Olive Press Costa Blanca and Valencia - Issue 185 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

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KNIVES OUT Meet the world’s best chefs See page 14

Licenced to scam THE British embassy is warning of a scam taking advantage of expats caught in the driving licence debacle. It claims adverts have appeared on Facebook offering to get them ‘a Spanish licence in exchange for cash’. The alarm was first raised from a social media pressure group which threatened to invade the embassy last month. The group is representing what is believed to be thousands of British residents who haven’t been able to legally drive in Spain since May 1. One member told the Olive Press the scammers are asking for €550 for the service. “Please don’t do any business with these guys,” he said. British ambassador Hugh Elliott revealed this week there were only two outstanding points still being hammered out between the two sides, in advance of an agreement. Meanwhile, Elliott, has denied the delay in reaching a post-Brexit deal on driving licence exchange has anything to do with the Gibraltar border negotiations. He insisted this during a meeting with the pressure group, which is trying to help the thousands of British residents who have been unable to drive.

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Vol. 4 Issue 93 www.theolivepress.es November 3rd - November 16th 2022

Hope for Kim

Tourist to get new hands after losing all her limbs after Spanish holiday five years ago

NOW

A BRITISH woman who was told she had six hours to live while on holiday in Spain is finally set to undergo a rare double hand transplant. Kim Smith lost all of her limbs after she contracted sepsis following a common urinary tract infection while on holiday five years ago this month. The 61-year-old is near the top of a waiting list for hand transplant surgery, which will ‘make her life better again’. “I’ve just got on with my life and stayed strong and positive for so long, it’s been the only way,” she told the Olive Press. “After my transplant, I’ll be able to drive again and do more things - life will get better again.” Kim had fallen ill while she and her husband Steve, from Milton Keynes, were on holiday on the Costa Blanca in November 2017.

EXCLUSIVE By Anthony Piovesan

They had plans to spend Christmas there, but one day while visiting the historic town of Sax she felt a pang of pain in her lower back.

Pain

Thinking it was a urine infection she went to nearby Elda Hospital and pointed at her back, telling doctors ‘pain here’. “In hindsight I should have said I had an infection because they just x-rayed my back and sent me away telling me I had no breaks or fractures,” she explained. The next day she went to see another doctor, who did a test for a urine infection and, after confirming it, prescribed her with a

CLOSING TIME Lee Sharpe on the pitfalls of opening bars in Spain

Page 6 HAPPY TIMES: Walking near Sax in Alicante before infection

NIGHTMARE: Coma and aftermath of sepsis drama

course of antibiotics. But that night at 4am she was in so much pain she was rushed to hospital again, where doctors told her husband she ‘only had six hours to live’. She really thought she was ‘going to die’ and was put into an induced coma for nine weeks, three weeks of it in her local hospital in Milton Keynes. When she finally woke up surgeons told her that her hands and legs would need to be amputated as they had ‘gone black and completely died’ from sepsis. After major surgery she then spent half a year in recovery. “For six months I was just in bed, I couldn’t move,” she recalled. “I had to learn how to sit up and use my muscles again. It was awful.” She is now near the top of a waiting list for a double hand transplant at Leeds General Infirmary, the only hospital in the

UK that can perform the surgery. The former hairdresser says she misses her hands most of all, and looks forward to cooking, sewing and driving again after the operation.

Inspirational

Kim hopes by speaking out she will be an inspirational voice for others who have also been impacted by sepsis. “Everyone always tells me I’m so strong and positive and so I encourage those people to be the same - It’s the only way to get through,” she concluded. Kim has started an online community awareness page, Kim’s Chance, where she shares her journey with thousands of followers. She has also set up a sepsis support group in her home town of Milton Keynes.

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CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Rubbish arsonist VILLAJOYOSA police are looking for the culprit behind 30 rubbish container fires in the town. Officers say the fire-starter is seemingly ignorant of the serious consequences of his actions.

Tax cut JAVEA council will maintain a 17% IBI property tax reduction in 2023. The cut introduced this year means an average property owner will save around €80.

Test run NIGHT-TIME test trains are running this week on the restored Denia to Gata de Gorgos rail line. The service should start early in the New Year.

Teen knifed A 17-year-old Paiporta boy was stabbed four times in a bust up with four teenagers during a Halloween party on Sunday. He was taken to hospital in Valencia with one wound affecting his lung.

A 20-year-old man has been charged with coshing his 72-year-old lover to death in Albalat de la Ribera. The Guardia Civil detained Alex C a day after the body of Rafael Gausach was discovered hidden in a garden planter on a communal terrace at his home. Neighbours had called police because of the stench.

November 3rd - November 16th 2022

BRUTAL OUTCOME

The body had been dumped there for almost a week. A forensic examination confirmed that he died from a beating, and older injuries and bruises from previous assaults were detected. The young man became the main sus-

pect and, according to neighbours, had been a regular visitor to Gausach’s Calle de Pont home for months. Alex C maintained a close friendship and sexual relationship with Gausach and was described as well-liked.

MAYOR JAILED

FORMER Calpe mayor, Francisco Javier Morato, and two ex-Partido Popular councillors have been convicted of receiving over €601,000 in bribes over a waste contract. Morato got a 30-month prison sentence while businessman Angel Fenoli, who was the winning bidder, was sentenced to two years and a day behind bars. Morato and former councillors, Juan Rosello and Fernan-

Corrupt ex-Calpe mayor took massive bung over waste disposal contract By Alex Trelinski

do Penella, who also received 30-month prison sentences, were barred from public office for 13 years and fined by Alicante Provincial Court. Rosello’s brother-in-law was also convicted and given a

two-year jail term for being involved in the bribery plot. Three other people were acquitted for lack of evidence. The Alicante court said the punishments had been reduced due to the extraordinary long time in processing the case, which dates 10 years.

Love scam

Gang brawl

POLICE have busted a massive ‘love scam’ in what has been claimed as one of the largest-ever operations against cybercrime in the European Union. An investigation has discovered victims in nine European countries besides Spain and over €1 million was swindled. Some 25 cases of fraud have been confirmed and inquiries are still continuing. The probe started after an Alicante woman was conned out of €835,000 over a number of years by a bogus US marine who claimed to work for the State Department. The gang leader - a 27-year-old Nigerian man - has been arrested in Mallorca and 14 of his associates of various nationalities who acted as ‘mules’ were also detained on the island.

A MASS brawl involving 30 people in Valencia city centre saw two people stabbed. A man was knifed outside the McDonald’s outlet on Calle Xativa while a second stabbed nearby. The previous weekend, 70 people were involved in a gang punch-up on the Gran Via Marques del Tuna.

Fenoli paid the mayor and councillors a bribe of over €601,000 to secure the 25year waste contract concession for Calpe. Rosello’s brother-in-law acted as an intermediary and he got over €90,000 which was meant to go to local football club, Calpe CF, which only received €24,000. After the contract was signed in February 1998, Fenoli asked for an extension nine months later to cover the cost of the bribes.

Deal

In 2000, the deal was extended on the grounds of improving the treatment of algae found on Calpe beaches. The Alicante court said the contract extension was done ‘without complying with legally required procedures’ with no technical reports commissioned.

Caught at last POLICE have arrested one of Spain’s top 10 ‘Most Wanted’ fugitives who was hiding out in a town on the Colombia-Ecuador border. Viviana Andrea Vallejo Gutierrez, 36, was the only woman on the list and was also a key Europol target over running an Alicante Province prostitution ring. She was arrested in Machala, Ecuador on human trafficking, drug dealing, and money laundering charges. Vallejo Gutierrez organised her vice operation as she trawled for Colombian women offering a new life in Spain for the sum of €1,500.

Devious

The victims were unaware of what they faced and on arrival in Spain, they were taken to an apartment in Elche. Their debt instantly doubled to €3,000 and they became virtual prisoners in poor conditions as they were forced into prostitution.

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LA CALA

THEY had both been interviewed - and even written columns - for the Olive Press when they opened restaurants on the Costa del Sol back in 2015. Now Ready Steady Cook presenter Steven Saunders is joining TOWIE star Elliot Wright at his popular Mijas restaurant Olivia’s La Cala. In an intriguing link up, Saunders has taken over executive duties in the kitchen and the food looks fab. It comes after the celebrity chef had closed his own La Cala joint, Little Ge-

June 3rd - June 16th 2021 FLOWER POW ER

by Steven Sa of the Little unders Geranium

United again

ranium, and moved back to England during the pandemic. Delighted to be back, he told the Olive Press: “This is home to me – I couldn’t wait to get back.” Wright meanwhile added he was the perfect fit to take his restaurant to the next level after recovering from a fire that gutted the premises. “We have come a long way since we

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THE winds of change have truly blown in as dozens of anti-corrup tion parties made substantial gains in town halls across Spain. Voters made clear they are ready to ditch Spain’s traditional two-party system as new parties Podemos and Ciudadanos performed well at regional and local elections on Sunday.

TOWIE star Elliot Wright launches a no-holds-barred column on Page 3 before we grill him on our food pages. See The Wright Stuff on Pages 54-55

TV presenter Nick Knowles and stunning wife Jessica lift the lid on their escape to Sotogrande on Page 3

2015

River of shame

A REAL DOG DAY FLASHBACK: To Elliot and Steven’s columns in 2015

rose like a Phoenix from the ashes, and now Steven is creating a new menu to keep us on an upward path,” he said. Here (above), theFreepair appear on a varifocal front page from 2015, with fellow TV lenses 59€ as the filling in presenter Nick Knowles a delicious celebrity sarnie. d after he crashed his new €60,000 Range Rover into the studio’s front door?

