Mallorca Olive Press - Issue 113

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MALLORCA

Vol. 5 Issue 113

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August 27th - September 9th 2021

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Vol. 3 Issue 54 www.theolivepress.es May 10th - May 23rd 2019

IT’S OFFICIAL:

consolidates its reign

as the number one English inroperty Spain…. see page 7. For We reveal the site P news more exclusive content property portfolios visit www.theolivepress.es of Spain’s leaders A tour of Spain’s

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Issue 29

The places they

May 2019

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in Spain...

...Plus our pick the best castles of for sale in Spain this year

See page XVIII

PROPERTY MAGAZINE INSIDE

Winter isn΄t coming

ONE of the Costa lieves the stalling del Sol’s leading agents be- and of Brexit has brought with cellent window to buy. an ex- so many the pound staying low at around 1.10, people failed to make The six-month delay a decision to buy.

“But added to Parliament of the UK leaving Europe, rulednow that a hard Brexit has been practically Brexit, has left a effectively ruling out a hard hood out and the markets are seeing the buyers, believes Benhealthy situation for British has of staying in the customs union the likelistrengthened a lot. pound Bateman, of Holmes erty Sales in Sotogrande.

Prop- “With it being steady at around Not only is the pound 1.16 for a few weeks level against the euro approaching its strongest your now it means you can get a lot more for growing anxious to since 2016, but sellers are ralysispound and also take advantage of the paerties on the market sell, having often had prop- want.” and maybe get a better deal on what you result of the Brexit for longer than expected as a He believes there are “While the pound uncertainty and delay. waiting to buy… and many buyers hovering and has strengthened prices en’t really increased,” as an analogy he cites explains the boss hav- weather and swimming. the togrande’s longest-established of So- “They’re already in their shorts agency.

“Many buyers who and ready swim. ket towards the endput their homes on the mar- will They’re dipping their toe in the pool,for a but to sell as quickly of 2017 have not been able so? they jump in right away or wait an It’s as we had forecast hour or now been on the market and have “All I just a matter of time. would for 4 to 6 months ger than they had lon- best time to say is don’t miss this window, the hoped for, due to a buy is now.” in the market. paralysis Other agents have reported “With months of similar findings, such uncertainty regarding Brexit

Agents report good start to 2019 as confidence from Brits returns

Dream Killas REuse REduce REcycle Continues on Page

III

We use recycled paper

A

2017. decree was Last month, a royal in Spain passed giving Brits living to apply for until December 31 2020 granting a Foreigner Identity Card, TM after country them legal status in the Brexit.

ll about

Santa Catalina

Vol. 3 Issue 53

hippest barrio? a week The Olive Press spends in fashionable Santa Catalina

TALENT: Masterchef Arber at Tema

www.theolivepress.es

PALMA DE MALLORCA SANTACATALINA-MALLORCA

April 26th - May 9th 2019

THE BIG CAT

HIVE: A market trader with his wares and an se class in a Santa Catalina square

impromptu exerci-

One of Spain’s most cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, and Santa Catalina is a true melting pot for foodies people watchers, writes Jon Clarke and Gillian Keller

DESCRIBED by locals as ‘the village in the city’ Santa Catalina has the same charming feel of Montmartre in Paris or Hampstead in London.

At the same time Palma’s trendiest neighbourhood has the sort of hip locals you would more normally expect to find in Ibiza or New York’s Greenwich Village.

With the city’s best food market, some of its most exciting restaurants and, bit by bit, some of the coolest shops, it is little surprise that this achingly cool barrio has become - by the square metre - one of the most expensive places to buy in Spain.

The area may be small - only seven streets wide, stretching from Feixina park to busy Calle Joan Crepsí - but it has literally explod-

ed over the last few years.

There has been a huge influx of expat buyers, in particular Scandinavian over recent years, and Santa Catalina today is vastly different to the area that Palma residents remember a decade ago.

“It’s amazing how much it has changed in such a short time,” explains estate agent Miguel Llinas, from First Mallorca.

“We have seen houses selling there for up to two million euros and it is not just the international market that loves Santa Catalina.

We are increasingly getting local Mallorquins also looking to buy,” he explains.

This is perhaps no surprise, as the suburb increasingly becomes THE place to eat in Palma and more and more hip and trendy

FELAFEL KING: Ronan at Simply Delicious

Investment Opportunity

Continues on Page 12

Bar-Coupe.es

TU PA RN GE TO 11

Is this Mallorca’s

Brexit

they ‘want to “Some of them just say escape the UK’.” were 10,315 By the end of 2018 there in MalBritish nationals registered in 2017. lorca, compared to 10,196 mostly The drop of expat numbers due to the happened since 2013 which was deep six-year recession, the worst in Spain’s history. in reverse in This now looks to be Brexit.

Spain as a whole, despitepeople who “I know many British to Spain,” are continuing to move in Malaga said British councillor Dean Tyler Shelton.

Brexit has “At the same time I think more Brits been a factor in pushing Most have no to register in Spain. he added. intention of going back,” registered There are 330,911 Brits has the as living in Spain. Alicante reg69,289 highest number with 66,397 in istered in 2018, up from

E IV US CL EX

British resiHUNDREDS of new to live in dents have registered Spain.

UK naThe number of registered despite the tionals has zoomed up spectre of Brexit.

119 more In Mallorca there wereend of last Brits registered at the year compared to 2017. expected to And the numbers are the last quarhave risen further over ter, believe experts. are worried, “I think many peopleregistrations,” so that has increased of naAnne Hernandez, president Brexpats in tional support group Spain told the Olive Press. are currently “And a lot of Brits they don’t moving to Spain, because move any want to leave their dream longer.

tel: 971 09 38 00 tel: 699 704 502

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“I spent two years saving up for this trip, and we just can’t afford to pay for a new villa. The kids are devastated.”

We helped the family make a police denuncia, as Deleslie will lose ‘more than €12,000’ as flights for 18 members of her extended family were already booked.

She showed the Olive Press emails asking Dream Villas Spain for a full refund, after which ‘general manager’ Rosella Alba Gutierrez has shut off contact.

Spain’s Companies House reveals that Dream Villas Spain, which is registered as Digital Dream SL, was incorporated in 2014 for ‘data processing and web hosting’.

Based in Carrer de la Fe, in Palma, Mallorca, it filed tax returns from 2014 to 2017.

There is no available phone number (the one on the website has been disconnected) and the name Rosella Alba Gutierrez appears nowhere in

Untitled-1.pdf 16/06/2017 Spanish teenager who zoomed into1Lewis Hamilton’s racing line, see page 3

15:36

LIVERPOOL and Tottenham fans have been advised to fly via Palma to Madrid after flights shot up to more than €1500 this week after the British teams’ decisive victories.

The English clubs booked their spots in the Champions League final on June 1 after pulling off two of the best comebacks in history by beating Barcelona and Ajax, 4-0 and 3-2 respectively.

Alternative routes have quickly been revealed for those travelling to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, including flying from Manchester to Brussels, to Palma, and then Madrid, and returning to Manchester via Berlin, working out at just €175.

syndrome’ have children contaminated medication were given on the Costa del Sol. Infants developed hypertrichosis - excessive body hair growth omeprazole which had - after taking been contaminated by minoxidil – the active ingredient for alopecia medication.

Some 13 babiesIs had this Mallorca’s initially been diagbarrio? nosed with thehippest condition more cases linked to the before three tainted drugs CATCH THESE were discovered earlier this month.

CONMEN Officials believe the could have affected up contamination to 30 Andalucian Tel: 952 147 834pharmacies 902 123 282 and more than 50 batches of the drug.

G YEARS R AZIN EP O AM

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Vol. 3 Issue 53

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(Free or paid for) April 26th - May 9th 2019

HUNDREDS of new British residents have registered to live in Spain.

The number of registered UK nationals has zoomed up despite the spectre of Brexit.

In Mallorca there were 119 more Brits registered year compared toat the end of last And the numbers2017. have risen further are expected to ter, believe experts.over the last quar“I think many people so that has increased are worried, registrations,” Anne Hernandez, president of tional support group Brexpats naSpain told the Olive in Press.

“And a lot of moving to Spain,Brits are currently want to leave theirbecause they don’t dream move any longer.

A

ll about

Vol. 3 Issue 53

Birthday special page 8

Santa Catalina www.theolivepress.es

April 26th - May

Brexit

“Some of them just say they ‘want to escape the UK’.”

By the end of 2018 British nationals there were 10,315 lorca, compared registered in Mal-

TALENT: Masterchef

Arber at Tema

THE BIG CAT

9th 2019

PALMA DE MALLORCA SANTACATALINA -MALLORCA

HIVE: A market trader with his se class in a Santa Catalina wares and an impromptu exercisquare

One of Spain’s Santa Catalinamost cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, people watchers,is a true melting pot for foodies and writes Jon Clarke and Gillian Keller

DESCRIBED by locals as city’ Santa Catalina ‘the village in the ed over feel of Montmartre has the same charming the last in Paris or Hampstead There has been few years.

London. a huge influx in in particular At the same Scandinavian of expat buyers, and Santa Catalina bourhood has time Palma’s trendiest over recent years, today is vastly more normallythe sort of hip locals you neigh- to the area that different would Palma residents expect to find York’s Greenwich in Ibiza or New a decade ago. remember “It’s amazing With the city’s Village. how much it such a its most excitingbest food market, some has changed in restaurants of Miguel short time,” explains estate some of the agent coolest shops, and, bit by bit, “We Llinas, from First Mallorca. that this achingly have seen houses it is little surprise selling there two million euros the square metre cool barrio has become for up to and - by national - one of the most places to buy market that it is not just the interexpensive We loves Santa The area mayin Spain. are increasingly Catalina. getting local also looking wide, stretchingbe small - only seven Mallorquins to Calle Joan Crepsí from Feixina park tostreets This is perhapsbuy,” he explains. no surprise, - but it has literally busy increasingly as the suburb becomes explod- Palma and more and THE place to eat in more hip and Ronan at Simply trendy Delicious

to 10,196 in 2017.

The drop of expat happened since numbers mostly The Olive Press spends 2013 due to the TO deep six-year recession, 11 which was in fashionable Santa a week the worst in Spain’s TURN history.

Catalina This now looks PAGE Spain as a whole,to be in reverse in despite Brexit.

“I know many British people who are continuing to move to Spain,” said British councillor in Malaga Dean Tyler Shelton.

“At the same time been a factor in I think Brexit has pushing more Brits to register in Spain.

Most have no intention of going There are 330,911back,” he added. as living in Spain. Brits registered highest number Alicante has the istered in 2018, with 69,289 regup from 66,397 2017. in Last month, a royal decree was passed giving Brits until December 31 living in Spain A BRITISH TV star 2020 to apply for a Foreigner Identity has Card, granting bogus Palma based travelslammed a Kent, revealed them legal status that when his family company that stole ₤5,000 in the country TM after rental.

Brexit. for a non existent arrived this month, the owner, who gave his name as found dozens of Klaus, was comProfessional chocolate pletely scammed out of tourists had been taster Angus about baffled and knew nothing millions of euros the rental or website.

Kennedy from various sites, lost which illegally the money when Kennedy told the Olive Press uploaded villa photos the from legitihis family dis- had chosen the seven-bedroom they Press.press” Angus told the Olive mate sites. villa covered a Ger- in Arta out of 780 different Among those scammed homes “I think many more were British man man living for rent on the site. have been Rugby Union star duped and the scam at the Mallorcan But he only realised they had could be worth who lost €50,000 Dean Schofield, been millions.” on a fake villa in villa they had scammed when an airport Mallorca. pick-up Sadly this seems true, booked through never arrived, and they caught after we ex- This time, the website Untitled-1.pdf a taxi posed a string to the €600-a-night used to book 1Dream 16/06/2017 property to find sites duping of fake holiday web- the trip, dreamvillasspain.com, Villas 15:36 the bewildered See page 32 tourists coming Spain. was German.

Spain two years to remarkably similar to those created ago and again last Kennedy, from “I was determined to get before. to the year. house and immediately Among its claims contacted In a series of is the goal to ‘creinvestigations we Investment

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British families out of thousandsscammed from fake holiday rental sites

TM

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902 123 282

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1

4

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FAKE: Website while (right) previous issue

2/8/18 17:01

MY

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the list of employees.

Another victim told the Olive Press this week she had booked a villa in Marbella as a surprise getaway for TheOlivePress-256x170-B18-year-old IKE-4.indd 1 four friends and five daughters as a post-A Levels present. Sarah Adam, based in London, told us she is convinced she has also

Long road to Madrid

British families scammed out of thousands from sites fake holiday rental

had been found dozens of tourists of euros scammed out of millions illegally that when his family from various sites, which who slammed a Kent, revealed from legitiA BRITISH TV star has company arrived this month, the owner, uploaded villa photos comhis name as Klaus, was bogus Palma based travel mate sites. nothing a non existent gave British that stole ₤5,000 for pletely baffled and knew the Olive Among those scammed were Schofield, the press” Angus told the rental or website. rental.

Rugby Union star Dean taster Angus about Olive Press they Press. on a fake villa in Professional chocolate lost Kennedy told the villa “I think many more have been who lost €50,000 Kennedy chosen the seven-bedroom could be worth Mallorca. the money when had used to book out of 780 different homes duped and the scam This time, the website his family dis- in Arta millions.” ex- the trip, dreamvillasspain.com, was rent on the site. covered a Ger- for he only realised they had been Sadly this seems true, after we created holiday web- remarkably similar to those man man living But posed a string of fake when an airport pick-up a taxi sites duping tourists coming to before. at the Mallorcan scammed arrived, and they caught last Among its claims is the goal to ‘crevilla they had never €600-a-night property to find Spain two years ago and again 4 Continues on Page booked through to the German. year.

15:36 the bewildered Villas 16/06/2017 of investigations we 1Dream get to the Untitled-1.pdf was determined to contacted In a series “I Spain. and immediately See page 32 Kennedy, from house

Howler!

Olive Press helps victims take action following skyrocketing reports of holiday rental scam CASES of ‘werewolf

by Palma-based company grown after 16

ING FOR RT

THE Olive Press is helping victims EXCLUSIVE take legal action against a MalBy Joshua Parfitt lorca holiday rental company that scammed holidaymakers thousands for rental villas across Spain. also lost €6,000 after booking a villa It comes as this paper was contact- on the Costa Blanca for some some ed by three new victims of Dream ‘much needed family time’ after losing Villas Spain, following our report her mother to lung cancer. on celebrity chocolate taster Angus “My nephews and nieces were reKennedy, who lost €6,000 on a bo- ally looking forward to it as they have gus rental on the Costa Blanca. never been abroad,” Deleslie told the One of the three, Petra Deleslie, 42, Olive Press.

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OLIVE PRESS

Hair

been scammed. The company, which Malaga-based pharmaceutical steals from other holiday company pictures Farma-Quimica to conditions.

Sur the SL has rental and pockets de- been foundwebsites tounsuspecting be the sourceholidaymakof the batch. posits The of not batch toisrequests ers, hasaffected responded from lot 11072/10/42 2/8/18 17:01 and Olive most Press for comment.

The has rehave been called while the anywebsite also reported as fraudumissing packets are being lent to atracked web hosting down.provider.

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MALLORCA

Vol. 3 Issue 62 www.theolivepress.es

Opinion Page 6

12th 2019

The British expats who Brexit and proud SEE are proPAGE 7

2

CRIME

www.theolivepress.es

Dream Killas

OLIVE PRESS MALLOR CA

Vol. 4 Issue 82

Introducing News Editor Laurence Dollimore and Reporter Joshua Parfitt

THE Olive Press is helping victims take legal action against a holiday rental company that scammed holidaymakers thousands for rental villas on the Costa Blanca.

It comes as the paper was contacted by new victims of Dream Villas Spain, following last issue’s report on the plight of the Bolton family, who lost €2,000 on a Moraira rental.

Petra Deleslie, 42, has now contacted us after losing €6,000 booking a villa in Moraira later this year for her extended family of 18.

We agreed to help after she told us she was ‘desperate’ for a break after losing her

mother to lung cancer a few years ago.

“My nephews and nieces were really looking forward to it as they have never been abroad,” Deleslie told the Olive Press.

“I spent two years saving up for this trip, and we just can’t afford to pay for new villa.

The kids are devastated.”

We helped the family make a police denuncia, after Deleslie said she will lose ‘more than €12,000’ as flights were already booked and her bank were unable to claim their money back.

