Old meets new - explore the costa’s garden city
Estepona
OLIVE PRESS
The
Andalucía
Mijas Costa FREE
Vol. 15 Issue 368 www.theolivepress.es
Your expat
voice in Spain
May 5th - May 18th 2021
See our special supplement inside
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OLIVE PRESS
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THE START: The first edition
of the Olive Press in 2006
15 YEARS OF FUN
its 15th As the Olive Press reaches of our birthday, we recall a few remember favourite interviews and such a couple of our top readers,(above) as ex-prime minister Rajoy and prime joker Paul Gascoigne...
a school warning after EXCLUSIVE: Private e moved to Spain, convicted British paedophil checks and found dodged criminal record teacher work as an English around Spain INTERNATIONAL schools alert after a British have been put on highone of Madrid’s most man began teaching at after being conexclusive colleges months victed in the UK. after Ben Lewis, Questions have been raisedschool despite be31, was able to work at the register. ing on the UK’s sex offenders that Lewis, The Olive Press has discovered for child sex ofwho is now awaiting trial Madrid V, fences at Centro Penitenciario TWO schools and a managed to hoodwink
NAMES: two different passports
Fiona Govan in Madrid
creating a new idenlanguage academy after tity, using forged documents. the sex offender reFormer colleagues of new name to dodge DANGER: Lewis got teaching post vealed that he created ain order to run sumteacher criminal record checks private classes to 2017 he accepted a job as an English (concertado) secmer camps and teach at a leading semi-private from that receives subsidies young children. to Ben David after ondary school He had changed his name2016 of taking and the state. by by the name Ben David being convicted in June of children in “He was going job after another possessing indecent images then and was offered the a former England. dropped out mid-term,” on As well as being placed be- teacher Natasha Fitzsimons told the Olive colleague the sex offender list and Press. fill the posiing handed a two-year susthey were desperate to thorough as was as pended sentence, he the “I think tion so maybe they weren’t barred from leaving should have been. with they working or country children. had Horrified Yet within weeks he at the school for 18 together moved to Spain and found worked golive- “We work in Zaragoza as a with months, took on private classes together for of the children in au pair to a family ing to the homes of someand ran a summer teaching three young children. the re- extracurricular The following year he be- camp at the school during 2018,” said at located to Madrid and at a Irish colleague, who is filled with horror gan teaching children the access he had to children. well-known language The Olive Press has discovered that the day academy after get- after sentencing in the UK he changed his ting a criminal record name by deed poll from Ben David Lewis check from Zarago- to Ben David, in a process that takes just 15 za police to show he minutes. had no convictions in He then applied for and received a British Spain over the previ- passport in his new name, while he also preIsraeli his of ous 12 months. sented a doctored photocopy verified by a Then in December passport stamped and that showed non-existent law firm Rose. his name as Ben David photocopThe Olive Press has seen degree ies of these, plus a teaching Status (QTS) and Qualified Teachingin the name certificates presented ALL AREAS COVERED as certifof Ben David Rose as well icates in his original name. by April 4G UNLIMITED What is amazing is thata teaching 2019 he had applied for INTERNET school in the job at a leading private district that IDEAL FOR upmarket Arturo Soria to the STREAMING TV teaches the British curriculum children of Madrid’s elite. certificate ALSO IPTV, By now he also had a DBS
Criminal
time at the ...meanwhile, we spend famous home of the world’s most he’s plumber as he announces after becoming a Spanish citizen, €15m to 15 years here and losing his ex-wives...
n Clinic Award Winning Rehabilitatio
EXCLUSIVE:+ OP splash 4
DON’T MISS OUR
20-PAGE SPECIAL
Vol. 8 Issue
186 www.theolivepress.es
FOUND PEDDLING
COSTA CONMAN
EXCLUSIVE:
A decade and a half of campaigning has scored some big wins for the Olive Press
the olive press Andalucía’s Fortnightly
VILLAGE
Where are they? And were these men involved? See page 8 & 9
News Publication
Issue 26, January
**Western Edition**
24th 2008
Full story on page
The FREE
573 F: 952 T: 952 587 Protec Group
EU steps in El Algorrobico hotel opening after Junta u-turn that “disgraces” pair of Spain... while a watch British pensioners as their house - which - is DID have a licence torn to the ground.
See pages 4 and
KAT’Z CAFÉ-BAR
www.grupo-protec.com
Here’s to the next 15! On behalf of all at the British Embassy and Consulates, I want to wish huge congratulations to all at the Olive Press on your 15th anniversary. The English language press plays a vital role in keeping UK nationals in Spain informed. And we very much appreciate your help in getting key messages out to UK nationals here. After an incredibly difficult year for so many of us, including many businesses, it is great to see the Olive Press thriving. We look forward to seeing what the next 15 years bring. BRITISH CONSUL CHARMAINE ARBOUIN
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Within an hour, the team scrambled to Olive Press car, Sammon covered Fuengirola, and his face learning from another remained silent that he was currently builder questioned by the Olive when out at the feria ground. camped He was then bundled Press. into the BMW and taken After a day working to Madrid to nearby, the be fingerprinted Londoner duly arrived in his for extradition. and prepared English-plated cream Moncayo Following campervan. the arrest, father-oftwo Reid said he Parking up, he looked was ‘relieved’ relaxed to see Sammon as he took his dog taken around the feria for a walk “As soon as I saw his away. face ground and the spoke with neighbours. most wanted I feltamong sick,” said Once identified, we called the “I letReid, from Blackpool. Guardia Civil and him hang around pers and so began Crimestop- dren, we took him in my chila tense three- arms with hour waiting game, and at first were noneopen with Reid wiser. the sitting in the car beside us. “But we always thought Sky News crime reporter he was Mar- a bit weird, tin Brunt was soon he’s a there too. never talks about real loner and Eventually, as night his family. and truly fell, an had well “He creeped my family black BMW arrivedunmarked much that I fired him.” out so and two Incredibly, plain clothes detectives police did not take swiftly evidence from any moved in for the his campervan incating his passportarrest, confis- cluding his computer and other Frisking him at theand phone. side of the CONTINUES ON PAGE
ANTHONYS Est 1984
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The hulking shell set for a 311-room of concrete - once SWATHES of rural mega resort - has Andalucia are in remained an eyesore danger of being concreted over after work was halted by for years after a new planning law the courts. was brought in Bunkers are also being by the regional government. 700-home golf course dug to stop a Green groups including scheme, near EcologisNerja, which will tas en Accion and Greenpeace have ment of one of thesee the developjoined with hundreds Costa del Sol’s final stretches of pristine ciations to fight on of local assocoast. And protesters in fronts opened up a series of new during the COVID digging in to stop Mijas are also crisis. SOON LEGAL?: the law being used to build in woods Algarrobico They are up in arms over the so- one, but TWO the sea at El Chaparral. overlooking called LISTA law new hotels the lockdown - that- passed during beaches in the supposedlyon virgin The first of many planned dozens of previously is set to allow ed natural park of Cabo de protect- took place outside council protests Gata. outlawed proj- The first involves offices in la Cala de Mijas ects to go ahead. a 30-room hotel the green light for It could also this week. In particular, activists near the globally see the controversial Valdevaqueros project about a controversialare outraged famous Bahia de Los Genoveses of hundreds new golf beach, while the course in Nerja, second is for a two- of homes go up on a heavily-protected virgin stand of woodlandas well as a final star hotel close to the pristine in Mijas. Cala Under the beach, near Tarifa. de San Pedro bay They are also furious recently resubmitted about not Protestors fear (pictured above). the new law will also project, backed by TV celebrity now allow the legalization Ana Rosa Quintana, the stunning area of nearby between Bolonia and El Algarro- see a series of hotels getTarifa would bico hotel, Ecologists built. are also worried that built dis- Los Merinos the project for gracefully courses and hundreds oftwo-golf on a virgin es housbeach, near landon UNESCO-protected virgin near Ronda could Carboneras, despite be revived, due to a preme being quashed by the SuCourt. planning mix up. Fairway to hell: See page 6
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BANGED UP: Sammon bundled into police car and (inset) his campervan
EXCLUSIVE: Expat snare one of UK’s tip leads Olive Press team most wanted paedophiles to
EAGLE-EYED Olive Press readers helped snag WORDS AND ain’s most wanted one of BritBy Rob HorganPICS and Spain, just hours fugitives in Laurence Dollimore after he had It’s a true city of been named. culture, but Following Malaga has so much a tip off to the paper, al Crime Agency, who arrived more at suspected paedophile the scene after the arrest. Sammon was dragged Matthew “Well done Olive PAGE 16 Press and from his thanks campervan in a dramatic to the expat time raid and whisked night- for tipping us off, community this is the reaaway in son we an unmarked police run these campaigns.” Working closely withcar. The informant whendramatic day had started Daniel Reid, we were able to annualCrimestoppers issued its firstly track down list of most wanted fugito Fuengirola, then Sammon tives in Torremolinos S on ThursGuardia Civil to arrestcall in the day morning. On the run for two him. Leading to hundreds of press mon - a blackbelt years, Sam- stories around the world and was wanted in the in Jujitsu - on national television, the hunt ing indecent imagesUK for shar- was immediately His seizure came of children. But, it was to on. popular local just 10 hours newspaper after he was named the Olive Press tion Captura and is in Opera- that expat plasterer Don’t miss our 12-Page Reid, 40, recorded arrest in the quickest reached out to, trusting Ronda supplement us to SUCCESS: Reid, and Spanish police the joint UK ‘do the job properly’. Reynolds and Horgan, “It was a fantastic operation. In a series of Facebook Brunt PAGE 19 mes- as a labourer Steve Reynolds, fromresult,” said sages, he announced and was currently the Nation- mon, that 45, had worked forSam- living in a campervan around him the Mijas and Fuengirola area.
fuengirola@ibexinsure.com
2020
LAST GREEN SPACES
olive INVESTIGATES press
AN ecological nightmare, “This hundreds of ancient is a cynical and oaks ap- attempt botched parently stand to create ambience Pulled up for a dead. around the golf course and roproject, they huge golf mac- create space,” rie rows like warline up in ee- geon Kit Hogg.said tree surgraves in the very “I Somme. few of these am sure Many centuries trees will survive. protected It is disbeen sacrificed old, they have gusting.” insatiable desirefor Europe’s Despite ongoing efforts to holiday homes. for golf and stop the work, EU investigaPart of the tions and – crucially – no unrelenting guarantee costafication of they sound the of Andalucia, Los Merinos,water, work at death knell for near Ronda nature conservation continues unchecked. in south- the ern Spain. true price of golf. This is
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Mafia town
How the CEO of crime corrupted a organized town hall PAGE 8
OLIVE PRESS WINS KEY JOURNALISM AWARD
Your
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July 8th - July 21st
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19th 2007
CHRIS STEWART WRITES FOR THE OLIVE PRESS His take on the Brits jailed for “saving the environment”
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Andalucía’s Fortnightly
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IMPACT: Tracking down crooked Nigel Goldman (above) and covering the devastating Costa del Sol fire in 2012
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EXCLUSIVEreveal that can The Olive PressPresident may the Russian a multimillion have bought mansion with a euro Marbella group of six businessmen.
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legends Ferran Adria and Gordon Ramsey. And it was nice to chat to Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera, as well as the only newspaper to be able to pose a couple of questions to Michelle Obama on her visit to Marbella a few years ago. Indeed, the positives far outweigh the negatives and we would prefer to be judged over 50 rather than 15 years. As far as we are concerned we have only just begun.
www.theolivepress.es
ENGLISH
can The Olive Press fraudster Nigel
and convicted By Tom Powell reveal that back in business using is Jamie Micklethwaite Monte’ Ni- Goldman ‘Howard Del Sol fraudster out COSTA del false name is hiding Spain last year gel GoldmanEnglish country the Goldman fled of fraud, in a classic the false name vicSuzanne Couling amid accusations his partner their wares via leaving behind dozens of milcottage underMonte’. - are peddling account called tims owed a total of €15 ‘Howard del ‘Del Monte’ Ebay Goldman - aka to the busi- a joint Emporium’. the lion. he refused to answer has also returned and selling ‘Bensons While happy office staff told it Village post that he regularly questions, he seemsher two ness of buying and antiques, Olive Press coins, stamps addressed to living with Couling,cats in the collects parcels also ‘sends daughters and two can be revealed. propsix month lease Monte’, and Renting on a Berkshire ‘Del packages’. modest three-bedroom Suzanne in the charming he and many erty. are Kintbury’s and (top) with village of Kintbury, UK bolthole While the pairof conversation, hottest topic seen and ‘keep HIDEOUT: Goldman’s you, with a parking ticket. why he to say to they are rarelyto themselves’. don’t understand if a traf“I have nothing meeting “I arrested, themselves live nearby but I look forward to down. hasn’t been find him then in Couling’s family fic warden can again,” he called can,” said still happier in Hungerford.secretive man you BRITS are to surely the police reports sugwho wished In fact, the Spain, despite have abanthe neighbour, is seemingly from Del Monte leaving the gesting 90,000 dream. Parking ticket remain anonymous. the village only ever seen doned the expatOlive Press but “Everyone in whatto the post office. disheveled, house to go An exclusivethat more than Press con- His hair washave the mous- knows he’s Goldman, he goes under.” his not When the Olive survey found of our readin his country- he did claimed he ever name fronted himGoldman refused tache some have part of his Goldman, who deleted three quarters since makrecently, is side retreat, the door, instead is now sporting as ers are happier Facebook accountinvestigated of disguise. to come to ing the move. currently being his head out morning, Coulto return millions briefly pokingwindow. The previous in his fistory, see No leaving the for failing his bedroom For the full ing was seento load up their of euros to investors dream on companies. the Olive end to Spanish house at 9am Zafira with nancial told page 4. silver Vauxhall off, possibly Various victims are practically boxes and head Press that theylosing their life sale. to a car boot explained that destitute after schemes, that One neighbourmoved into the savings to his Leading Building on Page 4 Costa Del Sols the day they Continues warden arsince 1996. house, a traffic the couple and Window Specialist, rived and issued
It’s MORE
When it comes to corruption we were the first English newspaper to write about the ERE scandal at the Junta de Andalucia that cost an estimated billion euros to the taxpayers, while we also tackled town hall theft on a local scale on dozens of occasions. Animal cruelty has been a continual bugbear and we have exposed so many evil abusers, as well as the scoundrels who allowed hunters to kill innocent circus lions and tigers at a finca in Extremadura (see below). On a more positive front, it was great to interview everyone from Princess Diana’s ex-lover James Hewett to cooking
maverick Jeremy Griffiths, and Nigel Goldman, a degenerate gold-dealing dirt-bag, who had a restaurant column in a local newspaper, which he used to cover his tracks. We also tackled timeshare crook Toni Muldoon, who certainly deserves a mention for conning thousands of people and eventually went to prison for setting up fake escort websites. Meanwhile, our crime reporting on missing teen Amy Fitzpatrick ‘blew open the case’, to use the words of her grandmother, while our continuing investigation into missing Maddie McCann has yielded exclusive after exclusive, with its frequent links to Spain.
14 2014
COINS FROM
The man from Del Monte
EXPOSED:
on
Getting things done
ESTEPONA
April 30 - May
FREE
conviction. long-time visiClifford - a and involved tor to the coast and local events in charities found guilty of - has been of sexual assault, eight counts on mostly on minors. were groomed in At least two being lured the coast, afterof stardom. with promises here with his He is pictured Kenny Lynch showbiz chum Marbella. at a bash in page 2
See full story
SUPPLEMENT ON
and only English-language The original newspaper in Andalucía investigative
olive press
the
young A PAIR of guru Max Clifdophile PR assaulted on the ford sexually have led to his Costa del Sol
The
ROM its very first issue in 2006 the Olive Press has been campaigning for its community. Whether fighting for the environment or digging into crooks, we have taken some big scalps. Starting from Issue One (see top right) we highlighted the ridiculous plans to build 2000 houses, two golf courses and two hotels on UNESCO-protected land near Ronda, as well as exposed the madness of building a 350-room monstrosity on a virgin beach in Almeria’s Cabo de Gata. Both schemes - Los Merinos, in Ronda, and the Algarrobico hotel, in Almeria - went into reverse after our stories made the UK AND Spanish national newspapers and green groups including Greenpeace and Ecologistas en Accion joined our protests. And then there were the crooks, like Crimestoppers’ Most Wanted Daniel Johnston, a bank robber, and Matthew Sammon, a dangerous paedophile, who we single-handedly tracked down to a village near Sevilla and a car park in Fuengirola. And fraudsters like David ‘the dogman’ Klein, pet transport
Clifford guilty girls pae-
M
Opinion Page 6
Continues on Page
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loophole that has allowed potentially hundreds of British paedophiles to find work in Spanish schools. The campaign follows an investigation by the Olive Press that revealed how easy it was for a convicted UK sex offender to change his identity and find work as a teacher in several Madrid schools where he was arrested for abusing at least 36 children.
SRIF YM HTIW DEYOJ
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THE UK’s leading child protection group is calling for Spain to tighten the recruitment process of English teachers. The plea by The Safeguarding Alliance aims to protect the country against a British legal
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Olive Press exclusive investigation leads to child protection plea from United Kingdom charity
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THERESA May Britain won’t accepthas vowed half out’ Brexit in a ‘half in, a landmark speech that is likely to have long-lasting effects on Gibraltar and all expats in Spain. The Prime Minister issued a 12-point plan to out of the EU, take Britain ing Street looking with Downsingle market and to scrap EU toms union access.current cusIn the biggest speech month tenure, she of her sixsaid: “To be clear, what I am proposing not mean membership canof the single market.” She added Britain longer give ‘huge would no EU, however she sums’ to the conceded that Parliament will have the final vote on the deal. Maintaining the travel area between common Kingdom and the the United EXCLUSIVE Republic of Ireland is also a priority By Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead the Brexit negotiations. during and Laurence Dollimore However, the border rushed to the vets tar with Spain was of Gibral- A BRITISH expat he died 30 minutes has not men- after later. tioned. finding five of her called in police dogs executed in An X-ray showed a late-night massacre. in 2004, found the shot through the he also had a bullet The Guardia Civil five rescue dogs shot are now investigatin their pens on January Control Meanwhile, one roof of his mouth. ing the horrific attack of Mitchell’s 12 horses 6, the night of was the Reyes (Three that also “We want to control also attacked, Kings). our im- of Illona Mitchell’s horses withleft one Her beloved seven-year-old migration from eye may have to be so savagely that its its eye gouged out. removed. Dizzy, ‘one Vets have of the friendliest May. “We also the EU,” said The detectives been from the environment meet’ and a puppydogs you will ever four-year-old, struggling to treat the importance of recognise the section the brightest Seprona told Mitchell, shot dead at the gatescalled Maisie were he has become named Rocco, because and the best coming too of their pens. here. We it was one of the worst attacks 48, that Meanwhile Coco recognise the contribution Deeply traumatisednervous and skittish. they by the attack they seen and were visibly shocked by had shot in their beds, and Domingo, were thankfully was have made.” it. They have put on with Mitchell believnot seen by her - that extra patrols to keep ing they had cowered daughMay is believed to ter an eye in their kennels so Ella, 11 - Mitchell continued: “I before being killed permit system asfavour a work- night. on the estate at weekends and at am angry that someone would do someCoco, two, had beenin cold blood. trigger Article 50 byshe looks to “I am thing as disgusting sickened as to March. as this to innocent range between the shot at point-blank animals.” It comes as the House why of Lords would carry out such a cruel someone year-old Domingo eyes, while three- Mitchell, from published data showing and bar- week. was shot through Chester, believes a bor- baric attack on innocent, defenceless side of his face. der closure with the tack is linked to the atanimals,” she told the Olive Press this The mother-of-one, above, who They later found put 40% of jobs Spain would ban hunters fromher recent decision to bought German Jack, a six-year-old her estate in mountains at risk in Gibraltar. estate that sits her huge 173-hectare Shepherd, near Granada under a nearby tree,having convulsions the Sierra de in stunning scenery in The 32 page-report, Baza. but despite being on Gibraltar governmentbased Continues on Page evidence, estimates 4 10,500 of the Rock’s 26,000 workers Opinion Page 6 Est 1984 crossed the border daily. “A frontier which necessary fluidity lacked the fore put directly atwould thereAntiques, Jewellers risk the jobs of 40% of the Gibraltar For all your & Pawnbrokers force,” said a spokesman. workinsurance needs! A huge variety of May’s speech was over Leave campaigners,cheered by 1 carat diamond jewellery. pushing for a ‘hard’ who are She said:“We do Brexit. not seek to HIGH STREET PRICES: adopt a model already Choose one of our 7,000€+ estepona@ibexinsure.com enjoyed great by other countries. OUR PRICE: 1,500 lens offers or get 30% seek to hold on to We do not 2,000€ bits of memoff selected frames bership as we leave,” Fuengirola UNBEATABLE PRICES “The British people said May. See our ad inside GUARANTEED for details. change. And it is voted for WE BUY, WE PAY ment’s job to deliverthe governfuengirola@ibexinsure.com MORE, WE it.”