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IT sits in an eagle’s nest high above Tarragona’s famous Priorat wine region. An enviable escape from the world for around 30 locals, Siurana was the last Moorish stronghold in the region to fall to the marauding Catholic armies in 1153. And since then it has pretty much been cut off from the world, with poor wifi, no school or shops and hardly anywhere to eat or sleep. And that’s how the majority of the 100 or so locals want it to stay. At least according to the mayor, who decided to reject an offer to join Spain’s most prestigious list of stunning villages. According to Salvador Salvado it is ‘impossible’ to have more tourists visiting.

Don’t wannabe… …In the official list of Spain’s Most Beautiful villages

OUT AND IN: Siurana, while (right) Setenil and (left) Guadalest

He added there was already a ‘problem’ with visitors and more would simply di-

SHEEP replaced traffic on Madrid streets with shepherds steering their flocks through the heart of the capital along ancient migration routes. The annual event sees shepherds exercise their right to use ancient drovers paths to migrate their livestock from northern Spain to more southerly winter pastures. Sheep farmers pay a nominal charge based on a 1418 agreement with Madrid city council. This year’s flock included 1,200 Merino sheep and 200 goats.

lute the quality. It means only one village has officially joined Spain’s list of Los Pueblos Mas Bonitos de Espana this year. While 22 applied, only Puentedey, in Burgos, met the strict criteria to join the association, which was set up in 2011. There are now 105 villages in the group, all of which

must be under 15,000 in population and have a perfectly preserved historic core, as well as an ‘architectural or natural heritage’. Last year, 11 more villages joined, including Genalguacil, in Malaga, Banos de la Encina, in Jaen, Roncal in Navarra and Valverde de la Vera, in Caceres. The potential rewards for the villages are huge, with the promotion they get globally from being members and the huge growth in tourism it brings.

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All over the country the governing PP lost absolute majorities, meaning it will have to pact at least, one other with, Estepon a Town Hall fails to to form legitimate party clean gov- up a deadly ernments. river often played in Some of the big mayors by in children danger include MarbelWhat is E-Coli? la’s Angeles Munoz A DEADLY bacteria has and been Malaga’s Francisco E-Coli is a type of fecal EXCLUSIVE de la found in an Estepona river. Torre. A strand of the killer coliform bacteria usually By Rob Horgan E-Coli bacteria has been detected found in the intestines in See A Spring of Change, the Arroyo del Hornacinos, animals and humans. of Residents of the neighbouring on Pages 4 and 5 a stream often played Its presence in water Villas Andaluzas are now in by children. strong indication of is a ing in the Guardia Civil’s callrecent sewage or animal ronmental arm Seprona, enviafter waste contamination. written complaints to the town When the bacteria lives hall came to nothing. in animal or human intestiThey insist that the nal tracts it is harmless. overrun with rats andarea is mos- CONCERNE However when it appears quitos and the town D: Resident Sam Hall hall has at river’s bank in inadequately treated been completely ‘inactive’ de- worse. water it produces a toxin spite receiving the first report “It is from which Surrey, in April. is an absolute disgrace harmful and poas well ous neighbours, have as variand worse, a serious tentially fatal to humans. Independent analysis submithealth water shows that theof the hazard,” said British resident ted a number of formal complaints to the town hall. poses a serious health river Sam Hall, 78. risk He added: ing about and could be fatal. “It’s especially In response, a town hall “On hot it,” Hall added. days spokesman told the A report from Laboratorio worrying because we couple unbearable the smell is so that seen children playing have Mayor Jose Urbano Rafael Perez Rodriguez was able to sit out in we are unour that the quantities of stated the water where it flows near ‘aware of the problem’ and it Ironically, Esteponagarden.” into would be forms’ were so high that ‘coli- the sea. ‘sorted out’. was rewere ‘too many’ to count.there “If anyone were to be struck However, when a clean up cently honoured with a Green E-Coli can cause vomiting, down, it would be a national was finally ‘promised’ for May Flag Award for boosting environmental awareness. 18, nothing happened. scandal.” diarrhoea, liver disease and Hall and Estepona Which ageing costa his wife Susanna, “They say one thing to keep respond Town Hall failed to to Olive Press quesyou happy and then do noth- tions. show was cancelle DJ’s

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By Jon Clarke

November 3rd - November 16th 2022

Arty tapas is the special of the day in a new column from former Michelin-starred TV chef Steven Saunders. See Page 49

“We have never had such a rejection,” the president of the association, Francisco Maestre, told El Pais. “Being on the list means a significant increase in tourism and is not about harming the village.”

BRINGING SEXY BACK HIS was one of the scariest characters in Hollywood history. Ben Kingsley’s Oscar-nominated Don Logan is making a return in a mini-series based on cult gangster movie Sexy Beast. Set in London and the Costa del Sol (although originally filmed in Almeria), the Paramount series is a prequel to the 2000 hit. Contrary to fake news published in a well-known downmarket rag, it is, however, not starring Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone or Ian McShane. Their characters, Logan, Gal Dove and Teddy Bass are played by Emun Elliot, James McArdle (both below) and Stephen Moyer. They will play the characters, based in London in the early 1990s, before Gal Dove has retired to live on the Costas and is dragged back ‘for one last job’. Filming began in Liverpool in August, with streets renamed after London boroughs.

Neymar cleared

No Sharpe exit

PROSECUTORS have sensationally dropped corruption charges against football star Neymar over the Brazilian’s suspicious move from Santos to Barcelona in 2013. In a surprise move, a Barcelona prosecutor announced the ‘withdrawal of the charges against all the accused’. He faced a two-year jail term and a €10 million fine and, oddly, no reason has been given as to why the case collapsed.

FORMER England star Lee Sharpe has promised ‘new exciting ventures’ after shutting his Spanish sports bar. Sharpey’s, in Javea, on the Costa Blanca has closed, less than a year after opening. “It just wasn’t working for us,” the 51-year-old told the Olive Press this week. I wanted to part ways before the standards dropped beyond my control.” See Closing Time, page 6

A PETRER man found himself €900 out of pocket when he paid the bill in a local bar and forgot to put in a comma - and now the owner is refusing to pay him back. The visually-impaired customer used the Bizum instant payment service via his phone for his €9.30 tab but keyed in €930 by mistake. He didn't realise what happened until a few days later and was rebuffed when he returned to the unnamed bar to demand a €920.70 refund. The owner told him to go to court to claim the sum back. He claimed he used the unexpected bonus to pay off a debt and said his accounts are now frozen.

Paw patrol POLICE in Denia have rescued 18 puppies which lived in squalor in a shack close to an industrial estate. Members of the Denia Animal Protection Association(APAD) reported to police their suspicions that the pups destined to be sold - were living in inhumane conditions. A drone was flown over the site and it recorded six of the animals tied to trees. The rest of the group were crammed into a small hut.

The promised land of orange blossoms, beaches, and shopping self-contained with their own amenities, Benijofar and Ciudad Quesada are close to the popu-

lar tourist resorts of Guardamar del Segura and Torrevieja, and the expat towns of Rojales, For-

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mentera del Segura, Algorfa - with its well-known Zoco Sunday market, Almoradi, San Fulgencio, and

Fast lane

Heredera. Residents and visitors have an endless choice of places to go, and things to do. With around 5,000 inhabitants, Benijofar is a stronghold for British and Northern European expats, as well as those coming on vacation. About 60% of permanent residents hail from Northern Continues overleaf

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at Costa Blanca EXCLUSIVE: Crisis quit in their hospital as doctors wait ‘up to 60 droves and patients hours for a bed’

Blanca’s most By Alex Trelinski DOCTORS at the Costa slammed & Jorge Hinojosa beleaguered hospital have and the appalling working conditions disgraceful levels of care. that delays put into action. I think the director They told the Olive Press were frequent should resign.” of UP TO 18 HOURS a doctor at Matters got so heated last autumn in to calm for patients just to see that police had to be called waited for who Torrevieja Hospital. and Emer- down angry patients Meanwhile, the Accident was func- hours to be seen. gency (A&E) department 50% staffing Making in-roads, page tioning with around ‘a ‘just three 6/7 Kidnapped level’, with sometimes Press reported last month doctors’. of affairs, The Olive shocked And in an alarming state of medics how a Swedish family was so father, of their Giner (top), while we can reveal that dozens claims Doctor Peris where at the treatment kid‘at breaking point’ Svensson, 80, they have resigned over conditions Peris want action forced to wait Bo-Eskilhim from the ward and took SCANDAL: Hospital and Doctor Manuel patients are sometimesfor a bed. public management in napped Mayor Dolon (middle) of the tal returned to years of political rows. HOURS 60 TO to Sweden. for UP after working on around ‘50% Peris Giner, him homelast two years we have conand other medical was needed’ and this is causing October, the hospital, run by RibEmergency doctor, Jose staff told the Over the con- autumn as doctors his Previously changeover. who resigned last month, had be- tinually highlighted worsening and depression among ser- era Salud since 2006, had regularly staff quit ahead of the was backed stress lists and a worse Olive Press that his position ditions at the hospital. members, resulting in spi- His damning indictment appeared in ‘best hospital’ Peris confirmed thingswhen up by local union boss, doctor Jose vice for patients. come untenable. won numerous awards. 15 years ago work under Doctor dramatically from 2020 told Manuel Peris. “I didn’t believe I could ralled alarming as doctors have to work 24-hour the said not enough doc- “Most without a break, eight days a “It is really hospitals in rm Riviera Salud was such conditions any longer,” it was one of the best at the hos- private fibe losing its contract to the “There are simply law. are employed shifts senior medic, who worked tors and the ones whotold the Olive month, which is against the hours to Spain,” Torrevieja mayor Eduardo got to break- it would government in 2022. to 18 pital for 15 years. “It has Valencian the Olive Press. are overworked,” he “A patient can wait up number of Dolon told that a lot of doctors left Valencian officials promised ing point.” be seen and with the low likely.” “It is a fact when Press. you receive “While of excellent are more He continued: “When waiting for the hospital would improve reali- “They hire doctors but they instantover broken promises it changed are doctors, mistakes from been far having has conditions were that’s who over, working when a patient ly quit as the He added his membersto depression working conditions it is really dif- they took added. added enough.” more than eight hours, with ty,” Peris to take sick days due also taking from private management,” chiefs that staffing not good ficult to develop a relationship and were Indeed, he explained point in the He added that the A&E department Dolon, who insisted hospital to a crisis ce, nor local them. early retirement. neither briefed his offi was never issues came “Everything promised While the Valencian media. Health Ministry says average A&E waiting Investment times have fallen by Mi15% since the plan was Valencia’s new Health Minister, investintroduced in June, guel Minguez, claims heavy of staff to unions rubbished the ment has led to an increasejust 1,043 to claim. 1,793 people, compared They insist patients are when Ribera’s contract ended. for simply being backed Yet, despite continual requestsover up in A&E corridors answers on specific complaintsPress or observation rooms the last six weeks, The Oliveno one with delays of ‘up to has been totally rebuffed withthe hos60 hours’ for a hospital available for comment from bed. pital or regional goverment. According to medical Opinion Page 6 unions the problems began when the hospi-

