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The original and only English-languageinvestigative newspaper in Andalucía

INTRODUCING OUR ‘DECADE OF SUCCESS’ PULL OUT ON PAGE 23

FREE Vol. 7 Issue 172 www.theolivepress.es October 16 - October 30 2013

theDon’t let thebanks cash in

www.hifx.co.uksee page 13

Don’t let thebanks cash in

www.hifx.co.uksee page 13

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GIBRALTAR’S leader could be under secret surveillance by Spanish spies.In what could cause a ma-jor new political incident, it has been claimed that the Spanish secret services may have been shadowing Fabian Picardo for months.The enclave’s First Minister, who has two homes in nearby Sotogrande and Benahavis, may have been followed, ac-cording to the report by web-site El Confidencial.

GarzonIn the same article an un-named government minis-ter is also reported as saying Spain is ‘after’ Picardo.“This guy has crossed the line, we are going to go for him” it quotes the source.The news comes as it emerged that Picardo was taking ad-vice from former judge Balta-zar Garzon, as he gave a con-troversial speech to the UN in New York about Spain’s

HE has not been seen nor heard for two months since his radio station took a ‘summer break’.But Maurice Boland is set to bounce back after it was announced that the iTalk boss is due to pick up an award next week in recog-nition of his work with the Spanish Red Cross. Boland will receive the Bronze Medal at the Red Cross 2013 Award Cer-emony in Marbella on October 22 in recognition of his charity work on the Costa del Sol. Last September his con-troversial FireAid con-cert at the Hotel Puente Romano raised over €18,000.

Nightmare returns

New demolition of expat homes again causes anxiety around Andalucia

TWO more British families have seen their dreams turned to dust after their proper-ties were demolished in Andalucia.Lawyers and expat associations all expressed their out-rage after the owners saw their investments tumble to the ground with no sign of compensation.In what could constitute a human rights abuse, the pair – thought to be Frank Doke and Peter Hegarty – had been given just 30 days to remove their possessions from their homes, in Can-toria, Almeria before the bulldozers moved in.They had never been of-fered any alternative ac-commodation by the Junta, which ordered the action.And this despite buying the homes from a Spanish de-

veloper in good faith nearly a decade ago.The two owners, fearing yesterday’s events, had al-ready moved back to the UK and given up all hope that the dream of a re-tirement home in the sun would be fulfilled.Two near neighbours, both English, were also ex-pecting their homes to be knocked down at any time.Asking to remain anony-mous, one told the Olive Press: “We have never re-

ceived any compensation - we would just like to get our money back and be able to have a bit of a life as this has gone on for eight years now.

Heart attacks“My health has suffered and I have had two heart attacks due to all the stress.”Similar to the Priors, who famously saw their home knocked down in nearby Vera in 2008, the group had unsuspectingly bought their homes from a developer FPM,

which had constructed them in 2004 without a licence.It has been claimed that all four houses built in the Las Terrenas area were unofficial-ly signed off by former mayor Peter Llamas – who has since been sentenced to two years in prison and 23 months’ disqualification from public office for his involvement in the case. Llamas had certainly given permission to supply the elec-tricity and water to the homes – even though official plan-ning permission had not been given. Incredibly, construction be-gan on the homes despite an investigation already having been launched, and a year

later they sold them to the unsuspecting Brits.The owners of the company are reported to be awaiting sentence over the case and have been ordered to pay the homeowners compensation for the loss of their homes.

BankruptAccording to sources how-ever, they have now declared themselves and the company bankrupt.Cantoria Town Hall lawyer Alfredo Najas meanwhile de-nied the fault lay at its door.“We had never given the homes proper planning per-

Gong for Mobo

We’re going for him

Turn to page 13

SHATTERED DREAMS: Poignant posessions, while (top) the digger moves in

EXCLUSIVE By Alex Iszatt and Brian Sherwood,

in Cantoria

2 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 CRIME NEWS2

A SCOTTISH couple are be-ing hunted by police after a British pensioner was vi-ciously attacked in her own garden.The 65-year-old, who has

A COSTA journalist has been described as a ‘dominant predator’ and a ‘serial child abuser’ during the summing up of his trial in the UK.Mijas-based writer Mike Souter is facing a long jail term after being accused of 19 sex attacks against seven boys at Norwich Crown Court.Souter denies the charges, as well as claims of possessing indecent images of under-18s. In his closing speech, pros-ecutor Andrew Shaw said the journalist was obsessed with young boys, particularly those in uniform.He added that his ‘perverted and deviant sexual practices’ were ‘inextricably linked’ with the charges he was fac-

THREE Guardia Civil of-ficers have been injured while carrying out a routine breath test on a motorist in Marbella. One policeman suffered a broken hand and strained tendons, while his col-leagues were left with cuts and bruises after being as-saulted by the man.The driver, who was found to be twice over the alcohol limit, was charged with as-saulting officials and drink driving.

Costa manhunt

Police search for Scottish couple following horrific assault on British pensioner

EXCLUSIVE By Alex Iszatt

not been named, was left with a broken hip and broken arm after being

punched to the ground in her own garden.According to witnesses she confronted the couple after they jumped a wall and tres-passed through the private

urbanisation in Calahonda.The victim, who was visit-ing her holiday home when the ordeal took place, has now returned to the UK for treatment.The couple, believed to be in their mid-thirties, allegedly mocked the woman as she cried out for help and the man punched her again as she tried to get up.“This is a truly sickening as-sault on a lone elderly wom-an who was left hospitalised with multiple injuries,” neighbour Paul Grimshaw told the Olive Press.

Dog walkers“The individuals concerned need finding and taking off the streets for a very long time.“My neighbour has never caused a fuss in the years she has been holidaying here.”He added that the couple appeared to have taken a short-cut over the campo, linking Cascadas de las Lomas to Urbanisation Al-cores de Calahonda.But he insisted that the route was only known to residents and dog walkers, suggesting the couple may know the area well.The Scottish man was also heard shouting: ‘I f***ing live here’, when challenged by the woman.Police have appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.

CRIME SCENE: Cascadas de las Lomas

Judge set to rule if Souter was ‘serial child abuser’

ing. “He is a dominant predator seeking to cajole young teen-age boys into his world, a se-rial child abuser” he said.Throughout the trial Souter has denied being attracted to young boys and said none of the alleged incidents hap-pened. Defence barrister Andrew Hill said the prosecutor was a fantastic story teller but much of it was fantasy. “My client was publicly hu-miliated in this court,” he said. “At times he was not the best of witnesses. He was ar-gumentative, fearing the trick question.”But he said to the jury: “Do not simply write off the de-fendant.”

Hill said there had been col-lusion between a number of alleged victims and their de-lay in coming forward was significant. The judge is summing up the case this week.

ACCUSED: Souter

Boozer bashes bobbiesplanning permission,” he insisted. “We regret the deci-

sion of the Junta - it will bring further ruin to the area be-cause the British are not going to trust anyone to purchase homes in Almeria.”And he is not alone. Philip Smalley, President of home-owners rights group SOHA, in the Axarquia, added: “We totally condemn the Junta. The homeowners were not the guilty party, the promoter was, so how can you demolish a person’s home without first ensuring that they have some-where else to live and that appropriate compensation has been paid?“Once again the government of Andalucia tarnishes the image of Spain abroad.”Illegal home campaigner Maura Hillen, from AUAN, add-ed: “These people have invested more than €3million in Spain and in return they are being treated disgracefully by a system that simply does not protect them.“I am sorry to say that this is not an isolated case. Many thousands of illegal homeowners will now continue to live in fear of demolition. This has made matters worse”.

Demolition nightmare From Page 1

PITIFUL: Possesions in a pile

3www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013NEWS

ENRIQUE Iglesias and Anna Kourniko-va have called time on their 12-year rela-tionship.The 38-year-old singer and 32-year-old former tennis star first got together in 2001.The couple had been living together in a €19 million mansion in Miami.And at Marbella’s Starlite festival ear-lier this year, Igle-sias described the Russian as a ‘good girl’ who wasn’t wor-ried about getting married.But sources claim that the former world number eight had got tired of waiting for her beau to propose.

A Rolling Stone may not gath-er moss but one of them has put down roots in Barcelona.Guitarist Ronnie Wood has bought the entire floor of a listed building in the centre of the city.Wood started house-hunting in Catalunya in March with prop-erty advisor Marie Harrison.She also looked at properties

KYLIE Minogue has been left devastated after splitting up with her Spanish boyfriend. The 45-year-old pop princess blamed the break-down of her relationship with model Andres Velencoso on work pressures. The pair, who had been together for five years, had been spending less time together as Kylie worked on a new album in LA.The singer has also recently signed a deal to be a judge on UK talent show, The Voice.Velencoso, 35, has been equally preoccupied with his efforts to carve out an acting career. A friend claimed that the split had been ami-cable.The pair met while filming an advert for Mi-nogue’s perfume range in 2008. Only last year she proclaimed the Spaniard to be ‘The One’.

A CLUB promotor in Marbel-la famous for its celebrity cli-entele has released an album.Sintillate, which has wel-comed the likes of One Direc-tion, JLS and Bruno Mars, has put together a selection of tracks from its popular beach parties.Sintilllate has also featured on TOWIE and is famous for its ‘champagne spray’ parties.Sintillate Marbella Anthems will feature 60 tracks rang-ing from deep house to elec-tronica.

P E N E L O P E Cruz has been spotted cra-dling her new baby in Ma-drid.The 39-year-old actress gave birth to daughter Luna in July.The baby is Cruz’s second with her hus-band, fellow Spanish actor Javier Bar-dem.

Ronnie on the Ramblas?

in Sitges and the Costa Brava, for him according to estate agent Andrada Camelia at Lucas Fox.“Ronnie is one of the most famous personalities in the world,” she said: “Although I am used to dealing with very high profile clients I found that Ronnie and his wife Sally to be two of the friendliest

and funniest people I have ever met”.The musician, 66, was seen at a party at the Lucas Fox Barcelona Head-quarters, along with his wife, 34-year-old theatre producer Sally Humphreys and his manager ROLLING IN: Ronnie (far left)at Barcelona party with Sally. Here the Ramblas

No more doubles

Kylie not so lucky

Pop princess splits from the Spanish beau she described last year as ‘The One’

by Claire Wilson

LOVEsplit1

LOVE

split2

Baby Bard

DOTING parents Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez have named their new baby son Maceo – a tribute to his pater-nal grandfather.The name is from 9th Century Spain, meaning ‘gift from God’, which later evolved into Mateo, and Matthew in English.Actor Olivier is the son of former boxer Roberto Martinez - a Spaniard who was born in the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco.

GIFT FROM GOD

Dance like the celebs

4 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 4 NEWSNews IN BRIEF

5www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013NEWS

EXCLUSIVE By Alex Iszatt

WHEN neighbours Carole Hewitt and Isabel Green-wood moved to the Marbella hills, above La Canada shop-ping centre, 13 years ago there was nothing but peace and quiet.Their villas look over pro-tected woodlands above and sea views below. It was idyllic, until one of the prop-erties transformed into a restaurant and ruined their tranquility.Now the British pair are in a constant battle with the German owner, Ewald Fich-thaler and the town hall, and it is taking over their lives with claims of noise, parking issues and even abuse from diners and staff.Making over a dozen com-plaints about noise this year alone, they are furious that the town hall and police are doing nothing to clamp down on the restaurant,

SHOPPERS could win a prize at a newly re-opened charity shop.Baratillo Beneficio, in San Pedro, is offering its 1,000th visitor a €20 voucher. The store is run by volunteers for the benefit of Aspandem, which provides daily care, education and accom-modation for physically and mentally handicapped children and adults in San Pedro.

A CONTROVERSIAL high speed railway testing track has suffered a setback after being omitted from budget plans.The project, near Ante-quera, which has been criti-cised by environmentalists as it would damage a large area of valuable farmland, known as ‘the vega’, would see trains being tested at speeds of up to 520kph.But the majority of the €86m budget allocated to rail network firm Adif for next year will be spent on finishing the Bobadilla to Granada high speed line.Other infrastructure proj-ects which have received funding include the second runway at Malaga Airport (€37,7 million) and a south airport access road (€4,8 million).Meanwhile, general road maintenance has accounted for €6.6 million of the cen-tral government’s budget allocation for schemes in Andalucia.Madrid will invest a total of €188.5 million in the region in 2014, nearly €100 mil-lion less than 2013.The figure is almost a tenth of the €1.2 billion that was allocated in 2008, before the financial crisis took hold.The test track was due to become operational in 2015 but now faces an uncertain future.

Food fight

Residents at war with local restaurant, where Shirley Bassey and other leadingcelebrities have eaten

the Olive Press INVESTIGATES

Nueva Kaskada.However, the twist in the story is that Fichthaler, a for-mer chef for the British royal family who trained with An-ton Mosimann, believes he is also a victim.

Too loudAlready fined by the town hall for noise infraction, he has been forced to put in new sound barriers and keep the

music level below two deci-bels.“We have limiters on the premises, which cuts mu-sic when the music gets too loud,” he explained. “And, of course, we finish the music at midnight; we have to pay them more after 12!” He also claims to have gone out of his way to appease the neighbours since taking over the lease two years ago.But, last night, he admit-ted that he had pretty much given up and confirmed that he had recently successfully sued the pair for harassment. After the trial earlier this year the two women were found guilty of harassment, and are expecting fines of €1000- €1500.

“It is terrible. I can’t walk away from my car without them being there,” he said. “I don’t want any more prob-lems and I have told my staff not to go near them.“They will not be happy until I have been forced to close.”The battle with Fichthaler – who counts Shirley Bassey and other celebrities as friends - began when the restaurant was given a ‘tem-porary’ license to play music from the town hall soon after it opened.

PermittedRenewed each year, the li-cense states that the restau-rant is allowed music from 1pm until midnight, seven days a week, and live music twice a week. But Fichthaler insists he doesn’t take ad-vantage of the license and that the restaurant only has live shows twice a week, un-less there is an event such as a wedding.The neighbours however, cannot understand how the license gets renewed when there are so many complaints against the restaurant. Hewitt, from North Wales, has put through no less than 10 denuncias against the restaurant this year and last week alone called the police three times as music played

past midnight.“How can the town hall call it temporary when they give a license for eight and half months a year, with auto-matic renewal, playing music 10 hours plus a day?” She claims to have had vari-ous meetings with council-lors over the matter and has submitted video proof to the town hall.Most annoying of all, she claims, they have only sent noise inspectors out during the day and not during the night, when police have ‘fre-quently’ been called.When the Olive Press con-tacted Marbella town hall, it claimed not to have seen the video and a spokesman in-sisted they had been ‘more than generous’ in dealing with complaints.It added that it had already fined the owner and insisted he put in better sound-proof-ing.But the neighbours insist the case boils down to one thing: money. “These problems are serious,” said Hewitt. “We live in a Type II area, which means that it is sensitive to a high level of noise and the town hall should be more concerned.“There is no doubt the town hall is benefiting from allow-ing this restaurant to remain open. We hope people un-derstand our plight.”

NOISE: The bar and live music

It could be you!

Hitting the buffers

SET BACK: Train on track

www.theolivepress.es

GLAM: Chef Ewald and Shirley Bassey

6 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

Tel: 951127006 (admin/editorial/sales/advertising) or admin@theolivepress.esA campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in southern Spain - 200,000 copies distributed monthly (130,000 digitally) with an estimated readership, including the website, of more than 500,000 people a month.

Luke Stewart Media S.L - CIF: B91664029Urb Casares del Sol, bloque 21, portal 70, bajo b, Casares 29690, MalagaPrinted by Corporación de Medios de Andalucía S.A.Editor: Jon Clarkejon@theolivepress.esReporters:Newsdesk Newsdesk@theolivepress.esAlex Iszatt Alex@theolivepress.esClaire WilsonClaire@theolivepress.es

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OPINION

The original and only English-languageinvestigative newspaper in Andalucía

FEATURE

DESPITE suffering a fractured skull, bro-ken bones and shat-tered teeth, Jake Ev-

ans knows he is one of the lucky ones.The 20-year-old fell from a seventh floor balcony in Spain following a boozy night out with his mates.The youngster had been drinking heavily and lost his balance, while playing around on the balcony.“I hit every balcony on the way down, as they jutted out like steps,” said Evans. “I landed on a sun lounger which broke my fall and prob-ably saved my life. I then re-member coming to in com-plete agony. “I fractured my skull, broke a front tooth, which pierced through my upper lip, snapped my right wrist and broke all the fingers on my right hand.“I hurt my back which was ex-cruciating and cut a consider-able hole in my leg.”Yet he added: “Looking at the height I fell I know I am lucky to be alive.”The Liverpudlian is one of a growing number of Britons to have been either killed or in-jured after falling from hotel balconies in Spain.Many of the a c c i d e n t s result from attempts to climb be-tween balco-nies, or after jumping from them into hotel pools.The trend, known as ‘balcon-ing’, is popular among young-sters and is often fuelled by drink and drugs.This year alone 14 British people have suffered falls in this way, four of which have been fatal.Thomas Ousby, 19, from Lon-

Dying for a holiday

the Olive Press INVESTIGATES

High-profile campaigns warning about the dangers of ‘balconing’ have failed to stop the British death toll from rising in Spain, reports James Bryce.

don and Craig Knapp, 31, from Dundee both fell to their deaths from balconies in Mal-lorca.Alan Clare, 34, from War-rington, suffered the same fate in Benidorm, while 24-year-old Grant Weston, from Pembroke, died after plunging 50ft from a hotel in Ibiza.

Weston, a p r o m i s i n g footballer, is thought to have fallen while trying to reach his room from an adjoining bal-

cony after forgetting his keys. Ousby died after falling from a fire escape in the party re-sort of Magaluf.Tragically, just hours earlier he had tweeted: ‘Magas all good. Coming home some-time this week though, me thinks.” Knapp also died in Maga-

luf after the father-of-three jumped from a 10th floor bal-cony.An amateur rugby player Mr Clare was killed after falling from a fifth floor balcony in Benidorm shortly after arriv-ing in the resort on a stag do.He is thought to have been trying to climb onto the balco-ny from an open window after locking himself out.In total, eight Britons have died from balcony falls in Spain in the last four years.Kevin Louis, from Blackburn, was killed after falling more than 30ft from a balcony in Mallorca in 2010.The 27-year-old lost his grip after challenging his mates to count how long he could hang from the ledge following a drunken night out.Charlotte Faris, 23, Benjamin Harper, 28, and 20-year-old Adam Atkinson, all suffered similar deaths in Magaluf last year.A further 43 British nation-

als have suffered injuries including fractured skulls, punctured lungs and broken bones in the same period. The list is seemingly endless.Each tragedy follows a de-pressingly familiar pattern - one of excessive drinking, followed by Facebook tributes from friends and family. The British Embassy has be-come so concerned with the problem that it has launched various campaigns warning Britons about the risks.One such initiative, fronted by 19-year-old Olympic diver Tom Daley, urged youngsters to ‘leave the jumping to the professionals’.Daley said: “Diving has to be carried out in a controlled en-vironment.“You can’t do it jumping off rocks and balconies…you are going to get injured.“If you are diving off balco-nies into pools, you don’t know how deep the pool is.“You don’t know how far the

Each tragedy follows a familiar pattern - one of excessive drinking, followed by Facebook

tributes

CAMPAIGN: Diver Tom Daley (left)

Demolition nightmareJUST when you thought someone might have banged some common sense through the ears of those that run the Junta, another round of demolitions takes place.With an estimated 300,000 illegal homes scattered around the re-gion, is it really sensible – or right – to persecute four more British owners in Almeria, who spent three million euros here in good faith a decade ago.Knocking down these homes and leaving their dreams in tatters is just one more nail in the coffin for the fragile Andalucia property market, that is awash with hundreds of thousands of empty and half built homes.No-one doubts that they were built without the correct paperwork, but it was a decade ago, and it should not be the innocent buyers left to suffer.Surely the Junta should be leaving the small man alone and going after the big culprits?The ones that build on beaches, or inside nature reserves...Or per-haps both, as in the case of the 411 room Algarrobico hotel in, where? You guessed it, Almeria.

