Olive Press Gibraltar Issue 216 by Olive Press Newspaper Spain

E ON TH YEARS CEL

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COSTA N

CELEBRATING A DECADE OF SUCCESS

OLIVE PRESS

Property S

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The

GIBRALTAR

February 2024

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Celebrating our tenth year on the Costa del Sol

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DECADE OF P SUCCESS

August 2023

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March 19th - April 1st 2015

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Steaming ahead

Property expert Mark Stucklin on how the market is suddenly gathering speed with help from the British market

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Fit for a star

The secret Spanish homes of a dozen leading celebrities

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SPAIN’S golden visa scheme is ex- Spain’s Golden Visa scheme to survive… but investment threshold likely to pected to survive… but it’s going to rise to €1 million and it could encourage spending in less-populated areas double in price. While Portugal and Ireland recently But the government was quick to vestment. By Walter Finch scrapped their programmes, in Spain deny his claims, insisting the minis- However, it has been frequently critthe visa scheme is expected to be extry was actually looking at alterna- icised for creating inflationary prestended. It comes after left wing political tives with suggestions from various sures and came under scrutiny for Government sources indicate that party Mas Pais claimed that Spain’s political parties. encouraging black money into the only those investing €1million or Social Security Ministry had provi- One of these is to allow investment Spanish economy. more will be given a three-year res- sionally confirmed it was to scrap but only in less-populated areas or in Currently, the scheme allows foridency permit. the scheme. socially beneficial projects. eigners to obtain a three-year resiA source told El Pais that the figure Leader Inigo Errejon claimed the Introduced in 2013 in the wake of dence permit, extendable for another will be doubled from the current total scheme had led to a ‘brutal’ increase the Euro crisis, the scheme was in- two, by investing at least €500,000 in of €500,000 invested in real estate or in house prices, adding: “Spanish cit- tended as a means to re-inflate the real estate, excluding any mortgages. housing market through foreign in- The mechanism also applies to in-

MOVE OVER GRANDAD By Walter Finch

But now a report from Union de Creditos Inmobiliarios (UCI) claims that the prevailing trend among international buyers indicates the new sheriffs in town are a younger, less financially comfortable demographic. These young upstarts (between 30 and 40) have been capitalising on the freedom afforded by the digital nomad lifestyle to invest in Spanish property. UCI's analysis shows that the Covid

as an investment in a Spanish company. izenship cannot be bought”. The new champions of the Spanish expat housing This data from the College of Registrars paints an optimistic picture for market: Young Brits, French and Germans 2023, with the first quarter

pandemic unleashed the genie of the home office and flexible working, which has seen a surge in younger buyers drawn by this way of working. Thus they can fulfil the dream of spending extended periods on the Spanish coasts without waiting until they are grey and wrinkly. As the Olive Press has reported recently, buyers from the United States have also surged onto the scene, according

to UCI. Despite the fact that interest rates on mortgages for non-residents are invariably higher compared to those offered to residents, the market continues to witness a surge in demand from international buyers. The numbers are underlined by a dramatic 45% surge in foreign property purchases in 2022, totaling 88,800 transactions.

already seeing 23,380 transactions by foreigners. The maximum financing percentage hovers around 70% of the property's valuation with an amortisation period of around 30 years. Spain's attractiveness, enviable quality of life, profitability, and its status as a stable safe haven for investments have not, it seems, been dented by the upward trajectory of interest rates.

45 years as an agent

ORIGINAL: This stylish villa, designed by renowned architect Angel Taborda and complete with waterfall pool and mature garden, could be yours for just €4.7 million through Andalucia Development

Swiss salute!

A MAJOR global exhibition is to recognise the work of architectural giants Herzog & De Meuron, as they reach their 45th anniversary. The Royal Academy show, in London, is exploring the Swiss pair’s incredible designs, with a healthy half dozen built in Spain. These include (from top left) the Barcelona Forum, Madrid’s CaixaForum and (main) the remarkable 2007 HQ of Spanish bank, BBVA. Since 1978 the pair have grafted on 600 projects, many yet to be built, including Jerez de la Frontera’s City of Flamenco.

See Partners in Design page 22

THE average international buyer of Spanish property has begun to trend downwards in age profile, according to the latest data. While there are still plenty of Brits, Germans, French and Belgians coming in to hand over their cash, gone are the days of them being entirely high-income, near-retirement couples. The typical profile of foreign buyers used to be people between 50 and 60 years old, married with children, with a high level of education and an income of more than €60,000.

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OUTDOOR LIFE

How to lead that Spanish lifestyle to the full

OLD TO NEW: how unwanted buildings have been given a new lease of life See page 22

vestments of more than €1 million in deposits or shares of Spanish capital companies, or more than €2 milHiFX Europe Limited Sucursal en España is a branch of HiFX Europe Limited. HiFX Europe Limited is authorised by the Financial lion inConduct government bonds. Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009, registration 462444, for the provision of payment services. Certain desirable highly skilled professionals and family reunification cases are also eligible for this residency permit without investment. In 2022, Spain granted 2,462 golden visas to property investors, an increase of nearly 60% from the previous year. Only a handful invested in companies or government bonds. Since the scheme began some 31,000 people have acquired a golden visa.

Marbella’s leading agent Chris Clover on how he started out on the Costa del Sol in 1970 HOMESELLERS REPORT

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and uns- atop the landscape. the local terrain, its foundations to endless golden beaches Composed of stones mirroring enhance its connection T is a coast famed for its anchor the house but also poilt wind-swept beauty.la Luz, in Cadiz, has a new claim not only surroundings. its natural spaces provide But now the Costa de ensures that the interior glimmering reon the This design choice to fame. the sea, capturing the the recently completed House uninterrupted views of Overlooking the Atlantic, the distinctive architectural flections of the sunset. areas: The main living Air (Casa en el aire) showcases divided into three distinct studio Fran Silvestre Arquitectos. Alema- The home is amazing panoramic views and its master suite prowess of famed Valencian and on its unique location on Playa with its Drawing inspiration fromAtunes, the design team – led by Fran space which share the same views, courtyard. also and three more bedrooms, nes, near Zahara de los bedrooms facing a shady that not only shelters but the lower floor two extra with its natural suhimself - envisioned a project on the Air seamlessly integrates of its natural surroundings. inspires, framing the beauty terrain marked by slopes and The House providing a unique and inspiring living experience. rroundings, perched Navigating the challenging gently as if it was contours, it is artfully positioned

HEADING SOUTH including Other coastal locations,

FREE Vol. 8 Issue 216 www.theolivepress.es February 7th - February 20th 2024

British proNEARLY a quarter of all abroad fessionals able to work from would choose Spain to uproot.to ditch Some 22% of Brits yearningof better their dreary island in favour powweather and increased spending they could er would choose Spain - if keep their current jobs. into The country knocked America France second place with 19%, while came a poor third with 13%. location Portugal would be the dream Asia garfor 6%, while Southeast

saving money (19%) and an and lifestyle (12%).

attractive

Alicante culture tax incenMalaga, Marbella, Valencia, digital nomads Job opportunities (7%) and popular choices. also factors. Spain comes top for UK of life - especially and Palma, were and Sevilla tives (4%) are Inland cities like Madrid rankings, Yet incredibly, 89% of British profesthanks to its better quality also hold their own in the extends sionals were unaware of Spain’s digquestioned Spain’s appeal for women aged 25 to 30 ital nomad visa, with half by Nebeus. proving that By Walter Finch

only 3%. nered 5% and Latin America professionA striking 53% of UK working als able to embrace remote just 33% would move abroad, while and 14% would stick with Blighty

were undecided in the poll of a Brit beyond its coastline. The most common profilemeanwhile The study points out several incenlooking to move to Spain in ‘a man- tives for choosing Spain as a remote is a woman aged 25 to 30 sector’. work base. of agement role in the privateof cosmo- The promise of a ‘better quality at Barcelona, with its blendof preferred life’ is the most significant draw for politan flair, tops the list 46%, followed by the potential Spanish cities at 14%.

into it. saying they would now look challenges The main financial include perceived in relocating cost of healthcare costs (31%), and living (21%), and retirement savings plans (10%).

THEN AND NOW: The OP Property’s launch issue in February 2015 (above) and our latest

Old town, new hope FUTURE: Investment is needed for the old town

YOUNG people could get the opportunity to fix up some of the abandoned homes in the Upper Town and revive Gibraltar’s heritage, a housing activist has said. Henry Pinna of Action for Housing believes ‘neglected’ areas in the old town still have a part to play in the Rock’s future. He is mainly referring to the pathways around Moorish Castle Estate, which once housed the majority of Gibraltar’s population. The activist said these streets have been left to rot without any idea what to do about them. The activist showed the Olive Press around some of those small passages full of winding steps that criss-cross the Upper Town. Former homes with cracked walls, boarded up windows and even missing roofs characterise the whole neighbourhood. “For me personally, the upper town is where our heritage is,” he told the Olive Press. “It’s been neglected for years on end so I think it's about time that the government came up with a holistic plan to do it up.”

EXCLUSIVE By John Culatto

As one of Gibraltar’s leading activists, Pinna often clashes with ministers who are focusing on building new apartment blocks instead. And he said the government has already identified some of those buildings that could be repaired. But while he admits that Covid and Brexit have both hit the public purse, he said that this is a case of ‘urban decay going back many years’. “Even in the boom years when there was a lot more money than we have now, nothing was done to tackle urban decay in the upper town area near the Moorish Castle,” Pinna said. “What we need is a holistic plan to tackle the whole upper town area – not just focus on here and there. “But that needs a four or five year plan investing money and getting private companies and young people to take part.”

QUIDS IN!

A BRITISH expat is earning more than Spain’s Vice President for ‘managing’ an urbanisation of just 109 properties on the Costa del Sol. Stephen Hills has come under fire for paying himself €86,700-a-year despite the job being ‘voluntary’ and ‘salary-free’. Hills is now ‘at war’ with the outraged residents of Torre Bermeja, in Estepona, after his inflated pay packet was revealed. It is not known if this includes

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Expat president under fire for paying himself more than deputy PM of Spain residents around €6,000 per year.

EXCLUSIVE By Laurence Dollimore

Outraged

ex-football managers Harry Redknapp and George Graham (both right), or the Irish mafia clan, the Kinahans, who are also said to own properties there. But it means he is earning more than Spain’s deputy leader Yolanda Diaz, who pockets €79,415, and the same as Andalucia chief, Juanma Moreno, who earns €87,000. Rubbing salt in the wounds, Hills allegedly exempted himself from paying community fees - which currently cost

Now a ‘large group’ of residents, many of them Brits and Irish, have taken Hills to court to prove his actions are ‘illegal’. “People are outraged, his actions are totally illegal and against t h e rules,” e x plained lawyer David Valadez, who is representing the residents. “I am convinced he will face a judge, however the courts in Estepona are saturated right now so we are not sure

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AUDACIOUS: Brit Stephen Hills is paying himself €86,700 a year to run a community of 109 properties when to expect a trial.” According to Valadez, local community bylaws dictate a president ‘cannot earn money’ for the role. Torre Bermeja is one of five urbanisations that form the ‘Guadalmansa development’. Each has a president, who looks after the day-to-day running, such as collecting community fees or arranging gardeners and maintenance. They have regular meetings with other presidents, where they can propose laws or changes which are voted on by the residents they look after. The issue appears to have arisen as the majority of homeowners in Torre Bermeja don’t live there and ended up giving Hills the right to vote on matters on their behalf. “Most of those who gave him de-

ferred votes by proxy don’t know what they have been used for,” added Valadez. “So when he decided to award a salary of almost €87,000, there was no one to stand in his way.” However, not everyone is in agreement with the action group, with one British owner defending him saying he is ‘doing his best’ to develop the community.

Control

“There is another president who is trying to control the whole of Guadalmansa and wants to get rid of anyone standing up to him, such as Stephen. “This is all part of a feud that has been going on for five or so years, people don’t know the half of it! “Stephen works a full-time job looking after his residents and has been president for 20 years. A lot of us appreciate what he does.” The Olive Press has contacted Hills for comment.

CRIME

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NEWS IN BRIEF Smart move EXPATS are installing water deposits or tanks in their homes in the hopes of avoiding ‘inevitable’ water restrictions in Andalucia and Catalunya due to the drought.

Farmer slayer POLICE are investigating a potential serial killer in northern Spain after three farmers were found dead in very similar circumstances - with the main suspect having fled to France.

Rape claims REAL Betis midfielder William Carvalho is the latest La Liga footballer to be accused of raping a woman. He insists the accusations are “totally false.”

RIP Jonnie A PLACE in the Sun star Jonnie Irwin has died aged 50 after a four-year battle with cancer. Costar Jasmine Harman said she will ‘always smile’ when thinking of him in a touching tribute.

February 7th - February 20th 2024

Dodgy Doug facing jail over tax evasion THE husband of disgraced Tory peer Michelle Mone has appeared as part of a €6 million tax evasion case in Spain. Doug Barrowman, 58, (pictured with Mone) is accused of misappropriating €6.3m from a Spanish cable factory ‘for illicit benefit’ in 2008. The Glasgow businessman and six other British co-defendants are also accused of defrauding the Spanish government of a half million euros in tax relating to the payment. The brash millionaire - who reportedly

made his fortune marketing tax avoidance schemes - faces five and a half years in a Spanish jail, plus a six-figure fine. Barrowman admitted at Cantabria’s Provincial Court he had played a leading role in the purchase of B3 Cable Solutions in 2008. He also confirmed the Spanish firm had made the €6.3m payment to Aston Ventures, a UK company founded by Barrowman, insisting it was a ‘consultancy fee.’

The company went bust four years later, costing the jobs of 200 people in the Santander area. It comes as Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) investigates how Mone recommended a company secretly owned by Barrowman to supply PPE, including masks, during the Covid pandemic. PPE MedPro was awarded €142 million in government contracts for equipment that turned out to be faulty. Barrowman and Mone - who became

famous as a bra manufacturer - had €87 million in assets frozen in the UK last week, including a country estate, a six-bedroom house in London's Belgravia, a yacht and a jet.

UNFAIR COPS

A GUARDIA Civil department is under investigation for allegedly colluding with a ‘cartel’ of suppliers in a €180 million corruption scheme. Some six officers are accused of dishing out cosy contracts to dozens of companies in return for private school fees, hunting trips and VIP football tickets. In the scheme that stretches back 24 years, they illegally contracted 26 companies

REVEALED: The free hunting trips and school fee payments behind a €180 million Guardia Civil corruption scheme

to supply kit including uniforms, boots, bulletproof vests and helmets. A court has heard how six officers at the Guardia Civil Supply Service (Sabas) even exchanged mobile phones and game consoles as ‘bribes’ in return for con-

By Walter Finch

tracts. One of the officers even had his son’s private school tuition fees paid for as a sweetener for the steady stream of orders, according to an in-depth investigation by ABC. The gravy train began when Alberto Jose Martín Marbella, usually striking bebecame the head tween 7pm and 10pm when their of Sabas’ Techvictims were out having dinner. nical Section in The Albanian group conduct2000 and contined exhaustive research before ued under Cololaunching their attacks - prefernel Juan Antoring to operate on villas next to nio Maroto from golf courses. 2015.