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PICTURE SHOCKER: ‘Hero’ grandfather kidnapped after nine weeks of by family ‘captivity, neglect and starvation’ at hospital

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Bedsores

“They starved him in confined him to bed anda Covid ward, tive for nine weeks,” she held him capShe claimed the formeradded. fireman had developed horrific bedsores he hadn’t been turned over. because HORRIFIC: Bo was They had grown so deep left frail, emaciated they became and suffering from infected. that would care for him infected bedsores properly.” Despite ordering a private pital with a urinary tract She continued: infection on to transport him home ambulance were completely “Doctors back home December 6, last year, to his native speechless about how but subsequent Sweden, they were unable treatment wasn’t covered to get him an EU hospital neglected a person in ance. by his insurdischarged. this way. “So we decided to kidnap When he was transferred him and “Days later at home, he died because of University to the nearby drive him 3,000kms back Hospital on December to a hospital that neglect.” 21, his nightmare began, insisted Bo had been admitted to a private hos- ing wife his lovBarbro. Seeing that her husband was receiving such poor of 60 years for a private ambulancecare, she paid to take him back to Sweden. However, when collection was arranged, staff prevented claiming he had Covid-19. the move, It led to the grandfather, served as a UN peacekeeperwho had in Lebanon, being left in complete isolation for EIGHT days without food or fluids, insisted his family. When they came to see him in January they were so alarmed they They then drove the 3,000 km journey home and into the care took a series of horrifi of the emerpictures, showing thec gency room at Karlskrona hospital, shocking level of malnu- near the family home in Karlshamn. But sadly, her dad did not trition and neglect. survive and After his wife, 79, sat died on April 17 of the infections that with him for four fur- he developed in Spain. ther days without a bed After multiple attempts at trying to for herself, daughter get her complaints heard at Torrevieja Mia insisted they ‘decid- Hospital, Mia has now shared her experience on social media. ed to kidnap him’. They hatched a plan for “It is appalling what they did to this 13:30 two other grandchildren lovely man, who was a hero - a firePHOTOVOLTAIC to fly to Spain and met man who saved many people,” Mia CHARGERS FOR INSTALLATIONS ELECTRIC VEHICLES up with Barbro’s friend explained this week. “I hope our tragic story to rescue him. can save someIn a slick operation, one else.” the group ‘borrowed’ a One of the Facebook sites she turned +34 965 085 888 autoconsumo@solarworks.e hospital wheelchair and to was set up by British expat George s carefully got him out of bed, out of the ward and Continues on Page 5 into the family’s campervan. Opinion Page 6

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EXCLUS IVE: Brit expat ‘dev ish after wai astated’ ting four months for cancer resu breast lts at Torrevie ja hospital

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FIGHT THE BE

A PETRIFIED expat has waiting for been an answer four months to have pital aboutfrom Torrevieja Hoshas breast whether or not she cancer. Karen Moon , 66, has horrified after hearin been left tinual horror g the confrom patien stories emerg ing “I am feelingts. worried. Andvery emotional and mental health it is affecting my school teache ,” said the retired She added r, this week. : “The situati also affected on has with my husba my relationship nd.” The Olive vestigated Press has already inthe malfu public hospit nctioning the last two al three times over Most recentyears. we splash ly in July (below ed on the ) levels of care appall clusive interv after securing ing exber of angry iews with a numthem ended doctors. One of many years up resigning after of service debacle. over the A Our journa CAMP lists have mayor is AIGNING months tried desperate making a bosses forto contact hospitfor save her last stand to have not a response but al town’s final been able we area of unspo to speak ilt coastline. with anyon e. The Orihu Karen Moon la Costa. is organ ela leader The own person’s O LIVE cial meetiising a cru- ing PSOE boss is P RESS al nightm demandare ‘interested ng with all the all political partie started when By A parties’ SHAMBLES! she s and region stop the controversiato sit down al authorities visited Cala Mosca with develo the local l Gome on May C developndio, pers regard ment. to take 23, tion, before to find a soluany Carolina a crucial the first mamm a are bricks threat re olieves thereGracia be- Partlaid. gram to disened prevent the is hope to to of her electoral support if promise oust previo constructh tion of Continues scrapp us PP Emilion 2,274 home on Page Bascunana, mayor, Gracia ed. on the last 952 147 834 s 4 ago, insi a was to oppos year must virgin coast stretch of ga-pro e the mecome t in Orihueject. for the ‘com Her coalit ion partne the area) rs from with environmen t

Racist remarks A

ll about

Issue 69

Mayor lau coastline nches last from me ga-

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and Ciudad Quesada

July 2022

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HOME FROM HOME

BENIJOFAR - A HOME FROM HOME

HISTORIC CORE: Benijofar has its roots in Arabic times and is famed for its citric fruits

ESTLED between Murcia and Elche, Benijofar and Cuidad Quesada are known for their orange groves and golf courses, as well as fantastic beaches with covet-ed blue flag status. Handily close to the A7 motorway, and the airports of Alicante and Murcia just 30 minutes away, they also count on a great range of shops and restaurants. As well as being

SEE OUR PULLOUT INSIDE

The promised land of orange blossoms, self-contained with their own amenities, Benijofar and Ciudad Quesada are close to the popu-

beaches, and shopping

lar tourist resorts of Guardamar del Segura and Torrevieja, and the expat towns of Rojales, ForFor-

mentera mentera del del Segura, Segura, Algorfa Algorfa -- with with its its well-known well-known Zoco Zoco Sunday Sunday marmarket, ket, Almo Almoradi, radi, San Fulgencio, and

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July 14th - July 27th 2022 Vol. 3 Issue 69 www.theolivepress.es

EXCLUSIVE: Crisis at Costa Blanca hospital as doctors quit in their to 60 droves and patients wait ‘up hours for a bed’

DOCTORS at the Costa Blanca’s most By Alex Trelinski & Jorge Hinojosa beleaguered hospital have slammed the appalling working conditions and disgraceful levels of care. I think the director They told the Olive Press that delays put into action. should resign.” of UP TO 18 HOURS were frequent at Matters got so heated last autumn for patients just to see a doctor that police had to be called in to calm Torrevieja Hospital. patients who waited for Meanwhile, the Accident and Emer- down angryseen. hours to be gency (A&E) department was funcng tioning with around ‘a 50% staffi Kidnapped level’, with sometimes ‘just three doctors’. The Olive Press reported last month And in an alarming state of affairs, how a Swedish family was so shocked we can reveal that dozens of medics at the treatment of their father, (top), while have resigned over conditions where Bo-Eskil Svensson, 80, they kidpoint’ claims Doctor Peris Giner patients are sometimes forced to wait napped him from the ward and took SCANDAL: Hospital ‘at breaking Manuel Peris want action Mayor Dolon (middle) and Doctor for UP TO 60 HOURS for a bed. him home to Sweden. to public management in around ‘50% of the tal returned years of political rows. have conEmergency doctor, Jose Peris Giner, other medical was working on the Over the last two years we October, after who resigned last month, told be- tinually highlighted worsening con- autumn as doctors andchangeover. by Ribstaff needed’ and this is causing his Previously the hospital, runregularly staff quit ahead of the Olive Press that his position had stress and depression among 2006, had ditions at the hospital. His damning indictment was backed in a worse ser- era Salud since hospital’ lists and come untenable. Doctor Peris confirmed things spi- up by local union boss, doctor Jose members, resulting appeared in ‘best when “I didn’t believe I could work under vice for patients. awards. the ralled dramatically from 2020 Manuel Peris. have to work 24-hour won numerous such conditions any longer,” said private firm Riviera Salud was told not enough doc- “Most doctors a break, eight days a “It is really alarming as 15 years ago senior medic, who worked at the hos- it would be losing its contract to the “There are simply in shifts without it was one of the best hospitals tors and the ones who are employed month, which is against the law. pital for 15 years. “It has got to break- Valencian government in 2022. mayor Eduardo are overworked,” he told the Olive “A patient can wait up to 18 hours to Spain,” Torrevieja Press. ing point.” Olive “While Valencian officials promised Press. the low number of Dolon told the when He continued: “When you receive left for the hospital would improve but they instant- be seen and with are more likely.” “It is a fact that a lot of doctors a patient who has been waiting dif- they took over, that’s far from reali- “They hire doctors are doctors, mistakes over broken promises of excellent ly quit as the working conditions more than eight hours, it is really He added his members were having ty,” Peris added. conditions when it changed ficult to develop a relationship with Indeed, he explained that staffing not good enough.” A&E department to take sick days due to depression working private management,” added the He added that the them. and were also taking from who insisted hospital chiefs issues came to a crisis point in Dolon, “Everything promised was never early retirement. briefed his office, nor local While the Valencian neither Health Ministry says media. average A&E waiting Investment times have fallen by 15% since the plan was Valencia’s new Health Minister, Miintroduced in June, guel Minguez, claims heavy investunions rubbished the ment has led to an increase of staff to claim. 1,793 people, compared to just 1,043 They insist patients are when Ribera’s contract ended. simply being backed Yet, despite continual requests for up in A&E corridors answers on specific complaints over or observation rooms the last six weeks, The Olive Press with delays of ‘up to has been totally rebuffed with no one 60 hours’ for a hospital available for comment from the hosbed. pital or regional goverment. According to medical unions the problems Opinion Page 6 began when the hospi-