Making it personalIF the summer of 2013 is to be remembered for one thing, it will have to be for the misery and chaos at the Gibraltar border. Observers predicted that all the fuss would die down by autumn, when the Spanish parliament resat and politicians in Madrid had more weighty issues to contemplate. But they reckoned without the special talent that Gibraltar’s Chief Minister has for upsetting those in Madrid. Fabian Picardo’s speech at the UN in New York mentioned Spain’s ‘invasions’ of territorial waters and drew an outraged response from politicians. There were even mutterings from certain quarters that they were going to ‘get’ Picardo. And after recent press articles tried to find something amiss about Picardo’s financial history and property dealings Madrid seems to have found a new hate figure.

UpliftingTHE Olive Press was once wrongly described by a jealous rival as a ‘depressing mountain paper’ that only criticised Spain and reported on bad news.So how nice to be reporting on some genuinely good news this issue about how the country is finally inching its way out of recession after four dark years.Even more uplifting is our supplement ‘A decade of Success’ which celebrates a dozen businesses that have survived – and in most cases – thrived during the recession.It is hard to launch a successful business in even the most positive of markets, so those that have made it through a decade of ups and downs really deserve an extra special pat on the back. Navigating the worst economic downturn in history has required a flexible and solid business plan...and an awful lot of hard work. It’s great to see that it all paid off for them. Here’s to the next decade.

7www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013FEATURE 7

Alan Clare

Adam Atkinson

Grant Weston

Craig Knapp

gap is as it can be deceiving.”But the high-profile efforts to reduce the number of casual-ties seems to have fallen on deaf ears following the latest spate of accidents.All of which adds up to a ma-jor headache for consular staff who spend countless hours offering practical sup-port to grieving families. “Consular staff in Spain have this year assisted in a num-ber of cases of very serious injuries – including some fatal – caused by falls from balconies,” said a British Em-bassy spokesman. “Such inci-dents are often the re-sult of people being under the influence of drink or drugs. “We strongly urge people to be aware of the risks and that balcony accidents do happen – with awful conse-quences. “Your travel insurance may not cover the potentially very large costs that can re-sult from a balcony fall while you’re under the influence of drink or drugs.”The campaigns have been

Charlotte Faris

backed by travel association ABTA, which is keen to limit the damage caused to busi-nesses operating in balcon-ing hotspots in Spain.

The trade body, which counts operators such as Thomas Cook and Easy-jet among its members, also offers advice to holidaymakers about travel in-

surance. Nikki White, ABTA’s Head of Destinations and Sustain-ability, said: “We are urging young holidaymakers to think about the potential risks of balconies.“We see too many people permanently injured or worse because they’ve tried to climb over or dive off their ho-

tel balcony.“We want people to enjoy their holidays but would ad-vise them to think about the ramifications of their behav-iour abroad.“Incidents such as these have devastating conse-quences for holidaymakers and for their families.”As for Jake Evans, the young-ster has been left with per-manent reminders of the dangers of fooling around on balconies.“Drinking most definitely af-fects your judgement,” he said. “Had I been sober I’m sure I wouldn’t have made the same decision. “The accident has changed my life - I have recurring prob-lems with my back and right wrist and the doctors have told me I probably always will.”

STAYING SAFE:• Never sit or lean over the balcony railing• Do not try to pass items to someone on another balcony• Do not attempt to climb from one balcony to another• Never stand on balcony furniture• Never jump into the pool from your balcony

Tom Ousby

“Incidents such as these have devastating

consequences for holidaymakers and for their families.”

THE SAD DEADLY TRUTH

BEHIND THESE

SMILING FACES

8 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 8 NEWS

BRITAIN’S outgoing ambas-sador to Spain has told expats they must learn to help them-selves.Giles Paxman, who will step down from his post later this month, said that Brits living in Spain could avoid ‘dramas’ by being better prepared.The 61-year-old stressed that the consular service in Spain - the world’s busiest - has a duty to focus on the most se-rious cases. “If you’re living here you can prepare for the sort of diffi-culties you might face so that if those difficulties do occur, they remain simply difficul-ties and don’t become dra-mas,” said Paxman.“A lot of British people who live here don’t speak Span-ish and I understand that, but more and more local authori-ties do have people who speak English.“We have to focus on the most serious and demanding cases.”Last year, Britain’s consulates in Spain handled more than 6,000 cases.

HOMOSEXUALS are be-ing targeted by a mar-keting campaign aimed at boosting spending in Madrid.Gay people make up 10% of world tourism and last year spent €700 million in Spain.According to tourism minister Ana Isabel Ma-rino, homosexuals spend 40% more than the aver-age Spaniard.Madrid is expecting huge profits when it hosts the 31st World Gay Tourism Convention 2014.

A LAWYER representing the King’s son-in-law has denied reports that Princess Cris-tina’s house has been embar-goed.Her husband Inaki Urdanga-rin is embroiled in a corrup-tion scandal over allegations he embezzled nearly €1 mil-

A SPANIARD is suing an air-line after claiming his dog died while in its care.Fernando Javier Ramos was left distraught after his British bulldog, Nano, suc-cumbed to dehydration dur-ing an Air Berlin flight.Ramos claims the airline re-fused to put a bowl of water in the cage and left the dog outside for an hour.Nano and his master were due to fly from the German capital to Sevilla in July.But Ramos was taken to one side by airline staff prior to takeoff and was told his dog needed veterinary assistance.After demanding to see Nano, Ramos was shown the body before being offered a dis-count voucher by way of an

He was not a suitcase

by Alex Iszatt

apology.“They treated Nano like an object, a suitcase, instead of

LAST FAREWELL: Picture taken before going onboard

CHAMELEONS are to be reintroduced to an area near Ma-nilva as part of a biodiversity programme.Some 15 native creatures are being released into the local area, where it is hoped they will breed.The distinctive lizards, famous for their ability to change colour, will be fitted with microchips to allow scientists to monitor them.The chameleons can also be seen, if you can spot them that is, in Manilva’s ‘ecological reserve’.

Costa chameleons

The pink pound

Embargo no goLawyer denies Princess house has been embargoed

Expats should help themselves

lion of public funds as part of the Noos case.His wife, Infanta Cristina, is also facing charges of fraud and money laundering after evidence revealed she had ac-cess to the money.But Mario Pascual Vives, rep-resenting the prince, said he

had received no notice that the P e d r a l b e s residence in B a r c e l o n a had been seized.He added that two other prop-erties in Pal-ma and Ter-rassa had not been embargoed either.

a living being,” said an incon-solable Ramos.A spokesman for Air Berlin said: “We aren’t allowed, by law, to give water to animals before and during flights.”Ramos is claiming €2,635 in damages.

OFFERS: For sale or not for sale

9www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013NEWSNews IN BRIEF

UK Pensions minister Iain Duncan Smith has personal-ly intervened in the case of a benefit cheat exposed by the Olive Press two years ago.Smith has demanded to know why Norman Brennan was allowed to continue liv-ing in Spain despite fleeing the UK in 2008.Brennan, from Liverpool, had admitted to a £120,000

ONE of the Costa del Sol’s most iconic landmarks has caused a stir during Spain’s national day celebrations.The silhouetted Osborne bull in Fuengirola had been deco-rated with the distinctive red and yellow of the Spanish flag to mark the occasion.But residents woke to find the structure had undergone a

MORE than 160,000 people have staged a demonstration in Barcelona calling for a uni-fied Spain.The march, backed by the PP, called for Cataluna to remain under the control of Spain’s central government.The rally enjoyed a significant increase in the turnout com-pared to last year, when 100,000 people took to the streets.But the movement remains in the minority, with political par-ties supporting the cause repre-senting just 20% of the seats in the Catalan parliament.It also comes a month after 1.5 million people staged a similar protest calling for Catalan independence.

Tricoloured toro

makeover during the night turning it into the old tricoloured flag of the Republicans during the civil war – an anti nation-alist symbol.Order was soon restored and the landmark, which is protect-ed as an item of cultural interest, was returned to the colours of the national flag.

Catalans’ call for unity

Take him backEXCLUSIVE

Olive Press investigation finally leads to government action

benefit fraud but had spent the last five years living in Mijas.He admitted to Liverpool Crown Court that he used his brother’s name to claim housing and council tax ben-efit, Jobseekers’ Allowance and pension credits.The government has now in-tervened after Sky News con-fronted Brennan this week

having picked up our exclu-sive story.The Olive Press became aware of Brennan in 2011 after the police, government and Junta all failed to act on tip offs from Brennan’s neighbours.When quizzed at the time

by the Olive Press, the Seri-ous Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) said: “It would be great to track down Brennan who is awaiting sentencing for fraud.”But no further action was taken against the retired joiner, despite him remain-ing at the same address and even receiving post from the pensions department.

FRAUD: Brennan and (left)website on Sky News

Booking upTHE public library in Las Lagunas, Mijas has received a donation of 230 English-language books. Contributors included St Anthony´s School, Julian´s Book-shop and members of the library.

Appy days Cartama Town Hall has launched a phone app allowing residents to report incidents includ-ing traffic accidents, environmental abuse, blocked drains and floods.

TranssexualsThe Andalucian courts are investigating the treatment of transsexual children in schools following reports three centres have stopped children changing their names.

Tasty cropThe first batch of black garlic will go on sale this year. Huelva farm-ers have been growing the bulb, which tastes sweeter than white gar-lic, to sell to the Asian market.

10 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 NEWS10

Footage fool News IN BRIEF

A RECONSTRUCTION of the abduction of missing Maddie McCann, filmed in Spain, has led to possibly hundreds of new leads.An incredible 500 people con-tacted police after the film went out on BBC’s Crimewatch pro-gramme on Monday.It had been made last month at an unspecified location in southern Spain, using actors

A MAN accused of torturing victims during the Franco-era has been found living a quiet life in Madrid.Antonio Gonzalez Pacheco was known as ‘Billy the Kid’ for his habit of using a gun to beat victims. Witnesses told stories of how Pacheco (right) would tell his victims how much he enjoyed hurting them.His depraved actions con-tinued after the war when he joined an anti-terrorism unit, helping to fight the Basque separatist group, Eta.Settling down in Madrid he now works for a private secu-rity firm, where he is said to remain employed to this day.

PICASSO and Salvador Dali are to pay a visit to the Costa del Sol as part of a new exhibition.The showcase, entitled Picasso, amigos and con-temporaneous, is to be the first show at Mijas’ Centre for Contemporary Art, which opens next month.Among the exhibits will be the largest collection of Picasso’s ceramics in Spain.Besides the two house-hold names, the exhibi-tion will also feature a number of Japanese art-ists including Foujita, who was a friend of Pi-casso.The work of George Braques and others who

New Maddie appealReconstruction filmed in Spain sheds fresh light on disappearance

and with the complete knowl-edge of Maddie’s parents.Police are now said to be looking at suspects in par-ticular in Germany and Hol-land, where the appeal also went out in both languages.A sensational new pair of e-

fits were also released of the possible kidnapper/s – as it emerged that mother Kate probably missed the abduc-tion, in Praia de Luz, on the Algarve in 2007 by a matter of minutes.The two e-fits were originally produced by private detec-tives working for the Mc-Canns back in 2008 but were never issued.In particular, detectives want to trace two unidentified men – with blonde or fair hair and possibly German or Scan-dinavian – who were seen in the vicinity of the Ocean Club, where the McCanns were staying. Based on several sightings, they issued two e-fits which ‘may or may not be the same person’.One is of a thin white man, aged 30-35, with spots on his face pos-sibly caused by shaving. On both occasions he had on black sunglasses with a thick frame and was wearing a black leather jacket.The second e-fit, based on a description by a different wit-ness, was again near the Mc-Canns’ holiday apartment.

BurglarsPolice described the response to the Crimewatch appeal as ‘truly unprecedented’ with officers now sifting through more than 300 calls and 170 emails.One suspect in particular – believed to be German – was seen carrying a child 500 yards from the McCanns’ holiday apartment by an Irish couple.The appeal comes after a two year review of the case by the Metropolitan Police involv-ing 37 officers and a total of 16 visits to Portugal.Police are now offering a £20,000 reward to anybody who provides information leading to the arrest and pros-ecution of those involved in Madeleine’s disappearance. While the Portuguese inves-tigation is officially closed, authorities there are backing the Scotland Yard inquiry, with a team of six Portuguese detectives based in Faro.One line of inquiry is that the youngster could have been snatched after disturbing burglars. In the three months leading up to her disappearance, there was a four-fold increase in ‘low level’ burglaries in the complex.Police however, still believe her disappearance has ‘all the hallmarks of a pre-planned abduction’.

THE SAME MAN: Efits released by police

CHANGING YEARLY: Maddie at three and what she could look like today

Torturous process

Last month Argentine judge Maria Romilda Servinie de Cubria called for his ex-tradition, along with three other alleged Franco hench-men.While two of his co-accused are now dead, Pacheco and another former police offi-cer, Jesus Munecas Aguilar, could now be summoned by Spanish authorities.

Masters in Mijashelped shape Picasso’s artistic and family life will also be on display.The centre has been fund-ed through an agreement between Mijas Town Hall and the Rejmedios Me-dina Foundation, which owns a collection of art.

Search continuesPOLICE are yet to find the body of murdered Marta del Castillo as the youth found guilty of the killing continues to change his story about where she is bur-ied.

ErrorsThe Andalucian Health Council has admitted there may have been errors in the treatment of a young Polish vaga-bond and has opened an investigation into the death.

ShootingA Moroccan man has shot a British tourist on Tenerife. Police in the San Miguel region of the island are appealing for witnesses.

Golden visaSpanish property sales are forecast to return to pre-recession levels in the final three months of the year after the government approved plans to grant foreign investors Spanish resi-dency.

11www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

12 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 GIBRALTAR NEWS

13www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013GIBRALTAR NEWS

By Giles Brown

Olive Press guide to the best of What’s On in Gibraltar over the next two weeks

ON the Rock

Gib IN BRIEF

GIBRALTAR’S un-der-19 national foot-ball squad became the first team to represent the Rock in a European Championship Quali-fier since Gibraltar was accepted as the 54th nation by UEFA.The team began with with a friendly against the Bulgarian national team. Against tough opposition, Gibraltar lost 6-0 but put up a credible performance. The team are now in the Czech Republic to compete at the Euro-pean Championships.The squad of 26 includ-ing players and coach-ing staff are in Group 1 among host team Czech Republic, Croa-tia and Cyprus. Gibraltar’s team cap-tain John ‘Jack’ Ser-geant said: “It’s go-ing to be really tough but my message to the team is to go there tak-ing everything we’ve learnt over the last five months and to give it our best shot.”

THE storm of protest over Chief Minister Fabian Picar-do’s speech to the UN last week continues to rumble on.Spain’s deputy prime min-ister Soraya Sáenz de San-tamaría insisted Picardo had displayed ‘a lack of respect’ toward Spain’s law enforce-ment agencies and to Spain in general.“I think that the statements speak for themselves,” she told reporters.

Brothers at SeaBROTHERS Cecil Ladislaus and Paul Ladislaus have served at sea with each other for the first time since Cecil, 36, left home 18 years ago. The brothers are serving on HMS Mersey.

Mini OlympicsOver 500 children took part in this year’s Mini-Olympiad at the Bayside Complex organised by the Royal Gibraltar Po-lice.

THREE brothers who ran Gib law firm Marrache & Co alleged-ly stole millions of pounds from their clients over many years, the Supreme Court has been told.The claim was made as the prosecution delivered its opening submission in a multi-million pound fraud trial stemming from the collapse of the firm.Prosecutor John McGuinness, QC, said Marrache & Co went bust in February, 2010, in ‘a rather dramatic fashion’ owing ‘millions and millions of pounds’ to banks, clients, employees and companies with which it did business.The total amount owed by Marrache & Co when it was placed into liquidation was around £40m, of which nearly £27m was owed to the firm’s clients, the court heard.

October 16Art Lecture – L S LowryOrganised by the Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts SocietyO’Callaghan Eliott Hotel 7.30pmFor Further information contact Claus Olesen on 20002024

October 17 - 192nd Gibraltar International Jazz FestivalFeaturing Jools Hollands, Gilson Lavis, Melanie C, Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and moreFor further information visit www.gibraltarjazz.gi

A lack of respectSpain slams chief minister’s claims about ‘police and military incursions’ at the UN

Spain reacted furiously when Picardo used the phrases ‘po-lice and military incursions’ and ‘shots fired’ to illustrate Spanish aggression toward Gibraltar during his address to the UN’s Fourth Commit-tee.The Spanish Government has now said it is making a formal diplomatic protest to the Brit-ish Government and would write formally to the chair-man of the Fourth Committee

urging him to take ‘appropri-ate steps’.Arsenio Fernández de Mesa, the director general of the Guardia Civil, described the comments as ‘indecent’ and said Spain was exercising “impeccable restraint in the face of provocation from the Rock.”Yesterday two Spanish police unions said they would take

legal steps against the Chief Minister following his UN statement.The Gibraltarian government has complained that Span-ish politicians had focused solely on two or three phrases of a much longer speech that spoke about the need for constructive dialogue for the benefit of communities on both side of the border.

Lawyers stole millions from their clients

FootieFirst

Comedy RocksComedy Rocks will bring together three acts from the UK over two nights at the John Mackintosh Hall Theatre, in November.

October 22The History of Gibraltar in Five Parts: Part 4 – His-tory of a PeopleMuseum Lecture by Tom FinlaysonJohn Mackintosh Hall Theatre 8pm

October 25 - 27The Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary FestivalFor further information visit www.gibraltarlitee-raryfestival.com

bullying.The so-called ‘super judge’ was forced to step down in disgrace over his handling of an investigation into govern-ment corruption last year.The Gibraltar Government insisted the claims might ex-plain some ‘peculiar coinci-dences’ recently and roundly condemned the comments, describing them as ‘a threat’ against the leader.It added it would be taking legal advice on the matter, as well as making a report to the Royal Gibraltar Police.

From page 1

Spies are us

14 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 NEWS EXTRA

JUNTA president Susana Diaz claims that education is ‘the most powerful tool to ensure social eq-uity’. She added that it is ‘the best invest-ment we can make’ and promised to continue providing financial support to disadvantaged stu-dents.

THE president of Spain’s top football division has made ex-plosive match fixing claims.Javier Tebas believes at least eight matches in Spain’s top two divisions are fixed each season.In an interview with the BBC’s World Football Show he said he believed the problem was caused by international mafia.“It sounds easier for players

ANDALUCIA’S housing chief has criticised the police over the forceful eviction of 13 fami-lies from a squat in Malaga.Amanda Meyer questioned the need for police interven-tion in what she described as a social issue rather than one of public order.The group, including 12 chil-dren, had been squatting in the otherwise disused build-ing for eight months.Witnesses accused the po-lice of using excessive force against them.

MADRID is cracking down on the poor in its city centre – by fining them.The council will be handing out fines of up to €750 for activities including begging, reading tarot cards and performing acrobatics with a bike.The clampdown will also apply to pro-testors setting up long-term camps in Puerta del Sol, making it much more difficult to repeat the 15-M protests which took place there in 2011.Last year the council added a levy to choosing plastic at the till and gam-bling, as well as fining anyone who rode a skateboard, let off fireworks, drank or offered massages in the city centre.

FASCIST memorabilia sold at a flea market has caused outrage.Posters of former dictator Francisco Franco and Nazi swastikas were available to buy among the usual bric-a-brac in Quijorna market, Madrid.Permission for the event, which was held at a state-funded school, was given by PP mayor Mercedes García.The local leader had even vis-ited the event personally, but had apparently not noticed the offensive items on offer.

