Olive Press Gibraltar Issue 207

New faces rise

THE GSLP will present four new candidates for the October 12 election, the Liberals will stick with their three and the GSD will put forward six new faces.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo announced the shortest possible four week campaigning period for the elections, pleading with the electorate to stick with his winning formula.

“Now is not the time to change the team that is getting things done and keeping Gibraltar safe,” Picardo said.

But from its seven original candidates, only three remain, Picardo himself, party founder Joe Bossano and environmentalist John Cortes.

Withdraw

In the days after the caretaker Chief Minister announced the election, former ministers for the last 12 years Samantha Sacramento, Albert Isola and Paul Balban said they would not stand for re-election.

Long-term GSLP militant Pat Orfila, former mayor Christian Santos, lawyer Gemma Vasquez and insurance expert Nigel Feetham will take their places.

The Liberals presented the same three candidates as last timeleader Joseph Garcia, Steven Linares and Vijay Daryanani.

Together Gibraltar decided to withdraw from the election altogether and said it would focus on its ‘grassroots efforts’ .

But interim leader Nicky Calamaro said he might stand as an independent candidate.

But one of TG’s 2019 election

Continues on page 5

A special focus on

San Pedro Alcantara & Guadalmina

See page 7

FAR RIGHT BOLTHOLE

REVEALED: Tommy Robinson’s luxury €1.6m villa where he filmed far-right podcast is owned by billionaire boss of Jaeger and Austin Reed

EXCLUSIVE

By Walter Finch &

By Laurence Dollimore

AN investigation is underway into how Tommy Robinson accessed a stunning costa villa owned by a British billionaire to film his extreme far-right podcasts, the Olive Press can reveal.

The former leader of the far right English Defence League (EDL) has been using the €5,000-a-month property of fashion tycoon Philip Day to promote a series of US and British extremists.

Videos filmed at the €1.6 million villa show Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - chatting with a string of white nationalist leaders and racists.

It may come as a bit of a relief to Gibraltarians - Robinson had previously threatened to move to the Rock!

They include Gavin McInnes, the founder of a white nationalist group ‘the Proud Boys’, which helped lead the shocking 2021 assault on America’s Capitol building.

He also hosted Laura Loomer, an avowed Islamophobe so extreme that even former president Donald Trump was forced to distance himself from her.

Other controversial figures are former Sikh EDL leader Guramit Singh Kalirai, rapper Young Spray and

The hate-filled podcasts contain many homophobic, misogynistic and anti-Islamic statements, including referring to the Prophet Mohammed as a ‘paedophile’ and ‘rapist’.

In one, Robinson supports notorious misogynist Andrew Tate, currently facing charges of human trafficking and rape in Romania.

The villa in L’Albir, on the Costa Blanca, boasts six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, a swimming pool and a state of the art security system.

According to public data from the Spanish land registry, the property is owned by EWM INVESTCO LIMITED, linked to British tycoon Day, 56, through his ownership of The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group.

The impresario - who owns a string of high street names including Peacocks, Jaeger and Austin Reed - denies any involvement in the

EXTREME PALS: Robinson

any knowledge of Robinson using the villa, nor that he has any links with him.

When contacted by the Olive Press, a spokesman said Day was ‘shocked’ and ‘furious’ that one of his properties was being used by Robinson. “[The management company] will take immediate action if they find that Robinson still has any access at all,” he said.

“They’re very grateful you’ve raised this and very keen to ensure it’s dealt with firmly and won't happen again.”

But Neil Bennett of Maitland PR later explained he had been ‘misinformed’ and Day ‘is unaware of the situation’.

“[Day] has no control or say over the company, which is managed by a professional team and owns multiple properties,” he added. But when later pressed, he finally admitted Day’s management company takes the allegations ‘very seriously’ and the team are ‘investigating the matter.’

Day, who is believed to reside between Switzerland and Dubai, is known to own a number of properties and businesses in L'Albir.

assault, mortgage fraud, travelling on false documents and contempt of court.

Several British expats said they have seen Robinson around in recent weeks and he is still believed to be staying in the area thanks to an Irish passport.

It is thought that a network of sympathisers and direct online donations have been supporting his lifestyle.

He posts frequent social media photos of his workouts and was even recently pictured posing for selfies with a young fan on Benidorm’s notorious party strip.

Trump

and McInnes podcasts. There is no suggestion the Stockport-born businessman, estimated to be worth €1.3 billion, had

Curiously, L’Albir is the same Alicante resort where Hitler-loving neo-Nazi Kris ‘Charlie Big Potatoes’ Kearney lived before being extradited back to the UK to be imprisoned on terrorism charges last year.

See page 13

Robinson, infamous for his anti-immigrant views, has also been hiding out in the area after breaking a High Court injunction in the UK for airing defamatory claims in his film ‘Silenced’. The controversial documentary could land him behind bars again after he previously had stretches for

He also tucked into an ice cream in L'Albir with Loomer, who was tipped to join Trump’s campaign team until background checks revealed she had branded herself a 'proud Islamophobe'.

Over 40 members of the Proud Boys have been charged for their role in the insurrection to overturn the US elections on January 6, 2021, with four receiving jail sentences so far, one as long as 18 years.

Have you met Yaxley or Kearney? What do you think of them? Email newsdesk@theolivepress.es

MANSION: Owned by Philip Day (inset) used for far-right podcasts (right)

(right)

Talented lineup

UK AUTHORS Tanya Goodin, Ann Cleeves, Nigel Biggar, Rory Cellan-Jones and Puneet Bhandal will all take part in November’s literature festival.

UN exhibition

AN exhibition of pictures and document to mark 60 years of Gibraltar’s work at the United Nations is now open for the public at John Mackintosh Hall.

Top teens

TEENAGERS from 16 to 18-years-old who want to take part in the UK Youth Parliament will need to write an essay about issues affecting young people.

Small world

OVER 200 players and 150 officials attended the Subbuteo European Championships at the Tercentenary Hall on September 16-18.

WHO DID THIS TO ANNE?

THE body of a young woman found dumped by a zebra crossing in Torremolinos has been identified as a 21-yearold expat.

Anne Mathea Morken, from Norway, moved to Spain only a year ago before being found strewn across the road near the entrance of an apartment

EXCLUSIVE

By Dilip Kuner & By Laurence Dollimore

building in Playamar.

A popular student and keen skier, from Ringebu, near Lillehammer, she was found dead showing signs of being asphyxiated, confirmed Spanish police. Her family, who have now been notified of her death, are demanding answers over her mysterious death. She was discovered by a group of young people at around 1.30am on September 13 and had been dead for around 10 hours.

It means the woman, who lived in Malaga city, must have been dumped there following her death. While her name has not yet been officially revealed in Spain, it was confirmed by authorities in Norway.

The final autopsy is awaiting a toxicology report before the exact cause of death

can be determined.

Homicide detectives believe she likely suffered a violent death, however it is not ruled out that she could have drowned due to an ‘allergic reaction to a substance.’

Her body was found in a side street off Benyamina avenue, which runs down to the beach.

The Norwegian serious crime unit, Kripos, has been assisting in the investigation, having flown in from Oslo over the last few days.

The Norwegian embassy in Madrid and the Seamen's Church, in Fuengirola, has been assisting the family. Meanwhile, the death has triggered an outpouring of mourning in her home village.

Active

Director of the local school, Havard Gangsas, told VG: “We feel very much for the family. This is a deeply tragic event, and we are all very sad.”

The local youth centre opened for a special memorial session from 6pm last night.

According to local reports, Anne was active in the

Ringebu-Fåvang Ski Club in her youth and participated, among other things, in the NM relay in 2018.