She showed the Olive Press emails asking Dream Villas Spain for a refund, after

SEL-FISH

Contact them with any stories or news on 951 273 575 or email newsdesk@theolivepress.es (Personal contacts on page 6)

JAVEA Town Hall has begun legal proceedings against the owner of a property who cut off public access to a heritage fishing ground in Balcon al Mar. The unknown owner, who has a luxurious four-storey villa overlooking Cala Ambolo, built a ‘stone staircase’ with ‘metal railings’ that cut access to the Llavadora del Pinet fishery.

Councillor Isabel Bolufer said

the Town Hall began proceedings after learning that the owner had intentionally reformed the stairs, closing access to the ancient site from Calle Samuel Adler.

“These works represent a very serious attack on a heritage that corresponds to us all,” said a spokesperson for Jávea Oceanographic Research Institute (IROX).

NEWS

Socialist win

Gong for Candy!

INTRIGUING

: Various witnesses

being seen ‘pacing frantically’ by the railings.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, told the Olive Press he man ‘peering saw the woover the edge’ after squeezing between a fence and a pillar at one steel support end of the bridge.

It was about re police werean hour befosuicide attemptalerted to a over the dry Gorgos riverbed while children played football pitch. on a nearby “She was holding a white paper bag and in the bag and kept looking over the edge,”then leaning the neighbour told the “I wanted to Olive Press. ask her what she was doing, rried she spoke but I wonish and assumedonly Spashe was feeding stray cats.”

Quickly

Just after 7pm

last

another Spanish Tuesday Stadlhofer, the holiday due 40, co-owner for June.

Susan eyewitness revealed told the Olive of Xabia’s Bikes, she Bolton, 61, soon realised “We were this close to leaving she had seen had lost the for our the woman jump “I’m not sure Press. sit when Dream ₤1,300 depo- existed,” holiday that never from the they knew what eastern of two Bolton told the they were doing Villas Spain, based Olive SCAM: Brit family the Avenida de bridges on ked over a bike as they knoc- contact.in Mallorca, shut off all Press. caught by fake “I knew we had He “I was walking Augusta. villa website and didn’t takeworth €12,000 The been conned had told the Olive Press they mother-of-two when it—which is chosen the na when I saw to Mercadotations’. great for us.” from the ding I contacted them regarWest Midlands different homesvilla out of 780 The scam an airport pick her shoes, climbher take off up and got site. for rent on the ks finding the had spent wee- no response. comes almost perfect holiday years since two and no more,” the railing, It me suspicious.” made me beco- They only exclusively the Olive Press told the Olive the woman realised they She added the Press. “It all been scammed had fake holidayexposed a string of happened websites duping not respondingcompany is now port pick-up when an air- tourists so to any calls or Three police quickly.” coming to Spain. emails. and he caughtnever arrived, In a series cars and A BRITISH expat Meanwhile, celebrity property to find a taxi to the we found of investigations ambulance raced to the an scecalled in police ne to the bewildechocola- red German. dozens dogs chained te taster Angus after finding had been scammed of tourists Policeretrieve the body. in an abandoned Roger Ballantine ₤5,000 when Kennedy lost “What was confirmed the house without a group of millions of euros his family disfood. the dogs while contacted the Guardia covered a German case is I was different in our which from the various sites, of death as suicide, cause while a Ballantine had out walking near Orba. Civil after finding at the Mallorcan man living to the house,determined to get photos illegally uploaded villa spokesperson ‘pungent smell’ decided to investigate when Hall said the for the Town booked through villa they had ted the press”and then contac- Among from legitimate sites. lady Dream Villas he noticed a Inside he foundcoming from the ruin.

Spain.

Olive Press. Angus told the British those scammed were sh and had lived was BritiRugby in a block kept on short scenes worthy of a horror Kennedy, from “I think many Dean Schofield, Union star of flats next to the river chains surrounded film more have been excrement. that when the Kent, revealed duped and ‘for who lost many years’. by trash and with dogs €50,000 the family arrived their own “It was despicable,” this month, worth millions.”scam could be llorca. on a fake villa in Ma- Neither police the owner, who or the town clear that farmers Ballantine told the gave his name The website hall would reveal Spain Dream Olive Press. “It as Klaus, was he used to book have chained completely baffled her name, is the these four dogs.” rate as Digital Villas, who ope- suggesting it and knew com, trip, dreamvillasspain.

Dreams SL, de- problematic was proving nothing about claims its clined to comment. the rental or website. te your dream goal is to ‘crea- JWe were next of kin to contact her holiday expeunable rience and exceed anyone at Dream to contact None of thein the UK. your expecresidents in the Villas Spain area as we went to by the bridge press. knew

Animal horror

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IN BENITACHELL

makers out of thousands 952 147 834 has finally shut down following an extensive AT Olive Press campaign this LAST: Scammers Dreamvillasspain. year.

Press campaign (inset com nailed after Olive Dreamvillasspain.com left), while (right) was behind victim Angus and family countless tales of heartbreak as it It soon dawned seduced holidaymakers on Angus he’d lost fielding calls concerning bogus chasing villa rentals that into pur- his €5,500 and urgently needed achs never ex- place to stay a isted. with his wife and five rentals from Tenerife, to Marbella tacticslurch as they read of the scam and Moraira. One of the of young children.

The first case was reported most heart- the Olive dreamvillasspain.com in breaking was from Petra Press.

Olive Press to the Guardia by the “I think many more have Deleslie, April when professional Civil in duped and the scam could be been 42, and the collapse of her €6,000 The way the scam operated was that worth month-long villa prospective renters would chocolate millions,” taster Angus Kennedy Angus told this paper rental on the Costa an receive at Blanca, booked for email from ‘general manager’ 2/8/18 17:01 a villa he had paid for inturned up at the time. this Mallorca.

Rosella Alba Gutierrez The mum-of-two from October.

With mounting He was met with bewildered offering disKent was all counts for Ger- made a collectivecases, this paper set to travel with 18 extended up-front payments on reman owner, Klaus, Untitled-1.pdf denuncia at the members family spective villas.

1 who had no 16/06/2017 15:36Guardia Civil in Moraira for knowledge of ever putting on behalf following the a ‘much-needed break’ But once paid, Gutierrez his house of UK-based up for rental. death of her mother to would shut victims. off all contact, as it turned lung cancer.

Soon after, the Olive out the Press was “My nephews and nieces were re- company’s phone was a fake.

For months nothing was heard ally looking forward - unto it as they have never til a major UK news network got in been abroad,” Deleslie touch saying the website had been shut down. told the Olive Press.

The Olive Press can also reveal “I spent two years sava ing up for this trip, and second site - named and shamed in I just can’t afford to a separate article - is also no longer pay for a new villa. The live.

Travelvacationtour.com kids are devastated.” operated Deleslie added the cu- with exactly the same layout and mulative loss of flights houses as dreamvillasspain.com, would cost her family and scammed Brit Donna Archer out of €5,500 for a Tenerife €12,000 in total. villa Then there was Sarah booked as a post GCSE gift to her Adams, who booked son and his best mate in May. It is not yet clear if legal action has a surprise getaway to Malaga for four been taken against the companies, Find out more on page friends and their joint- as both are listed as ‘active’ on XX five daughters as a Spanish Companies House.

Guardia Civil could not comment post-A Levels present.

Both Deleslie and Ad- before we went to press. ams felt their stomOpinion Contact Isabel

Come and

Visit Us! Calatayud - Head of Admissions and External Relations info@laudeladyelizabeth.com Telephone: 671

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swore to police

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EXCLUSIVE

By Dilip Kuner

8th 2019

Mystery suicide

MYSTERY surrounds the apparent suicide of an elderly British resident on the Costa Blanca.

The 84-year-old expat threw herself in Javea afterfrom a bridge

CATCH THESE CONMEN

Swallow the bait

Wheely fast!

April 25th - May

25th 2020

EXCLUSIVE: Did Maddie kidna pper in his distin her ctive van tobring Valencia restau Closing in, Page rant? this 2

Vox

VOX’S top candidate for Benidorm mayor has been replaced after revelations he received a A BRITISH two-year prison sentence for expat is being handed tigious British domestic violence in February gong by the Queen a presservices to tourists for her 2018.

Candida Wright in Alicante. will receive an THE socialist Davidparty Perez Brigido was banher charitable MBE for two (PSOE) work will hold on ned the election,thedespite largest hospital as an interpreter in dor years ago from the British to from the Valencian government in the Marina to Spain.

AmbassaMay 16. two-year in the upcoming sentences sometimes Alta, on Though regional elections, she is a professional The if58-year-old, waived in Spain according the Candida to a marketbeing known as ‘Candy’, interpreter, volunteered research company. has violence often represents victims of with HELP has no previous Sigma Dos accused sexual in Spanish courts na Altaconrevealed PSOE since it launched of Denia & Mari- as offering for free, as well victions. take between will in 1984.

During that time financial support 29-30 seats, whicharity. le the Popular she has helped through her Perez Brigido was found through to have Party expats cancer, bereavement, (PP) will see its representation cy and ‘repeatedly bureaucra- “One of the hardest things is his ex-wife, court battles. fall abused’ from ne comes to the 31 seats to 22-23. when someothe president after he ‘shoved and As desk saying threw her But with the the help desk at of the charity, she runs died and I don’t know what ‘my husband totalground, to the seats inpulled her hair the Marina Salud lained Candy, Valencia’s Generalitat to do’,” expin Denia. who lives in Ondara hospital her at 99, and punched PSOE will again her in the Spanish husband. face’. with “The SCAM: Dream Villas Spain site conned Brits abroad most exciting to form Her two children, 35 and 25, live coalition to reach Theneed judge alsoa found vitation the card dis- I was thing was the pink in- respectively. in Madrid the absolute majority of 50 posted with the which ‘general manager’ Ro- returns from 2014 to 2017. graced BP (Buckingham While she helpsand Valencia seats. far-right politician had The poll suggests Palace),” Candidawords tal procedures, with hospitheand sella Alba Gutierrez has shut Olive‘defrequently burials and repatriation, the PSOE‘insulted’ Press. told she’s often There is no availablemake phone will a pact meaned’ “I thought it meant called upon to with Valencianist Spain’s Companies House number (the one on the the woman, just be a ‘helping who was hand’ to Compromis British Petroleum web- (17-18 first.” she joked. seats) at “You’re someone in need. and reveals that Dream Villas site has been disconnected) left with post-traumatic left-wing populist and stress sometimes dealing The expat, who Podemos Spain, which is registered as and the name Rosella (6-7 seats). disorder. with people years, received has lived in Spain for 45 who are cancer patients, or need amputaa ‘Points of Light’ tions, The Alba regional elections Digital Dream SL, was incor- Gutierrez appears nowhere award eling and it just gives you a wonderful in fall to think ‘I really porated in 2014 for ‘data pro- the list of employees. on May 26 the same daywill fehelped them today’.” as the European cessing and web hosting’.

MEETING QUEEN: Another victim told the Oli- elections.

Candida Based in Carrer de la Fe, in ve Press this week she See had our election guide Palma, Mallorca, it filed tax booked a villa in Marbella as on page 6 a surprise getaway for four friends and five 18-year-old daughters as a post-A Levels CON artists have scammed a present.

British pensioner out of €300 Sarah Adam, based in Lon- after pretending to help him redon, told us she is convinced cover money left at a cashpoint she has also been scammed.

THE owners of in Javea last Saturday. a bike shop are The company has appealing not res-for witnesses Brian Stokes, 77, was approatheft of €40,000 ponded to email requests a British for ched byof two ‘20-something’ families scammed just one minute! of stock - in comment.

Spanish men outside thousands the Saout of The theft at Meanwhile, DarrenMoraira Coombes Xabia’s badell Bikes in on Cabo de la Nau from saw nine bikes bank fake holiday EXCLUSIVE from Alicante-based Dream stolen he had left Pla claiming at 4am €20 in last Wednesday

By Joshua Parfitt Villa Spain told the Olive mor- A ning. Press the cashpoint.

The thieves then BRITISH family the fraudsters are One who cashing of the in a week’swithdraw bikes, claimed they couldn’t a Trek LR10, holiday on thebooked villa, in Moraira, wasdrawing worth €13,000. on his credibility and before transCosta Blancaand cash themselves wereasked shocked to see ferring the deposit.

“Two thieves their villa advertised users from his legitimate She has now pro- broke Stokes in andtoin re-insert card, as avai- her just a minute confirmed that lable on ahis andwhich perty business website. family have been a half they completely different stole stole. nine bikes,” Martin scammed website. over

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A RISING football star Health authorities are is one of at least 51 cusreportedly preparing heavy sanctions for failures raised tomers believed to have when in the handling of food and ‘structural deficiencies’.

19-year-old been poisoned at A top scorer in his club restaurant in Mallorca. a Japanese Carlos Mora Baunbag was last year and standing at 6ft 2, Real Mallorca B footballer entered the Victor de English Premier League tipped to be signed by Baunbag is among the emergency In November, agents club Liverpool. fallen ill this week after dozens to have room the morning after eating at Drageating at the restaurant. on Sushi on Calle Blanqerna 19-year-old’s qualities from the Reds said the However it wasn’t until ‘could fit well’ in EngThe Cameroonian forward, in Palma. land and made it known Dragon Sushi was closed two days later that that they were trackborn in Madrid, is one of many ing him. tors, who ordered tests by food safety inspecwho have already to be performed. tested positive for Salmonella The rising star will now While the current number - the bacteria of victims stands at found in uncooked meats while he recovers from be firmly off the pitch 51, authorities believe and seafood. sickness. that figure could climb The alarm of the Salmonella much higher. The restaurant outbreak was first until the case is complete. will remain closed

Parents have been advised medical help if their child to seek given the formula and check has been with their pharmacy if they have purchased an affected lot. Hypertrichosis, known as ‘werewolf syndrome’, is tion characterised by a rare condiexcessive hair growth anywhere on a person’s body.

Those with the condition cally been subject to greathave historiin somes cases forced interest and to perform in travelling circuses and freak Spanish TMauthorities have shows. said this incident is isolated to children’s formula and that adults taking omeprazole capsules should not worry oping symptoms. When about develthe children A FRAUDULENT stopped taking the prescription villa rental webtheir site that tricked British hair growth subsided. holiday-

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National court probe launched after €600,000 stolen from tourists after FOUR years of fake rentals scams

PATS OF MAL E EX LO TH

Waiter

It is unclear who grabbed a knife first, but both are being treated for stab wounds, one at Son Espases hospital and the other at a nearby clinic.

The holidaymaker is reportedly being treated for leg, stomach and arm injuries.

The waiter suffered a deep cut to his hand, according to Cronica Balear.

A spokeswoman at Santa Margalida police station confirmed to the Olive Press that an investigation had been launched.

The Don Denis restaurant has a 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor with 236 traveller reviews rating it as

See page 3

ATS OF MALLO EXP R HE

A ROW over a bill has ended up with a British tourist and a waiter in hospital suffering from stab wounds.

Both needed stitches after the pair got into a fight over a meal at Don Denis restaurant, in Can Picafort.

The scuffle broke out after the tourist complained about his steak and refused to pay the bill.

After heated words between the waiter, 60, and the Brit, said to be in his mid-40s, the argument turned nasty.

Demands from victims as convicted holiday rentals conman avoids prison AND back stolen paying

fees A BRITISH couple conned €2,800 through out of site have turned a fake holiday webSpanish fraudsterdetective and had a convicted.

However, the angry holidaymakers are now demanding action conman with Valencia links after the return their money, failed to despite a court order.

The couple, Lucia and Peter both 54, from London, are Myers, that Alvaro Lopez furious Uribe only paid SCAMMED: one installment Brit Lucia Myers after being foundout of an agreed 11, had Uribe (right) guilty of the elaboconvicted over rate scam. suspended the luxury villa term on condition A Spanish court rental (above) re-paid the couple. he sentenced but “I thought that six months jail now conman Uribe to But Uribe the lockdown is ‘bankrupt’ has now declared have day in Mallorcafor ruining their holi- insolvent and free himself ment been why we have had might warned.“It turned last year and and the court no payfor months, out these then fore declared has the case over. there- email informing but then I got an mers had simply stolen the scam- bank account was now ended,” us that the matter from the internet and set pictures also used by in Valencia that was site,” Lucia explained. the same scammers. up a fake “The IT specialist told the Olive authorities Press this week. Lucia money to be returned to take this very in Spain don’t seem She and husband was refused there were no funds in the account.as tinued. “But to seriously,” she conruns a computer Peter, who Lucia my had handed over business, couplesmanaged to find two other crime. How much mind this is a big money has been a bank transfer the cash via scam. who had fallen for the same stolen from innocent One of them people?”

