Info: 20016870.

ibraltar Horticultural Society, April 7 Green-fingered Rock residents can exchange garden tips and learn a few new techniques at this meeting at the John Mackintosh Hall from 7pm. Info: 54011677

UNIT 10 AND 18 NEW HARBOURS BUILDERS – DIY TRADE CENTRES

SUPPLIERS OF CONCRETE BLOCKS, TIMBER, WEBER PRODUCTS, PPE & DICKIES SAFETY WEAR/CLOTHING, KNAUF PLASTERBOARD, AND A VAST RANGE OF CONSTRUCTION AND DIY MATERIALS IN-HOUSE CUTTING SERVICE AVAILABLE OPENING HOURS: Mon to Thurs: 8.00 – 6.00 Fri: 8.00-5.30 & Sat 9.00 -1.00 101 LTD, UNIT 10 & 18 | HARBOURS YARD | NEW HARBOURS | GIBRALTAR Tel: (350) 200 41019 | Fax: (350) 200 74681 | www.101gibraltar.com/trade-centre/101-trade-centre

LETTERS

March 30th- April 12th 2016

POTTED POINTERS EMERGENCIES Police 199 Medical service 190 Fire 190 EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth 1.12 American dollars 0.79 British pounds 1.48 Canadian dollars 7.46 Danish kroner 8.68 H Kong dollars 9.43 Norwegian kroner 1.53 Singapore dollars ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 62.32% Same week last year: 50.71% Same week in 2005: 64.60% AIRPORTS Gibraltar 00350 22073026 Granada-Jaen 958 245 200 Jerez - 956 150 000 Malaga - 952 048 844* *For English press 9 Sevilla - 954 449 000 Gen02.pdf 1 16/10/2012 08:39:43

www.gibraltarolivepress.com

You need to have your say!

Positives and negatives

Dear OP,

Snapper support

AS a permanent resident in Spain, I believe it is important for all British citizens also living in Spain to vote in the EU Referendum (Brexit battle, issue 13). The consequences of the UK leaving the EU could be very damaging for those receiving pensions and Spanish healthcare, not to mention all those living and working in Gibraltar. However it is also important to understand the voting system. As an expat you are allowed to vote in UK elections for 15 years after leaving the UK. You can register as an overseas voter at the Electoral Office of the last UK address where you were registered to vote. But being registered as an overseas voter is only the first step, you still have to apply to the electoral office for a postal vote, or to appoint a proxy, this does not happen automatically. If you want to vote in the June referendum then now is the time to start the process. Ian Hanson, Madrid

Hero or not? I WAS shocked to read about the soldier who went from hero to cheat in such extravagant fashion (Man who sold the world, issue 14). Leonard Berney was remembered fondly in almost every media outlet when he

Each print issue of the Olive Press can be read in its entirety on www.theolivepress.es And our site is updated daily with the latest news, making it one of Spain’s most visited news websites.

GET BACK… to where the once belongey d! NEWS

ROCKER: Lydon

ROTTEN RETURNS

AS a fellow photographer I have followed the Olive Press’ coverage of the missing John Lennon negatives with a great professional interest (Get back... to where they once belonged! Issue 14). Every photographer under the sun will have had his copyright stolen at one point or another. This type of property theft is worryingly ignored in the main. I hope a case of this magnitude will help all struggling photographers stake a claim to what they rightfully own.

the Olive Press November March 16th - March 11th - 25th 2015 29th 2016

3 3

HE’S the man who brought punk rock to the world. And now John SINGLE: Fergie ing the road Lydon is takPublic Image to Spain with Limited. EXCLUSIVE The Sex Pistols By Joe Duggan ing dates in singer is playSan Sebastian, Valencia, Santander, and Ma- THE Olive Press has tracked drid during May. down the stolen Lydon earned worldwide no- from John Lennon negatives toriety as Johnny and Yoko FERGIE has Rotten, the Ono’s Gibraltar flame-haired been ditched by frontman of the Masquerading wedding. seminal British as a mystery ish lover. her Spanbuyer, before forming punk band originalwe discovered that the The Duchess PiL in 1978. photos of York sold by a Beatles were being Sarah Ferguson, from his Far East biographer is ‘distraught’ 56, home. folThe writer, who lowing a we are not naming for with exotic break-up legal reasons, Spanishput our undercover Irish Issuing instructions toyboy reporter in touch Fernandez, Manuel fee for the negativesthat the with an alleged Thailand-based DISCOVERED: would The pair 47. be €7,000, he Missing negatives had been before emailing ‘middleman’ put us in touch Nutter (pictured together for with the mysterious belonging showing some proof sheets his right) with over a seller. year, holidaying Lennon and to book John of the neverbefore-seen Ono in wedding nega- Day At A Time. Lennon: One said ‘these Fernandez’ tives (see right). Remarkable were As we revealed Asturias last native from my New in fact stolen The incredible last York apart- Our reporter was June, shots, valued ter - who had beenissue, Nut- ment around as well as by Beatles experts hired by everything 1976 along with 90% of the agreedtold to send skiing in the Alps. at over the Beatles’ record label price after £100,000, went else from two contact Apple for sheets showing Now sources 1975 when Britishmissing in Rockthe commission on the Acting on a tip-off my flat’. that the the original negatives close to the pher David Nutter photogra- them - has been trying to get negatives were being were Duchess back for four ped- sent as proof of ownership. dled online, is a regular - who to Anthony Fawcettlent them However, decades. our undercover Despite Nutter reporter to use in being when to Sotograndevisitor Press contacted the Olive 62-year-oldapproached the missioned by Apple comvery summer execuFawcett, he Beatles biogra- tive Peter Brown, SPAIN-BOUND revealed pher in the Far : Vaccines the seller ‘Manuel’s finished claimed Nutter East. was working it and she’s for HIS company been very Sparrow Photos. tearful.’ He also said Nutter and never owned was ‘dead’ the copyright anyway. BRITISH rock After a week of group The Vaccines are exchanges, set to play their remarkable never-before-seen two first ever gig in THEY are Granada. contact sheets The London-based from the wed- UK export the biggest ding were emailed of Girl Powband come to Andalucia er for a decade. over. But when the on Saturday March writer suspect- Now Little AN extraordinary ed our undercover Mix their third 19 as they tour reporter heading to Spain are photos of iconic collection of album English was working Graffiti. for a for Yoko Ono double-heade Mexican artist Frida Kahlo he launched into r of gigs. The band are a vile tirade The X Factor for the first is to go on display against Lennon’s Barcelona on also playing in time in Malaga. winThe wonderful March 17 before fore threatening widow be- ners, who got two heading to Madrid Brit set of 55 intimate unseen ending contact. to sue and Award nominations the following night. last month, rapher Leo images by photogNutter, who will be The Vaccines Matiz are on at La Termica have described display fully called had unsuccess- ting into Barcelona jetEnglish Graffiti gallery until in police over June 24 on 29. the theft, is furious as ‘genre-deand May fining’ and released with the on June 25, on Madrid They capture writer and wants single, Handsome, the first his nega- two dates of a the last the 1940s with her early life in tives back. long 51bum on January off the allover, fellow date world ist Diego Rivera. Speaking from 19 last year. arttour. home, last night,his New York The Black Magic “This is criminal.Nutter said: makers will be hitproThey are moting their my stolen property... third end of bum, Get Weird, alstory.” fol-