SLAUGHTER Expat’s rescue animals mercilessly killed over ‘hunting row’
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We reported how Ben Lewis, 31, had changed his name by deed poll, applied for a new British passport, and dodged criminal record checks despite being on the UK’s sex offenders register. Police in Spain issued a statement last week describing Lewis - or Ben David Rose, as he is now known - as ‘a dangerous child sexual predator’. The National Police said that he had used his position as a teacher at private schools in Madrid to gain access to children whom
he photographed and filmed. He then disseminated the sick material on paedo forums on the dark web around the world. Emily Konstantas, CEO of The Safeguarding Alliance, applauded the Olive Press for highlighting the issue: “The Ben Lewis case as revealed by the Olive Press highlights this loophole and as shocking as this is, it is nothing new and unfortunately represents just the tip of the iceberg as to the magnitude of this problem.” She warned: “Whilst the status quo remains in situ this significant and very dangerous safeguarding loophole will continue to pose a threat, not just to UK Nationals, but to the rest of the world putting children and those most vulnerable at risk,” she warned. “There are potentially hundreds - if not thousands - of known sex offenders slipping under the radar in the UK to seek work abroad where they can continue to abuse children,” she continued. “This loophole is arguably the biggest safeguarding scandal the world has ever seen and
there is an opportunity for Spain to lead the way in tackling it at a global level,” she said. Her charity wants Spain to introduce the need to present an original birth certificate alongside a passport and criminal record checks that would allow potential employers to unearth a change of identity. “It’s a simple way to provide that extra check,” she insisted. “The severity and danger this loophole presents to the whole world cannot be underestimated.” An extensive report by The Safeguarding Alliance is being used to lobby the UK parliament for a legal change in the management of sex offenders. It explains how the current system relies on the registered sex offender to notify the police with details of any name change, alongside any change of address and passport information. “Currently the onus lies solely with the offender and although it is an offence to fail to notify, one could argue this is not a deterrent as the offender already has the propensity to commit
The deed poLl loophole
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IN the United Kingdom a person does not need to follow an official process to start using a new name, but they require a ‘deed poll’ to apply for or to change official documents such as a new passport. This can be done simply and easily online for little or no cost in a process that takes no longer than 15 minutes to process and can even be completed from a prison cell. Under section 84 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2003, an offender must report a name change within three working days to the police, and
failure to so is a criminal offence which could result in a term not exceeding five years imprisonment. However, evidence demonstrates that not every registered sex offender will act with honesty and report a change of name as required. The Safeguarding Alliance discovered through Freedom of Information requests to 16 of the UK’s 46 police forces that 913 people with sex offence convictions had gone missing after changing their names without informing the police.
F-aZYs-CcBb Verificación SD:Lzou-Jz3 .gob.es Código Seguro de 3456789-$: en https://sede.mjusticia WXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz012 Puede verificar este documento n: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV Código Seguro de Verificació Juego de caracteres del
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Schools paedo call
MINISTERIO DE JUSTICIA
REGISTRO CENTRAL DE DELINCUENTES SEXUALES
Gerente Territorial en ZARAGOZA CERTIFICA: de la Base de Datos del Registro Central Que, en el día de la fecha, consultada a: NO CONSTA información penal relativa D./Dª BEN DAVID ROSE con Pasaporte
Delincuentes Sexuales,
nº 22807454
26 de febrero, relativa a la organización Marco 2009/315/JAI del Consejo de Conforme a lo dispuesto en la Decisión entre los Estados miembros, de los registros de antecedentes penales y al contenido del intercambio de información caso, las condenas impuestas por otros el presente certificado incluye, en su tratándose de ciudadanos españoles, condenas hayan sido notificadas, sin en los mismos términos en que tales Estados miembros de la Unión Europea, de condena y los tipos delictivos entre los tipos delictivos del Estado que exista necesariamente una equiparación nacionales.
El presente certificado refleja la situación
del titular interesado/a en la fecha de
su expedición.
Zaragoza a 29 de agosto de 2017
DANGER: Lewis got teaching post, with help of ‘fake’ papers
Pagina 1 de 1 Ref: 00003143792/2017
Signature Not Verified
Documento firmado electrónicamente
very serious crimes,” states the report, seen by the Olive Press. Through extensive research and case law The Safeguarding Alliance has identified that offenders are not notifying as required and are continuing to abuse children by changing their names and obfuscating their identities as seen through the case of Ben Lewis/Rose absconding overseas to continue to abuse.
Undermined
“As a result, the effectiveness of important legislation, the Sex Offenders Register, the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, the DBS are undermined and effectively rendered redundant,” it states. “The case of Ben Lewis/Rose highlights why Spain should be aware of this very serious safeguarding loophole and should pioneer an international movement to protect its children from those abusers who slip under the radar using the name change loophole,” Konstantas added. Opinion Page 6
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CRIME
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NEWS IN BRIEF Rollercoaster of emotions STAFF at Tivoli World in Benalmádena staged a protest outside the amusement park to demand that its owners reopen the attraction this summer after months of uncertainty.
Road accident A MOTORCYCLIST, 60, was killed in a road accident near Coin, Malaga.
Max Vacc SPAIN’s government said it hit its target to vaccinate a total of five million people by May. Some 25% of the population have received at least one jab.
Moneybags THE most expensive mansion in Europe has been sold on the Costa del Sol for a cool €32million. The La Zagaleta luxury residential estate boasts ten bedrooms and 14 bathrooms.
POLICE in Germany are said to be significantly closer to charging paedophile Christian Brueckner with more sex crimes in the month that missing Maddie McCann turns 18. Detectives told the Sunday Times they are ‘within three months’ of formally accusing him of the rape of an Irish expat in Portugal in 2004. Cops in Germany believe he was behind the vicious sex attack on Hazel Bevan, then 20, in 2004.
Maddie move
Theysay he climbed in and filmed the assault at her apartment in Praia da Rocha, just 25 minutes from where toddler Maddie was snatched in May 2007. The assault was similar in planning and execution to the one on a 71-yearold American in 2005, for which he is currently in prison for seven years.
May 5th - May 18th 2021 That attack - which he also filmed took place in the same resort Praia da Luz that Maddie went missing on May 3, 2007. Brueckner, 44, who lived on and off in Portugal and Spain, when not in prison in Germany, spent large amounts of time on the dark web, former friends and colleagues told the Olive Press. He was officially identified as a suspect in the case of Maddie in June last year.
‘Ate own mum’
A MAN is on trial for killing his mother, chopping her into pieces and eating her remains. The self-confessed cannibal also admitted feeding pieces of her to his pet dog. Alberto Sanchez Gomez is accused of strangling his 66-year-old mother before chopping her into pieces and cooking her. When he was arrested in 2019
Madrid cannibal goes on trial for ‘killing, cooking and eating’ mother By Fiona Goven
at his mother’s home in Madrid, police said they found body parts scattered around the apartment - some kept in tupperware boxes.
A PHARMACY worker who was selling fake negative COVID-19 test certificates to people so that they could travel abroad has been arrested. A 24-year-old man was arrested by police in El Ejido (Almeria) after it emerged he had been charging people €130 for a fake certificate proving a negative COVID test in order to fly abroad. His customers were Moroccans who needed to provide a negative result in order to return to their home country from Spain.
At the time of her death, his mother, Maria Gomez, had a restraining order against her son after repeated incidents of domestic violence. Police were called by a concerned friend who hadn’t seen the pensioner for several days
Negative result The suspect had set up a ‘sophisticated network’ that saw him running his own travel business that sold plane tickets and referred customers to the pharmacy where he doctored the test results. He did so by hacking into records held at a laboratory in Hospitalet de Llobregat in Catalunya, falsifying certificates with a new name and then pocketing the money paid for the test.
and who worried that some harm may have come to her. On entering the apartment they came across a gruesome scene; the corpse had reportedly been cut up using a carpenter’s saw and kitchen knives. Dozens of pieces were discovered stored in plastic boxes and mixed up with household waste in bin bags. At the time of the arrest, it was reported that Sanchez, then 26, confessed to police that he had cooked her up before eating her and feeding bits to his dog. He told the court that he ‘heard voices on the television and in his head’ telling him to ‘kill his mother’. But the defendant has told Madrid’s Provincial Court that he does not remember dismembering and eating his mother. State prosecutors are calling for a sentence of 15 years and 5 months.
God’s judgement A DRUG trafficker who had been on the run since July 2020 was arrested during the celebration of a communion at La Algaba, Sevilla. The crook, known as Chacon, was arrested by cops after a search uncovered more than five tons of hashish, two kilograms of cocaine, over 30 vehicles, and several firearms including a Kalashnikov model war rifle. More than €100,000 in cash was also found.
Tipped off
Cops were tipped off that Chacon would be attending church and police officers were strategically placed around the access points on the perimeter of the site. As soon as he realised that the agents were heading towards him, the subject jumped a high fence and fled across an orange grove, but shortly after he was captured by the police who were monitoring his movements using drone footage. Police believe there is a connection between Chacon and 30 members of the criminal organisation called Los Hermanos Lanas (The Lanas Brothers) who were all arrested in a major operation in July 2020.
NEWS I’ll be back
www.theolivepress.es WHETHER it was jealousy, disgruntled staff or unfair competition, Elliott Wright has promised that the arsonists who razed his Costa del Sol restaurant will ‘only make it better’ in the long run. “I’m devastated, but it’s not going to stop me from my plans to have the best restaurant on the coast,” he told the Olive Press this week. “It’s going to be absolutely stunning, a million miles better than anywhere else. “We are working on the designs over the next few days.
May 5th - May 18th 2021
EXCLUSIVE By Jon Clarke
DESTROYED: Olivia’s It will be beautiful. The upstairs part in particular is going to be completely dif-
ferent.” The entrepreneurial Playa in Marbella TV star had only
Gin and bear it
PROTESTORS have vowed to carry on the fight after a controversial golf macroproject for an untouched stretch of coast cleared a major hurdle. More than 200 people, including many expats, had gathered at Nerja town hall to oppose the scheme, put forward by the powerful Larios gin family in nearby Maro. They had hoped to stop Nerja
O
just recruited a brand new team - including a chef and manager and vowed to fight for a Michelin star - when arsonists torched his restaurant in the middle of the night two weeks ago. The popular celebrity hot spot in La Cala de Mijas was badly damaged in the fire,
PROTEST: 200 gathered
Battle to protect unspoiled coast goes on as Larios family clear major hurdle, writes James Warren mayor Jose Alberto Armijo and his Maro counterpart Encarnacion Moreno, join councillors and unions to let the proposal move to the next stage at a critical planning meeting inside the town hall. While they voted to allow the
NCE upon a time, when the world was young and the Costa del Sol was only just waking from its slumber, I halted on a hilltop somewhere east of Malaga and surveyed the coast, writes David Baird. Bordering an empty, sandy beach, fields of sugar cane stretched to the horizon. Maybe here, I thought, I could buy a piece of land to build my dream house. "Señor," I said, accosting a passing countryman. "Who owns this land?" He gaped at me, amazed at my ignorance. "Lario, hombre, Lario!" He said. "All this belongs to Lario." The name meant nothing to me. But I soon learned that ‘Lario’ was, in fact, the Larios family, one of the richest in Spain. The family owns a great mansion in the centre of Madrid, estates in Albacete — and vast stretches of the Málaga and Granada coast. A statue of the second Marquis de Larios stands in the centre of Málaga near Calle Larios, the most expensive retail street in Andalucia. Travel from Estepona to Motril and you come across various ancient sugar mills that once treated the cane from the family estates.
proposal to progress, as yet no decision has been taken on whether the land will be reclassified for development. Local farmers, who fear losing their land, set up a stall to display the vast array of fruit and vegetables grown on the Maro
allotments that will be lost under the development scheme. “We cannot let this project continue,” said Rafael Yus, of Ecologistas en Acción in front of the gathered crowd. “The project has been born from lies and will destroy an un-
It’s bound to happen Then, when Larios could no longer compete with cheaper sugar from the West Indies, Egypt and Pakistan, along came the tourism boom and the value of Larios’ land multiplied. Tourists proved much more profitable than sugar cane and Larios has since sown innumerable apartment blocks along the empty beach I once viewed. Far removed from this tourist cacophony was the village of Maro, just east of Nerja. There the Larios family still has a mansion, the Virgen de las Maravillas, visited every August for many years by the Marquesa de Larios. Virtually all the land she could see belonged to her family. The ‘colonos’ (or tenant farmers) paid peppercorn rents for small plots of land and shacks and worked for Larios at cane-cutting and sugar-making. Though these local farmers had been there forever, few had paperwork proving their rights. Feudalism was a way of life in Maro. And had been for centuries. No problem...until, back in the 1990s, Larios decided to take over the land so that a
which began around 5am on April 26. A police investigation is still probing the blaze, which Wright, 41, believes was started by a competitor. “The Guardia Civil told me that is their theory although they can’t say too much,” he revealed this week. “They have CCTV of them and they are investigating. “It’s either jealousy, a member of staff I sacked, or com-
golf course and hundreds of luxury villas could be built. That provoked a revolt. Angry colonos marched in protest and staged a days-long sit-in inside the famous Nerja cave. Eventually some sort of settlement was reached. Some colonos received compensation for handing over their land, some legalised their arrangement with Larios, some families were torn apart by squabbles between relations. Eventually the project will happen, of course, after all the legal barriers, the red tape etc. have been negotiated. That piece of land is too valuable to leave untouched and Nerja folk are not going to say no to anything that attracts more visitors and ultimately more cash. They’ll argue the vast majority of the town is on their side…insisting of around 20,000 locals how many turned up to voice objections? A few hundred is not enough. The next protest will need to be much bigger.
touched and beautiful stretch of land surrounding Maro.” His group has been joined by Greenpeace in opposing the scheme that will see over 45 hectares of protected land levelled to make way for a luxury hotel, golf course and urbanisation of over 500 villas. “The entire project does not abide by European regulations, and we doubt the legitimacy of the agreement,” ex-mayor Rosa Arrabal, of the PSOE told the Olive Press.
Holes
“We are still going to try to stop the final approval of the plan. While they have a majority we are going to ask again for it to be tabled to demand that the legal requirements are met. “I’m hopeful. If we all unite, there are holes in the agreement that they are trying to pass, and these things have to be addressed,” said Arrabal. “We must search for a more sustainable solution,” added Andres Jimenez, from the UPNer party. “We only have to look at other golf projects along the coast to know that they are not a viable tourist model, despite the numbers that Larios SL promises.” Jon Stein, local activist and resident of Maro, said: “The decision today is disappointing, but the fight goes on.”
3
petition. I’ve got no enemies and think it’s competition. “Quite a few new restaurants have opened up off the back of my success. Eradicating me then you have 600 people a night going to eat elsewhere. That is a lot of people and a lot of money. The Guardia Civil told me that.” He added:”I just can’t believe the timing just a week after I buried my dad. How could they do that?’ His main problem now is timing to try and get the place up and running before the summer season. The insurance company handling the claim are ‘taking longer’ than hoped and he is juggling a lot of things’. “I’m pulling my hair out and having to juggle a lot of things,” he told the Olive Press. “I was hoping they were going to pay out in two weeks but the insurance is saying 40 days now. “We are also trying to source things from all over the world during this pandemic - trying to get 300 to 400 square metres of tiles quickly is proving difficult.” He meanwhile thanked all the goodwill from expats on the coast and from friends and family back home.
Rebuild
In particular he thanked his former TOWIE colleague James ‘Arg’ Argent who vowed to come over and help him rebuild. “If Arg wants to come out and help he’s more than welcome,” he revealed.”But I’ve seen him labouring before and he’s more of a hindrance than a help. He spends all his time talking to the builders and getting in the way. It would be better for him to come at the end for the relaunch.” It came after Arg appeared on TV show Loose Women in the UK to say he was ‘rooting for him’. He said: “If anyone can turn this around and build Olivia’s back to where it was, it’s Elliott and we’re all rooting for him. “Even if it means I’ve got to fly out to Spain when I can and start labouring and helping him out then I will.”
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4 www.theolivepress.es May 5th - May 18th 2021 NEWS New tricks Covid pill could soon be on the market Going nowhere BRITAIN’s richest plumber and his pals have raised €10,000 for a charity close to their hearts. Charlie Mullins, who has a holiday home in La Cala and revealed exclusively to the Olive Press earlier this year he intends to secure citizenship in Spain, has always been a massive supporter of local animal charity Palevlas. Now, thanks to the money donated by Charlie at the glitzy gala hosted at The Harbour Bar in Marbella last week, the sanctuary now has the funds to open its very own animal hospital.
Stray
Located near Monda and run by dedicated couple Octavio and Jenny, Palevlas protectora de animales cares for 70 stray dogs and 40 cats. Soon the sick stray pets will receive state of the art care in their own custom built hospital after the building's cost was donated by the Pimlico chairman. “Octavio and Jenny have given their lives to the Palevlas animal sanctuary and they deserve our praise and support for all they do,” Charlie told the Olive Press. “Sometimes success isn’t just about how much money you make, and the happiness that this couple have brought to others, and especially to the rescued cats and dogs they look after and find new homes for, is something quite special we all should take notice of.”
AN oral drug to treat coronavirus at the first sign of illness could soon be available , said Pfizer's CEO. Albert Bourla told CNBC that if clinical trials go well the drug could be distributed across the U.S. later this year. The company, which developed the first authorised COVID-19 vaccine in the US with German drugmaker BioNTech, began oral drug trials in March. The drug is being developed simultaneously in the laboratories of the pharmaceutical giant in the United States and Belgium, and uses a mech-
anism similar to those currently used to treat HIV. Various company officials have said the drug, known as PF-07321332, would be given as a treatment, and not as a prevention, against the coronavirus. It would be a tablet that people would take in the early stages of infection to prevent them from developing more serious symptoms. Pfizer's chief scientific officer and president of research Mikael Dolsten said: “We designed PF-07321332 as a potential oral therapy that could be prescribed at the first sign of infec-
tion.” Health experts say the drug, taken by mouth, could be a game changer because people newly infected with the virus could use it outside of hospitals. Researchers hope the medication will keep the disease from progressing and prevent hospital trips. "We expect to see continued outbreaks of Covid-19 for the foreseeable future," added Charlotte Allerton, Pfizer's chief drug designer, “and therefore, as with all viral pandemics, it is important that we have a complete tool kit to address it.”
Let us stay!
BRITS living in homes in Spain between three and six months have launched a campaign asking the Spanish government to reconsider the post-Brexit rules. Since the UK left the European Union, thousands of Brits have been forced to choose between either Spain or the UK, or else be limited to only spending 90 days there in a rolling sixmonth period, in the entire 26-country Schengen zone. Diane Lavender, 70, who has owned a second home in Andalucia for 15 years, said the rules are ‘shambolic’ and ‘unfair’. Originally from Wales, Diane and her husband typically
Expats launch campaign to change Brexit rules By Kirsty McKenzie
spend up to six months of the year in Estepona spread across various visits but said she now feels that their freedom to move between their two homes has ‘been completely taken away’. She added: “It’s bad for everyone. We want to be able to live in our homes without limitations and the Spanish bars and shops rely on Brits to spend their money here in the winter months. It is in everyone’s in-
We are open – See you soon!
The Costa de la Luz’s most emblematic restaurant and hotel. In the stunning white town of Vejer de la Frontera.
terest if we can come to a better agreement. “It’s heartbreaking to see Spain so quiet and so many businesses being forced to close. Andrew Hesselden, who voted Remain, launched the campaign group ‘180 days in Spain’ to help people who have a home in Spain but also want to keep one foot in the UK, agrees. Andrew told the Olive Press: "I think the UK gov probably intended for this to be resolved via many bilateral agreements in the years to come, but in the rush to ‘Get Brexit Done’, it left most of Brexit Undone." The 40-year-old, who has a
home in Mallorca, created the group which now boasts nearly 2000 members across Spain to find a solution for part-year residents.