DINNER THIEVES

POLICE have revealed how an eastern European gang of ex-soldiers robbed at least 70 homes on the Costa del Sol at dinner time. The gang operated with ‘extreme measures’ in order to rob 71 wealthy properties, mainly in

The officers felt so little threat from outsiders they even kept detailed records of what had been exchanged. Colonel Maroto also ran a laundry business which showed regular entries of cash deliveries. One of the company salesmen, who worked closely with the police, had a log of perks naming the police officers involved. Commissions paid ranged from 3% to 8%, with many unwitting law-abiding companies failing to win rigged tenders. The officers face a litany of charges that include bribery, embezzlement, fraud, abuse of power, and money laundering, as well as membership of a criminal organisation. The case continues at Madrid Court Number 50.

Sneaky tourism POLICE arrested an Algerian man living in Gibraltar as he tried to help a fellow countryman living in the UK to enter Spain illegally via Western Beach. Salim Mabrouk, 46, was sentenced to 180 hours of community service at the Magistrates Court for Attempting to Assist Illegal Immigration into another state. Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) stated a 30-year-old Algerian caught a flight from the UK to Gibraltar on October 17. He tried to enter Spain the following day but was disallowed ‘on the grounds of inadequate documentation’. The next day he met with Mabrouk and attempted to scale the fence at Western Beach. They were spotted and arrested by RGP officers. The 30-year-old was fined £250 and returned to the UK at the time.

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Be cool!

CARNIVAL CAPERS

GET ready for Spain’s most hedonistic landmark on the calendar: Carnival. Cadiz’s famous Carnival, the biggest and most prestigious in Spain - and one of the biggest in the world - starts on Thursday (February 8) and runs until February 18. For those wanting a

more ‘Brazilian’ experience head to Tenerife where the streets are thronged with colourfully clad party seekers. Spain’s second biggest Carnival takes place in Sitges, near Barcelona, while there are plenty of local events around Spain. See Mask crusaders, page 31

Sunny outlook Former Olive Press staffer finds fame at last on hit UK TV show A New Life in the Sun ONE could argue that Pauline Olivera doesn’t need any more time in the sun. The long-time expat bowled up in Spain from south London nearly two decades ago and promptly landed a job helping to set up Spain’s Number One English newspaper the Olive Press. Then based out of a converted cowshed, near Ronda, the hairdressing teacher quickly became the receptionist, head of admin and debt collector all rolled into one. But after working for seven years at the paper she went on to set up her own hairdressing academy and salon in Gibraltar. Now, 20 years on, she has made another big move West, all the way to the wilds of inland Portugal to set up a ‘glamping business’. Along with her husband, Sid, 66, her move has been filmed for the new series of Channel 4’s hit show A New Life in the Sun. Seen jugg l i n g life between Portugal and Gibral-

February 7th - February 20th 2024

PAULINE TAKES ON PORTUGAL: with husband Sid

EXCLUSIVE By Yzabelle Bostyn

tar, Pauline, 58, is still a livewire of ideas and laughter. “It’s been a lot of fun, but obviously there have been a lot of challenges and ups and downs, particularly with no electricity lines nearby,” she told the Olive Press. “We’re in the middle of the countryside and had to set up completely off grid, with 12 solar panels.”

Frogs

Aside from that they have had to clean a pool full of wildlife, including frogs and lizards, as well as renovating a ruin from scratch. “It was great fun though and as there was just one cameraman who was really chilled, we ended up becoming good friends with him.” The business, TwinSprings, near the historic town of Almodovar, is 30 minutes inland from Carvoeira on the Algarve. “It’s a wild spot and really allows people to get away from the hustle and bustle of working life,” explains Pauline, who previously lived in rural El Gastor, Cadiz.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY: Dua Lipa and The Killers singer Brandon Flowers

“It is great for just chilling out and being at one with nature.” She added: “The tents will be luxury. They’ll have beds and themed interiors. I’m going to upcycle second hand furniture and put chunky blankets in for the evenings. “We want the wow factor rather than the basic glamping experience.” The pair became well known to Olive Press readers in

2009 when they saved a pig called ‘Chino’ from the chop by adopting him. They ended up adopting dozens of rescue animals over the years, including horses, donkeys and a Vietnamese Pot Bellied pig. Sid, a BBC radio DJ by trade, spent a number of years working as a journalist in the Falklands, and has run his own radio stations.

Barca calling MANCHESTER United’s controversial prodigy Mason Greenwood, in exile at Getafe on a season-long loan, is dreaming of a move to Barcelona. The 22-year-old Mancunian, who didn’t play for 18 months as he faced a rape trial, has impressed in La Liga since his arrival in

the Spanish capital. The Crown Prosecution Service announced the charges against Greenwood had been dropped in February 2023 after the key witness pulled out. Now Barcelona are reportedly keen to sign one of England’s formerly - and perhaps once again brightest prospects for next season.

DUA LIPA and The Killers are among a long line-up of international artists taking to the Mad Cool Festival stage this summer. Other headliners at the Madrid bash include Avril Lavigne, Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage. The event, taking place from July 10 to 13, was first launched in 2016 with music legends like The Who and Neil Young performing and is already one of the biggest in Europe. The acts are drawn from a wide mix of music genres such as rock, indie, pop, hip hop and electronic music, catering for different types of audiences. With an impressive array of performers, from established icons to emerging stars, the festival claims to be ‘a celebration of music that resonates with a wide and diverse audience in the heart of Madrid.’

PAPER DEAL

A NAPKIN where a teenage Lionel Messi sealed his first deal with FC Barcelona will go on auction with a starting price of over €315,000. Messi put pen to the paper napkin in December 2000 when he was just 13-yearsold. The napkin came from the Pompeia tennis club at a lunch held there between Barca officials and the Messi family. With Messi's father, Jorge, beginning to doubt Barca's commitment to his son the club's director of football, Carles Rexach, hastily scrambled together an agreement on the napkin. The item will be sold next month by British auction house Bonhams.

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NEWS

4 www.theolivepress.es Always listening MINISTER for Housing Pat Orfila recently discussed shed roof repairs, CCTV installations and antisocial behaviour with public housing residents. Orfila is tasked solely to sort out the Rock’s housing issues. She met with Jessica Collado, chairperson of the Laguna Estate Tenant’s Association, and her deputy Nicole Gomez, her deputy. They also raised issues like ongoing beautification and specific paintwork in the meeting. “Following the meeting, Ms Collado expressed satisfaction with the fruitful discussion, noting progress on some agenda items and ongoing efforts on others,” the government said in a statement. “She emphasized maintaining regular communication with Housing officials and the Minister, Pat Orfila MP.” Orfila said she wanted to have ‘regular engagements with all tenants’ associations’ during her time in government. She said she wanted ‘to foster a strong working relationship and welcome ideas and suggestions in order to better the living conditions of the tenants’.

Pooling power SWIMMERS looking to get fit at Gibraltar’s Lathbury swimming pool will now be able to use it up to 15 hours a day, seven days a week. Seven new lifeguards have been added to the team so that the 50 metre pool can now open from 7.30am until 10pm. The Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority (GSLA) has recruited and trained the new lifeguards. The Lathbury pool, running track and football pitch were completed four years late in June last year.

February 7th - February 20th 2024

Cheeky monkey…

ROCK ON GIBRALTAR’S most successful pop-rock band Melon Diesel will perform on the Rock in June to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its most iconic album. Melon Diesel’s La Cuesta de Mister Bond has sold over 180,000 copies so far and the album’s roots are firmly entrenched in Gibraltar’s folklore. The band, led by singer Dylan Ferro, will perform a special concert on June 21 at the Europa Sports Indoor Complex. Melon Diesel recently returned to stages across Spain after almost two decades out of the action.

But the 1999 album La Cuesta de Mister Bond has gone platinum and the band now want to celebrate that success with its strong local following. Its title refers to the James Bond film The Living Daylights, which was filmed in Gibraltar and a colloquial name given to a street on the Rock, ‘La Cuesta Mr Bourne’.

Ready to sign

CROSS-border workers and tourists alike have long bemoaned the long queues and bureaucracy at the Gibraltar border. But one nimble creature has worked out a way to avoid the stringent passport checks and queues. This barbary macaque, who normally lives halfway up the Rock, was spotted swinging from lampposts and on roofs in the border town of La Linea. Members of the Guardia Civil, local police and zoo officials worked together to finally locate and catch the monkey on top of a primary school.

Spanish Minister says ball is now in Gibraltar and UK’s court SPANISH Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares (below) has said Spain is ready to sign the Gibraltar EU treaty. His message to the Foreign Commission on Monday was that Spain had made a ‘balanced and generous proposal’ and it was waiting for the UK response. It came

By John Culatto

after Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia admitted ‘there are some lines we cannot cross’ as he visited Brussels during the latest round of EU treaty talks. British and European Union diplom a t s

Vote call

ALL British citizens, even if they live in the overseas territories, should have a right to vote in UK general elections, Gibraltar’s Chief Minister has said. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo argued this point at the UK’s House of Commons committee on territorial constitution. He said that this was even more relevant since the UK introduced the ‘votes for life policy’ for anyone who had already lived in Britain. It means that Gibraltar’s university students could register to vote in the UK. But the need to give locals a vote was also important because the Rock’s interests could at the present time only be represented by current MPs voluntarily, said Picardo.

Brexit revenge MEETING: Picardo with Cameron in London

were trying to thrash out a deal in round 16 of negotiations over Gibraltar’s post-Brexit future. And while Garcia said his government ‘remains fully committed’ to getting the free movement Gibraltar desires, he pointed out it was just as ready for ‘no treaty’. But there has been no indication when the UK response may arrive.

News

UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has been given the latest news on the talks by Gibraltar’s top two political leaders. It was the first time Gibraltar Chief Minister Picardo had met new Foreign Secretary Cameron face-to-face after the former PM’s return to front-line politics Both Picardo and Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia also met UK Minister

for Europe Leo Docherty during the London visit. The Rock’s leaders discussed the EU treaty and plans for a no deal scenario with both British ministers. Picardo called both Cameron and Docherty ‘good friends of Gibraltar’. “Our meeting today demonstrates the close relationship between Gibraltar and the United Kingdom as well as the close personal relationship between us,” the Chief Minister added. It proved a busy day for Picardo and Garcia who earlier spoke to the All Party Gibraltar Group in Westminster and its leader Sir Bob Neil. The Procedure Committee of the House of Commons then questioned the Rock’s leaders on relations between Gibraltar and the UK Parliament. The committee highlighted ‘ways in which such contact could be improved’ during the questioning session.

THE Tories will ‘regret’ giving the vote to 2.3 million British expats abroad as experts predict they will vote against Rishi Sunak’s government en masse in this year’s general election. There is nothing to suggest any change to a 2020 study that found that the overseas vote share for the Labour and Lib Dem parties had risen from 56% to 85% after Brexit. Despite this huge rise, the Conservative government still removed the previous 15-year cut off limit for British citizens living abroad on January 16. Dr Susan Collard, from the University of Sussex, explained that British expats are still fuming they are ‘living with the consequences of Brexit.’ “They’re not forgetting. Many are still living in the consequences of Brexit so all I could say is there isn’t any evidence that the mood has changed among those voters,” she said. Pundits in the UK currently predict a general election in either May or November, with the latter the most likely with Sunak currently around 21.5 points below Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Boot on a new foot

Pitch perfect A NEW FIFA quality pro turf that also reaches the standards set by World Rugby will be laid from April through May at Gibraltar’s Europa Sports Complex. The Gibraltar FA’s ‘substantial investment’ will upgrade the facilities to most of what is expected from a Uefa Category 2 Stadium. The upgrades at the Europa Point sports facility include better lighting, indoor technical

areas and changing areas improvements. Minister for Sport Leslie Zammit said it was ‘an important upgrade to Gibraltar’s sporting facilities’. The Uefa’s HatTrick development programme was used to help pay for the upgrades. It will provide a much needed second football field as works start to build the new Victoria Stadium later this year.

THE CEO of a Midlands-based National League football club has taken over Gibraltar’s bottom-placed side in a surprise move. Mark Palmer of Solihull Moors said it was ‘a proud moment’ to become the new owner and chairman of Lions Gibraltar FC with immediate effect. “I’m honoured to be the new owner and chairman of this great football club,” Palmer said. “We are looking to take the club into the next phase of

its history and on an exciting journey.” Lions FC said that Palmer has ‘extensive knowledge and experience in the game and has previous club ownership in the English Football League’. He is CEO and board member of Solihull Moors FC which is located in south-east Birmingham. The chairman and majority owner of Solihull Moors, Darryl Eales, and British Deputy High Court judge James Pickering will also be joining the Lions club board.

The historic Gibraltar club’s recent run of bad form has seen them plummet to the bottom of the Rock’s 11-club football league. They are still looking for their first win of the season, with only two points from 13 games.

NEWS

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Filling the coffers AN update in tax law will make sure insurance and DLT blockchain businesses based in Gibraltar ‘contribute fairly to the nation’s well-being’, the government has said. With record high interest rates creating more profits than ever for insurance companies, the government said it considers this ‘a logical and progressive step’. Banks and money lenders are ‘already within scope of the existing tax provision’, the government said. Now it was the turn of insurance and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) firms to give more to the public purse.

Cycling drunk

A SEXAGENARIAN Brit who drove his bicycle drunk into a passing person in Gibraltar has been arrested by police. Royal Gibraltar Police revealed that R.H., 66, was nearly twice over the drink drive limit when he hit the pedestrian close to the frontier. He was fined £600, which was reduced to £400 because he pleaded guilty to riding a bicycle while drunk. Police have toughened up on drink drivers this year, fining and removing licences from all vehicle users.

February 7th - February 20th 2024

Nine lives left Cat sanctuary sends out call for volunteers to help give Gib’s street cats a home A CAT sanctuary in Gibraltar’s Upper Town is on the lookout for volunteers and donations as they try to rescue more abandoned fe-

By John Culatto

lines. Susan Wink-Sampere wants to have a team of volunteers for her charity that runs the cat sanctuary close to the Upper Rock. She set up Gibraltar Street Cats to look after strays who are old or ill, catching them and bringing them to the home for a happy retirement. The cat sanctuary was originally founded in 2014, but the Cat Welfare Society

CARING: Susan takes in Gibraltar’s moggies

closed down two years ago. Wink-Sampere founded ‘Save Gibraltar Street Cats’ and took over the running of the pet home. “We normally get the aban-

Coin heaven GIBRALTAR has presented its new King Charles III embossed coins at the World Money Fair held in Berlin every year since 1970. Government minister Sir Joe Bossano addressed the Trade Conference, promoting the Rock’s own limited edition coins. Gibraltar released its first commemorative coin collection with King Charles III immediately after he took the throne in 2022. From 2024, the new 12-sided bimetal £1 coin will feature in all new collections, with Gibraltar becoming the first British over-

doned cats that are poorly or elderly to give them a good life as long as we can,” Wink-Sampere told the Olive Press. The group now has 20 cats in the sanctuary, taking in five or six of them during the last eight months.