A SENIOR Policia Nacional officer in Valencia has been relieved of his command after making racist comments at a rally organised by the farright Vox party. Chief Inspector Ricardo Ferris’ comments were recorded on video. He claimed that 'practically all street crime is down illegal immigrants' and 'everyone in small boats confesses to being criminals and ex-prisoners'. 952 14fig7 834 Interior Ministry crime ures from 2021 show that 32% of crimes were committed by non-Spaniards. The Valencian Community's government delegate, Pilar Bernabe, said: “The remarks are absolutely despicable, reprehensible and above all, they are false.” +34 965 085 888

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HUNDREDS of readers have been joined by expat councillors to support the Olive Press U-turn campaign helping British residents swap their licences for Spanish ones. Meanwhile various Facebook groups and even a leading fintech guru have our campaign, which backed is gathering speed. It comes tragically however, EXCLUSIVE one female expat allegedly after By Simon Wade committed suicide when she found herself isolated in a rural part of A BELEAGUERED hospital has come the country. under the spotlight yet again after a The woman, who had recently lost family had to ‘literally kidnap’ their her husband, told friends own her life ing relative when he received ‘appallwas no longer worth treatment’ for nine weeks. Among suggestions toliving. Staff at Torrevieja on both the Spanish put pressure slammed after theyhospital have been and British allowed Swedish governments, one reader, expat Andrew rifi Bo-Eskil Svensson to suffer horClark suggested a road c pain ‘from neglect’. protest. “Why don't we all protest The 80-year-old, ing slowly around Spain’s by driv- suffered appallingwho has since died, bed sores from incoastal towns? It seemed to work well for fections, due to a lack of care, claim his the lorry drivers!” family. The UK ambassador “This hospital killed my dad”, Mia continued to insist ‘an meanwhile Mooseberg told the Olive Press this agreement is close’. week.

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BIOPARC Valencia got out the bunting to celebrate the 10th birthday of the first gorilla born in the Valencian Community. Ebo’s birth in 2012 was a crucial part of the international conservation programme to preserve the Western Lowland Gorilla. The birthday boy was treated to decorations, food, and a spectacular birthday cake. He was joined by his three younger brothers, Virunga, Pepe, and Felix plus majestic 31-year-old Silverback gorilla, Mambie, and females Ali, Nalani, and Fossey.

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HISTORIC CORE: Benijofar has its roots in Arabic times and is famed for its citric fruits

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Popular beaches will be swallowed up and land completely lost in 25 years if sea levels continue to rise

Many towns and huge swathes of land along the Guadalquivir river enroute to Sevilla will be completely submerged. Other towns at risk in Cadiz include Barbate and Los Barrios. Cadiz centre meanwhile, will be completely cut off from mainland Spain as surrounding land goes below sea level. The warning for Spain comes as the annual global climate conference (COP27) begins in Egypt this week-

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people. Santos has been replaced by Jose Cano who has run Public Health for both the Orihuela and Torrevieja health departments since 2003.

GOING UNDER

THOUSANDS of homes in Valencia and Andalucia could be completely submerged in water by 2050, new research shows. According to Climate Central, coastal areas in Huelva, Cadiz and Alicante are at particular risk of being underwater. The climate change research group has published an interactive map, with areas in red representing land below 1m above sea level. These areas will be in danger due to a predicted rise in sea levels due to global warming.

Benijófar

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The

Her departure comes on the back of a long list of managerial resignations in her department over the last 12 months. Santos’ ‘right hand man’ Dr Juan Toral stepped down from his role less than two months ago. Valencian authorities pointed out that during the first year of public management, staff numbers in the health department have risen from 1,212 to 1,889

ll about

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even death. The Olive Press has investigated the hospital and spoken to former doctors who have resigned due to the pressure that they have to deal with everyday due to staff shortages. Santos’ management had been criticised by unions, politicians, and health lobby groups, with frequent calls for her to resign.

A Issue 69

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Hospital chief quits

CALLED OUT: Olive Press exposed appalling treatment on various occasions

THE head of Torrevieja’s health department, Pilar Santos, has resigned just over a year after it returned to public management. Ribera Salud's contract to run local health services, including Torrevieja Hospital, ended on October 15, 2021. Since then, waiting times at the hospital’s emergency department have sky-rocketed with staffing issues across the hospital as previously reported by the Olive Press. It has faced a string of complaints - many of them from expats - about disgraceful care leading to serious complications and

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

OPINION Time to act is now IF this year’s searing hot summer wasn’t enough to alarm you about the effects of global warming, then new research surely will. Research group Climate Central has published an interactive map showing the areas of Spain that will be underwater by 2050. Thousands of homes and businesses will be completely submerged. That’s in just two-and-a-half decades. So make no mistake, we are amid a climate crisis. It’s not like we haven’t continually done our bit campaigning for the environment. The Olive Press is constantly highlighting green issues, including the spread of desertification, the proliferation of golf courses, the use of plastic bags and the widespread destruction of our coasts. It’s why we set up 17 years ago. But now it is going to take a combined effort from everyone to keep Mother Nature’s fury at bay if we continue to waste water and pump greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, like there’s no tomorrow. Our kids get it. Greta Thunberg gets it. But more than 200 countries attending the critical COP27 UN climate summit in Egypt this weekend need to act. And act now. The time has come for more action and less talking.

Eyes wide open NEVER take the advice of a bar-stool lawyer. This has long been the advice for people arriving in Spain – particularly if they’re looking to open a restaurant or bar. The pitfalls are numerous and all too many people hand back their keys having to shut the door on their Spanish business dreams. Forget the often well-meaning advice of the local lawyers… talk to those serving you on the other side of the counter. On this page we share a few words of wisdom from successful businessmen – and they are worth repeating. Come in with your eyes wide open to the problems you may face. Get reputable professional advice to guide you through the tangled thickets of red tape you are certain to encounter. Be ready for some serious hard work and, above all, make sure you have the financial backing to give your business a real go should things slow down quicker than you hoped. You may then have a chance to live your Spanish dream, after all.

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CALLING TIME As ex-England star Lee Sharpe puts his bar up for sale just 10 months after opening, the Olive Press looks at why so many expats call time early on their Spanish hospitality dreams

ATCH any UK television series about Brits starting a new life in Spain and you're bound to get a segment on expats battling to open a bar. It’s not a cakewalk at the best of times, with pitfalls galore in trying to get to grips with all the numerous and complicated regulations here. For many, including former Manchester United star Lee Sharpe who has just closed his Costa Blanca sports bar Sharpeys after only ten months, these exciting new ventures quickly go from being a Spanish dream to the bars of a prison from which to escape. While Sharpe’s wife Lucy, diplomatically told the Olive Press last week Lee ‘just didn’t have the time to run the bar’, close friends revealed that the rent of over €3,000 a month, plus other overheads, were much more to blame. The rapid closure of a new local is a sadly familiar story to expats who have lived in Spain for years, many of whom have seen a bewildering turnover in foreign establishments. In the vast majority of cases, the new batch of landlords tend to be folk with little or no experience in the hospitality trade, let alone running a business. On top of that rents are usually disproportionately high, which the green-round-theears new arrivals have no idea about (come on, you know we’ve all been there!). And while the current economic crisis and its associated spiralling costs means there are plenty of opportunities out there, you really need to do your homework. “Buyers have to do some thorough research and get everything legally watertight,” lawyer Manuel Sanchez told the Olive Press. Taking over an existing business is done through a lease known as a ‘traspaso’, which has the advantage of not having to put in for licences as if you are starting from scratch. “Find out why an owner wants to sell on the traspaso and check through all the financial records. If there’s any hesitation on those scores, then simply don't bother,” Sanchez advised. “You might not be told about any debts until you take over and get an unwanted surprise,” he warned.