Torremolinos tragedy A PENSIONER in Torremolinos has spoken out over the horror of watching her home burn down knowing her husband was trapped inside. Widow Vera Lucia Martinez lost her partner of 20 years, Rogelio Urro, in the tragic blaze that took hold of their El Balondillo apartment on March 23. The devastated 81-year-old told how she was returning from the chemists with medicine for her husband when she saw plumes of smoke coming from their home. “My husband couldn’t walk,” Mrs Martinez told Sur. “The whole place was on fire and he couldn’t get out. He couldn’t move.” Tragically, Mrs Marinez was still living in the badly damaged building surrounded by her ashen belongings over a month after the blaze. Friends of the widow claimed she was forced to live in inhumane conditions as she waited for insurers Lines Directa to investigate her claim. Social services have now offered Mrs Marinez accommodation while investigations take place.
SPAIN’S government has extended a ban on all non-essential travel to Spain from outside the EU and Schengen area for another month. Confirmation of the extension due to the continued coronavirus pandemic was published on Friday in the Official State Gazette (BOE). The extension continues the recommendations by the EU that have been in place since June 30 last year.
Banned
In addition, the notice confirms a ban on all travellers from those places where dangerous new variants of Covid-19 have been detected. These include India, Brazil, South Africa, Botswana, Comoros, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Peru and Colombia. Under this rule only Spanish citizens or those with residency in Spain are allowed to enter and must quarantine for ten days on arrival. Because of Brexit, citizens from the United Kingdom are now considered third country nationals and must follow the same rules as other non-EU member states.
Out of time A BRITISH couple were turned away from a RyanAir flight after airline staff refused to take the one hour time difference between Spain and the UK into account. Mark and Zoe Ryder were due to fly back to Alicante from Manchester after they attended the funeral of a close friend, but were denied permission to board the plane. Ryanair staff said their test results were outside the 72 hour validity period for when they would land in Spain. The Ryders, who live on the Costa Blanca, argued that the company had not taken into account the time difference between the two countries, which would have meant their PCR test was still valid. The couple were tested three days earlier at 9.48am. Based on the time difference, they would have landed in Spain with eight minutes to spare.
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A DOG has been rescued by police and firefighters after becoming trapped in a swimming pool for two days. The incident took place in a house in El Pinar (Torremolinos) when a neighbour reported the animal was in serious danger after seeing it in the swimming pool for two days without receiving help. The dog, which was found in a state of hypothermia and unable to walk, was quickly treated by one of the Local Police officers, who is also a vet, before it was taken to an animal shelter in the town. The police are now trying to locate the owner of the dog, whose personal data was found on the animal’s microchip, for a possible crime of animal abuse.
Socially addictive
C
HECKING and scrolling through social media sites has become an increasingly popular activity over the last decade. That has risen dramatically further since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and is a very good way of keeping in touch with family and friends. For most people there are no issues, but sadly there is an increasing number of users who have become addicted to social networking. They engage in compulsive use and that can also be accompanied by a large update in alcohol consumption and drug taking. All of this can combine to create serious mental and physical health problems which can affect people of all ages, and not just the younger generation. Marbella-based Villa Paradiso Rehab Spain can provide the help and knowledge needed to overcome this kind of new new addiction that has become more prominent over the last year, Dr Ruth Arenas Mata, is Villa Paradiso’s inhouse psychiatrist and has many years of experience in addiction treatment. She says: “Social media steals time or real life from real relationships and after a while people lose social skills and they suffer from loneliness.”
Social networking can create mental health problems THE PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
SPOTTING THE SIGNS
More free time has led to people taking to so- Matthew Idle says that most of the signs incial media on their phones and computers. volving somebody addicted to social media That brings a host of problems, can be spotted. as Villa Paradiso’s lead thera“If people are always on the An increasing phone, then that is a clear pist, Matthew Idle, explains: “Social media can lead to inwarning. If they have little to number of creased anxiety and depression say or are not sleeping or skipas it is often disconnecting with ping meals, then you should users have reality. be on your guard. become “It takes over some people’s “Reduced performance at lives as users suffer self-esteem work and a feeling of inaddicted issues over the way they look creased isolation and lonelior negative comments that are ness plus indications of low made about them.” self-esteem should be looked out for.” Matthew says that users with drug or alcohol dependencies are more susceptible to being STOPPING THE ADDICTION hooked to the social media world and that increases those problems further. Villa Paradiso’s trained team can help to “I am hearing of more cases where people combat social media and associated adare staying up all night drinking as they scrawl dictions through their in-patient treatment through social media sites which they think sessions. bring them some comfort. Matthew Idle says; “When clients come to “It’s not living in reality but in a fantasy world see us, then we take away their phones as that can become an obsession,” they are the biggest catalyst in social media he added. obsession. “Social media steals One consequence of all of this is “There is limited phone access to speak to time or real life from that people lose their confidence family or friends, but we then try to breakin face-to-face interactions. down an individual’s feelings and emotions real relationships “Basic conversations like asking as we talk through their social media usand after a while about a partner’s day become age.” harder. Human beings were born “We talk about face-to-face communication people lose to bond with each other and not and keeping things real.” social skills and with a phone,” says Matthew. The sessions appear to have worked for they suffer from He also warned obsessives end many people who have deleted their social up trusting everything they read media accounts even before the course of loneliness” on the internet and that could go sessions has finished. as far as trying to diagnose med- Villa Paradiso keeps in close touch with Dr Ruth Arenas Mata ical conditions online. their clients for a full 12 months aftercare
SUPPORTIVE: Mathew Idle
which includes one-to-one sessions and recovery support groups. Villa Paradiso also offers treatment in Tunisia for any Arabic and French speakers in a beautiful and luxurious private villa overlooking the sea.
For more information or advice contact Villa Paradiso on (+34) 689 80 67 69 or email info@villaparadisospain.com
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6
NEWS FEATURE
www.theolivepress.es Voted top expat paper in Spain
A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in Spain with an estimated readership, including the websites, of more than two million people a month.
OPINION Lead the way! In a stark warning the UK’s leading victim protection group Safeguarding Alliance have insisted there are thousands of convicted child sex offenders who have slipped under the radar in the UK using legal means to change their name and avoid criminal record checks leaving them free to abuse again. Unfortunately, Spain is proving an attractive destination for these abusers, not just for those qualities we all enjoy; the good climate, great food and improved quality of life but because the recent drive towards bilingual education demands a constant supply of native English teachers not only in schools but for summer camps, au-pairs and private classes. Now we learn that it isn’t enough for schools or education boards to carry out the basic checks required, because a serious failing on the side of the British legal authorities has created a loophole that is ripe for exploitation. Spain isn’t to blame for that lack of joined up thinking on the side of the UK authorities but with one simple step it can instantly make it harder for British paedophiles to slip through the net and find work here. Demanding an original birth certificate alongside a passport and criminal record check will immediately identify someone who has changed their identity, and prove a vital step towards protecting our children from known sex offenders. Spain has already modernised its approach to tackling sex abuse with the introduction last month of Rhodes Law, named after British pianist James Rhodes, which extended the statute of limitations against abusers and makes it easier for victims to report crimes and testify against abusers. Now it has an opportunity to take steps before such crimes are committed and fix a UK failing by making it more difficult for known British abusers to gain employment in schools. Spain, this is your chance to lead the way. Publisher / Editor
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Charity begins in the homeland Migrant who wants Africans to stay at home wins top award in Spain By Graham Keeley in Barcelona
D
UMPED in the Sahara Desert by traffickers, forced to scavenge for food and drink his own urine to survive, Ousman Umar believed like scores of other African migrants before and since that he was going to die. But against all the odds, after a harrowing five year trek across the continent, he made it from Ghana to Spain where he became a successful entrepreneur with a masters degree from one of the country’s top business schools. He could have been the poster child for the
RECOGNISED: Ousman Umar
African dream of a better life in Europe. But Ousman didn’t want his fellow Africans to go through the same ordeal. So he set up a charity to help them make better lives at home instead of following in his own tortured footsteps.
Looking south
D
ominique de Pradt (pictured right) could not contain his malice towards Spain. As a diplomat for Napoleon (1808 Peninsula War) he found negotiating with the Spanish frustrating to the point of an impossibility, writes Jack Gaioni. He famously said: “Africa begins at the Pyrenees. It is an error of geography to assign Spain to Europe. Everything is African - its blood, manners, the way of making war, doing business and living life!” He argued that the two entities have ‘mixed too long and confused the race and customs’. Clearly, Dominique did not mean this as a compliment. Now Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, expounded on this sentiment but from a completely different perspective. Sanchez has launched what he called ‘the decade of Spain in Africa’. He met with the president of Ghana, the foreign ministers of Senegal and Kenya, and with the President of the African Development Bank, Sanchez announced an ambitious strategy to build closer economic and institutional ties between Spain and Africa. Calling the initiative the ‘Africa Focus 2023 Plan’, the formal event represents more aggressive support of economic partnerships, environmental issues, educational exchanges and energy development. Sanchez emphasized the fact Spain was receptive to the idea of working with the governments of Africa to stem the tide of perilous migration flows. He said that a ‘lack of opportunities’ was driving people away and that Spanish investments in Africa might help them stay.
Priority Sanchez is serious. Less than 10 days after the March conference, he boarded a plane for Angola and later Senegal – two priority countries in Spain’s efforts of stepping up collaboration with African nations. Sanchez views Angola as offering a great opportunity as that country seeks to diversify its economy from its status as an oil dependent nation. While in Luanda, Sanchez signed ‘agreements of understanding’ designed to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, fisheries, engineering, energy, exports, insurance and banking. The Prime Minister then visited Elecnor - a Spanish energy substation which has a 30 years presence in Angola. His final visit was to the Dom Bosco Selesian School. Run by Spanish clergy, the school is active in promoting literacy, vocational training and care for high-risk youth. Sanchez continued his diplomacy with a visit to the West African coastal nation of Senegal. There, meeting with President Macky Sali, they signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ to help mitigate migration flows. Calling the issue a ‘circular migration’, the leaders discussed ways to discourage the illegal (and sometimes deadly!) migration into Spain. Simultaneously they addressed ways of improving the organisation of the 71,000 Senegalese who live and work in Spain’s seasonal agricultural industry. Spain and Senegal hope the partnership would create 65,000 jobs in Senegal as well as promote entrepreneurship and vocational training. Sanchez concluded his charm offensive in Angola and Senegal by expressing his hopes that Spain continues as ‘Europe’s southern gateway to Afric’. Given the potential of Africa as the next big market, combined with that continent’s huge energy prospects, we wish Sanchez all the diplomatic luck in the world. Regarding the sentiment that ‘Africa begins at the Pyrenees’? Dominique de Pradt may have been partially riPYRENEES: Is this where Africa starts? ght but for the wrong reasons…
Now that work has won him a prestigious Princess of Girona Award ‘for social projects with innovative and tangible achievement’. "I still cannot believe I won this award,” says Ousman, who set up NASCO Feeding Minds with his brother Banasco Seidu Nuhu to buy computers, support educational projects and give children in Ghana a choice in their own future. “We are an NGO that is only funded by private donations and only functions thanks to our volunteers. “This recognition gives me the strength to keep working every day on this project and to continue helping with education so that no one should ever have to go through what I had to go through. Thank you from the bottom of my heart." The Princess of Girona Foundation praised the charity’s work in ‘building a transformative project which combines education, technology, and alliances and contributes solutions to the migration problem.
Corruption
For a time Ousman worked with rescue charity Proactiva Open Arms but now believes saving migrants from flimsy boats in the sea is not the answer. In his book, Journey to the Land of the Whites, published in Spain, he writes of the beatings and corruption he witnessed during his tortuous trek to Europe. He wishes he had never made the journey but carved out a life in Ghana instead. His remarkable story only came to light when the Canaries became the focus of Europe's migration crisis, where more than 23,000 migrants have poured in since January last year. The son of a witch doctor from a remote village, his mother died during childbirth, leading the elders to condemn him to death for being a 'bad spirit'. Only the intervention of his father saved him. Fleeing his homeland at 13, he trekked through Niger to the Libyan border with a group of around 40 migrants. Traffickers left them at the edge of the Sahara, where many died trying to cross the desert without food or water, eating what they could find and drinking their own urine.
Flimsy boat
After about a month they reached a village in southern Libya where he collapsed and was taken in by locals. Later he found work as a welder but life in that country, too, was tough for a black man. Determined to move on, he saved $2,000 to travel through Algeria to Morocco and Mauritania where he took a flimsy boat to the Canaries. At 18, he made it to Barcelona, the City of Dreams, where he spent two more years living rough, finally finding help from a generous Spanish family. They supported him while he studied for an MBA in business administration at Esade, ranked one of the top schools in Spain, and everything else is history. But he has never forgotten his homeland and regular visits to Ghana through his charity work have only strengthened that bond.
May 5th - May 18th 2021
www.theolivepress.es
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Big dig at Franco’s legacy Excavations into the lives of the prisoners who built the Valley of the Fallen give Europe’s last monument to facism a more PC spin
Olive Press We reach readers others can’t
T
HE Olive Press has been in a continuous state of growth for the past five years - and there’s no secret to our success. We are the only English-language paper dedicated solely to news about Spain. We also hire NCTJ trained journalists who write their own exclusives 38 and know how to source andMENS deliver A OR DENSA? Accused of faking COVID - live on air the most relevant and intriguing A stories for expats. This ethos has to our mind made us the most relevant English language newspaper to expats in Spain. And it seems that we are not alone in thinking this - a whole host of official government organisations have chosen the Olive Press’s six editions to publicise serious issues, which make us the newspaper of record for the expat communities in Spain. The AGE UK government OF PRINT!no less has used our pagTHE to reach Brits in Spain with a campaign of Ies informational adverts aimed at expats. These have been a crucial part of the government’s mission to help Brits deal with Brexit. Now the Diputacion de Malaga has followed suit to OPurge people to register on Puzzle solutions the padron. This is vitally important, not just so local councils can access improved government funding, but also so British expats can abide by Brexit rules and be protected by the UK Spanish agreement. And who is it the Norwegian police turned to when they wanted to put out a call for information? None other than the Olive Press of course. They knew that our newspapers - and website too - have roots deep in the local expat communities of many different nationalities in Spain. The best chance they had of reaching the people they needed was through us. The Government of Gibraltar too has turned to the Olive Press to try to attract, as has the University of Gibraltar in search of new students. And they are not alone - the Junta de Andalucia and local councils such as Benahavis have also recognised the advertising power of the Olive Press in the past few months. All these major governmental organisations have recognised that the Olive Press reaches readers that others can’t - call us to see how we can help you reach new customers too.
COLUMNISTS
March 24th - April 6th 2021
Getting a grip
IT was the last caller that did it. I was into the final three minutes of ‘Viewpoint’, the live radio show that I host every Tuesday that discusses the ‘issues of the day’. In the past four years those have tended to be Brexit, Boris, Trump and of course, coronavirus. Being the man in the middle of Viewpoint is always a white-knuckle ride, because you have no idea of just what the caller will say. As it is a live show, I‘ve developed a sixth sense that starts to tingle if I think they are about to swear or come out with something slanderous, and I am always poised to bring the fader, which controls the volume, down sharply. The caller now waiting on line one had a bit of a reputation for rubbishing the existence of coronavirus, but I had less than 200 seconds before the end of from Giles’s casita the show so I thought ‘What’s SOOTHING: View of the valley and lake ers and hiked up the track shocked laughter as I pulled from the Casita. Exercise is the harm?’ nally shook it off. On the posHe got to the point right away itive side, I managed to catch the fader down, before I could one of the few options that I “You never had coronavirus” he up on a huge stack of reading, be accused of being one of the am allowed these days, and said, “You just had a bad flu for and the cat loved having me liberal elite, lackey of the MSM I was debating the futility of of the three days”. as I tended or fully paid up memberI have it all when I looked back. The Especially around. tested I aware, Illuminati. (Although If you were not Casita and the to feed her when I woke at 5am positive for COVID-19 at the every morning, a practice she heard that the lake looked was and January, snazrobes are beginning of stunning, and has continued since my recovI still live in a unable to return to the radio, ery by singing me the song of zy). suddenly it which I love, for three weeks. her people at some ungodly The weird thing me rebeautiful place made however, was, Although I was fortunate not to hour, demanding breakfast. alise: end up in hospital as several I was so dumbfounded by the that this comand I now also I still live in of my friends did, it still pole- accusation that I had faked ment sent me a beautipeculiar health my I most have back into what axed me in the ful place, my illness that I burst out in call ‘Mabellaise”, way, and I was glad when I fiI have my back fed where I get health back up with my adand I am lucky and opted town to lots of friends who helped everything about it. It normally when I was ill. As the saying happens around this time of goes – This Too Shall Pass. year, and the pandemic has not Nevertheless, I am not putexactly helped. ting that caller on air for a In an effort to clear my mud- while… dled head, I pulled on my train-
RE you a digital doer or a real-life print reader? The OlOLD HACK IN ive Press alternates weekly THE SUN publication of my columns Benny Davis between actual print and ether-controlled messages beamed from Ramblings of an 80-something expat outer space. But if you are one of the 75% of over 65’s who do not are safe access so called digital platforms, you to stretch managed have who those However, in my hands. of accessing digital intheir little grey cells to master the art Mensa achievers who do formation are more likely to be high instead of me. crosswords with a pen, and say, moi, I find reading a real Personally, I am of the Densa brigade.sun, very relaxing, and newspaper, especially while lying in theas an umbrella over the it has the added advantage of acting in. Laptops tend to be face when getting some extra ZZZZ’s on the nose. balance to difficult and uncomfortable
Worship
the God of ethernet culDevotees who worship at the altar of news items quickly ture will also tell you that you can compare or fake news. But before by surfing the net, to establish real that fake news happens you don your wetsuit, may I point outthe rare occasion the unfar less frequently in print, and if on action far more quickly thinkable happens, lawsuits leap into caution on the part of extreme encouraging web, than on the newspaper editors and owners. is available in information instant that understand I Bing, etc. seconds through sites such as Google, doesn’t Call me old fashioned, but that method coming give me the same satisfaction as finally hours, up trumps with answers after spending files and even days, of searching through old reference libraries. article At the moment, I am writing an havabout a serial killer who wrought am oc back in the Victorian era and running barefooted through my enormous collection of information, amassed over countless years as a writer. If I cannot find the answers, I will have to revert to my fail-safe solution, ‘Gertrude,’ grandmother of Amazon’s virtual assistant ‘Alexa.’ Although she answers in a shaky voice with the occasional additional sound me effect of flatulence, she never lets down and fits into my lifestyle far more comfortably than the pre-mentioned Miss Smoothy-Pants.
Terenia Taras
OSLO CONCILIATION BOARD
S
PAIN’S most controversial monument is on the brink of an image makeover with the families of the prisoners who built General Francisco Franco’s monstrous mausoleum moving centre stage. The Valley of the Fallen, a huge basilica carved out of the living rock on a hillside north of Madrid, was Franco’s final resting place until two years ago when the dictator’s body was unceremoniously exhumed. Constructed by 20,000 political prisoners and conscripts between 1940 and 1959, the families of these slave labourers had to settle on the premises in order to survive the post-war period and a shanty town sprung up. From this month, according to archaeologist Alfredo Gonzalez-Ruibal, the area of the Cuelgamuros Valley 57 kilometres from Madrid where the families’ shacks once stood is to be excavated in a bid to reconstruct their lives. “After I paid my first visit to the Valley of the Fallen in 2007, I realised that putting the focus on the shacks instead of the monument itself would be a way of changing the Francoist narrative,” Gonzalez-Ruibal tells the Olive Press, explaining that as the prisoners’ families would often come from afar to visit, they started to camp close by.
Shacks
Even those visiting from Madrid began to make a home in the Valley of the Fallen as the trip back and forth from the capital during the 1940s and 1950s was hard to do on public transport in one day. “They started building huts, which turned into shacks measuring around 4m2,” says the archaeologist who works for the Spanish National Research Council and will head up a team of 10 on the dig. “They used rubble for the walls and branches for the roofs and probably knew how to build well enough to stop the rain coming in, as they would have been used to building shepherds’ huts. But they would have been freezing in winter.” The curious shanty town that emerged over the years was obliquely accepted by the authorities. The presence of the prisoners’ families provided psychological support, meaning they worked better, were more disciplined and less likely to escape. According to Gonzalez-Ruibal, the prisoners eventually received a food allowance for their families that could be spent at the canteen, while their children would likely have joined the local one-teacher school set up for the ’free’ labourers’ families. Enduring this tough, no-frills existence, without electricity or running water and little light within the shacks, was not done solely out of choice. “You have to take into account that this was Spain in the 1940s and 1950s when many women depended entirely on men to survive,” he says. “But there would also have been a desire to be together.” Lying a stone’s throw from the four settlements or poblados that accommodated the prisoners’ barracks and labourer’s cottages, this community of women and children has often been used by far-right revisionists to depict the Valley of the Fallen as something akin to a holi-
to the ConciliaThe Defendant is ordered to reply stating whethtion Board in writing by 04.05.2021 and accepts er or not the Defendant acknowledges has not been dethe Complainant’s claim. If a replystated time limit, livered prior to the expiry of the on the basis judgment by default can be pronounced of the facts of of the Complainant’s representation the case. address, service will As the Defendant has no known the Courts Act Secbe executed with authority in to reply will be tion 181. The complaint and order when it has been deemed to have been legally servedweeks. posted at the legal venue for four case can be collectThe documents pertaining to the offices at Pilestreed from the Conciliation Board’s documents can be det 19, 0033 Oslo, Norway. Theby the Defendant if sent to a new address supplied the Defendant so requests.