Community

seas territory to use it. Coin collections can be bought at the Berlin Money Fair and locally at the Gibraltar Royal Mint.

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

“We want this place to become part of the community even though it’s a long walk up from town,” Wink-Sampere says. “We always have volunteers in the mornings but we were planning to get a team to come in the afternoon too. “Time spent with cats is the best time that you can spend – that’s for sure!”

Whisky and chocolates: the loves of Ivy, 102 CHOCOLATE and whisky are the ‘secret’ to a long life, a 102-year-old British expat has declared. Ivy Rhodes, who has lived on the Costa del Sol for 40 years, turns 103 this Sunday. Born on February 11, 1921, she is believed to be the oldest expat resident in Benalmadena. She lives alone but has a ‘thriving social life’ and is a member of various local social clubs. According to Age Concern Benalmadena she eats at the same restaurant, Domandas, every day, and attributes her longevity to her unusual diet. “I’m still here because I like whisky and chocolate,” she said. The expat often enjoys her favourite tipple at Rincon Mary, her nearest bar. Age Concern Benalmadena held a party for Ivy (with crown, below) this week.

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

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

BRITISH

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

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Heritage STREET PARTIES MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE HISTORY MUSIC

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

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NEWS FEATURE

www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain

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

OPINION Old town vibes IT is quite sad to see the state of the Upper Town, once the living and breathing heart of Gibraltarian life. It is hard to imagine these narrow walkways and steps, now silent and abandoned, once thriving with the life and improvisation of its hardy civilian population. After all, this was the case for most of Gibraltar’s British colonial history until the 20th century. It was only with the confidence brought back fighting and living among the Brits that Gibraltarians started building homes in more accessible areas. Their struggle side-by-side with the Brits seemed to have instilled a sense of pride and desire for more rights among its civilian population. So many had volunteered to die against the common Nazi menace, they craved for some of the comforts of the working classes. Varyl Begg, Alameda, Glacis and Laguna Estates sprung up, bringing for the first time homes that provided order to redesign local life. The advent of the car as a public necessity catalysed the need for accessible homes and the reclamation created the land for the housing projects we know today. Slowly, the upper town emptied out, despite projects like The Arches to keep up those traditional centres of residence. Housing activist Henry Pinna is now seeking to revive a lot of what is lost. And while perhaps right now might not be the moment, as Gibraltar stares into the abyss of Brexit and the changes that may come, it is certainly an idea for the future. Old towns can become what they are known for around nearby Spain – real centres of historical self-acceptance and memorial of times gone by. Slowly this concept is taking shape with the refurbishment of the Northern Defences and trade returning along Castle Steps. Maybe the future is not so far away when the old town will return to its former glory full of a generation of young people not seeking convenience but community life and great views of the Bay. PUBLISHER / EDITOR

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

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

John Culatto

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Together we can ‘Kill the Drug’

HE Olive Press has relaunched its ‘Kill the Drug’ campaign in a bid to bring in tougher regulations on controversial drug Nolotil. Our original campaign in 2017 helped highlight the dangers of the lethal painkiller, which has been blamed for dozens - and potentially hundreds - of deaths of tourists and expats in Spain. Yet, incredibly, the drug is still being freely administered in Spain despite now being BANNED in 40 countries globally, including the UK, US, Ireland and Australia. Our hard-hitting campaign launched in early 2017, alongside the patients asso-

The Olive Press relaunches its Kill the Drug campaign as deadly Nolotil claims yet more victims while goverment advice continues to be blatently ignored

ciation ADAF, came after a spate of British and Irish deaths around Spain. Following a dogged investigation with over a dozen stories, a year-and-a-half later the campaign appeared victorious when in December 2018, the authorities finally acted. In a landmark ruling, the goverment brought in

WHAT IS NOLOTIL? NOLOTIL is the Spanish brand name for the drug Metamizole, a commonly-prescribed painkiller which was first available in Germany in 1922. The drug is used to relieve muscular pain, reduce inflammation and treat fever. Nolotil is made by German firm Boehringer Ingelheim, the largest private pharmaceutical company in the world. Popular worldwide - it is the most commonly prescribed painkiller in Germany, the most popular medication in Brazil, and over 22 million Nolotil boxes were sold in 2020 in Spain alone. However, it is banned in 40 countries - including Canada, Australia and France - due to its adverse side effects. It can cause a potentially fatal condition known as agranulocytosis, which reduces white blood cell levels, increasing the risk of infection, sepsis, and even organ failure. The Association of Drug Affected Patients (ADAF) has identified 350 suspected cases between 1996 and 2023, including 170 Brits who either live in Spain or were on holiday. A 2009 study suggested that British and Irish patients were more susceptible to the serious adverse effects of the drug, potentially due to genetics.

KILL THE DRUG

nationwide ‘guidance’ for health centres, hospitals and pharmacies across the country. These stated that Nolotil - a form of metamizole - must only be used by patients for short periods of time, and they should be monitored and have blood tests to detect any severe reaction. The drug should also NOT be given to tourists and others who would not have access to such controls and monitoring. It must also be available by prescription only and on a case-by-case basis, with a patient’s medical history and risk factors taken into consideration. However, despite the guidance, we have discovered multiple health centres and even state hospitals across the country have continued to ignore them. So far, only the region of Catalunya has brought in official laws to monitor the drug. This has resulted in the deaths and terrifying near-deaths of multiple British and other northern European patients. As we reported last issue, Mark Brooks, 42, lost his life to sepsis after being given Nolotil for a minor golf injury in Alicante. The otherwise healthy father-of-one, who was due to marry this year, died after slipping into a coma just days after the drug was given to him. This week other victims, including Doreen

‘SHOULDN’T BE SOLD LIKE SHAMPOO’ N OLOTIL campaigner Cristina del Campo has revealed sinister political pressure is behind the drug being so readily available in Spain. Speaking as the Olive Press launches a campaign against the lethal drug for northern European tourists and expats, she explained her seven-year investigation into Nolotil is part of a wider crusade against Big

Campaigner Cristina Del Campo claims serious corruption in her fight against Nolotil

Pharma. The president of the Association for Drug Affected People (ADAF), claims Spanish authorities and pharmaceutical companies are simply ‘ignoring reports’, ‘hiding things’ and ‘indoctrinating us to buy more medicine.’ “They shouldn’t be selling drugs like shampoo,” she told the Olive Press. “Yet if you watch TV in Spain there’s hundreds of adverts for medicine. “I have never seen anything like that in England,” she added. The campaigner, who has been fighting for the prohibition of Nolotil since 2017, claims that the drug is still being promoted due to ‘commerical interests’. “Nolotil is a very clear TOGETHER: Cristina with Olive Press example of a social editor Jon Clarke in 2019 problem. I do a lot of

By Yzabelle Bostyn

media interviews in Spain and they always put a doctor in at the end saying Nolotil is safe,” she said. “They have been trained by pharmaceutical companies to say so because it’s in their interest to sell more Nolotil.” Sometimes, she claims, journalists are even ‘forbidden’ by their bosses from talking about the drug. She said: “I have spoken to so many journalists who tell me they won’t let me publish this because we have commercial agreements with Boehringer and/or the government.” Her claims follow a recent marketing campaign by the Spanish Medicine Agency (AEMPS) promoting Nolotil, a drug known to be capable of causing severe side effects in many of Spain’s million-plus expat population plus millions of tourists. The point is, while it may not

be dangerous for Spaniards, it is potentially lethal for many other nationalities. “I have over 100 cases of British people who have either died or been very ill due to Nolotil, had amputations and worse,” added Cristina, a medical translator turned campaigner. “Something needs to be done about this as nobody’s taking any notice. “Unless you want to lose more tourists, I suggest you do something about it. And I know we get 18 million British tourists in Spain every year so it’s no joke.” As part of her tireless campaigning, the Alicante-based medical translator hopes to ‘stop’ the marketing of medical products. “Because of the Association for Drug Affected People (ADAF), I’m getting a lot of people affected by other drugs as well. “There are a lot of medicines creating terrible problems for people. I want to fight all of them.”

February 2024

st be ag ’s m in ty lish SpaoperEng pr in

www.theolivepress.es

DECADE OF P SUCCESS

roperty

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Entering our tenth year on the Costa del Sol

Property

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Property

b Th m es e R ag t p o in rop ck’ En er s gl ty ish

August 2023

Kick off your heels at Spain’s hottest new hotels See page 6

www.theolivepress.es

May 2023

OUTDOOR LIFE

How to lead that Spanish lifestyle to the full See page 14

OLD TO NEW: how unwanted buildings have been given a new lease of life See page 22

Swiss salute!

A MAJOR global exhibition is to recognise work of architectural giants Herzog & De the ron, as they reach their Meu45th anniversary. The Royal Academy show, in London, is ring the Swiss pair’s explohealthy half dozen incredible designs, with a built These include (from in Spain. top left) the Barcelona Forum, Madrid’s CaixaForum and (main) the remarkable 2007 HQ Since 1978 the pair of Spanish bank, BBVA. jects, many yet to be have grafted on 600 probuilt, including Jerez Frontera’s City of Flamenco. de la

See Partners in Design

Golden Millionaire page 22

SPAIN’S golden visa pected to survive… butscheme is ex- Spain’s Golden it’s going to Visa double in price. rise to €1 million andscheme to survive… but investment threshold While Portugal and Ireland it could encourage spending likely of more than scrapped their programmes, recently in less-populated areasto investments deposits or shares of €1 million By Walter Finch But the government the visa scheme is expected in Spain was quick to vestment. ital companies, or more Spanish capto be exdeny his claims, insisting tended. than €2 million in government bonds. try was actually looking the minis- However, it has been frequently It comes after left wing Government sources at alternacritonly those investing indicate that party Mas Pais claimed thatpolitical tives with suggestions from various icised for creating inflationary pres- Certain desirable highly skilled pro€1million or Social fessionals sures and came under more will be given a three-year Security Ministry hadSpain’s political parties. scrutiny for cases are and family reunification provi- One encouraging black money res- sionally confirmed also idency permit. into the dency permit eligible for this resiit was to scrap but of these is to allow investment Spanish only in less-populated economy. the scheme. without A source told El Pais THE average international In 2022, Spain grantedinvestment. socially beneficial projects.areas or in Currently, the scheme allows will be doubled from thethat the figure Leader Inigo Errejon claimed buyer of 2,462 Spanish property has the Introduced in 2013 eigners to obtain a three-year for- visas to property investors, golden begun to trend of €500,000 invested in current total scheme had led to a ‘brutal’ in the wake of an indownwards in age profile, resi- crease By Walter Finch The new champions increase the Euro crisis, real estate or in house according to as an investment in a Spanish prices, adding: “Spanish the scheme was in- dence permit, extendable for another vious of nearly 60% from the preof the the latest data. Spanish company. cittwo, by investing at least expat year. market: Young Brits, tended as a means to izenship cannot be bought”. But now a report from This data from the While there are still €500,000 in in companiesOnly a handful invested re-inflate the real estate, College of RegisUnion de CredFrench and Germanshousing trars housing market through or government bonds. excluding any mortgages. pandemic paints an optimistic picture Germans, French andplenty of Brits, itos Inmobiliarios (UCI) claims foreign in- The mechanism that the home unleashed the genie of to UCI. Belgians com- the prevailing for 2023, with the first also applies to in- Since the scheme began some 31,000 ing in to hand over their trend quarter already people have acquired a cash, gone tional buyers indicatesamong interna- which hasoffice and flexible working, Despite the seeing 23,380 are the days of them golden transactions by foreignfact that interest rates seen a surge in younger visa. the new sheriffs being entirely in town are a ers. on mortgages for non-residents high-income, near-retirement younger, less financially buyers drawn by this way of working. are The maximum couples. comfortable demographic. invariably higher compared Thus they can fulfil The typical profile of financing percentage the dream of offered foreign buyers These young used to be people between to residents, the marketto those hovers around 70% of the property's upstarts (between 30 spending extended periods contin- valuation with on the ues to witness 50 and 60 and 40) have been years old, married with an amortisation period a surge capitalising on the Spanish coasts without waiting until children, with freedom afforded international buyers. in demand from of around 30 years. a high level of education by the digital nomad they are grey and wrinkly. Spain's attractiveness, The numbers are underlined As the Olive Press has reported come of more than €60,000.and an in- lifestyle to invest in Spanish property. enviable quality by a drarecentUCI's analysis shows that the Covid ly, buyers from the United States have matic 45% surge in foreign property of life, profitability, and its status as a stable safe haven for investments purchases also surged onto the scene, according transactions.in 2022, totaling 88,800 not, it seems, have been dented ward trajectory of interest by the uprates.

MOVE OVER GRAN DAD

LAUNCH: Feb 2015

COSTA LIVING.. WITH A DIFFERENCE

T is a coast famed for its endless golden beaches and unspoilt wind-swept beauty. But now the Costa de la Luz, in Cadiz, has a new claim to fame. Overlooking the Atlantic, the recently completed House on the Air (Casa en el aire) showcases the distinctive architectural prowess of famed Valencian studio Fran Silvestre Arquitectos. Drawing inspiration from its unique location on Playa Alemanes, near Zahara de los Atunes, the design team – led by Fran himself - envisioned a project that not only shelters but also inspires, framing the beauty of its natural surroundings. Navigating the challenging terrain marked by slopes and contours, it is artfully positioned as if it was gently perched

atop the landscape. Composed of stones mirroring the local terrain, its foundations not only anchor the house but also enhance its connection to its natural surroundings. This design choice ensures that the interior spaces provide uninterrupted views of the sea, capturing the glimmering reflections of the sunset. The home is divided into three distinct areas: The main living space with its amazing panoramic views and its master suite and three more bedrooms, which share the same views, and on the lower floor two extra bedrooms facing a shady courtyard. The House on the Air seamlessly integrates with its natural surroundings, providing a unique and inspiring living experience.

HEADING SOUTH NEARLY a quarter of all British professionals able to work from abroad would choose Spain to uproot. Some 22% of Brits yearning to ditch their dreary island in favour of better weather and increased spending power would choose Spain - if they could keep their current jobs. The country knocked America into second place with 19%, while France came a poor third with 13%. Portugal would be the dream location for 6%, while Southeast Asia gar-

Spain comes top for UK digital nomads thanks to its better quality of life - especially for women aged 25 to 30 By Walter Finch

nered 5% and Latin America only 3%. A striking 53% of UK professionals able to embrace remote working would move abroad, while just 33% would stick with Blighty and 14%

were undecided in the poll by Nebeus. The most common profile of a Brit looking to move to Spain meanwhile is a woman aged 25 to 30 in ‘a management role in the private sector’. Barcelona, with its blend of cosmopolitan flair, tops the list of preferred Spanish cities at 14%.

