Costa Blanca North 22 – 28 June 2023 Issue 1981

Issue No. 1981

22 - 28 June 2023

COSTA BLANCA NORTH • EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

FREE • GRATIS

HOTELIERS in the Valencia Region are campaigning for the construction of a sec­ ond runway at Alicante­ Elche airport.

Hotel association Hosbec president Fede Fuster and regional business chiefs met with the president of national airport managing body Aena, Maurici Lucena, last week to learn about the investments planned for Alicante­Elche and to in­ sist on the importance of the second runway.

Sr Fuster recalled that “the main line of business at Alicante airport is inter­ national traffic, which ac­ counts for 85 per cent of the total and continues to

break records for opera­ tions and passengers every month, which is why all the planning of necessary in­ frastructures, such as the second runway, must be brought forward.”

The planning of new in­ frastructures for Alicante­ Elche Miguel Hernández airport is said to be essen­ tial for the plans of continu­ ous growth that include boosting the North Ameri­ can market, which is part of the tourism sector’s medi­ um and long­term objec­ tives.

Hosbec has announced that it will resume the agenda of contacts with US airlines after the summer

PROPERTY

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SUPPLEMENT

PAGES

Image by Stu49/Shutterstock

SECOND RUNWAY NEEDED ALICANTE-ELCHE AIRPORT: The fifth main airport in Spain by number of travellers.

season as a continuation of the work that began with the institutional visit to New York last March.

Alicante­Elche is the fifth main airport in Spain by

number of travellers and is a key tourism infrastruc­ ture for the Costa Blanca.

More than 14,700 flights with over 3.5 million seats are scheduled to pass

through the airport this summer, which represents a growth of more than 10 per cent with regards to 2022.

The UK accounts for the

largest fraction of traffic, 34 per cent, with 1.2 million seats and a growth of al­ most 7 per cent compared to last year.

The main British airports connected to Alicante are Manchester, London Gatwick, Bristol, London Stansted, East Midlands, and Leeds Bradford.

By airlines, the leaders continue to be those with the most international con­ nections, namely Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2.

The recovery of the Ger­ man market is also signifi­ cant, which this summer will double the number of flights and seats compared to last year.

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The English Choir Pets yes or no?

IT was standing room only in the Church of Santa Maria dels Desemparats in Moraira when The English Choir as­ sembled on the altar at the start of their concert last week.

Invited by the Moors and Christians fiesta committee to once again perform at the start of the town’s week­long festivities, the church bells rang out 8pm on Monday June 12 and the choir began

the evening with the haunt­ ing and evocative Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis.

The evening’s programme continued to take the audi­ ence around the world with Va Pensiero, Argentina, West Side Story and Eres Tú.

Under the baton of Musical Director John Oliver Edwards, and with talented accompa­ nist Abi Fletcher, the Choir closed the event with Any­ thing Goes by Cole Porter, with Donna Lawson singing the opening solo in her fabu­ lous warm alto voice.

With the usual thanks and exchange of gifts, the audi­ ence were asked to support two local charities in the retir­ ing collection, and they didn't shirk the task.

A spokesperson for the Choir said: “Over €825 was collected to share between the Alzheimer’s Day Centre and Make­a­Smile, and we thank you all so much for continuing to support the Choir and our chosen chari­ ties.”

HOTELS and tourist rental ac­ commodation have until the end of September to decide whether or not they are pet­ friendly.

According to Valencia Re­ gion hotelier association Hos­ bec, the publication in March of the new national Law for the Protection of the Rights and Welfare of Animals “will bring about important changes in the commercial policies and procedures of the entire hotel and tourist accommodation sector with regard to pets, which has un­ til September 29 to adapt to the new law.”

The first of the issues that hotel and accommodation establishments will have to address is to determine their status with regard to pets: whether they are pet­friend­ ly or, on the contrary, pets are not allowed.

The new law requires that if pets are not allowed, it must be clearly specified in

Image by Hosbec

NEW RULING: Tourist accommodations have to decide.

the commercial policy and in the contract, as well as on a sign displayed on the door of the establishment.

If pets are allowed, the es­ tablishment must define what type of pets, with the ability to limit the type, weight and define all the re­ quirements to be met for their accommodation.