SHUT: The ‘traspaso’ is up at €3,300 a month at Lee Sharpe’s bar, (below) Ray Curran in expenses,” By Alex Trelinski said president, & Anthony Piovesan Juan Lopez. “Making things He added that potential owners must take pay today is some good local financial advice and create much harder.” a proper long-term business plan backed up A Torrevieja by money in the bank that you’ll almost cerbar owner, tainly need to create a successful business. who wanted to There will always be nasty surprises, issues remain anonwith the council and, of course, a need to do ymous, consome marketing. firmed the drop Owner of Benidorm’s Escape Bar, Andy in demand. Mansell, echoed the need to have plenty of “I’ve been looking to retire, but there has capital in reserve. “You need back up funds been just one inquiry this year over the for when things go wrong, which is bound to traspaso and that’s despite dropping the happen with equipment failing and the cost asking price,” said the female boss. of repairs,” he told the Olive Press. “I think Brits, in particular, are now very “Get a good gestoria to check on the licence reluctant to take on a bar and are more because I had the wrong one and did not aware of the time and effort needed to qualify for what pitiful pandemic aid was ofmake a go of it.” fered,” he added. She added: “Restrictions on how many He also pointed out that the tax authorities days a non-resident can stay due to Brexit in Spain have the right to dip into your bank have also significantly reduced our trade in accounts ‘whenever they feel the need’. the off-season. It is often cheaper to close Most tellingly, he warned how vital it was for the day than open, and that's what we to put away the ‘rose-tinted’ glasses as are doing.” the stresses of running a bar could likely In Andalucia, Irish pub owner Ray Curran change your attitude to staysaid winter trade was ‘nearing in Spain. ly as important’ as summer “Before taking the plunge, You might not trade. step back, look around and He launched The Quays Irish be told about remember what you love Bar in Puerto de la Duquesa about the country and conin 2019 with his partner Lisa any existing sider whether it's worth loshaving to navigate through ing that connection,” he obdebts until you the global pandemic, and served. now the economic fallout of take over “The quality of life soon disthe war in Ukraine. appears running a hospitality “I don’t think there was a business and you end up hatsingle business owner that ing Spain for all of its red tape as well as didn’t think about the possibility of having siestas and bank holidays when nothing is to close during the pandemic,” Curran told open,” concluded Andy. the Olive Press. Either way, Olive Press research suggests “Now with inflation, electricity is up 40%, the number of foreigners looking to take from day to day you never know how much over a bar traspaso in Spain appears to be you’ll be charged for food … these are very falling as costs have soared in the wake of challenging times.” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Fortunately for Curran he understood the In Murcia, Cartagena’s Hostecar associahospitality trade having managed a bar tion paints a gloomy picture for any potential in Naas, near Dublin, before he moved to newcomers. “Profits are down by 15% over Spain in 2018 and working in a local bar the summer compared to 2019 and our for a year on his arrival. members have tried to keep price rises low “A mistake many people make is that they or else they would have to close with the rise come in July and August and the bars are packed, so they think to come back next year and buy a bar but then November hits and it's a completely different story,” he said. “You still have the same costs, the same wages to pay, the same rent. You need to research and know your location and clientele.” As Duquesa is a very residential area with lots of expats he has tried to make his business appeal to the locals, instead of just tourists. “If your bar relies solely on tourist trade, then you’ll experience the highs in summer, but you’ll hit real lows in the winter,” he insisted. It is a warning and good advice too. So to conclude, take your time to do your research, find the best location, have the cash to pay your bills for a couple of years and get ready for long hours and hard work if you are to succeed. Oh, and make sure you spend some money on marketing, preferably with your most SURVIVORS: Andy Marshall (above) and two well known Benidorm pubs popular local newspaper!

appeared into customs here - never to be seen again. Meanwhile, Brits visiting the EU from the UK are forced to queue for longer at airports, and non-residents need their passports stamped, and can only visit the bloc for 90 days, while their children can no longer study in Europe via the popular Erasmus scheme.

Selfishly

The decision by David Cameron, selfishly trying to protect his party, has led to five Prime Ministers in the last six years. The last one, Liz Truss, lasted just 44 days. This is compared to the previous five leaders holding office from 1976 to 2010. Yes, 34 years! To recap: after Cameron’s quick resignation, Theresa May came and went, after

What do the Spanish think? Hundreds of column inches in Spain have been dedicated to the soap opera of British politics, over the last fortnight, with one recurring theme: Brexit

‘UK is not Little Britain’ El Pais columnist Santiago Carbó Valverde wrote that ‘after Brexit the UK has weakened its commercial ties and not just with the EU… and the entry of foreign human capital has slowed considerably, creating bottlenecks that have got worse in certain sectors’. His UK-based colleague Angel Talavera quoted the famous ‘computer says no’ sketch from TV show Little Britain, adding: “The chaos of these recent weeks is simply the continuation of the political and economic decline the UK has been suffering since the referendum.’

‘The sick man of Europe’ Online daily El Confidencial columnist Celia Maza wrote about how the UK risked becoming ‘the sick man of Europe’ once more, describing how Truss had ‘only been in Downing Street for just over a month, but is in a totally unsustainable situation’.

‘Truss’s statements against Brexit’ El Mundo, UK correspondent Carlos Fresneda pointed to her flip-flopping on the issue of Brexit, reminding readers that she once famously said she ‘didn’t want to live in a world where my daughters have to request a visa to work in Europe’.

promising to make the UK ‘strong and stable’. Her successor, Boris Johnson made a ‘titanic success’ of both Brexit and his job, lying to Parliament, disobeying his own Covid rules, ignoring disciplinary committees and causing havoc with the Northern Ireland Protocol. Truss had to go after further tanking the economy with her infamous ‘mini-budget’ and causing a fracas about fracking. So, now we have No 5 at the helm - Rishi Sunak, Britain’s much hyped ‘first Hindu prime minister’ and the richest ever occupant of No. 10 – another first. Wealthier than King Charles, Sunak is already in hot water about reinstating Home Secretary Suella Braverman, after she resigned over sending classified documents from her personal email address. However, there are some advantages. Sunak is certainly more eloquent and statesmanlike than Truss and Johnson hardly difficult - and he seems to have a basic grasp of economics.

Resign

Locally, expats are constantly asked: ‘What on earth is going on back home?’ Council employee, Lucy Hayes Logan, told the Olive Press that every councillor at Lanjaron Town Hall asked her about the current situation in the UK this week. “Sometimes, one person will ask, but never the whole team!” she revealed. Local Spaniard, Bernard Campo Campos, however, made the most pertinent point: “At least the English accept their mistakes and resign. In Spain, even if they are caught stealing, they don’t resign, deny everything, and the law allows them to keep what they have stolen.” So, to conclude, how long before Sunak falls on this sword, leading to a general election… and, who knows, would a Labour government under Kier Starmer take a different approach to Europe and end this mess? Answers on a postcard to newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

ELISA

IMOGEN

Mismanaging mayhem leads to yet another leader in the UK. Jo Chipchase looks at the the political crisis back home from a (slightly) Spanish perspective

IONA

OREIGN nationals watching the UK’s political news could be forgiven for thinking that ‘Inglaterra’ changes its Prime Minister as frequently as some people change their sheets. The situation has aligned ‘Great’ Britain more with Mr Bean than a ‘serious international player’. It wasn’t always this way. Before Brexit, Britain was seen as an open, multicultural, and forward-looking country - an attractive place for EU citizens to live and work. More ‘Cool Britannia’ than ‘Clown Show’. After Brexit, many Brits in Spain were painfully aware that our home country was being perceived as a closed and isolationist nation. The Brexit vote in June 2016 had many of our Spanish friends asking: ‘why are you committing hara-kiri?’ And they had good reason to ask, as the Pound nosedived against the Euro, the trade deficit went stratospheric, the Garden of Kent turned into a giant lorry park and thousands of postal items dis-

LAURA

AMIE

ANATOLY

LAURENCE

MERRY-GO-ROUND: Just five PMs in six years from Theresa to Boris and Truss to Cameron with Rishi in the middle

SICK MAN OF EUROPE?

CHARLIE

N case you were wondering, another one of our journalists has made it to the Big Time! Madrileno Jorge Hinojosa (pictured above) has landed a job with the UK’s top-selling newspaper, the Sun. The UK-trained hack scooped the plum role after a six-month stint with the Olive Press in Malaga. Forced to go back to London or lose his working visa due to Brexit, he has joined the online edition as a general reporter. “Thanks for everything. It was all due to my experience at the Olive Press,” he said. He follows in the footsteps of Joe Duggan, who himself became a Sun reporter after a three-year traineeship at the Olive Press in 2018. He’s still there. And for the record, our two previous news editors are both currently working at the British nationals. Charlie Smith is carving out a career at the Express, while Laurence Dollimore is grafting with the Daily Mail in London. Meanwhile, Anatoly Kurmanaev is the New York Times correspondent in Mexico, Amie Keeley is a senior reporter at the Financial Times, Imogen Calderwood is Managing Editor at Global Citizen, and Annabel Grossman i s the Associate Editor at the Independent. Finally, two former female stars, Iona Napier and Elisa Menendez, are both cutting the mustard with ITN News in London, while Laura Balfour makes documentaries for National Geographic and Netflix among others.

JOE

Leg up, NOT legged it!

The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: woes continue in Spain as new 1- Strike strike days are called by Ryanair and Vueling Bank holidays in Spain 2021 full list of 2-dates for every autonomous community Rich by design the world’s wealthiest 3-architects from China to Spain and the USA to UK to go back an hour on 4- Clocks in Spain Saturday night Spain’s national police detain one of 5-UK’s most wanted criminals in Marbella

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REACH FOR THE SKY

Spanish company developing ‘green’ rocket fuels SPACE rockets are not viewed as the most ecologically-friendly technology, with them spewing greenhouse gases high into the upper atmosphere. But now Spanish researchers are searching for a green solution. Spain’s first advanced biofuels plant - opening in Cartagena next year - will look to make sustainable fuel for reusable space rockets being made by Elche’s PLD Space. Repsol’s €200 million project at its existing refinery site at the Escombreras Valley will have the capacity to produce 250,000 tons of biofuels annually by recycling waste like cooking oil and non-food crops. The fuel giant has now signed an agreement with PLD Space to promote the use of biofuels in their rockets. The alliance will see feasibility studies conducted to replace current rocket fuels with others produced with sustainable raw materials. New types of fuel will also be made to measure at the Repsol Technology Lab for the propellants of the rockets manufactured by PLD Space. Rockets such as SpaceX use liquid kerosene similar to

Charging trees

By Alex Trelinski

that used in civil aviation, or a specific type for rockets called RP-1. The challenge is to come up with new renewable fuels which would reduce the carbon footprint by at least 90%. PLD Space co-founder Rau

Verdu, said his company wants to ‘continue investigating alternatives that allow us to reduce our carbon footprint’.

The firm is developing two reusable craft, the Miura 1 suborbital and the Miura 5 orbital.