Other coastal locations, including Malaga, Marbella, Valencia, Alicante and Palma, were popular choices. Inland cities like Madrid and Sevilla also hold their own in the rankings, proving that Spain’s appeal extends beyond its coastline. The study points out several incentives for choosing Spain as a remote work base. The promise of a ‘better quality of life’ is the most significant draw at 46%, followed by the potential for

saving money (19%) and an attractive culture and lifestyle (12%). Job opportunities (7%) and tax incentives (4%) are also factors. Yet incredibly, 89% of British professionals were unaware of Spain’s digital nomad visa, with half questioned saying they would now look into it. The main financial challenges perceived in relocating include healthcare costs (31%), cost of living (21%), and retirement and savings plans (10%).

PROPERTY

February 7th - February 20th 2024

A DECADE AND COUNTING

The longest running property magazine on the coast

T is with real pride that our Property Magazine has made it into its tenth year. When we launched in earKick off your heels at Spain’s hottest new hotels ly 2015 we had no idea how roperty well it would be received. N But we knew the coast deserBR E L ved a publication to explore CE the real state of the market not simply a glossy publication roperty looking at it through rose-tinted spectacles. BUILDING FORTUNES... So we went to the experts; the Swiss salute! likes of property analyst Mark Stucklin, the longest-serving agent in Marbella, Chris Clover, of Panorama, and the thoughtful musings of philosophy graduate - our Property Insider Adam Neale, in Estepona. And it is no surprise that all three of them are with the magazine ISSUE: Featuring former BEST COVER: A 2017 story about BriRECENT ISSUE: As well as champiotoday, as well as long-establi- FIRST Sunday Times property doctor Mark tish buyers coming in ‘like a fireball’ ning Spain’s golden visa scheme, we shed trustworthy agents like Stucklin and Marbella’s Chris Clover before Brexit with two amazing new celebrated the amazing success of Andalucia Development and on the cover churches Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron Properties Spain. SLIM SHADY As we head towards our Property Property Property Property Property Property tenth birthday, we vow L Courted by On brand to continue offering the courtyards most varied and interesting content from around Spain and - above all - we promise to give you a true ONLY WAY IS UP* Tech BOOM! YSTAY IN THE NEST! analysis of the market and FOREIGN RUSH MOVE OVER GRANDAD NEW GOLD RUSH not hide it behind glossy A photos and PR puff pieces. st be ag ’s m ain rty lish Sp pe Eng pro in

STA O C E H NT O S R YEA

See page 6

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s.es

May 2023

st be ag ’s m ain rty lish Sp pe Eng pro in

FEEL THE FEAR Spain’s most huanted houses

See page 16

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OCTOBER 2022

A MAJOR global exhibition is to recognise work of architectura the ron, as they reach l giants Herzog & De Meutheir 45th anniversary. The Royal Academy ring the Swiss pair’s show, in London, is explohealthy half dozen incredible designs, with a built in Spain. These include (from top left) the Forum, Madrid’s CaixaForum and Barcelona remarkable 2007 (main) the HQ Since 1978 the pair of Spanish bank, BBVA. have grafted on jects, many yet to be built, including 600 proFrontera’s City of Jerez de la Flamenco.

Golden Millionaire See Partners in Design

page 22

...but where do Spain’s Santiago Calatrava and Spain-based Norman Foster rank in the world’s wealthiest architects?

SPAIN’S golden visa pected to survive… scheme is ex- Spain’s Golden but it’s going to Visa double in price. rise to €1 million andscheme to survive… but investment While Portugal and thresho it could encourage Ireland recently scrapped their programme spending in less-pop ld likely to vestments of more than €1 million By Walter Finch the visa scheme is expecteds, in Spain But the governmen ulated areas in deposits or shares of Spanish t was quick to vestment. to be excaptended. deny his claims, insisting ital companies, or more the minis- However, than €2 milGovernment sources It comes after left try lion in government it has been frequently wing political tiveswas actually looking at alterna- icised bonds. crit- Certain only those investing indicate that party Mas Pais claimed with suggestions from for €1million or that Spain’s various sures and creating inflationary pres- fessionalsdesirable highly skilled promore will be given came under scrutiny and family reunification a three-year res- Social Security Ministry had provi- political parties. for idency permit. sionally confirmed it was to scrap One of these is to allow investment encouraging black money into the cases are also eligible for this resiA source told El Pais the scheme. but only in less-populat Spanish economy. dency permit without ed areas or in Currently, will be doubled from that the figure Leader Inigo Errejon socially beneficial projects. In 2022, Spain grantedinvestment. the scheme the current total scheme claimed the Introduced 2,462 golden allows for- visas of €500,000 invested eigners to obtain a had led to a ‘brutal’ three-year resi- creaseto property investors, an inincrease the Euro in 2013 in the wake of dence permit, as an investment in a in real estate or in house prices, adding: of nearly 60% from crisis, the scheme was extendable Spanish company. “Spanish for another the citinpreizenship cannot be bought”. tended as a means to re-inflate the two, by investing at least €500,000 in vious year. Only a handful invested housing market through real estate, excluding in companies or governmen any mortgages. foreign in- The mechanism t bonds. also applies to in- Since the scheme began some 31,000 people have acquired a golden visa.

LIVING LIFE AT THE TOP See Rich by design on page 4 to find out

MALAGA offers one of the best qualities of life in Spain. A new survey put out of Spain’s mainthe city as sixth 15 cities. By Cristina Hodgson It is only beaten by Cordoba in Andalucia, in the poll by the Organisation of Consumers and Users vironmental care and (OCU). Malaga was considered The city, with a climate. population of best places to live and one of the 577,405, also fared with praise for its costwork in Spain ‘abundance of leisure well for its of living, en- the digital infrastructurfacilities and es available’.

Malaga, Cordoba and Sevilla

Sp pr ai op n’ in er s be En ty st gl mag ish

to live in Spain

Sp pr ai op n’ in er s be En ty st gl mag ish

FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE: The legend of Karl Largerfeld in Marbella

among the best places

In total, it scored ity, as well as a good 66 points, with airport with Cordoba only just beating of top great it with 68 of 3,000places to live in the survey Forbesinternational connections. points in Andalucia. magazine also people in each The only other southern try’s most populated of the coun- it as one of the best recently cited cities to live in the top 10 was Sevilla city to make The northern city locations. Europe. scored 70 at 10th with despite 63 points, while Valencia having wet weather points The survey questioned (65) came with Britain. residents’ on a par opinions seventh and Alicante on mobility, health and eduVigo, in Galicia, came(64) ninth. Malaga cation, top of the list Europe is the fourth sunniest city in ket, public safety, the labour marthe and has reasonable air qual- pollutioncost of living, environment, and urban cleanliness.

Sp pr ai op n’ in er s be En ty st gl mag ish

OUTDOOR LIFE

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August 2023

How to lead that Spanish lifestyle to the full

www.theolivepress.es

See page 14

www.theolivepress.es

October 2023

NOVEMBER 2022

www.theolivepress.es

See page 16

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November 2023

IKE London buses, as the saying goes, you wait ages, then two turn up together. And that’s certainly the case with a pair of brand new buildings just opened in Estepona. Dramatically changing the coastline - and genesis of the once small fishing village - the Mirador del Carmen tower and nearby ‘carbon neutral’ town hall are very much a statement of current mayor Jose Maria Garcia Urbano. Soon to enter his fourth term, they come after a decade of grand openings, including a hospital, athletics stadium and orchid museum. Taking just 14 months to build, the unusual 12-floor Mirador del Carmen (left) comprises an arts and cultural centre, with close links to the Carmen Thyssen Museum, in Malaga. It also has a library, an auditorium for concerts and a rooftop terrace with viewing platform. At the opening at the weekend Urbano described it as a ‘colophon’, a Greek word, meaning inscription or stamp at the end of a book or manuscript. Junta president, Juanma Moreno, added it was a ‘gift’ to the town and its visitors. It comes just weeks after the town also finally inaugurated its new €13 million town hall (right). While its signature boast is an internal slide between the fourth and fifth floors to liven up the days of the 200 employees, the seven-floor structure also aims to be carbon neutral. Said to be the ‘most sustainable town hall’ in Spain, due to its renewable energy creation and ‘bioclimatic solutions’, the cube is sheathed by a white lattice designed to shield the inhabitants from the heat of the day. Meanwhile, photovoltaic panels have been installed on its roof, which are expected to cover the entire electricity demand.

ELITE: Homes include Karl Lagerfeld and (below) Dolce & Gabbana

Designer homes are flooding image-conscious Marbella in the latest trend for super-rich investors, see page 9

OLD TO NEW: how unwanted buildings have been given a new lease of life See page 22

EXTRAORDINARY: How do they do that? Spain’s most outlandish, original places to live

BOTTOMS UP: The Olive Press chooses... The

OLIVE PRESS

SPAIN’S BEST 35 WINES

MALLORCA

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November 3rd - November 16th 2023

NOLOTIL WARNING

A LETHAL painkiller is STILL being given to Brits five years after it was banned, the Olive Press can reveal. It comes as a reader contacted us to sound the alarm after he was given the potentially deadly drug while receiving treatment at HCB EXCLUSIVE launching a lawsuit against the By Yzabelle Bostyn Hospital in Denia, Alicante. Spanish Ministry of Health after Nolotil, also known as Metamizol, she claims doctors are not followis the most common painkiller In October 2018, the drug was ing the guidelines and patients are in Spain and is often marketed banned for sale without still being given the drug ‘against as an alternative to Ibuprofen or scription to British people a pre- their will’. visiting Paracetmol. Spain following a months’ long A spokesperson for the hospital campaign by this newspaper and said: “HCB Hospitals follows the tireless medical campaigner Cris- recommendations of the AEMPS, Deaths tina Garcia del Campo. and particularly those for the forRecommendations were also is- eign population, we are very aware sued advising medical staff to of the recommendation not to preavoid giving the drug to patients scribe Nolotil to foreign patients.” in urgent care and to carry out It insisted that the recommendation follow up blood tests if the drug is is followed and patients are informed given for seven days or more. about the best available treatments. The directive note, issued by the WARNING: Cristina has campaigned Spanish Opinion Page 6 Medicine against Nolotil alongside the Olive Press Agency (AEMPS), recommended medical staff monitor patients given the drug to check for potentially deadly side effects like low white blood ‘You’re killing us!’ cell count and sepsis. However Cristina, founder of the AffectOVER 1,000 people took to the ed by Pharmaceutiof Palma to demand ‘less tourism,streets cals Association, says more life’, ahead of an EU tourism summit bethe guidelines are ing held in the city. ‘not strong enough’. Protestors marched from Porta “It's worrying beCatalina to Passeig Born, wherede Santa a manicause this is somefesto backed by 77 groups was signed. thing that can kill The manifesto, read by author you, it has killed so gold, spoke out against the ‘lackClara Inof’ susmany people,” she tainable tourism. She added there were far too many told the Olive Press. holiday rentals and labelled tourism Now, Cristina is a ‘devas-

Outrage as dangerous Spanish painkiller continues to be given to Brits despite being banned

But the drug has been linked to several deaths and serious illnesses among British expats and tourists visiting Spain. Though usually harmless, Nolotil can affect Northern Europeans with fair complexions and is banned in the UK, Ireland, Sweden. Stars from Anne Hathaway to Jodie Whittaker keep visiting Ronda, find out why in our travel supplement inside

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for ENVIRONMENTAL groups are taking legal action against the Junta ‘failing to tackle toxic air’ in the Campo de Gibraltar. Ecologistas en Accion has filed a complaint with the Health Ministry, claiming nothing has been done to protect citizens from a rise in air pollutants caused by the expansion of ‘toxic’ industries in the Bay of Algeciras. polAccording to the green group, more than 10,000 tonnes of dangerous lutants were released into the atmosphere last year. as This includes potentially lethal cancer-causing chemical benzene, as well other fine particles. The writ comes as Cadiz province was officially declared to have the worst air quality in Spain. And alarmingly, La Linea, which borders Gibraltar, ranks as the 30th most polluted place in the world in terms of air quality. The shocking stats were revealed in a damning World Health Organisation report which lists the world’s ‘most contaminated’ towns and cities. Continues page 11 Adding salt to the wound, Cadiz also came bottom in

Tragic end

“IT’S a dirty world that I don’t want to live in anymore.” These were the intended last words of a British teen who had embarked on a suicide pact with her 16-yearold boyfriend in Marbella. The privately-educated expat, 14, added: “I’m Sorry: To anyone who has ever loved/known or supported me, thank you, I love you and I will miss you.”

Bizarre

However, her heartfelt messages had a cruel, bizarre twist, when her British-Brazilian boyfriend Richard Fitzsimons managed to take his life off the top of the Corte Ingles department store, while she miraculously survived. It came as a hero security guard somehow managed to grab the girl before she was able to plunge to her death after her lover. In a tragically sad incident - that has shocked the coast and made headlines around the world - the teenager, who we are not naming for legal reasons, is now requiring serious Continues page 2

TOXIC: Oil refinery plumes black smoke into the Campo

NOLOTIL VICTORY

A LETHAL painkiller believed to be responsible for the deaths of dozens of expats is finally being regulated in Spain. Nolotil, which the Olive Press has investigated for nearly two years, has been

banned for tourists in Spain. In a breakthrough move, The Spanish Medicine Agency (AEMPS) has finally issued a directive to all healthcare bodies to stop giving the drug to British and

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Irish tourists. Expats in Spain will now be administered Nolotil on a short term prescription only. Furthermore it can only be prescribed after a detailed analysis of the patient’s medical history and heritage. It will also have to be much more closely monitored. It comes after an Olive Press investigation into the mysterious deaths of expats from the drug was launched 2016, in along with a 1,000-strong petition to have it regulated a year later. Nolotil, also known as Metamizole, is banned in the UK, the US and most of Europe. Despite this, the drug is still one of the most popular painkillers in Spain,

Lethal painkiller BANNED for Brits after hard-fought battle

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Mosquito which despite various side effects, Screens can cause a rapid drop in white blood cells, leaving patients unable to fight infections. Medical translator, Cristina Garcia del Campo, who has pulled together hundreds of case studies from victims for the AEMPS’ probe, said she was ‘very happy’ the authorities have finally reacted. Following the results of her KILL THE rigorous investigation she DRUG has now demanded that the drug must not be sold without a prescription and a detailed patient analysis. “I am very happy that the problem has been dealt with,” she told the Olive Press. “I will be making sure that the AEMPS recommendations are carried out and if necessary make sure it’s banned completely.” The Olive Press began investigating after a trio of expat families told us how their relatives had died unnecessarily in excruciating pain, after taking the drug in Andalucia. In April, the paper revealed the first steps towards regulation had been taken, with Marina Salud, a big health network in Alicante, issuing a warning to stop administering the drug to British, Irish and Scandinavian patients.