Olive Press tracks down stolen John and Yoko wedding pics

Time to get Vaccinated

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Total outrage JOHN and Yoko’s wedding must be one of the most iconic moments of pop culture. The fact that this crook is trying to make a buck or two from flogging them is opportunist, selfish and above all else illegal. I hope the coverage will kick the authorities into action and get this guy banged up. Steve Finn, London, UK

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died, due to his work in liberating the Nazi Belsen concentration camp. So thank you very much for digging beneath the surface and discovering his less-than-savoury financial ventures later in life, seemingly screwing over many unwitting investors. One good deed does not make you a saint for life, people should know the truth about Berney. Anon, Gibraltar

In ruins I WAS disappointed to read about the demolitions and heavy construction in Estepona (Demolition day, issue 14). How on earth can this be approved? Those buildings are lost forever with no respect for history - the Capitalist way. Of course

builders are motivated by profit from loans for development, but they were beautiful buildings in a historical area. But, sadly, money talks. Jim Briggs, Manilva

Letters should be emailed to letters@ theolivepress.es. The writer’s name and address should be provided. Opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.

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Live like a rockstar

Page 23

Happy first Birthday

www.smartcurrencyexchange.com La Cala del Sol, Local No. 17, Cala de Mijas, 29649, Malaga tel: +34 951 401 921

March 30th - April 12th 2016

LIVING ON THE EDGE

Iconic Spanish architects complete stylish cliffside pad on the Andalucia coast

GOING UNDERGROUND: Innovative hillside pad

Page 24

IT brings a whole new meaning to the concept of living life on the edge. Perched above the Med, Casa del Acantilado (The Cliff House) is the latest project from weird and wacky Madrid architects GilBartolome.

Page 30

What’s Hugh doing in Mallorca?

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Photo by: Jesus Granada

Best of the botched jobs

Stunning

Something of a challenge, it was created by Pablo Gil and Jaime Bartolome on a 42-degree slope on the Granada coastline. Commissioned by a young couple from Madrid, every window of the home, near Salobrena, boasts stunning views of the sea. The state-of-the-art design split over two floors features a ‘dragon-scale’ curved roof, floor-toceiling windows and an infinity pool. Its position dug into the hillside helps the inside stay cool in the summer months and warmer in winter. “The project combined

joyful living, innovative construction techniques, the return of craftsman-

ship and the cave as an environmental strategy,” said Bartolome.

Up in the world! EVEREST veteran Stephen Venables has swapped his West Country home for a pad in hilly Gaucin. The intrepid mountaineer, who found fame leading expeditions through the Himalayas, has chosen soaring Andalucian mountains over Somerset countryside. “It’s a strange irony that though I’ve spent most of my life calling myself a mountaineer, this is the first time I’ve actually lived in the mountains,” revealed Venables, 61. Venables and wife Rosie, from Bath, bought a pair of small, adjacent town houses and have knocked them through to create one larger village home. “We are reliant on the local expat community because we are only just learning how to speak Spanish,” he said. Venables found fame forging a new route up Everest’s Kangshung Face and was the first Briton to reach the summit without extra oxygen. He has also explored Antarctica.

IN THE HILLS: Venables (above) and Gaucin

Property specialist for both buyer and a seller As featured on Rightmove Overseas and Propertyguides.com La Cala del Sol, Local No. 17, Cala de Mijas, 29649, Malaga

www.smartcurrencyexchange.com tel: +34 951 401 921

Property

Positive, but not naive www.theolivepress.es

NE of Spain’s top economists, professor Jordi Gual of the Caixa Bank group, is optimistic about the year ahead despite the fragile global economy. Speaking at a dinner for real estate professionals organised by Amat Immobiliaris he talked about the oil price crash, slowdown in China, and low interest rates – and the implications for Spain as it emerges from recession after a painful Spanish firms are just as productive as those internal devaluation and restructuring, in other EU countries like Germany when and now faces a continuing political cricomparing mid-sized and big companies. sis in Madrid. Spain’s productivity problem stems from its After reading so many gloomy headlarge number of small companies compared lines of late, it was reassuring to listen to a more balanced view from someone with access to all the data. Prof Gual made it clear he is cautiously optimistic for Spain, describing his position as ‘positive but not naive’, including on the domestic political front. Without denying the human cost, he explained how Spain has become much more competitive, although the job is not yet over. As a totally open economy, foreign investment has been flooding in to take advantage of Spain’s opportunities, including real estate. Of course, he stressed, if foreign investors take fright, they can leave as quickly as they arrived. ON THE UP: House prices keep going up again He also explained how

March 30th - April 12th 2016

The year started well for sales and at least one top economist is cautiously optimistic, writes property pundit Mark Stucklin

to economies like Germany and the UK. Why so many small companies? Because the administrative environment in Spain discourages companies from growing above a certain size.

PRIMROSE R E A L E S TAT E

GOOD START TO THE YEAR Official statistics for January show the Spanish property market kicked off the year with a blast, as sales surged and house prices increased. There were 27,568 homes sold in January, according to the General Council of Notaries, an increase of 27% on last year (see chart above). However, the chart also shows that January 2015 was 11% down on 2014, so this January’s big increase might have more to do with weak sales last year than strong sales this year. The hotspots are Barcelona, Madrid and the most popular towns on the Mediterranean coast like Marbella, as well as the Balearics and Canary Islands.

HOUSE PRICES Meanwhile, average house prices (in terms of €/sqm) rose 2% in January on a year before, having climbed from an annualised decline of 6% in January 2015 (and - 8% a year ago in March 2015).

There were 11,884 new mortgages signed in January, an increase of 30% over the same time last year. Although house prices have crawled back into positive territory (based on the price of property sold), they lack the momentum to rise fast anytime soon. And house prices are still 31% below their 2007 peak. In the context of the SPI House Price Index Tracker (see chart, left), which includes the seven most watched house price indices in Spain, the latest data from the notaries reinforces the picture of Spanish house prices stabilising in mildly-positive territory, after years of big declines.

CONCLUSION Sales up 27%, mortgage lending up 30%, house prices up 2%: It looks like January was a great start to the year for the Spanish property market.