Too little AUTHORITIES in Barcelona and Madrid have pledged to plant six million trees in a bid to slash carbon emissions. Barcelona will be among the top three cities in the world to have the most trees per square kilometre. Researchers estimate the Catalan capital has about 1.4 million trees at present, resulting in 13,739 trees per sq km. But the city would need to plant more than 155 million trees to mitigate its current carbon footprint of 26.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to the research. Madrid has a current carbon footprint of 43.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. The Spanish capital would need to plant more than 260 million trees to combat its emissions.

Greenwashing is a term you will hear increasingly. But what is it?

PULL THE OTHER ONE

REENWASHING is when the management team within an organisation makes false, unsubstantiated, or completely misleading statements or claims about the sustainability of a product or a service they provide. Put simply…. lies.

There are so many examples: ● The well publicised Volkswagen fiasco where the company deliberately lied about vehicle emissions. ● HSBC bank was forced to remove billboard and poster advertising in the UK by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The posters omitted material information. Various images were used by HSBC to convey the belief to consumers that the bank was investing in

SOLAR ‘trees’ are being installed in parts of Valencia to charge up bikes, scooters, and skateboards in addition to phones and other portable devices. The structures will house modules to capture the sun’s energy which will be routed to a storage cabinet which users can tap into. They will be over six metres tall and have a width of nine metres and will cost €400,000.

●

environmentally beneficial work. The ASA stated: “Customers would not expect that HSBC, in making unqualified claims, would be simultaneously involved in the financing of businesses that made significant contributions to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.” QUITE RIGHT. Many manufacturers jump on the ‘we use recycled materials’ bandwagon. What they don’t tell you is that they have a history of coercive labour practices or humanitarian issues. Coca Cola has spent millions declaring that 25% of its bottles are made from marine plastic. The company never references the fact that it is the world’s biggest plastic polluter. Kim Kardashian’s clothing company Skims prints on its compostable underwear packing ‘I am not plastic’. The small print states the product is plastic type 4 or LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene). Here in Spain, Mercadona, after the EU’s ban on plastic cutlery, rebranded the cutlery as ‘reusable’ instead of providing alternatives. ● Tesco claims that its flexible plastic packaging is new, improved and ‘recyclable’. But to be recycled, customers have to take packaging back to larger stores – and even then, it is unlikely to be recycled. Instead, it will almost certainly be exported, incinerated or sent to landfill.

Green

BAN: Rishi Sunak reinstated a ban on fracking

TIME TO STOP HIDING BEHIND LIES It is impossible to deny. Global warming is supercharging extreme weather at an astonishing speed. It’s visible here in Spain and around the world. Humans are causing climate breakdown and accelerating the toll of extreme weather around the planet. There is widespread loss of life and livelihoods due to more frequent heatwaves, floods, wildfires and droughts caused as a direct result of the climate crisis. FRACKING GOOD JOB RISHI SUNAK The new British PM gives a glimmer of hope to us all. Last week he reinstated the ban on fracking (the process of extracting natural gas by drilling/ blasting into the Earth). His short-lived predecessor, Liz Truss , had lifted the ban on the controversial process.

Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638 145 664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es

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952 147 834 *Data extracted from process closure surveys after using our roadside assistance and breakdown services.

TheOlivePress-256x342-MP0622.indd 1

6/6/22 10:43

BUSINESS

10 More jobless

SPAIN’S job market slowed in the third quarter of this year, suffering a small rise in the unemployment rate to 12.67% with the total number of jobless creeping nearer to three million people. The country’s job market traditionally sees a fall in unemployment in the third quarter, thanks to the boost that the tourism season brings, among other factors. But this year the ranks of the unemployed swelled between July and September, rising by 60,800 workers to a total of 2,980,200 people.

Fraudster caught A REAL estate fraudster has been arrested in Calpe after spending three years dodging police. He aroused the suspicion of Guardia Civil in September 2019 when he witnessed a crime involving a woman in a Calpe street but fled the scene without helping the victim. Police finally arrested him on this autumn. Authorities said the 49-yearold Slovakian made ‘large amounts’ of money by fooling clients into believing he was involved in ‘luxury’ real estate.

November 3rd - November 16th 2022

Powering up Big rise in profits for Iberdrola energy giant ENERGY provider Iberdrola has reported a 29% rise in profits over the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period last year. This is down to its US and Brazilian operations as well as an increased investment in renewable energy. Profit figures in Spain tumbled by 14%, with Iberdrola putting it down to the summer droughts. Its overall bank balance is extremely healthy with a net €3.1 billion profit this year up to September.

By Alex Trelinski

The company has projected an annual profit of up to €4.2 billion.

Windfall

Governments like the one in Spain, as well as a EU-wide initiative, have moved to impose windfall taxes on energy companies they believe are benefiting from higher prices as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Iberdrola has been vocal in objecting to state intervention, claiming it fixes prices far in advance of wholesale market increases and that changing

TARIFF DELAYS SPAIN'S competition regulator, the CNMC, will probe the country’s four leading gas suppliers for not doing enough to help consumers switch to the lowest tariff. Naturgy, Endesa, Iberdrola and TotalEnergies are obliged to offer the ‘Last Resort Rate’, known as the TUR. The tariff is capped by the government and is considerably lower

than prices on the free market. Since the government approved a new TUR rate for communities that share a gas boiler and central heating systems, the requests to switch to the tariff have rocketed. It’s believed that customer service departments from the energy companies have not been able to cope.

POUND ON THE UP T

GBP/EUR exchange rate rocked by UK political chaos but bounces back after Sunak confirmed as PM

RADE in the pound euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate remained highly erratic through the second half of October amid UK political drama. Over the last two weeks, GBP/EUR has traded in a range between €1.16 and €1.13.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING? The GBP/EUR exchange rate fluctuated wildly over the past couple of weeks, amid considerable UK political uncertainty. After initially spiking to a six-week high after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt scrapped almost all of his predecessor’s mini-budget, GBP/EUR almost immediately relinquished these gains amid questions over the future of Liz Truss’s premiership. Truss’ resignation just 45 days into the job, quickly put an end to this speculation. The pound initially firmed on the announcement, before the prospect of another Conservative leadership election erased these gains. Sterling then picked up again in the last week of October after Rishi Sunak was crowned the new Prime Minister. Sunak is seen as being more fiscally prudent than his predecessor, with GBP investors hopeful he will retsore some credibility to the UK government. The euro also traded in a wide range in recent weeks. While the single currency faced some headwinds amid concerns over the apparent escalation of the war in Ukraine, it also benefitted from some notable weakness in the US dollar. The euro then firmed toward the end of October ahead of the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest interest rate decision. While EUR investors welcomed the bank’s second consecutive 75bps rate hike, the dovish tone of its accompanying statement undermined the single currency.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR? The immediate focus for GBP investors will be the Bank of England’s (BoE) latest interest rate decision on November 3. There is considerable speculation over the size of the BoE’s upcoming rate hike following the recent UK fiscal uncertainty. Could an oversized hike stoke concerns over the impact on the UK economy and weaken the pound? Meanwhile, the euro is likely to remain highly sensitive to developments in Ukraine. Any signs that the conflict is continuing to escalate could drag on the single currency. PROTECTING AGAINST VOLATILITY This kind of volatility can cause some nasty surprises if you need to transfer money overseas. On a £200,000 transfer, that two-cent gap between €1.16 and €1.13 translates to a €6,000 difference. And the larger the sum, the higher the discrepancy. Fortunately, there are ways that you can protect against volatility. Specialist currency brokers, such as Currencies Direct, offer different tools to help you navigate the ups and downs of the currency market. For instance, you can use a forward contract to secure an exchange rate for up to a year. This way, you won’t lose out if the market moves against you. Services like rate alerts and daily updates make it easy to keep track of what’s going on in the forex world so that you can make informed decisions. And with Currencies Direct you’ll have a dedicated account manager there to provide guidance and support whenever you need them. At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 325,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more.

regulations might put off longer-term investment in cleaner energy. The firm’s investments were 14.2% up on the same period last year, with 90% allocated to renewables and smart grids to accelerate electrification and energy independence from fossil fuels.

Jobs

Iberdrola’s Executive Chairman, Jose Ignacio Sanchez Galan, said: “Accelerating investments in electrification will allow us to be less dependent on the volatility of oil and gas and generate more growth and more jobs, as this set of results shows.”

Happy airports SPAIN'S airport operator Aena expects October passenger numbers to return to 2019 levels - the first month back to the pre-pandemic level. It says the rise in travellers will continue, with carriers offering 5.3% more seats for the winter season, compared to a year ago. Aena is now hoping the final 2022 total will be higher than earlier predictions and will exceed a forecast of 85% of 2019 passenger numbers. Even though 60% more passengers went through its airports between July and September compared to 2021, Aena’s overall revenues rose by just 33%, with the operator’s third-quarter of 2022 net profit of €335 million 11% lower than had been expected.

Inflation drops SPAIN'S annual inflation rate has fallen to 7.3% in October according to preliminary figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE). That's a 1.6% drop on the September figure and is the lowest rate since January, before the war in Ukraine. It's the third consecutive month where inflation has fallen, something that has not happened since 2020.

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LA CULTURA

November 3rd November 16th 2022

‘HEROES OF THE COLOSSEUM’ Last chance to see Alicante’s gladiator exhibition

Maiden visit ROCK legends Iron Maiden will play a gig in Murcia City next summer in what has been described as the most ‘important’ concert seen in the regional capital. It will be one of only three concerts by the band in Spain. The group, fronted by Bruce Dickinson, will perform at the Enrique Roca stadium on July 20. It will be their fourth visit to the Murcia region after making their local debut in Los Alcazares in 1996. Around 25,000 people are expected to attend with the night jointly organised by regional promoters Madness Live and Murcia City Council. Iron Maiden’s Spanish gigs will be part of ‘The Future Past Tour 2023’ and will include songs from their pandemic-released album ‘Senjutsu’ inspired by Japanese tradition and culture. The two other dates on the Spanish leg of the tour will be at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi on July 18 and the Bizkaia Arena in Bilbao on July 22.