While Uribe one-week stay to pay for a Mallorca turned up claimed ket villa near at an upmar- find they with their two children in guilty and other shadier he was not to behind had nowhere But just the Palma, in 2017. the scam, she figures were to stay. day before they believes he should pay for UK BASED were due to fly he is convicted. the crime for which told the villa out, they were was no longer DeterminedDossier “This puts us available. off visiting Spain. that no-one else have gone fall victim to The couple, who the site, she should past few to Corfu instead for We ling with their were travel- to have it closed managed the years. Scams two down like not children, this are after making good for Spain Julia, 15 and an – the authorities should realise the time, were Alicia, nine at Sheofficial complaint. for Spanish this and make also went to harder for another villa. forced to book which the it eventually tookGuardia Civil, and easier conmen to work online residents Incredibly, on for people to on the case, money an internet with Lucia twice get their search for a last minute ness to Granada. flying out as a wit- A homeback.” www.globeli rental they were address given nk.co.uk to the court offered the “The court paid the

by Uribe in Granada actual villa by expenses, but I think the defendant’s appeared empty this week. and told that the real owners surprised to see me. lawyer was Neighbours the victims of they had been turned 96 626 5000 up, that would If I hadn’t had not seentold the Olive Press they that has caughta classic scam have been the An him for ‘some +44 (0) 1353 time’. official address over the last fewhundreds out end of the case,” she 699082 for his ‘holiday said. years, as the During the lettings Olive Press two year investigation empty business’ turned out has frequently she compiled with local businesses to be formation – a huge dossier of in- they had never saying including details heard of him. of a Opinion Page 6

CONTINUAL REMINDERS: From 2017, we have exposed many more fraudsters TM

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BLOODY SCENE: Stab victim is attended to

SPAIN’S National court has taken over the investigation of a long-term holiday rental scam.

At least 300 tourists have been conned by the phantom rentals scheme around Spain over the last few years.

The maj o r i t y were tourists from northern Europe, with at least 100 cases taking place in the Balearics alone.

In total, the scammers, believed to

Discover hassle-free currency transfers

2 147 834 SP18206EN - Front page Ewn adverts v2.indd 4

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and husband Peter forked out nearly €3,000 to a fake website last year for a villa rental in Mallorca. Lucia turned be based on mainland Spain, pock- detective in a bid to get her cash back and traced the payment to a bank in eted at least €600,000.

Most of the money came from de- Granada, eventually identifying Alvaposits paid for holiday rentals when ro Lopez Uribe as the recipient of the unsuspecting punters visited bogus money. He was eventually sentenced to six months jail after she made mulwebsites set up by the conmen.

On some occasions, as reported by the tiple trips to Spain to testify against Olive Press, victims even turned up at him. their holiday homes to discover they She told the Olive Press: “The authorities in Spain don’t seem to take this had been duped.

They included British rugby league very seriously. To my mind this is a international Dean Schofield and wife big crime. How much money has been Gemma who together with a group of stolen from innocent people?” pals forked out an incredible €50,000 As in the Myers’ case, a group of hackfor a six bedroom luxury villa in Mal- ers managed to clone the websites of several travel agencies to undertake lorca.

Gemma told the Olive Press: “We the latest scam. were very angry when we found out. They often took the details of individIt was a horrible moment and we did ual homes and hijacked contact numbers. not know what to do.”

Another victim was Lucia Myers. She Using a series of websites, including Palmasur and Mallorca Letting, they cleverly seduced clients into parting with large sums of money as deposits for See page 5 & 14 holidays.

The money was sent to a series of bank accounts in Valencia, Madrid and 96 626 5000 +44 (0) 1353 699082

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Castellon.

It comes after hundreds of denuncias were filed with police stations around Spain.

There were so many victims it was agreed that one Valencia court in Requena would amalgamate all the claims into one case four years ago.

But now - with over 300 victims - the court asked the Audiencia Nacional to step in as it had become ‘overwhelmed’.

Page 6

Serious

A judge this week agreed to take on the case in Madrid given the ‘extremely serious damage caused to the confidence and image’ of the Spanish tourist industry.

Alarmingly the victims are certainly not the only people scammed over the last decade.

The Olive Press has reported on and knows of many other cases, which have fallen under other jurisdictions, or not even been reported.

Last year, a 24-year-old Ecuadorian was arrested in Alfafar, in Valencia, accused of taking over €6,000 from various bogus rentals in Menorca and Mallorca in the summer of 2019.

Opinion Page 6

2

www.theolivepress.es

NEWS IN BRIEF Horror search POLICE divers had to launch a search for a man’s head after his inflatable dinghy was run over by a Baleares ferry as it entered Ibiza harbour. His decapitated body was recovered soon after the incident.

Ticked off AN Italian man aged 35 has been arrested over the thefts of two high end watches worth €125,000 and €40,000 respectively during muggings in Palma.

Bare cheek A NAKED man described as ‘looking foreign’ strolled through the streets of Palma and tried to enter a supermarket before being ‘politely’ turned away. Two police officers persuaded him to cover up.

Party poopers PALMA police found 111 people at a curfew-breaking party in a rented villa in Son Vida after neighbours complained, with those attending facing fines.

A DEFENCELESS drunk man suffered a skull fracture after a group of youths slapped him to the ground ‘for a laugh’.

The youths, who posted the video on social media, hit the victim who was holding a plastic glass and a lit cigarette.

In the widely-shared video he is seen slamming into the ground with a loud crack, appearing to narrowly miss

CRIME

August 27th - September 9th 2021 From Front

SICKO SLAPPERS smashing his skull against the kerb.

While several people can be heard laughing, two of the onlookers immediately rush to his side to roll him into the recovery position.

Police have opened an investigation and will examine the video footage in a bid to trace those involved.

The victim later said in a social media post: “Admitted to hospital in Manacor with skull fractures and blood clots. All this after fooling around on Friday night.”

It is thought the youths may have been playing a ‘drinking game’ at an outdoor bottelon which went wrong.

Narco removals

A SCANDINAVIAN removal company has been accused of being a front for major drug shipments around Europe.

A complex three-year operation between the Guardia Civil, Policia Nacional, and Swedish police has led to the arrest of 71 people so far.

The company, Roslagen, which had

Guns, property and vehicles seized as 71 arrested in Swedish removal firm shakedown

bases on the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca, has had over €1.8 million frozen in bank accounts, while €592,000 in cash was also seized.

A total of 50 vehicles have also been impounded along with properties worth over €14 million.

A MIDDLE aged woman, 53, remains in intensive care Seized weapafter being run over by a drunk in Palma. ons include two In the same accident, her 56 year old partner was also machine guns, hit. eight handguns, The driver, a 63-year-old Spanish man, tested positive a rifle and a for alcohol with a result of 0.98. hand grenade.

He was arrested and charged with an offence against The probe was road safety and recklessly causing serious injury. launched when The offender lost control of the vehicle in Santa Catalina Swedish poand drove onto the pavement and hit the couple. lice contacted The Policia Local and the ambulance were quickly on their Spanish hand to provide emergency treatment to the injured, colleagues in while the woman was rushed to hospital unconcious.

2018 with concerns that large amounts of narcotics were being shipped in from Spain.

They discovered that criminals were making

Drink drive shocker

regular journeys to negotiate deals with the Swedish firm which was at the nexus of the drug operation.

The company, which had depots in Torrevieja and San Pedro de Alcantara, allegedly received drugs from Morocco in pleasure boats.

Surfboards

The drugs were also imported in modified surfboards powered by underwater propulsion engines.

The narcotics were then transferred to Sweden hidden among legitimate removal shipments.

A Gothenburg police raid uncovered 85 kilos of cannabis hidden in furniture in a removal van.

The company owners were arrested in Sweden along with three family members in Spain who helped run the business.

Two of them were caught loading up 250 kilos of hash at their San Pedro depot.

Stab row

‘Excellent’.

However, one recent review, posted just last week, complained about the ‘shocking customer service’ and, in particular, an outburst from a waiter.

The tourist Aimee H wrote: “When questioning the bill (just a couple of minor queries) the waiter serving us flew into an erupted fit of rage in front of our children.”

She continued: “Everybody in the entire restaurant (heard it) when we had only questioned a few things!

“I had to ask another member of staff for a manager as the waiter continued his outburst...

We have never encountered this kind of behaviour from anywhere we have been before, it was truly unbelievable.”

Crypto clampdown A CRYPTOCURRENCY farm that illegally stole vast amounts of electricity has been closed down by police.

The high use of power at the Toledo villa suggested that something untoward was going on.

A woman in charge of the 'farm' has been arrested for electricity theft.

Officers used a battering ram to smash down the front door and found over 100 computer processors along with specialist gear for cooling plus ventilation units.

Holes had been drilled in walls and in the floor to arrange clandestine connections to the electricity supply.

The 'mining' essentially creates cryptocurrencies by solving complex algorithms via computers.

TIME TO RETURN A SERIAL British fraudster has agreed to be extradited to Spain when he is released early from a UK prison later this month.

Mark Acklom has served less than half of his six year sentence for conning a UK divorcee out of her €850,000 savings.

The 48-year-old, who the Olive Press linked to Murcia and Marbella, will now return to Spain to serve an 18-month sentence.

He is expected to return to Murcia prison, in Cartage-

na, where he was half way through a three year sentence for defrauding two brothers.

He absconded while on temporary release and fled to Switzerland, changing his name by deed poll to Marc Long.

Promise

But he was eventually tracked down on a Europol arrest warrant and returned to the UK to firstly face charges for defrauding Carolyn Woods out of her life

Extortion racket THREE blackmailers have been arrested for extorting money from men trying to hook-up with a prostitute.

Despite the meetings never happening the clients were threatened with exposure - and violence - if they didn’t pay up.

The gang leader has been arrested in Murcia and his two associates detained in Valencia, including a 28-year-old woman whose services were being advertised via the internet.

An Alicante area victim told the Guardia Civil that he had contacted the woman via a dating website but she failed to show up.

Instead, he received threatening calls from a man demanding money or else they’d 'go to his home to fix the matter'.

The victim paid €580 but was then hit with a further €950 demand to cover 'expenses', after which he called in police.

Investigations uncovered a string of similar complaints since January across Spain.

CON: Acklom and Yolanda savings.

With the promise of marriage he had convinced her that he was an MI6 agent and Swiss banker and that the money was to invest in a home for the pair once they wed.

In fact, he was already married and lived just a few miles away with his wife and two young children.

After convincing Woods to part with her savings in 2013, he vanished.

He fled to Spain with his Spanish wife Yolanda, where he used a new alias to continue his conning ways.

An Olive Press investigation revealed he also had long term links to both the Murcia and Marbella areas.

He was jailed for three years in Spain for cons that included defrauding two brothers by selling them non-existent properties he claimed to own in London.

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

August 27th - September 9th 2021

Wild wild Wes

ANIMAL MAGIC SPECIAL

ZOOS and wildlife parks worked hard to keep their animals cool as temperatures soared above 40ºC across Spain this month.

That meant frozen treats, cold showers and splashing about in pools with frozen lollies being served to lower their body temperatures as well as ice pops made from fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds and nuts.

Pandas turned out to be particularly partial to watermelon, while others, such as otters in Madrid, were treated to frozen fish.

In Valencia, the great apes entertained themselves by catching frozen fruit and iced muesli bars dangling from trees in their enclosure, while hyenas, lions and leopards used their powerful sense

LOLLY GOOD

of smell to hunt down frozen blocks containing large chunks of raw meat.

The giraffe’s seemed delighted at multi-coloured popsicles specially crafted by their keepers to include frozen lay-

ers of crushed strawberries, celery, orange, chard and red cabbage.

Elephants proved deft at combining both activities of slurping giant sorbets while simultaneously taking a dip.

REFRESHING: Giraffes get an icy treat

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU KID Rare baby orangutan born in Spain...and it’s a girl

VISITORS to a Spanish zoo got to witness the birth of a baby orangutan.

Orangutans usually give

birth at night, but Suli, surprised the team at Bioparc, in Fuengirola, and gave birth in broad daylight.

She and her female baby are said to be in perfect condition and are already enjoying playing games together in the ‘rainforest’ river.

The zoo will continue to monitor the newborn 24-hours a day, though they will not intervene unless there are signs of illness and distress.

By Katherine Brook

youngest can fend for itself.

The Bornean orangutan is one of the most iconic primate species in the tropical rainforests of Asia, and has recently been listed in se-

rious danger of extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The new baby, who has yet to be named, is the only one to be born in the European breeding scheme in the past 12 months.

ORPHAN: Gazelle is being hand reared

HAPPY

The mother will continue to raise her baby for around seven years, and won’t usually have another one until she’s happy her

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Milk of kindness ONE of the world’s rarest animals is being hand-reared by staff at Valencia’s BioParc after its mother died.

The Mhorr gazelle’s mum died during a ‘difficult delivery’ with staff having to intervene to save the newborn.

A STARRY cast of A-listers are set to shoot the new highly anticipated Wes Anderson movie in Spain.

Margot Robbie (pictured right) is tipped to star alongside Tom Hanks, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray in the new flick, being shot in September.

Wes, 52, behind hit movies The Grand Budapest Hotel and Fantastic Mr Fox hasn’t made a movie Stateside since Moonrise Kingdom in 2012.

He has refused however to give any details so far about the new film.

All that is known about the movie has come from longtime British collaborator and muse Tilda Swinton, who revealed that despite the film location, it is ‘not about Spain’.

Sets resembling a desert landscape have been going up in Chinchon, south of Madrid, over the last two months.

It is not known why producers didn’t just de-camp three hours south to the actual deserts of Almeria, where many films, including hit Spaghetti Westerns, were filmed.

IN TOWN: Hanks

Depplash CRITICS have slammed the decision to honour beleaguered actor Johnny Depp at San Sebastian’s film festival.

A number of leading female filmmakers argued that the award to be handed to the American actor next month ‘transmits a terrible message to the public’.

Last year, the US actor lost his libel case against the Sun over an article that labelled him a ‘wife beater’.

The judge found Depp, 58, had assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, 35, on a dozen occasions and put her in ‘fear for her life’ three times.

Director of the festival Jose Luis Rebordinos said their responsibility is not to ‘judge the conduct of members of the film industry’.

Alive

The BioParc is closely involved in an international breeding program to keep the species alive, after it was considered extinct in the wild and on the Red List of animal species.

Zoo authorities said he is doing well and will soon join his new adoptive family - a herd of two males, two females and another calf.

SLAMMED: Depp

4

NEWS

www.theolivepress.es

NEWS IN BRIEF Badly hurt A 20-YEAR-OLD man has been hospitalised for multiple injuries after jumping from an eight metre high second floor in S'Arenal for reasons still unknown.

Just selfish WORKERS in OAP homes who refuse to be vaccinated have been strongly criticised by the councillor for social affairs, Fina Santiago, for putting at risk vulnerable people.

Mercy run A WOMAN who was seriously hurt after being run over on a Menorca industrial estate had to be taken to Canal Salat health centre in a private vehicle because no ambulances were available.

August 27th - September 9th 2021

Young death

Vac to school THE Balearic Islands will start the academic year on September 10 with one of the highest rates of vaccinated secondary school students in Spain.

The region currently boasts the highest number of citizens aged between 12 and 19 who have had both jabs.

More than 44% of the age group have been fully vaccinated, almost triple the national average of 15%.

Spain has only approved vaccination against COVID-19 for those aged over 12 so far and the Balearics began their drive to jab this age group at the end of July.

AN unvaccinated 19-yearold woman who had no underlying medical conditions has died from COVID-19 in Mallorca.

The woman is the youngest person to die from the virus in the Balearic Islands.

Medical staff at Son Espaces were surprised at the ‘aggressiveness’ with which COVID-19 attacked the young woman.

Have you herd THE Balearic Islands have enough COVID vaccines to approach herd immunity within two weeks.

They have 211,048 units in stock, with 73.54% of the population of the islands already fully vaccinated.

IB-Salut health authority has specified that only 53,390 people are missing one dose of the vaccine, while 357,096 are still unvaccinated.

DISGRACE!

British expat mum, 33, sent home to die in agony after being refused treatment after 14 hour wait at A&E A YOUNG British woman died hours after being dismissed by doctors and told to go home after waiting 14 hours at a hospital for treatment.

Rachael Firth, who worked as a live-in carer, sought help at Torrevieja’s A&E on August 14, after suffering days of pain.

She was seen by her GP for pain in her legs earlier that week, and was advised to go to the emergency department if the condition worsened.

In regular messages to her mum, she said hospital staff justified making her wait all day because emergencies took

EXCLUSIVE

By Simon Wade

priority.

After seven hours of waiting in agony with her leg swollen to Balcony fall twice its size, the 33-year-old eventually saw a female doctor.

A Nine-year-old French However, she felt her condition boy has been hospitalwas not taken seriously, and inised in serious condition sisted the doctor dismissed her in Andratx after trying to after seeing medical notes that jump from one balcony to mentioned previous treatments another and falling four for mental illness. metres.