Mark Stucklin runs www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

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Property

Bottled up REVISED plans for a wine storage unit on Devil’s Tower Road have been approved. Clearance was granted at a meeting of Gibraltar’s development and planning commission. Reinforcement of the site’s roof will increase the building’s height by one storey. The Gibraltar Heritage Trust has requested that five blast walls inside McFarlane’s Chamber are not demolished as proposed.

www.theolivepress.es

March 30th - April 12th 2016

It’s going for a song Rick Parfitt’s Alhaurin pad is up for grabs and it caters for Whatever you Want

IF you’ve ever dreamed of sitting in Rick Parfitt’s chair, the time is right now. The Status Quo rocker’s Spanish mansion is up

EXCLUSIVE By Iona Napier for sale - and for less than half the original asking price.

They’re off-ski RUSSIAN purchases in Spain are on the decline. The Spanish Property Registry reveals buyers fell by 42% between 2014 and 2015. Just 1,767 properties were sold to Russians in 2015, down from 3,106 in 2014. According to agency Engel & Völkers ‘there is no lack of interest, but Russian buyers have become sellers’. They are being replaced by Americans, Swiss and buyers from the Middle East. However, Brits remain the biggest buyers from abroad and represent a staggering 21% of all property sales.

The six-bedroom pile set in a leafy two-and-a-half hectare plot in Alhaurin El Grande has been priced to sell fast, slashed from €2 million two years ago to €995,000 now. Which proves you’re Never Too Late for Whatever You Want. Rick, 67, his third wife Lyndsay Parfitt and their sevenyear-old twins use the property as a weekend retreat when they are not at their luxury Marbella

villa. The impressive Alhaurin estate with stunning views boasts a home cinema room, huge swimming pool, tennis court, separate guest house and ‘space for stables’. The house is on the market with the Parfitts’ very own estate agency, Status Homes, which the couple launched late last year in San Pedro. Last June, the Olive Press exposed a dodgy

kitchenware scam in Nueva Andalucia which left the Parfitts €2,930 out of pocket.

Would Churchill turn in his grave? WINSTON Churchill’s World War II HQ is to be given a makeover by a leading Spanish construction company. The keys to the Old War Office in Whitehall, a stone’s throw from the Houses of Parliwament and Downing Street, have been handed over to partners at Spainbased firm OHL and global conglomerate

the Hinduja Group. The seven-storey, 1,100-room building where Churchill often spent the night will be converted into a five-star hotel. OHL has purchased the lease - for an undisclosed fee - from the British Ministry of Defence on a 250-year arrangement, in partnership with the Hinduja Group.

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Property

www.theolivepress.es

March 30th - April 12th 2016

Property

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March 30th - April 12th 2016

What would the Romans say ...about Spain’s long list of botched makeovers and reckless restorations? Rob Horgan and Iona Napier tour the country’s monumental disasters

HEN archaeologists uncovered incredible Roman ruins in Ecija, the town hall turned it

into a car park. When UNESCO threatened to take away Sevilla’s World Heritage status, the city ploughed

ahead with plans for a 40-storey skyscraper anyway. And now, in Cadiz, Spain’s latest res-

Towering insult FOR 13 centuries a bell tower overlooked the ancient city of Sevilla. It was the tallest building in Andalucia’s capital and the standout jewel on the city’s skyline. Then in 2010, a 178-metre tower was erected by Spanish bank Cajasol and the quaint La Giralda bell tower was thrust into its shadows. It was regarded as such an eyesore and an insult to the city’s architecture, UNESCO threatened to remove Sevilla from its list of World Heritage Sites. In the end, the city retained its status but remains on the ‘threatened list’ and has been warned off ruining its historic skyline.

WHEN the final stone is set in place, Gaudi’s famous Sagrada Familia will be the world’s tallest church, soaring 170 metres above Barcelona. It will also be one of the strangest looking and possibly the most controversial places of worship ever built. Confounding architects, critics and historians alike, the church was described by George Orwell as ‘one of the most hideous buildings in the world’ and he admitted he hoped it would be destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. Although Gaudi began the work, the building’s numerous subsequent architects have each added their own stamp. Some critics say they have strayed too far from the original vision of the great Spanish architect. Started in 1882 the project is scheduled - although unlikely to be finished in 2026.

Mocked Such a cowboy cockup it is, that it has received international media coverage lambasting the poor workmanship and the images went viral on social media, as people mocked the less-thanlovingly restored Moorish castle. But the botched job on the Castillo is sadly nothing new. In place of historic landmarks, giant eyesores have been popping up across the country since the turn of the century. Here are some of the worst (or best, depending on your taste).

Monkey business ONE of Spain’s biggest restoration disasters has polemically become a tourist draw. When an elderly woman tried to repair a religious fresco in a Zaragoza church in 2012, scandal and derision reverberated through the country and its media outlets. But now Cecilia Gimenez, 82, has the last laugh, as a visitor centre has opened to document her botched drawing of Christ.

toration disaster is unfolding. Historians and locals are outraged over ‘repairs’ to El Castillo de Matrera, after the 9th century castle was ‘extended’ by builders. In place of ancient stone work, concrete blocks were slotted in to ‘preserve’ the monument. A National Monument since 1949, a local historian described the work as a ‘heritage massacre’.

Unholy hotchpotch

Her efforts to preserve Behold the Man (Ecce Homo) were cruelly but somewhat accurately renamed Behold the Monkey (Ecce Mono). The patched-up 100-year-old sketch has drawn some 100,000 visitors to Borja and even inspired an opera, Behold the Man. Borja Mayor Francisco Arilla hopes more good can come, with an average of 30,000 visitors per year predicted.

Car crash dig ARCHEOLOGISTS could barely hide their excitement. Historians revelled in the unearthing of a new hidden gem. And then … the bulldozers moved in, flattening nearly 2,000 years of history. Beneath the main square of Ecija, in Sevilla, a treasure trove of Roman history languishes beneath a new car park. Where a Roman bath house, gymnasium and temple had once stood, Seat Ibizas, Leons and Toledos are now parked up. While archaeologists around the world slammed the work, the town hall claimed that had it not dug up the main square to build the car park in 1998, the remains would never have been found.

Property

www.theolivepress.es

March 30th - April 12th 2016

PRICEY PAD: La Fortaleza while (above) Hugh Laurie and (below) Lord Lupton

The Lord’s lair THE priciest pad in Spain is owned by a British lord. Tory donor Lord James Lupton purchased lavish clifftop estate La Fortaleza, in Mallorca, for an estimated €40 million in 2011 from another Brit, John Ogden. However, it is a snip compared to the estate’s €125 million price tag at the peak of the boom in 2008, when Ogden put it on the market Now multimillionaire Lupton, a former executive at Barings bank, has allowed the BBC to film the new se-

BBC films drama at Spain’s most expensive property, which belongs to aristocratic Brit ries of The Night Manager, there for an undisclosed sum last month. The drama sees Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston strut around the seven-villa, two-pool estate perched high above Pollenca bay in a thriller about arms dealer Richard Roper. A one-week stay at the

sumptuous estate was auctioned for a cool €265,000 at a Conservative party fundraiser last year. La Fortaleza was built as a fort in 1628 to defend the peninsula from the Saracens. While it cannot be rented publically, it may soon be open to the public several days a month.