AN international exhibition celebrating the days of gladiators doing battle in Rome’s Colosseum has been extended due to public demand. ‘Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum’ will continue at Alicante’s Archaeological Museum until November 20 after piling in the visitors since April. The display has travelled all around the world in recent years, including Australia, Belgium, and France, but it is the first time it has come to Spain. Interest in the Roman gladiator was given a boost over 20 years ago when the Russell Crowe-starring movie ‘Gladia-

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POPULAR: The exhibition gives a taste of ancient Rome By Alex Trelinski

tor’ became a big box office hit. The exhibition has been put together by the Colosseum’s director for 32 years, Dr. Rosella Rea. Visitors can enjoy seeing a mixture of original objects coupled with modern replicas and A 90-year-old man has been arrested in models with Torre Pacheco for looting historically valucutting-edge able property for over 70 years. technology, The Policia Nacional used a drone to identify interactive some of the items that were outside his home. displays, and The artefacts came from churches and arother multichaeological sites. The man had no authorimedia devicsation to own any of the ancient items. es. Valuables removed by police included a RoThere are man column base and two 17th century galfour sections leon cannons. looking at

ELDERLY LOOTER

how gladiator shows started; who exactly were the gladiators; combat venues like the Colosseum; and what it was like to have a day in gladiatorial arena. The Roman era is brought to life with a large interactive model of the Colosseum. There are also 140 works of art and original items loaned by eight Italian galleries and museums.

Fights

Items on display also include surgical equipment used to heal the wounds of gladiators who survived in the arena and tokens used for betting on the results of fights. The exhibition also reveals that women were not just spectators at contests but that there were female gladiators.

www.hello2spain.com Vanessa Mob: +34 672 208 879 Silvio Mob: +34 649 154 199 Hello2Spain

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SP18806EN

HEALTH Polio probability

In the clear

THE Valencian government has been cleared of negligence over the lack of PPE gear for medics during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Valencian Superior Court (TSJ) - hearing a government appeal - has overturned three rulings in lower courts brought by the Medical Union in Alicante, Benidorm, and Valencia that found in their favour.

Culpable

Those hearings found the Valencian government was culpable of not guaranteeing the safety of medical staff and offered varying degrees of compensation ranging between €2,000 and €49,000. In voiding the verdicts, the TSJ said the government was not guilty of breaching its obligation to guarantee safety at work because though ‘the early stages of the pandemic did have a PPE shortage, preventive measures were deployed’.

Concerns raised about the return of disease

By Alex Trelinski

CONCERNS over a possible return of polio has prompted Spain's emergency centre (CCAES) - led by the familiar 'pandemic' figure of epidemiologist Fernando Simon - to call for improved monitoring in the country. The CCAES says there's a 'considerable probability' that polio will circulate again in Spain but stressed that health risks were 'very low' due to high vaccination rates. Polio had been pretty much eradicated over the decades until a case was reported last year in Malawi.

THE FIRST outbreak of West Nile fever has been detected in Andalucia. The Junta reported that two horses had been infected in Tarifa. According to the administration, the outbreak was declared on October 17. The virus is transmitted by the bite of an insect, usually Culex mosquitoes. About one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms including headache, neck stiffness, disorientation and muscle weakness.

November 3rd - November 16th 2022

Getting a boost MORE than 238,000 people in Valencia region have received the second booster dose against Covid-19. And 264,264 people have already had their flu jab in the first two weeks of this year’s vaccination campaign. Vaccines are scheduled for people over 65, pregnant women and women who have just given birth, and those at risk for medical reasons like diabetes, breathing problems and morbid obesity. The flu campaign is running in parallel with the administration of the second booster dose for Covid-19, which began on September 26. Since then, 238,131 people have received the booster.

Feeling down

CONSUMPTION of antidepressants is increasing in Spain, according to data from the Ministry of Health. People under the age of 18 who take antidepressants were also twice as likely to experience suicidal behaviour, the research also showed. Spaniards consume more than 92 antidepressants every day for every 1,000 inhabitants. It places this type of medication as the fourth best-selling drug in the country. Use of the drug increased by 7.5% last November, which experts believe was caused by the pandemic.

GET JABBED: Polio is on the return

International interest also rose when the virus was detected in wastewater in

Virus warning The last outbreak of the virus was in the same month last year and affected 10 horses. In 2022 there were 32 outbreaks in Andalucia. In September the first positive case of the virus in a person this year was recorded. An 89-year-old woman from Vejer de la Frontera was infected.

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the UK. The CCAES - part of Spain's Health Ministry - believes all necessary precautions should be taken. An evaluation says: “Given the epidemiological situation and fewer vaccinations internationally coupled with less surveillance in Spain in the last decade, we should focus on coordinating all of the aspects that are part of the Spanish Action Plan for the Eradication of Polio.”

Warns

The plan includes keeping the vaccination schedule up to date, especially among children, as well as reinforcing surveillance and carrying out training among medical staff to be aware that polio could still be around. The CCAES warns that in recent years there been circumstances that 'make it difficult to achieve eradication' It suggests that the focus on Covid-19 has resulted in less attention being paid to detecting other diseases early on. It added that some people have also taken a negative stance against all vaccines, even when their children are involved.

PUT IT OUT! SPAIN’S Asociacion Española contra el Cancer (Aecc) has called for a total ban on smoking in several ‘emblematic sites’ in the province of Malaga as well as terrace restaurants, bar terraces, beaches and parks. The call comes following Sevilla’s approval of a non-smoking initiative in two ‘emblematic’ spaces totaling 34 hectares in the heart of the city; the Maria Luisa Park and the Plaza de España, the most famous square in Sevilla. This is not the first time the Aecc has called for smoke-free zones to be implemented in Malaga. Last May, coinciding with World No Tobacco Day, the Aecc called for a total ban on smoking in Malaga’s iconic Calle Larios, the main setting for the city’s famous Christmas lights display as well as other open spaces such as terraces, beaches, parks and gardens.

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

CREAM AT THE TOP The 20 chart-topping Spaniards milking it in the world’s Top 100 restaurant list, presented by Dilip Kuner

PANISH cuisine is up there with the best in the world and is starting to dominate the charts. Madrid has just hosted a global gathering for the 100 Best Chefs Award, and no less than 20 Spaniards across 16 restaurants got a listing, compared to just 10 in France. From Dabiz Muñoz - this year’s winner for the second year running - to two-times chart topper Joan Roca in third, every

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Mother and daughter team Fina Puigdevall and Martina Puigvert share their ranking (and two Michelin stars). Their restaurant, Les Cols, lo- NEW ENTRY cated in the masía farmhouse where Fina was born and brought up her three children, focuses on local produce from the La Garrotxa region. Martina has taken over from her mother as head chef and is keeping the family tradition going. PACO PEREZ - Enoteca, Barcelona Perez’s passion for cooking started at a very early age. At just 12-years-old he started working in the tapas bar owned by his family and was hooked by cooking. He headed to France to train under Michel Guerard, one of the fathers of Nouvelle cuisine and holder of three Michelin stars. He then returned to work at, for a long time, the world’s best restaurant, El Bulli. In 2008, Perez took over the kitchen of Enoteca at the Hotel Arts Barcelona, where he has NEW ENTRY won two Michelin stars.

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#87 #87

MARTIN BERASATEGUI Restaurante Martin Berasategui, Loidi Kalea

#42 

DANI GARCIA Tragabuches, Marbella

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RETURN

JAVIER & SERGIO TORRES Cocina Hermanos Torres, Barcelona

#41

NEW ENTRY

#36

VICTOR ARGUINZONIZ Asador Etxebarri, Axpe, Bizkaia

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Paco Roncero is the head chef of his same name restaurant in central Madrid (previously Casino), where he has two Michelin stars. He is also credited 9 PLACES with developing ‘molecular cuisine’ and has the most expensive restaurant in the world, Sublimotion in Ibiza. It is known for its unique dining experience and extreme cost with an average price, per head, of slightly over €1,900.

#33

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24 PLACES

Twin brothers Javier and Sergio Torres started in the world of cuisine when they were 14 years old. After having separate careers and working in renowned restaurants all over the world, they united again in 2002 to start new projects together. Their restaurant, Cocina Hermanos Torres, has two Michelin stars.

QUIQUE DACOSTA Quique Dacosta, Denia, Valencia

Dacosta is one of the leaders in modern avant-garde cuisine, a keen supporter of the Slow Food Movement, and uses only products sourced locally. While he has his own three Michelin star joint in Denia, he also has two stars in nearby El Poblet and has a star as director and culinary creator of the amazing Deessa restaurant at Madrid’s Mandarin Oriental Ritz. It received its first Michelin star just seven months after its opening.

#19

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Morales opened Noor with the aim of putting Andalucian gastronomy on the map. In just over three years he had done just that by gaining two Michelin stars. His capacity for innovation and his personality have allowed him to bring the aromas and flavours of the moorish Al-Andalus cuisine to a modern audience. He has recreated ancient recipes and techniques in a contemporary and avant-garde way.

Garcia began his career with Martin Berasategui, with whom he says he shares ‘his DNA as a chef’. He won his first Michelin star at the age of 25 at Tragabuches in Ronda. He left and eventually earned three stars at his own name restaurant in Marbella, but handed them back just weeks after winning the final star. He has since opened nearly a dozen other restaurants, many of them Bibos, around Spain and abroad and even made money creating his own unique McDonald’s hamburger. However, he has now returned to his roots by opening a Tragabuches in his native Marbella, focused on local Andalucian cuisine.