In a message to her mother, Jane, a nurse herself, seen by the Olive Press, she said: “The doctor was really nasty, said she’s read my notes and I’m mental in the head.”

She said the docNAUTICAL tourism has grown 48% since 2019 despite the tor had told nurspandemic, with the Balearic Islands being the most popular es that once she destination. had her X-ray to Holidays for those who enjoy boating centres on Menorca, ‘get her to a taxi Ibiza and Mallorca, as well as Barcelona and the Costa Blanca. and get her home’.

British and German travellers have the Balearics at the top of In a later mestheir bucket list for boating breaks. sage she wrote: The profile of the nautical tourist is a 45 to 55 year old man “The other two who - in addition to sailing - is looking for gastronomic and nurses were well sporting activities. shocked”.

The most popular boats for these trips are inflatable boats, Referring to the sailing boats and catamarans. doctor, she added: Boat bookings increased by 94% in June and July 2021 com“She hates me.” pared to the same period in 2019.

The part-time charity volunteer

Ahoy there

stayed on the ward though, in the desperate hope that someone would eventually attend to her leg.

Exhausted, she was eventually sent home at 3am, after 14 agonising hours in the hospital.

Later that morning, her mother - who has 35 years nursing experience - realised something was gravely wrong and rushed to the nearest pharmacy for medication and advice.

But by the time she returned, Rachael had slipped into unconsciousness and was completely unresponsive.

Jane performed CPR while neighbours called for an ambulance but Rachael died on the floor of her own lounge with paramedics also unable to revive her.

Embolism

A Spanish neighbour confirmed to Jane that the ambulance staff told him that ‘an embolism was certainly to blame’, after assessing her symptoms.

Rachael’s own son, Reece, 13, had thankfully been staying with friends that night so did not witness his mother’s death.

The family is now looking for answers as to why medics failed to take Rachael’s illness seriously and to provide treatment

TRAGIC: Rachel Firth

DEVASTATION: Official map shows the danger

Wave warning

DENSELY populated parts of the Mediterranean coast could be devastated by a massive six-metre tsunami.

According to a recent study thousands of homes could be destroyed and countless lives put at risk with little to no warning should a major quake hit the Averroes fault in the Alboran Sea, which lies between Spain and Morocco.

The danger has long been known, but the new report by the Institut de Ciencies del Mar (ICM-CSIC) insists the devastation caused could be even worse than previously thought.

Detection

that could have saved her life.

Jane has sought legal advice, with a view to preventing such a tragedy happening to someone else.

“The way my daughter was treated in her final hours is nothing short of disgusting you wouldn’t treat an animal that way,” she sobbed. “Money isn’t the issue, what difference would it make anyway?

“I just want justice for Rachael and I want answers to the questions we have about her awful treatment - this shouldn’t happen to anyone.”

Rachael was cremated at Torrevieja crematorium last week with dozens of friends, family and colleagues in attendance.

Kind neighbours had helped towards the expensive funeral costs at short notice.

If Olive Press readers would like to help the family, there is also a gofundme page to help.

The UK’s Leading Online School

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Researchers using a mathematical model warned the giant wave could be 19.68 feet in size (6m) and take between 21 and 35 minutes to reach the southern shores of Spain.

They concluded that current tsunami detection systems would not be sufficient, meaning the authorities would not have the time to clear low-lying areas in time.

Ferran Estrada, a geologist from the team said: “These giant waves can pose a threat to coastal populations and damage land-based infrastructure.

“They can cause huge economic and environmental crisises.

“It is essential to improve warning measures to mitigate the impact of a possible tsunami.”

He said the Averroes fault has, at its northwest end, a vertical drop of up to 5.4 metres that could generate a magnitude 7 earthquake.

A tsunami flooded the Andalucian cities of Huelva and Cadiz, which were described as ‘miraculously surviving’, despite several deaths, after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

NEWS

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August 27th - September 9th 2021

SEARCH GOES ON

New Olive Press’ book on Maddie case takes a ‘deep dive’ into the current prime suspect and much more

EXPLOSIVE: Book cover and Brueckner (below)

OLIVE Press editor Jon Clarke is publishing an explosive new book on the Madeleine McCann case.

His investigation is the most comprehensive look at the current prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who he believes could be behind many other unsolved crimes around Europe.

As well as exploring Brueckner’s childhood in Germany and coming face to face with his mother, Clarke gave the lead prosecutor a three-hour grilling on why the investigation is taking so long.

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OLIVE PRESS WORLD EXCLUSIVE

MADDIE SUSPECT’S GRANADA LAIR

Christian Brueckner’s Spanish hideaway

A DANGEROUS paedophile believed snatched English tot Maddie McCannto have visited southern Spain on many occasions.

German pervert Christian Brueckner hid out in the Alpujarras region of Granada often dealing drugs, the Olive Press can sensationally reveal.

According to his best friend, an lived in the area for many years, Austrian who ed just two or three weeks after he even visitMaddie went missing.

Michael Tatshl, who spent eight months in prison with Brueckner, now believes he is guilty of the murder of Madeleine.

Having spent 14 hours being grilled over the crime, he spoke to the Olive by police Press for the first time to explain why.

“He was a real pervert and talked about selling children to Morocco, I am pretty sure he did it,” he said this week.

Micha, 46, who lived in Orgiva for over a decade, revealed that Brueckner had visited the town on many occasions in his jaguar and various vans.

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Vol. 13 Issue 346 www.theolivepres s.es June 24th - July 7th 2020

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See full story on page 6

FAMILIAR SIGHT: Brueckner’s ‘Winnebago’

Piecing together the sex offender’s exact movements in the months leading up to the snatch on the Algarve, in 2007, he also traces Brueckner’s frequent trips around Europe.

Described by Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt as ‘tirelessly researched’, the 130,000-word book also takes a close look at many other characters linked to the case.

Fellow TV investigator Donal MacIntyre praised Clarke’s ‘investigative skills’ and added it was ‘a deep dive into a murky underworld, both alarming and compelling’.

21/6/19 13:30

As well as analysing any family involvement, the book shines a light on the shambolic police investigation, the world of trolling and the worrying levels of child sex abuse in southern Europe.

Published by Amazon next week, My Search for Madeleine comes after Clarke, 52, took over a dozen trips to Portugal to research the case.

He also traced Brueckner’s many journeys to Andalucia, and Granada in particular, where he made business trips.

He also often travelled through Valencia.

As well as working with the British media over the last 14 years, Clarke was closely involved in the benchmark Netflix doc on the case in 2019.

The father-of-two was the first journalist to arrive in Praia da Luz on the morning after Maddie was snatched on May 3, 2007.

But most recently, he took a few months off to chase a series of intriguing leads around the Iberian Peninsula and Germany.

“It has been an absolutely amazing experience to immerse myself in this harrowing case,” he explained.

“I’ve tracked down and probed so many colourful and bizarre characters.”

He continued: “I looked into the family right from the start and was convinced that they were not involved.

“It is, of course, impossible to know for sure that Brueck-

GRILLING: Clarke with German prosecutor Wolters ner was involved, but he was pedigree as a long term sex ofin the exact right place at the fender. right time and certainly had “What I particularly noted was the alarming lack of seriousness the Portuguese police took of sex crimes and the large number of mistakes they made. It also made me particularly aware of how many paedophiles live among the expat communities of southern Spain and Portugal.”

SECRET: Idyllic spot in Granada where suspect stayed in his Winnebago (inset)

My Search for Madeleine is published by Olive Press Books on Amazon next week. It can also be ordered via bookorders@ theolivepress.es

21/6/19 13:30

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6

NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION TAKE IT SERIOUSLY HOW long will it take to punish those behind a raft of Spanish bank accounts scamming innocent victims out of holiday rental deposits?

Our investigations go back to just two months after our launch in Mallorca, in 2017, when we demanded on the cover of Issue 5 to ‘Catch the Scammers’.

Since then we have time and time again reported on fake rental sites which have netted crooks millions of euros at the expense of ordinary people seeing their holidays ruined.

As one victim, Lucia Myers told us last year: “The authorities don’t seem to take it very seriously.”

Her words were followed up in the British national newspapers… but still nothing happened!

The Olive Press knows of countless denuncias and court cases against alleged scammers that have dragged on for years with no sign of justice.

When one con man was finally convicted in Granada last year, he got off Scot free.

Very few of these criminals ever seem to face the consequences. Those who do often plead poverty and get away with a slap on the wrist.

It is time Spain’s judges and politicians got tough against scams that are giving the country - and particularly Mallorca - a bad name. Otherwise those burned by such cons will look elsewhere for their holidays. And who could blame them.

PREVENTABLE DEATH THE death of a young British mother in Torrevieja last week after she was kept waiting for hours in A&E before being turned away by doctors is a tragedy that should never be repeated.

Unfortunately it probably will.

It is unforgivable that a woman who was so obviously in desperate need of medical treatment was sent home to die, leaving a young child motherless and a grief-stricken family seeking answers.

We don’t know whether such issues as staffing or overwork contributed to the death of Rachael Firth or whether it was a straightforward case of malpractice by one particular doctor.

But what we do know is that in the aftermath of such a senseless tragedy there needs to be full transparency.

A proper investigation must be carried out and answers sought - it may go some way to preventing the same thing happening to someone else.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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

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Final round?

Does the arrest of key Irish crime boss mark an end of the bloody costas feud that has claimed 18 lives, including three innocents, asks Dilip Kuner

I

T was a bloody feud between two Irish gangs that started on the streets of the Costa del Sol, moved to Dublin and back, and resulted in the deaths of 18 people.

It brought daylight gunshots to the gilded streets of Marbella, featured fake cops in a LIFTED: the ‘Monk’ arrested notorious boxing match assasination and led in Fuengirola to the deaths of three innocent people in cases of tragic mistaken identity.

But now the ‘war’ that saw Ireland’s powerful Kinahan clan take on the ruthless Hutch gang, also from the Emerald Isle, appears to be finally over with the arrest of one of the chief protagonists, Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, in Fuengirola, this month.

And the leader of the Kinahans - Daniel Kinahan - has long since left his Marbella bolthole to base himself in Dubai. As has his dad Christy.

The war had pretty much petered out already with a number of trials taking place over the last few years… but perhaps the bloodshed had got too much even for two gangs that ed ever since.

Gerry Hutch have never been slow to resort to violence.

He is rumoured to have The Monk has lost his elder brother, three ‘retired’ with a fortune of AGED 58 nephews and several close friends in the €40 million having been shockingly violent feud. While the Kinahans the mastermind behind a ERRY ‘the Monk’ suspected of running Spain’s biggest cocaine series of some of Ireland’s Hutch started life gang - have lost several close members, eibiggest heists including as a small-time ther to the bullet or to lengthy jail terms. the €3.5 million armed gangster in Dublin, The cycle of death started in 2014 when The robbery of a Brinks Allied clocking up several minor Monk’s nephew Gary Hutch had started to Security Depot and the convictions in the sevenrise through the ranks of the Kinahan mob. €1.98 million robbery of ties and early eighties.

But things turned sour when Daniel Kinahan, an armoured van, both in But he then hit the big son of then boss Christy, refused to return Ireland. time with a gang specialis€100,000 Gary had ‘invested’ in a drugs deal.

He lived for over a decade ing in bank robberies and In classic gangster fashion, a Hutch hitman in the Canary Islands, has avoided being convictwas dispatched to the Costa del Sol to kill mostly in Lanzarote where Daniel. But he blundered badly and in a he is thought to own variagreement between the case of mistaken identity he shot and seous properties, particulartwo enemies, both Hutch verely wounded innocent former boxer Jamie ly around the ‘Irish Marbeland Kinahan were reportMoore, in Estepona. la’ of Puerto del Carmen. edly ‘furious’ with fellow It was a high profile shooting, covered in the He was nicknamed The gangster John Gilligan for Olive Press, as the victim had been training Monk (the Spanish Gooallegedly ordering the hit.

British/Irish boxer Matthew Macklin, in prepagle translated this to ‘the Gilligan now lives in Torreration for the middleweight’s next fight.

Friar’) for his ‘clean livvieja (Alicante), where poMacklin was the face of MGM Marbella - a ing’ by murdered Irish inlice initially believed they boxing stable and gym which was financed by vestigative journalist Vehad found the gun that Kinahan, in Puerto Banus. ronica Guerin, played by had killed Guerin.

According to reports the Hutch gang subseCate Blanchett, in the film He was found not guilty of quently agreed to pay €200,000 ‘compensanamed after her. murdering Guerin in 1996, tion’ to the Kinahans, although it is not known She was killed after runbut was charged with drug if the sum was ever handed over. ning a series of exposes on smuggling by Spanish poEither way, Gary Hutch obviously decided the Dublin gangster scene. lice last year and is out on the situation was safe enough for him to EXECUTED: Gary Hutch In a rare, unprecedented bail awaiting trial. live openly in Spain and after a few months returned to live in the Angeles de Miraflores urbanisation in Mijas. It would prove to be a him full of bullets. It is thought he had stolen ued. money from the Kinahans. Never a good idea. In the coming months and years a total of 18 fatal decision.

In September 2015 he was assassinated in James Quinn - Gary Hutch’s later killer - was people were to be killed. Sadly three of them the gardens of the urbanisation by a shadowy convicted of being a getaway driver, but he had nothing to do with the feud and were simcould not be pegged for the murder. ply in the wrong place at the wrong time. figure in a balaclava.

An eye witness later told a court how Gary was In the Regency raid the Hutch gang stormed In April, 2016, Martin O’Rourke was killed in chased through the gardens by hitman James the event, with two wearing Garda police Dublin by Kinahan’s men. They thought he Quinn. His last words were ‘No, no, no!’, but uniforms and wielding AK-47 assault rifles. was someone else. Just 11 days later Michael Another two were in army fa- Barr was shot dead at the Sunset House pub Quinn showed no mercy. tigues, while a fifth, believed on Summerhill Parade in Dublin. He was a disAnd ended up with a 22 year stretch in a Spanish jail.

Broad daylight to be Patrick Hutch, was dis- sident republican who the Kinahans wrongly guised in drag and seen taking identified as one of the gunmen in the RegenIt was this broad daylight slaycy Hotel shooting. ing that was to lead to the slaying brought off his wig as he later fled.

Their target was Daniel Kinah- And a dream holiday turned to horror in Audeaths of 17 more people and a new meaning an, who was actually promot- gust, 2016, when Irishman Trevor O’Neill was brought a whole new meaning the fight, in his then fledg- killed in front of his family while on a break ing to the term, the Costa del to Costa del ling new career. As shots rang in Mallorca in yet another case of m ­ istaken Crime.

Crime out around the hotel foyer, he identity.

The most notorious event in somehow made his escape Over the following two years frequent assasthe bloodthirsty feud made through a window. By the time sinations and attempted killings took place headlines around the world.

It took place at the Regency Hotel in Dublin the gunsmoke had cleared, Kinahan associ- from both sides of the feud. during the weigh-in for a WBO European light- ate David Byrne lay dead, and a second man The arrest of The Monk, and the departure to weight title fight between Jamie Kavanagh was injured. (It is for this attack that Gerry Dubai of Christy and Daniel Kinahan - who has Hutch was this month detained in Fuengirola been trying to break into the boxing promotion and Antonio Joao Bento. business - may finally have brought peace to Jamie coincidentally is the son of Gerard ‘The on a European arrest warrant.)

Hatchet’ Kavanagh who was a Kinahan ‘en- Three days after the Regency assault, taxi driv- the streets of the Costa del Sol - at least as far forcer’ also murdered in Spain, in 2014 (see er Eddie Hutch, 58, the Monk’s elder brother, as the Kinahan-Hutch conflict is concerned. was gunned down at his Dublin home.

Whether they will continue to jostle over the trolley picture, far right).

In the shocking attack, two assassins dressed The same day Noel ‘Kingsize’ Duggan and lucrative multi-billion euro cocaine trade comin black had approached him outside Har- Noel Kirwan, close friends of The Monk were ing out of Africa to Spain’s southern shores, mon’s bar in Elviria (Marbella) and pumped also shot - and the cycle of bloodshed contin- only time will tell.

TALE OF THE TAPE The bank robber ‘retired’ with €40m fortune Vs the ruthless king of the cocaine trade

G

August 27th - September 9th 2021

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TRIPLE BONUS

M Timeline of death

MOURNING: David Byrne’s funeral in Ireland

Daniel Kinahan AGED 44

T

HE boss of the Kinahan clan took over the reins from his father Christy over a decade ago.