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Cocomo

20 20 20 20

Property

www.theolivepress.es

March 30th - April 12th 2016

A unique opportunity to acquire this established freehold restaurant & bar, situated in the renowned beachside community of Benamara.

Cocomo Next to The Senator Banus Spa Hotel Marbella

What the papers say... “The Cocomo building provides a stylish ambience and a sleek, modern approach for today’s discerning clientele to enjoy a light snack, a signature cocktail or a full evening meal. Cocomo delivers for its diverse mix of local residents and global visitors alike.” This is an excellent opportunity to acquire the freehold site of this well established venue in readiness for an immediate return on investment. Due to a change in personal circumstances of its owner, an established hotelier, for whom the site was developed as a lifestyle retirement business, it is now reluctantly being offered for sale with vacant possession. Located in the picturesque community of Benamara dos Hermanos, beachside, only minutes from fashionable Puerto Banus and adjacent to the distinguished five star Senator Banus Spa Hotel, it has gained an enviable Plot: Terrace: Build total: Bar: Basement: Apartment:

500 metres 240 metres 330 metres 150 metres 100 metres 96 metres

reputation from its discerning clientele. Operating profitably from its first opening, it provides its occupier privileged profits and an excellent eclectic customer mix, with continued growth potential either as owner operator or with significant investment potential, providing a yield of circa 7.5%. The site extends to over 500 sq metres and is constructed over 3 floors. All works during its extensive half million euro reform were fully authorised and approved by the local authority and overseen by Baldrich – Tobal Arquitectos.

Accommodation & Luxury Apartment There is an external access from the street to a self-contained staff unit which has its own bathroom, A/C and provides for overnight accommodation. First Floor – The Apartment – Reformed in 2016, two double bedrooms, master bathroom, guest cloak room, lounge/dining room with new kitchen and utility area. The apartment is accessed by its own independent external staircase.

The establishment is marketed freehold and priced to sell, interested parties should make contact with the owner directly by email cocomomarbella@hotmail.co.uk

Top Dollar

www.gibraltarolivepress.com

March 30th - April 12th 2016

Great for 888

WHEEL OF FORTUNE: 888 profits jump

Bus boost

A SET of six new buses will ply the Upper Town and Mount Alvernia routes. The buses have been modified to include sliding doors, air conditioning and a CCTV system. They are also fully accessible to the disabled thanks to rear entry wheelchair lifts.

Bulgaria sees sense BULGARIA has definitively removed Gibraltar from its list of tax havens. It follows months of intensive lobbying by the financial services minister, Albert Isola, and a meeting with the Bulgarian Ambassador to the UK in London. The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance has now removed Gibraltar from its list of countries with preferential tax regimes. “I am delighted with this result following our recent successes with Canada, Estonia, Italy, Latvia and Poland,” said Isola. “We will continue to press the remaining very small number of EU Member States to delist Gibraltar as soon as possible given that we have exchange of information mechanisms for tax purposes with all EU member states as well as a further fifty countries around the world.”

ONLINE gambling giant 888 has announced its profits are up 20% from this time last year. The news boosted the Gibraltar-based company’s shares by 2.2% to £185.75. The company’s customer base and revenue both expanded in 2016. The good start to 2016 comes despite a £10.34 million charge for the failed takeover of Bwin.party which hit 2015 year-end profits.

Private bank snaps up Credit Suisse Gibraltar operations

Swiss roll up A PRIVATE Swiss bank with assets worth billions has announced it will take over Gibraltar’s Credit Suisse arm. J Safra Sarasin Group, which has also snapped up the Swiss bank’s Monaco operations, expects to complete the takeover by the end of the year, subject to regulatory approval. Credit Suisse has operated in Gibraltar since 1987 and J. Safra Sarasin has been on the Rock since 2001. Jacob J. Safra, vice-chair-

man of J. Safra Sarasin, said: "The acquisition of Credit Suisse in Monaco and Gibraltar, with their skillful and experienced professionals, high quality assets and strong local presence, will allow J. Safra Sarasin to extend its reach in these attractive private banking jurisdictions.” Safra Sarasin Group has more than 25 locations worldwide and managed client assets worth €132 billion at the end of 2015.

TAKEOVER: Gib acquisition

New business act

THE Limited Liability Partnership has come into effect in Gibraltar, the government has announced. The act offers protection for business partners put at risk by the negligence of a work colleague. “The legislation significantly increases the ability of local practitioners to provide first class solutions to their local and international clients thereby creating new and increased business flows for Gibraltar,” said Financial Services Minister Albert Isola.

NEWS IN BRIEF House music THE biggest nightclub group in Spain, Pacha, is set to open 25 hotels and 50 restaurants in Europe, South America and Asia over the next nine years.

Hotting up THE Spanish party island of Ibiza is expecting to receive no less than 120 private jets per day this summer.

Amazing AMAZON is opening its new European HQ in Madrid and will employ a team of 50 Amazon software engineers to improve customers’ shopping experiences.

Top tourism TOURISM accounted for 16.2% of all Spanish jobs in 2015, according to a new study by The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Top Dollar

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www.theo-

“

WELL”, said my Dutch colleague (for I remain ensconced in Sovereign’s Amsterdam office for just a little while longer), “what do you reckon to the upcoming EU referendum then?” I thought to myself how very direct these Netherlanders can be. But then why should I be surprised? After all, I’ve seen the way Amsterdammers ride their bicycles like they own the place. Well, they do I guess but still, those bikes seem to be everywhere and you have to keep your eyes open – even in the bathtub!

Binding

“It’s not like the government will take any notice. I’m not sure I will even bother to vote,” he continued. What was my Dutch friend talking about? What right had he to vote in our referendum? It was only then that he explained. The Dutch are about to have their own plebiscite on the EU’s recent Association Agreement with Ukraine, which is the first step to their applying for full EU membership. As my colleague pointed

22 March 30th -April 12th 2016

Referendum mania

Le Breton’s Briefing

The eurozone economy is certainly not out of the woods yet

out, this referendum is not binding on the Dutch government – and besides, the EU’s agreement with Ukraine has already come into force (on January 1 this year). This conversation led us swiftly to the UK’s referendum in which, of course, Gibraltar will participate. Unlike the Dutch vote, this referendum really does matter to all Britons – including those of us based on the Rock. I have always stayed away from politics in these articles and that is not going to change now. But the financial implications are of great interest and they are something I can talk about. If we don’t like the incumbent

government in Gibraltar or that the uncertainty will grow UK, there is an opportunity over the coming weeks until to change it every four or five ‘R’ Day – Thursday, 23 June – years at our parliamentary when we go to the polls. And elections. markets hate uncertainty. But the decision as to wheth- I imagine the foreign exer we remain change marin the EU is not ket will be one one that can to watch and, We can expect the of course, the be reversed in a few years’ stock market to euro to stertime; it will be exchange wobble as the date ling final. rate is always From a finana hot topic on approaches cial perspecand around Gitive, no one braltar. can be abThe eurozone solutely sure economy is of the implications of Brexit. certainly not out of the woods Both sides will of course paint yet, so we can expect considdramatically opposing sce- erable volatility in the euro for narios of life in or out of the some time. EU, but the only certainty is For UK pensioners living in

Spain, this represents a tangible difference each month. Imagine the effect multiplied hugely in 2016 before and after ‘R’ Day. Similarly we can expect the stock market to wobble as the date approaches and the pollsters issue their predictions. And there is always the danger that interest rates, which have been frozen at 0.5% for seven years now in the UK, will be drawn into the fray. There will be more from me as spring rolls into summer and the big day itself draws

near. I may not be allowed to tell you how to vote but, with the decision apparently finely balanced, I can say that every vote will count; our freedom to exercise our democratic rights has never been more important. For unlike my friends in the Netherlands on April 6, our referendum definitely matters and the government will take note of the result. And we will all have to live with the consequences for years to come.