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tating industry’. The protest on Monday also called end to pollution, overcrowding for an and the growth of more tourist lets. It comes after growing frustration residents who claim their quality from is being sacrificed for the comfort of life of visTOO MUCH: locals rail against itors. 'overtourism' The protest was in response to the meeting of EU tour- who ism ministers in Palma. rent legally.” She also highlighted climate change The European Tourism Forum brought as a significant chalindustry leaders lenge for the together to discuss the social sustainability islands. of tourism. “We The summit aimed to find ways to promote ‘alternative’ just are a limited, small and fragile territory. We have destinations. over one million inhabitants and receive 15 million tourists a year. Balearic President Marga Prohens urged EU leaders to “We want bring in new laws to regulate holiday to minimise the negative effects rentals. of tourism and be sustainable from an economic, She said: “Holiday lets present a great opportunity to ronmental social share the wealth generated by tourism. point of view. If just one of these and enviHowever, illegal everything things fails, ones create unfair competition for hotels and owners Ministers fails.” took part in a series of discussions at the summit this week to try and combat the negative impact of the trade. In particular, they signed a joint social and sustainable tourism. declaration in favour of In the declaration, ministers agreed to advocate for ‘greener, more digital, inclusive, See pages 9 & 11 resilient and responsive’ tourism. They also vowed to create job opportunities and ensure the ‘long-term well-being of everyone in the value chain, especially the local populations’.

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The incredible allure of crafty courtyards has been turned into an artform in Spain, some with roses, others with geraniums and some with simply palms. We take a look at their history.

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By Walter Finch

The new champions of the Spanish expat housing market: Young Brits, French and Germans pandemic unleashed the genie of the home office and flexible working, which has seen a surge in younger buyers drawn by this way of working. Thus they can fulfil the dream of spending extended periods on the Spanish coasts without waiting until they are grey and wrinkly. As the Olive Press has reported recently, buyers from the United States have also surged onto the scene, according

This data from the College of Registrars paints an optimistic picture for 2023, with the first quarter already seeing 23,380 transactions by foreigners. The maximum financing percentage hovers around 70% of the property's valuation with an amortisation period of around 30 years. Spain's attractiveness, enviable quality of life, profitability, and its status as a stable safe haven for investments have not, it seems, been dented by the upward trajectory of interest rates.

IF you’re still wondering whether buying in Spain is a sound investment, the latest figures should give you a clue. In the second quarter of 2023, prices nationwide increased by 3.6% compared to the same period in 2022. It follows a healthy 3.5% year-onyear boost during the first quarter of this year. The latest statistics mean prices have been rising in Spain every quarter since 2014. That’s almost 10 years of continuous and steady growth. Driving the uptick has been the construction of new-build homes, which are popping up across the country, but particularly on the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca. And if you bought a new-build home last year, you will have already seen a tidy increase in value, with the av-

Property prices in Spain have risen for every quarter since 2014 By Laurence Dollimore

erage price rising 7% year-on-year. The investment opportunities have not been lost on foreign buyers,

who only purchased 2.7% fewer homes in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2022. That is a strong sign of demand given the sharp interest rate rises this year and the worsening cost of

AN incredible 90% of luxury homes bought in Marbella are bought by foreigners and 90% are purchased without a mortgage. The surprising figure has emerged in a fascinating new report on the resort by leading agent Panorama. It comes as the luxury market - defined by the agency as homes over €2 million - proves to be even stronger than 2022. “Some agencies are reporting an increase in sales of up to 20% at the high end,” explained author of the report Chris Clover. Of foreign buyers, the British are still the main

living and inflation crises hitting Spain’s most important foreign buyer markets in the UK and Germany. In particular, the number of purchases by foreigners fell by just

NINETY NINETY

buyers with 16% of purchases, followed by Swedes, at 12%, Dutch at 8%, with the Belgians and Germans not far behind. Asking prices in all price categories in Marbella have risen, on average, by about 15% between June 2022 and June 2023, reaching a new alltime high of €4,233/m2 – approximately double the average asking price per m2 of 10 years ago.

2.7% year-on-year in Q1 2023, compared to declines among Spanish buyers of a 9% for second-home purchases and a 12% for first-home purchases. In addition, this strength in sales among foreigners follows the significant rebound of 2022, when they grew by 30.7% compared to 6.4% growth for home sales as a whole. As a result, they now account for a much larger portion of total sales (19.5%, according to the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda), and this is partly down to the fact that foreign buyers are less dependent on credit when purchasing property. *With respect to longterm expat Malaga resident Yazz

HUNDREDS of new luxury homes will be needed on the Costa del Sol after Google announced it was making big moves into Malaga. Global developers are jostling for position to satisfy the expected demand as the city becomes the new ‘Silicon Valley of Europe.’ US property giant Berkshire Hathaway is aiming to build an initial 400 luxury villas to meet demand, after Google announced a cybersecurity ‘centre of excellence’ in the city. Its Spanish chief believes many of the buyers will be Americans relocating for the new jobs, having been seduced by the lifestyle and climate. “The interest Americans are showing in Malaga is especially significant as the city

Google’s plans to make Malaga new ‘Silicon Valley’ will see rising demand for luxury homes on the costa By Walter Finch

quickly positions itself as the Silicon Valley of Europe,” explained Bruno Rabassa at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Spain, which has opened an office in the city. “In a short time the city will have to accommodate many displaced workers from large companies.” His new office in the city centre intends to offer 400 new luxury properties to serve the burgeoning tech sector after Google’s announcement.

"The technological and cultural attractions, the climate, and above all the lifestyle have turned Malaga into a strategic key point for the real estate sector," he told SER radio. His company has already opened an office in Marbella, with plans to develop over 1,400 luxury properties along the Costa del Sol. Google released new details on its ‘centre of excellence’ at its annual cybersecurity summit in Madrid, a fortnight ago. The Google Safety Engineering Centre (GSEC) is being developed inside the shell of a historic building by the port of

Malaga. It aims to open its doors to budding cybersecurity professionals in the second half of 2023. And rather than just focus on southern Europe, as originally believed, the Malaga centre is now aimed at becoming a global hub. It will be ‘at the heart of the digital revolution’, revealed Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer at Google. “This is going to change the rules of the game: In 2023, Malaga will become our new Google Security Engineering Cen-

ter, a global centre for cybersecurity and malware research,” he said. Google released a slick video showcasing the new development, featuring some of the most iconic locations including the Pompidou Museum, the port and the cathedral as part of its promotion for the new project. Such a development is expected to create an agglomeration effect, drawing a wider range of tech enterprises to Spain’s south coast, creating the ‘Silicon Valley’ effect.

OUNGSTERS in Spain are among the oldest in Europe to flee the nest. The average age to leave home is an incredible 31 years, the third highest on the continent. Only Greeks and Slovakians leave home later. The percentage of young adults living with their parents is over 60% in the case of 18 to 34 year olds, and 50% for 25 to 34 year olds. The lack of affordable housing in cities and popular tourist spots, including the costas and the Balearic Islands, is the key issue. According to a new OECD Economic Survey on housing across Europe, Spain has a long-standing issue due to

Lack of affordable housing is keeping Spaniards at home into their 30s By Alex Trelinski

continually rising prices. It blames the ‘difficult transition from education to the labour market’ and adds it creates ‘a difficult transition to independent life for young Spaniards’. High rental prices mean youngsters are priced out of the market, while there is a critically low supply of council housing. According to the report average rents have risen by 40% over the last decade compared to just 10% in salaries. Yet, alarmingly, only 1% of Spain's hou-

sing stock is 'social housing' compared to 7% in other OECD nations. The report did however sound a note of optimism over the new Housing Law, which is seeking to ‘address the lack of affordable housing’ through regulations and tax measures. The plan to allocate 40% of new residential construction to social housing half of it for social rental units - ‘could generate benefits for lower-income households’, ruled the report. “But only if carefully monitored to ensure that such inclusionary zoning does not reduce incentives to start new projects or drive up market prices,” it added.

NOT LEAVING: Spanish are the third oldest to fly the nest

FOREIGN property buyers accounted for 88,858 home purchases in Spain last year - up by 45% on 2021 figures. The College of Registrars says deals struck by non-Spaniards worth at least €500,000 increased by 63.5% compared to the previous year, accounting for 8,975 transactions. The registrars added that the percentage of foreigners entering the Spanish housing market is normally around 13% annually, but rose last

High spending foreigners boost property market with Brits on top By Alex Trelinski

year to 13.8%. Overall, nearly 650,000 sales were carried out last year - the highest figure since 2007, just before the property bubble burst in Spain. The breakdown of results by nationality puts UK buyers at 11.07% of purchases made by foreigners. They are followed by Germans with

9.47%, French (6.97%), Belgians (5.21%), Moroccans (5.15%), Romanians (5.07%) and Dutch (4.91%). The registrars deduced that properties with an area of over 100 m2 are bought by Americans, the British, Danes and Dutch, while those below 80 m2 are usually acquired by Moroccans, Romanians, Bulgarians, Poles and Italians. Unsurprisingly tourist areas are the areas that most foreign buyers go

for- led by Alicante province with 41.7% of all house deals, with Tenerife on 35%. In terms of regions, the Balearic Islands account for 34.38% of all non-Spanish sales. That's followed by the Canary Islands (28.6%), Valencia (26.8%), Murcia (19%), Andalucia (15%) and Catalunya (13.5%). Broadly speaking, British and German buyers led the list of foreign

buyers in coastal and island areas, while Romanians and Moroccans were the leading non-Spanish purchasers in landlocked regions like Aragon, Extremadura and Madrid. Total transactions last year were 646,241 deals - 14.5% more than in 2021 with used property sales exceeding 530,000. The average price paid for a home in Spain was around €188,000 - a 4.5% rise, with bigger increases in the Balearic Islands, Madrid, the Basque Country and Catalunya.

MERICANS are coming to Spain for longer both as digital nomads and to retire. The number living in Spain grew by 13% from 2019 to 2021, while home sales to US buyers jumped by 88% from 2019 to 2022. Americans also splash the cash more than any other buyers, apart from the Danes, cough-

By Alex Trelinski

ing up an average of €2,837 per square metre. And their purchasing power grew the most in the same period, according to the General Council of Notaries report. American buyers tend to focus on urban areas like Madrid, while

Surge in buyers from US with sales up 88%

Valencia and Andalucia are key locations. “As with any big city, people are attracted to its job opportunities and amenities,” said Alex Ingrim from financial services firm Chase Buchanan. “There is a strong word of mouth about Valencia, with a large ex-

pat community and among them many Americans,” he added. Spain launched its digital nomad visa earlier this year, making it easier for foreigners to move and work in the country. The visa is tailored for ‘international teleworkers’ and applicants must comply with a set of require-

ments, such as accreditation or professional experience of at least three years. “Prior to having this visa, it was difficult to work in Spain because the tax rates were so high and there wasn’t a clear-cut immigration regime, other than the ′golden visa’ that allowed you to move to Spain and work,” added Ingrim.

PROPERTY

February February 7th 7th -- February February 20th 20th 2024 2024

SAVED BY NOMADS AN eyesore hotel which has been left to crumble into ruin is finally due to undergo regeneration - thanks to digital nomads. The long-abandoned Los Alamos Hotel in Torremolinos is set to be transformed into the largest co-living building on the Costa del Sol.

Developer Nuovit Homes is undertaking work to cater to the growing community of digital nomads on the coast. The project, named ‘Oceanika’, will occupy approximately 15,000 square metres and will feature 180 apartments, each designed to maximise natural

light. Set to open in 2025, it will have a gym, coworking spaces, and many green areas. It will also be heavy on green technology and will feature ‘energy-saving’ elevators, solar panels and electric vehicle

BEFORE AFTER charging points. Using sustainable wood as a large part of its build will reduce construction time by 20%

as well as its carbon footprint by 60% and water consumption by 30%.

Estepona’s expat army Resort pips Marbella as the fastest-growing town in Andalucia up to January 2023 ESTEPONA is Spain’s second-fastest growing town. According to official stats the population surged by 4.6% in the year up to January 2023. The National Institute of Statistics (INE) report

SURGE: Mar bell a by grew 10,000 more residents in 2023

GOODLIFE: The expat dream of beach yoga in Estepona’s Guadalmina

By Walter Finch

showed the Costa del Sol resort grew from 73,698 to 77,068 residents over 12 months from January 2022. And the main rise is due to foreigners, whose numbers officially grew from 18,250 to 20,987, a rise of 15%. Marbella came second in Andalucia (and fourth

in Spain) as its population rose by 3.9% from 150,321 to 156,153 residents. And this has shot up again

to a remarkable 165,871 this year, according to statistics from Marbella town hall just released.

PASTORAL CARE

LESS THREATENING: Great teaching spaces for kids ‘with anger issues’

Fab four

A SCHOOL is embracing true pastoral care by teaching pupils in shepherd huts. They have been bought by a school in Swindon (UK) for €40,000 to use as a ‘well being space’. The Lydiard Park Academy believes they are ‘less threatening’ then normal classrooms and corridors. As a result children with anger issues and other problems who have been home-schooled are being enticed back to the academy.

The jewel of the Costa del Sol comes third only to Madrid and Barcelona as the most international place to live in Spain. Some 153 nationalities are registered in the municipality, compared to 180 in Madrid and 177 in Barcelona. The largest number of foreigners in Marbella are Brits (5,486), followed by Moroccans (5,177) and Ukrainians (4,516). There are 3,712 Colombians and 3,319 Russians officially registered on the padron. Benalmadena meanwhile saw a 3.8% growth to 76,318 people, while Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca came top growing by a staggering 6.8% to 91,731 residents by the beginning of 2023.

THE top four most expensive homes for sale in Spain are all within about ten miles of each other. That’s according to the most popular real estate portal Idealista, which ranks this stunning villa in Marbella at Number One costing €35-million. The 16-bedroom property in Las Lomas del Marbella Club spreads over 2,743 metres on a plot of 8,799 square metres. It has all the mod cons you would expect including an art-deco floor design and a bar (left) complete with topLUXURY: Spain’s ‘most expensive’ o f - t h e home costs €35 million range Bose

FIT FOR A KING

IT is the most emblematic inland town in rural Spain. Yet, despite being the third visited place in Andalucia, Ronda hasn’t got a five-star hotel. But now one is on the way after the town hall gave planning permission to build one in the heart of the old town. The Catalonia Hotels chain will begin work on the historic El Castillo building, once a religious college and monastery, later this year. The project will bring hundreds of jobs and boost the local tourism industry.