NEO-NAZI groups have gath-ered in Malaga to protest against the arrest of far-right leaders in Greece. Members of Golden Dawn were detained on charges of belong-ing to a criminal organisation.The protest, attended by 20 people outside the Greek em-bassy, was against what they described as the persecution of nationalists.“We are being persecuted be-cause we are Nazis,” said one of the speakers. “Fascism is not an illness.”

Schooling is key to social equity, says Junta boss

The regional gov-ernment provides funding to the pub-lic university, with more than 5,000 students passing courses each year.“Today more than ever, college is a vi-tal institution in the development of the social and economic model we want for our country,” Diaz said.

Match fixing mafiaFootball president believes Spain is becoming ‘like the Wild West’ with at least eight matches fixed per year

with financial problems to be corrupted but we cannot gen-eralise it,” said Tebas.“It happens also with those who earn a lot of money who are comfortable, but I am trying to eradicate the black sheep in La Liga.“If we do not eradicate it now, it will become like the Wild West with no laws no control.”He added there needs to be

severe punishments for those found guilty, and spoke of lifetime bans for players and coaches involved in corrup-tion. His remarks follow those

made by the head of the inter-national police organisation, who said law enforcement agencies around the world are behind the battle against match-fixing.

Education pledge

PRESIDENT: Diaz

Police eviction was over the top

One report said the po-lice broke down doors and smashed windows, while an-other claimed they arrived in 15 vans. The families were forced to move into the squat in Feb-ruary after becoming un-employed and losing their homes after failing to keep up with mortgage payments.Following the evictions, Malaga Social Services an-nounced that 11 of the fami-lies would receive economic help.

Fascist flea market

Nazi group in‘persecution’ complaint

Criminalising tarot and cyclists

15www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

A TECHNOLOGY firm has been awarded a top sustain-ability certificate for its offices.Interxion, which specialises in IT, operates from a build-ing designed to maximise energy efficiency.The Madrid-based company was handed the LEED Gold certificate for its use of re-dundant cooling and power systems. Minimising the building’s carbon footprint was also a key part of the ar-chitect’s brief. “Data centres consume large amounts of energy and so it is very important to ra-tionalise waste disposal and use energy from renewable sources,” said Interxion spokesman Robert Assink.

AN offshore gas plant has been ordered to stop op-erations after causing more than 100 earthquakes in two weeks.The operation, based off the Castellon coast, has created tremors including two mea-suring more than 4.0 on the Richter scale.Spain’s industry minis-ter Jose Manuel Soria said there was a direct link be-tween the tremors and the injection of gas into rocks on the seabed.The ministry has launched an investigation into the tremors, which occurred in an area not known for seis-mic activity.

GREEN NEWS

Super clean20% of energy used in Andalucia comes from renewable sources

RENEWABLE energy accounts for nearly 20% of energy con-sumption in Andalucia, ac-cording to the government.The Minister of Economy praised the Andalucian gov-ernment’s commitment to a sustainable energy model.It said that it had helped to generate jobs and reduce Spain’s dependence on for-eign energy.The government claims that since 2000, the use of renew-ables has also helped to reduce CO2 emissions by 42% per unit of electricity produced.It is estimated that in 2012 there were 44,980 jobs associ-

ated with the renewable sector.Andalucia is a national lead-er in a number of renewable technologies.These include solar thermal, biomass power generation and the use of biomass for heat.It is also among the top re-gions for the use of photo-voltaic, wind, biogas power generation and hydropower plants.On certain days of the year, the region produces nearly all its energy needs from wind power.

by Claire Wilson

GREEN AWARD

Shaky ground

SPAIN has agreed to help Kazakh-stan develop its green economy.The central Asian country has set out plans to modernise using renew-able energy sources.Prime minister Mariano Rajoy struck the deal following a request for assistance.Rajoy said: “Kazakhstan strives for sustainable development and I am sure environment issues are set to play a greater role in cooperation of the two nations. “Spanish companies possess ad-vanced green technology. “They have actively applied the technology in Spain and are widely exported worldwide, including to Kazakhstan.” He added: “Cooperation with Ka-zakhstan has been more than satis-fying, notably in urban waste recy-cling.”Spanish exports to Kazakhstan have substantially grown in the last three years, doubling in 2011 and growing by 68% in 2012.

Green agreement

LEADER: Solar farm

A HUGE influx of pink flamingos helped break all records for the Fuente de Piedra lake this year.More than 26,000 birds, from 24 species, flew into the clear waters of the lake, near Antequera.Flamingos represented 39% of the birds, with herons and storks the second most popular.

Flocking in

16 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 AXARQUIA NEWS16

A POLICE investigation has led to six men getting a total of 21 years in prison for the

THERE was no shortage of kings and queens at this year’s Nerja feria.Participants of both sexes battled it out for the top prizes at the annual beauty contest.Naila García was crowned Nerja Feria Queen 2013 and also scooped the Miss Photo-genic title.Laura Garcia was elected First Lady and Miss Elegance.María Narváez was elected Second Lady and María Mu-ñoz collected the title of Miss Congeniality.With only four male contes-tants, everyone came away

A FORMER mayor is facing the prospect of life be-hind bars for corruption.Jose Manuel Martin Alba, the ex-leader of Alcaucin Town Hall, is facing several charges in relation to the Arcos case.These include fraud, embezzlement, forgery, bribery, money laundering, forgery of official documents and influence peddling.The prosecutor has called for Alba to be sentenced to 226 years in jail, with 49 other defendants also in the dock.Among them are lawyers, architects and relatives of Alba.The case revolves around 90 crimes that were commit-ted between 1999 and 2010.The group stand accused of falsely selling land and tak-ing back-handers during Spain’s construction boom.

News IN BRIEF

Poet appointedPOET Francisco Ruiz Noguera has been appointed the new director of the Maria Zambrano foundation.

Cave workersWorkers in the Nerja Cave Foundation have completed an ‘introduction to caving’ course.

Velez visitorsVelez-Malaga will open its first tourist information office at the end of the month.

Road worksRoad works will begin this week in calle Chaparil, Nerja, between calle Antonio Millón and calle Jaén.

Pool rowThe Socialist Party has denounced a plan to privatise Torre del Mar’s indoor pool.

Going to groundA 55-year-old gardener has been hospitalised after falling while trimming trees in Frigiliana.

Feria Queen

LOOKING GOOD: The winners

with an award of some kind.Antonio Lopez was the clear favourite, being elected Ca-ballero de Nerja 2013, Mr Photogenic and Mr Elegance.

Two drug gangs closed down in Velez Malaga

Enrique Gonzalez was Primer Caballero, with Matthew Bish-ton as Segundo Caballero and Ricardo López as Tercero Ca-ballero and Mr Congeniality.

CORRUPT: Alba faces 22 years in jail

By Alex Iszattimportation of marijuana into the Axarquia.The men were arrested while

using a series of boats based out of a marina near Velez Malaga.In total police found 440 ki-

los of hashis when they raided their homes.They had managed to infil-trate a series of messages between them and their con-tacts in Morocco.In the messages they found out times of delivery, cost and the amounts to be delivered.Meanwhile, cocaine and mar-ijuana have been seized in a drugs bust in Velez-Malaga.Four men were arrested at two properties as part of the three-month operation, which had focused on drug dealing in the area.Police discovered 3.4 grams of cocaine and 10.9 grams of mar-ijuana along with equipment used to prepare the drugs.

Ex-mayor facing long stretch

End of the roadTHREE streets in Velez-Mal-aga will be redeveloped to im-prove the town’s image. The roads have been eroding for more than 50 years, and contain various ‘lumps and bumps’, according to a town hall spokesman.Materials will be used that replicate the current roads to ensure they fit in with the sur-rounding area.Funding has been divided be-tween the municipality and the Junta, with a budget of €147,661.The mayor has said that Porti-chuelo Street and Vahey Fred-erick Street are near completion. Gigantes will be the last street to be finished.

A SKYDIVER has raised over €5,000 for a charity in Anda-lucia.Kim Edwards took the leap in aid of Carlos Haya Hos-pital in Velez Malaga, where she underwent treatment for Leukemia. Edwards, who has worked at Arkwrights shop, in Puente

Sky’s the limitde don Manuel, for a decade, was diag-nosed in 2007 but was given the all-clear in February 2008 fol-lowing several rounds of che-motherapy.“Throughout my stay in hospital I was treated with so much kindness and I re-

ally wanted to give something back to the staff and the hos-pital,” said Edwards.“At present there are three lo-cal people on the ward, they really do save lives.”

Drugs clampdown

17www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

Drugs clampdown

18 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

POTTED POINTERS

ANDALUCIA RESERVOIRLEVELS

This week: 78.33% full Same week last year: 54.84% Same week in 2003: 48.23%

AIRPORTSGibraltar -00350 22073026Granada-Jaen -958 245 200Jerez - 956 150 000Malaga - 952 048 844**For English press 9 Sevilla - 954 449 000

EMERGENCIESPolice 091Guardia Civil 062Medical service 061Fire 080

EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth1.35 American Dollars0.84 British Pounds1.40 Canadian Dollars7.45 Danish Kroner10.51 H Kong Dollars8.13 Norwegian Kroner1.68 Singapore Dollars

Letters should be emailed to letters@theolivepress.es. The writer’s name and address should be provided. Published opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.

LETTERS

CROSSMOT 17

Across1 Limpió (7) * 5 Nivel (5) * 8 Oscilado (5) * 9 Aduana (7) * 10 Specialised (13) * 11 Consternación (6) * 12 Palos (6) * 15 Terribly (13) * 18 Legend (7) * 19 Seven (5) * 20 They (5) * 21 Operated (7). Down1 Swan (5) * 2 Crews (7) * 3 Talks (13) * 4 Showers (6) * 5 Systems (3, 8, 2) * 6 Violates (5) * 7 Lecciones (7) * 11 Detail (7) * 13 Sentence (7) * 14 Ally (6) * 16 Real (5) * 17 January (5).L = 199

THANK you for your very interesting piece on the ‘Dark Ages’ referring to speeding fines......I received a fine through the mail in September, for ‘speeding’ in Malaga in JUNE! I was supposed to have been doing 54 in a 50 area.I have been driving since I was 17 and never had a fine, reading your article does make me wonder if it was legal or not. I was wondering also why it had taken them so long to send it to me in the first place, but only gave me two weeks to pay it.It is really difficult to tell if I was speeding or not, as the small digit which shows your speed is so inaccurate, I wonder how many more careful drivers have been ‘taken-in’ by this, when other drivers seem to pass you like bats from hell, do they get fines?How could someone actually contest the fine, how could you prove that you were NOT driving at what I would class a dangerous speed or in such a manner as to endanger others, would such a person actually admit to driving badly? It would make an excellent discussion.Ultimately though, I still smile at the fact I got this fine reaching now my ripe ‘old age’ of 62, a pensioner, (with a very wicked sense of humour!!) with better things to do with €50, I said to my husband - move over Vettel here I come!!

Hilary Grainger, Arroyo de la Miel.

Hells Angel Hilary

Thank youI would like to take this op-portunity to thank the Olive Press for having the decency to investigate instead of pro-mulgating the lies that have been created by either the town hall Mijas or the Junta staff regarding a totally non-existent care home in Valto-cado.Not only was the claim false, it was reported to all the news media in the area re-sulting in reporters laying siege to the property and all of the other English lan-guage newspapers failing in their duty of care for the population they report for. It also resulted in several forced and illegal invasions of the property.Because of these undeni-ably evil actions, a legally constituted community of like-minded people has been torn asunder. Three mem-bers have been driven from the home built with their own hands into an uncertain future in the land of their birth, Holland. The town hall, rather than investigate to discover the truth, took the illegal steps to invade the private property, make illegal enquiries about the financial affairs of an ab-sent member and to create an architects’ report show-ing that, like so many simi-lar properties in Valtocado, there were infringements of the building laws introduced in 1999. What happened (and con-tinues to happen) to these people should be an ob-ject lesson to us all. We are no longer safe in our own homes if we give offence to

any member of the staff of the town hall or the Junta.The concept of ‘random in-spections under duress’ of private houses appears to be now an acceptable proce-dure for town hall and Junta staff to employ. Dig a moat, build a draw bridge but they will still get in and you, Mr or Mrs Pri-vate Citizen have absolutely no defence against them.

Arthur Webster, Coin

No bullI want to say that Bull Fight-ing is Sociopathic and Crimi-nal, NOT CULTURAL.Any act that mutilates, tor-tures and kills a sentient being is not ‘cultural’ or ‘ar-tistic,’ but rather highly so-ciopathic and criminal. Bull fighting must be illegal and permanently stopped. I be-lieve humans who protect bull-fighting need to seek psychiatric treatment imme-diately.

Deborah Van Damme, California

No shoot-outI am writing in response to a story published by you that is incorrect.It was alleged that students at Alfajarin school donned mili-tary disguise and executed Gibraltarians. In contrast to the information that was giv-en to the world, the videogra-pher denied the play was set in Alfajarin School. The video was in fact filmed at a party in a village in Hu-esca. I hope that is clear.

Laura Smith, Huesca

Stop mistakesWith the unfortunate case of the baby dying on an Alicante baggage conveyor belt, fresh in my mind. I was shocked that only a couple of weeks ago at Malaga airport I told a toddler off who seemed unsu-pervised and who was jump-ing on and off the conveyor as we waited for it to start. Mother appeared and said. “Oh come on you mustn’t play, some people don’t like kids having fun” Seconds later the belt started moving. I was flabbergasted!

John Jones, Kent

I was delighted with the article on Jimena de la Frontera in your last edition and we have had great response from the words on our new estate agency.Just one thing, in your article about the ‘Bomb Factory’ property there was an error.The fantastic property should have read ‘offers invited in the region of €500,000 and NOT €400,000 .

Karen Banham, Jimena de la Frontera

Not so cheap

NICE PROPERTY: The ‘Bomb Factory’

Mountain MarksWE really enjoyed your Ron-da supplement last issue, but you really should have writ-ten more about the wonderful deli Bonnisim in Gaucin, run by Karen O’ConnorKaren (right) calls it ‘Marks and Spencers up the moun-tain’ and it is absolutely true, this is a top class place to stock up on all sorts of good-ies, including wine.Now offering more generous portions cooked by scottish born chef Anne Grey, there are flavorsome curries and tajines and lasagnas to die for. Salads, as well as superb cakes and tarts.There are speciality organic goods, locally made jams and marmalades. Yes lots.

Jane Jewson, Manilva

19www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013la cultura 19

A SENSATIONAL collec-tion of paintings by Diego Velazquez has gone on dis-play at the Prado Museum in Madrid. Entitled ‘Velazquez and the Family of Philip IV’, the ex-hibition brings together some of the Sevilla-born artist’s most important works for the first time. Visitors will be able to see his portraits of the Infant Mar-garita, Pope Innocent X and Philip IV, along with work

Viva Velazquez

Prado pins recovery hopes on artist’s homecoming

By Claire Wilson

IT has been a bitter sweet month for Spain’s national pastime.While the government of-ficially endorsed the art as a ‘cultural necessity’ for Spain –many condemned the move, including UK travel company Thomas Cook.The PP pushed through the law to make the Spanish pas-time a ‘Bien de Interes Cul-tural’ by using its majority in parliament.It went through despite ani-mal welfare groups asking for amendments to the act – in-cluding banning fights on TV, which was ignored.Taking matters into their own hands, protest group PETA pressurized Thomas Cook to remove all informa-tion regarding bull fighting and Pamplona’s running of the bulls. Thomas Cook confirmed that it would remove all referenc-es to bullfighting events.

A NEW website allows armchair travellers to visit the sites of Madrid.Website 101 Masterpieces has explored the most popular attractions in the city and gives visitors the chance to pop online and see them

from the final decade of his life. The exhibition, which opened this month, has been made possible by loans from a string of institutions includ-ing the Museum of History of Art in Vienna.The Prado, considered one of the world’s most treasured cultural institutions, was expanded in 2007 to accom-

modate the surge in visitor numbers. Since the onset of the reces-sion however, it has struggled to fill its new rooms as it faced slashed government subsi-dies, and has been forced to

CAPTIVATING: Infant Margarita (above) and distinguishe Philip IV (left)

IN COURT: Famous Las Meninas and (right) Pope Innocent X

Bitter sweet bullfighting

Ideal for armchair travellersin all their glory.Developed by the government, the website aims to encourage visitors to later arrive in person by giving them a taste of what is there.www.101obrasmaestras.com

seek alternative sources of funding to remain open.The cuts have been so severe the museum predicted a 25% drop in visitor numbers for 2013 as a result of the re-duced number of exhibitions. It is now hoping the vast ap-peal of the Velazquez exhi-bition will help turn its for-tunes around.

Mijas, October 17. The foundation for abandoned and mistreated animals will be holding a ladies lunch at the El Jinete

restaurant La Cala de Mijas at 12pm. Tickets cost €24 per person contact 620 354 885.

Coin, October 18-19. The Andalucia Performing Arts Society will perform ‘We’ll Meet Again’ at Los Arcos. Tickets cost €10 or €7 for

members.

Nerja, October 19. Ensemble Elegance Orchestra plays at the Centro Cultural Villa at 9pm. Tickets cost €10.

Nerja, October 26. The CAS Scruffs-dog show will take place at the market site in Nerja. Registration cost €5 and begins at 12pm.

Estepona, October 27. The International Club is hosting an open day from 12.15 -14.30 for all interested in becoming members.

Estepona, until October 30. Work by artist Monica de Carlo is on display at the El Campanario Golf and Country House.

Fuengirola, until November 28. Alejandro Hermann presents his Autumn Sonata exhibition at THB Class Hotel.

what’s on

20 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013la cultura20

Just one big cover upIn the final excerpt of Matthew Pritchard’s nail-biting crime thriller, Scarecrow, hero Danny Sanchez has been dealing with the death of his friends, and a serial killer on the loose. His friend Jeanine has been found murdered in her home - is it the work of the serial killer? The press are trying to brush it under the carpet and only Danny and photographer Paco Pinto are trying to uncover the truth

Danny stood before the news kiosk, shaking his head as he examined the morning’s Span-

ish papers. Jeanine’s murder hadn’t been reported on the front page anywhere.He could understand that it might have not made it to the nationals – El Pais, El Mundo, ABC – but the locals? There were maybe ten murders a year in the whole province and most of those were either the result of domestic violence or stupid squabbles that had got out of hand; Jeanine’s murder was one of the biggest news events of recent years and yet it was buried among the middle

pages, the traditional dumping ground for low-priority news.Danny bought all three local newspapers and sat in a bar to read them. All three followed the same line: that Jeanine’s death was the result of a bur-glary gone wrong. What really bothered Danny, though, was how the hell they had got hold of the story at all. Danny and Paco had been the only journalists there. Plus Paco hadn’t even found out about the incident until mid-night. That was long after the Spanish papers got put to bed.Spanish television and radio were following the same slant on the story. A television above the bar caught Danny’s atten-tion; Tomás Gutierrez’s beam-ing face, smiling in the way that politicians do when they are about to candy-coat a turd.

‘The situation is completely under control and there is no reason for panic. All I can tell you is that police are investi-gating a British woman’s death in Huercal Overa and that they have already identified a man they wish to question in rela-tion with the matter.’

There it was again, that neutral language: a British woman’s death; the matter. Danny knew a Spanish journalist who’d written one of the articles. He phoned him.

‘Julio? What the hell’s going on?’ ‘The murder story? I know about it.’

‘So you admit it was a mur-der? You’d never be able to tell from the headline: British woman dies in burglary. Dies? Not killed? Or slaughtered? Dies? You make it sound like she keeled over from a heart attack.’

‘Hey, I didn’t write the head-line, OK? And for your informa-tion I do think it was a murder and I wrote it as such. But word came down from on high late last night to change the head-line.’

‘How did you find out?’

‘About 22:45 last night, the editor got a phone call: big

story breaking; everyone stop what they’re doing.’