She studied sports at Gausdal upper secondary school, before working part time at a local delicatessen. She fell in love with Spain when spending a semester here in 2022, while training to be a personal trainer at Norwegian private school Active Education, in nearby Fuengirola.

Manager Ola Furseth described the news as ‘very sad’ adding his thoughts ‘go out to

the next of kin’. He added he hopes the Spanish police, with assistance from Kripos, can help clarify the cause of the death. The police are said to have obtained surveillance videos and interviewed witnesses in the area at the time. They are still awaiting the autopsy report and do not wish to comment on the cause of death for the time being. Her body was allegedly found without any identification, although her handbag was believed to have been found on the street next to her.

TRAGIC: Anne Mathea Morken

SPORTY: Anne was an excellent skier

Scandinavian expat family and locals demand urgent answers over tragic Norwegian ‘asphyxiated’ in Torremolinos

Photo courtesy of facebook

RETURNING PUNTER

Black mark

HOLLYWOOD legend Natalie Portman has spoken out in support of the Spanish women’s football team.

The Oscar-winner - who part owns Los Angeles soccer team Angel City - slammed the way the controversial kiss by disgraced Luis Rubiales had sullied their amazing World Cup win.

“I wish the players could just focus on the sport,” she insisted. “Unfortunately they have had to be political inherently, as we have seen at the last two World Cups.

“The US were fighting for equal pay at the same time they were winning the World Cup (last time),” continued the Black Swan star. Rubiales finally resigned last week, and faced his first day in court over sexual assault. Meanwhile, the Spanish women’s team are still refusing to play until various demands are met over management and pay.

SHE told them she’d be back… and Michelle Obama returned on a recent stopover in the capital.

The former First Lady, 59, had lunch at Madrid’s Murillo Cafe Bistro, near the Prado Museum, during a two-week holiday in Spain. She was visiting the city after spending a week in Mallorca with her friend and former ambassador Jaime Costos and his partner, Michael Smith.

It was certainly a big surprise when she rocked up at the Madrid eatery, which posted

on social media that it was a ‘great honour’ to play host to Obama again.

In Mallorca she was spotted out eating in Flanigans, as well as enjoying sunset cocktails on the rooftop of Hotel Sant Francesc in Palma.

They also had dinner at Restaurant El Camino, with Costos sharing a snapshot of the menu and two bottles of fine Spanish wine on social media.

It was Obama’s fifth holiday in Spain since 2016.

Bill’s bathtub boat

The tiny tender serving a tech billionaire and a trio of other boats currently on show in Malaga port

By Cristina Hodgson Wayfind

FOR most people the 67-metre boat would be a giant gin-palace of extraordinary luxury. But for Bill Gates the 21-knot vessel is actually just a tender to his bigger yacht, the Aqua Based in Malaga port, the

WALK THE WALK

cruising the Med.

It is certainly anything but shabby and comfortably sleeps a crew of 18 with room for 12 lucky guests. The vessel also boasts a helipad doubling as a pickleball court, a sport that combines paddle, tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It is also being used to trans-

er, is being used to provide fuel, supplies, spare parts, maintenance staff and smaller recreational boats for Aqua, which is currently port everything from jet skis to scuba diving gear. The tech mogul’s main yacht, Aqua, measures in at 112 metres and is the world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht,

sleeping 14 guests.

It’s a busy month for Malaga port, with a trio of other mega-yachts also in situ. They include Tatoosh, owned by the family of Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, and worth around €90 million. The five-deck vessel stretches over 92 metres and counts on its own cinema, helicopter pad and even a lobster tank. The megayacht Octopus meanwhile is currently the world’s eighth largest yacht, sold for a whopping €235 million to Swedish pharma billionaire Roger Samuelsson. It has its own basketball court and two submarines, plus other ancillary boats. It hosts up to 26 guests and

SOME of the longest legs in fashion, appropriately, turned up to shimmy down the longest catwalk in Europe. At 300 metres long, Pasarela Larios, in Malaga, was a real sight to behold for up to 30,000 visitors at the weekend.

Over two nights hundreds of models strutted a range of new designs from designers including Livia Montecarlo, Bananamoon, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada and Vertize Gala. The shows were the highlight of Malaga Fashion Week, which was returning for its 12th year.

FAME

IT reflects on the ‘influence of technology and narcissism’ in today's society. And it’s one Pop Art/photographic exhibition certainly worth visiting in Sevilla this Autumn.

is crewed by a giant staff of 63 people. The Zenobia, owned by Saudi billionaire Wafic Said, is also currently docked in Malaga. Worth €40 million, it boasts a variety of amenities, including a gym, a pool, a cinema, and a library.

The show by famous Mexican-Austrian expat Hubertus von Hohenlohe is a fascinating mix of 49 works featuring his visions from around the world.

The son of Marbella Club cre- ator, Alfonso Hohenlohe - who is often cred- ited with putting the Costa del Sol on the map - he began a career in photography in 2001. His current FAMA Everybody show is a contemplative, experimental look at the world, through many portraits and self portraits.

It reflects his fascinating life, which has seen him ski at the Olympics, forge a TV career in Germany and Austria and work as a designer and publicist.

He is well connected to both Spanish and German aristocracy via the Medinaceli and Fürstenberg dynasties, as well as the Italian Agnelli family, owners of Fiat.

FAMA Everybody runs until October 14 at Fundacion Cajasol.

GATES’ BOATS: The hydrogen-powered Aqua has its own 67m tender Wayfinder (below) in Malaga

FORGING TIES

NEW PSOE member of Spain’s parliament and current mayor of San Roque Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix visited Gibraltar to meet the caretaker Chief Minister.

Fabian Picardo met with Ruiz Boix at No. 6 Convent Place after his election to the Spanish parliament.

Boix has long been a supporter of a favourable EU treaty for Gibraltar and recently helped to sort out the problems of movement at Gibraltar’s border with Spain, the Rock’s government said. The government said in a statement that Ruiz Boix ‘expressed his full support for the continuation of cordial relations between the communities on both sides of the border’.

The pair extended the discussion to the negotiations with the EU for the future status of Gibraltar after Brexit.

Earlier, the Popular Party’s Susana Perez Custodia said she wanted to create more links with Gibraltar as she took over as the head of the Mancomunidad association of mayors of the Gibraltar

Quake solidarity

THE Moorish Castle was lit green in solidarity with Morocco the day after the strong earthquake that struck the Marrakesh area killing nearly 3,000 people.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo expressed how ‘the significant loss of life and damage will be received by all of us here in Gibraltar with much sadness’.

Some of the hundreds of Moroccan de-

scendants who now live on the Rock held a vigil in Convent Place to mark the tragedy. “The Government of Gibraltar, for itself and on behalf of the people of Gibraltar, wishes to convey our thoughts and prayers to our friends and neighbours to the south and, in particular, to our wonderful Moroccan community here at home,” Picardo said.

Franco legacy

Spanish professor slams late dictator Franco for his ‘dry coast’ policy on Gib waters

AN expert on international law at the University of Cadiz has suggested General Franco is to blame for Spain denying Gibraltar its own territorial waters. Professor Jesus Verdu

By John Culatto

suggested in a newspaper article that ‘the dry coast principle’ used by Franco to limit Gibraltar control of its waters since 1971 is fundamentally flawed. The principle suggests that a territory's waters end at the point where it meets the water, in Gibraltar's case, on the edge of its port.

“There are very few situations known as a ‘dry coast’ in which a State is deprived of its access to the sea for historical and legal

He argues that the Treaty of Utrecht is worded ‘similar to dozens of territorial cession treaties, mainly from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries’.

He pointed out that Spain always admitted Gibraltar had British waters during the 19th century, even drawing maps to show which parts were British and Spanish.

It was only Spanish dictator General Franco that went back to the dry coast principle in 1971.