Rosy year ahead for UK PROPERTY experts have done a U-turn over prospects for the UK residential market. With inflation falling faster than expected, together with a rate-slashing spree by mortgage lenders, prices are set to rise by 3%. It comes after leading agent Knight Frank issued a gloomy forecast of a 4% DROP in prices in 2024 only four months ago. The average five-year fixed mortgage rate is now at 4.86% in the UK, down from an August high of 6.11%.

speakers. Next on the list comes a nearby villa in the Sierra Blanca area, costing €30 million. It has six bedrooms over 2,000 square metres as well as a cinema. Next up is a property in Benahavis, which comes in at €29 million and has 14 bedrooms and 3,188 square metres of space. Finally the fourth most expensive property in nearby Nueva Atalaya counts on six bedrooms and a price tag of €27.5 million.

PROPERTY

Rising rents

RENTALS prices in Spain are set to soar with available properties at a 'minimum' according to real estate portal Fotocasa. Rents are projected to rise by over 5% this year, after record-high prices were logged last year. In the first half of 2023, the all-time high rental price was recorded at €11.69 per square metre - a figure exceeding the previous record set during the 2007 real estate bubble. Higher rents are causing the exclusion from the market of many potential tenants - up to 40% who can only afford lower prices. The escalating costs means that there is a 14% rise in demand for rooms in shared housing.

Housing woes THE slice of a paycheck going up in smoke each month on rent has climbed three percent to 33%. Barcelona tops the list, demanding 44% of household income, followed closely by Palma at 43%, Valencia at 39%, Málaga at 38%, and Madrid at 37%. Meanwhile, average mortgage costs have jumped from 18% to 22% in the last year. A tight squeeze in housing supply and the resulting price hike is blamed for pushing rental costs to the limit, while rising interest rates are the culprits for buyers.

RENT CRISIS SPECIAL

February 7th - February 20th 2024

RENT CAPS

A fine record

Controls set for Spain’s second city as 140 municipalities in Catalunya are labelled ‘tense zones’ CATALUNYA is set to be the first region in Spain to order price limits on landlords. Rent controls are to be introduced in 140 municipalities, revealed planning boss Ester Capella. All of Barcelona and the pro-

ticularly in densely populated areas. A meeting between vincial capitals of Lleida, Tar- Capella and Isabel ragona and Girona will come Rodríguez, Spain's under the ruling. Minister of HousThe move is a response to the ing culminated in urgent affordability crisis, par- an agreement to finalise the Rental Price Reference Index in the up- CAP: Six million people live in the affected area JUST 16% of Spanish young- ish Youth Council study. coming weeks. sters have managed to move out The figure represents a fall This index is designed - will be designated as ‘tense of their parents’ home, compared from the 19% before the panto provide a benchmark zones’, meaning rents for new to the European average of 32%. demic and a huge drop from the for setting rental prices, leases ‘cannot exceed’ the price The 18 to 30-year group is finding 26% registered before the six particularly in areas with set in the last contract over the it even harder since the COVID year ‘crisis’ hit in 2008. high housing demand or past five years. pandemic, it has emerged. Youth unemployment, sitting where there's a signifi- Furthermore, landlords who Just seven million youngsters at 28% for the under 25s, is a cant imbalance between own more than 10 properties in that age range were able major factor in the change, as will be restricted from setting supply and demand. to move away from the family well as the high price of rentThe municipalities - home rent prices above the estabhousehold, discovered a Span- al accommodation. to over six million people lished index. By Walter Finch

STAY-AT-HOME GENERATION

A SPANISH landlord has been slammed with a record €420,000 fine for renting out unlicensed tourist apartments 'for years'. The unnamed Barcelona owner rented 14 flats for years, advertised online through holiday accommodation portals. On arrival, punters were handed keys by an elderly tenant who lived in the same block. Barcelona town hall hopes the giant fine will serve as a warning that illegal rentals are no longer being tolerated in the city. The 14 flats had initially been advertised on Booking.com and Airbnb, but in 2018 the portals withdrew any apartments in the city that did not have a license number. Inspectors have been busy over the last six years monitoring the owner and others like him via a string of other sites. The properties usually appeared under many different names in order to trick the authorities. The €420,000 fine is understood to equate to the estimated profit he made. The town hall is also providing their file to the Hacienda tax authorities in case he hasn’t declared his income properly.

PROBLEM OR PANIC?

The Property Insider

by Adam Neale

The squatting of empty homes is a necessity not an anarchist’s folly and the actual numbers do not match up to the media hype, explains Adam Neale

T the end of last year, a well-established squat (okupa) was raided in Barcelona, leading to several arrests. The mass raid by riot police (pictured right) reignited a debate in Spain about squatting and spurred a flurry of articles and denunciations of the current government. The facts are squatting emerges when a section of the population is unable to afford basic housing. The problem is exacerbated by rental markets suffering a chronic shortage of properties at reasonable prices. That’s Spain in a nutshell and, sadly, government attempts to address the issue, specifically with the new housing law, are only making matters worse. The facts are, the new law is merely discouraging private investment without replacing it with anything else. What’s more, the burden of dealing with the pro-

blem is now being levied on homeowners, including the costs associated with evicting squatters. It’s all stick and no carrot for everyone concerned. Media slant v reality Spain’s mainstream media allows politicians to continually fear-monger that a criminal underclass exists, one intent on squatting homes for profit or just for the thrills. However this picture of an insurmountable and unbearable crisis simply is not true. While there are tens of thousands of squatted homes in Spain, the number of denuncias against squatters began to decline since 2022. Furthermore the number of squats has actually declined since 2016 from 87,000 to 78,000 in 2023.

Addressing the housing crisis Meanwhile, rents have been rising far faster than incomes in Spain. According to the Cerda Institut, rent now takes up over 40% of income for low earners, putting housing out of reach for many. With such financial pressures, particularly in the cities, some resort to squatting empty buildings out of economic necessity rather than criminal opportunism. In Barcelona, the average squatter is between 36 and 45 years old with dependent children. Some 72% are Spanish nationals despite some sectors of the media claiming they are all immiUNDER INVESTMENT: Spain spends a tenth of the UK on grants or anarchist hippies. social housing

BATTLE: Squatters in Barcelona waged a desperate fight against eviction in November

Social housing tragedy Spain spends just €35 per person per year on social housing, compared to €439 in the UK (see chart left). It is the lowest in Europe, in fact. But instead of constructive policy solutions, politicians exploit fears of squatters to avoid addressing the root of the problem. Quite simply, no goverment has seriously committed to expanding social housing or funding its development with private sector incentives. Rather than addressing the issue they are simply pushing the problem onto landlords and into the courts, which are now overwhelmed. Evicting a squatter takes ten to 11 months on average at trial level and a further ten months if appealed, for a total of around 20 months. As the Olive Press revealed last year one English owner in Ronda has waited two years to even get a court date. With such delays, it is understandable owners

feel aggrieved, but the root of the problem remains unaddressed. Solutions What we need is a sharp increase in the construction of affordable housing. Rather than political rhetoric, governments should offer tax breaks, low-cost loans and other financial incentives for private developers to build affordable housing. Where market incentives fail, direct public investment in social housing is warranted. So yes, it’s true that 78,000 squatted homes – even if it only represents 0.4% of the country’s housing stock – is causing headaches for thousands of property owners. However, politicians and the media have exploited the situation to generate disproportionate fears of a widespread crisis. We must address the root economic causes rather than whip up moral panic.

February 7th - February 20th 2024

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Spain amongst the best in the world for life expectancy

in THE average life expectancy the Spain is the fourth highest in inworld and three years above the ternational average. Most Spaniards live to at least 83.3, the according to a new report by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). They tie with Australia which takes at fourth spot in the report, Health a glance. Japan took the top spot, at 84.5 years, followed by Switzerland

By Yzabelle Bostyn

(83.9) and Korea (83.6). The worldwide average life expecUK tancy is just 80.3 years, with the clocking in just above, at 80.4 years. exIt is believed Spain’s high life pectancy could be linked to good nationwide healthcare provision, as the Mediterranean diet, as well the warm climate.

A 2018 study by The Lancet predicted Spain could hold the world’s at highest life expectancy by 2040, 85.8 years old. Other specialists have speculated that frequent siestas, regular walks and even more frequent sex could of be influencing the longevity

DONKEY TREATMENT

ESPERATE to shed some excess festive timber but apprehensive about hitting the

Spaniards. This comes despite Spain also ranktoing highly for negatives such as bacco, cocaine and alcohol use. The country ranks third in cocaine use, following the UK and Australia. In the last year, almost 3% of adults in the UK and Spain admitted to using coSciences is anacaine in the past extract- The University of Agricultural A SWEDISH university team has beensee what lysing the blood from animals at the El Burriyear and in Ausing blood from Spanish donkeys to are losing to Feliz Association, in Hinojos, in Andalucia’s tralia this figure can be learnt to help humans who Doñana National Park. rose to 4%. their hair. It is looking at the ‘enormous However, Spain strength’ of their manes to had the lowest obtain a formula to be transrates of overall HAIR ferred to human hair. opioid use in the BRAINED Researcher Juan Negro exworld, alongside SCHEME?: plained: “We are looking at Israel, with just Donkeys the characteristics of hair 0.1% of adults usin Doñana growth shared by humans ing opioids in the could help and four-legged animals. last year. cure baldto “Hopefully we will find posAccording ness sible remedies to baldness, most recent data, which is important to some Spain ranked 7th peoin terms of alcople.” hol use, the average person consuming 10.5 litres per capita. They drink more than in the UK, ranked which 11th, with 10 litres per capita. The international

local gym? There’s no need to worry as scientists have revealed the best way to get into shape - a daily walk. Researchers have highlighted sev-a eral small changes that can bring wide range of anti-ageing, health-improving and fitness-enhancing benefits. Walking with greater intent can alleviate stress, strengthen muscles and bones, increase flexibility and lengthen lives, all without the additional costs of fitness classes. Studies have found that nasal breathing during walks, the technique of breathing through your nose rather than your mouth, enables a range of improvements to your cardiovascular health. Research conducted by Colorado State University showed athletes who practiced nasal breathing had a lower respiratory rate than when breathing through their mouths, indicating an improved flow of oxygen through the bloodstream. Likewise, wearing a weighted vest was found to accentuate the health benefits of a daily walk. A study conducted by the journal Ergonomics suggested men who wore a nine-kilo vest burnt 6% more calories than without (a 2.5 kilogram vest is recommended for women). average is 8.6 litres. Spanish smoking rates were also Best of all, altering the speed of higher than world averages, with a walk has the greatest impact. 19.8% of people over 15 smoking Even small bursts of power walkdaily. ing have the potential to reduce Compared to the international averthe risk of key diseases such as age of 16%, the UK ranks low, with type 2 diabetes. smoking daily.

Old age wonder

SAMPLES from the oldest woman in the world - Maria Branyas - are being analysed to try and find the key to a long life. The Spaniard from Catalunya is an incredible 116 years old, but has no health complications other than hearing and mobility issues. Unlike most people her age, she has zero cardiovascular problems nor memory issues, and can recount stories from the age of four as if they happened yesterday. Maria herself has previously credited eating natural yoghurt each day for her longevity, and avoiding ‘excesses’, adding: “I have always eaten little, but everything, and I have never followed any regime. I have not suffered from any illness or been through an operating room.”

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sleep with someone who had a ‘sexual infection’, but 30% said it depended on the type. Despite this, four out of 10 Spaniards say they do not peocheck the sexual health status of the ple they sleep with. to The report, Spaniards and Sex, spoke 2,000 men and women aged between 18 and 58.

free without an appointment FLU vaccinations are now available at all health centres around Andalucia.spread of respiratory illnessThe move comes however, just as the es, such as flu, is starting to subside. across Spain, with a fall The first week of 2024 saw a 3.2% decrease residents. from 966 to 935 cases per 100,000 rate nationwide with only Andalucia also has the second lowest bettered by the Balearic Islands. 460 cases per 100,000, a rate only rate of 1691 cases per 100,000. Castilla-La Mancha has an infection

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A BRITISH expat has died blood cells and sepsis. after being given the The next day, he was painkiller Nolotil for a deadly shoulinto intensive care with taken der injury, it has emerged. failure. Two days later, organ Mark Brooks, 42, was enjoying he was dead. a game of golf near his home in His partner, Summer Alicante when he began (right) has been left to Moses riencing shoulder pain. expepick up the pieces with their four-yearThe next day, he went old daughter, Aurora. local health clinic on theto his CosThe pair had been planning ta Blanca, where he received to get married, before the a shot of metamizole, also incident took Mark’s tragic known as Nolotil. life in October last year. Some 48 hours later the “Summer was in complete dener, from Derbyshire, garwas shock. One day he was admitted to hospital ing golf, really excited,playrevieja with depletedin Torand white then the next he was dead,” anti-Nolotil campaigner Christina del Campo told the Olive on Northern EuropeBy Yzabelle Bostyn Press this week. ans and is banned in 30 “She’s now workcountries, including Briton his buttocks. ing two jobs just to ain, Ireland, Australia When he was taken make ends meet. in Torrevieja, doctorsto A&E and the US. It’s not just his life found A 2018 report from the he had a low white blood that’s been ruined, cell European Medicines count, alongside signs TRAGIC: 4-yearit’s her life and her of liver Agency showed a ‘potenand kidney failure. old Aurora is left daughter’s too. All tial to induce agranuloHis without her dad, condition rapidly deteri- cytosis’ among because of a paincertain orated and just four days Mark (above) killer.” ter receiving the injection, af- populations. The incident haphe A 1999 Swedish study esslipped into a coma. pened when he According to death certificate timated the risk at one in British people,” explained attended a clinic every 2000 prescriptions del manding new analysis records, Brooks’ cause , with Campo. popular with exof death a 26% mortality rate. on October 20 was ‘organ risks of the drug and a of the pats in Ciudad It failis revision believed the drug ure, septic shock and cellulitis.’ of the information sheet Quesada on Octohave contributed to up could Regulations Now his ex-partner to 350 to medical professionals given ber 15. . reached out to the Nolotil has cases of agranulocytosis, in- “I want them to FINAL HOLE: Just Within hours of revise and Boehringer Ingelheim, the cam- cluding 170 Britons living paign group, the Association company that makes in modify regulations and investi48 hours later, Mark receiving an inof Spain. Nolotil, Drug gate Affected (centre left ) was dead cases properly. They need claims all the side effects Patients (ADAF) Yet incredibly, jection of Nolotil are only one run by del Campo. he developed a ish health authority, Span- to act because it keeps being clearly listed in its information Catalugiven packet. without rash and blisters a prescription. nya, has warned against us- People’s lives are at stake.” ing the drug as a first-choice Deaths The campaigner is also painkiller. deIt came after she discovered It ruled there was Opinion Page 6 documents, which revealed ‘no evidence’ it was better at controlling that Mark’s death was as the ternatives’ pain than ‘safer alresult ‘an apparent allergic like paracetamol or re- ibuprofen. action to metamizole’. Meanwhile, one English Anything but the first, the expat drug newspaper recently has now been linked even pubto over lished a two-page 40 deaths in Spain, including feature tively promoting the drug.effecANDALUCIA reservoir many expats. It came just after ADAF spite the recent rainfall,levels are still critically low deSo dangerous is the drug, ational began latest statistics have shown. the legal action Almeria is the worst affected Olive Press launched All UK & Intern province with water a cam- ish Medical against the SpanCompare funerals paign plies stand at just 9.38% TV systems Agency (AEMPS) in 2017 to have it - while Cadiz and Malagasupalso at perilous levels. for expat patients, in banned in November, claiming a 2018 are d Plans cover the particu- government CCTV - Soun Across Malaga province lar, as many clinics continued directive whole of Spain sell Nolotil to Northernnot to which is alarmingly a levels stand at just over 15%, & Vision to hand out the drug. Euro0.2% drop over the past peans and a year-on-year fall of 22%. is week not Spain’s Interest being et followed. most free payment plans popular sub- “We’re & 4G Intern The stark numbers come not looking for money from €2,250 or as scription painkiller, Nolotil Fiber Optic little after Junta president Juanma is or damages. We Moreno warned the region as €29.16 per month known to have adverse want to make effects them stop rain to avoid severe water needs 30 straight days of giving Nolotil to Plans range from cuts this summer. However, record high 952 763 840 simple unattended temperature s are forecast for the rest of January, with the direct cremation to a mercury set to reach the 20s - with ZERO rain more traditional high send off predicted. 635 400 099 In Cadiz, reservoir levels comparefuneral.or being added over the pastare at 15.32%, with just 0.16% g week. +34 951 120 752 Meanwhile, Granada info@theskydoctor.com See pages 24 stands at 23.4% (+0.17%), 21.3% (+0.7%), Sevilla Jaen Tomorrows Funeral www.theskydoctor.com (+1.6%) and Huelva 36% 34% (+5%), Cordoba 18% (+3.8%). at Today’s Price