Email: gib@SovereignGroup.com Tel: +350 200 76173 www.SovereignGroup.com

22 22

Property AGONY ANT Property YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY ANTONIO FLORES

The tax nobody pays The curious case of Tax on Rental Contracts in Andalucia

FORTNIGHT ago I was attending a radio station’s legal clinic when a listener, who happened to be Myra Azzopardi from the Citizens Advice Bureau Spain, mentioned a widely unknown tax that nobody ever pays: transfer tax on rental property. While only a minority of lawyers asked will admit to knowing it, or even having heard of it, the majority of the population is oblivious to its existence. Older people do recall that once upon a time, landlords would buy tenancy template contracts from any tobacconist (below), where the applicable transfer tax was inserted. This has gone out of fashion in a big way and nobody bothers. In Madrid, the regional tax office has started a massive campaign to remind tenants of their obligation to pay this tax, following technical upgrades to their IT systems that enables them to cross-reference data. The revenue received in 2015 was still

minute: around €600,000 for the year. In Andalucia, I am yet to find a tenant who has ever paid even if, by comparison to other forms of revenue, the tax is negligible. For instance, a five-year contract where the tenant pays €850 month will attract €204 for the full contract duration, and a further €40-80 for every year it gets extended. The law also states that owners can be made responsible for payment of this tax if the tenant fails to do so. Article Nine of the applicable law confirms this: “In tenancy agreements, owners will be held liable if he/she have collected the first rental without demanding proof of payment of tax.” Bizarrely, the law gives the tenant 30 days to submit the tax declaration from exchanging contracts, which we do know always coincides with the first rental payment. With such conflicting rules, no wonder no one can be bothered.

Email Antonio at aflores@lawbird.es

How many New Year Resolutions have you broken so far? - By Quentin Sellar / International Financial Adviser

We are almost at the end of the first quarter of 2016 and as the last weekend will include Easter most of us will break the “I won’t eat chocolate in 2016” resolution by Easter Sunday - if we have lasted that long! That was a slightly flippant opening, but there is a common resolution that my colleagues and I hear most days: “I said at the start of the year that we MUST get my finances sorted out and do something about…” That ‘something’ could be a frozen pension in the UK or having too much cash in a current account that is earning them absolutely nothing and even in these days of low inflation, eroding their spending ability. It could be having investments that were started when you were living in the UK and made fantastic sense as a UK resident, but give you absolutely no benefit at all now that you are living in Spain. Think ISA’s or Premium Bonds. It could even be an inheritance that you know you should do something with, but with all this uncertainty caused by Brexit, interest rates rising in the USA or concern over the volatility of the financial markets the money is still sitting in a deposit account gaining no interest whatsoever. Or it could be that you know you should have done something about your Residency, completing your Modelo 720 submission. Let’s take this step by step and look at the main areas where we find people are not planning properly or are delinquent, and therefore leaving themselves open to a severe fine or potentially penalising their beneficiaries. I’ve focussed on a few of the most important issues and the key ones are: • Spanish or UK resident • Declaration of Offshore Assets (Modelo 720) • Spanish Inheritance Tax

Before I start on those, on 29 October 2014, 51 jurisdictions signed the first ever multilateral competent authority agreement to automatically exchange information. Known as the “Automatic Exchange of Information or Common Reporting Standards”.

was 1:1.28 and on 31st December 2015 it had climbed to 1:1.36. So even if the value of the asset in GBP had not increased, the euro value had increased quite significantly.

These countries have agreed to collect data on income earned in their territory by non-resident individuals and automatically transmit this data to the authorities where the individual resides, so that it can be taxed in the individual’s country of residence. This process started with the EU Savings Directive in 2005, where details of savings accounts held in other countries were automatically sent to the tax offices. In January 2016 this level of information was extended to all income from any source.

You need to be aware that the system in Spain is completely different to that of the UK. I’m not going to go into all the differences or explain how it is calculated in this article because it is very complicated, but the most significant differences are:

Fiscal Residency - this is a matter of fact and not a matter of choice. Spain will class you as being a Fiscal Resident, and therefore due to pay your taxes in Spain if: • You spend more than 183 days a year in Spain • Your dependent spouse and children live here • Your centre of economic interest is in Spain The taxes that are due to be paid in Spain: • Income tax on worldwide income • Savings and Dividend taxes • Capital Gains Tax And as a fiscal resident you are also now need to declare all assets held outside of Spain. Declaration of Overseas Assets - Modelo 720 Since 2014, you have been obligated to declare assets held in other countries if you have more than €50,000 in either:

Inheritance Tax

• There are no free transfers between spouses • The beneficiary must pay the tax before they can inherit the asset • There are different rates applied depending on your relationship to the deceased, i.e. Unmarried couples pay twice as much as those who are married or who have registered as “Pareja de Hecho” Step children will pay twice as much as natural children There are allowances, again depending on your relationship to the deceased but these are nowhere near the level of the UK, so most people will have a tax liability to pay. Can we help? Of course we can. When we meet a client for the first time we have a relaxed conversation to establish their current situation, discuss their future plans and finally what they want to happen to their estate when that time comes. We then develop a solution that will meet those needs in the most tax effective way possible.

I’ve only touched on the most common problems people encounter so if you want more information contact me on + 34 952 816 443 or email info@blacktowerfm.com

• Property • Bank Accounts • Investments The deadline for this submission is 31st March and if you have not already done so, please complete it now. The fines for a late submission are a lot less severe than no submission at all and being caught. From January 2016 the asset will be declared to the Spanish authorities anyway. Once you have made the declaration, you do not need to submit again unless your holdings in any of the three asset classes has increased by more than €20,000, or made any disposals. However, do not be caught out by the exchange rate trap. On 31st December 2013, the £:€ rate was 1:1.20 but on 31st December 2014 it

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority and is registered with both the DGS and CNMV. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Licence No: 00805B and registered with the DGS in Spain.