“For easily understandable reasons, the young and

War of words

CHIEF Minister Fabian

Picardo said it would be ‘dangerous’ for the public to vote in the GSD because of its leader’s view on having an Andorra solution for Gibraltar.

Picardo said that while the Spanish delegation already considers the GSLP/Liberals ‘a brick wall’, it would prefer to talk to Keith Azopardi.

Solution

fragile Spanish democracy did not have the opportunity to review this position,” Verdu wrote.

“Due to the complexity of reviewing a position on a subject strongly impregnated with a nationalist vision and which could be understood as a transfer to an opponent, the dry coast theory has survived to this day.”

But now, Verdu has urged Spain to ‘update the starting position’ to help fight smuggling, protect the environment and provide sea safety.

Sewage solution

UNTREATED sewage flowing into the sea from Gibraltar could soon be a thing of the past.

The government has chosen British company ECO Waters Ltd to build a new treatment plant after putting the contract out to tender on June 7.

It followed the failure of the last company to begin construction after it folded.

The government laid out some strict rules for the new contract including having an enclosed system that was small enough to fit at the Brewery Crusher site. Now the authorities will look to discuss the finer technical and commercial details with ECO Water and clear the site before construction.

Facelift forecast

MAIN Street and Chatham Counterguard could get a complete makeover under plans announced by Gibraltar’s government on the eve of elections.

Minister for Tourism and Business Vijay

Daryanani said the beautification plans will ‘freshen up the town centre’ and improve the popular entertainment area of Chatham Counterguard.

The Main Street plans include new street furniture, landscaping and improved lighting with WIFI hotspots also being considered, the government said in a statement.

Government workers will plant more greenery, improve lighting, standardise awnings

CAPTION XXXX

He added the GSLP leader said Azopardi was showing ‘contradiction’ by first writing a book on how an Andorra solution might suit Gibraltar while saying in 2011 that he is not in favour of it.

But the GSD in a statement called the accusation ‘nonsense’.

“My view is very specific on Andorra,” Azopardi said in the party statement.

“The Andorra solution is never going to be a model for Gibraltar. Let me make that very, very clear.” EU negotiations are stalled until Spain can form a government.

and provide tables with matching chairs at Chatham Counterguard.

Daryanani said the beautification of Main Street ‘always comes up in conversation with Main Street traders’ and now was the time to act.

ACCUSATION: Picardo

VIGIL: Held in Gibraltar

CLEAR Azopardi

FAULT: Franco dictatorship to blame

Home run

HAPPY homeowners in Gibraltar got the keys to their brand new affordable homes at the impressive Hassan Centenary Terraces after the government announced the completion of its first phase.

The government released 380 properties which it said ‘have been completed to a high standard’, with another 285 flats to follow in phase two.

Located at the new entrance to Gibraltar on the south of the Eastside Development overlooking Eastern Beach, Hassan Centenary Terraces is part of the second raft of public homes since the GSLP/Liberals won the 2011 election.

Beach View Terraces and Mons Calpe Mews finished in 2016 provided 893 flats between them.

Work on Bob Peliza Mews and Chatham Views started this summer, which together with HCT phase two will provide nearly 1,250 homes for local people.

British, end of!

Defiant messages from Rishi Sunak and the King ignite National Day celebrations

HUNDREDS gathered at Casemates Square to hear Chief Minister Fabian Picardo read out messages of support from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III on Gibraltar’s National Day.

Picardo was the last of the selected speakers to voice his support of Gibraltar’s right to self-determination.

They included Self-Determination for Gibraltar Group President Richard Buttigieg, Peter Biggs from the Falkland Islands and All-Party Gibraltar Parliamentary

By John Culatto

group chairman Sir Bob Neill.

But the highlight of the day was Picardo’s passionate speech, where he read a letter from the UK Prime Minister.

“National Day commemorates Gibraltar’s wish to remain under British sovereignty in the 1967 referendum,” Sunak said via Picardo.

“Since then, Gibraltar has made clear to the international community its wish to

Strike over

BUS drivers returned to work after a ten day strike that paralysed public transport across Gibraltar.

Unite the Union led the strike, clashing with the government in a war of words that left the Rock without any service during the popular National Day celebration.

A spokesperson for the union said that although the pay dispute is by no means over, it wanted to return its service to the community.

But Unite said in a statement the government was showing ‘a lack of meaningful engagement’ in the talks. And it said it would continue to strive for ‘a fair and mutually beneficial agreement’.

KING’S MESSAGE: was passed on

remain British.

“I can assure you that the UK Government will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes.

“And we will also never enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.”

“The UK and Gibraltar are joined by an enduring bond. We may be geographically separated but Gibraltar is a precious part of the UK family within our great Commonwealth.” Picardo remembered last

Stand by you

slate, Craig Sacarello, decided to join the GSD’s core team Keith Azopardi, Damon Bossino, Edwin Reyes and Roy Clinton.

Academic Daniella Tilbury, medical expert Youssef El Hana, Atrish Sanchez, young lawyers Giovanni Origo and Joelle Ladislaus, joined them on the party’s slate. Independent Robert Vasquez will once again stand for election even if he was the least voted for at the last election.

year’s death of Queen Elizabeth and read a letter from King Charles III who sent his congratulations to the people of Gibraltar.

Warm

“I look forward to the continuing warm friendship, and the strong and close partnership that we share, working together for prosperity, democracy and peace, as we face these challenging times,” Picardo read for the King.

“As you, and the people of Gibraltar, celebrate today, my wife joins me in sending you our very best wishes for the year ahead.”

In a GBC poll before the parties announced their candidates, the GSD had a slim 2% lead over the GSLP/ Liberals but over 30% were undecided.

Correction

IN the last issue of the Olive Press Gibraltar, we reported that a Royal Gibraltar Police boat had entered a La Linea port mere metres from Spanish boats. Upon reviewing an image of said boat, we can confirm that this was not the Royal Gibraltar Police nor affiliated with Gibraltar. Our publication apologises to the Royal Gibraltar Police and regrets publishing the inaccurate statement.

KEYS: Handed over

From front page

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

Brave new world

WHEN Gibraltar called for change at this year’s election, few could have imagined that one of the most sensitive times in the Rock’s history, both main parties would change so much.

But both caretaker Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and leader of the Opposition for the last 12 years, Keith Azopardi, have responded to that call bravely.

Of the four new GSLP faces, probably Gemma Arias Vasquez is the most well-honed for the job.

Her leadership of the small business federation GFSB from 2011-17 already showed her ability to direct herself in politics.

She then led the very successful ‘Stronger In’ campaign that resulted in a 96% remain vote on the Rock.

Christian Santos is another of the top new faces, showing his guile as a top local entertainer but also his open leadership style as mayor for the last two years.

Then there is Nigel Feetham who stepped into the fray just as his brother stepped out for the opposing party. His expert hands-on knowledge of both financial services and the insurance market could be a big plus for the government as it sets sail in those sectors outside the EU.

Finally, former teacher Pat Orfila is a long-term GSLP candidate whose commitment to the party has finally been rewarded with this call to serve.

Surprisingly, the Gibraltar Social Democrats, a more conservative party that voted against abortion becoming legal and opposed gay marriage went for four young people.

Joelle Ladislaus, Giovanni Origo, Atrish Sanchez and Youssef El Hana are relatively new on the political scene but represent new demographics the party might want to reach. The other two are more experienced members who have already got political or high level social involvement.

Businessman Craig Sacarello moved over from the progressive Together Gibraltar after it decided to pull out of the election altogether.

And former international Cambridge University academic Daniella Tilbury was former deputy chair of Gibraltar University, bringing with her a rich knowledge of sustainable development.

All in all, it sets the scene for a riveting three weeks of campaigning, which for such a new haul of candidates, could be a real challenge.