At the time of the feud the

SMOOTH: Dad Christy senior

Kinahan family was based between Marbella and Sotogrande on the Costa del Sol. The family - including Daniel’s younger brother Christy Junior has now moved to Dubai but are reputed to still control the Costa del Sol cocaine trade.

They also own plenty of properties, including pubs and bars, while Daniel previously ran a sports magazine, called Score, based out of the Cristamar centre, in Marbella, which later launched in the UK with a claimed print run of 250,000.

Since taking over leadership, Daniel has attempted to legitimise the family through the world of boxing. He did this firstly through the MGM gym in Puerto Banus - which is no longer associated with the Kinahans - and then through promoting fights.

Heavyweight champ Tyson Fury actually thanked Daniel for setting up a series of multi-million euro fights with Anthony Joshua in 2020. This caused a storm in Ireland, with questions being asked in the Irish parliament and Fury has since distanced himself from the Kinahans.

● AUGUST 3, 2014: Former boxer and TV pundit Jamie Moore shot in Estepona in a case of mistaken identity by a Hutch hitman who was targeting Daniel Kinahan. ● SEPTEMBER 24, 2015: Gary Hutc h shot dead in Mijas by a Kinahan assassin. ● FEBRUARY 5, 2016: Five Hutch gunmen attack the Regency Hotel in Dublin. David Byrn e is shot dead and Sean McGovern is shot in the leg. ● FEBRUARY 8, 2016: Eddie Hutch, broth is killed at his home. He is said to haveer of the Monk, no connection with violent crime. ● APRIL 14, 2016: In a case of mista ken O’Rourke is killed by Kinahan’s men identity, Martin ● APRIL 25, 2016: Michael Barr is . wrongly one of the Regency Hotel gunmen and identified as is shot dead by the Kinahan clan. ● MAY 24, 2016: Gareth Hutch, a cousin of Gary and nephew of Eddie is shot dead. ● JULY 1, 2016: David Douglas is shot ● AUGUST 17, 2016: Innocent Trevo dead. r O’Neill is killed in front of his family while on holiday in Mallorca in a case of ­mistaken identity. ● DECEMBER 22, 2016: Noel Kirw an, a friend of Gerry Hutch is shot dead outside his hom e. ● MAY 10, 2017: Hutch associate James ‘Mago’ Gately is shot five times. ● MAY 31, 2017: Michael Keogh is shot dead by the Hutch gang. ● DECEMBER 2, 2017: Caine ­ Kirwan, son of Noel Kirwan, is killed by the Kinahans. ● JANUARY 20, 2018: Derek Coa kley-Hutch, a nephew of The Monk, is shot dead. ● JANUARY 30, 2018: Jason Moly neux is two-man hit team having just returned shot dead by a home from the wake for Coakley-Hutch. ● DECEMBER 22, 2018: Eric Fowl er, who had ties to the ­Kinahan mob, is shot in the head by two gunmen in his own driveway in Dublin. ● AUGUST 12, 2021: Gerry Hutch is arrested by Spanish police accompanied by Irish Garda in Fuengirola.

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HE Olive Press has always invested heavily in ensuring that our copies are readily available for our growing legion of readers.

We work hard to achieve our target of zero returns, ensuring we do not waste money or paper, which is an ever important factor for our environmentally-conscious readers.

Since 2019 we have employed the services of Self Select Media, the UK market leader in charge of distributing hundreds of free papers and magazines, including the Evening Standard, Metro and Time Out! in the UK. The team that now has a company in southern Spain has analysed the region and strategically placed our stands within the main supermarkets and major expat hangouts around the costas, for now on the East coast. This highly targeted process ensures that you can conveniently pick up your favourite read easily every two weeks. To keep in line with our green philosophy it also allows us to closely monitor our dis-

tribution and how it ebbs and flows depending on tourism and trends.

We receive detailed photo reports of each of the drops, timed as they happen, and the number of copies left over.

As Stewart Leece, the boss of Self Select explains: “We have 125 years of publishing and distribution experience and know Spain well having had a home here for three decades.

“It is a pleasure to work with the Olive Press, one of the market leaders in Spain, to ensure that the company maintains and expands its reach around the country.”

He continues: “The basis of our service is that every copy is taken by personal choice. We offer publishers and advertisers a controlled fully quantifiable media distribution route to market. Via a network of displays placed within high footfall retail outlets, and targeted miscellaneous distribution points across the North and South Costa Blanca region, and now Valencia.”

If you would like to see your nearest distribution point, then please visit our market leading website www.theolivepress.es or read our digital version online. For more information on our fantastic ditribution partner, please visit www.selfselectmedia.es

LETTERS

We’re all to blame Dear Olive Press,

h, too Little, Too Martin Tye’s article Too muc ulistic and counLate! is very close to being pop terproductive. ate disasters like Rightly, he highlighted clim ds. floo and es ston hail ght, drou is on bla-bla poliAccording to Mr Tye, the blame d. ahea far too ets targ ing ticians putt are the real probBut it is we as individuals who lly reduce flights, lem. Who has started to drastica con at home? who is getting rid of cars and air- material in our Look at the quantities of packingwaway personal shopping trolleys and the thro a few examples. electronics culture, just to give tion lies far away solu the that k thin ly real Do we the Amazon and by stopping deforestation of in Indonesia withns tatio plan oil stopping palm ng? out us individually doing somethi to come steadiIn reality, improvements will have us all involved ly and fast, but step by step with s to the rest of the rather than export the problem ld. wor currently pushing, This is exactly what the EU is at the same time, , and ets targ step h with toug of support and making available huge amounts funding to succeed. s are not creatBe aware that articles like Mr Tye’ ssary change, but ing public support for the nece and anger against rather they create victimisation launch the transthose who are actually trying to formation. your column, the Please take this into account for it. ate reci planet will app

Wolfgang Maringer, Denia

August 27th - September 9th 2021

SCAMMER TIME The summer season has brought out the 6scammers as we warned last month...

NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es

Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

Watch out

Gas lighting

WHILE on a walk in Calahonda (Mijas) Myself and my wife both felt sometime soft hit our backs.

We stopped and looked at each other’s backs, which were splattered with a soft brown mess.

We were almost immediately approached by a man who was behind us. He said that we had been pooed on by the birds and was insistent that he helped us to clean up.

He produced a small bottle of water and a small pack of tissues, and started to pour water onto my back from the bottle.

He was very insistent that he help us and kept distracting me and my wife. It was only later that I discovered all the banknotes had been taken from my wallet which had been in my back pocket during the incident.

I thought your readers should be warned about this sort of scam.

Nabout DESPITE the many warnings TIME TO ACT ‘fake’ gas fitters they still come out of Months after the Olive Press revealed been for a convicted British paedophijust how easy it had le to legally change the woodwork every his name,summer. apply for a new passport, access to children so that he couldmove to Spain and gain offend again, lawmakers in the UK finally considerin We had a visit from aareman in a ‘unig measures to close the loophole.

It’s the start of a long legislative process that could eventualform’ saying we make needed an annual ly see warnings placed on passports and driving licences to it harder for sex offenders to slip under the radar and carry on offending. service to our gasWhat appliances.

Unforseems like a no-brainer of dangerous criminals comes after an idea to keep tags on years of campaigning by tunately for him,fenders we don’t actually the Safeguard ing Alliance and after dozens of cases of re-ofoperating under new identities In the meantime how many paedophi have come to light. have any! loopholes in order to carry on abusingles have exploited such victims?

Now, we know that it is a scam that SOLA R LOOP HOLE like will lead to a large bill, so would Back in Spain, campaigners are trying to close another kind of loophole entirely, one that seemingly to remind peoplecompanie that the gas compais allowing energy s to snap up vast swathes of the Spanish countryside without proper environmental impact studies.

Each nies never turn up at your door unweek we hear of another protest staged by residents against new solar farm proposals that have suddenly come to light and threaten ancient announced. If you need ato destroy revison you biospheres and rural culture including pastures, delicate farming and ecotourism. should make an appointment.

Please Spain’s government is being called sideration so that the impact such on to allow proper conprojects could have in the long term can be fully explored and don’t fall victim to this very plausible the best place for them dutifully considered.

Much of Spain’s coastline was ruined scam. during the construction boom years, through poor planning let’s not allow its rich wealth of

Kevin Bell, UK (on holiday in Mijas)

Being honest PEOPLE moan about the ‘beggars’ sitting outside supermarkets looking for loose change.

At least they are being honest and not trying to steal!

OPINIO

countryside to be desecrated in the race for renewable energy.

Perhaps it is time to heed the words of

Spain’s Charles V, the monarch who fiercely regretted the decision - made withAndy Williamson, Alicante out viewing the site - to allow permissio n for a cathedral to be built within Cordoba’s famous Mezquita.

“You have built here what you or anyone might have you have destroyed what was uniquebuilt anywhere else, but in the world.”

Hug attack

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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READERS should be careful when being approached by strangers in the street.

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M SCA ALERT!

Summer’s here, and the thieving has started

A

LONG with the blazing sunshine the scammers who often target expats and tourists have arrived.

The Olive Press has had several calls about unscrupulous conmen attempting to relieve unsuspec ting visitors and expats of their belongings. Here we take a look at six common scams to beware of…

The bird poo scam The criminal pours a white liquid resembling bird excrement on your clothes then points it out to you.

As they ‘helpfully’ dab at the mess with a cloth an accomplice snatches your wallet or purse while you are distracted.

The Rosemary scam

Petition charity scam You are asked to sign a petition for a charitable cause. Once you do they then demand a ‘donation’. They are either happy with the cash received or an accomplice pickpockets you while you are distracted.

Fake gas man scam Never let a gasman (or other utility workman) into your home unless you have arranged an appointment.

The scam is to do an ‘annual revision’ at inflated prices. Often you need to call in a real gas man to fix the mistake the bogus worker has made.

OUR WARNING: Last Highway robbers scam month They target rental or foreign cars, often at petrol stations or superma rket carparks, saying that either you have damaged your car or you have a flat tyre.

While the victim looks for the damage , an accomplice grabs bags and valuables from the car before making an escape.

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1 Cry this if you want to be ignored (4) 4 Soapbox words (7) 9 It's at one edge of a rainbow (3) 10 Care to explain that?

(3,2) 11 Implicate (7) 12 "The boy," to Homer (4) 13 Deflect (4,4) 15 Canopy over a bed (6) 16 Free from danger (6) 20 Top-of-the-line American car (8) 22 Kind of seaweed (4) 24 Vast (7) 25 Tupelo's favourite son (5) 26 Calls the shots on the pitch (3) 27 Rap variety (7) 28 Ripped (4)

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Taxi scams Make sure either the meter is on or they have shown you the official list of charges. If you don’t there is the risk of being charged an inflated flat fee or bogus surcharges.

A woman approaches you thrusting a twig of rosemary under your nose saying its free and to take it. As you do, they grab your palm and ‘read your fortune’ then demand the palm reading. Either you are payment for pickpocketed while distracted, or they start wailing ting until you hand over some cash and shouto get rid of them.

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Down 2 Ahead, Dr. No saw confusion (7) 3 "--- Here to Eternity" (4) 4 Abhorrent (6) 5 Moves forward (8) 6 Relative by marriage (23) 7 Destitute (5) 8 Enthusiasts have it between the teeth (3,3) 14 Marshy areas (8) 17 Butcher's utensil (7) 18 Uncover (6) 19 Proceed in this for privacy (6) 20 Adhere closely (5) 21 Fiend (5) 23 Adroit (4)

All solutions are on page 12

TH

WEB OF COR

Lead insp Kitchen f threats to corruptio Chaffers t long-runn and why i head agai

I

T was the corrup One of the bigg dozens of PP pa isters and even a multi-million eu backs and a sewer Now it has reared ther spotlight on t state as well as th cover up wrongdoin In a fascinating tria nearly a year, one o probing the Gurtel s Manuel Morocho h the dirty tactics and investigating the P system from 2009.

The boss of Spain’s quency unit (UDEF) Caso Kitchen case PP, including forme Fernandez Diaz, pre vestigation and with ered.

In particular they off ish embassy in Lisb dropped his investiga The case is probing ation, including wire against disgraced fo nas, who blew the wh Its aim was to prev counts listing payme to light. They included mer Prime Minister M Anti-corruption prose mer ministers Fernan Dolores de Cospedal posts, ordered forme larejo to ‘carry out t PP funds’.

The ex-National Police in pre-trial custody si more evidence this m The corruption case b PP members and affili tion for crimes includin ing. At the center of th businessman Francisc lates to ‘gurtel’ in Ger the codename.

It culminated in the hi 2018 which sent Corr figures to years in priso In a massive embarra found guilty of running t erated through a secre It led to the then Prime in a vote of no-confiden Yet the fallout from the s lar how the state tried to It hinged around Barce accounting system whi and cash payments (of party win elections and/ While Barcenas was fou

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Heatwaves, droughts and floods

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OPINION

PROSECUTORS are investigating new incidents of dead fish washing onto beaches of the Mar Menor lagoon in Murcia.

Beaches at Los Nietos, Los Urrutias, Cala del Pino, and Mar de Cristal were among those affected as thousands of dead fish as well as octopus and shrimps washed up.

Green group SOS Mar Menor claims the new incidents were caused by high temperatures and a lack of wind cutting oxygen levels in the lagoon water.

Deaths

However prosecutors are also looking to see if a general deterioration of the lagoon was behind the deaths or whether it was a specific case of pollution.

It comes after another big probe into pollution in the Mar Menor, gathered steam.

A court probe has already ordered dozens of firms to answer why tens of thousands of oxygen-starved fish washed up on shores in October 2019.

Prosecutors are certain the deaths came from the unau-

As desertification threatens 75% of Spain and sea level rises spell doom Shannon Chaffers takes a look at how for tourism, the country is handling climate change

RECENT heatwave that above pre-industrial levels… swept across Canada and the Mediterranean has al- climate scientist Francisco Blanand the United States ready seen an average rise of co Velazquez. set record tempera1.5ºC since the end of the 19th He told the Olive Press that protures, while flooding in central longed periods of extreme heat Century.

Europe claimed at least 100 officially described as heatwaves Extreme heat lives. Both due to global warm- will only become leads to the deing. more frequent as terioration of soil And while Spain swelters in the region warms. to the extent that For every yet another scorching hot July, “The frequency of it can no longer it won’t come as a surprise to degree of heat waves has sustain former learn that the Mediterranean increased signifiplant life. It bewarming there cantly region is particularly vulnerable over the comes less and as global temperatures rise. last ten years and will be a 4% less productive.

A 2018 report identified that it will not change.

The problem is 75% of Spain’s land mass is drop in rainfall Spain knows that often worsened now at risk of desertification, we need to adapt by over-cultivamaking it one of the most atto this threat betion, deforestarisk nations in the world. cause it is a risk for tion, and urbanization, all conDesertification means more tributing factors placing Spain human health,” added Velazquez than just the expansion of deswho works at Evenor-Tech, a even more in the danger zone. erts, although that is one very “Spain is one of the countries company that researches the imreal result, particularly if temclassified as high-risk for cli- pact climate change has on soil. peratures rise to more than 2ºC mate change impacts,” insists Unfortunately, adverse impacts don’t stop there. With rising tem-

Small sea, GIANT PROBLEM

By Alex Trelinski

17

July 15th

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Solar solution ONE of Spain’s biggest regions could be generating all its power from domestic solar panels, according to a renewable energy firm.

EDP Solar says that the Valencian community has 2,800 hours of sunshine per year, which puts it into pole position to see home panel installations rise over the next few years.

The company claims that 82% of homes have already got the space to install solar panels which could have the potential to account for 99% of the region's demand for electricity.

“Spain is the country with the most solar radiation in Europe and within it, the Valencian Community has the most sunshine hours and the greatest solar potential,” said Gabriel Nebreda, director of EDP. His claims would avoid the annual emission of almost 9.2 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

how it went

DISASTER: Tens of thousands of dead fish, our report last issue (above) Jo Scott

on page 6

DOOME CLOSE D TO Costa Blanca for the return hotels are left praying of UK Germans and Frenchtourists - with staying home

Pollution probe

Katherine Brook katherine@theolivepress.es

Simon Wade simon@theolivepress.es

Female expat makes moving tribute to her famous bullrunning dad

2021

tourism industry, which currently drives 12 to 15% of Spain’s economy and much more in key regions like the Balearics, Valencia and Andalucia.

Flood risk is also predicted to increase throughout

OVER 40,000 signed a petition people have cinated British to allow vacthe UK without Expats to visit quarantining.