British expat, 42, dies Father-of-one develo after taking Nolotil: ped sepsis after being given the ‘lethal’ painki ller for a minor golf injury

Hughes, 78, tell us how she nearly died in 2022 when all her organs failed after taking the drug following knee surgery. Another, Adam Neale, had three days battling the symptoms of the drug after a skiing injury in Granada four years ago. And just last weekend a British grandmother on holiday in RonTel: 952 147 834 952 147 834 da told the Olive Press how she was offered the drug, without any warning, after falling over and cutting open her face. We have since been contacted by a string of other Brits who have been given the drug. We expect a deluge of Irish, Scandinavian and other nationalities to reach out to us about the plight of their loved ones. We are now calling on the major health providers in Spain to sign our pledge, promising to enforce the 2018 guidance and ensure no other Brit loses their life due to negligence. Back in 2017 many clinics were quick to join our campaign and over 1,000 people signed a petition. So if YOU are a foreigner living in Spain who was given Nolotil after 2018, we want to hear from you. And if you are a care provider in Spain who has strictly followed the Nolotil guidelines, or plan to do so going forward, we also want to hear from you. We will regularly update our readers on which doctors, pharmacies, health centres and hospitals have signed up to our pledge. Together, the Olive Press is sure we can Kill the Drug for northern European tourists and expats. The first step is to raise awareness. The next will be to tackle the authorities with the help of relentless campaigner Cristina del Campo, who has lived and breathed the fight for seven years (see panel below).

PREMATURE?: Our 2017/18 campaign rested after the Spanish goverment ruled that Nolotil should not be given. to tourists or Northern European expats, yet people are still dying from it (as our front page last issue proved)

Cracking up

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Anyone who wishes to contact us regarding Nolotil should email tips@theolivepress.es

Despite sleepless nights and investing a lot of her own money into her campaign, Cristina is thinking of expanding her crusade worldwide. “I’m thinking of expanding my association to the USA, UK and more. “The more people that join the association, the stronger we get.” The Olive Press first spoke to Cristina in 2017 to hear of the many horror stories she had already compiled by then. Our meeting led to us lauching our Kill the drug campaign, which supported her aims. Editor Jon Clarke later

praised her incredible campaigning in early 2019 after the authorities finally acted to warn about the risks of the drug for certain foreigners. Alongside, Christina we have now decided to relaunch the campaign to push for tougher regulations on the drug, as well as urge medical professionals to pledge to actually follow the 2018 directive. To learn more about how you can help, please visit the www.adafspain.org website or donate www. gofund.me/2a6beff5

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Simple as A.B.C MY NOLOTIL HELL: Doreen with husband Clifford

WITH SEPSIS AND TOTAL ORGAN FAILURE, I WAS GIVEN A 50/50 CHANCE OF SURVIVAL By Laurence Dollimore

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT: Cristina del Campo

MANY of you got in touch over the weekend to say you had just missed the January sale and were hoping to take advantage of the generous discount - well today is your lucky day. We are launching a special Valentine’s sale with a massive 50% off your first year’s online subscription… how’s that for sharing the love?! It means you can have full, ad-reduced access to the Olive Press website from just 75 cents per week staying informed about everything in Spain, all for less than the price of a caña! And the subscription more than pays for itself thanks to our new money-saving tips that you simply cannot be without. These include how to book the cheapest flights, how to avoid sneaky new tax fines or how to swerve new sanctions on renting out your home. Remember, our new catchphrase is simple and to the point: No OP, No Idea. And unlike our ‘rivals’, you also get a string of exclusive stories that you will NOT find elsewhere. Subscribers also receive a personal newsletter from the digital editor each Saturday plus curated newsletters covering travel, health and propD: ME OR INF STAY erty throughout the week. y ekl we Our twiceYou will also get the chance travel newsletter to pitch story ideas and suggestions, with two articles alone inspired by subscribers this week… one a probe we launched into pesticide-use in Spain.

A BRITISH expat has revealed how she almost died after being administered Nolotil in Spain. Doreen Hughes, 78, was given the ‘lethal’ painkiller following knee replacement surgery in Alberic, Valencia, in 2022 - despite clear nationwide guidance against giving the drug to British patients. “I sat up in my hospital bed to eat my meal then I suddenly had a funny turn and just started shaking dramatically,” she told the Olive Press. “My husband Clifford called for help and the doctors just looked at each other blankly then sent me to the ICU.” Doreen was sent home with doctors blaming her reaction on ‘low potassium and iron’ - and incredibly, she was prescribed Nolotil pills to manage her pain. Within a day, she took another turn and was rushed back to the ICU (A&E) in an ambulance. She added: “I was in ICU for over a week with total organ failure, pulmonary embolism, sepsis and zero white blood count. “This was followed by another couple of weeks in the hospital before being allowed home. “It was very touch and go, Clifford was extremely upset and I was told I had a 50/50 chance of pulling through… luckily I’m a tough old bird and I did, but I now know never to touch Nolotil again.” Doreen said she was never given advice or a warning before being prescribed it. This was despite Spain bringing in clear nationwide guidance for health centres, hospitals and pharmacies across the country in December 2018.

Head to the subscribe page, click the package you want and enter VALENTINE24 into the code box that opens up below. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code below with your device to be taken directly to the discounted offers. P.S. The sale ends on February 19!

VALENTINE’S DAY OFFER

SCAN HERE TO LAND YOURSELF AN UNLIMITED, AD-FREE HALF PRICE ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION The top five most read stories on www.theolivepress.es in the past two weeks are: are bars closing in Spain? How the number 1- Whyof drinking establishments has dwindled by almost 20% since 2021 EXCLUSIVE: Families are unable to flush the 2as -community toilet or wash for DAYS on Spain's Costa del Sol runs out of water 'due to the drought' - Olive Press News Spain

couple buy an entire abandoned 'pueblo' 3-inExpat Spain: These are the plans for their new village 90-day rule amendment in huge 4- France rejects blow for British homeowners In The Sun is coming to Spain's Costa 5-delA Place Sol: Hit property show is looking for homes to feature in these 3 expat hotspots

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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

World’s best

OWN BRAND BOOST SHOPPERS in Spain spent €117 billion last year on basic foods and goods, with more of them turning to supermarket own brands. Mercadona, Lidl, and Consum were the main beneficiaries of the trend as buyers looked to fight rising food costs - prompting Carrefour to announce 500 ‘permanent’ price cuts. Last year’s shopping basket spend was 10% more than in 2022, as prices spiralled largely as a result of the Ukraine war. The study by consulting firm NielsenIQ says that a shopping basket of basic items that came in at €100 in 2019, now costs over €126. Mercadona (27%, up 0.6 points), Lidl (6.1%, up 0.2) and Consum (3.7%, up 0.2) are the three supermarket chains that gained the most market share last year.

Basquing in glory DESPITE its regular rain and colder temperatures, Bilbao has been named as Spain’s happiest city. According to London’s Institute for Quality of Life, the Basque city - where it rains 123 days a year, or similar to London - ranks 69th globally. It is also home to the worldclass Guggenheim museum (above) and is well known for the quality of its dining scene. Bilbao was awarded a happiness score of 1,464, some 200 points fewer than the world’s happiest city, Aarhus in Denmark, while Amsterdam comes second and rainy Bergen (over 200 rainy days a year), in Norway, third. Spain’s only other city to make the top 100 is Madrid coming in at 95th. Cities are assessed for their social policies, economy, education, mobility and access to green areas, among other indices.

A HOTEL in Huelva has been chosen as Spain’s best ‘all inclusive’ joint at the World Travel Awards. The four-star Barcelo Isla Canela hotel, in Ayamonte, whose design takes inspiration from Andalucian architecture, was praised for its outdoor eating areas and kids clubs. It has won the category four out of the last five years in Spain, only being pipped by Ibiza’s Grand Palladium in 2022. Best of all, a visit will not break the bank. Rooms are available from €80 for bed and breakfast. This rises to €134 with all meals included, depending on time of year.

February 7th - February 20th 2024

s ’ e f i L

JOY OF COOKING

55 Michelinstarred chefs to team up at key event to promote healthy eating for children By Walter Finch

IF there’s one thing Spain can be proud of, it is the astonishing number of restaurants with Michelin stars - 271 at the last count. Now a quarter of their chefs - 14 with the highest accolade of three stars - are teaming up to teach chil-

CHEESE: The event promotes healthy eating for kids

dren the joys of cooking and healthy eating. Andalucia’s finest, Angel León, Paco Morales and Benito Gomez, will be joined by Valencia’s superstar Quique Dacosta at the sixth edition of Chefs For Children in Benahavis. Under the motto ‘Eating healthy is fun’, other Spanish legends, inSTARS: Top chefs team up cluding Ele-

CORK BLIMEY! DO you know your Bruts from your Demi-Secs, fancy yourself as a wine aficionado, or simply enjoy a tipple or two in the evening? You could be in luck as a British company is offering bubbly-lovers €600 to taste five luxury English sparkling wines worth over €230. Experts from Big House Experience are looking to appoint an official English Sparkling Wine Tester to crown which bottle of bubbles is truly the best of British. The lucky winner will get the chance to taste and review five premium wines from industry-leading vineyards across the UK: Davenport Limney Estate Sparkling, Redford Vineyard Ambriel Classic Cuvee, Bolney Cuvee Rose, Langham Pinot Meunier and Roebuck Classic Cuvee. After sampling, the reviewer will need to rate each wine on various factors, including bottle appearance, taste and cork popping satisfaction in order to give an overall rating.

na Arzak and Eneko Atxa will travel down from the Basque region to give cookery workshops to groups of local kids. Other famous chefs include Martin Berasategui (who holds a record 12 stars) and the team from Disfrutar in Barcelona, Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch y Mateu Casañas. Sponsored by Sabor a Malaga, the fun kicks off on February 26 at Le Cordon Bleu school, in Madrid, while another session will take place in the Bahía de Cadiz nature reserve, on March 4. A grand gala dinner featuring a special menu by several Michelin-starred chefs from Malaga province will take place at Anantara Villa Padierna hotel on April 22. The Diputacion de Malaga is providing most of the local ingredients for the event, while jamon is being provided by Joselito, from Salamanca. President of Malaga region’s council, Francisco Salado praised the region’s eight local chefs who now have Michelin stars. This year’s event is raising money for charity, Autismo España, which represents nearly 175 local groups around the country. Mayor of Benahavis, Jose Antonio Mena, said he was ‘proud’ to be sponsoring the event again this year, after a very successful celebration in 2023.

Playa de Torimbia, Llanes, Asturias The rugged but enchanting landscape of Northern Spain is becoming increasingly popular with Spanish tourists and it’s easy to see why. Described as ‘one of the wildest and most spectacular of the Bay of Biscay, protected by giant cliffs’, Playa de Torimbia is the perfect beach break for adventurers who also like to sunbathe every once in a while. The dramatic landscape, golden sand and almost perfect shell shape make this cove an astonishing beauty spot. But visitors be warned, the Playa de Torimbia is a nudist beach.

h c a e b a

FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

February 7th - February 20th 2024

Cala Estreta, Costa Brava, Catalunya Lined by trees and tumbling rocks, this Costa Brava beach is loved by day trippers from nearby Barcelona. The ‘hidden beach’ can only be accessed on foot by a 20-30 minute walk, but it’s more than worth the wait. The shady coast and dramatic rocks contribute to the enchanting landscape which you won’t want to peel your eyes away from- even to take a nap on the clean, fine sand.

These are the 5 best beaches in Spain to visit in 2024, writes Yzabelle Bostyn

ONELY Planet has named the world’s 100 best beaches and five of them are in Spain. Many people assume you have to travel to luxury destinations like the Bahamas, Hawaii or Fiji to experience a slice of paradise. However, the latest Lonely Planet list of the world’s 100 best beaches shows some of the top coastal getaways are on our doorstep. Out of some 30 European destinations, five are in Spain, showing just how much the country’s coast has to offer.

Punta Paloma, Tarifa, Cadiz The name may translate to ‘Pigeon Point’ but do not be deceived, this is one of Spain’s finest beaches. An unspoilt wonder, Punta Paloma is a natural escape from the nearby city of Cadiz and just an hour’s drive from the Costa del Sol. Popular with water sports enthusiasts, the beach has something for everyone.

Playa de Famara, Lanzarote, Canary Islands Found in the Parque Natural del Archipiélago Chinijo, this ‘wild’ beach is perfect for sun seekers and adventurers alike. The shoreline offers plenty of opportunities for water sports, including surfing, bodyboarding and windsurfing. Once the sun is setting, the beach forms a mirror which reflects the fiery skies.

OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 6 Removing faults (8) 8 Periods of history (4) 9 Christmas wish (4) 10 Far from stern, let nine go off (7) 11 Milky (7) 14 Open space in a forest (5) 15 Slumbered (5) 17 Costumed procession (7) 21 Unsettle (7) 22 Capital of Fiji (4) 23 Nurture (4) 24 It could happen (8) Down 1 Chew on (4) 2 Names (6) 3 Prolonged pain (5) 4 Signal to arise (8) 5 Cured (6) 7 “The Scream” artist (5) 12 Artsy pet organized picture in fabric (8) 13 Leap on one foot (3) 16 Beaver abodes (6) 18 Superior of a convent (6) 19 Orange variety (5) 20 Short and stout (5) 22 Jump lightly (4)

Surrounded by perfectly turquoise waters, this white sand beach is a favourite with tourists visiting the Balearic Islands. The shallow, calm waters make this a great spot for families, who can enjoy a tranquil bike ride to the flower lined shores. At some 450 metres long, there’s plenty of room to relax and enjoy one of the area’s best sunsets.