The rules for accepting pets should define whether additional fees are applicable for the accommodation of pets, whether pets must be kept on a leash and at what

distance, whether they may or may not be left alone in the rooms, or whether they must be kept in a carrier, or identified as being in the room to prevent access by cleaning staff.

It should also be defined whether the pet owner is re­ quired to take out compulso­ ry liability insurance or a dec­ laration of responsibility, or whether security deposits should be taken out to cover possible damage.

It is compulsory to allow access to trained guide dogs.

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NIBS EXTRA Charging point BENITACHELL Council has in­ stalled the town’s first charg­ ing point for electric vehicles at the northern access to Cumbre del Sol urbanisation.

It is located near the El Puig building and has two 22 kW semi­fast charging sockets.

Pedal power JAVEA cyclist Juan Ayuso won the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse last week when he crossed the finish line alone after breaking out of the leader’s group 13 km from the finish line. The vic­ tory left him only 18 seconds behind general leader Mat­ tias Skjelmose.

Snakes alive!

RESIDENTS in Alfaz del Pi had the shock of their lives last week when a large snake was spotted in the garden of a private villa. A Local Police officer managed to trap the animal, said to be a harmless local species, and return it to its natural habitat.

Kick about ONDARA local council has opened the new 3x3 sports court located behind the Centre Social to the public.

Amateur basketball and three­a­side football players can use the new installations instead of the sports centre and municipal pavilion.

Climbers saved TWO climbers had to be res­ cued in Calpe at the week­ end when they became stranded in the Mascarat area. One of them suffered a blow to the head and was left unconscious, falling into the other one and leaving them both hanging from the side of the mountain.

Boats removed WORK has begun to remove the abandoned boats at Calpe’s Puerto Blanco in what is thought to be an ini­ tial move before the long­ awaited construction project can begin on the new port.

The Marina PortBlanc will have 200 mooring points.

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San Juan Festival 146

SPANISH and foreign citizens alike will flock to the beaches on the evening of Friday June 23 for the annual festivities of the noche de San Juan (San Juan night). This cherished tradition captivates people of all ages, offering a delightful mix of ancient customs and modern festivities.

The Spanish San Juan festi­ val is renowned for its capti­ vating bonfires, symbolising the purification and renewal of the soul. Locals and visitors gather on the beaches, creat­ ing a mesmerising ambience that truly sets this festival apart.

At midnight the night sky is illuminated by dazzling fire­

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

SAN JUAN: People flock to the beaches.

Grant aid

works, set off from various lo­ cations all along the Spanish coastline from Cadiz, through the Costa del Sol and Almeria to the Costa Calida and Costa Blanca.

It is not uncommon to see lines of people waiting to

jump over the embers of one of the many moragas (bon­ fires), an act based in the be­ lief of fire warding off evil spir­ its and curing disease.

Whether taking a picnic and chairs down for a night on the beach, or enjoying a

meal with friends in one of the many chiringuitos that the Spanish coast has to offer, food and drink will be a cen­ tral feature, with espetos de sardinas and plenty of ice cold beer and tinto de verano con­ sumed.

Going green Liquid gold award WORK is well underway to create a new green area next to the Pau Gasol pavilion in Al­ faz del Pi. The project is partly fi­ nanced with European funds and will include extending the skatepark and improving the accesses to the sports centre, as well as regenerating a plot of land behind the pavilion that had become very run­ down after years of being used as a dumping ground for rubble from construction and demolition work.

A forest area will be created with a network of paths with

different itineraries for run­ ners, cyclists and walkers, and it will be equipped with video surveillance cameras and lighting.

Acting mayor Vicente Ar­ ques visited the site last week accompanied by several councillors.

“A new green area will be created on this plot with a cross country circuit, a chil­ dren’s play area and a picnic area. Work is scheduled to take six months to complete and the entire plot has al­ ready been cleared of rub­ ble,” explained Sr Arques.

A LOCAL brand of olive oil from Alfaz del Pi has been awarded a gold medal in an international competition in London.

The London International Olive Oil Competitions (LI­ OOC) seek to find the best product of its kind in the world each year, with the jury assessing both the nu­ trition and organoleptic ­ taste and smell ­ qualities of entries from all major oil­ producing countries.