By Heather Galloway in El Escorial
A Sierra Nevada ll about
February
LONG TIME IN COMING: But residents of Mallorca can hopefully soon hit the slopes
2021
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off to finally slopeheaven, You can skiing Andalucia’s Smith writes Charlie is There ILENCE. single peep not a upwards to as I climb the valley through maker. of the meet mymy head out and the I poke window fresh alcable car Nevada’s Sierra hits my lungs. pine airhear it – a sweeping white Then I down the crisp crunch as a snowboarder piste, past below. and whizzes tears through, Another third, all weaving at then a mountainside down the speed. more terriblistering Spanish I’m definitely the three carriage the fied than guys sharing the with me. left behind We have and restaurants the main cosy bars only ski in Pradollano, Andalucia’s town of resort. out at Borreguiles, meWe step some 2,700 which sits sea level. for tres above the basecampruns, This is the Sierra’s the many of range from facil’ ‘muy which black, lagreen-coloured those in pistes to dificil’. belled ‘muy overleaf
S
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See page 11
- March 11th 2021
Model patient
PICTU EXCL RE USIVE
has had expat centenarian year. A POPULAR jab in her 101st Costa her first COVID based on the Pfizer of the Peggy Bloomfield, her first dose Centre this Blanca, got Medical vaccine at Teulada according to week. raring to go, And she’s now Shirley Young. to get her neighbour Thrilled to bits she told the “She is amazing! I’m feeling great!” the jab and “Lockdown permitting her Olive Press. the Mayor to visit for two hoping to get Her second jab is in be celebratnext birthday.” and Peggy will weeks’ time birthday in April. nurse ing her 101st (far right) shows of Our photograph the first doseshe right Juanjo administering to Peggy, while a visit the vaccine as she received was all smiles champagne and cake when she with balloons, Press reporters her from Olive last year. Peggy receives100th birthday hit the big 100 ALL ROUND: recent to get the following her expat in Spain older, con- CELEBRATIONS (inset right) Is she the oldest COVID jab you know anyone COVID jab? If tact us at newsdesk@theolivepress.es
soon Island could be back in business ban to as UK travelin May be lifted
are only permitted moment Brits abroad. At the work purposes. South Affrom to travel for essential to enter Spain until 6pm on No one is allowed By Kirsty McKenzie UK via air or sea up for an avarica, Brazil or the restrictions. could be gearing in May. take them March 2 under the current MALLORCA in December to its shores and family or numlanche of tourists agents have seen the this to reconnect friendsholiday to remember,” he The ban was first introduced more-transmisfirst detected a UK. Airlines and travel holidays abroad soar out on a long-awaited when scientists the to to its web- sible variant of the virus in its roadmap ber of Brits booking added. originally supposed UK announced Cook said traffic week after the restrictions were the Prime Minishas now been Travel firm Thomas to leave the site doubled in the day after confirmed there Tighton January 19 but the banrestrictions curof lockdown. finally be able end with Ryanair multiple times, 2. UK tourists should from May 17, the govern- ter’s statement, while in bookings. Hancock extended a ‘large surge’ place until March country for holidays on Monday. the had been Health Secretary Matt of rently in ment announcedBoris Johnson revealed 6 However, that the effectiveness travOpinion Page plan for gradu- urged caution, warning Prime Minister whether international of his four-step all somove as part in England, with21. vaccines will dictate June ally lifting restrictions can go ahead. to protect against these new finally lifted by bookings el have cial contact rules easyJet, said than four He said: “We that is a Airlines, including variants, and season were more the same period big challenge.” for the summer compared with that times higher Hancock addedmuch last week. ‘we can be about more relaxed travel’ Confidence destina- international well of the most popular giant if vaccines workSouth Palma was one to the budget holiday against the Brazil month. tions, according August its busiest by chief ex- Africa and easyJet, with was described a ‘much-needed strains.the vaccine The announcement “If Lundgren, as against ecutive, Johan doesn’t work boost in confidence’. seen a pent-up demand then that will more bookings shows them, “We have consistently be much, much this surge in for travel and has been what UK consumers difficult,” he said.govthat this signal for,” he said. and It comes as the have been waiting were up by 630% ernment confirmed at the Holiday bookings while off, it was looking passflights by 337%. may be a little en- idea of vaccine travel “While the summer around the clock to to allow up our flights ports we will be working ready to ramp sure we will be
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Quick Crossword
9 Date, 10 Stalk, Across: 1 Fuse, 4 Pipeline, 8 Etchings, Ma’am, 16 High-ups, 18 11 Broncos, 13 Hers, 14 Yam, 15 23 Test. Braid, 20 Fuzz, 21 This is it, 22 Deployed,
4 Pant, 5 Pastrami, 6 Down: 2 Up to the minute, 3 Exhales, 15 Marxist, 17 Hazel, Led in, 7 Nationalities, 12 Sympathy, 19 Kind.
SUDOKU
against the The Complainant has filed a complaint Board with a deDefendant with Oslo Conciliation with the addimand for payment of NOK 69751,18 and legal costs. tion of interest at the legal rate
Telling it like it is
The
As Complainant: Modhi Finance , Tempo Defendant: Per Einar Tinmsnndvik Banus 45, ES-29600 Marbella
trip Kindle and love nothing more than a T’S great that any newspaper is still to Waterstones (when in the UK) to select being printed in our age of the internet try a new book, preferably hard backed. and it’s something we should always A lot of things have changed since I startto support and maintain. ed my career as a journalist in my early internet Before the birth of the internet, Sunday of twenties. Back then there was no mornings for many people consistedbuy so we used books for factual research, to used when reading the papers. I always I a dictionary or thesaurus, as andwith us a News of the World, not only because required, and we carried pagers worked for the paper, but also, like many instead of mobile phones. in the age people, to catch up on the latest scandal tab- Writing this I feel like I was born because or expose, which the biggest selling of the dinosaur loid in Britain was famous since the internet became for. a global network in the OLIVE poshas PRESS Alongside the News of the technology 1990s, Screws (as it was known) I’d sessed everything. More buy the Sunday Telegraph and more people commufor international news and a nicate solely online, how more high-brow read. teenagers actually SKY HIGH many There’s still something nice use their phone as a teleES newspaper a HOP about reading phone? More people shop with a morning coffee, which online, especially since the was often a prelude to your pandemic, and nearly evworking day or whilst travelery business has migrated ling on the train or tube. But to an online presence. then I’m still one of the die-147 834 So after 20 years in the hards who refused to own952a
100th Edition
being dealt with Extract from complaint currently by Oslo Conciliation Board – Dept. 3 Case No. F2020-012277
to media industry I’m prouder than everthe go full circle and be able to write forvast Olive Press. The newspaper serves communities in Spain and the islands may providing real news, which again left become something from the past if and solely in the hands of unscrupulous self-serving organisations or individuals. the Newspapers should always remain the beacon of truth and shine a light intoI am deepest, darkest corners of the web. proud as a journalist to do my job because I feel it’s crucial to have an independent who and objective group of professionals the share the same goal, which is to hold powers that be to account. still Love him, or loathe him, Piers Morgan I’m champions old school journalism and glad he doesn’t let politicians off lightly because they should be held accountable - although it must be said he has managed to get himself into a little hot water now over Meghan! person’s The media always had the little to rely interest at heart, despite the needsurvive. on advertising to Which is why businesses should support their local, regional and national press, because without the integrity and guardians of the truth being able to continue commercially we may have nothing left but controlled, fake news.
YOU CAN FOLLOW ME @tereniataras
Gastronomy Gastronomía
DIG: Alfredo Gonzalez-Ruibal, archaeologist and (right) Silvia Navarro beside a memorial to the fallen day camp, Gonzalez-Ruibal explains. “It is true that many of the prisoners considered their time in the Valley of the Fallen as a good period in their lives,” he says. “But these were people who had lived through a civil war and spent time in concentration camps where they were on the verge of dying from hunger. It would have been like going from hell to purgatory.” It has taken Spain a long time to dismantle Europe’s last monument to fascism, which was at one time receiving 500,000 visitors a year, and Franco still casts a shadow. “The Valley of the Fallen and the general integration of Francoism into Spanish society has contributed to the fact that extreme right-wing views are now presented to the public as a reasonable option,” says Gonzalez-Ruibal. As if to illustrate his point, far-right Vox politician Alejandro Velez has just stood up in Extremad-
J
osE Antonio Marco (pictured), a forward-thinking Republican and mason shot for his beliefs at the age of 30, is among those whose bodies are to be exhumed this month. His execution took place against the cemetery wall in Calatayud, Aragon, in 1936. Afterwards he was buried in an unmarked mass grave nearby before being stealthily trucked to the Valley of the Fallen in April 1959. “On social media, someone said he was probably a thief and a murderer,” his great-niece, Silvia Navarro, 50, tells the Olive Press. “But he was a pacifist; a good man,” insists the president of the Association of Families for the Exhumation of Republicans Buried in the Valley of the Fallen. “He intro duced the eight-hour day to his factory and healthcare for his workers.” What was left of his corpse more than 23 years later would have been ‘dug up carelessly as if it were a field of potatoes’ , says Gonzalez-Ruibal. Franco urgently need ed
ura’s regional parliament to ask for a new statue of Franco to be erected on a roundabout in Badajoz! But at least it looks as though his monstrous mausoleum is to be stripped of its original purpose, as the dig extends to the exhumation of Falangist leader Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera and the remains of Franco’s victims. The 150-metre cross topping the basilica which Franco claimed to have built as a ‘national act of atonement’ crowns a graveyard of 33,838 corpses, 12,410 of which were carted there from 1959 until as late as 1983, many without the permission of the families. Packed into wooden boxes according to their region of origin, they were stored within the hollow walls of the Basilica where Franco lay across from Primo de Rivera until his controversial exhumation in 2019. “Imagine an archive, but instead of books, its boxes of human remains,” says Gonzalez-Ruibal.
Back from the grave
Republican corpses to fulfil his revis ed vision for his magnum opus as a plac e of reconciliation between the two sides of the Spanish Civil War. The long and bitter battle to get Marco and other Republicans out of the Valley started in 2009, taking 60 families through the entire Spanish judicial system and right up to the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg. Of these 60, the Lapeña family was the first to win the right to have the remains of brothers Manuel and Antonio Lapeña returned to them. Five years later, they are still waiting… as are the rest of the fami lies who finally achieved a breakthro ugh three months ago. “It’s a basic human right, no? To hono your dead?” says Navarro, who expla ur ins that there are still six of the victims’ child ren living – now in their late 80s and 90s and losing their memories.
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souls
LETTERS
8
Should I come or should I go… Travel restrictions being lifted are not the end of the matter
Well done!
Dear Olive Press,
page spread the WHAT a wonderful three t issue). A big (las a Ibiz on did ss Olive Pre ! rke Cla well done to Jon ng the same for Would you consider doi San Pedro de Pinatar? three places to I can cer tainly nominate star and even e on to r -sta stay from five the Mediterrang oki rlo a youth hostel ove nean! lliant restaurants There are also some brisea but you must the r ove t that look ou ss food. book, which serve top clasideration. con r you for nks tha ny Ma
San Pedro
Jen Martinez, de Pinatar (Murcia)
s for your excelEditor’s note: Thank estions on your gg su h wit ail lent em area. od plan and cerIt does sound like a gou that there are tainly I agree with yo s about the San some wonderful thingbe running more Pedro area. We will coming months travel specials in the eled - you never - so keep your eyes pe will visit next! know which area we
Don’t come
WE have years to come of obnoxious Brits - without masks- coming to Spain only to have THEIR good time. They may have had a jab and got a COVID 'passport' but they don’t care about anyone in Spain. Make that anyone at all. That's plainly clear from watching TV. The majority of us expats are left feeling embarrassed by it. Everyone says they feel safer in Spain don't they! Europe must consider its citizens and see if vaccines stop carriers as well as herd protection and the whole world has to be COVID clear for 'normality' to return. We all have rights, and my right is to be protected from COVID in my own district. This is far from over, and certainly one country on its own can't change that fact. Mike Jeffrey, Calahonda (Malaga)
Won’t come HERE in the UK, there's a wave of resentment towards Spain and its government. People here are outraged by Spain's treatment of us following Brexit. Not only towards those Brits who live in Spain but also of the treatment of Gibraltar. Some Spanish politician was pleading for the Brits to return on holiday. Not a chance. Brits are now avoiding Spain and the EU like the plague, preferring places like Turkey and the US. Spain won't see anywhere near the levels of tourism it has been accustomed to as we Brits vote with our feet and take our money somewhere else. Let the poor Spanish have and keep their beaches to themselves. Because hundreds of thousands of Brits won't be coming. Barry Ryan, Warrington (UK)
Wants to go I JUST read your article about how the British COVID strain could be safe enough to permit holidays (All bark, little bite, last issue) for holidays. But I feel that the Spanish rate of vaccination is very slow - everyone in Spain needs to be vaccinated first to avoid more lockdowns before the borders are thrown open. I am a non-resident who got caught up with COVID last year. I booked a flight early last May and then the fights were cancelled and borders closed. I have managed to stay safe over the past year, but at the age of 74 and being on medication I would feel a lot safer after vaccinations. Unfortunately the local health centre does not know how to arrange a vaccine for me as a non-resident. James Mclaughlin, San Isidro (Alicante)
May 5th - May 18th 2021
Mask confusion I READ your article on masks for school children (Olive Press Andalucia) and it appears this is only recommended by the Junta de Andalucia, and is not a law, which all schools have to adhere to. If it is not an actual law does this mean the schools have the power to choose which guidelines they enforce? Every parent I have spoken to disagrees with masks being worn in schools and I am interested in getting a petition started to unmask our children but need to find out as much information as possible and I do not speak Spanish so it is making it very hard. If there is anything you or anyone in your office can do to help please let me know. Jodie Grant by email Editor’s note: The Junta de Andalucia sets out the regulations which schools must adhere to within the region’s state schools (which it runs). Any petition should be directed towards them.
Bowled over THANKS for your article about cricket in Spain (Howzatt! All editions). It came as a bit of a surprise to find out that my favourite sport is becoming a bit of a thing in Spain. I shall be keeping an eye open to see if there is a local team I can go and watch. I am afraid I am a bit long in the tooth to participate myself, but I most certainly would like to lend my support where possible. Jack Hobart (Malaga)
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LA CULTURA
May 5th - May 18th 2021
Crap shop
A Gambling Man by David Baldacci
A caganer is not just for Christmas THEY are as much a part of Christmas in Catalunya as the pessebre, or nativity scene. Now these curious figures known as caganers - which depict everyone from Boris Johnson, Leo Messi, Joe Biden and even Queen Elizabeth II baring their bottoms to squat down and do their business, will be celebrated the year round
By Graham Keeley
at the world’s first caganers shop in Barcelona. Some 530 defecating figures will be on display for sale, to show off their remarkable history and to demonstrate how they are made. “To open a shop is the culmination of nearly 30 years of our career and as a recognition to our parents,” said Marc and Sergi Alos, respectively the sculptor and sales director of Caganer. com, the family-run company which has produced the figures for the past 29 years.
SPAIN’S famous Pamplona bull runs have been scrapped for a second successive year due to the COVID pandemic. The bull runs form the cornerstone of San Fermin festival in July, which draws tourists from around the world. The festival gained international fame from Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises. Prior to last year, the last time it was cancelled was during the Civil War between 1936 and 1939. As well as the morning bull runs and afternoon bullfights, the festival features roundthe-clock singing, dancing and drinking by revellers dressed in white clothes and red neck scarves. There are also religious events in honour of San Fermin. Last year’s cancel-
E
arlier in the year, the UK Treasury published a number of reviews and proposals relating to tax policy, dubbed Tax Day”, aimed at creating a more modern and open tax system in the UK. One such review likely to concern landlords and property owners, was around the tax and allowances of Furnished Holiday Lets (FHLs). These policy changes are a reaction to the increasing number of homeowners using sites like Airbnb to make additional income on their homes. Owners of FHLs receive a number of tax reliefs and allowances, providing that they meet the criteria set by the government. For example, properties that qualify as a FHL are subject to business rates instead of council tax. Business rates are cheaper, as they are deemed to be commercial premises, and the majority of FHLs are also viable for small business rates relief. This means that you could end up paying no rates at all. While this is great for FHL owners, it does, unfortunately, mean that many homeowners try to claim their property as a FHL, even if they don’t meet the criteria to benefit from the relief. Up until now, FHL owners have not been required to prove that they meet these requirements. However, with the number of homeowners claiming FHL tax benefits increasing, HMRC will be asking owners to prove that their property qualifies as a FHL. To qualify as a FHL, your property must be: ●● Based in the UK or in the European Economic Area (EEA) – including Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. All FHL properties in the UK will be treated as one business and all FHL properties in the EEA will be treated as another. ●● Furnished – your property must include sufficient furniture for normal occupation, such as beds, sofas and white goods. ●● Commercially let, i.e. you must intend to make a profit from the rental. Letting a property out of season to cover costs still counts as a commercial let, even if you did not make a profit. As well as the property conditions, there are also 3 key occupancy conditions that must all be met in order to qualify as a FHL. 1. Availability - Your property must be available as a FHL for at least 210 days in a year. You cannot count any days that you live in the property.
9
BROTHERS: Marc and Sergi Alos have set up shop
“We realised that it was necessary to have an establishment like this because until now you could only find the caganers in little stands or at fair at Christmas or in our
Honestly, no bull! lation was also a big financial blow to Pamplona’s bars, restaurants and hotels. Pamplona mayor, Enrique Maya said that staging the event would be ‘very risky due to the low number of vaccinated people and the Navarra region’s high COVID infection rate. Money that was going to be spent on the festival will be diverted to other summer attractions. In February, Navarra’s president, Maria Chivete, said that the event would be called off again, only for Maya to hold out longer before coming to terms with a second-successive cancellation.
factory.” They added: “It will be an oasis for the caganer where all year round there will be figures that we have created. “The caganer is not just something for Christmas. Little by little, we are converting it into a typical souvenir that a tourist can take as a memory of Catalonia,” added the Alos brothers. The new shop is in Calle Banys Nous in Barcelona’s Barrio Gotico, an area which is normally full of tourists. The roots of the caganer tradition are vague but believed to date from around the late 17th century or early 18th century when the fashion at the time in Catalonia was for realism in art, sculpture and literature.
It’s 1949 and WWII veteran Aloysius Archer is in need of a fresh start following a stint in prison. After hearing rumours that California is a place where hard working folk can make good money, Aloysius boards a bus towards a new life. On the way he makes a quick stop in Reno where he wins some money and meets secretive aspiring actress Liberty Callaghan. Arriving in Bay Town, California, they can clearly see it isn’t the land of opportunity they had hoped for. Aloysius takes a job with local P.I. Willie Dash and immediately find himself embroiled in a political scandal involving blackmail, brothels, drugs, secrets and lies. A Gambling Man is a modern gumshoe detective story from the master of thrillers and suspense. drugs, secrets and lies. A Gambling Man is a modern gumshoe detective story from the master of thrillers and suspense. €16.90 The Bookshop San Pedro, www.thebookshop.es
Tax bombshell 2. Letting - You must let out the property as a FHL for at least 105 days in the year. You cannot count any days that friends or relatives stay in the property for free or for a reduced rate. 3. You also cannot count any lets of more than 31 continuous days. The exception to this would be if something unforeseen happens, such as the holidaymaker either falling ill or having an accident that delays their departure, or they have to extend their holiday due to a delayed flight.
evidence to prove that this is the case. It seems likely that, with the introduction of MTD, you will be required to upload evidence to a digital platform in the near future.