Looking for peace of mind? • Expert wealth management • Effective tax planning • Tailored investments • International Pension Transfers • Private Banking • Discretionary Fund Management Contact the Marbella or Gibraltar Office: O T +34 952 816 443 | +350 200 42353 E info@blacktowerfm.com Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited is licensed by the Gibraltar FSC Licence 00805B and registered with the DGS in Spain. Blacktower Financial Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.

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The Olive Press’

monthly youth and education section

OP treme Eggstatic! School holds Easter fun day to raise funds for charity

YOU know spring has arrived when you see a display of decorated eggs as fantastic as the one at Governor’s Meadow First School and

Nursery. The spring ‘Eggstravaganza’ saw over 200 pupils create the eggcellent display, the backdrop

Br-education exit? BREXIT could make it difficult for British students to come and study in Spain and abroad, education experts have revealed. British undergraduates could have problems benefiting from Erasmus, which has facilitated 200,000 students of EU member states to study abroad since

its creation in 1987. According to Helen Drake, Europe expert and chair of the UACES (University Association of Contemporary European Studies), ‘British universities could experience an unprecedented fall in overseas student recruitment, with many incoming Eras-

Work them hard

STUDENTS in Spain spend more time doing their homework than all but four countries in the world, according to a World Health Organisation survey. Teachers in Spain are setting more than six hours of homework per week for their students. Homework in Russia takes 10 hours per week on average, Italians receive more than eight hours.

mus students not turning up and outgoing students having their places withdrawn´. Universities UK, the ‘definitive voice for universities in the UK’ revealed there is ‘great uncertainty and an exit would obviously lead to lengthy negotiations’. The body has also commented on the ‘overwhelmingly positive’ impact of the EU on higher education, 15% of university staff coming from EU nations. “We’re stronger IN because being in the EU makes it easier for universities to attract some of the world’s most talented people to come to the UK and contribute to the UK’s cultural and academic life,” said Lucy Shackleton

for an afternoon full of creative arts and delicious treats. Parents and carers got their aprons on and baked cakes for the hugely successful cake sale. The event raised £300 for the new Calpe House building in London, a facility for Gibraltarians in needing to travel to the UK for hospital treatment. The school is planning fun events throughout the year to raise money for other worthy causes.

Into the frying pan A GROUP of British teenagers have been flown out to Andalucia in a free trip of a lifetime. Nine students from Bath College will spend six weeks in Sevilla working as tour guides and learning Spanish with all-expensespaid by Erasmus plus. The lucky globetrotters, aged around 18, went through a tough selection process and will be in the Andalucian capital until mid-April.

BENEFICIAL: Erasmus policy manager for the EU membership campaign. But Erasmus+, the umbrella body which manages funding and training, refused to speculate and said ‘our focus is to continuing managing the programme as usual in the UK.’ Tension between the Erasmus system and Switzerland was seen when the country did not join the EU in 1992 and students were barred from Erasmus until individual funding projects were set up.

LUCKY: British students

ARTY: Eggs

Parenting ABC

Teacher’s tips

with Stephen Coventry

Former Gibraltar headteacher Stephen Coventry discusses the fundamentals of parenting

THINK it is fair to say that every parent wants to be the best parent they can possibly be. The trouble is, it's not that easy. There are no formal qualifications required or training provided to new mums or dads. Few parents have the time to read lots of books on the subject of parenting and rely on friends and family for help and advice. Some people simply use the ‘role model’ provided by their parents to bring up their own child/children. Sadly that is not always the best approach. For example my parents thought children should be ‘seen and not heard’. They thought all learning happened in school and their job was to feed me and keep me safe. How things have changed. Today children are growing up in a complex, fast changing world. The internet is still in its infancy and the rate of technological change is staggering. Most of the jobs children in nursery school today will do when they become adults have not been invented yet. Change is the new norm! However some things remain the same. Over the next few weeks I shall be talking about the BASICS. That is, belonging, aspirations, safety, identity, challenge and success. In my view the most precious thing you can give your child is your time. And it all begins with the basics! Everyone needs to belong. Children need to feel valued and loved, both at home and at school. This requires parents to make time to be with

your child and listen to them. But there is more to this than just showing you care. You should establish family routines, e.g eating meals together, reading with your child and bedtime routines. Find time to discuss events of the day. Your child will know how you expect them to behave. This will help them to feel a sense of security and belonging. Children with a strong sense of belonging are more likely to make friends with those children who also have clear guidance from their families. They will be more trusting in making friendships and less likely to be shy. Children at any age need to know they can talk to their parents and their parents will listen to them. Absolutely vital for those of you with teenage children. Tips for developing a sense of belonging · Show your child what you want them to do, rather than criticising them · Show your child unconditional love · Remind your child that they are loved for who they are and not what they do · Be positive and praise them when deserved Being a good parent is not easy. However it is, arguably, the most important job in the world and the most rewarding. Good luck! Contact Stephen Coventry on excel.tutor@hotmail.com

FOOD, DRINK

www.theolivepress.es

& TRAVEL

with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

Rock ‘n’ sushi roll SUSHI lovers in Gibraltar are rejoicing. A new takeaway bar, SushiTake, has been installed at Eroski supermarket, by the airport, and trained chefs are now serving up Japan’s finest every day . . . using 100% Norwegian salmon. Open during supermarket opening hours.

Damning reviews:

On John Torode: Then, when the rice is done, he shakes it up passionately one more time, because he knows that a good paella needs to be mushy and that the rice grains should be crushed so that it is an unappetizing eyesore.

On Gordon Ramsay: In best Kitchen Nightmares style, Ramsay strikes his perfect “I-know-whatI’m-doing” pose. Then he launches into making a “paella” with (what else?) chorizo, chicken, shrimp, squid and clams. He then jazzes it up with a generous squirt of sherry, as well as a few chili peppers – because it’s never too late to confuse Spain with Mexico.

Cut to pieces! Top celebrity chefs blasted for butchering classic Spanish dishes A SPANISH food critic has pulled no punches in a brutal assessment of some of the world’s top chefs. In a hilariously damning review, Ana Vega has slammed Brits Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Marco Pierre White as well as having a dig at many internationally-acclaimed chefs. Dismissing Ramsay’s 14 Michelin-starred past, SLAMMED: Pierre White Vega labels his take on Paella as ‘something that does not even deserve to fall into the category of rice with stuff in it’. The host of Kitchen Nightmares is then lambasted for confusing Mexican ingredients and Spanish cuisine. Next up, pukka-chef Oliver receives a pasting from the SPAIN’S orange industry is El Pais critic for his ‘Spanglish paella’ and his ‘sad feeling the squeeze. Spain’s biggest fruit and veg hue’-coloured gazpacho. group has warned that the Meanwhile, Pierre White country’s orange trade faces is damned for labelling ‘permanent and irrepara- the ‘best paella in Spain is from the north’. ble’ damage. Anecoop highlighted pro- And Australian celebriducers plight in its annual ty-chef John Torode is report, with prices down 2% mocked for ‘cooking to the on the previous year - repre- sound of Spanish guitar senting five years of decline chords, while attempting to find his inner-Spaniard’. within the citrus industry. To combat the price fears, Making up Vega’s hit list the group has set up a com- are David Chang for his mittee to ‘prevent abusive noddle-based Fideuá and Sanjeev Kapoor for his practices’. psychedelic tortilla.