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This restaurant has an urban and industrial look and a relaxed feel that reflects the personality of the chef. The name is an acronym of his core philosophy: ‘Days to Smell, Taste, Amaze, Grow & Enjoy’. Guerrero brings PLACES disparate cultures, ingredients and flavours together from Spain, Mexico and Japan to such effect that he has two Michelin stars.

PACO RONCERO Paco Roncero Restaurant, Madrid

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11 PLACES

#56

One of the grandfather’s 14 PLACES of modern Spanish cooking, Martin Berasategui oversees his Basque Country restaurant and is one of the most decorated chefs in the country, with eight Michelin Stars to his name. His restaurant offers edgy a la carte and tasting menus and has an impressive wine cellar to match. He won’t be happy with his drop in the charts.

DIEGO GUERRERO DSTage, Madrid

PACO MORALES Noor, Cordoba

#54

one of these culinary maestros has their own unique take on gastronomy. Like true artists, their edible masterpieces are never conventional and always have the power to enthrall. And the best thing about it; there are many new entries and they are spread right across the country from Cadiz to Valencia and Marbella to Cordoba.Here’s the full rundown of Spain’s best and how they match up to last year’s charts.

#96

MARTINA PUIGVERT & FINA PUIGDEVALL Les Cols, Olot, Catalunya

#38

November 3rd - November 16th 2022

PIC CREDIT: noorrestaurant.es

Arguinzoniz’s groundbreaking Basque Country restaurant uses local firewood to NEW ENTRY create a unique grill cooking process using local, natural products. Overseen by Victor Arguinzoniz who even char-grills his desserts, his signature chorizo tartare and tomahawk steak don’t come cheap at €242 as part of the set menu. But many a foodie still make a pilgrimage here from around the world.

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

November 3rd - November 16th 2022

EPICENTRE: Heat map chart to the world’s best cuisine

1 4 3

3 14

GRAPHIC: Keith Franks - Olive Press

1 16 16

STYLISH: Cellar de Can Roca at no. 3 and (above) a dish at Azurmendi ENEKO ATXA - Azurmendi, Bilbao

#18

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Atxa is a leading player in Modern Basque Cuisine. Azurmendi takes you on a culinary journey from the rooftop vegetable garden to an indoor greenhouse. An eco-friendly es- 13 PLACES tablishment, Azurmendi uses environmentally-friendly materials and recycles its own waste. For this, Eneko won The Sustainable Restaurant Award in 2014. Far from a conventional restaurant, his truffled egg is cooked inside out and edible cotton can be tasted in the indoor greenhouse. Azurmendi boasts three Michelin stars. ANGEL LEON - Aponiente, El Puerto de Santa María Known across Spain as ‘el Chef del Mar’, Angel Leon is noted for his experimental seafood. In 2017, Aponiente earned its third Michelin star (the first and second were won in 2010 and 2014), making it Andalucia’s first-ever three-Michelin-starred restaurant. He is currently engaged with a project explore the culinary uses of sea35 PLACES to grass.

#13

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#1 SAME

ORIOL CASTRO, MATEU CASANAS & EDUARD XATRUCH Disfrutar, Barcelona

#7 

#5 

ANDONI LUIS ADURIZ - Mugaritz, Renteria Andoni Luis Aduriz has stayed near the top again for his revolutionary restaurant in the Basque region. Always thinking ahead and constantly questioning the logic of global cuisine, this self-confessed kitchen rebel takes an unapologetic approach to cooking. A genuine maverick, the UK’s Restaurant Magazine has had him in its Top 10 for the last decade. Oddly, in the Best Chefs list he has fluctuated up and down from 30th to 70th between 2017 to 2020, before making No3 last year.

Slightly confusingly, the ‘chef’ in seventh spot is actually three people from Disfru1 PLACE tar restaurant. The history and legacy of the Mediterranean is a running theme at this trendy city restaurant, set up by three trainees originally from Ferran Adria’s legendary El Bulli, just up the coast. Influenced by fishing village fare, the menu transports your mind from old to new and metropolis to farm terrace. Their aim? To amaze, stimulate and create through gastronomy.

2 PLACES

JOAN ROCA - El Celler de Can Roca, Girona Joan has yet again taken the plaudits, but his restaurant is a family affair. There’s Joan, the architect of taste; Jordi, the sweet anarchist; and Josep, the magic ingredient: three brothers, inspired heavily by their mother’s cooking, their repertoire stirred by childhood memories and created with love and generosity for their customers. Opened in 1986, it has three Michelin stars. The food is simple but creative, old yet new - lamb with bread and tomato, St George’s mushrooms with avocado and cava made at the restaurant.

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1 PLACE

MY FOOD’S LIKE A GUNSHOT TO THE HEAD! Still #1 for the second year running, the Olive Press interviewed Muñoz in 2013 DABIZ MUÑOZ - Diver XO, Madrid

Chef Dabiz Muñoz has built a reputation as a pioneering and creative adventurer. Still only in his 30s, he continual-

ly surprises with his unique approach to cooking, describing his food to the Olive Press as being ‘like a gunshot to

NO PORKERS: A young Dabiz was open and honest in an Olive Press interview in 2013, (above right) his restaurant today

the head’. DiverXO specialises in fusion cuisine combining different culinary traditions to produce an experimental menu that’s as unconventional as it is sophisticated. Born in Madrid, he is internationally recognised for his cooking and fabulous restaurants. He currently has three Michelin stars. In the week he scooped his third coveted star in 2013, he told the Olive Press: “This is an honour for all Spanish chefs and for Spanish cuisine in general.” Highly complimentary of the British food scene, he credited London for helping to shape his career, having worked at restaurants in the capital including Nobu and Hakkassan for six years. “I am mad about London and have a lot of friends there.

The food scene is so vibrant, way above Paris. There are so many influences from Asia, the Americas, everywhere.” Posing with his trademark porcelain pig (left), he concluded: “The philosophy for the restaurant is like my philosophy on life. I call it total cooking. You need an open mind. It is almost pornographic, completely nat-

ural and laid out bare. It’s like a rollercoaster ride and I want the taste to be like a gunshot to the head.” Editor Jon Clarke reviewed DiverXo the following year, describing it as the ‘best meal’ he had eaten in Spain. That stands today. “The simple explosion of flavours, the pure joy of what has been produced, the enthusiasm

of the staff… we laughed through the entire meal,” he recalls this week. “I ended my review saying, his creativity and influence on Spanish cuisine would ‘keep Spain a head and shoulders above the French for the next decade’. And that has certainly come to pass. The way things are going it may be two or three decades.”

The

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Animal crossing

FINAL WORDS

AT least one accident per day on Alicante Province roads is caused by an animal running onto a highway, with 373 incidents logged last year.

Jewel aid AN emerald that was recovered from the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sank 400 years ago, will be auctioned in New York for an estimated €70,000, with cash raised going to support the Ukrainian resistance.

Fruit rustler POLICE have arrested a man who took 250 kilos of premium pomegranates from an Elche farm. The 50-year-old man attacked the crop owner before he fled in his van.

Your expat

voice in Spain

COSTA BLANCA NORTE / VALENCIA FREE Vol. 4 Issue 93 www.theolivepress.es November 3rd - November 16th 2022

Canoe believe it! British man capsized in English Channel was trying to paddle to Spain, claims rescuer A BRITISH man thought he had arms of steel to navigate the English channel and kayak to Spain. But it turns out he has a gut of steel instead after the Blackpool resident capsized and claimed to have survived for 12 days eating just seaweed and raw mussels, and drinking rainwater. Daniel Lewis was found in the middle of the English Channel clinging to a buoy after his inflatable kayak capsized.

By Anthony Piovesan

Dutch fisherman Tunis Van Luut rescued the 28-year-old, who told him that he had been trying to paddle to Spain and had been out at sea since October 15. Van Lutt revealed that Lewis was unable to stand when they pulled him onboard the French fishing vessel De Madelaine.

A STAG party whose rowdy behaviour caused a high-speed AVE train to be late after they refused to get off when ordered, have been told to pay €7,676 compensation to delayed passengers. A Madrid court has told the 11 people to cough up nearly €700 each after train operator Renfe paid €7,676 in compensation to 216 passengers as its ‘punctuality’ code had been broken.

RESCUE: Daniel Lewis was hauled out of the sea The skipper said: “He needed your clothes, just your swimwater and he was drinking a lot, ming shorts - there was nothing and I asked him who are you else. His condition was so bad and how is it possible that you I could see his eyes were very are here on this buoy without deep in his head and he had a lot of blue veins on his head and arms. “He told me he wanted to go to Spain, but I said that is stupid because of the distance.” The ambitious paddler is now The party was ordered to leave the Madrid to recovering in hospital. Malaga service at Cordoba, but they refused Coastguards in France said it and carried on drinking, singing and shouting. did not appear Lewis was expePolice were called to remove the drunken mob rienced or ready to attempt to from the train, resulting in a 15-minute delay. cross one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

Expensive do

Just resting A PARROT caught up in a shop blaze was saved from becoming an ‘ex-parrot’ after firemen gave him oxygen. Gandia and Oliva firefighters on the Costa Blanca had been called out to extinguish the fire in an electric scooter shop, with smoke and fumes belching from the premises. A check of the empty premises uncovered a parrot suffering from smoke inhalation and high temperatures. Quick as a flash, they revived him with a whiff of oxygen before he - in words Monty Python may have said - ‘went to meet his maker’.

Booze control

A MAN accused of stealing 45 bottles of wine with a value of €1.6 million has also been charged with stealing a bottle of whiskey worth €5,000. Constantin Dumitru, allegedly pulled off the wine theft from the Atrio hotel and restaurant in Caceres, Extremadura. Now Dumitru is accused of stealing a bottle of Balvenie, valued at €5,250 in a separate incident.