Pattern of occupation
As well as paying business tax rates rather than council tax, FHL owners benefit from being able to:
There is a bit more wiggle room on the 31 day limit. If the total FHL bookings exceeding 31 continuous days is less than 155 days during the year, your property still qualifies as a FHL. If you don’t end up letting your property for at least 105 days, you have two options (known as elections) that can help you reach the occupancy threshold: ●● Averaging election – if you have more than one property and, between them, they average out to over 105 days of commercial let. You get a bit of time to make your averaging election one year from the 31st of January following the tax year. It sounds complicated but, essentially, you can make an averaging election for your 2017/18 tax year up until January 31, 2020. ●● Period of grace election – if you intended to let out your property as a FHL but did not reach 105 days occupancy, HMRC will accept proof that there had been a pattern of FHL activity by looking at previous years, for example. Broadly speaking, if your property is furnished, vacant and advertised as a holiday let for seven months of the year and you let it out for at least three months, it should qualify as a FHL and be eligible for certain tax reductions and allowances. While it’s currently unclear how HMRC will be checking that eligibility requirements have been met, it is important to check whether your property qualifies as a FHL and to collect any and all
Tax changes for Furnished Holiday Lets (FHLs) - what you need to know
What are the tax benefits of FHLs?
●● Claim capital allowances on your property, meaning you can furnish it and deduct the cost from your pre-tax profits. ●● Classify income generated from a FHL property as -relevant earnings- for pension purposes. ●● Split FHL profits equally between yourself and your spouse flexibly for tax purposes – unlike with long-term rental properties where profits are divided based on the official ownership split. ●● Claim certain Capital Gains Tax reliefs when you sell the property, e.g. Business Asset Rollover Relief. What UK FHL owners, living in Spain should do now Firstly be aware of the country that you are a resident in - the UK and Spain have a double taxation agreement, meaning that you shouldn’t pay both UK and Spanish tax on UK property income - however if you are a Spanish resident, you will need to declare your global income to the Spanish authorities. Register for self assessment as a non resident Landlord with HMRC - this means that your tax will not be stopped at source by your letting agent,
and you will be entitled to the £12570 tax free allowance on any UK rental income. You will also be able to claim expenses such as management fees as a tax deductible allowance If you are thinking of buying a property or using a property as a FHL, you should make a clear distinction between your residential or commercial lettings and begin gathering evidence as you go. As well as gathering evidence that your property qualifies as a FHL, you should keep good records relating to your FHL property and the income received. By using a platform like APARI that is tailored to the needs of landlords, you can keep upto-date digital records of your income, expenses and relevant documents preparing you for both the coming evidence requirements as well as MTD. For all the latest information and advice visit
www.apari-digital.com
10
May 5th - May 18th 2021
Tales of the surreal
T
EXCLUSIVE: A meeting with the maestro Salvador Dali was simply unforgettable, recalls David Baird
HEY’RE making a new film about one of the 20th cen- whelmed by his extrovert host. tury’s most famous artists, the outrageous Surrealist Dalí was in euphoric mood, leaning back in a cane chair as Salvador Dalí. Like anything associated with Dalí, it celestial music filled the patio. Then, abruptly, the maestro has bizarre aspects. Example: some scenes are being was off, bounding away in his rope-soled sandals. He gestured filmed in Wales, where the painter never set foot. at a phallic-shaped swimming pool, bordered oddly enough by Titled Dalí Land, it stars veteran actor Ben Kingsley (he was adverts for Pirelli tyres. brilliant as Gandhi, so he must be right for the part, right?). “Dalí is going to cover the bottom with sea-urchins,” he inIt relates how a young gallery assistant, played by Ezra Miller, formed us. “Yes, the stinging things, all over the bottom.” helps the ageing Dalí prepare for a big New York show. The Before I could ask why, he was off again and holding up a giartist’s wife, Gala, who was Russian, is portrayed by a German, gantic stuffed serpent. Barbara Sukowa. “Brigitte Bardot gave Dalí this. You like it?” Meanwhile, the Teatro-Museo Dalí in Figueras, up near the Somehow questions did not seem too important any more. French border, attracts more than a million visitors a year, How do you pin down an illusion, an eruption of fireworks, a making it one of the most visited in the world. Dalí is buried in bout of hysteria? Dalí claimed to have had his first hallucinaa crypt beneath the museum’s stage. And one of his creations, tion at the age of three and it was easy to believe. Portrait de Paul Eluard (pictured below) recently He was on the move again, elegant in black-andsold for $22 million, the highest figure ever paid white striped blazer and white trousers, keepfor a Surrealist work. ing up a commentary in a bewildering Dali was Have you got the picture? mix of English, Spanish, Catalan and Years after his death, in 1989, the legend of Sal- convinced I had French. vador Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech lives on. EsHe showed us the spherical Egg Room come all the pecially in my mind. Because I can never forget and pranced on, wagging his cane at the time when I met the man himself. a painting showing a naked woman’s way from China It was way back in the 1970s. I had spent the night back. “You have had the privilege of to see him in my camper van on a beach at Port Lligat on the seeing my wife in the nude. She has a Catalan coast. Just after dawn a Civil Guard patrol perfect back as you can see.” turned up and checked my credentials. When I Dalí and Gala began their relationship asked if they knew where the painter lived, they pointed out a while she was still married to his friend, the Surrealwhitewashed jumble of fishermen’s cottages close by. ist poet Paul Eluard. She left Eluard for Dali and the As a journalist, I had no option: I had to knock on the door. In pair married in 1934. Because of this affair Dali was the entrance hall a massive stuffed bear loomed menacingly. for years shunned by his father and their entire home Next thing I was ushered into the Dalí presence. Dalí looked town in Catalonia. Gala exerted an almost hypnotic his age. He gazed at me wearily, his moustache drooping. No power over Dalí. She persuaded him to buy her a caspyrotechnics, just a tired old man, slumped in his chair. I pre- tle in the village of Púbol, which the painter could not sented my card. enter without her permission. It has now become the “Come back in an hour,” said Dalí. Gala-Dalí Castle House Museum. When I returned, Dalí was sitting on a sunlit patio. And he was Later in the day Gala herself showed up, briefly. She a man transformed! Rejuvenated, effervescent. Even the fa- was elegance itself, but also cold and haughty. She mous moustache had acquired new life. eyed myself and my wife with distaste, asking: “Who “Ah!” he exclaimed. “The man from Shanghai!” are these people?” I realised later that the card was the clincher. It was one I had Dalí claimed that Gala recognised his hysterical used while working in Hong Kong. Dalí was convinced I had laugh for what it was, an indication of inner torment come all the way from China to see him. And soon a butler was and terror. She certainly knew how to convert his art pressing pink champagne on my wife, myself and three other into a money machine. Her mercenary ways became visitors. One of these was Dr. Schiller, a former minister in the notorious, as well as her taste for young lovers, to German government. A mild-mannered fellow, he seemed over- which Dalí turned a blind eye. The urge to cash in led to a huge scandal when it was learned that Dalí had signed hundreds of blank sheets of paper to which fake lithographs were later added. One yarn claims that John Lennon’s partner, Yoko Ono, bought what she thought was a strand of his moustache for $10,000, unaware it was a dry blade of grass from his garden. As we toured the bizarre Dalí hideaway, Dr. Schiller asked the painter to autograph a book of his works. No problem. He quickly penned a sketch on the flyleaf. “Fantastic!” said Dr. Schiller. I could only echo his words, recalling that at 1970s market prices that swift doodle would be worth at least $2,000. And today it could be sold for...who knows how much? For 60 seconds’ work. In his studio we viewed his latest creations. One was a clever arrangement of two patterns which merged when examined from a certain angle. All done with mirrors. “It’s wonderful, stereoscopic,” said Dalí. Asked its title, he paused – but only for a moment – then announced grandly: “Mineral Molecules in the Moment of Becoming One Angel!” Of course. Why hadn’t we thought of that? Later, intruders from the real world turned up, two executives from Playboy just arrived from New York. We met in Dalí’s library, presided over by stuffed swans and an eagle. They clutched a dozen or so colour photos, taken according to the maestro’s directions and due to appear in a special issue of the magazine. “You know the more I think about this project
the more excited I get,” declared the man from Playboy. I saw what he meant when I saw the pictures. Five spectacular models had somehow got entwined, in the nude, with the Bardot serpent and a huge egg in Dalí’s garden. While chatting with the Playboy reps, Dalí suddenly leaped on to a table and adopted an imperious pose. His eyes rolled wildly while his moustache and eyebrows performed a crazy accompaniment.“A photograph! A photograph!” he commanded.
LA CULTURA
May 5th - May 18th 2021
STRANGE: Dali at home with bear, striking a pose on the table, grooming his moustache and with Playboy photographer Pompeo Posar setting up a shot using his original sketch (bottom).
He was not to be denied. Clearly Dalí had never given up on his early ambition, announced at the age of seven, to be Napoleon. Surrealism has been described as an attempt to rebel against the orderly power of reason, to escape from the life sentence of daily routine. I was going to ask Dalí’s view about this. But the
next time I turned to speak to him he had morphed into somebody in a Chinese mandarin’s mask and a crown. Sheer exhibitionism, right? Or a crazy joke? Or Dalí’s way of retreating from the insane world we imagine is the real one?
11
12
GREEN
www.theolivepress.es
Martin Tye asks are you aware that Spain is the Dirty Man of Europe?
Green Matters By Martin Tye
IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD
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ANY of you will remember this 1964 farce starring Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracey. A farce is a comedy in which everything is absurd. Absurdism is even more extreme than a farce. In a farce, everything goes off the rails, but in absurdism, there aren’t any rails to begin with. A living example of this has to be the leaf blower, a device on the list of the top ten most ridiculous inventions of the last century. Brought to market as a hand held version in 1978, this mostly petrol powered contraption, in the hands of the ‘DIY MACHOMAN’ sets the scene to play out this tragic
farce. ‘I blow my rubbish and dirt (not just leaves) off my property onto yours. You then return the favour and blow them back!!!” It doesn’t get more absurd than this does it? These devices plague us all – in urbanisations, on the street, in public places. Nowhere is spared these noisy, polluting, and futile machines. Let me expand: ●● Leaf blowers blast air at 185 mph. They kick up allergens, dust, animal faeces, and other detrimental particulates. ●● They are noisy, obtrusive, and can cause hearing loss (sound emissions are 115 decibels). ●● The overall ecosystem is negatively affected. ●● They create 300 times the amount of pollutants as a street cleaning truck No one picks up the relocated debris they create. The original concept of blowing leaves in autumn is completely flawed. Leave the leaves in situ if possible. They are one ofvaluable things you can do to support pollinators and other invertebrates who need winter cover. Or, use as free mulch. Leaves are a great addition to compost. Whatever happened to the garden rake, the brush, and the pan? Maybe, to add to this farce we should form a movement to throw a cream pie in the face of all those who use them? 100% Certified Green Energy You decide…
Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es
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May 5th - May 18th 2021
Skybrator! By Fiona Govan
A PIONEERING turbine design promises to reinvent how we harness wind power without the need for giant windmills and blades that harm wildlife. The bladeless curve-topped cylinder can generate energy from vibrations alone and is the brainchild of Madrid based start-up Vortex Bladeless. “We have developed a new wind energy technology specially designed for on-site generation in residential areas, being able to work ongrid, off- grid, or along with regular solar panels or other
‘Phallic’ wind turbine could be future of green energy
generators,” explained David Yañez, the inventor behind the project.
Sustainable crossing SPAIN now has what is claimed to be the world’s first sustainable ‘fast ferry’. The service connects Palma de Mallorca to Denia with a stopover in Ibiza. Costing €90 million, Balearia’s Eleanor Roosevelt is the first ferry of its type in the world, operating with innovative natural gas engines, says the company. Taking just under three years to construct, the ferry is also longer than any other fast ferry in the world and has a capacity for 1,200 passengers and 450 cars. Balearia’s president, Adolfo Utor, explained that ‘sustainability and technology are the differentiating aspects’ of the vessel. Scientific analysis has shown that the ferry will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 85% which is equivalent to the consumption of 8,900 cars each year or some 27,000 trees. The ferry pays tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest serving First Lady in US history and a gender equality activist and advocate for civil rights, who was also the first president of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
BARCELONA mayor Ada Colau has s1et out the city’s vision for a green future by creating 503 superblocks to cut pollution and prevent hundreds of premature deaths. The blocks are groups of streets where traffic is reduced to close to zero,
Going green with the space given over to pedestrians and play areas. The plan could save hundreds of lives every year and cut air pollution by a quarter if it fully implements the radical superblocks scheme,
Described as an ‘environmentally friendly aerogenerator without blades designed for on-site wind energy generation’ it won the moniker Skybrator on Reddit because of its phallic appearance. The device could be effective from as small as three metres high which could be used on an off grid home to power a fridge, some lights and charge mobile phones harnessing wind power on a small scale in the same way as a home solar panel.
Size matters
“Power grows exponentially with the size of the device,” explained Jorge Piñero, another member of the Vortex team. The design has won the approval of Norway’s state energy company, Equinor, which named Vortex on a list of the 10 most exciting startups in the energy sector. The new designs could provide an alternative way of harnessing green energy in place of traditional wind farms with their giant blades that are known to decimate bird and bat species. according to a report by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health. “Citizens want us to move ahead with this transformation from the demonstrations and the surveys which we have conducted,” Colau told journalists.
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Estepona Vol. 15 Issue 368
www.theolivepress.es
May 2021
Old meets new
A town of contrasts that welcomes travellers with a taste of authentic Spain
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STEPONA is a place where old Spain meets new. The deep blue of the timeless Mediterranean Sea contrasts with the greenery of the rolling hills and mountains that provide a backdrop. The two sandwich the bright white of the traditional homes and more modern architecture that make up this bustling town. Splashes of colour are provided along the winding streets and boulevards by stunning displays of flowers, while blocks of apartments are transformed into canvases for impressive giant murals. These contrasts are the products of the constantly evolving nature of Estepona, which has impressive global credentials, despite being a medium-sized town. Continues on Page 14
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May 2021 From Page 13
Estepona
A jewel on the costa Within Estepona’s mural series alone, you have the largest vertical mural in Europe, and even the first braille mural in Spain, using ceramic pieces, to assist the learning of the visually impaired. Perhaps one of the most unusual examples of Estepona’s worldwide appeal is Disney’s discovery of the area in the early 1990s – the town was the original choice for Eurodisney but was pipped to the post by Paris. But away from the would-be theme park dreams of decades gone by lies the real beating heart of this charming town. A short walk along the marble pavements of Estepona’s Calle Teraza brings you to the charming and aptly named Plaza de las Flores (square of the flowers). In this hidden hive of activity you will find the tourism office, with maps for all kinds of excursions, including the murals tour and a host of reasonably-priced restaurants and cafeterias. Also nestled among the flowers, and spilling out onto Calle Teraza, are a handful of stylish clothes shops, mixing independent and quirky stores with more famous brands such as Mango. Further into the historic centre and you will notice that the town has ramped up its appeal with a ‘hanging
garden’ of geraniums sprouting from multi coloured pots on every wall of every street. And it went one better than the plant
pots a few years ago with its exotic glass-domed orchidarium. The futuristic greenhouse with more than 8,000 species of orchids and three waterfalls has welcomed more La Alcaria de Ramos is an Andalusian countryside stately mansion than 250,000 people each located high above the Mediterranean, with wonderful views year and they continue to arrive by the coach load - or at least they will COVID permitting. Lorena C a n o
La alcaria de Ramos
Traditional Mediterranean cuisine and creative cuisine merge to create a new concept and exquisite sensory experience
tel: +34 952 88 61 78 jare.1970@hotmail.com Ctra. de Cádiz, km. 167, 29688, Urb. El Paraíso, Estepona Close to Hotel el Paraíso, (junto al Hotel Paraíso) www.laalcariaderamos.es
Bedoya, 38, who moved to Estepo- steady stream of foreign tourists. na in 2008 from Colombia, lives just The latest edition to the some around the corner from the magnif- 700,000 square metres of new green icent orchid house with her seven- space, is a public park complete with year-old son Diego, and treasures the slides and wildlife area up near the greenery on her doorstep. hospital. “Estepona is a town with a very spe- This is part of the ‘Estepona, Garden cial magic,” she tells me, “starting of the Costa del Sol’ project, which is with its climate, its sea, its mountain.” progressing in time for the flood of Sandwiched between the ocean and summer tourists. the high sierras of Bermeja, Estepona And the high visitor numbers are undoes surf and turf in style. surprising, and not only because of “It is a town that gives you the most Estepona’s 325 yearly days of sunbeautiful and quiet places to discov- shine, 21km of coastline, 17 beacher,” she adds, from her house that is es, 12 chiringuitos, eight golf courses just a few minutes walk from La Plaza and more spa hotels than you can de las Flores. shake a fluffy white towel at. Most of all Lorena treasures the life Fresh air fiends can sail in the port, here for her active young son. go horse-riding, do high ropes at Sel“Diego is a child who likes wo Adventure park, play padel in the sports and reading classical poligono or kick back with a cocktail music,” she says. and their toes in the sand at one of its “We dedicate days for those glorified beach shacks. activities and I One chiringuito owner, try to educate Erwin Vanderdonck, him without 52, who owns Palm Estepona was screens, we Beach on Playa de la prefer to spend founded during Rada, is certainly geartime enjoying up for the summer. the golden age ing doing things toThis beach bar, where gether outside.” of the Caliphate chart-topping girl group And its idyllic Las Ketchup recorded of Cordoba outdoor spactheir video for Asereje, es and winding recently underwent a streets are perhuge redevelopment. haps why Estepona is often Originally from Amsterdam, he made described as one of the last the jump 19 years ago, swapping the ‘authentically’ Spanish re- ‘mayhem of finance’ in London for the sorts on the costa. ‘authentic feel’ of this Costa del Sol It has somehow managed to gem. stave off the whitewash of “The main centre for nightlife used to celebrity yachts and design- be the port,” he says, “but now there er brands of Marbella, while is a shift towards the centre, with new also avoiding the takeover of bars opening.” ‘Little Britain’ in the likes of Playa del Cristo, the next beach along, Benidorm. is in the port described by Erwin, and Maybe that is in part thanks is set on a sheltered bay with two to its Mayor, José María pleasant watering holes. García Urbano of the PP, who In fact, the fishy fare served by these has spent €100 million on ramshackle beach huts is surprisingly public works since he good. took over in 2011. After supper, pick up an ice cream on During his 10-year Calle Real or hit the bars: Louie Loutenure, he has trans- ie’s is always guaranteed for a good formed Estepona into boogie or if you prefer to watch, El Paa green paradise for tio puts on a colourful feast of flamenthose who live here, co, having restarted its events in April. while still attracting a Estepona’s bright young things flock
15 May 2021
Floral tribute
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HE first seeds were sown back in 2012, when Estepona Mayor Jose Maria Garcia Urbano and his fellow councillors drew up the design for a green walking city dedicated to culture and art. The mural trail was born that year, an ongoing project that is transforming dowdy tower blocks with eye-catching frescos depicting local scenes The intention was to shine light on the town’s forgotten neighbourhoods and attract more foreign tourists. Ambling through the sinewy flower-laden streets of the old town, it’s clear to see how these efforts have borne fruit, and how well-deserved is Estepona’s nickname. Marielle Maulenberg, an MA student and English teacher, has watched the whole town blossom. “I'm really impressed with how they’ve done it
SIGHTS: The charming old town (left) modernist orchid house (above) and an early evening stroll in Estepona
to see the bars and clubs at the port on weekends. Alternatively, there are four excellent markets to get up for. Three are held on Sunday mornings: one at the port (9am-2pm) and a rastro in the bullring (10am-2pm). On Wednesday mornings (9am-2pm) Avenida Puerta del Mar market is the place to be. Or, why not head into the old town’s twisting uphill streets, which offer a glimpse of life as it used to be in Estepona. The town’s story is told through a scattering of watchtowers built to ward off the Moorish invaders, the Arab-built clock tower and 16th century castle ruins. Estebbuna was founded during the golden age of the Caliphate of Cordoba in the 10th century. Destroyed by the conquering Christians in the 15th century and rebuilt by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand
almost a century later, King Philip V granted the town a charter for 600 families in 1728. Compare that to the 65,000-plus residents today – a figure that more than triples in summer months - COVID
permitting. And rentals do fill up quickly at this time of year, so book early if you want to discover why Estepona should be number one on your Costa del Sol bucket list.
up.” “Before, it was much quieter but the mural trail and street renovations have really transformed it,” she tells me appreciatively. Estepona’s flower pot-strewn pedestrianised streets and squares are some of the prettiest on the Costa del Sol. Its scented town centre is one of the reasons Michael Ventress, a retired bank worker from Basingstoke, chose it as his holiday destination. Michael, along with countless other tourists, come to admire the photogenic centre and wander around in search of the murals. Because not only do they beautify the town, they provide handy landmarks to help navigate the streets. Head in any direction and your walk will take you on a floral trail graced with sculptures by local artists and poetic verses penned by Spanish bards showcased on ceramic plaques. Potted plants hang off whitewashed walls, scattering a confetti of crimson, lilac and magenta petals. You can see rarer plants at the Orchidarium, an indoor perfumed garden where 1,300 varieties are joined by the notorious Amorphophallus Titanum or 'corpse flower', named for its foul odour. Visitors have not yet had the dubious pleasure of taking a sniff as it hasn’t yet breached the soil's surface. When it does, it could potentially grow up to three metres high. Then there are the floral plazas, typified by Plaza de las Flores which lives up to its name, where you can get trail guides from the tourist office and study them at one of the pavement cafes. Others you'll happen upon while meandering through the streets, like Plaza de Begines which has a stage set up. Local resident Manuela Reinoso, 50, tells me it’s for the May Day celebrations. Let curiosity be your guide to discover these hidden treasures for yourself and you’ll understand without doubt why no other town can hold a petal to Estepona’s Garden of the Costa del Sol.