Tangoed!

Revolution chip butty On Jamie Oliver: Jamie Oliver has made Spanglish food something of a personal trademark. He enthusiastically adds chorizo to pretty much everything, and his odd “Made in Spain” combinations make for a good laugh for any Spaniard watching his program.

CELEBRITY chef Omar Allibhoy has fallen in love with a British classic on his quest to bring a taste Spain to the UK. Founder of the Tapas Revolution group Omar Allibhoy has admitted ‘falling in love’ with chip butties since he opened his first restaurant in London in 2011. The former elBulli chef also owned up to partaking in fish and chip Fridays and being partial to a Sunday roast dinner.

IN LOVE: Allibhoy

His latest Tapas Revolution bar opened in Sheffield this month.

FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

March 30th -April 12th 2016

The great It’s time to soak up the spring vibes on a dining terrace near you, writes Dining Secrets of Andalucia editor Jon Clarke

AL FRESCO LIFE: WIne and olives at Al Lago

PRING is finally here and dining tables are emigrating outdoors to take advantage of the balmy March weather. Restaurateurs who have battled their way through the winter - or closed up - are finally back with smiles on their

faces. Easter marks the start of the tourist season officially. It is when tens of thousands of tourists swap rainy northern Europe for sunny Andalucia, T-shirts and shorts at the ready. Be it the British, the Germans, or the Scandinavians, they are all yearning for some springtime sun, reminiscent of August back home… and, above all, the perfect outdoor table. As tables in town squares get harder to come by and the beach chiringuitos finally start to open again, it is clear that the al fresco dining season is underway. With a tapa in one hand and a chilled drink in the other, you may well ask yourself if there is any place in the world you’d rather be right now. “Lets face it where else in Europe can you be sitting outdoors in glorious sunshine at this time of year?” asks restaurateur Mona Crites, of charming outdoor dining spot Al Lago, in Zahara de la Sierra, near Ronda. “The spring flowers and blossom is out, the views, the colours, it feels like you are alive again after a long, hard winter.” Dining outside is certainly one of life’s simple pleasures in this part of the world. It helps to titillate the taste buds and loosens the tongue. And in Spain, eating in the aire libre promises some of the best people-watching in all of Europe. With extended Spanish families all gathered around the communal table - grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and their immaculately turned-out little ones - you really do see life on a plate! Whether you head inland to the Guadalhorce Valley or the Serrania de Ronda’s numerous rural restaurants - including Molino del Santo or el Muelle de Arriate - there are so many fabulous dining terrace options.

Come and enjoy historic Cape Trafalgar with us

Fresh, vibrant, healthy home cooking from the mediterranean Corredera 55, Vejer de la Frontera, Cádiz Reservations: 956 451 848 CalifaVejer.com

Moroccan and middle eastern fine dining

Avda. Trafalgar 102, Los Caños de Meca, Costa de la Luz tel: 956 437 255 CalifaVejer.com

Plaza de España 16, Vejer de la Frontera, Cádiz Reservations: 956 451 706 CalifaVejer.com

FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

outdoors! In the Axarquia look no further than Frigiliana’s amazing El Jardin restaurant, or Las Orquideas, near Lake Vinuela. Then you might prefer to wriggle your toes in the sand at a relaxed beach café on the Costa de la Luz, or on the Costa del Sol, where stand out spots include The Beach House in Elviria. And don’t forget the cities such as Sevilla and Cordoba, or Malaga, which has been dubbed

‘the new Barcelona’ (you read it first in the Olive Press). Even if you’re dining ‘in’ (meaning at home), shift the dining table onto your patio or balcony and light those candles in celebration of the new season. Just don’t blame us when your green-with-envy Instagram friends decide to book a table chez vous and descend for the whole of the summer! Here Dining Secrets of Andalucia, the region’s top website for restaurants, picks out a favourite place to visit for outdoor dining in Vejer and a top pick for an outdoor table, near Ronda. Through the month of April we will be doing a special focus on outdoor dining each issue, picking out its highlights and some top tips. Visit www.diningsecretsofandalucia.com for more information of the best places to eat in Andalucia. If you would like to advertise your fantastic outdoor spot, contact jon@theolivepress.es or call 691831399.

SPECIAL FOCUS: VEJER DE LA FRONTERA

Let in the light!

SPRINGTIME PICK

El Muelle, Arriate THE charming converted railway storeroom that is El Muelle is well worth a journey to Arriate alone, as many people do all the way from Estepona and Marbella for a night out. Run by a talented Dutchman Frank Rottgering, it has truly come of age since opening in 2012, offering a superb mix of local and international dishes. All home cooked by a team led by the gifted Isa from nearby Alcala del Valle, there are not many places in Andalucia where you eat blinis with foie and a gazpacho made out of cherries. And best of all on warm days and evenings you sit out with incredible views towards the soaring distant Grazalema mountains… and if you’re lucky the odd local train might steam past.

All you need is

F there is one place to guarantee fine dining it is the Costa de la Luz, meaning Coast of Light, just a short drive to the West. An abundance of organic homegrown produce added to the coast’s fabulous tuna and retinto beef, has created the perfect storm for foodies. Add in a bunch of dynamic international restaurant owners who’ve added their own dash of creativity and hey presto! Its culinary epicentre is most definitely Vejer de la Frontera, which has developed - like a slow cooked cocido - into a true hive of dining delights. One of the best established restaurants is award-winning El Jardin del Califa, reached through the labyrinthine corridors of the 16th century Califa hotel. Its exquisite palm courtyard is enclosed by ancient walls and is lit with Moroccan lamps after dark radiating a 1001 Nights buzz. If you aren’t hypnotised by the scent of frangipani, jasmine and incense, wait until you try the menu, a heavenly harem of authentic flavours from north Africa and the Middle East: delights such as babaganoush, shish taouk, pastela filled with chicken, almonds and cinnamon and tempting tagines. Another equally fabulous spot

‘Bringing music to your ears, and Gibraltar to your screen’

DINING IN STYLE: In the sunshine at Corredera 55 is Corredera 55, which has a fantastic outdoor dining terrace overlooking a landscape of rolling hills, Quixotic windmills and spectacular sunsets. The menu is a fusion of world flavours with bouillabaisse soup or the carrillada (pigs cheeks) braised for five hours in vino de Jerez and served with cinnamon-scented cauliflower puree.

SOMEWHERE TO STAY: A wonderful spot to stay, right on the coast in nearby Canos de Meca, 10 minutes from Vejer, is Madreselva. Sitting on a fantastic beach with its own pool and atmospheric courtyard, this small boutique hotel takes some beating. Comfortable rooms each with their own quiet

back patios, are complimented with a cool reception where you take your breakfast. Best of all, you are just a short walk to two of Andalucia’s most emblematic beaches and the famous Trafalgar Lighthouse. Visit www.califavejer.com for more information.