It comes after dozens pats expressed of outrage atexrule that made them a and needing exempt their return to quarantine on friends back to see family or The digital home. petition, claimed which up to six the rule prejudiced million Britons ing abroad, livcaused a response rapid ernment, from the UK govdefending matic approach’. its ‘pragA spokesman RECENTLY-reopened said: “Public health has Blanca hotels Costa already number onealways been our close will have put many again priority to off making will not risk throwingand we do not pick if UK bookings a plunge families our hard-won summer away The regionalup next month. holidays for their achievements.”

By Alex Trelinski For the petition this in Spain hoteliers ciation, Hosbec asso- But year.

EU COVID to be consid- is ered in Parliament there very difficult insists that it Mayor. bring in certificate would reach 100,000 sands who are tens of thouit needs to British market.

Mayor regards are still France andEU tourists as signatures. to itable without thestay prof- to travel From masses of Germany normal break for theirplanning most the last the UK as al- not recommending British tourists. are cinated’July 19, ‘fully-vacannual the The British in the Letters special summer hope in saving ish travel, which Span- England tourists “If British sun. government’s season with confusing on page already tourists 10 arrive in an us with the Britishjust leaves ber-listed going to an from do not visitors gloomy outlook ly-changing and frequentmarket,” country like amover said Mayor. doomed August, hotels are messages will no longer to closure,” Germany.from France and Many hotels Spain have ed Hosbec president,insist- “Rising have to into self-quarantine in late June only reopened go bike rentAL • return.

Toni reduced COVID cases on their or early have month in e-scooters this However the hope that the laxed UK anticipation of reall British BIKE TOURS • minus children tourists, are heavilytravel rules as they repairS dependent under age on the two of four, will still the negative need They have COVID tests. fore you to be booked beand can get on your flight cost up (€117) each. to £100 Holidaymakers have to get will also gen test priora negative antito flying home.

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Graham Keeley graham@theolivepress.es

- July 28th

See page 14

thorised use and dumping of desalinated water in the lagoon by farmers in the I Campo de Cartagena area.

Meanwhile the Murcia government says that it will file a complaint with prosecutors against Spain's Ecological Transition Minister, Teresa Ribera.

The PP-led regional administration, which has been in power since 1995, says that the PSOE minister has done nothing to stop fresh water and nutrients being poured into the Mar Menor.

They also claim Ribera broke promises made over removing sludge.

The regional PP government itself has also been heavily criticised for not doing enough during their tenure to protect the Mar Menor.

The lagoon has been branded by campaigners as one of Europe's major environmental disasters.

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ticularly at risk for erosion and flooding.

This poses not just a threat to those who live in coastal and floodplain areas but will have a massive impact on Spain’s

Rollercoaster getting marriedride for our man on the Rock Euro final during Find out

Vaccine fury

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OLIVE PRESS

VALENCIA / COSTA FREE Vol. AZAHAR 1 Issue

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Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

peratures come reduced rainfall and drought.

The MedECC group (Mediterrranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change) estimates that with each degree of warming there will be a 4% decrease in rainfall. And this will bring an increasingly arid climate with more droughts and fires, phenomena that Spain is already seeing.

There is also the threat of rising sea levels, as increasing temperatures have caused faster melting of glaciers and ice caps, resulting in the sea level rising globally at a rate of about 3mm per year over the last two decades.

While it is uncertain exactly how much the Med will be affected, experts have made clear that Spain’s coastal regions are par-

The

QUESTIONS NEED ANSWERING

the country, as extreme rainfall events become more common pected rise of invasive species also poses a threat. in a warmer world.

But increased rainfall doesn’t This food scarcity issue could be mean an end to water shortag- compounded by the effects of es, quite the opposite: Torrential rising temperatures on Spain’s rain and subsequent flooding marine ecosystem. threatens water stores, destroys Already, overfishing is a major drainage and water supply sys- problem in Spain. With warmer tems and compounds the risk of ocean and freshwater temperatures, combined with ocean aciddrought.

These same factors also threat- ification due to higher levels of en Spain’s food supply. Heat CO2, once abundant species of waves, droughts, and heavy fish will become more scarce. rainfall all have a detrimental But amid this doom and gloom, effect on crops, while the ex- Velazquez believes Spain has the right tools to adapt to climate change.

“I think that the strategy to adapt to climate change is [on the right path]. Several initiatives are on the table and they will be adapted if it is required,” he explains.

Indeed, Spain recently passed its first law aimed at combating climate change, putting the country on track to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 in line with EU goals.

Velazquez believes this plan sets Spain on the right track.

“The current carbon neutral plan is ambitious but if it is correctly implemented, and other countries do it too, the final results will set us on the right path,” he said.

But for some Spanish environmental activists, the plan falls far short of what is needed.

The Spanish government was recently hit with a Supreme Court petition by activists insisting it lacked ambition and had no chance of preventing global temperatures from rising 1.5ºC by 2030.

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A GOLF course is judge investigating among a blacklist into the Mar the dumping of polluters given to a of improperly-treated Judge Angel Menor.

Garrote has water nesses to ordered 42 testify, as agriculture-based well as the bosses busiContinues

T’S an area that was long known for its beauty with its breathtaking geography and varied flora and fauna.

But today the Mar Menor, in Murcia, makes headlines for the horrific pollution that has ravaged the lagoon killing tens of thousands of fish as people in power stood by peared to do little or nothing about it. and apTake a trip to the southern shore, an area once teeming with tourists drawn to the en sands and clear blue water of Punta goldBrava beach, in Los Urrutias.

Today the coastal stretch is awash with dirty mush, covered in algae and emitting a putrid ‘rotten-egg’ stench. The water is distinctly murky and, not surprisingly, there’s barely a bather in sight.

Cleaning teams from Cartagena City Council come and go, but are faced with a thankless task as any work is quickly undone fresh wave of algae sweeping in. Los with a Urrutias is one of the worst pollution blackspots because of its close proximity to a creek ing gallons of nitrate-laden irrigation dumpwater into the lagoon.

So bad was the situation that in 2016 plankton, also known as microalgae, phytounder attack, due to the high levels of came nitrate in the water.

The surface ended up turning dark green stopping sunlight reaching lagoon vegetation and leading to the loss of 80% of its seagrass, according to the Institute of Oceanography.

Within a year, all of the Mar Menor’s beaches were stripped of their ‘Blue Flag’ status.

Just when it didn’t seem things could get worse, in September 2019, exceptional flooding saw excess water pumped in the lagoon, which in turn led to tens of thousands of oxygen-starved fish washing up dead beaches such as Villanantitos at San onto Pedro del Pinatar.

The images flashed around the world as over three tons of fish and crustaceans were collected from the beaches. Tests confirmed they had died of anoxia (lack of oxygen) worse, there were countless thousands and, more dead on the bottom of the lagoon.

It caused a national outrage and, as in the Olive Press, some 55,000 covered marched on the regional parliamentpeople (see right) in Cartagena to call for urgent action.

“The floods were the last straw,” recalls Manga resident, Graham Bradley. “There La anger that nothing had been done for was about preserving such a beautiful area.years It is incomprehensible how this has been allowed to happen,” he added.

on Page

4

Spain’s Mar Menor is Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon, and now the site of one of the continent’s greatest ecological disasters, writes Alex Trelinski would end up in the water and would annihilate the flora and fauna,” recalls one campaigner Isabel Rubio.

There were other issues too. Like much of coastal Spain, the 1970s saw tourists flood in from abroad leading to a construction boom with buildings constructed all along the shore, particularly in the mid-1980s.

Then followed dredging work to allow access for bigger boats that further damaged the delicate ecosystem.

But the biggest environmental threat came from the large number of unlicensed desalination were introduced by farmers for irrigation plants that around the

DISASTER: The OP’s feature

J

Campo de Cartagena.

A law change in 1979 meant irrigated zones increased by over ten times, while an alarming quarter of the region became ‘watered’ illegally without licences.

It was good news, of course, for northern internationally-exported crops saw their Europe, as reliance on rain reduced.

Fruit and vegetables ended up on UK shelves with customers oblivious to the supermarket environmental price paid to get them there.

It was a similar situation in the Campo de Dalias in Almeria, where the aquifers were drained intensive agriculture, mostly under plastic,so fast by that the spread of desertification rapidly sped up.

However, while these green gold crops brought a Continues on page 9

HE Olive Press has been batting for Spain live on Sky twice over the last week.

Editor Jon Clarke pleaded with the UK government not to put the country ber-plus list despite rising COVID-19 on the amHe told Sky News breakfast show figures. sharp rise in infections, the key that, despite a statistic was far lower hospital numbers.

Alongside the Greek Tourist Minister, he also pointed out how well Spain had done to get 55% of the country vaccinated - overtaking France and even the UK. It means that it is largely youngsters catching COVID in Spain now and they mostly ‘swat it away easily’.

The Olive Press team are regularly UK news channels, also including appearing on the BBC and ITV, giving their detailed local analysis on key issues around Spain.

We have also helped on a trio of investigative documentaries, including one for Swedish national TV and another for Australia’s CBS, over the last month.

We are the most trusted English Spain, which is reflected in rising media outlet in online numbers of well over 20,000 visitors a day.

Thousands of regulars have now signed up to our paywall, which provides over 20 stories a day about the country.

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are:

luggage rules over flight switches are 1- Ryanair ruled unfair by the Supreme Court in Spain knitters create beautiful crochet screen 2- Local to keep sun off the streets in town inland from

Zero

These include cutting our driving by 4%, our flying by 6% and by dropping our consumption of meat and dairy by 20%.

KIM CLARK “It is not the case that net zero requires total transformation in all aspects of our lives,” said a spokesman for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

Bison

Germany fied the last week classi‘high risk’whole of Spain as there is for COVID-19, but right bar currently no outcoming toon German visitors Spain if they an EU COVID certificate.have The same tourists, applies to French who are ond-highest the seceign visitorsnumber of fortraditionally after the However UK. Minister a French Junior Spain andsuggested that both Portugal ‘safe destinations’, were not tion denied a

by Spain’ssuggesism Minister, TourReyes Maroto.

And it certainly is not a recent problem. Environmental campaigners have spent the last four decades slamming the huge number of farms in the area that allowed their wastewater to enter the inland lagoon.

Warnings were first sounded when the dangers of intensive farming, urban development and mining were seen to serious threat to the area’s ecosystem.pose a “I remember a scientist saying in 1980 farming developed close to the lagoon,that if then remnants of fertilisers and other nutrients

A SERIES of small, key behavioural 7 changes will be enough to prevent global warning, a key environmental Live on think tank has claimed.

TheT British body has laid out six important steps that will help Europe reach its goal of cutting emissions to net zero by 2050.

July 28th - August 10th 2021

A New probe as thousands more dead fish wash up on the shores of Europe’s largest salt water lagoon IT seems like every day there is a new headline reminding us of the very real effect of climate change on our environment.

Just this week we have seen record temperatures in Aragon, fires raging in Catalunya and drought warnings in Andalucia.

Another week and there might be flash floods, coastal erosion, warnings of overfishing.

We are very aware that Spain is particularly vulnerable to the dangers of climate change but are we really doing enough to tackle it?

Volunteers may give up a day here pick up litter on a local beach or and there to wildlife spot.

And we all do the best we can to recycle don’t we?

COVID may have curtailed our air travel and therefore reduced our carbon footprints over the last year, but let’s face it, we still rely too much on gas-guzzling cars, on air conditioning in summer and central heating in winter.

We still want our favourite vegetables available on supermarket shelves even when they are not in season.

We still eat too much meat.

Even environmentalists aren’t united forward as our recent reports on on the way against mass solar parks illustrate. the protests But it’s time we woke up to the disaster ahead and pushed our governments to take riously. Why has no-one been held it more sefor an ecological disaster as huge accountable as the one we have witnessed in the Mar Menor (see right)?

Are the energy companies going to be allowed to continue to make big profits, and ers to get off scot free while the rest big pollutthrough our plastics and carry home of us sort our shopping in hemp bags in the belief that we are doing our bit?

The fight against climate change extends beyond action at a national level, however, and Spaniards are walking up to the need to become more environmentally friendly at home.

Aside from recycling far more, in Andalucia, farmers are being handed subsidies to switch to more sustainable methods of farming in a bid to fend off de-

sertification.

Elsewhere, both Malaga and Madrid have released plans to create a green belt around their cities (see green page 9), while other initiatives include the reintroduction of bison, long extinct within Spain, for the effective way they graze on undergrowth and help to prevent forest fires.

The jury is still out whether these efforts will be enough to mitigate the impending consequences of climate change, but Velazquez believes that with continued action on the issue, we have a chance.

“Climate change impacts are inevitable,” he concludes. “The increase of droughts, heat waves, and wildfires will affect us, but we can reduce their impacts if we work on it now. If we delay any longer, maybe it will be too late.”

Spain’s Costa del Sol

known towns worth a visit on 3- Five lesser Spain’s Costa del Sol this summer expat returns to Spain to find 4- Irish living in her home and demandingsquatter money to move out

Spain’s Balearic Islands will cover cost 5are-triate Covid-19 positive tourists whose to repaholidays prolonged with mandatory 10-day quarantine

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“There is a relatively small number of key behavioural changes that will deliver most of the necessary emissions reductions.

“Some have argued mass transition to vegetarianism, an end to international flights or mass transition from cars.

They are not necessarily required to meet net zero.”

Other key changes involve car fleets becoming 60% electric by 2035 and all new cars being electric by then.

In addition, 40% of homes need low carbon heating or air conditioning using heat pumps. Heating systems need to be low carbon.

We will also need to reduce waste per person by 37% via recycling, composting and lower consumption.

Martin Tye explains how Inaction is a weapon of mass destruction

UST how serious are our elected governments taking climate change?

You be the judge. Readers of this column know my thoughts and plenty of you regularly get in touch.

Two centuries ago Great Britain led the global industrial revolution. Today, Boris Johnson’s government claims to be leading the charge towards net zero by 2050 with its much publicised new Green Revolution.

In November of last year Boris and Alok Sharma, secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy published a 10-point plan of action.

Green

Matters

DO SOMETHING!

By Martin Tye

It went like this: 1. Advancing Offshore Wind 2. Driving the Growth of Low Carbon Hydrogen 3. Delivering new and advanced Nuclear Power 4. Accelerating the shift to Zero Emission Vehicles 5. Green public transport 6. Jet zero and green ships 7. Greener buildings 8. Investing in Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage 9. Protecting our Natural Environment 10. Green finance and innovation

ACTION: Alok Sharma gave 10 point plan

I fully agree with all of this. However the problem is seeing these words turned into action.

The government’s own advisory Climate Change Committee states that 1% of GDP needs to be spent every year to ensure that net zero targets are met.

But the WWF reports that in the March 2021 budget green policies add up to 0.01% of GDP. Talk is cheap, actions are weak, and some government proposals fly in the face of going green.

How can a new coal mine even be considered in Cumbria??

How can a new oil field be on the cards off Shetland??

Every day we see the effects of global warming. Governments need to step up now and make difficult and costly decisions.

Inaction is a weapon of mass destruction.

Many thanks to all of you for the emails you send.

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638145664 Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

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August 27th - September 9th 2021

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LA CULTURA

August 27th - September 9th 2021

FALLAS Following in ARE GO! Carlos Pranger takes a step back in time to walk the hills of La Alpujarra with poet Federico Garcia Lorca and composer Manuel de Falla

Valencia prepares for traditional celebrations but without the fireworks

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By Glenn Wickman

THE world famous Fallas festival is returning to Valencia after two years.

But the September extravaganza will be a little different from normal.

In particular, the famous fireworks displays will not be taking place, leading to mayor Joan Ribo to insist ‘this is not the Fallas festival of normal... more like Fallas-related events complying with the regulations’.

Firecracker

The daily mascleta firecracker detonations in the City Hall square and all major firework displays have been dropped.

There will however, still be plenty going on, including the flower offerings to the Virgin Mary – but without the usual thousands of spectators lining the route.

And naturally, the giant iconic papier-mache statues (ninots)

GIANT: Statues tower over Valencia’s streets of celebrities, sportsmen and politicians have been brought out of storage.

They had been carefully packed away (and not set on fire as normal) since the cancellation of the Spring Fallas last year.

The festival usually takes place between March 15 and

19, with months of preparations and warm-up events.

The nocturnal curfew at 1am will be maintained for the duration of the ‘non-Fallas’.

The main events scheduled for September 1 to 5 will culminate with the ritual burning (crema) of the statues.

Last year’s cancellation was only the sixth occasion the huge and colourful papier-mache statues failed to adorn the streets of the city since starting in the 19th century.

OET Federico Garcia Lorca was murdered on Lanjaron as: “SieAugust 18, 1936, during the first stages of the rra Nevada, which Spanish Civil War. He became a martyr and a means that you are in the heart of Africa, legend.