One of the highest dis­ tinctions at this year’s event went to ‘El Faro del Albir’ by

Buses and flags TEULADA Moraira Council has relaunched the free summer bus service connecting both towns and the beaches of both munici­ palities. The service will run until September 15 and consist of six departures and six re­ turns with the same timetables as the beach service of last year, ie three in the morning and three in the afternoon.

For full timetable and routes visit www.teuladamoraira.com.

In another development, the four Blue Flags awarded this year for beaches and leisure ports that meet certain standards of

cleanliness, services and environmental sus­ tainability are already flying high at Ampolla, Platgetes and Portet beaches, as well as the Club Náutico de Moraira. Teulada Moraira mayor Raúl LLobell attended the official rais­ ing of the flags last week together with sev­ eral members of his council. The mayor highlighted the great work carried out by all the sectors involved in the care, protection and maintenance of the beaches, as well as those who respect them when they visit them, as “this recognition is the fruit of good teamwork throughout the year.”

Alfaz producer Antonio Al­ caraz. The oil, which bears the name and image of the Albir lighthouse ­ the town’s most recognisable landmark ­ was first launched in Shanghai, China in November 2013, where it fast became a major seller.

Alfaz mayor Vicente Ar­ ques hosted the Spanish presentation of ‘El Faro del Albir’ in December that same year, admitting that he felt “very proud that our emblematic lighthouse is linked to this extraordinary oil.”

VILLAJOYOSA Council has announced a series of grants for families with children up to two years old to help pay for their enrolment at nursery school next academic year. The aid is available to all families registered on the local padrón town census who, due to their personal, family, econom­ ic and/or social circum­ stances, require assistance for the expenses derived from inscribing their chil­ dren at local centres.

The amount of the aid granted to each beneficia­ ry may depend on the to­ tal number of applications received and on family in­ come, with applicants re­ ceiving at least €15 per child for each month of schooling. Applications can be presented via the Sede Electrónica online service of the town hall website www.villa joyosa.com or in person at the Oficina de Atención Ciudadana. For further in­ formation visit villa joyosa.com/educacion/su bvenciones.php.

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RENFE: Has launched a series of discounts.

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Europe by train

YOUNG people in Alicante Province can now book train tickets to travel

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You” Meaning don’t treat badly the person who is helping you or has helped you.

This was originally used about 600 BC by the Greek poet Sappho, this metaphor of a dog biting its master was first recorded in English in 1711.

around Europe this sum­ mer for half the price.

Residents aged 18 to 30 years old are entitled to a new cut­price ticket deal by national rail company Renfe granting users ac­ cess to 10 trains in differ­ ent countries for one month for just €158.

The Global Flexible

Pass, which is now avail­ able for purchase on the Renfe website, allows young people who are re­ siding legally in Spain to visit up to 33 European countries for one month, during which time they can freely use their pass for up to 10 journeys.

The pass is also valid for the boat from Italy to Greece.

In addition, Renfe has also launched a series of 50 per cent discounts for trains to different parts of Spain for the same age group.

To benefit from these measures, young people born between 1993 and 2005 must register on the form on the Mitma web­ site at www.verano joven.mitma.gob.es.

Classes for kids • Diagnostic imaging and ultrasound Rx • Clinical tests and serological tests, internal medicine, parasitology • Soft Tissue Surgery and Traumatology • Ethology, behavioural disorders and animal behaviour • Physiotherapy, acupuncture, custom recovery and Healing touch • Ophthalmology • Dentistry and dental surgery & more • Import - Export

BENIDORM Council has launched a summer revision programme to help schoolchil­ dren who got bad grades in the last academic year.

The plan to curb school fail­ ure includes two hours a day of revision, from Monday to Friday throughout July and Au­ gust, at Leonor Canalejas school.

The Programa de Apoyo Ed­ ucativo (Education Support Programme, or PAEV) is aimed at primary school pupils with a total of 90 places offered, 30 of which will be 100 per cent sub­ sidised so that all families can have access to them.

The students will reinforce curricular subjects such as maths, Spanish, Valencian and English languages and will also work on different study tech­ niques, attention games and verbal and mathematical rea­ soning, with the aim of helping them to acquire habits with which to improve their results for the following year.