‘Who phoned?’

‘I don’t know. But the press release we got was from the Junta.’

‘Why from the Junta? It should have been from the po-lice.’Julio’s voice dropped to a whisper. ‘Don’t be naïve, Dan-ny.There are in-terests at work behind the scenes here. No one wants the province to look bad. At least not this week.’

‘Interests? Three dead bod-ies turn up in a week and you talk about interests?’

‘Things are bad here and they’re going to get worse. Unemployment is currently at 30% and rising. No one knows where this thing is going to bot-tom out. Seriously. People are blaming governments. The regional gov-ernment here has existed since 1978 and it’s always been run by the socialist party. They’ve won every election. Andalucia is their great bastion. Within eighteen months there will be elections and for the first time it looks like the socialists could lose. Not only that, the conser-vatives could get an absolute majority. The socialists are working flat out to avoid that. That’s why certain prestige events have become so vitally important.’The penny finally dropped.

‘Christ, you mean to say this secrecy is all because of the powerboat race?’

‘No, I’m talking about Alme-ria’s bid to host the powerboat race. I’m talking about a four-day international event with the world’s jet set guaranteed to descend en masse. I’m

talking a life-line for thou-sands of local businesses, hotels, free publicity for the province’s exports and, most impor-tantly, a little

ray of sunshine for the social-ists in a period of unrelieved gloom.’

‘So they don’t want murders investigated because of bad publicity?’

‘No. The murders are being investigated – but as separa-teentities.’

‘Why?’

‘Because murders happen all the time. Like rainy days and traffic accidents, murders are an unfortunate, unavoidable fact of life. But a serial killer? That’s a different story alto-gether.Serial killers get reported in-ternationally. And serial killers, by their very nature, imply in-competence on the part of the authorities, simply because to have become one they have to have killed more than once. The question is always “Why weren’t they caught earlier?”’

‘Can politicians put that much pressure on the police?’

‘For your information, yes they can. But do you seriously think this is just politicians? This is everyone. It’s national government, regional govern-ment, councils, chamber of commerce, business mag-nates. No one wants to hear about a possible serial killer running rampant in the prov-ince the week before the judg-ing committee is due to assess Almeria’s bid.’Danny hung up. The Junta had fed the burglary story to the Spanish press.Well, Danny Sanchez knew different. He knew Jeanine’s death was part of something else and he was going to prove it. But to do that, he needed to know exactly what had hap-pened inside Fouldes’s house.There was only one person who could tell him…

BOOK: Available now via Amazon

With unemployment

at 30% and rising serial killers are bad for business

Word came down on high

from the Junta to bury the

story

BETTER PUBLICITY: Murder covered up so not to ruin power boat race

MURDER SCENE: Huercal Overa

21www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 201321

Drawing in a big crowdA MURAL painted by an ex-

pat has proved a hit at a pub on the Costa del Sol.The Frog and Toad in Al-

haurin el Grande had been in need of a lick of paint since be-ing taken over by Steve Daley four months ago.The former builder set about re-plastering the walls before drafting in expat Michelle Duffy to add the finishing touches.Artist Duffy, from Coin, spent a week painting the new design onto the 4 x 3m back wall.And locals have been so im-pressed with the final result that some have even commis-

AN 11-year-old boy has claimed the top prize in a photography contest in Andalucia.Gus Ralph saw off competition from a large number of adults to claim the €200

first prize in Vejer Focus 2013.Judges agreed the photo, of two youngsters walk-ing past the front of an empty shop, showed a maturity that many professional photographers would aspire to.

Boy snaps top prize

sioned Duffy for their own work.Daley and his wife Tracy moved to Spain 12 years ago and be-

came landlords after the con-struction industry was hit hard by the financial crisis.

WINNER: The picture by Gus Ralph, aged 11

More than 350 anonymous entries were re-ceived, all taken using mobile phone cameras over a weekend in September. A display of all the photos went on show at the town’s popular La Casa del Califa hotel.The second prize of €100 was awarded to Joao Paulo da Costa, while Sebastian Peña won the third prize of dinner and a night in a suite at the hotel.

VARIETY: Four impressive pictures also entered in the Vejer Focus 2013

21

advertorial

22 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

la cultura22

THE Poligono gallery in Marbella is hosting an ex-ploration of Chinese ink painting. Five Chinese artists will be exhibiting their ab-stract works until Novem-ber 15.Qin Feng, Liang Quan, Zheng Chongbin, Wei Li-gang and Lan Zhenghui have mixed western and traditional Chinese tech-niques.The experience of trav- Espana 82

Miro drops inA FABULOUS display of exhibition posters by Catalan artist Joan Miro are on display on the Costa del Sol.The 32 original colour lithographs were created to promote the artist’s paintings and have been influential on modern graphic design.The exhibition can be seen at the Casa de la Juventud in Plaza de las Flores, Estepona until November 15.The works can be viewed from 9am to 8pm Mon-day to Friday, and 9am to 2pm on Saturday. Entrance is free.

Cultural mixelling and living outside of China, engaging with other cultural artistic practices creates a free-dom of artistic expression resulting in wide-ranging explorations of collage, calligraphy, mixed media, and installation.Throughout their careers, each artist cultivates a unique artistic language that reflects their practice and a modern sense of in-dividualism. Sonnens Harlequins Carnival

23www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013Adecade of success23

Turn to Page 24

A DECADE on and a con-siderable number of tried and trusted busi-nesses are still thriv-

ing in Southern Spain. Despite the nation experienc-

A RECESSION is a trau-matic time for every-one, from big brands to small businesses,

all trying to scrape through until it is all over. Now is certainly not the time to get complacent and sit back believing that it can’t happen to you. Even the strongest, most respected brands can take a tumble in tough times. The idea for this supplement came as I leafed through a 2003 issue of Essentials magazine while on a beach this summer. Very much an age of prosper-ity, restaurants, hotels and bars were popping up every-where and foreigners were queuing to snap up thou-sands of bargain properties being build up and down the coast. It was a time for optimism, but also ‘at times’ for greed

Phew! We made itA significant number of quality businesses are going stronger than ever, despite the recession. But what has kept them afloat over the last decade? The Olive Press asks how they did it and what’s on the horizon?

BUSINESSES that ad-vertise during a re-cession are more like-ly to survive it than

competitors who don’t.Analysts Ogilvy and Mather compared a number of brands that had increased sales during the last reces-sion and discovered that those companies that spent more in advertising generally made more profit.Another study by research analysts McGraw-Hill, in the 80s recession, discovered that firms that maintained or increased their advertising expenditures had significant-ly higher sales growth, both during the recession and for the following three years.Ten years later, research group Coopers & Lybrand also discovered that 72% of businesses that continued to advertise in a recession not only remained open, but grew when the economy sta-bilised.The company added that ad-vertising through downturns, provides a stable image to customers –who look for nor-mality in a chaotic environ-ment.

Adverts a key to successing the worst recession in

its history, these companies have continued to offer the market quality products and unrivalled service. Whether they are hotels and

restaurants, schools, lawyers or traders, they have all had to work twice as hard to stay afloat in recent years as the recession began to bite. And now - despite a raft of

new regulations and con-tinual red tape making Spain one of the hardest countries in the world in which to be an entrepreneur - they are again beginning to grow again. For the first time in years, consumers and businesses are starting to feel confident about the future. Analysts at Credit Suisse pre-dict that it won’t be long until there is true economic recov-ery in Spain.

Long-runningIndeed, the country is expect-ed to grow by up to 1% next year, while a recent survey of business owners shows they are at their most optimistic since 2010. In a special supplement to her-ald – hopefully – the start of the end of the recession, the Olive Press looks at some of these long-running businesses and finds out how their bosses have plotted survival. As most admit, it has mostly been a combination of hard work and battening down the hatches. But ultimately it also takes energy to survive!

WHY ALWAYS ISN’T FOREVER?

and foolishness as businesses jostled for position. But it was comforting to note that among hundreds of busi-nesses that had fallen by the wayside – including one restau-rant tragically called ‘Siempre’, meaning ‘always’ - dozens had survived, including a handful, now clients of the Olive Press which was launched three years later! These companies are the true

heroes of the recession, hav-ing crafted a place for them-selves through skills – as well as clever marketing to a con-sumer base with tighter purse strings. We hope that they con-tinue for another 10 years. From an Olive Press perspec-tive all we have known are tough years since we launched nearly eight years ago. Just after we got over the first three years of getting the busi-

ness up and running in a competitive sector, we then entered the true doldrums of recession. From getting three phone calls a day from potential ad-vertisers we slipped to about the same number per week. While our Eastern edition folded – with my two busi-ness partners being forced to go back to the UK – I realised the only way to survive was by

Olive Press publisher Jon Clarke has the utmost respect for the survivors of the recession, and

a chuckle at one that didn’t make it

LOOKING BACK: Idea came from coastal magazine in 2003

24 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 24

From Page 23

Recession is a word that can instil fear into any business, however, if a firm can sur-vive a recession they will emerge even stronger than before, as they will have de-

veloped some valuable survival skills which they can continue to implement, even when times are good. Some of the key factors to survival include:A positive attitudeWhen your company is facing hard times it is important not to panic. A negative attitude will quickly spread to the employees, and even cus-tomers. Be realistic and acknowledge the issues your business is facing, but be positive on how you are going to tackle those challenges.MarketingBill Gates once said: “If I only had $2 to spend, I’d spend $1 on Marketing and PR”. Marketing and advertising is critical, it is important to make people aware that your business is still there. Consider new methods of marketing, including networking.Review costsA review of all costs is an important part of the strategic plan. Re-negotiating contracts could be beneficial.Customer SatisfactionIt is far more cost effective to retain existing customers than it is to obtain new ones. How a product or service is delivered will determine the repeat business you can achieve, especially if the service you provide exceeds that of your competitors. StaffGood staff are a vital asset to any business. Treating your staff well will ensure they treat your customer’s well. If you are facing difficult times it is helpful to keep your staff informed and to

It is NEVER forever From page 23

Adecade of success

Surviving the recession

rolling our sleeves up and go-ing out on the road. We started by creating special All About supplements on lo-cal towns, as well as specific sections for niche advertisers. Then, we went out and talked to local businesses, asking how they were doing and what we could do to help them. Thankfully we quickly struck a chord with many, including La Sala in Marbella and Mo-lino del Santo in Ronda who remain, along with others, as clients to this present day. What we have always done is NOT rest on our laurels and continued – despite tempta-tion – to maintain the quality of our brand. We have a set policy not to cover our front page with

adverts and maintain a strict advertising / editorial ratio that is in the interests of BOTH ad-vertisers and readers. The Olive Press also continues to invest in journalists... ulti-mately the lifeblood along with a professional sales team, of any good newspaper. So here we are today, not only having grown 30% each year for the last five, but now in a position to enjoy further suc-cess and continue to best ser-vice southern Spain’s vital and thriving local businesses. As I look around on my frequent travels up and down the coast I am incredibly heartened to see so many strong and well known businesses still out there. Most are there for one key rea-son only. Hard graft. And ulti-mately I salute them.

Tips for small businesses

get them on board with the measures you are taking to ensure the company’s survival. Talking to employees can sometimes uncover cost cut-ting measures that you may not have identified yourself.It is also important to hold onto the talent within your organisation. However, during a recession many larger companies will make skilled staff redundant and this may be an opportunity for smaller businesses to gain staff members with skills and abilities that they would not normally be able to attract.New opportunitiesSmall companies should always be on the look-out for new opportunities. New opportunities can present themselves in many different ways. For smaller businesses one significant opportunity arises when a large competitor exits the market. The small business owner should be ready to fill this gap and capitalise on it. The recession may also offer companies the chance to re-invent themselves. You can repackage your current of-ferings, offer upgrades to your service or product or expand your customer base.

SKILLED STAFF: A vital asset

GATES: Key

advice

24

MARBELLA Pools and Spas has specialised in providing swim-ming pool mainte-

nance and technical support for over 20 years on the Costa del Sol. Run by colleagues Colin O’Neill and Bill Pearman the company has built up a reputation as a business that provides its cus-tomers with a ‘complete pro-fessional pool service’ that is specifically geared to satisfy-ing their personalised needs.“Our extensive knowledge of

Pooling two decades of knowledge

the pool and spa industry, to-gether with our commitment in giving the best service has earned us the reputation of one of the leading pool com-panies here,” explains Colin.As well as being members of the British Institute of Swim-ming Pool Engineers, they

have a multi-lingual team of professionals, a modern fleet of fully equipped service ve-hicles and the latest in swim-ming pool and spa technology.The company, based out of San Pedro, also can provide pool heaters, automatic and manual pool covers, filtration equipment, salt chlorinators, spas, pool cleaning acces-sories, chemicals and much more. “Years of retail experience has helped us source the best quality products available on the market,” continues Co-lin. “We have a highly trained pool maintenance team that is dedicated to caring for both private and community pools.

Support “They take all the headaches out of keeping your pool clean and chemically balanced all year long. Our maintenance team operates between Ca-bopino and Estepona.“We also have a technical depart-ment that provides our customers with the technical support they require in order to find solutions for a wide range of problems. Our expert pool reform team can help create a new fresh look for you pool, optimising your enjoyment of your home’s most important focal point.”

25www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 20132325

WHEN we arrived on the coast in 2003 it soon became apparent that

our clients knew a lot more about the real estate market than we did. “Do you think we can flip this property before comple-tion?” one client asked me. “I’m told we can double our investment in just three months,” said another. Aside from visions of flipping dolphins and pancakes, I had no idea what they were talking about and it was the start of a very steep learning curve into what was clearly a market gone mad.

Flip flopping our way through crisis

What we did learn subse-quently was that our busi-ness timing was impeccable, the flips became flops. Yes, we had arrived at the frothy end of the longest property bubble in European

history and what followed was going to be the deepest depression since WWII. However, we are still here despite what seemed a sus-tained assault from the Eu-ropean and particularly UK

press (the same papers who talked up the market a year or so earlier). The knocking down of the Priors home, the volcanic ash cloud grounding flights and genuine fear the Euro would collapse.There were times when my wife Theodora and I won-dered if we would all be go-ing back to trading potatoes.Frankly I am amazed we sold any properties at all given the amount of fear in the

market. Every client I spoke to seemed to have digested The Economist and rallied me with depressing statis-tics and end-of-world stories. It was a tough period, but the weather and the lifestyle helped and was worth fight-ing for. We continued to work long, hard hours, often start-ing at 6am and coming to bed at 10pm. We offered the best service possible to our clients and we marketed shrewdly and wherever we could find a good deal.And then suddenly about two and a half years ago after a particularly dismal year in sales the beginning of confi-dence returned slowly to the market and we completed the best year we had ever traded.

It was a complete culture shock when estate agent Adam Neale from Terra Meridiana started working in real estate back in 2003

Since the trend has contin-ued and now seems to be gathering pace. Whether people became bored with waiting for the end of the world or were sim-ply waiting for prices to bot-tom out I don’t know. But the market is definitely moving faster than it has in a very long time.

ExpectationsWhat has evolved thankfully is a more mature market, one populated by people who actually want to live or spend a large amount of time in Spain. Investors are also returning to the market but this time with realistic expectations: They are buying to hold and not to flip.

SURVIVORS: Adam and Theodora

IT appropriately got its name from its owners Matthew and Emma Murray Harper when it opened on the Costa del Sol 22 years ago.

Based in Estepona the Murray Harp-er Transport company was a very different prospect back then, ‘full of excitement and promise’.“Of course there was not as many people about but the area was eco-nomically strong,” explains Emma. “And everyone seemed to have mon-ey to spend. We started with one van, then two, then a truck with me and Matthew doing all the driving. “Although I was away six months of

SAFELY ESTABLISHED AND STILL OFFERING QUALITYthe year, often taking my daughters with me, they were happy times.”The couple bought a warehouse in the industrial estate of Estepona, with help from their parents, before buying another two as business grew. More trucks and staff followed. “We are still there, but of course in this new era of hard times we have had to cut back and tailor the busi-ness to the economy. “Thankfully we bought at the right time so we are safely established and still offering the quality service and personal touch that we have be-come known for,” she continues.

26 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 26

THE government is predicting brighter days for Spanish businesses over the next few years, but is it telling the truth?While analysts at Credit Suisse agree that

the end of the recession is nigh they also found some inaccuracies that could be making the sta-tistics ‘less bleak’.The report ‘Spain – The sun also rises’ agrees that Spain has a strong financial future, but in-sists there are still a number of problems.In particular the recent report, highlights export levels of the four key European countries since 2008.It found that of the four, Spain’s exports have shown a healthier bounce since the depths of the crisis than the other three (see graph right), including Germany, widely considered Europe’s export powerhouse.Thanks to the rise of exports and manufactur-ing money is once again returning to Spain. The main problem is that the average person is not feeling the benefit and with one in four adults unemployed here it often feels worse and most people haven’t got much disposable income.

WHEN the recession started to hit Bob Gaston’s golf busi-ness four years

ago he worked hard to come up with new ways to stay afloat.

IT has been nearly four decades since Jack Honess started moving goods around Eu-rope. And his company Union Jack has seen many changes.

During the boom, the company employed over 20 people and had articulated lorries heading back and forth from Spain almost daily some weeks.But during the recession business slowed down dramatically with on average three ar-ticulated lorries heading for the UK a month and one coming back to Spain. The workforce had to be reduced by more than half.“However in the past few months the situation has started to change,” he explains. “We are getting more and more enquiries.“Most importantly we seem to be seeing more people moving from the UK, mostly due to the low prices of property and next year I think there will be quite a lot more people settling here.”

Are we really coming out?

Because of this, imports are down. And the average Spaniard – and expats alike – are not likely to start spending until the economy is more stable.The good news, Credit Suisse reports, is that the trickle down affect will not take long.

Still Gaston golfing!With client numbers – par-ticularly from the UK and Ire-land – beginning to dwindle, he remembered the old ad-age: ‘It’s hard to collect loyal customers but very easy to lose them!’

The business that had been based in Duquesa for 14 years had a loyal client base and re-focussed on it. It also refused to cut advertising.“Of course the Spanish Gov-ernment didn’t help by rais-ing the IVA on golf courses from 8% to 21% overnight. So much for Tourism!” he says.

GREEN SHOOTS“However, we ploughed on regardless and looked very hard at ways to cut operating costs but, most importantly, resisted cuts to our advertis-ing costs. “Moreover, we invested in a brand new website and ex-panded our operating areas.“Now thankfully we seem to have weathered the storm and the green shoots of im-proved business are starting to sprout.”KEEPING CUSTOM: Team at GAston Golf

All part of the family

Adecade of success

The key to the company’s success has been personal service. “It has always been at the forefront and we make a point of getting to know our customers. It is how we have weath-ered the recession. Personal service at a stressful time is very important.”The company has also recently introduced a pet transportation service.“It is a big decision to trust someone you don’t know with your pet. We all love animals and make them part of our family until they arrive.”

OLD TIMES: Union Jack crew in 80s and (inset) Jack today

27www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 201327

28 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 28Adecade of success

By investing big and putting service culture first, Sunset Beach Club hotel has just had its best five years out of 27 on the coast, says manager Mark Wardell

Not sitting on our laurelsAFTER running

a Sky and ‘On digital’ aerial business in

Cheshire in the 90s, Mark Wood decided to open a new business on the Costa del Sol.“We have now been here for 14 years, in-stalling and servicing satellite/aerial sys-tems for all nationali-ties,” he explains.

“The key to our success is the complete pro-f e s s i o n a l i s m brought on by my own UK ex-special forces background,” he continues.Now in the new era of IPTV In-ternet via televi-sion (as opposed to satellite TV) we will always strive to give you the quality of installation and service that we applied to tens of thousands of our clients over the years.”

A doctor for your TV needs

THEY had only been in Spain a couple of months, when Bryan McCavitt and Claire Cockrill bought a small flagging TV satellite business that needed some urgent investment.