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Alberto Lejarraga alberto@theolivepress.es

Jo Chipchase jo@theolivepress.es

John Culatto

ADMIN

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FLIPPING LUCKY?

EXCLUSIVE: At home with a mafia kingpin, whose new life planned for Spain was - like most expatsanything but plain sailing, not helped by €21,000 cash seizure at the airport

LEGENDARY crime boss John Gilligan, 71, avoided prison for trafficking marijuana in flip flops and gun possession after cutting a deal with Spanish prosecutors this month.

The Irish mafia don - suspected of ordering the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin - did a plea bargain earning him a lenient 22-month suspended sentence with a fine of just €14,000.

The gang leader moved to Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca following a failed assassination plot against him in 2014. He had just served a 17-year stretch over a long drug smuggling operation that netted him €35 million. But, while one might have expected the grandfather to settle down quietly and live the easy life on the costas, things turned out rather differently.

In an extract from a book, The Gilligan Tapes, exclusively serialised in the Olive Press, he recalls to author Jason O’Toole how his move to Alicante was plagued by Spanish bureaucracy after being caught with a suitcase stashed with tens of thousands of euros.

John Gilligan miraculously managed to maintain a relatively low profile between 2014 and 2018 – no mean feat for a criminal once considered public enemy number one.

He escaped lightly, with only the occasional screaming tabloid headline about him being down on his luck and hiding in England.

The only other time Gilligan’s name popped up during this five-year time frame was when it was alleged that he had threatened an English solicitor during a heated discussion over money.

But, apart from these two episodes, things were relatively quiet for him on the Costa

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WOLF AT I

T is the reviled monster of European folklore that gobbles up girls in red hoods and blows down the houses of little piggies. But the reality is that wolves, which seldom attack humans, have long been hunted and even faced near-extinction in Spain in Numbers had dwindled to the mere hundreds by 1980 thanks to a deliberate eradication policy through poisoning, until protections were put in place.

Now the fate of the wolf is once again in the balance after the winds blowing in from Brussels have indicated that their protected is coming under review.

la von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, recently declared resurgent wolf populations ‘a real danger for livestock and potentially also for humans’. The news will come as music to the ears of Spanish farmers and hunting federations, which have faced a total ban on killing wolves since 2021.

Hunting them was permitted with quotas north of the River Duero until the prohibition south of the river was extended to the entire country. Despite fierce opposition from those who view wolves as a nuisance or even a pest, the conservationists

won out thanks to fears that the population had still not recovered sufficiently.

Today the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation blames ravenous wolf packs for the loss

of 10,000 heads of livestock a year, with over half coming in Castilla y Leon.

Farmers have reported finding entire flocks of sheep massacred in overnight blood baths, leaving them traumatised and with a substantial fi nancial loss to bear.

Yet, in the 2021 census, Spain was found to be home to a population of just 2,500 Ibe rian wolves spread across 297 packs, 90% of which roamed north of the Duero, including in Galicia and Asturias.

Combined with the population in Portu gal, the Iberian wolf represents the largest population in Europe.

However, it also represents the most deadly, according to Professor Krzysztof Schmidt from the Mammal Research Institute in Poland. In the post-war years, some nine cases of a wolf killing a human have been recorded across Europe, and they all occurred in Spain.

Most of the victims were unattended children, picked off by wolves in scenes reminiscent of a Grimm fairy tale.

Yet those attacks occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, during a different time when Spain was a more rural and agrarian society. This period marked the prelude to the wolf population reaching its most precarious state, before bouncing back slowly after protections

By Jason O’Toole Blanca, where Gilligan had relocated. Away from the eagle eyes of

GUIN AND YANG: Pulling pints in Torrevieja’s Judge’s Chambers and (above) his arrest

San Pedro Alcantara & Guadalmina

SWEET ADDITION: The old sugar cane factory in El Ingenio has a total reform

GOOD NEIGHBOURS

SOMETHING awesome this way comes for the residents of San Pedro Alcantara.

The sister town of Marbella is yet again upgrading its charm thanks to the addition of a new barrio - aka neighbourhood - called El Ingenio. Across the road from the La Colonia shopping centre, and next to the historic sugar factory, extensive works are creating a nucleus of shops, bars and restaurants. While yet to be completed, the charming epicentre of the up-and-coming area along Calle Jose Echegaray already counts a pottery school, bakery, independent fashion stores and two popular tapas restaurants.

Another revamped up-and-coming barrio is further increasing the allure of San Pedro Alcantara, writes

Laurence Dollimore

It is just one of the latest developments that has turned this once humble fishing village into a jewel of the Costa del Sol. Meanwhile, there is a spate of new luxury homes sprouting up in the south of the town towards the beach, and close to the recently revamped Nueva Alcantara padel club.

A striking urban boulevard sprouting trendy pavement cafes has reclaimed the once maligned area, which was plagued by lines of traffic before an underground tunnel was created, allowing cars from the N-340 coast road to travel underneath most of the town.

With a skating rink, a skate park and a hat trick of new children’s play parks, the seaside village is growing increasingly unrecognisable from a decade ago.

The town’s head-turning footbridge with its serpentine coils, is doing for San Pedro what the Golden Gate did for San Francisco.

Just 10km west of Marbella, ‘San Peds’ has been reborn over the last decade. But some things have never changed in the 20 or so years I have been visiting the town.

The evenings still see veteran Sanpedreños gather on shaded benches around

Continues overleaf

THRIVING: The revamped barrio of El Ingenio

OLD AND NEW

St Peter’s statue, outside the parish church, and you can bet your bottom centimo the pavement cafes and ice cream parlours are heaving on Sunday nights.

What has kept San Pedro special has been its ability to hang on to its Spanish persona in the face of massive investment from Marbella Town Hall - more than €100 million.

The central boulevard, crowned by its snaking pedestrian bridge, has turned the town from an also-ran suburb into a spanking new social hub where whole families come to skate on the all-weather artificial ice rink and enjoy the regular food truck festivals.

Other welcome upgrades include the €85 million tunnel diverting dangerous high-speed traffic below the town centre, and a much-needed underground car park.

New investment has also seen the centre of town part-pedestrianised.

And beneath the glitzy exterior,

WHERE TO EAT

San Pedraños are as friendly and unassuming as they were in their 19th century farming days.

Central to its evolution has been its bustling beach promenade that links seamlessly to Banus and Marbella, putting the town on the map for cyclists, joggers and walkers.

Its beaches fly the prestigious blue flag, the worldwide standard of excellence, while chic chiringuitos like Macaao and Guayaba are hotspots for the cool and hip.

The once-barren wasteland between the boulevard and coast now includes shops, restaurants, residential communities and world class amenities

like Nueva Alcantara paddle and tennis club, which reopened this year following a massive revamp. And there’s more. San Pedro has its own leafy satellite suburb in the shape of Guadalmina (Baja and Alta), just west of the town centre. This exclusive neighbourhood – a kind of western golden mile - boasts multi-million euro mansions galore.

ten seen jogging or walking along the tree-lined avenues, flanked by two or three burly bodyguards.

The coast’s only cable ski lake which thrill-seekers can circuit

Guadalmina Baja is frequently home to ex-Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, who is of-

Guadalmina Alta, on the opposite side of the A7, has an 18-hole course and the coast’s only cable ski lake which thrill-seekers can circuit on water skis or a wakeboard.

“I adore it here, you feel like you are in the real Spain,” raves Irish Guadalmina resident Debbie Lush.

“You are so close to Marbella and Es-

SUPER SAN PE-

MY Vietnamese ‘nems’ came out glistening on a bed of lettuce and mint, their serving on a raised African bowl bringing something of a regal touch. They were crunchy and delicious,

San Pedro’s wining and dining scene keeps improving, writes Jon Clarke

Pedro beach, a wonderful laid back chiringuito serving up some of the coast’s finest food for nearly a decade.