3.7 million passengers in Malaga airport during first quarter 2023.

Classes will take place in two turns depending on the age group, from 9am to 11am and then 11.30am to 1.30am.

Inscriptions are open until Friday June 30 at €72.35. Con­ tact Benidorm Town Hall.

World top 10 THE airline, British Air­ ways has included Ali­ cante among the 10 best destinations in the world to travel with children.

The news comes after the airline conducted a study based on the opin­ ions of 200,000 British parents who have trav­ elled abroad with their young children.

The ratings have taken into account the score of the destination in terms of accommodation, restaurants, activities and local attractions.

In the case of Alicante, they also value that “it is a historic city that has been inhabited continu­ ously for more than 7,000 years and, as such, there are numerous places of interest such as the Castle of Santa Bar­ bara and the Old Town.”

In addition, they say Aqua Natura, in Benidorm, “offers many attractions for children.”

22 - 28 June 2023

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Bonkers weather THE extreme weather condi­ tions registered in Alicante Province this spring are a sign of things to come, ac­ cording to experts. The dri­ est months of March and April on record gave way to an accumulation of 96 per cent of rainfall for the entire three months in just 20 days at the end of May ­ the wettest since 1950.

But the situation has even been irregular within the Va­ lencia Region itself, with Ali­ cante registering a global surplus of rainfall in spring of 35 per cent while Castellon and Valencia provinces regis­ tered deficits of 37 and 35 per cent, respectively.

The predictions for the summer follow a similar pat­ tern, with higher tempera­ tures than normal and spells of intense rainfall.

These alterations will re­ portedly become increasing­ ly “extreme and persistent” due to climate change, say spokespeople for national weather agency Aemet.

One of the most notice­ able effects of climate change is said to be the cre­ ation of slower and more undulating atmospheric cir­ culations, which mean that when a certain weather phenomenon takes place, such as rain, heat or drought, these episodes are longer and more extreme.

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Jalon Valley Help Water all around AS Richard Green settles into his new role as President of Jalon Valley Help (J V H), each day brings new experiences.

Last week he realised that as an aside to the charity’s function of medical and personal support, it also helps with the recycling and reuse of items.

In the space of one week Richard saw two lounge suits donated and sold at the Jalon shop.

Whilst delivering the suits our volunteers were donated two lounge chairs, which were taken to the Orba shop and sold.

Whilst delivering these chairs our volunteers were donated two larger lounge chairs, and in turn whilst delivering these chairs our volunteer discovered the recipient was interested in pottery and

Image by JVH

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Beach theme at the Orba shop.

advised that J V H had a small electric pottery kiln in their store.

With each euro raised through such operations, J V H is able to continue supporting those in need in our community. For the volunteers, it gives them a good feeling to have been

able to fulfil somebody’s need through recycling and saving money and waste.

For further information about future events contact eventsjvh@gmail. com and for information about the charity visit www.jalonvalleyhelp.com

Three clubs and a putter MONTGO GS played their annual three clubs and a putter trophy competition at Oliva Nova GC sponsored by their old stalwart John Day. The challenge for members was adapting to playing shots with different clubs. The winner was their Captain George Braddick with a record-breaking 38 points in total for this competition. In second place was Peter Gardiner with 33 points and taking third spot was Alan

Lowans with 32 points. Nearest the pin prizes on offer on the day was Closes Gent & Lady on the 16th hole, with Steve Blewett and Caz Welch taking home the spoils.

Well done to all the winners and a big thank you to John for his yummy prizes.

Next week they are playing PEGO golf society in their annual inter society competition. Looking forward to a Montgo win.

THE rainfall registered in the Marina Baixa district in May has meant that drinking wa­ ter supplies are guaranteed throughout the summer, when the population triples as holidaymakers. arrive Areas such as Beniardá received 234 litres per square metre while Tárbe­ na registered more than 205, which recharged all the aquifers and reservoirs that supply the population.

The district government has said the plentiful rains have saved the area from having to buy water this year, so the funds saved will

be spent on compensating the huge increase in electric bills faced by the entity.