March on GBC TV includes: ‘FOOTBALL LIVE – Gibraltar v Liechtenstein’ ‘FOOTBALL LIVE – Gibraltar v Latvia’ ‘Underground Gibraltar’ ‘Viewpoint’ ‘The Hub’ ‘Just Another Day’ GBC TELEVISION

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Columnists

Kiwi Capers

March 30th -April 12th 2016

The land way down under is another world

HATEVER I expected on my trip to New Zealand, it wasn’t a human Kiwi (my partner Dave) getting lost in the kiwi house at Auckland Zoo. It was pitch dark, which the nocturnal kiwi likes, but as we revolved through the glass doors I went to the left and, due to a reactolight specs malfunction, Dave spun off to the right. He was still going round in circles 10 minutes later. The funny part was (although Dave didn’t see it that way) at first he thought he was looking at a keeper tending kiwis in their enclosure, and watched for a while. It was only when he noticed that the keeper’s looks and movements bore an uncanny resemblance to his own that

the light dawned. He had been staring at his own reflection! Well, he is from the South Island. Eventually, through the Stygian gloom, we did spot something rustling in the undergrowth that might have been a kiwi. But the Tasmanian Devils next door were far better value with their pink pointy ears and Dracula fangs. More elusive than kiwis or sunshine during our early summer visit to Aotearoa - Land of the Long White Cloud in Maori was anywhere to indulge in my one Spanish vice: morning coffee and brandy. Ask for alcohol in any café and they look at you as if you’d just ordered crystal meth. We were based in Waiuku which boasts New Zealand’s oldest pub. With its clapboard front and hitching rail, it looked like Ian McShane’s place in Deadwood and I’d love to have burst through the saloon doors like Calamity Jane but it didn’t open until high HOBBIT-LAND: Just a front noon.

FLYING HIGH: But will Belinda emigrate? Nor do supermarkets in New which) literally ‘lighting up’ in a dress made of fairy light bulbs. Zealand sell spirits. You have to go to a liquor store There’s lots to love about New and even I didn’t have the bot- Zealand, although there’s a tle to ask where I’d find one of reason it’s so green… And those at nine o'clock on a Mon- neither Frodo nor Bilbo Baggins were at home on our visit day morning. Cigarettes are kept under lock to Middle-earth. You can’t go and key in a cabinet and sold beyond the door of the Hobbit furtively, as if Prohibition was holes, they’re just a ‘front’. in force – at prohibitive prices. But where in the world could One packet costs the same as you take off in a Cessna without filing a flight plan, land in five in Gibraltar. Smokers will soon join kiwis on a farmer’s field free of charge the endangered list as lighting and grab lunch and a few Moa up anywhere within Auckland beers at a green lipped mussel city limits is to be outlawed farm in the middle of nowhere? - even on infamous Karanga- Only in New Zealand where, hape Road, where everything outside the main towns, there’s just one human to one square else is permitted. ‘K' Road’, as the locals call it, is km or large herd of sheep. the red light and LGBT district But will I be emigrating? As I sit where a rainbow crowd strut in my patio enjoying the winter and a morning coffee and their flamboyant stuff. And I mean flamboyant. We brandy - I think you know the saw one LGBT-er (not sure answer to that one.

All man Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Neo-Neanderthal

HE past two decades have seen the rise and fall of the metrosexual. Journalist Mark Simpson first coined the term back in 1994 and identified male model, perennial paparazzi prey, sarong lover and occasional England footballer David Beckham, as the typical metrosexual. “So what modern-day woman doesn’t appreciate a man who works out, can prepare rack of lamb, doesn’t mind shopping with you on a Saturday afternoon while the match is on, exhibits fashion sense and trims his nose hairs? I want a metrosexual! “ I hear you shriek. But you’d be behind the times. The world has moved on from the metrosexual’s heady heyday of the mid nineties and I’d like to be the first to introduce you to the backlash. Ladies, meet the neo-Neanderthal. Forget your morning exfoliating, cleansing and moisturising regime. My grandfather used an old-fashioned cut throat razor. He certainly didn’t need a four-bladed bit of technological tosh in luminous green with an inbuilt MP3 player and Sat Nav system. After his expert shave, he would slap on an oldfashioned aftershave that probably defies the modern moratorium on chemical weapons. When his eyes had stopped streaming, he would apply Brylcream to his hair and this certainly made him attractive to the ladies. I’m second generation living proof. As for other aspects of male grooming, stay well clear of waxing. Only Premiership footballers and cyclists have themselves waxed (and the cyclists are too out-of-it on performance-enhancing drugs to feel anything anyway). Neo-Neanderthal takes the less is more approach to fashion. He needs one suit (for weddings, funerals, interviews and court appearances) three pairs of shoes (black, brown and trainers for the weekend) five shirts (for the working week,

white or blue) and his weekend outfit. During my long and distinguished journalistic career I have had the opportunity to attend dozens of launches, openings, exhibitions and conferences and normally grade them on the type of freebie handed out. More than anything else, however, clothing is always warmly welcomed, and I’ve collected baseball caps, T-shirts and rugby shirts by the sack-load, causing someone to ask me if I was sponsored by a pub chain. Food and drink play an important part in both the metrosexual and the neo-Neanderthal’s life. But while the metrosexual is more concerned with creating the perfect cocktail and slicing his own sushi in the comfort of his designer apartment, the Neo-Neanderthal views food and drink as a social activity with others, preferably during a sporting event. As every good host will tell you, the most important aspect to hosting a dinner party is the guests, and the Neo-Neanderthal does this by getting the boys around for a few beers and takeaway pizza while watching the match. Due to this, the most important items of furniture in the living room - apart from a really, really BIG television, are a sofa that can seat four and a coffee table that can bear the weight of four pairs of trainers, 20 or so beers and a selection of Italian/Indian takeaway containers. There is only one style of music for the NeoNeanderthal - LOUD. It’s not all macho music stuff, however, and the Neo-Neanderthal is quite content to watch any DVD featuring Beyonce, Rihanna and Shakira. So ladies, look out for your nearest neo-Neanderthal. And don’t be afraid that he won’t appreciate you. Because, as James Brown (no relation, by the way) once sang: “This is a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing Without a woman or a girl.”

la sala TM

a tr a n i S g

FRANK

TRIBUTE

An uncanny resemblance to ‘Old blue eyes’ Martin

captures the King of Cool with incredible accuracy.

covegre char

Saturday 2nd April

Classic songs from the Sinatra years plus many more from Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jnr.

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Legends of

Rock ‘n’ Roll by Captain Wallace

Saturday 9th April Join us this Saturday night for a tribute to Rock ‘n’ Roll by Captain Wallace, who will be performing all the classics from the 50’s!

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