With their skills in TV installation and marketing (Claire worked for leading London PR company Hill & Knowl-ton), they had soon stablised the business and started to expand along the coast.“We initially worked out of a bashed up old van and our home in Calahonda, before opening a small shop in Las Chapas,” recalls Claire. “There was enough space for one small desk and a couple of dishes.”However over the next two years TVONE expanded fast and by 2008 it counted on five full time staff and a brand new high profile office in Puerto Banus.“Our consistent attention to detail and great customer service led to our clients wanting much more from us – in a good way – and so our TV /Audio Video showroom was born. “Some saw the move as risky just as the recession was beginning to bite, but we were getting so many requests for installations, TV and audio and we knew we had to expand.”The move has paid off and today the company counts

How we became No1

NOW AND THEN: Upgraded rooms

TRANSFORMATION: Pool area before and after

ENGAGING: Wardell

29www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 29

WHEN Irish Insurance firm FBD purchased the building (they also own La Cala golf ) as a shell in 1984, who would have guessed that nearly 30 years on it would have become one of the coast’s largest and most pop-

ular hotels.With over 1.2million guests passing through its doors since open-ing for business in June 1987, it is fair to say the Sunset Beach Club in Benalmadena has been a success.And, while other rival hotels have seen a downturn over the last five years, Sunset Beach has actually seen an increase in trade, with tourists arriving from all over the world.Indeed the last five years have been the best in the hotel’s his-tory, according to General Manager Mark Wardell.“We never sit on our laurels and are constantly looking for new ways to please our guests,” he explains. “For example, in 2010 we were one of the first hotels in Spain to employ a full time So-cial Media Manager.”The company has also invested heavily in its product, with a €16m upgrade in 2002 and a further €6m spent between 2005 and 2007 on other improvements, including a seafront promenade.“Empathy with our guests is also very important,” continues Wardell, a softly spoken Dubliner. “It is vital to engage guests and listen to their needs and wishes. Every one of the team here is constantly mindful of this.“Best of all the importance put on service means that we have plenty of repeat custom and many of today’s guests actually came here as toddlers!”

By investing big and putting service culture first, Sunset Beach Club hotel has just had its best five years out of 27 on the coast, says manager Mark Wardell

Not sitting on our laurels

THEY had only been in Spain a couple of months, when Bryan McCavitt and Claire Cockrill bought a small flagging TV satellite business that needed some urgent investment.

With their skills in TV installation and marketing (Claire worked for leading London PR company Hill & Knowl-ton), they had soon stablised the business and started to expand along the coast.“We initially worked out of a bashed up old van and our home in Calahonda, before opening a small shop in Las Chapas,” recalls Claire. “There was enough space for one small desk and a couple of dishes.”However over the next two years TVONE expanded fast and by 2008 it counted on five full time staff and a brand new high profile office in Puerto Banus.“Our consistent attention to detail and great customer service led to our clients wanting much more from us – in a good way – and so our TV /Audio Video showroom was born. “Some saw the move as risky just as the recession was beginning to bite, but we were getting so many requests for installations, TV and audio and we knew we had to expand.”The move has paid off and today the company counts

How we became No1

on up to 3000 clients and a solid reputation for the greater Marbella area and further.“Our doors are now open to anyone worried about the imminent changes to UK TV. We have solutions ca-tered to the individual’s needs and we welcome any-one to drop in to see what’s available,” adds Claire.

NOW AND THEN: Upgraded rooms

29

30 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

31www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

OVER the last decade Marbella Solicitors has expanded along the coast, despite the crisis.

From the first office in Marbel-la, the legal group has opened no less than five new offices of their own. They are now able to offer their clients, local access in; Nerja; Malaga; Mijas-Costa: Marbella; Manilva; and even Madrid.The group offers free internet and phone consultations, and the first meeting with an Eng-lish-speaking lawyer for advice and a quote is always free of charge with no obligation. “So there is nothing to lose by contacting your nearest office for an appointment for any legal problems that you may have,” explains senior partner Jose M Lopez Avalos.“We aim to encourage people to use the services of a lawyer, whatever their problem, and to prove that this doesn’t have to be expensive. Our simple se-crets for such a rapid growth, even in times of crisis, are to be accessible; to charge competi-tive fees; and to always main-tain a quality personal service for all of our clients”. To arrange an appointment call 952 901 225, or e-mail mail@marbellasolicitors.com or visit www.marbellasolicitors.com

SITTING beside Mijas Golf, the Tamisa Hotel always had a ready sup-ply of happy travellers

visiting since opening in 2000.But when the recession hit in 2008, it had a disastrous ef-

The Jewel of Mijas took a fair bit of shining

Our brief: Accessibility and quality at a fair price

Adecade of success

fect on Spain, and the Costa del Sol in particular.Within two years the hotel’s neighbours, the 5-star Hotel Byblos, and the 4-star SAS Radisson, had both closed their doors.

“Our only means of survival was to batten down the hatch-es, drastically reduce costs and look to attract new busi-ness from different markets and countries, at cheaper rates,” explains owner John

Peach. And just when he hoped things couldn’t get much worse, they did, when the neighbour-ing golf course closed for a 12-month renovation.“Our fabulous Tamisa back-

drop was ruined and The Jewel of Mijas had a building site view throughout 2012 – anoth-er disastrous year,” he adds.But Peach is a fighter and to survive he has forced the hotel to reinvent itself.He brought in new ventures such as its Spa & Medical facili-ty with Lynda and Margaret, the Passion Studio Fitness Centre, Tamisa Golf Properties, and the Costa del Sol Golf News, now all based in the hotel.

Mel CThey also pushed the hotel as a wedding venue with consid-erable success and worked to get golf societies in. Through his contacts he also got celeb-rities, including Mel C, Vinnie Jones and Lorraine Kelly to come and stay.“Luckily the course has re-opened again to an extremely high standard and Tamisa is again open for business and surviving,” adds Peach.

A BYLAW that prevented Michael Dyde, 77, from keeping his holiday park in the UK open for more than eight months a year led him to Spain.“I thought, after all, why not have the other four months in the sun in Spain?”And that led to a tour around Spain looking for the appropriate spot for a holiday park.“Of course there was no such thing as ‘planning’ in Spain back then, but we eventually found the right location in inland Malaga, in Mollina and found an orchard just on the border of the village.”He had soon bought more land and within weeks had 27 of 30 plots sold with substantial deposits. Construction started immediately with roads, drain-age, water, television, and electric pipes

My journey to set up Lazy Daysgoing in. “We even managed to save 63 fruit trees,” he continues. A costly process, he put in a local sewage works, even though the local village did not have one. In 2000 it opened. “It was all worthwhile and clients appreciated the adult-orientated atmosphere, settling in to enjoy their retirement. We encour-aged community events but did not pres-sure participation. Success came in the local feria when the clients entered the float competition,” he continues.“Now, of course times are changing as we are now, the emphasis is in provid-ing accommodation for an older cli-entèle not quite as agile, and including the management! “Oh and we are happy to see the grand-children (because they go home).”

HELM: Tamisa owner John Peach with Vinnie Jones (left) and Lorraine Kelly

31

HAPPY CLIENTS: At local feria and (inset) Dyde

32 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 38

WHEN money is tight the first thing to go for most families are luxuries such as eating out. According to research by US analysts

NPD Group, restaurants and bars are worse hit than any other business when the economy is unstable.People simply choose to eat takeaway or pop on an apron and get into their own kitchen to cook.The Consumer Price Index found that between 2010 and 2012, most restaurants that closed across Europe were independently owned. Chain restaurants were better able to weather the recession. It seems that young people are also staying away from restaurants, with the majority of 18-35 years-olds eating take away.

Navigating choppy waters

A change of appetite in ongoing recession

NPD data has shown that 35-to-64, and 65-plus de-mographics, are still enjoying a meal out – but half of them are choosing meal deals or using vouchers.The average adult in the UK who was either eat-ing out or ordering takeout 226 times a year in 2008 is now only doing so 210 times.Euromonitor International found that there was a 16% decline in new restaurant openings in Spain since 2008.It also discovered that since the credit crunch struck, up to 50,000 bars have closed down. Studies suggest that restaurants that survive the recession offer more than just a good deal, but provide quality meals and a good atmo-sphere. They also ensure to put aside a reason-able chunk of money on advertising.

OLD TIMES, NEW TIMES; at Mumtaz

Adecade of success32

33www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 201333

metro group 2

THINGS really started to get exciting around the Casares area when Christian Robson-Burrell and his Japanese wife Noriko opened their restaurant Arroyo Honda in 2002.

A true Dining Secret, Christian had honed his culi-nary skills in London and the Far East and his cook-ing was always creative, but with good quality local ingredients.“Changing the menu by the week also means us-ing mostly seasonal produce and the emphasis is always on quality dishes with a twist,” he explains.“By offering quality but keeping the prices down means we are full for most of the week.”Expect to try treats such as chestnuts, braised oxtail with Parmesan gnocci with white truffle oil and king prawn tempura with a Wakame salad and Ponzu dressing. The restaurant also tries to have plenty of game through the winter, including dishes like loin of venison wellington with jamon serrano and mush-room duxelle.

THE economic crisis has given us the op-portunity to take a hard look at ourselves and be the best we can be. Survival is about evolution and moving

forward, and rather than look at the crisis as a time to cut back and think negatively, we have endeavoured to use this period to strengthen our business and look at how we can be the best at what we do. In other words, be positive and improve.We benefit from some of the strongest and most established restaurant brands in Marbella, whether it’s Old Joys, Jack’s or Mumtaz - several

Up and away for Arroyo

Navigating choppy watersOwner of the Metro Group Ram Nandkishore, explains how the company has adapted to help most of his key restaurants, including Mumtaz and Jacks, to survive the recession

of our brands are ‘institutions’ having been in business for decades. With our American style restaurant - Jacks - we have focused on getting the basics right - a fun environment, with good food, great value and a casual relaxed feel - perfect for parties and group bookings. Understanding the strengths of our individual brands is critical. We have survived through an unshakable focus on our customers. Every single customer that dines in our restaurants is very, very important to us. We strive to give them the best experience we can through good times

and bad, and our strategy is to give our custom-ers the experience they want - and this is vital in an economic downturn.Rather than pricing we focus on value. Our pric-ing model is not the cheapest nor is it the most expensive, however, it is about adding value. The experience a customer has from the mo-ment they book the table, to when they leave is about adding value. We do all we can to make our restaurants great value - this is key in an economic downturn.We cherish and reward customer loyalty - our customers are our guests. We don’t always get it 100% right but when we don’t, we find out why and do what we can to put it right. In any downturn it is vital to understand your-

self, to look at your core business and to ensure you deliver. We never take any of our customers for granted, and once they have chosen to dine or drink with us, then it is our job to make that ex-perience the very best it can be. In an economic crisis never lose focus on what you are and what you about?Finally, we believe in intelligent marketing. Research shows that in an economic crisis those busi-nesses that continue to invest in marketing do much better than those that don’t. We believe in understanding our brands, our customers and the best media to engage with our customers. It’s not easy - but the rewards are that we can navigate through these choppy waters and when

the upturn is upon us - we will be in the very best position possible. INSTITUTION: Jacks is a ‘fun environment’

TALENT: Christian and NorikoOLD TIMES, NEW TIMES; at Mumtaz

34 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

When we a r r i v e d in Spain, more than

10 years ago, we no-ticed that buildings were being quickly erected, with no thought for longevity.Unlike in the UK, damp proofing was not widely consid-ered – and properties were facing a life of mildew. We saw a gap in the market.Being Master Builders, we understood how damp affects a building. And, com-ing from the UK, we appreciate the dam-age rain can do.We still export our products from the

Adecade of success34

FROM small beginnings in a chalet to two ‘purpose built’ sites, one for primary and one for secondary, Swans

school now counts on more than 650 students from over 30 nation-alities.

Brightening up your home!Joanna Park from Damptech explains how she and partner Fred have survived the recession

UK, and all our staff are trained in damp proofing, basement conversion and are master builders. Since 2003, we have proven our meth-ods time and time again, and hope to continue for the next 10 years.

Swans: From chalet to celebration

The longest-established school in the Marbella area, set up in 1971, SWANS follows the British Interna-tional curriculum until the age of 14 and then the IGCSE system from 14 to 16. In the sixth form (Years 12 and 13)

the school focuses solely on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma course. Although the last few years have seen a difficult economic climate the school con-tinues to grow and looks forward to a long and successful future.

TO THE TOP OF THE CLASS: Picture of chalet from the ‘old’ days and today

FAMILY FIRM: Joanna, Ellie and Fred

35www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 201341

The Olive Press fortnightly business section taking a look at the Spanish economy and offering tips on how to save AND make moneyT Dop ollar

35

THE UK’s largest shopping centre owner is set to acquire one of Spain’s biggest retail spaces in a deal worth a cool €165 million. Intu Properties – the owners of Essex’s legendary shopping centre Lakeside - has agreed to purchase the Parque Princi-pado in Oviedo, Asturias.The 75,000 square foot shop-ping centre, which opened in Asturias in 2001, boasts 156 retail units, a 12 screen cinema and 20 restaurants. In 2012 it attracted 9million visitors. Intu’s chief executive, David Fischel, said: “The opportunity

MARBELLA trumps Ibiza and Mal-lorca in the luxury brand market.The Costa del Sol resort represents 18% of the high end shopping market around Spain, compared to just 8% in Ibiza

Blingo!

Business is brightEntrepreneurs in Spain are at their most optimistic for three yearsOPTIMISM among Span-ish business owners is at its highest level for three years,

THE NEW LAKESIDE

to acquire Parque Prinicpado, a top 10 centre in Spain firmly establishes our presence on the ground in a country where we see considerable growth op-portunities.”

according to a survey.Industry leaders expect the economy to gradu-

and 5% in Mallorca. Only Barcelona (32%) and Madrid (27%) beat Marbella when it comes to the purchase of ex-pensive brands, according to the Luxu-ry Goods Worldwide Market survey.

ally improve in the coming months, after employment figures rose slightly.

The monthly poll, known as the Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI), revealed a boost in staff-ing levels within the telecommu-nications sector. The news comes despite a mar-ginal decline in service activ-ity in September, and a further decrease in out-put prices due to tougher com-petition from abroad. “The Spanish service sector failed to show much sign of re-covery during September,” said PMI spokesman Andrew Harker.“But compa-nies are at their most optimistic about the future for nearly three and a half years, suggesting ser-vice providers are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.”

A SPANISH bank is to slash its workforce by a third as it looks to improve its balance sheet and re-structure its operations. Catalunya Caixa has reached an agreement with unions which will see 2,153 of its 7,200 employees made redundant, and the salaries of the remaining staff cut. The nationalised lender bank said it would also offer voluntary re-dundancy to its seasonal employ-ees, and reduce the working hours of those on flexible contracts in a bid to further cut its outgoings. Those being laid off will receive a redundancy package equal to one months pay for each year they have worked. The decision is expected to be ap-proved by the management com-mittee in the next week. The move comes as the troubled bank seeks to improve its appeal to buyers, and is part of a deal it made with the EU following a €12 billion bail out last year. Catalunya Caixa was formed in 2010 from the fusion of three savings banks in the northeast-ern Catalonia region, and is the

New jobs gloom for bankers

second-biggest of the four banks that have been nationalised by the Spanish government to save them from collapse. Last month another bailed out bank, Bankia, announced it was to axe 800 external directors as part of its own cost reduction efforts.

Intu might launch a real estate investment trust for its Span-ish holdings, suggesting it is confident the country offers at-tractive investment prospects over the longer term.

SPENDING SPREE: The Asturias centre

CUTTING BACK: Catalunya Caixa

36 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

37www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 4530 37Top Dollar

SANTANDER is to buy a majority stake in the per-sonal finance arm of depart-ment store El Corte Ingles. The country’s biggest bank will buy 51% of the con-sumer finance division of the world’s third-largest de-partment by sales.The deal will see El Corte Ingles finance department integrated into Santander Consumer Finance, easing

Santander bet on El Corte Ingles

the retailer’s debt burden and consolidating the bank’s po-sition as Spain’s largest con-sumer lender. The purchase will be the bank’s first significant invest-ment in Spain since the onset of the financial crisis. It will also go some way to-wards easing the €5 billion debt pile run up by El Corte Ingles as a result of a sharp fall in profits over the past

five years.The family-owned department store, founded in 1935, has faced stiff competition from cheaper rivals such as Mer-

THE number of millionaires in Spain has increased 13% over the past 12 months, despite the country being mired in its worst recession in history. A total of 47,000 Spaniards became millionaires in 2012 and the country is now home to 402,000 high net worth in-dividuals.This is compared to 355,000 in 2011, according to Swiss bank Credit Suisse.The research also revealed Spain was one of only ten countries to register a total

MORE than half the shares in a Spanish government bond scheme have been snapped up by foreigner investors.The 31-year scheme was un-veiled by Spain’s central bank as a show of confidence in the markets.The bond scheme is the longest of its kind to be announced since 2009.Around 28% of the €4billion bonds were snapped up by Britons, while US, French and German investors each ac-counted for 10%. The bond was issued with a yield of 5.1%, a far cry from the all-time high 7.6% long-term Spanish debt was yielding in July 2010. The scheme matures on Octo-ber 31 2044. The popularity of the scheme is being hailed as a huge vote of confidence for southern Eu-rope.

Millionaire milestone

wealth increase of over $200 billion in the year to June 2013. This increase relates to finan-cial and non-financial assets and is being attributed to both a favourable dollar-euro exchange rate and a stock market recovery. The report said: “It may seem strange that the eurozone ac-quired so many new million-aires last year, most notably in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium, but this simply compensates in part

for the big drop in millionaire numbers experienced a year ago.”The US saw the biggest surge in new millionaires (13 mil-lion), followed by Japan. Spain’s increase put it in eighth place.At the lower end of the scale there were 1,066 billion people with an annual in-come of between $10,000 and $100,000, while 69% of the world’s population, 3.2 billion, had income of under $10,000 a year.

Foreign fever

cadona, Dia and Zara since the downturn, resulting in a profit fall from €716million in 2007 to €210 million last year.