A classic family restaurant run by the Dhondts, from Belgium, fish is very much the name of the game and, in particular, I recommend the hake in the freshest pea salad with watercress and new potatoes I have had this year.

The black cod is also excellent, served with a medley of vegetables on a bed of mash and cep mushrooms, with tiny cherry tomatoes as a garnish.

There are also many specials of the day - including no surprises, regularly mussels - as well as fab -

ulous shrimp croquettes and, often, a good ceviche.

“We ran two restaurants back in the St Tropez of Belgium, Knokke le Zoute, before deciding to up sticks and make a go of it here,” explains dad Michel. Having just undergone a stunning refit and renovation it’s clear they are here to stay especially now daughter Lisa is in charge.

quality food and, certainly, wine. Said to have the best collection of sherries in Spain (even better than in Jerez itself) you can have many by the glass, a lot of them between 30 and 50 years old.

My vintage Oloroso from historic Bodegas Tradicion, served alongside a delicious rabo de toro oxtail, was a true pairing from heaven.

HISTORICAL: The old watchtower on San Pedro beach and Roman bath house and (above left) park with giant anchor and statue of town founder the Marques del Duero

Heading into the centre of San Pedro town, La Bodega del Cantinero is slowly becoming THE place to eat TO A TEE: The hake at Macaao is exceptional, while location (above right)

DISHY: One of Alberto’s tasty artichoke specials, with jamon Iberico

tepona but without the madness and business of Puerto Banus, it’s perfect.

“You can walk to the beach, cycle to Marbella and there are so many good places to eat, you have everything on your doorstep,” she adds.

Like most locals, these days, she’s proud to tell anyone who asks that, no, she’s not Marbelli - she’s ‘Sanpedreño, actually’.

SNAKING: The celebrated pedestrian

Garnering 98 points from American wine guru Robert Parker, the vino is fittingly among the 50 top white wines in Spain.

And this is some way down the list of the best wines on offer at Alberto’s remarkable restaurant.

“I’ve got every 100 point white wine from Parker,” insists the friendly restaurateur, who has been improving his offering at his locale for over two decades now. Increasingly though he is investing in other wines from around Spain, including some from the north.

And besides the wine, the food keeps getting better with plenty of specials, including an excellent braised artichoke dish and an ocean fresh tartaki blue fin salad. His appropriately renamed Ensaladilla Kyev (thanks to his Ukrainian wife, one of the chefs) takes some beating while the thick creamy chocolate mousse is the perfect fit for one of the pudding wines.

a few decent tapas is Nicolas in Guadalmina, which is part of the famous two century old French wine shop chain.

This is the project of husband and wife team Pierre-Carlos and Georgina Galvan and they have hundreds of different bottles of Champagne, fine Burgundy and Bordeaux, with dozens available by the glass, served up alongside gourmet products such as patés and cheese.

“We try to find a bottle to match everyone’s taste and budget,” explains Pierre, who is looking to open more shops in Marbella and already has another in Elviria.

New places open in the town by the month these days with Musaka , an exciting Greek place just setting up right on the boulevard. With an excellent terrace overlooking the park, this is a lovely place to while away half a day, but you are here for the wonderfully

Another great place to sip fabulous wine with Continues on next page

overpass

San Pedro Alcantara & Guadalmina

From previous page

TUCK IN

fresh Greek-inspired dishes, including taramasalata and hummus.

There are so many other great places to eat around San Pedro, from established garden restaurant Casa Fernando to historic Albert & Simon , which once had a Michelin star, to stylish El Ancla , with its natural salt pool swimming pool on a headland by the beach.

The latest addition is Barbillon down on the beach in Guadalmina, which sits in a fantastic location by the ancient Roman bathhouse and 18th century watchtower. A stylish spot, with great views to Africa

ROMANTIC: Recently opened Barbillon at night is part of a small Madrid chain that has recently decided to invest on the coast.

VAMOS A LA FERIA

SAN PEDRO’S much awaited Feria kicks off on October 16.

Thousands of people from all over Andalucia and other parts of Spain are expected to attend the popular local celebrations that goes on until the 22nd. Launching with a firework display, the seven-day event will feature hundreds of brilliant activities. From the usual feria attractions to the food and game stalls, the frenetic week will be unforgettable for most.

On October 19 the procession in the honour of San Pedro will take place.

A full programme will be published a week before its start, Marbella’s City Hall has confirmed

to the Olive Press.

This year’s Queen and King of the feria have already been chosen with Alicia Mancilla and Marco Carcela taking the honours (pictured). The monarchs get a free pass to all the attractions.

TALENTS: Simon at Albert & Simon and (left) dishes at excellent Greek Musaka

the Gardai and the Irish media, Gilligan had grand notions about getting back into his old business: smuggling hash.

It was clearly one of the reasons why he picked the drug-infested city of Torrevieja, but Gilligan also went over there because his daughter Tracey had resided in that city for many years. She offered to put him up while he got back on his feet.

At the time, Tracey still owned a bar called (appropriately) The Judge’s Chambers. Most bar receipts would simply thank you for your business, but the one at her bar couldn’t resist a quip with ‘The Jury’s still out’ printed on the bill.

According to Gilligan, it all went south for him when he put together enough

friend Sharon, 61. The then 66-year-old was suddenly catapulted back into the limelight when arrested with a suitcase full of money at Belfast International Airport in October 2019.

Where did it all go wrong this time?

During a series of interviews at his home in Torrevieja, Gilligan told me: “I was coming back to Spain. I had €8,000 to bring back with me. But a man owed me money for over three years.

I spoke to him the day before I

“‘Would you have the money what you owe me?’ I asked.

“‘I will have. I’m borrowing money off a sister of mine. She’s coming into a good few quid,’ he said. ‘Can you bring it over

“I asked for the money because I was going to rent a place for 12 months [in Spain]. “I was staying at my daughter’s and I promised her I’d only stay a few weeks.

“I’d been talking to an estate agent and he said, ‘You can’t get a place because of who you are.

“You’re high profile and you have no bank account in Spain and you have no NIE [Foreign Identity Number]. You will need 12 months

HOWL AT THE TRUTH

Facts about wolves

up front in advance.’

“I said okay. He showed me three properties. I picked one. I said to myself, ‘When I go back with the €8,000 I’ll give it to him. Then when I get some more money I’ll give it to him and see if I can talk him into letting me have the property.’

“I got up the morning I was leaving. I got some breakfast and showered and cleaned up. “My niece came and said, ‘Uncle John, a man’s after knocking at the door. And he said, there’s your €14,000.’

“So, I now had €22,000. I went to the North because there was no flight in Dublin. The flights in Northern Ireland were really cheap.

“I had the money in my suitcase. I didn’t get stopped by the customs, but when I was boarding the flight the woman [at the desk] said to me, ‘You’re not on this flight.’

“‘There’s me boarding pass,’ I said. ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘I think you’ll be taken off it.’

“And then she called the customs man and said, ‘Is this the man that you want to see?’

“And he said, ‘John Gilligan?’ I said yeah. ‘You got any money?’ I could’ve taken a chance, but I didn’t want to tell any lies.

“‘I have about €1,000 in me pocket, but I have €21,000 in the suitcase.’ ‘Where’s your suitcase?’ he said. ‘It’s on board. It’s for rent. I’ve the papers with it in me suitcase for the rental.’ “‘Come with us,’ he said.

“He was after saying to one customs officer, ‘Go down and get his case, right.’

BUSY SUMMER!

THE Olive Press has once again proven itself as THE paper to read for expats living in Spain.