Spokespeople for the Water Consortium, which includes the seven largest towns in the district includ­ ing Benidorm, Villajoyosa, Finestrat, Alfaz del Pi, Altea, La Nucia and Polop, have confirmed that for now the predicted transfer of desali­ nated water from the Muchamiel treatment plant will be put on hold at least until after September.

However, the same sources add it will most like­ ly not be needed by then.

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STUDENTS of the Gastrono­ my and Culinary Arts degree at Alicante University pre­ sented their end­of­year pro­ jects in Denia last week at an open event in the municipal library.

María Fernanda Duarte presented a gastronomic business entrepreneurship project based on scientific knowledge, innovation, cul­ ture and culinary manage­ ment.

The new restaurant model suggested by the student contemplates sustainability through energy saving, the use of ecological and zero­ kilometre products, the culti­

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The future of food Image by Denia Town Hall

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STUDENTS: Presented their end of year project.

vation of businesses’ own vegetable gardens and the

sale of organic waste pro­ duced in its kitchen.

Friends of Javea Museum

ON Saturday June 17, a group of about 40 people, belonging to AMUX (Friends of Javea Museum), went on a short excursion from Cala Blanca to Portixol to visit the re­ mains of the most important defensive con­ struction during the Spanish Civil War (1936­ 1939), the Portixol battery.

Although Javea remained in the rear throughout the war, the importance of the defence and control of the stretch of coast between Denia and Javea led the govern­

ment of the Republic to create a coastal de­ fensive line between Las Marinas and Por­ titxol.

The most important defensive structure built in Javea was the great battery of Por­ titxol. Built about 90 metres above sea level, this robust and extensive semi­subter­ ranean construction, built with thick cement concrete walls, protected the wide bay of Javea to the northwest and the small bay of Portitxol to the south­east.

Two other projects fo­ cussed on neurogastrono­ my, ie the study of flavour perception and the ways it affects cognition and memo­ ry.

The first of these explored the benefits of cocoa con­ sumption and the analysis of the aromas and sensations of well­being triggered by dark chocolate.

Cocoa is said to have a high flavonoid content, a natural compound with an­ tioxidant and neuroprotec­ tive effects that improves cognitive performance. It al­ so contains stimulating sub­ stances such as caffeine and theobromine that promote concentration.

The second research, pre­ sented by Sebastián Siman, explored the application of the principles of neurogas­ tronomy and multisensory cuisine in different areas of psychology, with the aim of promoting well­being, posi­ tive emotions and mental health in people.

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ACCESS to the final stretch of Les Rotes rocky beach in Denia is now closed to private vehicles until September 17.

The closure is enforced from 8am to 8pm to prevent overcrowding and traffic problems during the summer high season.

Between these times only public transport - taxis, buses and the ‘tourist train’ - will be allowed, as well as people with functional diversity, limited mobility and the elderly, residents and their visitors who have their own private car park, vehicles of authorised ‘active tourism’ companies and divers with the relevant authorisation - who will be allowed to access the area to

Image by Ana del Castillo/Shutterstock

Closed to traffic 13.01% The beach at the end of Las Rotas.

load and unload their equipment - customers of the restaurants in the area who are required to park in the reserved areas, and of course the security and emergency services.

For those wishing to visit this beach area there is a free public car park with capacity

for 140 vehicles just over a kilometre from the end of Les Rotes, with a free tourist train service to the destination from 9am to 2pm and from 4pm to 8pm.

It can also be accessed on foot by walking down to the pedestrian promenade that runs along the coast.

Entertaining for SCAN AT the end of The Entertainers’ show for SCAN animal charity in Los Arcos gardens (Pedreguer) on Thursday June 15, Chris and Adele, the event organisers and comperes for SCAN, concluded “Wow, that was fabulous!”, and it truly had been.

The ‘wows’ started from the moment the audience arrived, to learn that The Entertainers’ performance was to be filmed for UK TV, Channel 5’s 2023 series of Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun. A second ‘wow’ came when The Entertainers opened their performance with The Greatest Show - as it certainly was to be. A full house of some 130

people had set up their decorated tables in the garden as the sun set, enjoying rendition of Shallow, Proud Mary, Dancing Queen, Summer of 69, a Beatles Medley, It’s Raining Men and Amarillo, among other major classics.

When Adele announced that €2,100 had been raised, it was certainly the biggest wow of a wonderful evening.