Monday - Sunday 10.00 till 22:30 Calle Real 19, 29680, Estepona tel: 679 418 206 info@etceteracafe.com
food – drinks – cocktails
Our kitchen is open all day!
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May 2021
Estepona boasts two of the Costa del Golf’s founding courses, and a whole lot more
Estepona
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WO of the genuine grandes dames of the Costa del Golf are found in Estepona. Both El Paraiso and Atalaya rank with the oldest courses on the coast and were established in the days when you could build a golf course just about anywhere you liked. As a result, the quality of the courses is fantastic, built on wonderfully flat land with the mountainous backdrop of the Sierra de las Nieves. It means you don’t lose so many balls and the courses are easy to walk around. El Paraiso caters for every kind of golfer, boasting seven different types of membership and up to eight competitions a week for varying abilities. It also has an active ladies section, with more than 200 members. Atalaya Golf Club proudly dates back to 1968, when the design of the course was more important than fitting it between apartment blocks. Eucalyptus trees, cacti and palms line the club’s two 18-hole courses - Atalaya Old and Atalaya New - whose wide, easy-walking fairways
PITCH PERFECT: Estepona courses
Greens are go! pass fountains and flower beds. As a members’ club that is open to guests, the course has a lively community feel and there is always a buzz around the clubhouse. Although a younger course, dating from 1989, Estepona Golf is famous for superb putting surfaces and sea views. Featuring strong par 3s, it provides an excellent round for players of all standards.
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“Estepona has the best golfing temperatures in Europe, with over 320 days of sunshine a year and an average of 22 degrees,” explains Jason Callow, of Estepona Golf. Contact El Paraiso on 952 883 835 or email info@elparaisogolfclub.com For Estepona Golf, call 952 937 605, or email information@esteponagolf.com
Barrios of Estepona
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stepona, which bills itself as the Garden of the Costa del Sol, has undergone a transformation in the past decade, blossoming from a quiet town at the western end of the province of Malaga into an attractive tourist and residential destination in its own right. Home to 70,000 people, it was officially declared a Tourism Municipality by the Junta de Andalucia in 2020. As Andalucia is still in provincial lockdown at the time of writing
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Estepona has something for everyone: a historic centre, miles of beaches, the mountains of Sierra Bermeja and some of the best-value areas to own a property on the Costa del Sol, writes Adam Neale
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, here’s a virtual visit around Estepona, taking in some of the most in-demand areas for those looking to invest in a home here to live year-round or for
he Old Town is a maze of cobbled streets and shaded squares, lined by whitewashed houses and filled with flowers in colourful pots. Much of the area, which stretches back from the Paseo Maritimo and Playa de la Rada, has undergone a transformation in the past decade. Many streets are now pedestrianised, which has allowed bars and restaurants to expand dining terrace areas and new shops to open their doors to passersby. Properties range from building plots and older houses for redevelopment, resale and new-build apartments and penthouses, some which enjoy sea views, and fully restored townhouses, many with patios and roof terraces. There are also larger buildings with potential for
your holidays. If it’s any recommendation, we moved here and set up our business almost 20 years ago and wouldn’t think about living anywhere else on the Costa del Sol.
Estepona Old Town: charm, amenities and the beach on your doorstep
commercial development. Prices start at less than six figures, although these are getting harder to find, and can climb to over a million euros.
Seghers: sea views and services, all from a pine-forested hillside
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El Padron and Benamara: beachside and countryside on the New Golden Mile
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ying to the east of the Old Town, the New Golden Mile runs along the coastline towards San Pedro de Alcantara, connecting Estepona to all the amenities of the Costa del Sol, while offering residents privileged access to natural attractions like quiet beaches and lush valleys. El Padron, which lies between the Padrónriver and the Río Castor has retained a real sense of life in the country, while Benamara is just steps away from the sands of Playa Saladillo. Properties in El Padron include traditionally designed Andalusian villas occupying
Located west of Estepona’s centre, the residential neighbourhood of Seghers is characterised by low-density developments with a mix of small- to medium-sized villas and townhouse developments. Just a short stroll from the blue-flagged Playa del Cristo beach and surrounded by green spaclarge plots with open views, although there are also some urbanisations nearer to the coast road. Benamara, meanwhile, offers a choice of apartments in complexes such as El Presidente, as well as luxurious
es, the area is conveniently close to services in the port, and home to the Jardín de Seghers nursery school and Babylon sports club. Seghers is the only location with panoramic sea views in Estepona that places residents within walking distance of the beach, the historic town centre and the Marina. single-family homes within walking distance of the Mediterranean. Prices here start at under half a million euros and can reach multiple millions for a front-ine villa on the beach.
17 May 2021
Galeria 151 PICTURE FRAMING
Casasola and El ParaIso: contrasting choices for luxury living in Estepona
Professional picture and memorabilia framing... Hundreds of mouldings to choose from
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urther to the east and close to neighbouring San Pedro de Alcantara, Casasola and El Paraiso are among Estepona’s finest residential addresses. Casasola is tucked away beside the Guadalmina River and bordering the Hotel Guadalmina Spa and Golf Resort, with easy access to the beaches and a wealth of local services. Occupying the hills and valleys north of the N340 coast road, verdant El Paraíso is home to golf and country clubs. There are housing options to suit almost everybody in both areas, with exclusive developments and townhouses, as well as modern villas, some of which have front-line plots, in Casasola. In El Paraíso, buyers can choose between apartments in urbanisations and high-end, single-family homes. Asking prices for the very best properties in both areas can exceed €10 million.
Los Reales: amazing mountain views on the way to Sierra Bermeja Just a short drive away from the centre of Estepona, the rustic splendour of Los Reales really feels like another world. The road to Genalguacil rises into a verdant swathe that stretches across the slopes above the town, protected by the Sierra Bermeja mountain range, where the peak of Los Reales stands 1,452 metres above sea level. The area has its own micro-climate and feels refreshingly cool in summer. The rare properties that come to the market in Los Reales tend to be rural country estates with Andalusian-style villas set among extensive gardens, many of which have incredible panoramic views of the Costa del Sol. Prices are not as high as the altitude may lead you to expect, averaging around the million-euro mark.
Showroom and gallery at Arena Beach, Km 151 on the A7, Estepona Call 952 800 676 or mobile/ WhatsApp 655 459 576
Estepona’s best established Tennis and Padel Club Open since 1988
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Estepona Talking factually A
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May 2021
Ignoring, thinking or believing that tax notifications don’t exist is a dangerous game in Spain, writes Joanna Elliot of Puro Consulting
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HEN Aldous Huxley said ‘facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored’ he was certainly right. Particularly when it comes to the Spanish tax notifications system. Too many people think that if you don’t receive or collect a letter from the Agencia Tributaria (Spanish tax office), that an official notification has not been made and the procedure will simply fade away... this is alarmingly inaccurate. Unfortunately, with or without your knowledge, the tax procedure will legally follow its course whether you like it or not. Worse, it could mean losing your right to defend yourself, appeal or present documentation to back your case and you could subsequently get hit with a tax bill or fine, which in most cases is incommensurate with one’s real financial situation. And to add fuel to the fire, the debt will be swiped from your account via a bank
levy, commonly known as an ‘embargo’. If the tax office complies with the notification process outlined in article 42, Law 39/2015 from the Common Administrative Procedure, any resolutions are pretty much untouchable. Here are two key points to consider: A notification can be signed by anyone over the age of 14 at your designated address; if the first attempt is unsuccessful, there is a second and last attempt to deliver the letter, in which case, it must be within the following three days since the first attempt, and at a different time than first. This means, if the first was before 15:00h, the second must be after 15:00h and vice versa. After this, the notification must be published in the State Official Bulletin (BOE) and you will then be treated as NOTIFIED once 15 days after the publication has passed As for Non-Residents for the revenues obtained without mediation of perma-
nent establishment, i.e. owners of a holiday home or a rental property. Notifications can be sent to the address of the property here in Spain, the address of a designated representative or can be sent to the fiscal address overseas and in this last case shall follow a similar procedure when notified in Spain with the exception that, if the Spanish Authorities do not receive confirmation receipt within two months, they can proceed directly with publication in the BOE I strongly recommend you keep your postal address updated with the tax office, which is vital to defend any potential tax demand as here in Spain, according to article 48 of the 58/2003 General Taxation Law, it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to communicate an address. If you are going to be absent for long periods, I also recommend you provide as a postal address your Accountants or Gestors address in Spain.
Removing the stress of your Spanish taxes Puro Consulting is a bilingual English-Spanish Accountants & Tax advisory firm based in Estepona with over 10 years of experience. Our main focus is assisting Spanish limited companies, self-employed workers, residents and non-residents with all their tax affairs and being compliant in Spain. Our reputation is built on our impeccable code of work ethics and in-depth knowledge in both National & International taxation. SERVICES CORPORATE SERVICES
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Av. Puerta del Mar, Bloque 60 Local 5, Estepona tel: +34 952 803 638 email: info@puroconsulting.es www.puroconsulting.es
19 May 2021
Pirates and plants Find out how this booming seaside town is so much more than sun, sea and sand, writes Pablo Balbontin
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ID you know pirates regularly attacked the coast of Estepona in the 1700s? Or that its bullring is the only asymmetrical structure of its kind in the world? This gem of the Costa del Sol is
packed full of history and amazing facts and those two are just for starters. Here are 11 stupendous Estepona assets that easily make it one of the coolest resorts on the coast.
It’s own werewolf Among the many sculptures gracing Estepona’s streets, one soars above the rest: a creature that’s half wolf, half man. It’s a homage to the Spanish actor Paul Naschy for his contribution to Spanish horror films of the 70s, when he was cast in his most famous role as a werewolf.
Rare species
The Sierra Blanca mountains backing Estepona and the rest of the Costa del Sol are the only place in the world to find forests entirely composed of rare Abies pinsapo Spanish fir trees.
A pirate legacy
Back in the 18th century pirates were no strangers to Estepona’s shores and King Felipe II had seven watch towers built along the coast to protect it from attack by sea, known as almenaras, which still stand today.
A trend-bucking bull ring
Tombs intact
Estepona’s plaza de toros isn’t the oldest, biggest or best in Spain but it’s one of a kind - the only asymmetrical bullring in the world. Its clever shape was designed by Juan Mora Urbano to offer spectators more seating in the shade than under the hot Spanish sun, and it has hosted numerous sport and cultural events since it opened in 1972.
The first traces of human existence in Estepona can be found in the mountains in the shape of the Corominas Necropolis, whose dolmen cave tombs and graves remain almost exactly the same as they were 5.000 years ago.
Independence One of the most valuable documents kept in the Historical Archive of Estepona is the Villazgo letter. Written and signed by Felipe V in 1729, it grants the title of independence to Estepona, previously controlled by Marbella since 1552.
Europe’s Biggest Orchidarium Not only does it hold the size record at 15,000 cubic metres, this monster glass house houses an incredible 8,000 different species of exotic orchids.
No Micky Mouse town A remarkable tower The Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 was the most devastating earthquake known in the history of southwest Europe, triggering a tsunami that spread to the Med. Estepona’s church didn’t make it, but the tower did and it’s still standing today, although it had to wait until the 20th century to get its famous clock.
If things had been different, Eurodisney Estepona would have been coining it in from millions of visitors around the world. The resort was the original choice for Eurodisney back in the early Nineties before the project was finally awarded to Paris for political reasons. But frankly we prefer it that way.
A ghostly past
Estepona was once a ghost town like many of the depopulated pueblos in inland Andalucia today. After years of war, it was conquered and then abandoned by King Enrique IV of Castille in 1461, when it became a wild and dangerous place to be. It was rescued from near extinction in 1502 when 30 families were encouraged back to reboot the town we know today.
A split personality Estepona has been inhabited by many civilisations down the centuries - Phoenicians, Romans Muslims - who all called it something different: Alextebbuna, Asttebbuna, Estebbuna and its present name, christened by Enrique IV.
Estepona Staying safe from COVID High and mighty! 20
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How to get your vaccine when not in the state health system
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HE Junta de Andalucia has given an official response to the big question: ‘How to get the COVID Vaccination while having private insurance’. As you might know, private health insurance companies are NOT involved in the vaccination process, as this is an issue for the Spanish government provided by the Public Health Service. Now the Junta de Andalucia and the Servicio Andaluz de Salud/Andalucian Health Service (SAS) has announced how to proceed for people who live here in Spain, but haven't had the need to use the public system as they are insured by a private health insurance company. In this case, you have to fill in the form called the SOLICITUD DE ALTA EN LA BASE DE DATOS DE PERSONAS USUARIAS DEL SSPA USUARIOS PRIVADOS (EXTRANJEROS Y NO MUTUALISTAS available from website jundadeandalucia.es and take it to your local Centro de Salud (Health Centre). •
The feedback we at Sanitas have had says that you should also take:
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Volante de empadronamiento (town hall registration certificate) - a maximum of three months old
• • •
Pic by Yvonne Vanderdonck (DIGIPRINT)
May 2021
Passport (photocopy and original) Residency NIE/TIE (numero de identificacion de extranjero/ tarjeta de identidad de extranjero) Membership card or contract with a private health insurance company
You can send these documents online, but you need your digital signature (which is quite a process to obtain). So, the easiest - but probably most time consuming - option is to go to your local Centro de Salud, take a number or queue up and hand it over to the clerk. And you will need to use all your Spanish language skills, as the information and forms are … in SPANISH
STUNNING: This glorious photo captures the incredible view from the Los Reales peak in the Sierra Bermeja
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TANDING like a monolith towering over Estepona sits a mountain bigger than Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak. The perfect backdrop to the coast’s most upmarket resort,
this stunning peak, Los Reales, is an amazing place to escape the buzz of the Costa del Sol and get back to nature. Indeed, this mountain sitting in the Sierra Bermeja nature reserve is about as far removed from the coast as you can get - yet only 8km inland. The perfect place for a walk, the easy circuit leads to the highest point of the nature reserve, known as the Pico Reales. Rising to 1,450m - some 106m taller than Ben Nevis - from its antennae-topped summit there’s a dizzy, panoramic vista of a huge slice of Andalucia: north to the Sierra de las Nieves, east to the Sierra de Ojen, west to the Alcornocales Natural Park and south to Gibraltar and Africa. One of its best walks goes through the Pinsapar de los Reales, home to one of the few existing stands of the uniquely beautiful pine, Abies Pinsapo Boix, found in less than half a dozen places around the world. Stop at the great viewing point, the Mirador de Salvador Guerrero, which entails a short diversion but which is well worth the extra effort. Finding the starting point for the walk is all part of the adventure. To reach the trailhead, you’ll need to follow a snaking mountain road inland from the town for about 20 minutes. Here is a breakdown of how to do it:
The walk From the signboard Paseo de los Pinsapos head down a narrow, rocky path which drops away from the road into the pinsapo forest. Just 75m after crossing a small concrete bridge you reach a junction. Cut left following the sign Los Realillos/Los Reales for 2.2km. The path leads past a signboard about pinsapo pines then on past a ceramic sign of a poem by Lorca inspired by trees, before climbing steeply through dense undergrowth: as you climb higher Mediterranean pines begin to take the place of the pinsapos. Careful! Some five minutes be-
Circuit to the Pico Reales and the top of the Sierra Bermeja THE NITTY-GRITTY Distance: Time required: Rating: Total height gain: Map(s): Water:
8 km (up and down) About 2.5 hours (inc. breaks) Easy/Medium 5,300m IGN 1:50000 Jimena de la Frontera 1071 (14-46) & Estepona 1072 (15-46) Tap with unchlorinated water @ 1 hr 15 mins
yond the ceramic sign of Lorca’s poem you reach a junction marked by twin stone mounds. Here cut hard left and continue your ascent, zigzagging up through the pines and the reddish rocks. Passing a small breach in the rocks the path runs up to the top of the ridge where views open out to the southwest and the Bay of Algeciras. (30 mins) Here the path bears left towards the transmitter antennae atop the Reales peak, through another swathe of pinsapo pines. Marker posts help guide you up. Passing across another jagged ridge the path bears right and continues to climb. Reaching a flatter area and bearing left it runs on up to the antennae. Here, reaching a white hut, cut right, pass a second hut then follow a narrow path up to the trig point marking the top of Los Reales (1,450m). (50 mins) This is a great spot for a break with the incredible panorama that lies before you. Leaving the peak retrace your footsteps back towards the first white hut which you passed earlier. Five metres before the hut cut right on a narrow path which drops down to the track leading to the
transmitter masts where you’ll see a signboard for Sendero de los Realillos. Here angle right down a stony track which loops down the eastern flank of Los Reales, shortly passing by another transmitter mast. Looping on down past a group of forestry buildings you reach a junction with another track and a plaque dedicated to Edmond Boissier who first catalogued the unique Pinsapo pine. (1 hr 10 mins) Here, cutting right for 100m you reach a picnic area, Área Recreativa, where there are picnic tables and, just beneath, the Mirador de la Costa del Sol. There’s a tap with water to the right: a sign warns that it isn’t chlorinated but the taste is all the better for that. Continuing on along the track you reach a turning circle and a sign Mirador de Salvador Guerrero. From here continue along a narrow path to reach one of the Costa del Sol’s most spectacular viewing points. After visiting the mirador trace your steps back to the Boissier plaque then follow the track on for approximately 1.6 kms to return to your point of departure. (1 hr 55 mins)
21 May 2021
Life on the seas
The vermillion mountain looming high above Estepona is a nature reserve like no other, with a wonderful walk around it, writes Guy Hunter Watts
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TILL a working fishing town, much of Estepona’s cash flow surges from the port. The importance of the maritime trade is obvious at the Ethnographic Museum, which showcases the ancient craft of boat making and the cornucopia of marine life living off this golden coast. Museum guide Mariano Jobreas, who moved to the town from Madrid, shows off a wall displaying dozens of complicated knots. “To become a fisherman you have to learn to tie every single one of these. “You have to be prepared for all eventualities out at sea,” he says gravely. The models of fishing boats still in use look so real, he jestingly assures me that the working vessels are much bigger. On a trip to the port Miguel Ferrer Gonzalez explains his boat trips.
Estepona’s seafaring tradition is the salt adding seasoning to its tourist offer
“I came here because Estepona is more of a family town,” he beams, explaining that he spends his days sailing around in search of dolphins. It sounds like money for old rope as dolphins aren’t hard to find - beach goers often spot shoals of them frolicking offshore. “It’s not an office job, and if you like the sea, this is the job for you,” agrees Miguel. If you’d like a turn at the helm yourself, the Real Club Nautico houses a sailing and kayak school with a dry dock for sailboats and a nautically-themed restaurant
VINTAGE: Estepona was once a quaint fishing village for hungry sailors returning home from the sea. Estepona is still home to hundreds of working fishing families whose ancestors have been casting their nets here for centuries. Now this great maritime tradition is continued by their offspring who brave the elements to this day to put fresh fish on local dining tables.
WHITE-WASHED: The area surrounding the beautiful centre was once grazing ground for cattle
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Estepona
Mural magic I
T’S quite literally the most offthe-wall collection of urban art on the Costa del Sol. Everyone from top international artists to creative prison inmates have contributed to Estepona’s amazing al fresco art gallery of murals glamming up bleak concrete buildings around town. Every other high rise is bursting with colour and imaginative designs – from dancers and divers to optical illusions which deceive the eye from a distance. One of the latest additions to the ‘Artistic Murals Route’ is Atlantis by Jose Fernandez Rios, located on Avenida de los Reales. Another example of Rios’ work is the gardener cutting bougainvillea on the side of Victor de la Serna school. Likewise, the impressive Fishing Day mural occupies 1,000m2 across six separate buildings – and holds the record as the largest vertical mural in Spain. Artistic inmates of Alhaurin prison meanwhile created sixmetre-long metal sculptures for one mural which recreates the sea floor as part of the Moraga Collective initiative. Erin Aman whose work is featured in San Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, is another of the famous contributors to the offbeat outdoor expo.