A slew of our exclusive stories have featured in the national newspapers back home this summer, including the Telegraph, Daily Mail and the Sun.

Unlike our rivals, we have reporters on the ground undertaking investigations and chasing the big stories of the day.

Our coverage of the drama surrounding ousted football boss Luis Rubiales, for example, garnered two consecutive days' leads in the Telegraph, one on page 3, as well as a trio in the Sun.

It came as our reporter camped out in Motril for four days to cover all the latest angles, that included tracking down the Costa Tropical villa (above), where Rubiales allegedly held orgies paid for by the Spanish FA.

But it’s the heartfelt - and much needed - stories from the expat community that best provide unrivalled content to our readers.

Take the heartwarming story of paralysed Aaron Salter (left), who celebrated having a ‘miracle’ baby via IVF treatment with his beautiful Spanish partner Estrella.

It was picked up by both the Sun and Mirror

And then there was the unbelievable and ongoing story of single mother Kate Langshaw who has been mercilessly evicted by her landlord - who branded her a squatter despite having paid seven years of rent.

Now the Sun has followed up the story her ongoing battle just got that bit stronger.

were put in place in the 1970s.

Even so, the Iberian wolf was recently declared extinct in Andalucia, as zero sightings have been reported in a decade.

In 2021 the Spanish government announced its wolf recovery plan to try and get wolf numbers up 18% to 350 packs.

This plan will now run head first into the EC’s plans to potentially introduce ‘flexibility’ into their protection status. Thus goes the tumultuous existence of the wolf in Spain.

1. Their effect on humans: Wolves usually pose no threat to humans. They are cautious animals and will avoid humans unless provoked. They neither see us as a threat nor as prey.

2. Subspecies of wolf: There are around 30 subspecies of wolves around the world. Grey and black wolves are the most common. The subspecies that live in Spain include the Iberian wolf and the Eurasian wolf.

3. What do they eat:

Wolves are pack hunters and predominantly feed on herbivores. Due to being pack hunters, they are able to successfully kill and consume much larger animals such as moose, deer, and wild boar. In Spain the packs are smaller meaning they typically hunt smaller animals, such as deer, ibex, rabbits and, even, fish. They are even known to eat apples, pears, figs and berries. Similarly to dogs, wolves will also eat grass, but mainly to induce sickness.

4. Depredation of livestock:

The hunting of livestock is a severe problem for farmers. Domesticated animals are easy targets as they are used to being cared for by humans and cannot defend themselves well. In 2021 over 1,500 wolf attacks took place in Castilla y Leon alone.

5. What diseases they spread:

Diseases are easily transmitted between wolves and humans. Gastrointestinal parasites have been found in 57-100% of the native iberian wolf. Research shows that leishmania has also been found in 46% of wolves in Spain. It causes anaemia, fever and an enlargement of the spleen and liver.

6. Extinction of wolves

The number of species of wolf has declined dramatically, with the Sicilian wolf and Japanese wolf becoming extinct in recent years, along with 14 others. The iberian wolf has an estimated 2,500 individuals in the peninsular.

“I only walked three minutes across the floor. So, by the time we got across the room the case was coming through the door – so they already had it. So, I was delighted I told the truth.

“‘Am I getting on the plane?’

“And he said no. A couple of customs officers said: ‘We think you’ll be getting your money back. Our boss has just gone to make another phone call to the Criminal Assets Bureau.

“It’s them guys that’s picking on you. It’s them guys who want you locked up and the money taken off you. But you didn’t hear that from us.’

What happened next?

“They brought me to a police station and then brought me to court and got me held in custody. The maximum sentence for that was six months in prison. You got 50 per cent remission off. It should be only three months inside.

But I was in prison for five-and-a- half months. I applied for bail 10 or 15 times.”

The Gilligan Tapes – by Jason O’Toole is out now from Merrion Press, available from online booksellers and as a Kindle ebook.

Even the Spanish press have been hot on our tails, with Diario Sur following up our incredible story of an 80-year-old expat (right) who was run over at least four times by his neighbour. The story was also run in the Sun, Daily Mail and Mirror back home.

And there’s a reason expats trust us with their stories, thanks to our team of NCTJtrained journalists who have had years of experience working in Fleet Street before making the move to Spain.

If you have a story you think needs telling, don’t hesitate to contact us at tips@theolivepress.es

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

1- OPINION: Luis Rubiales comes from a long tradition of Andalucian entitlement and impunity

2- EXC: British single mother, 44, is branded a 'squatter' by her Spanish landlord and faces eviction despite paying rent for SEVEN years

3- Watch: Man arrested in Madrid after sexually assaulting a female reporter live on Spanish TV

4- Is Spain due a mammoth earthquake? What the Morocco disaster means for neighbouring Andalucia

5- Bill Gates' mega yacht docks in Spain’s Malaga Port

UP CLOSE: Journalist Jason O’Toole (left) grilled Gilligan

RAVENOUS: Wolves kill 10,000 farm animals a year in Spain

‘There’s me boarding pass,’ I said. ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘I think you’ll be taken off it.’

Local flair

GIBRALTAR’S own conductor

Karel Mark Chichon will be back on the Rock to direct the European Sinfonietta at this year’s autumn classical music concert.

It will be held at the stunning location of St Michael’s Cave on October 4 with tickets priced at £22 including bus transfer from the city centre. Chichon has held prestigious positions with several major orchestras after studying at the Royal Academy of Music.

He was Chief Conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern and the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra.

He has also conducted orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. Chichon is especially known for his work in the opera world.

PHILANDERING PICASSO

Womanising artist defended by grandson in BBC TV series

LEGENDARY Spanish

painter Pablo Piccaso’s penchant for women will be featured in a new BBC TV documentary series, Picasso: The Beauty and the Beast.

Malaga-born Picasso, who died in 1973, was regarded as painting some of the finest masterpieces of the 20th century but many branded him as a notorious womaniser.

He once said that ‘there are

THE Royal Air Force band will play for two days in a row at two locations in Gibraltar free of charge at the end of September.

The band, which is based at RAF Northolt in West London regularly performs at major events including the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

It will play at St Michael’s Cave on September 29 at 7.30pm and the following day at Casemates Square in a static display for the general public.

The Air Force Board of the Defence

By Alex Trelinski

only two kinds of womengoddesses and doormats’. Decades later those comments are regarded as sexist and misogynistic and the documentary describes his personal life as ‘full of contradictions’. But his grandson has defended Picasso saying that women that got close to him

HIGH NOTE

Council organised the performances with the support of the Gibraltar Government.

Tickets to the St Michael’s Cave performance are free of charge and include shuttle service and event admission.

“These free to the public events reaffirm the historic bond between the UK Armed Forces and the people of Gibraltar,” its government said in a statement.

WONDERFUL GREEK MEDITERRANEANINFLUENCEDFOOD

Llanito rules

CAMBRIDGE University has hosted a two-day presentation about Gibraltar’s culture and writing for international academics that gave local writers a chance to speak their views. The Gibraltar Literature Symposium titled ‘Llanito Culture and Writing’ at the prominent university’s Faculty of English looked at how language is connected to emotion, the threats to ‘Llanito’, and language choices of the Gibraltarians.

info@musaka.com

BOOKING CODE: ‘MUSAKA11’

20, 29670, San Pedro de Alcántara

knew beforehand what he was like. Olivier Widmaier Picasso says that his grandmother,

With every lunch or dinner reservation

Marie-Therese Walter, always recalled the excitement of being with him – even though he had abandoned her just after the birth of their daughter, Maya. “She still described him as wonderfully terrible,” Olivier said “In a way, she was talking about him as if they were still together.”

Picasso was already married to a former ballerina when he first spotted Walter outside a Paris gallery in 1927 and they became lovers despite a 28-year age gap.