The most translated poet in the Spanish language, at the entrance to la his work is venerated wherever it is read. However, Alpujarra. The most there are still aspects of his life that are not very we- incredible fantasies ll-known. One of them is his connection with la Al- develop in the most pujarra. serene and logical Some years ago, the council of Pitres erected a mo- way.” nument in its main square commemorating the visit One activity he enjoyed was the regular excursions Lorca made to the village in 1932. It consists of a to the nearby sierras with one of his best friends, the photograph of Lorca standing in front of a Y-shaped priest Juan Padial, who showed him the beautiful tree and an extract of a letter to fellow poet Jorge Castaño Gordo and the Barranco de las Adelfas.

Guillen, which reads in part: “Here I am in Pitres, a There, on top of the mountains, the view on clear village with no voice, or pigeons from the mountains, days was incredible; the sea lay in the distance with crucified on the Y of the tree.” It is hard to know what the mountains of Africa beyond and below was the to make of this remark. vega de Lanjaron, cultivated with cereal, fruit and olive trees, all irrigated by the network of The presence of Lorca in la Alpujarra irrigation channels. In a letter to artist is a matter of some uncertainty as he Guasch, Federico writes: “In did not write much about the mounVillagers were Sebastian tainous region. But there are a few Lanjaron, oh mountains! Oh orange letters, postcards and photographs trees! I am reborn to your friendship.” often treated that prove he was a regular visitor But the poet also had time to work brutally and until 1934, two years before his tragic and to find inspiration in the manner death. people talked. For him, they are the cruelly by the His first contact with the area was descendents of the Moriscos. “No Guardia Civil with the spa town of Lanjaron, the doubt that here the nostalgia is anti-European, but it is not oriental. [It is] gateway to la Alpujarra. Federico’s Andalucia.” mother, Vicenta Lorca, was ill with a liver condition and a doctor prescribed a treatment of In the evening, after a long day, there would be a water from the town’s Capuchina fountain, famous dance in a salon of the Hotel España and Federico would play the piano. for its curative properties since Mozarab times.

Therefore from 1917 until 1934, the Lorca family Lanjaron acted as a base for Federico and his excurspent a few weeks every year in Lanjaron at the Hotel sions deeper into la Alpujarra. In the 1920s, Federico was an assiduous participant of one of Granada’s España, which stands to this day.

Federico’s first written testimony about Lanjaron that most famous gatherings, El Rinconcillo, which took has survived is a postcard dated August 17, 1924, place in the café Alameda. The participants were to the Cuban diplomat and poet Melchor Fernández some of Granada’s leading intellectuals. One of the Almagro. “What an admirable place. You should most famous was the musician Manuel de Falla, who come to visit this paradise. I have found curious ro- soon made friends with Lorca as they were both intemances and tales.” rested in folk music.

One of Federico’s favourite places was Lanjaron’s In 1922, Federico wrote a letter to Falla mentioning Moorish castle and he posted numerous postcards of la Alpujarra as a wonderful place to search for old it. In one of them, sent to the critic Sebastian Guash, folk songs. “Maybe we could take the Cristobicas to he describes its villages,” said Federico. Las Cristobicas was a puppet show for children.

Lanjaron and la Alpujarra influenced Lorca’s work and, while he was there, he wrote and edited poems such as La casada infiel, Reyerta, Reyerta de mozos and San Miguel.

Federico was also inspired by places like Orgiva,

PAST GLORY: Famous ninots and (above) one on fire

ISLAMIC TREASURE AN archaeological dig in the Puca area of Petrer has uncovered two walls belonging to a farmhouse dating back

to the Middle Ages.

Known as an alqueria, it formed the centrepiece of a Muslim settlement and

C’est magnifique!

FRENCH actor Marion Cotillard will receive the honorary Donostia Award for Best Actress at the 69th San Sebastian International Film Festival.

The 45-year-old Parisian is considered ‘one of the most international French actresses in contemporary cinema’, said organisers.

Oscar-winner Cotillard made her film debut in the 1994 French romantic drama L'histoire du garçon qui voulait qu'on l'embrasse (The story of the boy who wanted to be kissed).

Her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose (2007) won her international recognition, including an Oscar and Golden Globe.

excavations have been carried out for decades to try to find it.

Plaster on the wall suggests the alqueria stood between the 11th and 13th centuries when the area was under Islamic rule.

Silkworms

A typical Valencian alqueria would have had a rectangular shape split into living quarters and areas to store harvested products or even to rear silkworms.

Ceramic remains dating back to the Andalucian period, which started in the late 10th century, have also been discovered.

BEAUTY: The Alpujarras captivated Lorca

LA CULTURA

August 27th September 9th 2021

11

Afghan tragedy

Lorca’s footsteps H

Dear Jennifer:

Time to take control of your future during these difficult events

OW different our world is from two years ago. I was personally concerned at the speed that many people were living at, the pollution, climate change and very few people seemed to be content with their lives.

I am a firm believer in Mother Nature turning round on us, trying to give us warnings but of course, everybody was too busy in the world, trying to make money, with no time to look over their shoulders to discover what was happening.

Then a huge bomb exploded in the name of COVID. Unfortunately it took a while for the various governments to react, and it started to take over, with many becoming ill and sadly death was always round the corner.

The consequences of COVID will probably always be us, with new variants, and life will never feel the same.

On a positive side, I have heard many times that people have discovered the beauty around them and there are many fighting against climate change, especially among the young.

The reaction to COVID has been very demanding on the authorities and, very sadly, the everyday illnesses and conditions have had to take a back seat which of course, must be very frightening for those who have a health problem.

At the same time, BREXIT was sort of forgotten but more and more issues are beginning to come to light, usually to the detriment of the UK. For example, empty shelves, and horrors – chickens seem to be disappearing from certain restaurants.

However, we have another tragedy - Afghanistan. When I look at the soldiers who have been badly injured and think of the ones who died, I along with many, especially the military, are horrified at the speed at which everything is happening there. So much was given by the forces to try and keep the Taliban out but our politicians had other thoughts and we are already seeing the consequences.

Once again, the risk of terrorism could be on the rise. Nothing is easy but maybe now is the time to make sure that you and your family are protected from whatever is around the corner.

If in doubt, ensure all your documents and paperwork are correct and that they are the best you can do for your family.

TRAVELS: Lorca (above) amongst villagers in la Alpujarra and (left) his musician friend Manuel de Falla

where Falla loved talking to the people and getting lost in the streets. Lorca describes Orgiva in a letter to surrealist painter Salvador Dalí as ‘a myth of fresh water in a glass of pure crystal’.

The most important testimony from Lorca’s excursions to la Alpujarra is a letter to his brother Francisco, who lived in Paris at the time. Federico was invited in 1926

by Manuel Segura, a professor of law in Granada, on a two-day excursion to the region. “I did a little excursion to la Alpujarra. It took us two days. I have never seen anything so exotic and mysterious. I can’t believe that it is in Europe.”

But he also saw the dark side of the villages, the Guardia Civil often ruled their inhabitants with cruelty and brutality, especially the gypsies, a race Lorca respected and loved for their flamenco culture.

He had heard that a Guardia Civil had pulled out with some pliers the teeth of a hungry gypsy who had stolen a hen.

Maybe these stories inspired one of his most famous poems, El romance de la Guardia Civil or Cancion del gitano apaleado.

Travelling with Falla in the search for folk songs, Lorca visited the villages of Carataunas, Soportujar, Pitres and Haza del Lino. But there is another area of great importance.

According to the writer and journalist Rafael Gomez Montero, at Christmas 1926, Lorca stayed in a cortijo close to the hamlet of Bayacas.

Lorca biographer Ian Gibson also mentions this excursion.

Cortijo Montijano was in an area of Bayacas known as ‘Pollo Dios,’ between Carataunas and Orgiva. The Sortes Cave, which was inhabited by gypsies, was also nearby.

One night, after dinner, Federico and his friends listened to some coplas sung by the son of the caretaker of the cortijo.

One of the songs about infidelity imme-

diately caught their attention: Que yo me la llevé al río, creyendo que era mozuela, pero tenía marío.

Lorca was challenged by his friends to write something inspired by this copla. From this he produced La Casada Infiel, which became part of the Romancero Gitano.

Over the years, la Alpujarra has exerted an attraction on many people and Lorca’s letters, postcards and photographs show that he was also under its spell.

Not only was he attracted by the landscape, but the people and their culture. A large part of his visits to the region will probably always remain obscure due to the lack of material. If he had lived perhaps he would have written something more substantial about the area.

HOME FROM HOME: The house where Lorca's family stayed on their trips to Lanjaron

IF YOU NEED ANY HELP, JUST CALL US ON 966 461 690, EMAIL INFO@JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET OR VISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.JENNIFERCUNNINGHAM.NET

BUSINESS

12

August 27th - September 9th 2021

High viz, high price

IBERDROLA WATER THEFT PROBE WHILE illegal cannabis farms have been much in the news recently, a new business deal shows that there is legal money to be made from the leafy drug.

UK firm Grow has acquired Sanoid Isolates, a medical cannabis production plant in Sevilla.

The aim is to turn it into an integrated cannabis research, production and distribution company.

It is much more than just a farm. As well as a total of eight hectares of land, including four hectares of high-tech greenhouses, it has developed processes for refining and isolating active medicinal ingredients from raw cannabis.

Ambition

Ben Langley, CEO of Grow, said: “This acquisition showcases our ambition to become Europe’s leading supplier of cannabis medicines, creating an efficient supply chain from farm right through to pharmacy, to better serve thousands of patients.

“It will allow us to produce new cannabis medicines that the market needs, while giving us the infrastructure to carry out production and extraction efficiently and cheaply.

“The deal not only solidifies our ability to produce medicines for those patients we support in the UK, but will also support us as we expand globally.”

ONE of Spain’s leading electricity companies is being investigated over its controversial use of reservoir water.

Iberdrola has been accused of breaking rules at the Ricobayo reservoir in Zamora.

The reservoir has been drained down to 11% of its capacity over just+ five months.

Environment minister, Hugo Moran, said: “This has gone beyond what com-

mon sense would recommend in the use of such a sensitive public resource.”

The big drop in the water level is partly due to a nearby hydroelectric plant closing down, according to the water authority.

It added that the consequence was that the system relied more heavily on Ricobayo reservoir. Iberdrola says it is drawing on the reservoir according to the rules.

Coffers boosted €9bn of EU recovery cash handed to Spain SPAIN has pocketed its first payout from the European COVID Recovery Fund.

The country has had €9 billion of its €69.5 billion allocation from the EU. The money will be used for structural changes to its economy in the wake of the pandemic.

Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, said: “We continue to move towards a greener, digital, feminist, and cohesive country, setting into motion the great transformation our country needs.”

The cash will go to renewable energy sources, improving digitalisation, and cutting youth unemployment.

European Commission

By Alex Trelinski

President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “I am convinced that Spain’s ambitious plan will provide a crucial push for the European Green Deal to become a reality.

“It will make Spain more resilient than ever.”.

Some of the fund will be used to develop electric car production in Spain.

Other projects include extending ultra fast broadband to the whole country and laying 335 kilometres of new rail tracks.

A second €10 billion payment is scheduled for December.

SPANISH POWER OF ATTORNEY

I

Why you should let your lawyer handle your financial and property affairs

T is common in Spain for foreign non-residents to grant Power of Attorney to legal firms so that lawyers can deal with matters on behalf of their clients when they are not in Spain.

A Power of Attorney will often be the most practical way of enabling a Spanish lawyer to undertake tasks and sign documents on behalf of their clients so that they do not have the expense and the inconvenience of having to attend in person to sign or authorise each part of a legal matter.

Spanish Wills and Inheritance Tax are both important considerations if you have property and/ or investments in the country. It is normally recommended that you draft a Spanish Will to cover assets located in Spain and a foreign Will to cover any assets in other countries. It is important that there are no legal or tax conflicts between the application of the Spanish Will and the international Will.

Liable

Councils in the Ricobayo area have complained about the state of the reservoir which has coincided with record-high electricity prices.

Iberdrola said that hydro reserves were used when they are most needed, either because other sources were not available or because they can replace more expensive ones.

If you own property in Spain, or if your beneficiaries reside in Spain, then you will be liable for inheritance or succession tax. The main difference between UK and Spanish inheritance tax is that there is no exemption between husband and wife.

When one dies, the other is liable for inheritance tax on worldwide assets. A surviving spouse may be left a `life interest´ in the property instead. If you are UK domiciled you are liable to pay tax in both countries, but these liabilities can be offset against each other. An offshore trust can mitigate inheritance tax and further protect your assets.

It is not uncommon for people who have a property in Spain to also want to purchase and own a boat to take advantage of the beautiful sea. How-

By Malini Peñalva, Spanish Abogada at Del Canto Chambers Ibiza ever, buying a boat in Spain requires understanding many complicated tax laws.

For non-residents in Spain, there is a route to avoid the payment of these taxes, but it is dependent on whether the purchaser is an EU resident or from outside the EU. Under the scheme called ‘matricula turística’, a non-Spanish resident from another EU country will benefit from an exemption on the matriculation tax, therefore avoiding the extra 12%, although VAT must be paid. If the buyer is from outside the EU, the total amount (both the matriculation tax and VAT) will be exempt.

Who is buying or selling the boat can also make a difference regarding the amount of tax to be paid.

If there is a professional agent/ intermediary acting on behalf of the buyer/seller in the boat Transaction, then the tax liability may differ. If the transaction takes place between two individuals, but the buyer is non-resident in Spain, the transaction will be tax-exempt in Spain. With such complicated tax implications, it is important to seek advice before buying or selling a boat in Spain.

Del Canto Chambers has a team of expert lawyers who are dual-qualified in the UK and in Spain, meaning we are perfectly positioned to support our clients with any legal or tax requirements. We help ensure you are fully compliant with your tax position, helping you plan and protect your income as best as possible.

To make a no-obligation enquiry, please either call Del Canto Chambers now on: +44 2070 430648 or complete our online form on our website’s contact page, which after receipt we will come back to you within 24 hours.

Our office in Ibiza are located on: Calle Illa Plana 7, 07800 Ibiza, Islas Baleares.

Contact us directly on 971 761 171

UNITED: Van der Leyen and Sanchez

WHAT do you get the man who has everything? A ‘designer’ high-viz jacket that costs only €3,000 of course.

Spanish fashion house Balenciaga has designed the coat which has gone up for sale on appropriately named e-commerce platform FarFetch for a whopping €2,990 – and been roundly mocked on social media.

“What? Just 3,000 to look like a builder” as well as “This one comes with a CSCS [Construction Skills Certification Scheme] card”.

And other commentators point out that you can achieve the same look for around €20 by popping down to the local Chinese shop.

Officially the puffer coat, called AW21, is described as heading up a ‘dystopian collection, where the looks represent a sort of armour for everyday life’.

SALES ROCKETING PROPERTY sales across Spain have surged to levels not reached since before the crisis – and we are not talking about the pandemic but since the nation’s construction bubble burst back in 2008 with the onset of the global financial crisis.

With 64,877 homes sold across the whole of Spain in June, according to latest data from the Association of Spanish Notaries, this marks a growth of 70% compared to the same month a year earlier.

Lockdown

This may not seem surprising considering June, 2020 was the month Spain came out of its first COVID-19 lockdown and was a time when many were in the grip of eco-

Chicken tonight

nomic uncertainty.

However, the recovery is such that sales in June marked the first time the market has risen above 60,000 sales per month since 2007. In Andalucia as a whole, sales were up by more than 75% in June compared to the same month in 2020, as they were in the Balearics and Catalonia, with Valencia seeing a 100% rise.

A comparison with pre-pandemic years shows sales were also 41% higher than 2019, and 13% higher than 2018.

Equally good news is that after a period of consolidation, Spanish banks are in rude health and well capitalised so finance professionals have seen a spectacular recovery across Spain, with buyers full of confidence

A Filipino fast food chain is opening its first venture in Spain this autumn.

Jollibee is considered one of the fastest-growing restaurant companies in Asia, and operates in 33 countries with over 5,800 stores.

It sells mainly chicken-based dishes and will open in Madrid as part of a 50-store European expansion which has seen six restaurants launch in the UK.

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 1 Wolf, 4 Oration, 9 Red, 10 How so?, 11 Involve, 12 Bart, 13 Turn away, 15 Tester, 16 Rescue, 20 Cadillac, 22 Kelp, 24 Immense, 25 Elvis, 26 Ref, 27 Gangsta, 28 Tore Down: 2 Onwards, 3 From, 4 Odious, 5 Advances, 6 In-law, 7 Needy, 8 The bit, 14 Wetlands, 17 Cleaver, 18 Expose, 19 Camera, 20 Cling, 21 Demon, 23 Deft

SUDOKU

Rolling in

and actively seeking mortgages to enable them to realise their property dream.