38 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 Top Dollar32 33The Olive Press NOW has 35,000 papers delivered across EIGHT provinces of Andalucia and Gibraltar every fortnight by our hard-working team of distributors

ALAMEDAMobile Home Park • Posada Tempranillo • Petrol Station • Casa Benito

ALCALAConexions Centre • Hotel Torrepalma • Library • Tourist Office • Optico Real • Hotel Zacatin • Estate Agent Andaluz • BP English Food Shop (opposite Mercadona)

ALGATOCINBP Service Station

ALHAURIN el GrandeGuzman Garden Centre • BP Service Station • Alhaurin Golf • La Boma • 1st Tabacconist • Annas Butchers • Christinas Paper Shop • Arte Hair and Beauty • Martins Paper Shop • 2nd Tabacconist • British Supermarket • Posh Pets • Cudeca • BP Service Station • AID Dog Home • Las Brisas Restaurant • Montemar Restaurant • Lauro Golf

ALHAURIN de la TorreBP • Las Brisas Restaurante • Montemar Restaurante • Lauro Golf

ALMUNECARSpar Supermercado • Tourist Office • El Faro Bar • Olivares Shop • Danny s Bar • Bahia Tropical Hotel

ALORAHardware Store • Tropicana • Repsol Petrol • Cudeca • Zalea Bar

ALOZAINAPetrol Station •Dia

ANTAS INDUSTRIAL ESTATEThe Full Swing • El Poligono • Costa Cars • Cepsa

ANTEQUERALidl • La Veronica • Amapola • Antequera Golf • Tourist Office • Hotel Plaza San Sebastian • BP • Hotel Las Villas de Antikaria

ARCHIDONACepsa Garage • 3R Café /Bar • Mercadona Garage • Sunset Estates

ARDALESPaco’s Bar

ARRIATEPetrol Station

ATAJATEAndalazar

BEDAR (El Pinar)Urb. Offices

BENADALIDLos Labros

BENAHAVISCanela Cafe /Bar • Amanhavis

BENALAURIALa Molienda

BENALMADENAHalfpenny Bridge Pub • Kiosko Puerto (Marina) • Tourist Office (main road) • Culture Centre Bil Bil • Paloma Library • Irish Time Bar • Xanit Hospital • UK Foods • Discovery • Rubens xchange • Sunset Beach • Supersave • Miura Bar • Benalmadena Bowls Club • Bar IbenseFedex/ Post Office • Cudeca • Anns Bookshop • Riu Puerto Marina • Riviera Hotel • Potters Lodge • Kwik Save • Dolce Vita • Crystals • Bil Bil Golf • Dalziel Bar • Bar None • Star Bar • Wellness Centre & Gym • Aguila • Los Brothers • Martins Hair & Beauty • Jupiter • Torrequebrada Golf • Sensara

BENALMADENA COSTAWins Bar • Los Mimosas Golf Bar • Divas • Bull Bar

BENAOJANMeroil • Papeleria Ruiz

BENAVISTABowls Club • Ibex Insurance • Grumbles • Experience Group • English Butcher • Costa Less Supermarket • Plaza Hotel • Dog House • Brubecks • El Paraiso Golf •Peggoty’s Fish & Chips • Petrol Station • Kids Kingdom • Agro Jardin • Calpe School • Laude International

BENAMACARRAHotel Cortijo Bravo

BONANZA SQUAREAnne’s Book Shop • Kwik Save • Dec’s Irish Bar

BUBIONSupermercado Coviran

CABOPINOPina Pinaka • Cabo Pizza • Sportsmans Bar • Cabopino Camping • Garage •Shebeens Pub • Paper Shop/Supermarket • Plaza Bar • Alberts Restaurant

CABRATourist Office

CALAHONDAAParty Party • The Pit Shop • GT Mc Kenna Butchers • Mercadona • RBL • Club Naranja • Prensa Piscis

CALYPSOMPA Estates (Bryce) • Inspirations Haidressers

CAMPILLOSFernando s Coffee Bar • BP Petrol StationWildmann-Chard Health & Beauty Centre

CAPILEIRESupermercado Coviran • Cafe Moraima

CARTAMA ESTACIONAguamania • Topres

CASABERMEJAPetrol Station

CASARESArroyo Honda • The Forge • Venta Garcia • Villas and Fincas • La Tienda •Mi Cortijo • Venta Victoria

CHICLANATourist Office

COIN ROADThe Warehouse Outlet • RMDC Glass • Favel • Tamisa Golf • St Anthonys College • Speedys Garage • Camping Fuengirola • BP Garage

COLMENARCO2 • Bar Campesino •Belen Hotel

COMPETATodo Papel • Pavo Real and Restaurant

• Sugar and SpiceCORTES

Camping el Salitre • Mary Becker • La Fuente

CORDOBABodegas Campos • Hotel Casas de la Juderia • La Fuente

CORTES DE LA FRONTERAPetrol Station •La FuenteCUEVAS DE ALMANZORA (Desert Spring Golf)

Restaurant / ClubhouseDIANA

Royal Nordic Club • Man Friday Supermarket • Super Market • Aud Dublin • Big BlueBox

DUQUESA PORTPaparazzi Neswagents • Supermarket • Las Galleries • English Butcher • Duquesa Golf Club • Paper Shop • Gaston Golf • Manilva Properties • Topline Paper Shop • Clubhouse Bar • La Bella Vista Camping

El CHORROEl Kiosko • Hotel Posada el Conde

EL FAROEl Faro Supermarket • Post Room • Zurich Office • Captains Bar

EL ROSARIOGerman Bakery/Cafe • Da Fabio Restaurant • Mozaic/ Els News • Marbella Golf • The Jeans Factory

EL TRAPICHEEl Trapiche Cafe/ Bar

ELVIRIAMartys Hairdressers • EIC School • Aventura • Amazonia • TFC Restaurant • Studio B • Bar Casi Casi • Regalos Isabel y Paco • Asia Foods • Playwrights • Mancomunidad

ESTEPABP Garage

ESTEPONALongmans Bookshop • Fergussons Bar • Cudeca Shop • Dune Bar • Laguna Village Paper shop • Hospiten • Albayat Resort • Best Coches • Terra Sana • Digi PrintOptica Machin • Muebles Gavira • Furniture World • Techno Aluminio • Lidls • Amapola • Tourist Centre • Estepona Golf • International Club of Estepona • Costa Natura • Laguna Village: Entrance • Tibet Clothes Shop

ESTEPONA MARINASailors Cafe • Business Centre EportBicUniversal Estate Agents • The Irish FiddlerMarlow Chip Chop

FRIGILIANAHotel Almazara

FUENGIROLAIceland Store • Scotties Butchers • Specsavers • Cudeca • Dunnes Stores • Yorkshire Linen • Euromarkets Cayetano

(C/ Malaga) • Euromarkets Cayetano (C/ San Isidro) • Euromarkets Cayetano (Av de los Lirios) • Salon Varieties• Old Gold• Marfil• Tourist Office• Fafa Foods• Prensa Iberia• Califonia 7• Cafe Fresco• Dunnes Las Rampas• Opticos Vicente• Anthonys Diamonds• Prensa Maxim • David Bookshop • Spainsburys • Woodys • Yaramar • Prensa Quijote • Joys Pies • Prensa Don Luis • Torreblanca Supermarket • Caravajal Supermarket • Red Dragon • Oasis • Torreblanca Post Office • Wessex Bar • Cheers Bar • Manila Bar • Mananas BarTonys Shanleys/ Chequers Golf • Estanco PYR

FUENTE DE PIEDRABar Rebujito • Corner Bar • Diane’s • Donkey Sanctuary

GARRUCHAClinica Veterinaria • Hostal Timar

GAUCINRepsol Petrol Station • Hotel Caballo Andaluz • Pura Vida Health Shop • Benassim Deli • Fructosa • El Convento • Casa Antonia • La Fuente • El Puente

GIBRALTARCafé Fresco • O’Reileys • Ibex Insurance • Morrisons • Elliot Hotel • Sacarellos • ICC Shopping Centre • Cafe Solo • Café Rojo • Colourworks • Rolex • Caleta Hotel • Ibex Insurance

GRANADA Airport • Hotel Macia Plaza • La Romanilla • Hotel Fontecruz Granada • Metro Bookshop • Hannigans 1 • Hannigans 2 • Tourist Office • El Catrachod • Jardines de Zoraya • La Alacena de Andalucia • Hotel Palacio de Santa

GUADALMINATricky Rickys • Bookworld

GUAROPetrol Station

HUMILLADERORestaurante Cinco Rios

IZNAJARBP • The Yoga School • Bar Verde

JEREZTourist Office

JIMENA DE LA FRONTERACepsa• Papeleria Los Garabatos • Bar Cuenca • La Tasca • Hostal Anon • Bar Oba • Estate Agents • Casa Henrietta

JIMERA DE LIBAR ESTACIONBar Allioli

LA CALACafe Boulevard • Cocinas Plus • Prensa Quetzal • BP Garage • Snack Attack

LA CALA DE MIJASCorner Café • Lions Charity Shop • Pensioners Bar • Internet Café •

Papeleria Quetzal • Captains Bar • Zurich Office • BP Garage

LA CALETAPapeleria las Colonias

LA COLONIAEuromarkets Cayetano (C/Lagasca) • KSM Properties

LA HERRADURAThe Hideaway Bar • Libreria Coral • La Tartana Hotel • Restaurante S. Nico

LA HEREDIAThe Best of Holland • The Dutch Butcher • Panaderia • La Casita • K Bar

LA VINUELAHotel Vinuela • A & N Gas Petrol Station • Bar Atilla

LANJARONCafe Bar Health • Tourist Information • Los Llanos

LAS BUGANVILLASCactus

LECRIN VALLEYE.S Leman Gasolina

LOJACafe Continental

LOS GALLARDOSSubministros Ridao • Gas station • Camping los Gallardos

LOS ROMANESCamping Bar

LUCENACarrefour Pet Shop • Hotel Bronces • B.P near the fire stn.

MALAGA CITYBritish Consulate• Dunkin Coffee (Corte Ingles)• Hotel Tribuna • Pizzeria el Laboratorio • Restaurante Vino Mio • Terra Sana & Gorki restaurants (El Muelle Uno Shopping Centre) • Calle Brusseles • Celtic Irish Bar • Café con Libro • Picasso Museum • Robert Boyd • Plaza Restaurant • Hotel Don Curro • Hotel Molino Larios • Tourist Office • Hotel Vinci •Escuela de Turismo

MALAGA AIRPORTHelle Hollis • Car Parking Malaga • Arrivals Information Desk • Monarch

MANILVAManilva Solicitors • English Bookshop • Manilva Properties

MARBELLABP Garage -Marbella Arch • Hotel Fuerte • Swans International School • Vergola • Puente Romano Hotel • MC Cafe Marbella Club Hotel• Polo House • Cocinas Plus • Panorama • International School

MIJAS PUEBLOTourist Office • Town Hall • BP Garage • Mijas Hotel

MIJAS ROADWorld of Sofas • Centro Idea Danish Centrel • Euromarket

MOJACAR PLAYA (Centro Comercial)

Masko Cafe • Habana Cafe•Diego Ortega Notaria • Michael Davis Solicitors • Clinica Dental • Ibex Insurance • Pippas Cafe

MOJACAR PLAYAGas Station • Koi Cafe • Kasbah Romantic • Sal’s • Currency Exchange • Paco Salas Farmacy • El Olivo Restaurant • Total Entertainment • Tomas Supermarket • Mojacar Estates • Beachcomber Restaurant • H Puntazo Hostal• Trufibar • Kimrick Restaurant • Parador • Cafe Bellagio • K7 Real Estate • Price, Brown Partnership • Tourist Office (Playa)Tito’s • Los Arcos Bar • Los Amigos Bar • La Posada • ELC

MOJACAR PUEBLOCentro de Arte Municipal • English Library • Bar Pavana •Bar Habanero •Bar Cherigan

MOLLINABar Margarita • And Estates • Brit Shop • Lazy Days Mobile Home Park

MONDAPaper Shop • Petrol St. •Design Academy

MONTEFRIOAlan Russell

MONTE HALCONES (Ronda Road)One Stop Café • Irish Café

MONTEJAQUELas Casitas

MOTRILCafé AL Campo • Tourist OfficeLos Moriscos Golf • Bar/ Rest Moriscos • Gran Elba Hotel

NERJAHotel Carabeo • English Book Shop • Supermercado Iranzo • Smiths Bookshop • Tourist Office • John the Barber • H2O Bar • Keyhomes Estates Agents • Team Estate Agents • Olas Bar • Cocinas Nerja

NUEVA ANDALUCIAAloha News • Garden Bar • Yanks • Wilsons • Alberts • La Sala • HIFX • Mad Hatters • Terra Sana • H10 Hotel

OLVERAPetrol Station • Dynos • Olvera Properties • Via Verde • Rest. El Puerto

ORGIVAIndoor Market • Camac • Internet Café • Alpujarra Supermercado • Baraka •Limonero

PAMPANEIRACafe Alfonso

PERIANACantueso •Verduga

PITRESCamping • Bar La Taha • Bar Frenazo

PIZARRASpa • Aliprox

PRIEGO DE CORDOBATourist Office • Kiosko MaribelCepsa Garage

PUENTE DON MANUELMoreno’s • Ian Petts Dentist • English Shop • Arkwrights

PUERTO BANUSBookworld • Iceland • Cravings Cafe • Starz Cafe • La Sala • Mad Hatters • Yanks • Asiatic Food • HIFX • Studio B • Aloha News • The Garden Bar • Terra SanaH10 Hotel • Hairworks • Currencies DirectGuey Skybar

PUERTO REY (VERA)Club Deportivo • La Esquina

RINCON DE LA VICTORIATourist Office • Hotel Rincon SolAnoreta Golf

RIO FRIOHotel Almazara

RIOGORDOCoviran

RIVIERA DEL SOLMiraflores Bowls Club • La Terraza Supermarket • La Terraza Paper Shop

ROAD BETWEEN CAMPILLOS AND RONDA

Meson Diego • Petrol Station Cuevas del Becerro • BP Garage

RONDAAlmocabar • Bar San Francisco • Tourist Office • Atrium • Chocolat • Casa Ortega • To-Toro • Traga Tapas • Hotel Maestranza • Hotel Colon • Hotel Polo • Hotel Don Miguel • Locutorio • Serrania Services • Libreria Dumas • Huskies • Heaven Irish Pub • Pedro Romero

RONDA ROADMonte Halcones One Stop Cafe • Irish Cafe

RUTEEstanco

SABINILLASEnglish Bookshop • Eden • Visage Hairdresser • Coast to Coast Properties • Bar • Lidls • Kwasi Bar • Curtain & Bedding

SALINASCasa Monolo • Meson Estacion

SALOBRENABest Western Hotel • Post Office Antonio Machado • Tourist Office Plaza Goya • 1616 Books

SAN PEDROTourist Office • Passion Café • TRE Radio Station • Staysure

SAN ROQUESan Roque Golf Suites Reception area and golf clubhouse • Okay cafe • Supermarket

SAYDO MARKETAngela Sat • Bakery • Chrissy • Hotel Reception

SIERRA DE YEGUASKiosko

SITIO DE CALAHONDAClub Naranja RBL • Plaza next to Paper Shop

SOTOGRANDE GUADIARONewsagent • Corner Café • Lemon Tree Café • Estate Agent • English Butcher Shop • Sotofiesta • Business Centre NH Hotel • Abbeygate Insurance • Mara Rest. • Anglo Wines

SOTOGRANDE MARINAVideola • 50K Bar • La Brasserie • Hairy Lemon • Hotel Maritimo • Midas

TARIFATourist Office

TOLOXCross Road Bar • Vent Garradena

TORRE DEL MARPapeleria el Faro • English Bookshop Pasatiempo • Expatriate Help Centre • Lukuma • Baviera Golf • Las Yucas • Cudeca

TORREMOLINOSTourist Offices x 2 • Cudeca Town Centre • Baileys BP Garage • Parador Golf Hotel • Parador Golf • Riu Belplaya • Shennanigans • Hotel Melia • Rubens Exchange • Nigel & Cheryls Rest. • Cosy Nook • El Mojito • Toms Tavern • Wellness Clinic • Fig & Olive • Full House • Talk of the Tyne • BP Garage

TORROXRussels English Shop • El Pino English Shop • Light of India • Tourist Office

TURREFundraiser Shop• Zambra • Casa Diego • Total Entertainment • Tio Tomas •Connexions

UBEDAGolden Poppy English Center

VEJERTourism Office • Califa • Camping Vejer • Monte Medio Golf • Barca de Vejer • Castilleria Restaurant

VELEZ MALAGAGarden Centre La Palma • Eroski Centre • Bar Jamaica • Dunnes • Pronumatico

VERAIceland • Galasaa

VILLANUEVA DE ALGAIDASLa Bodeguita

VILLANUEVA DE ROSARIOBar • Bar • Town hall

VILLANUEVA DE TAPIALa Paloma Rest.

VILLANUEVA DE TRABUCORonnies • La Plaza • La Rubia • El Rincon de Teresa • Trabuco Books

YUNQUERAPetrol Station • Bakery

ZAHARA DE LA SIERRAAl Lago

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Less than 1% returns and a much bigger footprint than our 3 main rivals:

39www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 201339Top Dollar

TOTAL COVER Safe and secureAfter 30 years in Malaga, Helle Hollis is now opening an airport car park

AFTER 30 years of car hire Helle Hollis is going into public parking.With video surveillance and in a locked area, the indoor airport car park near Malaga airport will be ‘100% safe and secure’.Moreover, customers who park for more than seven days will get a free car wash before the vehicle is returned.And to celebrate its opening the new car park has an October special ‘Price Match’ - where it guarantees to match any other indoor parking price on Ave-nida Garcia Morato. Managing Director Hans Hugo said: ‘Helle Hollis Parking will stand for safety, quality and service - just as we are known for with our car hire.’Parking can be reserved via www.hellehollisparking.com where customers will receive a 15% online discount on the parking tariff. Email parking@hellehollis.com or call 951 01 40 58.

A SPANISH company is behind the world’s biggest solar plant that has just opened in the USA.Abengoa has successfully completed installation of the 280 megawatts com-mercial solar farm in So-lana, Arizona. America currently gener-ates less than one per cent of its energy from the sun, but with the new farm more than 70,000 house-holds will be supplied with electricity during the day.The solar field covers an area of approximately 800 hectares and cost ap-proximately €1.5 billion to develop.

Spanish plant breaks solar record

IT was a bold switch from Puerto Banus to La Cala de Mijas a year ago.And the successful office move was celebrated at a party by the Moneycorp team last week.Manager Stephen Tiley explained that the move had seen a ‘big in-crease’ in business and thanked his staff for relocating with him.

The party came as the foreign exchange pro-vider announced a first half year revenue growth of 31% and news that the firm has added over 250 new staff to its workforce this year.CEO Mark Horgan told the party that growth had been ‘excellent’ this year and that company re-serves were very healthy.“Our growth has been considerable in 2013 and our read of the market has proven accurate,” he said.

Celebrating a happy move

CELEBRATION: Moneycorp team at party

40 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

Top Dollar

Richard Alexander Financial Planning Limited is an appointed representative of L J Financial Planning Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK. Contact him at Richard@ra-fp.com

Road to Riches, by Richard Alexander

40

ONCE upon a time, taking retirement benefits from a pension fund was

relatively easy because the only choices were; how much lump sum to with-draw and which type of an-nuity to buy. However, buy-ing an annuity is today the least favoured option for many people as it is pos-sible to leave the pension fund invested and to simply draw income from it. This has the distinct advantage of leaving the pension fund intact, which is then still available for beneficiaries in due course. Conversely, an annuity will guarantee income but the pension fund has been spent when the annuity is purchased.

There are however differ-

Retiring gracefully

Richard Alexander explains the options of pension funds

ent methods of drawdown available; Capped Drawdown, Flexible Drawdown and Pro-grammed Withdrawals.

Capped Drawdown is the most common type and is available for the largest number of people. Under this arrangement, the pen-sion commencement lump sum is taken and the bal-ance of the fund can then provide income. This can commence immediately or can be deferred. The level of income is calculated either by reference to Government Actuarial Tables (GAD rates)

issued by HMRC or by utilis-ing an alternative actuarial based calculation used in the relevant country where the pension fund is held. This cal-culation then determines the maximum (or Capped) level of income that can be drawn each year. It is not necessary to draw the maximum but in any event, future reviews, typ-ically after 3 years, will make new calculations to set a new Capped income limit. This will take into account invest-ment performance, current financial climate and the age of the member. The income level can go up or down de-

pending on these factors.

Flexible Drawdown is simi-lar to capped drawdown but is only available to people who have a demonstrable and sustainable pension in-come of at least £20,000 per year. This might mean assessing all sources and using some of the pension fund to secure income by an-nuity purchase but once the £20,000 per year has been secured, the rest of the pen-sion fund can be taken as a lump sum. HMRC will allow up to 25% without tax deduc-tion and the balance will be

subject to tax.

Programmed Withdrawals are another option which are possible from QROPS based in Malta. Under this arrange-ment, when retirement ben-efits are commenced, a pen-sion commencement lump sum is available – up to 30% and then the remaining fund has to provide income. The income can be drawn directly from the fund and the limit will be in line with GAD rates. Income can be deferred. However, 3 years after com-mencing benefits, the fund is reviewed to determine

what amount would be re-quired to produce an income of £20,000 per annum and then 50% of any surplus fund can be withdrawn as a lump sum. This review process can be repeated every year there-after. No tax will be deducted in Malta from the lump sum payments.

