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The Wild West of the Costas - find out more about off the beaten track Manilva
Vol. 15 Issue 390
JUST BUZZING March 2022
LOW RISE: The light
UNLIKE any other del Sol, Puerto de port on the Costa with life. out to sea. From la Duquesa faces For most of its history Manilva edges you can each of the three been dependent has gaze out into the Mediterranean. culture, especiallyon fishing and agriits vineyards and Duquesa is, without a doubt, the thriv- celebrated sweet wines. ing coastal jewel But over the last couple of decades benefiting from in the Manilva crown, little township tourism and buzzing has welcomed an this of tourists and development, influx while still
Thinking of Buying or Selling a Used Car?
Plug pulled
THE government of Gibraltar will cease funding the Miss Gibraltar beauty pageant, inisting it is ‘no longer appropriate’ for the state to organise such events. The Ministry of Culture said that the decision does not mean it is banning the competition outright, and has invited anyone interested in organising the event privately to get in touch. Funding of the contest costs the taxpayer £105,000 annually. The first Miss Gibraltar pageant was held in 1959, with each year’s winner going on to represent the rock at Miss World. Janice Sampere is the reigning Miss Gibraltar, competing in Miss World in Puerto Rico in 2021.
Policy
The government says despite this policy change, it will continue to provide funding for the Miss World licence, meaning the next winner of the competition will still be able to compete in the global event. “In the knowledge that the Miss Gibraltar show remains a popular event with some, the Government will continue to fund the cost of the licence for Gibraltar for the organisation of a contest by any interested third party, but will not be organising or funding the event for itself. “The Government has no doubt that there will be plenty of interest from potential organisers and sponsors to add their name to the Miss Gibraltar pageant,” a statement from Number 6 Convent Place said. Parties interested in taking over organising the event should contact City Hall by April 29.
Vol. 6 Issue 169
costa are justly famous
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www.theolivepress.es
The Rock’s ONLY free local paper
March 23rd - April 5th 2022
IVE S U L EXC
FLEECED! DETERMINED: Brave expats get supplies to Ukraine in spite of Spanish border force
A GROUP of big-hearted Brits were left stunned when Spanish customs refused to let a van packed with aid for Ukraine cross from Gibraltar into Spain. Kirsty and Damian Platt, owners of Heaven Bar in nearby Duquesa, jumped into action as soon as they saw the horrific scenes of the Russian shelling of Ukraine. After organising two vans to travel from the Costa del Sol and Gibraltar to take supplies to refugees they went about picking up dozens of donations. However when the Leeds couple went to pick up 1,500 fleeces from inside the Rock, they were stopped by See page 11 & 14 customs on the way back into Spain.
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and colours of Manilva
maintaining a peaceful air. Manilva officially percentage of Brits has the highest Spain and just as on the padron in 4,000 of them in well, as there are the 12,000-strong municipality.
GIBRALTAR
The FREE
www.theolivepress.es
Once best known itself as one of the for its sweet wine, today Manilva fastest growing tourist is establishing towns on the Costa del Sol
See our special supplement inside
OLIVE PRESS
Manilva, Sabinill as and Duquesa
EXCLUSIVE By George Mathias & By Giles Brown
The generously-donated hoard had been offered by a big Gib construction business, Interserve, that no longer needed them. Despite pleading with Spanish customs, they were told they could only do so if they unpacked each individual fleece, gave it a price, and paid 25% tax on it. After hours of trying to get permission, they even got the Gibraltar border force to try and convince their Spanish counterparts. “But they would simply not budge,” Damian told the Olive Press. “We told the guards we hoped they would never find themselves in a war-torn country in need of supplies, but they didn’t care. “We ended up having to take the
Disgrace as Spanish border police stop refugee shipment of 1,500 fleeces and demand 25% tax fleeces back.” Despite the setback, the couple redoubled their efforts within Spain and ended up taking two totally full vans to the Poland/Ukraine border.
Harrowing
At one point, Damian said they almost crossed into Ukraine by mistake. They happened to pass a Polish police officer, who asked them: “Are you sure you want to cross the border!?” Former soldier Damian says the scenes they saw were harrowing,
however one image sticks with him. “A group of English lads drove a single decker bus all the way from England with medical supplies,” he said. It took them three days from England with a top speed of 50mph. The couple remain livid over the actions of the Spanish border force, but insist their trip to Ukraine has given them perspective. “We were angry about not being able to transport goods, but Ukranians are angry about their loved ones being killed. That’s a bit more serious.”