RECORD: Fishing Day (above) holds the record in Spain , while (left) Jose Rios is inspired and one of Estepona’s newest mural Atlantis (right)
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WHERE TO EAT
Dining revolution
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n this day and age we all want to make the most of every hour. Whether we are at work or with family and friends we also want a little time for ourselves in which to rest and relax. And this means getting a good night’s sleep! We spend an average of eight hours a day sleeping. That makes 120 days a year, 25 years of our entire lives - so it’s important to be comfortable in bed. Resting well not only makes you wake up with more energy but is also beneficial for the heart, skin, immune system, etc. A good rest also improves our ability to concentrate and our state of mind. Dormo is a shop in Estepona specialised in everything you need to get a good rest. With more than 10 years’ experience in the world of rest and relaxation, they can show you a wide selection of mattresses, bases, pillows sheets and bedding ... all of them top brands and high quality at the best price. Visit Dormo and they will give you the best advice to make sure you get out of bed every morning with recharged energy and a spring in your step.
ll about
Estepona is finally developing a food scene to rival its celebrated big sister, writes Jon Clarke
J
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UST take a sniff around the centre these days and, please, whisper it quietly: The most upwardly-mobile resort on the Costa del Sol is finally developing a foodie scene. As a series of boutique hotels get set to open in the centre, appropriately a number of new and exciting restaurants are also getting into the mix. Whether you fancy Mexican, Argentinian or Japanese, there is something for everyone now in Estepona. Thanks to an influx of better heeled, more refined expats moving in over the last few years, the resort’s chefs have had to up their ENTERPRISING: Multinational staff + 34 952 770 243 at Etcetera create a great menu, and, game. +34 722 540 554 The revolution is taking place pri- left, a friendly welcome at Mexa EXTRAmarily in the main streets around 10%Calle Real and Calle Caridad, prising expat family hailing in part from Austria, in part OFFbookmarked by the ANYtwo squares Plaza from Poland and with PURCHASE Artichoke Ortiz and Plaza de las a chef from Brazil, Flores. who has been around croquettes Here, you will find the block and picked and the most up to a dozen good up plenty of skills. places to eat, on top Sitting on the recentcreative of the celebrated fish ly upgraded plaza, restaurants that line not yet even named, pudding the paseo. half way along Calle I was particularly takReal, this is charm en with Etcetera, one personified with a of the newest set up by an enter- splendid range of dishes of a very international flavour. There were some fabulous artichoke croquettes, a superb hamburger and the most creative pudding (a cross between a cheesecake and banoffee pie) I have had this year. Over the road you might pay a visit to the new Mexican Mexa, which serves up some delicious and spicy tacos and quecas. Staying with the south American flavour, one of the coolest spots is defi-
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nitely the excellent Argentinian Sur, in Plaza Ortiz, where globetrotting Juan runs a tight ship and has a distinct eye for style and decor. His is a real family affair and you often find father, wife, son and daughter, even the son-in-law serving up juicy empanadas, lamb tagines and, of course, the best steaks imaginable. Definitely the place not to miss and the main magnet these days must certainly be Casa del Rey. Sitting in the corner of Plaza de las Flores it epitomises the changes in the old town, which is finally becoming stylish with a huge new
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25 May 2021
Salmon from Norway, directly to your doorway
CAPTION SPLENDID: Casa del Rey revolutionised Estepona town centre and Juan (above right) is constantly evolving his restaurant Sur (facing page bottom)
focus on quality dishes and particularly wine, with over 100 being served by the glass. Casa del Rey, owned by the Reinaldo group, has brought a gourmet focus to
the centre and the ambience inside and outside is alluring. Knowledgeable half-Dutch owner Liliana is often around and happy to give you tips on what wines to mix with what
dishes. For fish, you most certainly must not miss El Pescador run by Alfonso for years - and very often found in its kitchen.
Delicatessen del Mar brings the Nordic concept of food with a touch of modernity and especially food safety, in line with the times, which focuses on highlighting simplicity, nutrition and health. They bring five carefully selected salmon products directly from Norway to your doorway, with different cuts and styles, making this delicatessen salmon the perfect complement to your diet. Not only that, but they guarantee the quality, so that you can enjoy the delicious delicacies secure in the knowledge they are safe and wholesome. They are experts in quality salmon and will make your everyday life easier by delivering direct to you all while making your diet heal-SALMON FROM thier. DIRECTLY TO YOU Delicatessen del Mar has thouWe consider sands of returning customers whoourselves experts in q make your everyday life easier a appreciate that the company works Order your salmon at delica with skilled suppliers who put them Free home delivery, tas in touch with the best manufacturers. The knowledgeable owners and staff work daily to raise the quality of salmon products to new heights. After all, with 20 years in the business, they haveVisit learned our website a and subscribe to our news thing or two! Find your favourite salmon Easy fast and satisfaction guaranteed
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SALMON FROM NORWAY, DIRECTLY TO YOUR DOORWAY We consider ourselves experts in quality Salmon and we will make your everyday life easier and your diet healthier. Order your salmon at delicatessendelmar.es Free home delivery, taste guarantee.
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26 May 2021
WHERE TO EAT
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Estepona From Page 25
Stylish and tasty
PARADISE: Sea bass in salt and monster dessert at El Pescador
Sitting slap bang on the main beach, few places have developed as quickly and as stylishly in the town over the last decade (and he has just opened another one in Marbella). Through sheer hard work and a clever eye for quality and panache, he has turned this place into the must visit fish restaurant. You sit by the promenade overlooking the sea and eat only the best fresh fish from the nearby port. My tip is the sea bass in salt, an absolute joy. Another excellent chiringuito right on Estepona’s main beach is Africa Beach, run for four years by
GOOD EATING: Africa Beach and La Alcaria de Ramos (above) are both run by the talented Jose Antonio Ramos
SUPERB: The chiringuito Palm Beach is one of the best on the coast
the talented team from well established inland restaurant La Alcaria de Ramos. An excellent place to spend the day, you can lay back and devour a superb fish lunch enjoying prawns and sardines cooked on espeto skewers, then hang out on a sunbed for the rest of the day, sipping cocktails at night. Just up the road you will find the chiringuito Palm Beach, one of the best on the coast for quality, and due to reopen again shortly. Set up by talented former Dutch broker Erwin Vanderdonck, it has a range of tasty dishes including prawn pil pil samosas and crab spring rolls, which are melt-in-the-mouth amazing. A bit further afield a must visit for anyone wanting to find one of those true dining secrets of the Costa del Sol is La Alcaria de Ramos. Run by Jose Antonio Ramos for over three decades, it sits beside Chef Alfonso from an inland crossroads, El Pescador
between the two famous golf courses of El Paraiso and Atalaya. An ancient coaching inn, it is charm personified with some amazing Spanish tourist posters and has wonderful views of the coasts sitting up in an enviable position.
27 May 2021
HIP HANGOUT: La Catarina even has its own brewery (right)
For many years in the Michelin guide, it mixes up traditional Mediterranean cuisine with international fare and has a superb wine list. And finally, there is more at La Catarina, which has its very own beer factory next door. This is fast becoming one of the hippest places to hang out on a Friday night and over the weekend when there are a string of live events taking place.
In the heart of the old town of Estepona, next to the Plaza de las Flores, in a house with more than 200 years of history, is La Casa del Rey - a ‘wine bar - restaurant’ that opened its doors in 2012. Since then, the skilled staff have not stopped innovating and updating every day with new recipes, new ideas or new decorations. Here you can find hundreds of reference points for national and international wines, as well as a high-quality gastronomic offer including: skewers, dishes to share, gourmet mini burgers, variety of salads and meats of the very best quality. Come and join us on our terrace or in our interior courtyard where you can have an intimate evening, or make use of our interior tasting table, which is ideal for wine tastings. Come and get to know our house. We are waiting for you!
COMING SOON... We continue to grow and are now set to open our doors in Estepona harbour. The new Casa del Rey will also have a big selection of national and international wines to complement our best quality meats and fresh products.
FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL Welcome Bargain back meal THE·Spanish government has announced it will be ready to welcome back British and International holidaymakers this June with a ‘COVID passport’ According to the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdes, the digital certificate, which is being set up by the European Union (EU) and which ‘will be fundamental in providing certainty to travellers’, will be operational at the start of this summer.
Virus
Valdes explained that it will be accepted as proof a person had a COVID-19 jab, received a negative test result or recovered from the virus. With a digital vaccination certificate in place, to be pilot tested in May at all of Spain’s 46 airports, the country expects to kick start the recovery of the tourism trade in June. Additionally, Valdes said that Spain was pushing for the UK’s digital vaccine passport to be ‘mutually recognised’ and said he welcomed Boris Johnson’s plans to restart international travel from May 17.
May 5th - May 18th 2021
Kick off hope
Tuck in to a Michelin-starred menu for just €25 SPAIN is home to one of the cheapest places in the world to enjoy a Michelin-starred meal. For a bargain basement price of just €25 diners can tuck into a three course set menu at Silbario in Vigo (Galicia). For that price you get an aperitif of Puchero de verdinas y setas silvestres (stew of green vegetables and wild mushrooms) then a choice of start-
ers like warm pea and mussel soup or roasted white asparagus with egg and ham. This is followed by Galician veal shank, chanterelles and Robuchon’s style puree or pan-seared palometa and roasted spring onion. To finish off there is a choice of Leche frita, with lemon cream and cinnamon ice cream or crema montada de tetilla with peach and fried sesame seeds.
The restaurant also offers more ambitious menus costing up to €80 - still a bit of a bargain in the rarefied world of Michelin-class dining, with
On the rocks THE home of the founder of the Bacardi drinks empire is to close, another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic. Casa Bacardi in Sitges was the original home of Facundo Bacardi Masso, who left the Catalan city in 1830 to set up the drinks company in Cuba. The website for Casa Bacar-
di, which closed on March 28, states that the property will remain shut ‘until further notice’. Since its opening almost ten years ago, Casa Bacardi has been a popular local attraction, but reduced capacity due to COVID-19 makes it untenable to continue as a museum.
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chef Alberto Gonzalez (pictured) also serving up media raciones for as little as €14. For the cheapest Michelin restaurant in the world you will have to head up to Northern France. The Hostellerie la Montagne in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises has a set menu at €20, according to Top Dollar website. On the other side of the coin, there are Michelin-starred restaurants in 34 countries, and in five of those nations, you cannot find meals for less than $100 (€84). Other ‘cheap’ restaurants are Edvard’s (Vienna, Austria) and Borkonyha (Budapest, Hungary) also offering a menu under €25.
FOOTBALL fans may be allowed back in to watch the last four matches of the La Liga season. National COVID-19 restrictions are on the verge of being relaxed under plans being considered by the government and the sport’s organising body. A maximum of 5,000 fans would be allowed to watch the games inside the stadiums from this weekend, just before Spain’s state of emergency ends on May 9. If the move is approved by Spain’s government, supporters could return to the stadiums in time for the match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, which could be a title decider. In contrast to countries like England, Germany and France, where fans have been allowed back into the stadiums in limited numbers at times, Spain has refused to let supporters back in since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Fans will be allowed to attend Euro 2020 games in Sevilla in June after the city was given permission to host these matches.
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FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL
T was as spontaneous a trip as you could make. I had never seen the Alhambra despite all my years in Spain and last September, after recovering from a bout of fairly mild COVID, I decided it was now or never. And, for once in a lifetime, there would be no queues and no tourists. I booked a hotel that looked absolutely beautiful online, an entrance for the Alhambra and a train ticket for the next day, and off I went. In the time of Covid, this last-minute plan felt like I was achieving something unbelievable. On the train ride down I received a text message from the hotel saying, ‘Hello Deirdre, we will not be able to be there when you arrive, so we will leave you your keys on the reception desk. Here is the code to enter the front doors of the hotel.’ My train was arriving at 6pm, so
May 5th - May 18th 2021
Trip of a lifetime By Deirdre Carney
this was hardly off-hours, but why not? The hotel was on the main tourist drag in front of the river with the Alhambra towering above, glowing in late afternoon sunshine. I found the door, entered the code and - beep beep beep - I was in. It was a gorgeous hotel in the old Granada style with exposed wooden beams, a courtyard flowing with vines and plants and wonderfully furnished. And sure enough, no one was there. I mean, not a single person! There was just my name on a card and a key, a map of Granada and another note explaining I had been upgraded to their nicest room, complete with a smiley face. I found my room, on the top floor with views over the
FIVE STAR TREATMENT: Deirdre enjoyed rooftop views of the Alhambra fro
Granada rooftops. It had a magnificent tiled bathroom with a decadent bath and
two huge beds made up with crisp sheets and fluffy blankets. The five star treatment
for €33 per night! In normal times this room would easily cost quadruple that price.
Travel queries Are hotels open in Spain and what are the current coronavirus rules on travel, and other questions answered
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ITH restrictions easing across the UK, people everywhere are desperately waiting to hear when international travel can officially resume. With May 17 earmarked as the date that foreign trips could restart, lockdown-weary Brits are now thinking more and more about jetting away for some time in the sun. While foreign holidays are currently banned by the UK Government, ministers are expected to unveil the new traffic light system on May 7. Countries will be placed on green, amber, or red lists to determine if you need to quarantine or undergo further tests when you're back in the UK. Anyone travelling to countries awarded green list status will not have to isolate when they return. These rules will only affect people travelling from England to places abroad since devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have the power to set their own timings for the easing of restrictions. While it is still unknown whether Spain will be given the green light, there are certain regions which are likely to be the first ones to welcome foreign visitors thanks to their low COVID-19 infection rates and push for travel corridors and vaccine passport schemes. With travellers desperate to understand what current conditions are in Spain, we thought we would help break it all down. We answer all your most- asked questions below.
By Kirsty McKenzie
Who is allowed into Spain at the moment? Since late October 2020, Spain has been placed under a nationwide State of Emergency with further mobility restrictions and curfews which remain in force. Only citizens and legal residents of the European Union, Schengen states, Andorra, Monaco, The Vatican (Holy See) and San Marino, and those who can demonstrate through documentary evidence an essential need to enter Spain, will be granted entry under current travel restrictions. When will hotels be allowed to open in Spain to holidaymakers? Currently hotels and B&Bs are allowed to be open in Spain and anyone can make a booking, regardless of nationality. That means it’s good news for forward thinking Brits hoping to bag a deal - but make sure to speak with them about the accommodation refund policy in case your flights are cancelled or you are prohibited from travelling. When will foreign destination travel be allowed from the UK to Spain? This is the big question. The government has yet to confirm when non-essential travel can resume, and at the moment
WAITING: People are eager to travel to Spain’s beautifull hotels
foreign holidays are still banned. The lockdown roadmap states that the earliest that flights can restart is May 17. Details are set to be announced soon of a new traffic light system - rating destinations as green, amber or red which will mean what sort of quarantine or restrictions will be required to visit those countries. However, Spain has not yet announced when it will welcome Brits. Currently only those with EU passports or Spanish residency are permitted to enter the country. The good news is however that the country is 'desperate to welcome' UK visitors this summer. Spain's tourism minister Fernando Valdes said: 'I think we will be ready here in Spain. We also think that the vaccination scheme in the UK is going pretty well, so hopefully we'll be seeing this summer the restart of holidays.' He added that certificates enabling holidaymakers to prove they have been vaccinated or recently tested are 'going to help us'. What does the traffic light system mean for English travellers? It is understood that the green, amber, red list won't be unveiled until May 7,
but insiders have predicted that popular European destinations such as Iceland, Gibraltar, Malta and Portugal could be placed on the green list. At the moment it is thought due to the number of cases throughout Spain, the country is likely to be classified as an amber destination. The traffic light plan will be as follows: Green destinations: passengers will not need to quarantine when they return to England, but must take a pre-departure test, and a PCR test in return. Amber destinations: travellers will have to quarantine for 10 days, as well as taking a pre-departure test and two PCR tests. Red destinations: passengers will have to pay for a 10-day hotel quarantine stay on return, as well as a pre-departure test and two PCR tests. How long can people with apartments in Spain stay for? If you are planning on visiting Spain for longer than a simple summer holiday watch out. Since Brexit, Brits are only allowed to stay in the EU for 90 days out of a 180-day period. Rule-breakers may face fines, deportation and difficulties re-entering the country.
Someone had unlocked the rooftop access for me as well and I climbed up the winding stairs to a deck with a 360º view of the city, crowned by the spectacular Alhambra Palace. I enjoyed two days in solitary exploration of the silent city, strolling through the Alhambra’s eerily deserted courtyards like a Queen of Spain. It was a bit lonely of course, having my sunset terrace wine by myself, but be careful what you wish for. One night in a local bar, two well-dressed young men from Sevilla regaled me with a raucous rendition of drunken flamenco until the owner yelled at them to shut up. “They don’t like how those of us from Sevilla sing flamenco here in Granada,” one of them slurred, before they both staggered off into the night. The most bizarrely creepy part of the whole trip is that in two days and nights, I never once saw another guest at the hotel, nor any member of staff. No cleaning carts, no jaunty receptionist, no noise at all. Effectively, I had a five floor boutique hotel to myself. On the other hand, the lights weren’t really on at night, when I had to feel my way along the corridor wall using the red emergency exit sign lights to locate my door. Flashes of Jack Nicholson in The Shining sprang to mind. In any normal September, this hotel would be rammed and the ghostly streets outside would be rowdy with revellers into the small hours of the morning. But spookily, returning from the Alhambra, I found someone had actually slipped in and made my bed, which felt even more disconcerting. Where was this person? Late the second night, just as I turned off the lights, I heard
FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL
May 5th - May 18th 2021
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KIM CLARK
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A hotel with no guests, a ghost chambermaid and the Alhambra all to herself ...Madrid-based American Deirdre Carney’s minibreak to Granada during autumn’s lockdown lull took ‘travelling solo’ to a surreal new level
Mix it up at Jimmys. Whatever you want - Meat, Fish or Vegan. Delicious breakfasts and International tapas including the tastiest vegan selection on the Sol.
om her own private terrace at a bargain price, as she took the chance of a lifetime
the lift whirring. I got up, rechecked my lock and retreated back into bed, staring at my door handle with every
sense on alert. But I heard nothing more. Next morning I left my key on the reception desk and let
myself out. On the train home I reflected that my ghostly, guestless hotel experience had made almost as much of
an impression on me as the incredible Alhambra itself. We are living through strange times…
All welcome and pet friendly too. So plant your feet at Jimmys. See you soon.
MORTGAGE THINK TANK by mortgage broker Tancrede de Pola
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HE Finance Bureau in Marbella has helped thousands of prospective expats and locals find the mortgage that’s right for them. In his decades of experience, director Tancrede de Pola has been asked everything and anything about the often tricky ins and outs of buying abroad. Below are the most asked questions. Q: Can I get a mortgage in Spain if I’m not a resident? A: Yes, you can get a mortgage here as both a resident and non-resident. Q: If I am a non-resident, what are the shortest and maximum terms I can borrow for? A: The shortest term is five years and the longest is typically 25 years. The shortest terms tend to be impractical, however, as the consequent high monthly payments put these out of reach to all but the very wealthiest clients. Q: What is the age limit for getting a mortgage? A: The age limit is 75. Q: How long does it take to get a mortgage from first contact to having the funds available? A: It usually takes around six to eight weeks. This is also a con-
Here to help sequence of the new mortgage laws that require a statutory cooling-off period of 10 days from receipt of the documentation at the notary. Q: Do buy-to-let mortgages exist in Spain? A: There are no buy-to-let schemes here. While there is a tacit understanding that a property will be let out, rental income will not be taken into account when assessing affordability for the loan. Q: If I want to buy a property and renovate it, can I get a mortgage to cover the purchase and renovation costs? A: It is complicated but, once the initial purchase mortgage has completed, it is possible to apply for an additional loan to cover reform costs, always assuming that the valuation stacks up. Q: If I already have a mortgage, and my property rises in value or I start earning more at work, can I top-up my mortgage or will I have to take out a new mortgage? A: You can top up a mortgage on the basis that you are intending to carry out a reform on the property or, to purchase another property always, of
course, subject to valuation. Q: What are some of the additional costs of taking out a mortgage? A: Mortgage set-up costs can set you back on average around 2 - 3% of the mortgage loan amount. These costs have come down considerably since the introduction of the new mortgage laws. Q: Can I get a non-binding mortgage offer in principle so that I know my budget before I go house-hunting, or do I have to find a property first to get an offer? A: All mortgage applications in Spain are property-specific, so we do need property details in order to get an agreement-in-principle from the bank. However, at the Finance Bureau, we do provide a service whereby we will make a study of your application, including all documentation and provide you with an AIP. It is important to note that this pre-agreement is subject to a property valuation and a re-assessment of the customer’s financial circumstances if more than three months have passed since the initial application. There is no charge for this service as we only charge a broker fee on completion, ie., no completion, no fee.