Inevitably, Picasso moved to somebody else, but grandson Olivier said: “My grandfather had love stories with each woman and no one was forced to do anything.”

OP QUICK CROSSWORD

Language

It focused on ‘language use, literary expression, and other expressions of the Gibraltarian identity’, the Ministry of the Culture said. Authors from Gibraltar showed off their work at the event to academics from Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK.

LANGUAGE: discussions

Across

1 This town used to be Aquae Sulis (4)

4 Perceptible to the eye (7)

8 Helps drivers see (8)

9 Tart (4)

10 Organ controls (5)

11 Reporter (7)

13 Pot cooker (4)

15 Statute (3)

16 Outstanding sportsperson (4)

17 Six-legged creatures (7)

19 As foal is to mare, so --- is to cow (5)

22 The national one distributes juice (4)

23 Boot Iran out - it’s a failure (8)

24 Depresses (7)

25 Nip (4)

Down

2 Wide-awake (5)

3 Kind of bend (7)

4 The power to reject (4)

5 Press ten maladjusted old instruments (8)

6 Fundamental principle (5)

7 Send to school (7)

12 Fashion industry (3,5)

14 Entrails (7)

16 Jumped in fright (7)

18 Came to a close (5)

20 Shipwrecked Shakespearean heroine (5)

21 Scottish bog (4)18 Ships’ companies (5)

19 Got into bed (5)

All solutions are on page 15

GODDESSES AND DOORMATS: How Picasso described women IN ACTION: RAF band

LIQUID CULTURE

PEDRO XIMENEZ wines, produced from a grape grown in the Andalucian municipality of Montilla, are in line to be named an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

The mayor of the town, Rafael Llamas, has announced that he is applying for the recognition as the production process makes Pedro Ximenez unique.

The intensely sweet, dark dessert sherries could be given the designation in about three years.

It will, however, be the regional government of Andalucia that will have to file the actual application, being the only authority with the power to do so.

The process of making Pedro Ximenez wines involves drying grapes under an intensely hot sun, which concentrates the sweetness of the fruit. The result is a thick black liquid tasting of raisins and molasses, which is fortified and then aged in barrels in a process known as solera.

Popular temple

MALAGA Cathedral has achieved a historic milestone this summer by welcoming 110,606 visitors during July and August.

This represents a 10% surge in tourist

numbers compared to the pre-pandemic era.

The cathedral, built over two centuries starting in the 16th century, combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles, and is known for its intricate design, impressive interior, and religious art collection.

Tasty congress

Star Spanish chef Ferran Adria to be honoured at 25th edition of Gastronimika culinary congress

THE Basque Country is rightly known for its exquisite cuisine, and this October foodies from all over the world will have yet another excuse to make a visit there. The San Sebastian Gastronomika culinary event will be celebrating its 25th anniversary, and will be held in the Kursaal Con-

Booming tourism

SPAIN’s tourism sector has just closed a record summer season, with an average occupation rate of 93%.

In some destinations, the rate was as high as 100%.

According to data from travel website ebooking.com, much of this success is due to Spaniards opting to visit domestic destinations this summer rather than travel abroad.

By Simon Hunter

gress Centre from October 9 to 11.

The anniversary will not just reflect on the past accomplishments of the event but also the role it has played ‘in shaping the narrative of global cuisine’, according to

The figures also come despite a serious hike in prices, with accommodation costs up 15% across the country, with last minute deals as much as 30% higher than a year ago.

According to ebooking.com, the price rise is down to increased demand and the high inflation that has been suffered in Spain since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Among the most popular destinations for domestic tourists are Andalucia, Catalunya and Valencia.

the organisers.

As part of the celebrations, three illustrious figures from the culinary world will be honoured for their contributions.

Star Spanish chef Ferran Adria,

HONOUR: Star chef Ferran Adria best known for his El Bulli restaurant in Roses on the Costa Brava, will be given the Homage Award. The Gueridon de Oro, meanwhile, will be bestowed on British wine critic, journalist and wine writer Jancis Robinson, and the Pau Alborna y Torras Journalism Award will hon-

our Rafael Garcia Santos, who has writing a number of books and has also been a pioneer of gastronomy congresses in Spain. Also in attendance will be other stars of the world of food including US-based Spanish chef Jose Andres, and Rasmus Munk and Rene Redzepi from Denmark.

Five star Malaga

MALAGA aims to triple its current count of nearly 1,000 five-star hotel rooms within four years.

The capital of the Costa del Sol currently offers approximately 15,000 hotel rooms, with only four high-end options.

According to Jacobo Florido, the Tourism Councillor, this limited selection is insufficient to attract highnet-worth tourists.

To address this, the city aims to double its number of five-star hotel rooms to reach 2,000 beds in four years, with aspirations to ultimately offer 3,000 such rooms, signalling a focus on high-end tourism.

TOP OF THE POLLS

ANDALUCIA boasts three of Europe’s best top-rated monuments.

In TripAdvisor's recent ranking, the region secured three of the top five spots, establishing itself as an essential European destination.

Top attractions include Cordoba’s Mosque-Cathedral, the Basilica of St Peter in Rome, the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, the Alhambra of Granada, and the Alcazar of Sevilla.

952 147 834

PEAK OF GASTRONOMY

The hilltop village of Gaucin is offering a tasty weekend of treats to show off its classic mountain fare

IT doesn’t take much to entice visitors up to the emblematic mountain village of Gaucin for a day trip. But now the classic pueblo blanco is offering an even better reason to ascend its spectacular access roads. For three days, this weekend (Sept 22 - 24), the Serrania de Ronda village is coming alive to a full menu of good food, drinks and live music.

Its first Encuentro Gastronómico will be showing off its unique local food scene at its very best.

Set around a brand-new tapas route that winds around the pretty white village, special dishes will be on offer in many of its award-winning restaurants.

There will also be cookery demonstrations, the opportunity to sample

locally-produced wines, beers and spirits - and all accompanied by an exciting line-up of live music.

Whether you want to visit for lunch or dinner, the bars and restaurants will be open from noon to 4pm and 8pm to 11pm with the tastings and entertainment in the plaza following the same schedule.

Just a short 30-minute drive from the beautiful beaches of the Costa del Sol, and 45 minutes from the Campo de Gibraltar, it is an easy place to get to.

“Gaucin’s unique location has led to the development of a diverse gastronomy offering, a fusion of Andalucian and International flavours which will be represented throughout the weekend,” a spokesperson told the Olive Press. Jointly organised by the town hall’s tourism and culture departments, 11 of the village’s bars and restaurants will take part in the event.

THE FOOD:

There will be a traditional Tapas Route with all the bars offering a unique tapa for just €2,50 and simply by sampling five tapas in different bars participants

will be able to enter the prize draw with prizes valuing 225€. In addition, the award-winning restaurants will be offering a special dish, each their unique version of Iberian pork presented with seasonal accompaniments. Just by sampling one of these dishes there will be the chance of entering a draw with prizes valued at 325€.

THE DRINK:

In addition to the wonderful food, there will be a chance to sample locally produced wine, gin and beer in the main square, the centre of the weekend’s activities. Pop up bars from local producers Gaugin, Bodegas Cezar and Cerveza La Catarina will provide a bar service all weekend.

THE ENTERTAINMENT:

Gaucin-born chef Luis Carlos Rodriguez will be demonstrating his incredible style of fusion cookery in the plaza at 7pm on Saturday night. He will create four different tapas based on locally-produced morcilla (black pudding) and each with his own special twist. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Coldplay tribute band on Friday night at 11pm and by Radio Petrarca at the same time on Saturday night.