SCAN rely on donations in order to look after the animals, for further information visit www.scancostablan ca.com.

For further information on The Entertainers visit ‘The Entertainers Marina Alta’ on Facebook.

was the unemployment rate in Spain in 2022.

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THE skirl of bagpipes filled the Cueva de las Calaveres in Benidoleig last Friday and Saturday evening, heralding the start of the Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir’s (CBMVC) popular ‘Concert at the Cave’ and accompanying one of the choir’s new songs Highland Cathedral. The sell-out audience of 200 was entertained with a varied selection of songs by the choir, ranging from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Memory from the musical Cats to the rousing Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines and a wonderful acappella version of Sound of Silence, accompanied by drummer Juan Carlos. The choir’s chosen charity this year was ‘SOS Ukraine’, based at the DAR centre in Javea and Friday evening’s concert included a solo performance by DAR’s leader and concert pianist Lola Smolokowski, who also described for A BEAUTIFUL Costa Blanca sky welcomed in the day after the thunderstorms had continued their journey overnight into the sea and away from the Calpe Greens. This was the first Javea Green Bowls Club (JGBC) Open Competition to be held at Calpe Bowling Club, so a full eight rinks were in full swing. It was an intense day of bowling with thankfully a nice breeze to ease the heat.

With 16 teams competing

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Concert at the Cave Image by the CBMVC

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MALE VOICE CHOIR: The concert was a sell-out in the cave.

the audience the support the centre is providing for Ukrainian refugees.

The choir will soon start preparing for concerts later in the year and is always seeking new members. If you are interest-

ed in joining them, go along to one of their regular rehearsals every Tuesday at 5.54pm at Bar Mediteraneo in Teulada.

For further information visit www.costablancamalevoicechoir.com.

Javea Green Bowls Club from five different clubs, and 36 ends per player, it was a big ask for the bowlers, but as ever, determined not to let the side down, there was some very competitive bowling.

But there has to be a winner and with dropping only two points out of a maximum of 27, a Javea Green BC team ‘3Gs’ Greg Sperring, Christina

Harris and Brenda Burgess claimed the trophy.

In second place ‘Alfie’s Lot’, Chris Salter, Jean McLaughlin and Hazel Brown from El Cid Bowls club, and in third and fourth places were teams from Bonalba Bowls Club.

For further information visit www.javeagreenbowlsclub. com.

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official wine regions in Spain.

FEATURE

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The 2022/23 tax year proved to be yet another record year for UK inheritance tax (IHT) receipts.

HM Revenue & Customs received an extra £1 billion over the last tax year, generating a total of £7.1 billion. The number of people paying this tax jumped 24%, up from 33,000 the previous year to 41,000.

The government expects IHT revenue to continue to increase, bringing in £38 billion over the next five years.

Frozen reliefs and rising property prices The standard inheritance tax nil rate band has been frozen at £325,000 since 2009. It is scheduled to remain fixed until April 2028, by which time it would have been frozen for 19 years. In contrast, house prices have risen over this long period, pushing more estates into the IHT net.

The residential nil-rate band (RNRB) was introduced in 2017 to help protect families, but has limitations. It only applies to a main residential home directly passed to children and grandchildren, and where the estate is valued under £2 million. Higher value estates are subject to a tapering system that

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More families than ever caught in UK inheritance tax net

By Brett Hanson, Senior Partner, Blevins Franks

eliminates the RNRB entirely when an estate exceeds £2.35 million.

The current £175,000 allowance is also frozen until 2028.

Is your estate liable for UK inheritance tax?

UK IHT is charged on death and lifetime gifts. For UK domiciles it

applies to their worldwide estate, regardless of residence. Non-UK domiciles are assessed on UK situated assets.

Your liability is calculated on your entire estate – property, savings and investments, insurance policies not in trust, household contents, jewellery, vehicles etc.

Outstanding mortgages and loans are generally deducted from the total.

If the total value of your estate is lower than the two allowances, your heirs do not have to pay this tax. If it exceeds the thresholds, your heirs pay 40% tax on the excess. Where the allowances are not used on the first death, or only partly used, the balance can be transferred to the surviving spouse/civil partner – make sure your estate is set up to take full advantage.