Clearly with so many options, professional advice is need-ed and where reference has been made to tax treatment, it is your country of tax resi-dence which will determine what tax you have to pay.

41www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 201347

42 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 AGONY ANT YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED

Keith Spitalnick is head of European Sales at HiFX. To contact HiFX and find out how the team can help you with your international transactions, call in at Centro Plaza, call 951 203 986 or email olivepress@hifx.co.uk

THE storm clouds have gathered over the US economy and as the game of brinkmanship

within Congress came to a close, all that was left was ac-rimonious posturing and some 800,000 federal employees with unpaid leave. Of greater significance for the world at large was the concern that the US government could run out of cash. Politicians must find some common ground (and some common sense) and agree to allow the government to increase its already whopping $16.7 trillion debt ceiling. If they fail, the US will default on its debt. Obama who is keen to hold talks with the Republicans, said a US default could: “Dis-rupt capital markets, under-mine international confidence in America, permanently in-crease the nation’s borrowing costs, add to its deficits and debt, and pose the “significant

STERLING STUFFAmerica’s depression could affect us all

risk of a very deep recession”. The consequences of this are almost unfathomable as throughout every example of global economic crisis, inves-tors, speculators and cen-tral banks alike have always turned to the dollar as the ul-timate safe haven during times of uncertainty. Without such a bastion of security, turmoil in financial markets would ensue. However it seems the currency markets have thus far chosen to ignore the potential doom. Since early July, the US dollar has gradually inched its way low-er across the board. The fact is that between June and late Sep-tember, the odds-on bet was that the US Federal Reserve would start reducing (or tapering) the amount of new money it was pumping into the US economy to stimulate growth. President Obama has now nominated Janet Yellen as the next head of the US central

A SPEEDING fine was ap-parently a good enough reason for the UK Border Agency to reject a citizen-

ship application – despite the in-dividual serving four years in the British army.Spain’s authorities also use their discretion when it comes to giving a foreigner a Spanish passport. To become a national, individuals have to show that they command the language, have a stable in-come, no criminal record and are generally good citizens.These basic principles can stop individuals from entering the country – such as these poor souls:A Moroccan living in Spain, with

You’re not welcome

Antonio Flores explains residency issues

a son and a daughter is turned down because the authorities did not believe he would fit in. They cited that ‘he barely com-prehends the political structure of the society he lives in, among other things, and has shown minimal understanding of es-sential aspects of the society he wishes to become part of.’An Argentinian tried to gain citi-zenship but was rejected when the court found he had a record

for illegally connecting a tele-phone device and making sever-al free phone calls, within Spain and also abroad. Court deemed that such an action was hardly consistent with ‘good moral character’.Conversely, a Dominican lady went to the Supreme Court to appeal against the Civil Regis-try’s decision to reject her ap-plication on the basis that she was working in a brothel, since it was not demonstrated that she offered sexual services but that even if she were, the profession was neither illegal nor morally reproachable, both in Spain and in the EU.Finally, a rejected illiterate ap-plicant (of unknown origin) suc-cessfully appealed on grounds that belonging to a demographi-cal group where the percent-age of literacy is minimal, did not necessarily imply that the person could not fully integrate in society as in fact, she could speak Spanish with fluency and express herself clearly and ef-fectively.

Ask AntQ: What are the latest requirements for an EU citizen to apply for “resi-dencia”? A: Non-working applicants will have to prove adequate medical insurance (EHIC card or insurance policy) and a bank account deposit with at least €5058 (plus an additional €3540 per each dependent). For a working applicant, original and copy of the employment con-tract as well as proof of being registered with the Social Security or, alternatively, signed consent form authorizing the Police to con-firm registration details.For a self-employed worker, proof of registration with the Tax Of-fice and the Social Security or, alternatively, signed consent form authorizing the Police to confirm registration details.

bank. The first woman to head the Federal Reserve, she will replace Ben Bernan-ke who has served for eight years. She will have the uphill struggle of trying to wean the global economy off cheap money, as just the hint the US would start tapering its as-set purchase program threw markets into turmoil.Politicians are playing a game of chicken here with the stakes building and the pressure increasing as time goes on. This is high stakes poker and it does not just concern the US, but the glob-al economy as well. It is due to the stakes being so high that the market is relatively calm, as the politicians have no choice but to reach a com-promise. Usually in times of uncertainty, the dollar gets stronger, given its status as a safe haven. This time it’s different.

43www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013Top Dollar 51

advertorial

Mark BaileyTel. 0077 02 192 797

David RogersTel. 0034 622 345 558

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SINCE 1994 Wincham has been successfully helping people of vari-ous nationalities, who

own Spanish property, with the burden of Spanish In-heritance Tax (IHT). Over the years we have experienced many misconceptions sur-rounding the ownership of Spanish property in a UK Lim-ited company as a solution to legally removing Inheritance Tax and some of these are explained below.

Spanish Property owner-ship within a UK Limited Company: There is often confusion between a UK Limited Company and an off-shore Company. A UK com-pany, in line with EU treaties cannot be charged the 3% an-nual tax that offshore compa-nies have to pay in Spain. Fol-lowing the 2008 UK Finance Act and Budget the Directors of a UK Limited Company are

Spanish Inheritance Tax (IHT) - some common myths corrected

no longer subject to “Benefit in Kind” Tax on the ownership of foreign property. A further advantage of the UK company structure is the ability to offset certain expenses such as coun-cil tax bills car hire and flight costs for the Directors when travelling to and from Spain. Selling the Spanish Prop-erty: The property can still be sold from the UK company should the purchaser prefer not to retain the ownership in the UK company. The advantage of purchasing the property in a UK Company is that there are no Spanish Inheritance Tax im-plications for the Beneficiaries and no 7-10% property pur-chase tax payable of the pur-chase of the company. In addi-tion the seller does not pay the 3% Withholding Tax following

the UK Company sale.

Costs & Time: The UK Cor-porate structure is a simple solution costing less than most probate and legal fees which also saves the addi-tional Spanish reporting and taxation burdens for the Ben-eficiaries. Our unique service is available to all Nationalities including both Residents and Non Residents of Spain and can be completed within 2 to 4 weeks if required.

Purchasing / Transfer-ring the property into your children’s names: Using ei-ther of these methods would mean that you would need to pay Spanish Inheritance tax to keep your own property should your children predecease you. There are also gift tax implica-tions to consider both in Spain and the UK when moving the ownership of the property in this transaction.

The Wincham Solution.Our solution to the IHT problem in Spain is for the owner/s to invest the property into a UK Private Limited company which they would own as Shareholder/s remaining in complete control of their asset.

To receive your ‘complimentary’ Spanish Inheritance Tax illustration please visit www.wincha-miht.com or scan the QR code below. Alternatively contact one of our advisers on +44 (0)1260 299 700 (UK) or

44 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013J Up the ardin path

A spooky end to October

Scientists have found evi-dence that dinosaurs suf-fered from arthritis! It’s quite reassuring to know

that we humans aren’t the only spe-cies to suffer from its often excruci-ating pain. If you are brave enough and can find some here in Andalucia, beating the joints with stinging nettles offers effective relief from arthritic pain – apparently the Romans were great fans.Self-flagellation isn’t compulsory, though, you can take nettles in teas, soups and even pill form.A gentler solution is to peel and slice a 100cm piece of ginger root into a pan of water, bring to the boil and simmer until the water is dark yel-low. Strain and add to a warm bath and soak in it. To increase the ef-fect, also add some Epsom salts to the water. Ginger boosts circulation and eases joint inflammation. Celery is also good for easing aching joints, par-

Sue Rodgers asks Do you feel like a Dinosaur?

AS the end of Oc-tober approaches here at Garden La Palma we are

readying ourselves for Halloween and ‘El dia de

los muertos’. For most read-ers Halloween and its tradi-tions are well known and so, as usual, we will have Hal-loween pump-kins. Coming from the north of England I refer to the night of October 31 as ‘mischief night’ and this usual-ly involved go-ing around the village causing mayhem. Unfortunately, a fine line was s o m e t i m e s crossed and the mischief al-most bordered on the point of vandalism!!!Either mischief or near vandal-ism; if you got nicked by the local bobby you were sure to

get a good kick up the back-side or worse. Our Halloween pumpkin was usually a hollowed out swede pinched from a sheepfold.On arriving in Spain nearly 30 years ago I was intrigued to witness the scene of the cemeteries being packed out on the afternoon of October 31and morning of Novem-ber 1. In short it is the time of the year when the catholic world honours its dead. More often than not, this usually involves cleaning, sometimes whitewashing and generally renovating tombs, graves and niches. An important part of all this is the placement of fresh flowers, plants and wreaths. Here at Garden La Palma el dia de los muertos is one of the few times in the year that we have a good se-lection of fresh flowers avail-able. Obviously chrysanthe-mums are a must as now is their natural flowering period.As the weather remains very warm it is a great time in the garden for everything. On our commercial farms we are in full swing; sow-ing, growing and harvesting. Should any reader wish to visit our commercial growing operation just drop me a line on peterlhortopalma@gmail.com. That’s all for now folks.

ANDALUCIA is home to the largest botanical diversity in Europe.The region has some

of the most unique species of flora and fauna in the world,

Totally diverse

FIVE species of plant will be extinct in the next decade, according to re-search.The five Granada plants are in ur-

gent need of protection if they are to sur-vive, claim scientists from Spain’s Royal Botanic Gardens.The ‘Endangered Species Project Zero’ aims to protect the five plants: Avellara

Andalucia is Europe’s most varied region for flora and fauna

By Alex Iszattaccording to a recent study by the Network of Botanical Gar-dens.Almost a quarter of Andalu-

cia’s species of flora – some 929 plants – are exclusive to the area.The region also has one of the highest number of nature parks and protected zones

Urgent mission to protect five endangered plants

f i s t u l o s a (chicory hol-low), Castri-lanthemum d e b e a u x i i (Castril Dai-sy), Gyro-caryum op-positifolium (nomevés), N a u f r a g a B a l e a r i c a (Castaway) and rivas-martinezii Pseudo-misopates (false dragoncillo). A team of scientists from Granada Uni-versity are now analyzing the plants ge-netic diversity and reproductive biology evolutionary origin.Lead researcher Pablo Vargas explained: “This project is a pioneer in plant conser-vation in Europe.”

so it is no surprise that there are dozens of facilities that protect natural areas, and are home to these endangered species.The network, which was founded in 1954, was cre-ated to ensure the survival of plants around the world.The local group, set up in Cordoba, aims to raise public awareness about the impor-tance of the biodiversity of the region compared to the rest of Europe. Much of the diversity came about as half of Andalucia was once separated and joined to Africa, while other parts came from the Eurasian plate.It is divided by a string of mountain ranges principally the Cordillera Betica, Cordil-lera Subbetica and Penibeti-ca. (see map top) Within this division key mountain ranges are the Sierra de las Nieves, Grazalema and the Sierra Ne-vada, all with their own unique species of plants.

HE KNOWS HIS ONIONS! by Peter Langdale

DINOSAUR PROBLEMticularly if caused by gout. Either eat plenty of celery or make a tea from the seeds. Place a spoonful of seed in a cup, pour boiling water over, and leave to infuse for 10 minutes before drinking three or four times a day.Another great herbal remedy to ease the inflammation of joints is liquorice – no I don’t mean a packet of Bassets Liquorice Allsorts! The key component in liquorice is glycyrrhizin, (no easier to say than it is to spell) that relieves inflamma-tion. Liquorice can be taken as a tea or tincture, but should be avoided if you suffer from high blood pressure.Last but not least, is to keep moving, particularly taking part in some form of non or low impact exercise such as swimming. Moving the joints re-duces both stiffness and pain.Arthritis is a complex condition and medical advice should always be sought first.

sue@selfsufficiency4u.com

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45www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 4551T Sop alud35

ANDALUCIA is one of the only places in Spain to con-duct clinical research into cell therapy.There are currently 22 trials taking place to discover treat-ments for conditions includ-ing heart disease, multiple sclerosis, strokes, corneal in-jury and vascular disease. A number of these trials are in what’s known as Phase III, the final stage before being made available.These include: Lower limb critical ischemia in diabetic patients (diabetic foot), a

PATIENTS in Andalucia have praised the level of

A NINE-year-old girl left with severe disabili-ties after contracting an infection at birth has been awarded compen-sation. Andalucia Health Ser-vice was ordered to pay €600,000 in damages after the regional su-preme court upheld an earlier ruling by a court in Sevilla.Medical records from the time of birth show there was no doubt that there was a ‘causal rela-tionship between the ac-tion of the health service and the damage caused’.The court heard how the child’s disabilities could have been prevented if Virgen del Rocio Hos-pital in Sevilla had fol-lowed protocol by test-ing for streptococcus.A swift course of anti-biotics ahead of birth could have prevented the child suffering from epilepsy, developmental disabilities, weakness to her right side and im-paired vision.

OMEGA-3 found in fish oil could help protect against alcohol-related dementia, ac-cording to a new study. Researchers in the US as-sessed rat brain cells that had been exposed to alcohol-lev-els equivalent to a human be-ing four times over the drink-drive limit. The cells were then compared with those that had been exposed to the same amount of alcohol but also fish oil. The brain cells exposed to the combination of fish oil and alcohol were found to have suffered up to 95% less neuro-inflammation and neuronal death than those exposed to just alcohol.

CLEAN BILLVote of confidence for Andalucian healthcare

care offered in the region.A study of 21,000 people

Spain’s health hope

disease that affects 100,000 people in Andalucia. Di-lated cardiomyopathy (heart swelling), affecting 3,000. Chronic ischemic heart dis-ease (problems that occur after heart attacks), which affects one in five heart at-tack patients.The Minister for Equality, Health and Social Policies, Maria Jose Sanchez Rubio, said the success of the trials was due in part to ‘the talent, skills, professionalism and dedication of our health pro-fessionals’.

found widespread satisfac-tion with the service provid-ed by doctors, nurses and social workers.The poll, conducted by the Institute for Advanced So-cial Studies of Andalusia, found that 95.4% of respon-dents would recommend their doctor.Health centres were recom-mended by 93.9%, while 93.3% were satisfied with the overall service they re-ceived.What’s more, 94.1% were satisfied with the nurses, 94.2% with family physi-cians, 90.7% with social workers and 89.5% with paediatricians.

Disability victory

Omega headache

BREAST cancer fundraising is set for a boost following the launch of a 2014 calendar on the Costa del Sol.Costing €6, all proceeds will go to Malaga Association for Women Operated for Breast Cancer (Asamma).More than 2,000 copies of the calendar have been printed courtesy of Malaga’s provincial

Cancer calendargovernment.Asamma provides a num-ber of services to those with breast cancer, including counseling for the women and their families. For more information visit: www.tuescaparatesolidario.com.

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FORGET five-a-day - eating seven daily portions of fruit and vegetables can increase life expectancy and reduce the risk of heart disease, ac-cording to Spanish research. Many people struggle to eat five portions of fruit and vege-tables a day, but new research suggests that even those who do manage it should be doing more.Raw vegetables are par-ticularly good at protecting against early death and are especially beneficial for peo-ple who drink alcohol, smoke or are obese.Researchers believe this is be-cause of the antioxidant con-

Getting your SEVEN-a-dayExtra veggies can reduce heart disease risk, study shows.

tent of fruit and vegetables, which reduces the oxidative stress caused by drinking al-cohol, smoking, and being overweight.The Spanish study revealed that people who eat seven-a-day live, on average, for more than a year longer than those who do not.The research found that eat-ing a lot of fruit and vegeta-bles is particularly protective against heart disease.Scientists at the Andalucian School of Public Health’s Granada Cancer Registry an-alysed 25,682 deaths among 451,151 people over a 13 year period.

They found that people who ate more than 569 grams of fruit and vegetables – seven portions – a day were 10% less likely to die young and lived, on average, 1.12 years longer than those who ate less than 249 grams a day.Researchers concluded that almost 3% of deaths could be prevented if everyone ate six or seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day.Previous research has also shown that if everyone ate their recommended daily allowance of fruit and veg-etables, the number of people with chronic diseases would fall and the risk of early death would fall by 10 to 25%.“There is now sufficient evi-dence of the beneficial effect of fruit and vegetable con-

sumption in the prevention of cancer and other chronic dis-eases,” said researcher Maria Jose Sanchez Perez. “For this reason, one of the most effective preventative

measures is promoting their consumption in the popula-tion.”The study also established that people who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables are 15%

less likely to develop heart disease.More than 4% of heart dis-ease-related deaths could also be prevented if everyone ate enough fruit and vegetables.

HEALTH officials in Guernsey are ad-dressing a shortage of specialists by target-ing Spanish nurses. Orthopaedic and critical care nurses are needed to work in the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, with inter-views being held in Madrid next month. The recruitment drive comes after the clo-sure of a surgical ward in the hospital last December due to a shortage of qualified nurses. Applicants must hold an NMC registration, have six months experience in ortho-paedic, surgical or critical care nursing, and speak flu-ent English. Those who are successful will receive a €3,500 bonus after two years, and a further

retention payment of €1,200 thereafter. They will also have the op-portunity to study for a de-gree in Guernsey. It is hoped the recruitment drive will help boost the morale of health workers in the hospital, which has been subject to big spending cuts over the past 12 months. As a result, many nurses have been forced to work on unfamiliar wards.

Specialist Spain

Final flourishAFTER six weeks doing yoga on the beach at Laguna Village I have finally packed away my towel, says Alex Iszatt

I do feel more confident in both mind and body. The classes weren’t just about breathing and unflat-

tering poses, they were about bringing a new balance to my life – including making new friends.My actual balance is still poor. I tried to use my newly found skills on the netball court and ended up looking like a felled tree rather than an image of the graceful one-legged pose. It seems that I can only bal-ance in certain positions. On a beach, looking out to the sun-set.I haven’t lost any weight, but that is probably my own fault, as I keep reiterating I can’t con-trol my intake of yummy treats and gallons of vino. And no, I am not anywhere near as toned as trainer Lisa Marie, but I think if I had followed her nutritional advice, I might well have been.Ah, c’est la vie. When the summer rolls around again I will get back on the beach trying to fulfil those pic-ture perfect poses. Until then, it’s a few hardcore winter sports for me.Lisa Marie will still be holding her classes on Monday and Wednesday. For more information about times get in touch with her via www.lisamariemethod.com.

47www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

to taste the culinary creations dreamed up by 30 different restaurants in artfully-pre-sented tapitas: retinto ravi-oli, retinto mille feulle, retinto fried, fricasséed, flambéed and flaunted atop a scoop of savoury sorbet! If you eat 12 and get a form stamped at each restaurant you could win

a colour TV or a tablet. It’s the same recipe for success as the Zahara Tuna Festival which netted €800,000 last May.Zaharaboomdeay!It’s a great day out if you like socialising while you scoff! “Have you tried the one that looks like a Walls Feast lolli-pop?” I asked a couple from To-

20,000 visitors come to taste the culinary creations

OP Columnists Belinda Beckett, aka Mistress of Sizzle, visits Zahara’s Retinto Festival

47

“PLEASE don’t take her photo,” I pleaded, as we passed a fetching russet-brown cow, grazing in a

I’ve been having trou-ble sleeping recently. Something to do with the whooshing sound

of deadlines as they whis-tle past me, not just my throbbing toe. So I decided to pop down to my local chemist to get something to help me sleep. Great places, your average chemist. One in Marbella in the 80s was maintained by a chemist so good at di-agnosis that she was nick-named The Witch Doctor.But I digress. I walked up to the chap behind the counter and boldly asked for some ‘pasteles para dormir’. He looked at me blankly and burst out laughing, “You mean ‘pastillas’ – tablets, not ‘pasteles’ – cakes?” Before adding: “I do however know a guy who can make you a cake to help you sleep!”

Pub crawl with (cow) bells on!

field along the coast road to Zahara. “I can’t look her in the eye in case we might be eating her daughter later.”