GIFTS TO TAKE AWAY:

Bottles of locally-produced beers, gin and wines will

be on sale in the Plaza to take home to enjoy at home or to gift to your loved ones.

ACCOMMODATION:

Why not make a weekend of it?

Gaucin offers a range of accommodation from hotels and hostals to charming rural houses and apartments. The beautiful boutique hotel La Fructuosa in the centre of the village makes an ideal place to stay. Alternatively just 10-minute drive away is the newly opened Hotel Karma La Herriza. In addition, the Breñaverde and Moncada hostals provide affordable rooms just walking distance away.

For more accommodation options you can visit Gaucin’s tourism website www.visitgaucin.com/en/whereto-stay/

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT:

www.visitgaucin.com/en/2023/08/24/encuentro-gastronomico-2/ F www.facebook.com/VisitGaucin/

I Instagram @visitgaucin

ALLURING: Wonderful pueblo blanco and some things on offer

HEALTH

ALARM has been raised over a popular French deodorant sold in Spain as a number of users have reported the appearance of cysts in their armpits. The French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) has ordered the removal of Nuud deodorants from all shops after the detection of ‘cysts in the

Weeda-relief

MEDICAL cannabis could soon be available to patients suffering with chronic illnesses in Gibraltar after the government struck a deal with a major distributor.

Berlin-based Cantourage will supply medical cannabis to the Rock after doctors at the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) received training to prescribe the products.

The decision was greeted with delight by Cantourage UK co-founder Joshua Cuby, after his work to set up a framework for medical cannabis in Gibraltar.

“Using our first-hand experience treating thousands of patients in the UK and Germany, we are committed to providing eligible patients in Gibraltar with natural alternative treatments to help those with chronic conditions get a far better quality of life,” Cuby said.

“In particular, we are eager to support patients where more traditional medication therapies have failed.”

The government said it only needed to wait for the ‘final detail’ to start distributing cannabis to patients with certain conditions.

Dear Jennifer:

BE PREPARED

armpits of different users of the product’.

French authorities have reported that the cysts could be the result of clogged skin pores caused by various fatty ingredients in the deodorant.

The ANSM has further revealed that a number of people have also suffered from infections that had to be treated with antibiotics.

Cyst alarm

But in Spain, the deodorant can still be bought, yet consumers are advised not to do so. In addition, the health institution is asking those buyers that spot a cyst after using the deodorant to ‘see a doctor immediately.’

PLEASE JAIL ME

Lonely cancer patient asks to be sent to be prison because he is tired of being alone

A 60-YEAR-OLD cancer sufferer has asked to be sent to jail despite having done nothing wrong because, he says, he is afraid of ‘being alone’ given his state of health.

In prison, he claims, he would have companions who could ‘attend to him and assist him’.

As well as having cancer, Justo Marquez from Granada also suffers heart problems, depression and anxiety.

His poor state of health has seen him referred to mental health services on a number of occasions, but he has been repeatedly told to visit his GP.

As a result he says that he feels he has been left ‘destitute’ by the social and health services. “I can’t find any help anywhere and going into jail is an idea that I had,” he said. “But I don’t want to commit any crime.”

SURGEONS have carried out a key ear operation in Gibraltar for the first time that shortens recovery time from up to four months to just four weeks.

The successful ‘cochlear’ implant operation removes the need for patients to stay in the UK for four months at the cost of the taxpayer.

It will mean patients can now be discharged the same day as the operation and recover with their families before the electronic gadget that improves hearing can be switched on.

Patients previously had to remain in the UK for up to four months be-

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He added that he was ‘desperate’ to find a solution to his problem and to no longer be ‘alone 24 hours a day’.

He actually recently turned up at the Alhaurin de la Torre prison to request he be let in. He was carrying a sign that read: “I want to go to jail.”

He has made clear that he will continue to protest at the doors of the prison until his situation is resolved.

Marquez, a father of five, also managed to speak to the prison warden, who said that he would not be able to enter the penitentiary on a voluntary basis.

He previously spent two years in jail when he was a younger man on drugs-related charges, but claims that he has been clean for more than three decades.

OPEN EARS

cause of the risks of changing air pressure on the plane.

A cochlear implant requires both surgery and a large amount of therapy for patients to relearn the sense of hearing.

A visiting team of Consultant ENT surgeons from University College London Hospital took part in the local surgery. Their role in the operation is a result of an 18-month relationship with Gibraltar.

Across: 1 Bath, 4 Visible, 8 Demister, 9 Sour, 10 Stops, 11 Newsman, 13 Kiln, 15 Act, 16 Seed, 17 Insects, 19 Calve, 22 Grid, 23 Abortion, 24 Saddens, 25 Dram.

Down: 2 Alert, 3 Hairpin, 4 Veto, 5 Serpents, 6 Basis, 7 Educate, 12 Rag trade, 14 Innards, 16 Started, 18 Ended, 20 Viola, 21 Moss.

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Death is always traumatic and exhausting – why make it even harder for those left behind?

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Are you suffering from anxiety?

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Five-finger discount

SPANISH supermarkets have followed the UK’s suit in giving formerly affordable items such as Spain’s much-cherished olive oil security tags to deter rampant shoplifters.

Bear stunner

A BROWN bear stunned locals in Castilla y Leon by getting its head stuck in a plastic drum. Experts had the perilous job of removing it before it starved to death.

Cultural crime

TOURISTS to Barcelona have been complaining that the much-admired gothic cathedral has been plastered with a giant flashing advert selling mobile phones.

RESS

SAND WEDGE

Women golfers tee off bringing €300m gift for sandy southern Spain

A STAGGERING 82,000 tickets have already been sold for this month’s Solheim Cup, appearing for the first time in Spain.

The world’s top women’s golf tournament is set to sprinkle a healthy €300m on the Costa del Sol when it takes place this weekend.

Held at Finca Cortesin, in Casares, from September 22 to 24 it will see the best players

from Europe and the United States do battle.

Billed as the women’s version of the Ryder Cup, teams consist of 12 players each, with a total of 28 matches to be played. There are eight foursomes and eight four-ball games on the first two days, and then 12 singles games on the last day.

“It’s going to be an unforgettable show and its impact has already been noted at all levels,”

A WATER company employee could have hit the jackpot after unearthing a 2,500 year-old gold necklace on the job.

Sergio Marciandi found the Iron Age artefact concealed among rocks in Cavandi, Asturias.

Now he has been praised by the regional government for immediately calling in archaeologists rather than attempting to pocket the valuable jewellery.

said Andalucia tourist chief Arturo Bernal.

The US team holds the world

Honest worker

It means scientists can now undertake a full study of the site to put the find into context. Since the find, the authorities have already discovered a second ancient necklace, with a specialist team being assembled to examine the site further.

Follow the leader

AN ultralight aircraft is guiding endangered Alpine birds on a 2000-km journey to their new home in Andalucia. The Northern Bald Ibises, from Austria, had disappeared from Europe centuries ago, with the only surviving populations in Morocco and Syria.

The Eremita project however, has worked hard to establish new populations in Europe, with Austria, Germany and Switzerland being the main beneficiaries.

ranking advantage, with an average score of 24.42 compared to Europe's 42.58.

The home side, however, has an overwhelming advantage with more experience and momentum, winning four of the last six cups.

“I can't remember another time, another year, where so many Americans and Europeans were winning leading up to the Solheim Cup," US assistant captain Angela Stanford said.

“I can't remember a time where it just felt like all year long it was back and forth.”

The project is now hoping to re-establish their migration route to Andalucia after a successful scheme led to the establishment of wild colonies in Tuscany in Italy. The young birds follow the ultralight for two or three migrations before they have learned their own way.

WE’RE BACK: Ibis

PIC CREDIT: fincacortesin.com

CREDIT: Waldrappteam Naturschutz & Forschung