Some parts of the country like Marbella and the Balearics weres not as badly affected as some other regions of Spain in the recent pandemic crisis. Together with the recovery since the economic crisis of a few years earlier, it proves the long term investment potential of the property market.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

Spicy offering

AS part of the airline’s COVID recovery program, Ryanair has added dozens more flights to its weekly roster to and from Spain.

Throughout September and October, Ryanair will have six different routes from Spain to Morocco, with more weekly flights to Tangier and Tetouan.

These include new routings to the largely undiscovered city of Oujda, while there will be two new weekly flights from Alicante to Tetouan.

August 27th - September 9th 2021

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Get off my land City slickers ordered to stay away from rural northern town if they don’t like farmyard smells and other country annoyances

Bordeaux

For winter, Ryanair will be adding an additional 21 routes and more than 2000 weekly flights, from popular Spanish airports to locations across Europe such as Bordeaux, Arlanda, Stockholm and Frankfurt.

Jason McGuinness, director of commercial Ryanair, said: “We are delighted to continue to fuel recovery and growth in Spain despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our new 2021 winter Spanish routes are perfect for customers looking to enjoy a winter break.”

VISIT: Morocco

TOWNIES have been ordered to avoid holidays in rural idylls around northern Spain.

One town in Asturias has even recommended city dwellers stay away if they don’t like the ways of the country.

By Fiona Govan

The council in Ribadesella (population 5,600) pinned up warning posters around the picturesque coastal re-

SNAPPY SNACKS

IT will come as no surprise - but paella has been named as the most Instagrammable dish in Spain.

The Valencian invention, which has numerous meat, seafood and vegetarian variations has received over 3.3 million hashtags to date.

The Galician favourite of empanadas - pastries traditionally filled with tuna - come in second with 2.8 million to date.

Despite a long-term debate over soup being considered a meal, gazpacho has been tagged over 380,000 times to date, just ahead of Spain’s legendary tortilla de patatas (331,658).

Fideua has 164,250 hashtags, while suckling lamb (lechazo) has 22,850.

Friends.

sort, where green pastures roll down to the sea.

It warns visitors to ‘assume all risks’ including braying donkeys, cow dung and cocks crowing - or simply visit somewhere else.

Top 10 pictured dishes

1. Paella (3,325,532) 2. Empanadas (2,756,145) 3. Gazpacho (380,257) 4. Tortilla de patata (331,658) 5. Bocadillos (306,422) 6. Fideuà (164,250) 7. Cocido (130,235) 8. Lechazo (22,850) 9. Pollo al ajillo (6,800) 10. Arroz con huevo (6,319)

“Here we have church bells that peal regularly, roosters that crow early in the morning and livestock that live nearby and even carry cowbells that also make noise,” it reads.

“We have tractors owned by farmers that toil to feed you and we have lanes not motorways (so drive carefully).

“If you can’t handle all this, then you may not be in the right place,” it adds.

The tongue-in-cheek posters come in response to a flurry of complaints made in phone calls to the town hall from recent city slicker visitors.

“It’s a wake-up call to defend our way of life,” explained Luis Sanchez, Ribadesella’s deputy mayor.

“We’re responding to those surprised to hear a rooster crowing at dawn and call to

WARNING: Stay out of Ribadesella (left) to avoid donkeys complain that their sleep is being disturbed,” he added.

He confirmed the council had received calls about braying donkeys and even dung dropped in the middle of the road by a herd of meandering cattle.

“These things are a normal part of daily life in villages,” Sanchez said.

The poster at least ends on a positive note, welcoming those who genuinely seek the bucolic lifestyle.

“If you can bear all this, you’ll enjoy the wonderful surroundings and the excellent products made by our fantastic farmers and artisans,” it adds.

Much more than four stars.

Reset.

Comfort.

Good life.

At Ocean Drive Port Portals we have our own star rating. Because, we like the stars of the Majorcan sky, the stars that form the lights of the harbour or the star service provided by each member of our team.

Sunset.

A hotel that maximises the destination to it's full potential, thanks to it's excellent location. It offers great local experiences at any moment. With art, design, relaxation and comfort. A hotel full of life.

Music.

14

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

August 27th - September 9th 2021

COOLING OFF ISOLATED: The Sierra de Albarracin and Spain’s coolest town Griegos (circled)

D

ESPITE the heatwave of mid-August finally subsiding after forcing the mercury above 40ºC, many people in Spain are still dreaming of cooler climes.

While Spain’s northwestern corner has escaped the brunt of the high temperatures, there are more options than a trip to Galicia or Asturias to find a respite from the scorching sun.

The place in Spain that has officially been declared the town with the lowest temperatures during summer is actually located in rural Teruel province in east-central Spain, roughly halfway between Madrid and Valencia as the crow flies.

Griegos, in the Sierra de Albarracin, is the second highest town in Spain sitting at an altitude of 1,604 metres and only beaten by Valdelinares, a town about two hours drive east within the same

province.

In Griegos, the thermometer can often drop to 0ºC even in August, and a duvet is most definitely required.

To those in the scorched plains of central Spain or the humid south or east, that probably sounds blissful. But don’t all rush there at once.

Griegos has little tourist accommodation within the village itself, except a private home offered for rental on Booking.com although on the outskirts of the town surrounded by pine trees, you will find an albergue with basic hostel-style accommodation.

And there’s isn’t an awful lot to do in the town,

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SLEEPY: Griegos square WILD: The Rio Guadalaviar flows through Albarracin

TIMELESS: Albarracin is also sleepy and empty in August except visit the Butterfly House or the 16th century church of San Pedro. But if you want to enjoy the cooler temperatures and beautiful walks through nature there are countless hiking paths through the unspoilt woods of the surrounding hills.

Visitors can be sure of dining well at the town’s only restaurant, El Paladar de Aragon, which has a great value restaurant.

Close by you must also visit the capital of the local mountain range Albarracin itself. This gem of a town has been voted one of the most beautiful villages of Spain and it is not hard to see why.

Almost totally unspoilt, it counts on a stunning hillside location (above) in a green, leafy valley and with a wonderful collection of stone houses, palaces and churches.

It has a better collection of places

Photos by Jon Clarke

Take a trip to the province of Teruel to find Spain’s coolest place in summer… and make sure to stop off at stunning Albarracin on the way, writes Fiona Govan

to stay, including the excellent Hospederia de Batan (www.elbatan.es), which sits in its own valley with breathtaking local scenery and a Michelin-star restaurant to boot (the only one in Teruel province).

In the heart of town a great choice of restaurant is Senorio de Albarracin (www.senoriodealbarracin.com) which has a surprisingly interesting and creative menu, with plenty of good wines as well.

Back in Griegos, the town has recently launched an appeal to attract young families, as its numbers have dwindled to just 130 residents over recent years.

The town, like countless others within Teruel province of Aragon, suffers from a falling population after decades of abandoning rural life for opportunities in the cities.

The town council is currently offering young families a free house and a job to encourage them to relocate in a bid to stop the town dying out and the local school closing.

For those suffering in the heat elsewhere in Spain this month, that sounds like a tempting offer.

COLUMNISTS

A

FTER the first couple of years of spicy married life, we decided we needed something else to occupy some of our free time, so we rented a DER black and white television, at the bank-breaking monthly price of 25 shillings(€1.45). Unfortunately, most of the time was spent jumping around the room trying to get the best reception via an indoor wire aerial. Since those heady days, television has become an essential part of our lives, but no less problematic.

When we first moved to Spain, UK television was unobtainable. We had to put up with visitors prattling on about Ena Sharples' latest snug bar chat with Minnie Caldwell. Goggle-Box torture, for we soap-deprived, fun in the sun, Brits. But restitution was restored when a few years later, Sky TV appeared on the scene. Although illegal, providing you could supply your local dealer a UK address, the full Monty could be installed. We fell for this, but

Television torture fell-out again when Sky cyber spies discovered we lived in Spain and immediately cut off our supply.

Next magic formula on the expat scene: cable television, guaranteeing a plethora of stations on a yearly pay-in-advance contract. Again, a totally illegal system and we spent more time staring at blank screens than programmes, especially during bad weather or police raids on suppliers.

Hot on cable heels was the resurgence of Sky TV, but this time with no UK address necessary.

Again, dicing with death, totally illegal and no guarantee of getting a full annual fee service.

The following years of on-off TV torture, turned us into permanent frustrated sofa cyber zombies, with non-seeing square eyes. But just as we

A

oil for said car I would struggle, as would everyone.

So to simplify, the powers that be could not justify a war and killings on the basis of not being able to provide sustainable fuel.

Therefore another reason was required and what better than a threat to our very own existence from weapons of mass destruction!

It was no coincidence that my contacts were all asked about their association to me and told to cut contact when I was arrested during the phone-hacking investigation. To be clear, I was arrested for ‘conspiracy to intercept communications’, simply put, I was asked what I knew about it? Which is very different to actually being charged with phone hacking.

But my real fear wasn’t anything to do with phone hacking, but knowing what I knew and people in my circle.

Those same people have all since come back to me and apo-

Motor mayhem It’s that time of year again

S

UMMER has long been the time of year when driving niceties fly straight out of the near side window.

The roads are full normally of Madrileños driving their Mercedes at five miles an hour and no indicators while they try to decide whether to go left or right before sticking it in the scenery.

This year we have been spared the usual chaotic carnival of car confusion that is the annual pilgrimage of Moroccans from northern Europe making their trip to the motherland.

We have, however, seen Marbella’s roads clogged with Audis, Ferraris and Lamborghinis all being driven with outstanding levels of ineptitude by characters that seem to have stepped off the set of a bad rap video.

As a driver who sometimes suffers from what you can euphemistically call the ‘red mist’, the problem is that any display of road rage or waving of fingers at the aforementioned drivers can quickly escalate into something from an outtake from ‘Mad Max’.

CREATIVE: and cheaper than a new paint job

And then there are the cyclists who, inspired by the ‘Vuelta’, Spain’s annual cycle race, saddle up and take to my particular tranche of tarmac.

I have said it before and I’ll say it again. If I want to see a man’s sweaty arse in Lycra gyrating in front of me, I know several clubs in Soho .

In the midst of the motoring mayhem, I spotted this decaled Daewoo Matiz, which raised a wry smile as I slugged my way past San P. The fact that there were even more stickers on the interior made it even better!

Best to stay cool, stay calm, put some Chill Out on the stereo and just remember that summer will soon be over.

OLD HAC K IN THE SUN

Benny Davis

Ramblings of an 80-somethin g expat

were contemplating joining some far-flung Tibetan monastery, the cavalry finally came to the rescue. Under the flag of 'Digital TV,´ we were promised a multitude of programmes, direct to our screen via a computer. Again, we fell for the sales pitch.

Since then, having suffered from endless 'Bad Connection' problems, we have spent mucho dinero on upgrading the computer memory, changing little black digi-boxes, and installing 5G fibre optics.

The end result – a depleting bank balance and little change from those good-old black and white DER days, except that at our time of life, we have nothing to do while waiting for the Rovers to return.

ON THE (SECRET) AGENDA LL governments who go to tacts are forged. war often have secret agen- Several of the people I trained and das! worked with stayed in journalism, but As America and Britain pull some went on to work in PR, or as out of Afghanistan, how many of you press officers for national security orhave asked what were we doing the- ganisations and even prominent MPs. re in the first place?

Most journalists I know got stories Was it to do with weapons of mass through their contacts or sources, not destruction, the 911 atrocities, both, by using dark arts. We had grown or something else? Who even seems into our careers along with our conto care what the reason was because tacts and built an invaluable trust, it was clearly a waste of time, money with them providing vital information which would probably and, much more saddening, many thounever have seen the lisands of lives on all ght of day if they didn’t I investigated know that we’d never sides.

My own opinion is that sell them out. the death of America is often the such occasion Dr David Kelly, One bullying big brother which demonstrated and the UK would rathis perfectly, was when the weapons ther be its pocket bitch I was investigating the inspector than its enemy. death of Dr David Kelly, Wherever there is conthe weapons inspector flict the US somehow who was made the scaalways seems to make it their busi- pegoat following the Iraq War and ness. Who voted them as the judge, who allegedly killed himself. jury and executioner to less powerful I had been told on very good authocountries, who for centuries have li- rity that he hadn’t killed himself and ved by their own laws and traditions was taken out! Why? And straight out and keep their nose out of our bu- of a James Bond film the reply was, siness? ‘for the greater good’.

I stopped trusting governments a But whose greater good? The answer long time ago back when I was a I got back was meant to personalise journalist working for the national the alleged murder. I owned a car to press. Having started my career on a take my son to and from school and local newspaper it’s here your con- as it was described to me that without

15

August 27th - September 9th 2021

Terenia Taras Telling it like it is

logised that they could not offer any support during that stressful time. But I don’t blame them, their own jobs were on the line and in some cases the potential of having broken the official secrets act.

Their names I will take to my grave because it comes down to trust and having integrity as a journalist to try to uphold the truth. This is something I was fiercely passionate about and

Looking behind the headlines into a murky world

sadly seems wasted on the vast majority who can be pacified in the interests of a ‘greater good’.

So to todays’ news; a little part of me is happy that Afghanistan has taken back its country and the US and UK can only admit defeat as a result. We may not agree with other countries’ way of life but if the alternative the US and UK provided was so much better then why has it failed the people?

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME @tereniataras

We use recycled paper

Egg-static EIGHT baby loggerhead sea turtles have hatched on a beach in Mojacar (Almeria) after their nest was put under 24-hour surveillance to make sure they were not harmed.

FINAL WORDS

Poor show FOOTBALL fans in Madrid are among the least satisfied when it comes to stadiums with Real Madrid’s Bernabeu and Atletico Madrid’s Wanda stadium branded the eighth and ninth worst stadiums in Europe by Livefootballtickets.com.

Still going SHOEMAKER Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia from Leon, aged 112, is officially the world’s oldest man following the death of Puerto Rican farmer Emilio Flores Marquez just four days after he turned 113.

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Vol. 5 Issue 113

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Your expat

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August 27th - September 9th 2021

NEARLY 500 dog owners have been fined in a clampdown of illegal dogs in Malaga this year.

Fines of up to €700 have been levied for unregistered dogs and for fouling the streets Of 171 samples of excrement some 25 were matched to the city’s DNA database. The campaign has seen 2,227 checks, which is actually a huge drop on the 14,000-plus checks in 2018.

No small matter

Dwarf bullfighters wade into battle to protect their livelihoods, now under threat DRESSED in gaudy clothes and heavily made-up, they dart about the ring leaping skillfully out of the path of charging bulls.

But unlike the hushed reverence to a matador in his twinkling suit of lights, these pint-size toreros perform to a bellow of collective laughter.

Welcome to dwarf bullfighting, a peculiar practice under threat from Spain’s Social Rights Ministry.

Po Fig o hte rs!

By Fiona Govan

However, plans to outlaw what it describes as ‘degrading’ entertainment and ridiculing people with disabilities, have been met with far more anger from the dwarves themselves.

Dwarf troupe Diversiones en el Ruedo is suing Baza town hall, in Granada, after a show was cancelled this month on orders from the Junta to ‘safeguard

Death of Feminism A MAYOR has banned bullfighting after two bulls killed in a recent corrida were named ‘Feminism’ and ‘Nigerian’.

Gijon leader Ana Gonzalez cancelled the annual Begoña fiesta before its last fight, after outrage from opponents of the blood sport.

Supporters of the festival insisted Gonzalez had lost her sense of humour.

BANNED: Pint-sized toreros are up in arms the dignity of people with disabilities’.

The group is furious and argues that their right to work is enshrined in the Spanish constitution.

“It shows a complete lack of respect and freedom,” manager Daniel Calderon, told the Olive Press.

“We are skilled professionals who work hard and entertain like other performers,” he said.

“All those who enter the ring are registered as bullfighters at

the Ministry of Culture, whatever size they are, and we enter of our own free will.

“Surely it’s discrimination to stop us from doing so?”

A CATALAN town has created a unique crime fighter to tackle the scourge of dog poo.

Super Anti-Caques visits schools to spread the vital message to clean up after pets.

The creation in Campdevanol comes as the town registered all its 300 pets and took DNA samples to ensure it can detect and fine those owners behind any errant excrement.

Meanwhile Barcelona and Madrid fared well in a poll of European cities that tackled the problem well.

They placed third and eighth in the table overall, ahead of Berlin and Vienna, in particular for dealing with offenders and providing good facilities for pets.

One of the factors singled out by tails.com is the severity of the fines, which is a whopping €1,500 in both Spanish cities.

Naples, in Italy, came bottom in the ranking.