I’m one of those hypocrites who doesn’t like bullfighting but loves beef and Dave and I were on our way to the IV Ruta

del Retinto to eat it 30 different ways!If it can be turned into a fiesta, the Span-ish know how and the trades folk of Zahara really milk it with their culinary homage to a humble brown cow: el retinto, a hardy little bo-vine indigenous to the Sierra de Retín in Cádiz Province that thrives on hay and acorns during summer droughts, giv-ing the soft, lean meat its distinctive nutty fla-vour. The four-day fiesta, a ‘carnival’ in its truest sense (carne = meat) is beefing up local tour-ism by stretching the season out to the end of September. Some 20,000 visitors come

ledo as we munched on a min-iature beef burger, served in a scarlet bun with a ‘false egg’ of mustard and mayonnaise on

the side. “We can recommend the Sorpresa Esferica”, inter-jected a group of tourists from Frankfurt. Happily, this ‘spheri-cal surprise’ was not what it sounds like (the meat comes only from yearling cows, not bulls). It turned out to be a little Scotch Egg. For €3 including a beer, wine or soft drink, you can’t go wrong. As a sideshow to this pub crawl with (cow) bells on there’s beach horseracing and polo, played out on a miniature arena where you can get close enough to the riders to see the whites of their ponies eyes as they flash past the flimsy fence, waiving their mallets like ma-chetes.From the colour-coded map that guides you around to the helpful waiters, resplendent in polo shirts to match, the Ruta de Retinto is one slick opera-tion, masterminded by a chap who’s a one-man tourist board

in Zahara: Gaspar Castro, President of trade associa-tion, ACOZA. And wow has he put this pretty seaside pueblo on the map. The Tuna Festival will be six next May and, for his next trick, he’s talking pork to the neighbouring province of Huelva in a bid to launch a Ruta de Cerdo Iberico.Alas, later the same day my worst fears were realised when I locked eyes with the living versions of what I’d so recently eaten…There was a corral of them – cute retinto calves with long lashes and soft rus-set fur, stumbling about on stilt legs, suckling from their mums – and I felt a very sharp pang that wasn’t caused by indiges-tion. But then, I’m just a soppy old animal-loving guiri!

TRADITION: Keeping the meat eating days alive

COLOURFUL TREAT: A different sort of burger

Brown’s AnatomyGiles Brown forgets to chant ‘White Rabbit’ and still regrets it two weeks later

I’VE never been one for superstitions, but the events of the morning of October 1 gave me pause

to consider if I should take

them more seriously. Apparently on that morning – and on every first day of the month - one is supposed to chant ‘White Rabbits’ to

ward off any bad luck. I, of course, forgot, so was duly woken at 6.30am by the cats (Genghis, Vader and 50 Shades) demanding

I was Master of Ceremonies at the Marbella International Film Festival last weekend. The coast has recently attracted some genuine Hollywood glam-our with the visits of Brad and Angelina, Eva Longoria and supposedly George Clooney. Unfortunately none of these A-listers were at the ceremony (no-one from Towie even turned up), but at least it gave me the op-portunity to get my Black Tie out. The last time I was asked to help out at an A-list function was when an international jew-ellery firm launched a range in Puerto Banus. There was a huge show with lights, live mu-sic and great lighting, plus the beautiful people of Marbella and Madrid. I was very excited when the event company got in touch and asked me to help out. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I turned up on the night and they asked me to organise the parking.

Cute retinto calves with long lashes

and soft ruset fur stumbling on stilt

legs...

Sweet Dreams Suited and Booted

their breakfast. When I got to the cupboard, I realised that I was out of cat food and faced with three increasingly fran-tic and famished felines I had to placate them with a rather nice bit of salmon I was planning to have that evening. Grumbling to myself, I shuf-fled into the shower, only for the boiler to go ‘phutt’ just as I had soaped my-self up and leaving me with no option except for a cold shower. Muttering darkly I headed back into the bedroom at pace, only to catch my little toe on the end of the dou-ble bed, snapping it back.

My houseForget, ‘In space, no one can hear you scream’. In the campo, around my house on the lake, my shriek of pain must have startled the wildlife in a ten-mile radius. Two weeks later and I’m still sporting an interesting flip flop and trainer combina-tion, as my toe is still throb-bing. What’s worse, the cats have now developed a taste for smoked salmon...

48 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

www.askgranny.com is a unique website and resource for grandparents and senior citizens worldwide created by Granny Ju-liet and provides useful information on a

number of topics

OP Columnists

Granny Fact

The number of peo-ple over 50 years who access the web is growing every day. It is estimated that 19% of the web users are over 50. This maybe as high as 40% in United States.

48

IN THE past two years I’ve lost three good friends to various ailments. Two died of sudden heart at-

tacks and the third from a long battle with cancer. One of the friends was only 58 years old. I wasn’t prepared to say goodbye. And, when I attended my 50th high school reunion a few months back I learned that 29 of my former classmates had passed away. Somehow, although we all know death is a real part of life, we are still shocked when it happens. Every day seniors face the loss of their beloved friends and spouses. They en-ter into a state of shock which eventually turns to other emo-tions such as fear, numbness, anger and sometimes guilt. All of these emotions are a normal part of the grief cycle,

Saying goodbye

Grieving is part of the natural cycle of loss explains Juliet Hambro

but they are difficult nonethe-less. How can we help those going through this time of

change? How can we prepare ourselves for future losses? Here are some tips from those who have experienced the painful loss of friends and partners.•Let others help: There are hundreds of tasks to be done when someone dies. There is paperwork, decision-making and taking care of the basics of everyday life while you may be numb from grief. Let friends and rel-atives take care of as many of these tasks as possible. There will be time ahead to be strong and independent.

•Keep busy: After the busy hubbub of a fu-neral or memorial and the ini-tial taking care of business, there will come a quiet time when the rest of the world returns to normal. Your life is different now. Choose to stay

Granny Fact

Marriage is like a pack of cards.In the beginning all you need is two hearts and a diamond.By the end you wish you had a club and a spade.

busy, take care of the chores of life and begin to select your new activities.

•Give: When you’re ready, begin to volunteer or otherwise help others. Nothing is as satisfy-ing as knowing you can still be productive. Local schools, hospitals, social services and church outreaches can al-ways use willing hands. Shar-ing your time is a great gift to the community.

•Seek grief counseling or a support group: It is very healing to share your grief with others and see that there are many others going through the same loss and pain. You’ll learn coping strat-egies and enjoy the release of talking about your feelings and experiences.

•Take care of yourself: Be sure to eat well, sleep enough and get exercise. Re-frain from covering up your pain with alcohol. Be proac-tive in getting adequate nutri-tion, seeing your doctor when necessary and otherwise protecting your well-being. Be aware of the signs of depres-sion which may isolate you from others and contribute to your pain.

•Actively seek a social life: Join a new club or class. Go to the local senior centre, or find a new church group. Get out of your home and be with people—social isolation is one of the biggest contribu-tors to depression after a death in the family.

•Stay joyful and thank-ful: There is much to enjoy in life. Take a positive attitude and when the difficult times come, you’ll have resources

to fight them.Nothing can take away the pain of losing a loved one. While time does lessen the hurt, you’ll always mourn your loss. But life can be full and enjoyable and you have gifts to share with others. Stay positive and productive, avoid isolating yourself and find ways to interact with oth-ers to laugh, celebrate and get the most out of each and every day.

49www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 5738

OPThe Olive Press’ monthly youth and education sectionXtreme

SPANIARDS are among the worst in Europe at maths, according to a study.People aged from 16 to 65 were tested on basic skills which also included reading.Of 23 EU countries to be assessed, Spain was the poorest performer. The country did not fair much better with read-ing, scoring 21 points be-low average.The poll was carried out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

SEVEN new nursery schools are to be built across Anda-lucia. The scheme, funded by the Junta, will provide places for more than 500 children.Mijas and Guadiaro are among the towns which will benefit from the new centres, with the others in Granada, Huelva and Sevilla.

A JUDGE has ruled in favour of a teacher accused of break-ing data protection laws by checking a 12-year-old’s mo-

Data dilemmaJudge rules teacher was right to check phone of pupil accused of showing explicit video to girl

By Claire Wilsonbile phone.The headmaster of the school

in Madrid intervened after a female pupil complained that the boy had shown her sexu-ally explicit videos.

The father of the boy chal-lenged the action, which oc-curred in November 2011, arguing that data protection laws had been violated.But the judge at the National Court of Madrid ruled that it was more important to pro-tect the rights of the girl in a case such as this.“I recognise that the teacher accessed data of a personal nature, and because of the boy’s age, he should have first asked for permission from the parents,” said the judge.“However in this case, the phone was accessed as part of a disciplinary procedure, which was undertaken fol-lowing a complaint from a girl who felt violated by the audio visual archive which was repeatedly shown to her by the boy. “To that end, I will act in the protection of the rights of the girl, and of other minors in the centre.”

Bottom of the class

New nurseries

Cruising for learningSTUDENTS at a US univer-sity have explored Spain by ship.The ‘Semester at Sea’ initia-tive is designed to give stu-dents a more hands-on learn-ing experience.The MV Explorer floating campus, operated by the Uni-versity of Virginia, included a visit to Cadiz. From there those enrolled on the global business eth-ics course headed to Jerez to learn about the wine indus-try while marine biologists visited Tarifa to learn more about whale observation in the Strait of Gibraltar.

FORGET the Louvre - if it is exceptional, origi-nal art that you want then look no further than The British School of Marbella. Swapping pencils for paintbrushes, the

children embraced the techniques of the Impres-sionists during Art Week in style. Using paintings by Monet, Pissarro and Signac as inspiration, the children created amazing art to rival the masters. The children’s work was sold at our annual exhibi-tion during a silent auction raising money for this year’s chosen charity, Banka Sol Food Bank - there are going to be some very colourful mantelpieces around Marbella very soon. The new addition to the Primary Sports Programme

Art classBSM head Sian Kirkham has a lot going on...

‘teed off’ to a great start when the primary chil-dren headed off to the golf course for a few holes. The children had a fantastic time learn-ing how to putt, swing and treat fellow golfers with respect. Watch your back, Tiger Woods! In other news, the afterschool clubs have add-ed Lego Robotix to the list. I always imagined that there would be robots in our not too dis-tant future, but maybe not this soon! Children from year one to year five took absolute delight building remote control Lego robots with not even one threat of extermination. With the football coaching back on too, we really are not ‘leafing’ anything out this autumn term.

49

50 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 40

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52 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013

53www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 FOOD & DRINK with DINING SECRETS

FERIA fever has well and truly taken hold on the Costa del Sol.This week it’s the turn of

San Pedro to get in on the act, with a vast array of entertain-ment on offer.Whether live music, good food and drink or a combination of

53

A NEW wine centre has been inaugurat-ed in ManilvaThe facility aims to boost tourism for the town geared around its grape in-dustry.The museum has been built alongside a new square, Plaza de la Vendimia, which highlights the region’s history in winemaking and grapes.While there are few wine producers left, the town is known for its grape and raison production

Feria Fever

El Rincon de la Sala is an important watering hole for visitors to the San Pedro feria this week

both are your thing, there is something for everyone.One familiar face that will be on hand, hosting its very own caseta, is El Rincon de la Sala.The restaurant is an increas-ingly popular fixture in the town, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner menus and provid-

ing fantastic entertainment. Located in the heart of San Pe-dro, El Rincon de La Sala has quickly gained a reputation for the same great food and style of La Sala in Puerto Banus, but with the added twist of Spanish tradition and flavour.Open from 9am everyday until

the early hours, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a snack menu and light bites. The extensive menu offers an array of dishes that include Chateaubriand; the El Rincon burger; and cur-ried tempura chicken salad. There is also a fantastic value kids menu for just €5,50. This is the first time that La Sala will have a caseta at the feria. It will feature DJs and dancers as well as plenty of great food, while Sunday after-noon is dedicated to families, with children’s entertainers on hand.San Pedro feria runs from October 15-20.

FERIA FUN: San Pedro and (left) El Rincon

Wine centre to boost tourism

FINE: New wine centre

A CHEF from Andalucia has been chosen as one of the judges on the Spanish equiva-lent of Masterchef.Ángel León, who owns the Michelin-starred restaurant Aponiente in El Puerto de Santa Maria, will feature on the panel of Antena 3 series Top Chef.The cook, best known for his seafood dishes, will be joined by Alberto Chicote and Susi Díaz (below).

Andalucia’s Top Chef

54 www.theolivepress.esthe olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013 FOOD & DRINKwith DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

54

SUSTAINABLE living is a buzz-word for many chefs, and an integral part of how to keep our society fed – as well as re-specting the environment from which food came.So it is encouraging to discover that Andalucia is home to one of Europe’s first ‘sustainable’ fish farms.A genuine pioneer Veta la Pal-ma, in the Donana National Park, rears fish in a semi-wild state, with the minimum im-pact on the environment. And its success speaks for it-self with Spain’s leading chefs Martín Be- rasategui, Ferran Adria, Dani García, Pe-dro Subi-jana, and Fernando Cordoba all us-ing its q u a l i t y , high end p r o d -ucts.Best of all, its fishes are much healthier than those from the normal inten-sive fish farm methods.Their animals grow more slowly than under intensive methods, taking 30 months to reach what usually takes just 18

Keeping food on the table and fish in the seaA sustainable fish farm in Donana is being used by Spain’s top chefs, discovers Alex Iszatt

A RADICAL environmental group is taking on illegal Spanish fishing practices off the coast of Africa. Supported by a number of celebri-ties, including ballet dancer Sylvie Guillem, Sea Shepherd takes to the seas to end the slaughter of wildlife.Founded in 1977 by a Greenpeace member Paul Watson who thought the global group was not aggressive enough, the group patrols the oceans in their trawler.As well as aiming to stop illegal whaling, the group patrols the seas off Africa, where Spanish fishing trawlers regularly ille-gally fish.Recently the group spotted a Spanish fishing vessel trying to poach fish from the over-exploited seas near Senegal. And in a battle to stop the boat, based in Barbate, near Cadiz, they ran it ashore, removed its fuel, destroyed its nets and any workable engine parts, and left the boat to rust.The group, made up of volun-teers, also successfully took the Spanish fisherman to court where they were fined €5000. African fish production is failing to keep up with rising popula-tions and the government in Senegal is funding research trying to improve its aquacul-ture.

months.The fishes also have more space to swim in, making for firmer and tastier flesh. The company extracts a maxi-mum of 1,500 tonnes of fish each year – a fraction of what

might be possible under a more profit-driven regime.However, as the business is state owned, it has meant that the company can look more at other factors.In the 20-odd years since the project kicked in, biodiversity on the finca has soared. Water returned to the Gua-dalquivir river, that passes through the area, is much cleaner than when it was first pumped into the channels, thanks to the oxygenating ca-pacities of the 250-plus bird

species found on the estate.It is certainly not to be sniffed at in terms of size. The farm spreads out over some 11,000 hectares of classic wetlands, some of Spain’s most valuable and highly protected land.During the Franco years it was owned by an Argentinian compa-ny that raised beef cattle here. However, in 1982 the rice com-pany Hisparroz leased the land and planted rice, only to find that it was prohibited by envi-ronmental legislation. Eventually fishermen came to the flooded fields of this marsh-land and in 1990 the ‘aquacul-ture’ farm was nationalised and brought under the owner-ship of the Donana National Park foundation – to be used as a fish farm.So successful has Veta la Palma become over the last decade, that today it is selling its fish, including sea bass, sea bream, mullet, shrimp, sole and eel, in Italy, France, Portu-gal, USA and the UK. Currently, about a fifth of total production goes abroad, but this figure is set to rise considerably over the coming years.Incredibly, a sea bass fished on the estate can be at an Ameri-can fishmongers in as little as 24 hours. With this sort of delivery, it is bound to gain more custom and prove that sustainability is not a dirty word when it comes to food.

‘Radical’ group takes on illegal fishing

PIRATES AHOY: Seashepherd on duty

FRESH: From the marshes of Donana

55www.theolivepress.es the olive press - October 16 - October 30 2013FOOD & DRINKwith DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

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A TOWN in Andalucia is hoping to increase gov-ernment transparency through greater use of so-cial media.Authorities including the town hall and police have been ordered to start a Twitter account by the mayor of Jun in Granada.City council agenda items will be gathered using the site and a live feed will be available during public meetings.Residents are being en-couraged to contact the town hall via social me-dia, with Twitter handles being displayed on ev-erything from police uni-forms to dustbin lorries.Mayor Antonio Rodríguez is also encouraging peo-ple to contact him direct-ly, promising to answer questions about issues af-fecting the town.Rodriguez hopes the move will make the lo-cal authorities more ac-countable and accessible to residents.

BOLLYWOOD glamour has come to the Costa del Sol for the filming of Heart Attack.The love story, starring Hero Nitin and heroine Adah Sharma, is being shot in Fuengirola, di-rected by Puri Jagan-nadh. The cast and crew are spending 40 days filming in the region ahead of the movie’s re-lease in January.

A SPANISH doctor has been ordered to pay €43,682 in compensation to the family of the late Wolf Man actor Paul Naschy.A Madrid court found the medic guilty of not carrying out ‘essential check-ups’, after he failed to diagnose Spaniard Naschy with cancer.The cult horror actor died in 2009 after suffering three years of excruciating pain.He had originally visited the urologist in 2006 after com-plaining about prostate troubles.

TRAVEL agency Thomas Cook has released a list of the most eyebrow-raising complaints received by holidaymakers in Spain.Among the biggest inconve-niences suffered by moaning Brits were shops closing dur-ing siesta time and Spanish-speaking taxi drivers.One punter even complained that the local convenience store ‘does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts’.Another complained that there were no towels or swim-suits provided during an ex-

A REAL HORROR

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Must ban siestas!Hilarious holiday complaints in Spain revealed by travel company

cursion to a water park, while another said he was bitten by a mosquito, when the brochure ‘didn’t mention mosquitoes’.Other complaints came in about the ‘bumpy roads’ which stopped you reading during the bus ride to the resort, while one said simply: “There are too many Spanish people here. No one told us there would be so many foreigners.”And finally: “It’s lazy of the lo-cal shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time — this should be banned.”

EXCLUSIVE By Claire Wilson

A ROW has broken out over a music ban at Fuengirola Feria.It comes after the Olive Press website revealed stallholders at the popular fair had been issued with an extraordinary order outlawing an exhaus-tive list of genres of music.Aside from funk, rap, hip hop, electronica, metal and country, music tents (or ‘casetas’) were not even al-

THE WRONG NOTE: Mayor Ona at the Fuengirola Feria

Bollywood glamour

Out of tune

Mayor accused of being ‘out of touch’ after Olive Press story slams ban on most genres of music at Fuengirola fair

lowed to play ‘latin rhythms’.The decree also demanded that any lyrics must be in Spanish.The town’s mayor, Esperan-za Ona has now been forced to defend the decision, in-sisting the ban was in accor-dance with a by-law passed

in 2008, which aimed to keep with Andalucian tradi-tions.But she was accused of be-ing ‘out of touch with mod-ern Spain’ for enforcing the ban, with critics claiming it is a form of censorship.“The law she refers to does not actually contain any pro-hibition on music,” said a spokesperson for the town’s PSOE party.

“The only limitation on types of music come in the public notice approved each year by the mayor.” “The by-law only aims to provide a traditional im-age during the fair when it comes to music. “It does not mention genres or languages that should be banned at the event.”

Tapa timeMORE than 30 establishments will be taking part in the first Ruta de Tapa in Coin held over three days from October 18 to 20.

More delaysFlights in and out of Malaga could be delayed today (Wednesday) due to strike action planned by baggage handlers in the UK.

McFashionA fashion show and lunch will take place at the MC Cafe, Marbella this Friday. The show will exhibit the autumn collection from leading brand Gunnel’s.