For any more questions contact the Finance Bureau on 952 801 401
32
BUSINESS
THE firm behind Zara has set up a subsidiary company in its home area of Galicia to produce power through plants that use renewable energy sources. The new company will be called Inditex Renovables. It will not sell its power but use it for itself to reduce the reliance on buying in supplies. Inditex has filed an
May 5th May 18th 2021
Zara power
application to install three wind turbines at La Coruña’s outer harbour. Reports say that the turbines would produce enough electricity to support the needs of the Inditex group in Spain, as well as powering the port’s facilities.
Alright for some
Tills keep ringing at Mercadona
SUPERMARKET chain Mercadona has had a good pandemic. It closed 2020 with a record net turnover of €24.68 BILLION. This was an increase of 5.5% over the €26.932 billion of 2019, with the vast majority of the cash coming from its Spanish operation. The company’s 20 Portuguese stores contributed €186 million.
Record
Despite the record turnover, company boss Juan Roig described the year as ‘hard and complicated’ and pointed out that the company had actually lost market share – half a point to 26.4%. Mercadona also saw a significant increase in costs as it brought in anti-COVID measures. This did not stop the retailer
SUPERMARKET SWEEP: Mercadona profits soared from recording a significant rise in profits which grew 16.75% year-on-year to a new high of €727 million. And the workforce shared in the good news, with €409 million handed out in bonuses – 20% more than in 2019. Mercadona ended the year
Jobs slashed
CAIXABANK has announced it will cut nearly 20% of its workforce across Spain as part of a nation-wide shake following their merger with Bankia. The Spanish lender is to cut 5,742 jobs and close 1,534 of their 7000 branches across the country. The Madrid branch is set to be hit hardest by the restructuring plan, with union bosses expecting some 1,500 job losses. Valencia is also set to lose around 500 workers while the closure of the Murcia branches mean some 400 people will be with our work. In total, 18% of the workforce is set to be cut as central services drops 1,611 employees and some 250 jobs across the regional
headquarters are cut. Government spokesperson María Jesús Montero defended the shock move and claimed that had it not been for the merger ‘we would be talking about a higher volume of workers’. The new megabank, which the state has a 16% share in, pledged to maintain a physical presence in locations where there is only one group office, especially in rural areas. José Ignacio Goirigolzarri, the new non-executive chairman of CaixaBank, said: “It is painful to be restructuring and reducing staff.” He added that the company would strive to save as many jobs as possible and said most job losses will be via their voluntary redundancy policy.
with 1,641 supermarkets, after opening 70, 10 of them in Portugal, and closing 65 stores. The company also continued to invest in its online business, which it started in 2018, with the opening of its new €12 million distribution hub in Madrid, joining its already existing Barcelona and Valencia centres. Online sales totaled €176 million, double the figure of 2019, although still a tiny fraction of turnover. Roig said: “It is in exceptional moments that exceptional people emerge; the personal effort and the ability to overcome of the 95,000 people who make up our workforce, the 3,000 suppliers and their workers, are a reference and an example for society.”
Guaranteed! WARRANTY periods for all new electrical and digital goods bought in Spain will be extended to three years. The extra year has been approved by the Council of Ministers as part of an update to the General Law for the Defence of Consumers and Users.
Doubled
There are also new regulations on keeping spare parts for products, with the maximum five years now doubled to 10 years. The new laws are expected to take effect in a few weeks.
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PROPERTY Building boom May 5th May 18th 2021
35
Top spot
POPULAR British property programme, A Place In The Sun, has polled thousands of UK holiday home buyers to reveal the most popular areas for Brits to buy abroad. Almost 7,000 house-hunters were questioned during the various lockdowns suffered in the last year. Series producers at Channel 4, said: “We've all been spending a lot more time indoors over the last year, and it's got many of us dreaming about being somewhere warmer and sunnier.” The pandemic has meant that of those buyers, some 30% are more motivated than ever to buy abroad.
Restrictions
Once travel restrictions allow, almost two-thirds of those surveyed stated a preference for Spain. Some 61% said that that's where they plan to buy, followed by 12% for France and 6% for Portugal. The top destinations in Spain were the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Sol, Almeria and Murcia. Real Estate company TripInvest.com listed the reasons why Brits love Spain. These include transport links, climate, beautiful Blue Flag beaches, affordable properties and a rich cultural heritage.
PROPERTY OF THE WEEK D € CE 000 U , D 3 RE M 8 O FR
New developments approaching figures last seen in 2014 THE recovery of the construction sector is gathering pace. Sales of new build homes touched 2014 highs in February with more than 10,000 transactions. More and more buyers are targeting brand new property, which often offers better energy efficiency compared to second-hand properties. This surge in interest in the sector has been reflected by developers, with the 10 biggest in SPANISH house sales in February reached their highest point since the start of the COVID pandemic. Figures from the National Statistics Institute(INE) show that 43,185 transactions were carried out that month. Though it was a 4.3% fall on the previous February, that was the last month of 'normal' trading before pandemic restrictions took
Spain having about 32,500 new homes available, according to a study by consulting firm Activum. The 32,477 homes currently being marketed are in 375 developments, with Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga the busiest provinces with 74, 60 and 45 developments respectively. Sevilla, Valencia and Vizcaya also saw heightened activity. The Activum report said that another 29 developments will
On the up
effect. Another promising sign in the INE statistics is that the rise in house sales between January and February was the biggest increase between those two months for five years. The January 2021 figures showed a yearly decline of 15.4% as opposed to just 4.3% the following month.
History, adventure and romance. That’s just the setting.
TH4553 start to be marketed by the top 10 developers in the coming months. In the ranking of developers, Vía Celere accounts for most new projects with 15 new developments slated for Barcelona, Cordoba, Madrid, Malaga, Sevilla and Valencia. It is followed by Amenabar, with 10 future developments; Metrovacesa, with nine; and Aedas Homes, with eight more projects. Malaga is the city with the most new developments planned for the near future, with 14, while Guipuzcoa is the second with eight. These figures only include those planned by the big 10 companies - smaller developers are responsible for many more.
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MOTORS Electrifying news
May 5th - May 18th 2021
Lightning fast
Cash handouts of up to €9,000 to buy an electric vehicle
BUYERS of electric vehicles (EVs) in Spain can claim subsidies of up to €9,000. The Spanish government has approved an €800 million fund up until the end of 2023, which is available now, revealed the Energy Ministry.
37
ELECTRIC supercar’, the Lotus Evija has been named as ‘The One to Watch’ in Top Gear’s second ever Electric Awards. The all-electric hypercar was recently tested by Top Gear magazine editor Jack Rix on the test track at Lo-
tus HQ in Hethel, Norfolk. Rix called the Evija not just a ‘signpost for the future of the company’ – but labeled it ‘a flagbearer for really fast electric vehicles as a whole’. The Evija, which will go into production later this year, is the world’s most powerful car. It has an output of more than 2,000 PS from its all-electric, all-wheel drive powertrain. It can accelerate from 124mph to 186mph
(200 km/h to 300 km/h) in just three seconds, half the time it takes a Bugatti Chiron to do the same. Rix was driving an Evija prototype restricted to 1,600 PS. “It’s light on its feet, playful with the instant mash of acceleration even a naturally aspirated engine could only fantasise about.”
Fleets Private buyers will be able to claim up to €7,000, with companies buying fleets to use as taxis eligible for more. Vans can attract subsidies of up to €9,000. These incentives follow a government pledge to promote battery production in Spain and push the manufacture of electric vehicles in the country. Volkswagen Group’s SEAT subsidiary plans to team up with power com-
BOOST: Get government cash to buy electric cars By Dilip Kuner
pany Iberdrola to build Spain’s first battery facto-
Seizure threat ELECTRIC scooter owners may have their machines seized by authorities for riding while drunk. Barcelona City Council is studying what legal means there could be to requisition scooters if their owners are convicted of serious or repeated offences. At present if car drivers are stopped by police and a breath test shows they are substantially over the drink-driving limit, then their vehicles can be seized by police. However, if riders of electric scooters are stopped for the same reason, they may face fines but will not lose their machines under current regulations. Authorities want to make punishments the same for all road users, according to La Vanguardia newspaper. Cities around Spain have been considering legislation to control electric scooters and will be watching Barcelona with interest.
ry for EVs. Reyes Maroto, Spain’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, said that the government plans to access EU funds for a public-private consortium. “The project will allow the development of … the necessary infrastructure, installations, and mechanisms to autonomously and competitively manufacture a connected electric vehicle,” Maroto said.
Plan Volkswagen has previously announced its intention to build six EV battery plants across Europe, with three earmarked for the Spain/ Portugal/southern France area. Previously Korean electronics giant LG had announced it was considering a proposal to convert Nissan’s doomed car assembly plant in Barcelona – slated for closure in December 2021 – into a battery factory. The Spanish government has offered direct aid of €600 million towards the €1.6 billion cost of the proposed takeover.
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COLUMNISTS
Swallows fly home Brits starting to sell up and head elsewhere
T
HE term ‘swallow’ iis used frequently to describe Brits who travel to Spain each year for the warmer weather often for months at a time. Since UK citizens are only allowed to stay in Spain for a total of 90 days out of 180 days many Brits have decided to sell their holiday homes and look elsewhere. Many of my acquaintances have decided to sell up. The first is a couple who have been here for many decades but feel safer going home, taking up Spanish residency for them has tax implications. Another two friends have had a flat in Marbella for several years and could flit back and forth between here and the UK on a whim. Since they cannot do that now they want to sell and find somewhere that welcomes them all year round. I overheard a conversation between two Brits the other day in a cafe. They were laughing and joking about Spain
Lisa Burgess post-Brexit. They both agreed that the best option was to stay under the radar without a TIE and that the Spanish government will change the laws, they were not bothered at all by the situation. According to the Guardian, Spain has warned British tourists and second homeowners about the restrictions but they have dismissed reports that offenders would be rounded up and deported if they overstay. We must remember that the UK voted for Brexit, not Spain. My friend, Kay Chickie Shaw who has a second home in La Cala de Mijas is unhappy about the situation but she has adjusted by choosing to rent out her place when she cannot be here. I asked her what she thought about people selling up and she commented ‘it will be Spain's economy which suffers and it is very sad’. Maybe the laws will change but only time will tell. I would not count on it in the near future.
Saying goodbye to a Marbella legend
M
ARBELLA lost another of its ‘old style’ celebrities with the death of Toni Dalli. While the Italian born singer might have exuded ‘showbiz glamour’, he worked incredibly hard to make it to the top, including stints in the Yorkshire coal mines and steel mills before being discovered singing in working men’s clubs. From then on, it was a meteoric rise in the 50s and 60s, performing in Las Vegas, Carnegie Hall, The Royal Albert Hall, as well as the Ed Sullivan show and even having his own show on national TV in the US at a time when you really did go live into every living room in the country. In a world where celebrity is
IN LOVE: Toni and wife Valerie
Traveling by motorhome in the COVID era: an opportunity to travel in safety and freedom
M
OTORHOMES are currently the safest and ‘freest’ option to enjoy your free time and feel at home while traveling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling by motorhome is one of the best alternatives, being the perfect choice to move around safely and with total freedom, all while feeling at home. It is the ideal option to travel comfortably at a leisurely pace, especially if you have children. It allows you to adapt the trip with total freedom as your mood suits and to forget about schedules. Being in total control, it permits people to visit both the most popular destinations and the most hidden secret corners. And it is a great way to get to know local customs and make new friends. One of the main advantages of travelling by motorhome is comfort. You only have to choose a good place to spend the night and enjoy all the built-in facilities that rival any hotel. These include fully rotating driver and co-driver seats, 150-litre refrigerators, independent showers, state-of-the-art toilet, washbasin, kitchen with oven, TV aerial even satellite - drinking water and waste water tanks, GPS, several beds -island, double or bunk beds- heating, air conditioning and hot water, motorcycle racks and bicycle racks, among other details.
Safety at the wheel Safety at the wheel is fundamental to any trip, but even more so when travelling in this type of transport. It is essential to choose a vehicle that meets a series of conditions, among which safety stands out. This is why it is so important to be advised by qualified professionals such as Caravanas Cruz, who offer the best alternatives according to the needs of each person. Caravanas Cruz has been offering its services as a distributor of caravans and motorhomes for more than 40 years and is one of the leading companies in Spain for services and facilities in the world of caravanning. As it has one of the largest accessory stores in the country, an online sales service and a large specialised workshop with the capacity to work on more than 10 vehicles, caravanners are in safe hands. Its sales department has professionals who guide the purchase process according to the needs and tastes of each family. And if you want to try before you buy, the company offers a motorhome rental service so you can dip your toes into the water of caravanning. Its facilities are expansive, with 14,000 sqm of exhibition space and more than 100 vehicles, both new and second-hand, from top brands such as Benimar, Adria, Autostar, Hymer or Hobby, among others. Caravanas Cruz follows the anticovid protocol of the Spanish Association of Industry and Commerce of Caravaning. Among its measures, it has implemented a new appointment service, which can be reached by calling 965 457 819. Cruz Caravans Address: Carretera de Dolores, km 1. 03290 Elche (Alicante) Telephone: 965 457 819
May 5th - May 18th 2021
Ciao Toni
STARRY EYED: Toni Dalli with Tommy Steele and Sergio Franchi and (above) in later Marbella days
perhaps a term that is too easily earned, where the weird, wonderful and frequently obviously wounded are paraded for entertainment in Reality TV shows, Toni, as well as other entertainers such as Bruce Forsyth, Ronnie Corbett and Jimmy Tarbuck – a close friend - were the real deal, having paid their dues on the entertainment circuit. Relocating to Spain, Toni enjoyed success in his second career, as he opened a beautiful beachfront restaurant on Marbella’s Golden Mile. It quickly became a ‘must do’ destination and you were more likely to bump into any visiting celebrity at ‘Toni Dalli’s’. Even though he was now a successful restaurateur, there was always an excuse for a little showbiz, which could be anything from a waiter balancing a brandy
glass on his bald head to Toni him becoming a founding giving an impromptu concert. member of the Ferrari OwnAnd if it was your birthday, ers Club of Andalucía. then Toni could not resist giv- Away from the internationing a rendition – in several al success and the showbiz languages. friendships, Toni was a genThe restaurant tradition was uinely popular person, a fact continued by sons Simon, reflected in the hundreds Marco and Nicholas who set of tributes and messages up the hugely that the family popular Dalli’s received from Pasta Factory both the SpanThere was in Puerto Banus ish and internathat quickly betional commualways an came another nities – includexcuse for a celebrity favouing Marbella rite; Sean Conmayor Ángeles little bit of nery had a pasMuñoz– as well showbiz ta dish named as The Variety after him and Club of Great the walls were Britain. adorned with motor racing ‘Another of the old guard has memorabilia signed by visit- left us’, a friend remarked ing F1 drivers including Da- when I told him the news. mon Hill and Martin Brundle. Marbella is a poorer place for Toni’s passion for motorsport, his passing. and of course Ferrari, led to Arrivederci e grazie, Toni.
I
T seems that exercising at home has become an essential part of survival during this awful pandemic. Unfortunately, all available programmes are aimed at the younger market, nothing for we wrinklies who probably need more urgent attention to our failing limbs and minds than the nubile Gods and Goddesses seen prancing around on your TV screens. So, here is my four-point plan, designed specifically for the 80-something, entitled `Tick-Tock around the clock.' Not a reflection of the current trendy, `TikTok´ Dance WorkOut Programmes, but because at our age, time is ticking away and every day, hour or minute over three score years and twenty is a bonus. So, take a deep breath, get yourself comfy, and here we go. 1. Eyebrow Press-Ups: Loosen up those corona worry lines indented on your forehead by relaxing in your favourite chair, head back, and commence moving your eyebrows up and down for 10 minutes. If they become too heavy, trim them gently back with nail scissors. Careful not to poke your eye out in the process.
Tick-Tock Time 2. Field of Dreams: An early morning exercise. Ladies OLD HACK IN lie flat on your back on THE SUN the floor, legs apart and Benny Davis cast your mind back to Ramblings of an 80-something expat what this meant to you in your younger days. After one hour reminiscing, attempt to stand up. Note: Please ensure you have your mobile phone or panic button close at hand to call for help if still there at sunset. Gentlemen, same exercise, but lie on your stomach. 3. Finger strengtheners: Hold your hand out, palm up. Close your fist, the raise your index and middle fingers upwards to form a `V´ Hold this ´V´ while raising your lower arm up and down for several minutes. This exercise is also ideal for indicating your thoughts to family asking for open membership to the bank of grandma and grandad. One finger is also acceptable.
OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword Across: 7 Rhapsody, 8 Rick, 9 Open up!, 10 On foot, 11 Tires, 12 Anatoly, 14 Ugliest, 16 Spiel, 19 Trivia, 20 Horace, 21 Dank, 22 Lengthen. Down: 1 Whipping cream, 2 Sponge, 3 Loopy, 4 Tycoons, 5 Profit, 6 School teacher, 13 Usually, 15 Invoke, 17 Purity, 18 Shone.
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Sex education THE VOX Party has slammed a sex education class in Mallorca after finding out that children used plasticine to learn about the reproductive organs. The right-wing party took to Twitter to blast the lesson as ‘pornography’.
Swipe right AIs can easily manipulate matters of the heart, say researchers in Spain who were able to trick daters into picking the wrong match with a fake algorithm.
Lap of luxury A SUPERYACHT owned by the Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg arrived in Malaga after sailing from Gibraltar. The 77-metre yacht named Tango will be in the port until Friday when it sets sail to Italy.
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Dick move A MAN defending his girlfriend’s honour ended up needing three stitches after he was bitten on the penis. The 24-year-old victim was attacked when he told off a passerby who had ‘complimented’ his companion. The couple had been walking through the La Puñala district of Elche (Alicante) when they were accosted by a 28-year-old man who was worse for wear. The boyfriend told him off for his comments to his girlfriend, only to become the target for an assault in which the assailant sank his teeth into the victim’s manhood.
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IT makes the task of finding a needle in a haystack sound simple. When Helen Miles (pictured) accidentally threw her prized ring in the bin, it ended up as part of a 350,000 tonne
Freak death
A 59-year-old cyclist died after swallowing a bee when out riding with friends. The man was travelling in the Polinya del Xuquer area of Valencia
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when the bee flew into his mouth. The cyclist was stung in his throat and lost consciousness. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate him. It’s believed that he suffered a fatal allergic reaction to the sting.
A COURT is to rule over the custody of a pet dog. When the owners of a white Maltese called Bimba separated they agreed to an ‘out of court’ joint custody arrangement for their daughter. Bimba would go along with the girl to stay with her father on his access days and everything seemed to work well at first. But the relationship between the grown-ups deteriorated with the man being refused access to Bimba in February.
Custody
mound of rubbish. Helen was left devastated when she realised what had happened to the three-colour gold ring she had bought 30 years previously with her first pay packet. That was in 2018, and her initial thoughts were she had lost the jewellery for ever. But hope rekindled for the woman from Casares (Malaga) when the massive Costa del Sol Environmental Complex opened a lost property office the following year. Barely thinking she had a chance that such a tiny item could be found amongst the vast amounts of rubbish that
the waste treatment plant deals with, she nonetheless decided to give it a go. She went online to fill in a form and upload photos of the ring back in March 2019. Now, two years later she has struck gold - and had ‘her precious’ returned. The sparkler now sits once more on Helen’s little finger. “It is a ring that I bought 30 years ago with my first pay packet and it has a lot of sentimental value for me,” she said. “It’s just incredible that such a small piece could have been located amongst the waste from the entire Costa del Sol.”
He was told that the dog actually belonged to his ex-partner’s other daughter and that he could never take her again. The man has now gone to court to get access to the family pet. He says that he paid for all of the dog’s expenses when he lived with his ex-partner. Bimba, though, is officially registered in the woman’s name on its microchip. The man says that is a technicality as she was the one that took the dog to the vet for the procedure. His lawyer claims that his client is suffering ‘serious non-financial damage such is his love for Bimba’.