OP SUDOKU

Platja Illetes, Formentera, Balearic Islands

All solutions are on page 15

LA CULTURA

February 7th - February 20th 2024

CULTURE WAR

In for the laughs Government minister has put BRITISH comedian Jimmy Carr, 51, will perform on the Costa del Sol this summer as part of his new Laughs Funny tour. Carr, known for his deadpan delivery of often-controversial one-liners, is set to perform in Marbella as part of the European leg of his new tour. The 90-minute show will take place in the open-air Marbella Arena on August 31 - which has a capacity of over 5,000 people. Tickets for the comedy show are available online from €45.50, with doors set to open from 7:30pm local time.

forward a motion to ‘decolonise’ museums SOME 17 state museum collections will be investigated in Spain for their ‘links to colonialism’ in a move branded ‘woke’ by conservatives. Led by the Ministry of Culture, the project is currently being debated in the Spanish parliament. The museum collections will be revised in an attempt to remove ‘gender and ethnocentric bias’ as well as ‘links’ to the country’s colonial past. It is hoped the project will ‘establish a dialogue and ex-

Marbella vice

By Yzabelle Bostyn

change which will help us to overcome Spain’s colonial history.’ However, strict proposal has provoked criticism from opposition leaders. Borja Semper, vice secretary of culture for the conservative Partido Popular, said: “It’s a debate imported from other countries. Either they’re ignoring the history of Spain or they’re blinded by woke activism.”

ART: but is it appropriate? The revision has been under consideration for some time, even before current culture minister, Ernest Urtasun, took

Surreal, Man AN exhibition showcasing the weird and wonderful work of legendary American photographer and avant-garde artist Man Ray has opened in Malaga. Born Emmanuel Radnitzky in Philadelphia in 1890, Man Ray is celebrated for his works that set the artistic tone of the postwar period after World War I. He is a famed pioneer of both the surrealist and dadaist movements that emerged in response to the industrial slaughter of the Great War, which he showcased through nudes and portraits. Man Ray's ability to capture the human body is evident in his nudes, which were

up his post. Some Spanish museums, such as the Museum of the Americas and the National Anthropology Museum, have already implemented similar measures. According to Urtasan, the move follows recommendations from the International Council of Museums. He said: “Museums respond to the debates of their time.”

Decolonise

DIFFERENT VIEW: Man Ray’s works shocking for the period. The exhibition, at the Carmen Thyssen Museum, predominantly features female figures who were the artist's friends, lovers, and muses, such as Kiki de Montparnasse. It runs until April 21.

Andres Gutierrez Usillos, director of the Museum of the Americas, backed the proposal, while former culture minister, Miquel Iceta, asked: “How can we decolonise a museum?” It is a question that one of Spain’s most famous museums, Museo del Prado, has ‘already been considering’, according to Benito Navarrete.

A THRILLER telling the tale of Marbella’s early 2000s corruption scandal has become Spain’s latest blockbuster movie. Directed by Daniel Calparsoro, El Correo follows the fortunes of a young criminal in the murky real estate world of Marbella. Aron Piper, well known for the Netflix series, Elite, plays Ivan Marquez, a valet turned gangster as he rises up the ranks of an international money laundering operation. He is flanked by Maria Pedraza, of hit Spanish TV show, Money Heist. As ‘dirty money flows like wine’ on the Costa del Sol, the pair work with corrupt politicians, bankers, construction entrepreneurs, sportspeople and even the Chinese mafia. The film touches on the infamous Malaya scandal, in which more than €33 million were exchanged for government building permits in Marbella. El Correo was filmed last spring in Marbella, Malaga and Madrid, alongside international locations.

Mask crusaders As carnival season approaches, Dilip Kuner examines how Spain’s party poopers waged a war against the celebrations and ultimately failed

EARING masks has been part of carnival celebrations in Spain for centuries. But there was a dark period during the 16th century when mask-wearing was punishable by 100 lashes. If the offender was a nobleman he could be exiled for six months. The reasons for such harsh punishments lay with over-zealous leaders fearful of mockery or sticklers for Christian penitence, even though Carnival is one of the most iconic

annual celebrations in regions with a strong Catholic history and identity. The festival is religiously linked to the beginning of lent, traditionally a period of fasting and penitence for Christians. Despite the religious connotations, the celebration is believed to have roots in paganism – especially the Roman festivals of Saturnalia or in those in honour of the god Bacchus, divinity of wine. Carnival celebrations are wildly different depending on their country and culture but they tend to have a few common characteristics. These include parades, costumes, dances, masks and partying. The general lack of order and control has also led to carnival being a time to satirise authorities, something which in turn has led to knee-jerk reactions from kings and clergymen.

KILLJOYS: Partying was punishable by 100 lashes

Whipped into line

A municipal act from Aragon (northern Spain) dating to 1569 sheds some light on the religious concerns surrounding carnival. The document from the town of Daroca tried to defend the crusade against carnival, saying: “The chief Justice has proposed how much God is offended in the rejoicings that are usually done on the days of Carnestolendas (carnival) throwing water, rockets, garbage, mud and other dirty tricks and dishonesty.” The letter urged councilmen to pass ‘appropriate laws’ to control partying locals in preparation for lent. Nearly 50 years earlier in the Aragonese city of Zaragoza, a 1521 law passed specifically regulating mask-wearing and disguises. The law stated that no person could wear a mask or dress up ‘except’ in 10 days around carnival time. By 1523, the King Carlos I made it law that no one could go ‘masked’ throughout the entire Spanish kingdom – including during carnival. Anyone caught out would be given 100

lashes – if they were a peasant – and be excommunicated from the realm for six months if a nobleman.

The Franco years

Over two centuries later Cadiz imposed restrictions on citizens to ban them from dressing up as clergyman, or from cross-dressing in public. “Anyone found dressing up like that would be taken to jail,” wrote Alberto Ramos Santana in his book El Carnaval Secuestrado (The Kidnapped Carnival). Similar Scrooge-like behaviour re-appeared during and after the Spanish Civil War, when Franco issued an order banning celebrations of carnival in 1937. Though it took until Spain’s transition to democracy in the 1970s to lift bans on carnival, not all of Spain had paid much attention. One of the biggest and most famous carnivals is held in Cadiz and the local gatitanos were not about to give up their traditions. At first, the carnival carried on behind closed doors, with people meeting every February to reminisce and sing carnival songs. From 1950 carnival was moved to the summer and dubbed the Fiestas Tipicas Gaditanas (Typical Fiestas of Cadiz) to get around the ban, until 1977 when the carnival was restored in its full glory.

HEALTH

Learn about learning

A UK expert is launching a study into why there has been an increase in the number of children with special educational needs in Gibraltar. NHS public health registrar Una Geary will start work on the study this month alongside GHA Director of Public Health Dr Helen Carter. It follows on from figures supplied by the Department of Education that suggests that there are more children who need extra help at local schools. Minister for Education John Cortes commissioned Geary to carry out the research after the data surfaced.

Masks off FACE masks ‘are no longer essential’ at Gibraltar’s health facilities, after numbers of Covid and flu cases dropped. Director of Public Health Dr Helen Carter said she had made the decision with the Gibraltar Health Authority Executive Board. Effective immediately, wearing a mask at St Bernard’s Hospital, the Primary Care Centre or elderly residential homes is only optional. An outbreak of flu at one of the elderly wards originally led to the introduction of masks.

Vaccines arrive

COVID boosters are finally at the Rock’s primary care centre for the over-50s and vulnerable people in the community. People with diabetes, taking immunosuppressant medication, who are immunosuppressed for any other reason or have a long term medical condition can get the jab.

February 7th - February 20th 2024

Time to quit

MEASLES ALARM

THE Spanish health ministry is considering imposing a new levy on cigarettes and tobacco in an attempt to reduce the number of smokers nationwide. The consideration comes as part of an initiative known as the Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention and Control of Smoking which health authorities hope to approve this year. A 2019 study from the European Commission showed Spain to have one of the highest proportions of smokers across Europe. Almost 20% of all Spaniards aged 15 or over smoke, a quarter of whom go through a packet of 20 each day. Health experts hope that increasing levies on tobacco will curb consumption levels, particularly amongst the young, and encourage current smokers to quit.

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) says that it has detected an ‘alarming’ increase in measles cases in Europe over the last year, and is calling for an increase in vaccinations. Fortunately for Spain, the disease is considered to have been eradicated thanks to vaccination levels that reached 95% of the population. There were just 11 confirmed cases in Spain last year, all of which were contracted from other countries. But across Europe 42,200 people were infected in 2023 compared to just 941 during the whole of the year before. The disease has no treatment and usually clears up in 10 days, but complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.

ALZHEIMER’S REVELATION

How the brain disease was spread between humans via a growth hormone given to children A NEW study has revealed that brain disease Alzheimer’s can spread between humans. Experts have found evidence of at least five people contracting the illness. Each person who caught the memory erasing condition were amongst 1,848 people injected with growth hormones full of toxic amyloid-beta protein ‘seeds’, or prions, as children. They all developed the same early onset variant of the condition. Now, others who received the same treatment are considered ‘at risk’ of developing Alzheimer’s. For some 27 years between 1958 and 1985, unusually short children were given

Keep the doctor away A NEW report has confirmed that tomatoes are good for you, especially if you eat them daily. Spanish doctor David Murcia-Lesmes, who is a Food Science and Nutrition researcher, has concluded that tomatoes can help prevent and treat high blood pressure. The condition is suffered by as many as 11 million people in Spain, and can cause other issues such as heart failure and strokes. The doctor’s research, which was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, shows that the daily consumption of a tomato can reduce the risk of high blood pressure by 36%. The reason for this is the fruit’s high content of lycopene which is known to be beneficial particularly in elderly and overweight people.

OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 6 Amending, 8 Eras, 9 Snow, 10 Lenient, 11 Whitish, 14 Glade, 15 Slept, 17 Pageant, 21 Disturb, 22 Suva, 23 Rear, 24 Possibly. Down: 1 Gnaw, 2 Titles, 3 Agony, 4 Reveille, 5 Salted, 7 Munch, 12 Tapestry, 13 Hop, 16 Lodges, 18 Abbess, 19 Navel, 20 Dumpy, 22 Skip.

By Yzabelle Bostyn

hormones harvested from human corpses to help encourage their growth. Used in the UK and US, it was found that some batches were contaminated with prions that led to a deadly, incurable brain disorder known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). The illness, closely linked to mad cow disease, led doctors to instead use synthetic hormones. Researchers now believe other medical procedures could lead to Alzheimer’s disease as prions can survive medical grade sterilisation methods. Prions can encourage illnesses by accumulating in the brain and killing neurons, a vital part of brain function. According to the UK’s NHS, the accumulation of prions can lead to plaque deposits. This abnormal build-up of proteins in and around neurons is believed to lead to Alzheimers. The memory robbing disease was formerly thought to come in two forms. Most common is the ‘random’ variant suffered by thousands over the age of 65. The other variant was a genetic early-onset type that runs in families. The latest research was carried out by University College London.

Miracle baby A BABY has been born in Spain using his grandmother’s donated uterus. Manuel was born just two years after his mother, Mayra Montes, received a uterus transplant from her mum. Mayra said: “It’s incredible when they tell you can’t have children and then two years later you have one of your own.” The birth took place in the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, the only health facility in Spain to have performed a uterus transplant birth. The first took place in the hospital in March 2023. In both cases, the mothers suffered Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome, being born without a uterus or fallopian tubes.

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A BRITISH couple had their day ‘ruined’ after a restaurant in tourist-friendly Lanzarote charged them a whopping €137 for just five king prawns.

Fatphobic A SPANISH TV presenter has been criticised after fatshaming an American TikTokker live on national television. Toñi Moreno asked if the influencer ‘used filters’, adding, ‘you look much slimmer on TikTok.’

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Shell shocked

GIBRALTAR

CARELESS LUCK

Woman, 73, is reunited with €13,000 cash after she left it in a supermarket trolley NOT everyone who loses a five-figure sum of money is so lucky as to have it returned to them. However, this was the outcome that befell one elderly woman after she managed to leave €13,325 in a shopping trolley in an Estepona supermarket. An employee in the Merca-

Switch off SCHOOLKIDS in Murcia have been banned from switching on their mobile phones in classrooms with other areas of Spain set to follow suit.

By Walter Finch

dona on Avenida Andalucia found a purse carelessly forgotten in the trolley. Resisting the urge to rifle around inside, the worker conscientiously handed it over to the Policial Nacional. When officers took posses-

sion of the item, they too had little idea of what it contained. Thus on inspection, they were surprised to find a huge wodge

FEATHER TOUCH FORMER La Liga player Hugo Mallo will face a Barcelona court this summer after being charged with inappropriately touching a female mascot dressed as a parakeet before a match. Mallo, 32, was a Celta Vigo player when the alleged incident happened before a match at Espanyol in 2019. He currently plays for Brazilian side Sport Club Internacional and has denied the assault. Mallo is accused of touching the woman’s breasts when she was inside Espanyol’s parakeet costume as the players lined up.

of cash: 206 bank notes of €50, 144 notes of €20, three tenners and three fivers. The police had to make a number of enquiries to determine who was the rightful owner of the not-inconsiderable amount. Eventually, they managed to identify a 73-year-old local woman, who was contacted and given the joyous news that her pile of cash was waiting for her at the police station. Just a little later, she attended the station in the company of her adult children where she thanks the officers profusely for the miraculous return of the money. No reason has been given on why she was carrying so much money.

THE GUARDIA CIVIL is looking for people willing to give their police dogs-in-waiting a home during the crucial first year of their lives. Officers want members of the public in Madrid to help raise the pups until they head off to join the force.

What a Caulker!

JUST a month after a former England defender took the helm, Malaga City have secured their first win, defeating Rincon 1-0 on Sunday. The local club made waves when they appointed former Liverpool defender Stephen Caulker as player-manager at the start of the year. The tenure got off to an inauspicious start, being tonked by Almeria 6-0 in Caulker’s first game. However, under Caulker’s management they gradually steadied the ship, losing the following match by a fine 1-0 margin and drawing the next two. Finally the hard work on the training pitch paid off, with striker Borja Morales netting a 52nd minute winner.

952 147 834 * Vo l u n t a r y i n s u r a n c e c o v e r. S u b j e c t t o c o m p a n y u n d e r w r i t i n g c o n d i t i o n s . * D a t a e x t r a c t e d f r o m p r o c e s s c l o s u r e s u r v e y s a f t e r u s i n g o u r R o a d s i d e A s s i s t a n c e a n d b r e a k d o w n s e r v i c e s .

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