Expatriates and the domicile issue UK inheritance tax follows you around the world since your estate is liable for as long as you remain a UK domicile. Domicile is a complex and adhesive UK common law concept, and many British expatriates are UK domiciled their whole life.

That said, you can take steps and cut ties with the UK to adopt a domicile of choice in Spain, though it can take up to four years to shed a UK domicile for inheritance tax purposes. Getting your domicile status wrong could result in an unexpected large tax bill for your family, so professional advice is essential here.

UK inheritance tax planning Inheritance tax is often referred to as a voluntary tax, since there are various steps you can take to eliminate or reduce the liability for your family

and heirs. Don’t risk leaving it too late, especially if you are planning on making lifetime gifts (‘potentially exempt transfers’).

Cross-border estate planning can be a minefield – more so if you are subject to inheritance taxes in more than one country as is the case with British expatriates in Spain – so take specialist advice today to get it right and take advantage of the planning opportunities available.

The tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change.

Tax information has been summarised; individuals should seek personalised advice.

Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at www.blevinsfranks.com.

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A helping hand payment of rent, electricity and water bills.

The funds will be shared out and processed through 57 local councils and eight social services departments, which will also assist in the

reception of refugees from Ukraine.

“The rise in the cost of the shopping basket and energy prices has placed families in very difficult economic situations and the provincial government, with the help of the local councils, wants to help these people to make ends meet,” declared

provincial Social Welfare councillor Mª Carmen Jover.

Among the town halls to receive this emergency funding for residents are Altea, Benidorm, Finestrat, Alfaz del Pi, Villajoyosa, Benissa, Calpe, Benitachell, Denia, Jesus Pobre, La Xara, Javea and Teulada Moraira.

Slam dunk VILLAJOYOSA Council has opened the renovated basketball court and calisthenics area in Calle Ciudad de Requena for public use.

Renovation work has included replacing the pavement and sports installations of the municipal basketball court and its surroundings with the installation of rest elements and a large-scale artistic intervention on one of the walls adjoining the court.

Shock-absorbing paving has been fitted in an adjoining plot

of land to house the calisthenics installations, which were highly demanded by local residents and which improves the sports and health offer in the area.

Work is still underway on the nearby Rosa dels Vents park which will also be opened to the public once it is finished.

In a related development, extension work has also been completed on La Llar del Pensionista centre that houses the municipal Social Services department.

Image by Denia Town Hall

THE Alicante provincial government has set aside a budget of more than €19.5 million to help vulnerable families with the ever-increasing cost of living.

The subsidies are aimed at helping crisis-hit families pay for basic needs such as food, cleaning and hygiene products and medicines, school materials and the

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Officers of the Marine Surveillance Unit.

In safe hands DENIA Local Police has increased the number of personnel assigned to the beach surveillance service for this summer.

The special surveillance operation takes place every year from July 1 to August 31 and this year will be reinforced with an extra 13 officers, bringing the total up to 18 in different shifts. Denia’s coastline is divided into three sectors in the police operation. The first covers Las Rotas between the Marineta Cassiana and Les Arenetes beaches, which will be patrolled by officers of the Environmental Unit.

The second is Las Marinas between Punta del Raset and Les Deveses beaches, covered by members of the Beaches Unit, and the third includes the stretch between Les Deveses and the mouth of the Molinell river, also guarded by members of the Beaches Unit with a special 4x4 vehicle. In addition, the Marine Surveillance Unit covers the entire bathing area from the Cova Tallà, on the southern boundary of the municipality, to the river Molinell to the north.

Finally, a Drone Unit will also patrol the skies along the coastline, as well as the marine reserve and the Montgo nature park.

NEWS

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22 - 28 June 2023

In the heat of the night A FANTASTIC €3,600 were raised at HELP’s fundraiser evening held on Wednesday June 14 at Los Arcos restaurant in Pedreguer.

The In the heat of the night concert with singer Luis Manuel Gil performing famous songs from the Crooners was a resounding success.

Luis, with his deep, melodious voice and hand­ some Spanish looks had the audience up danc­ ing and singing along to the many famous num­ bers.

The HELP Events team carried out a raffle and the money bucket was filling up nicely when lat­ er HELP’s very own compere for the evening, Ian Bennett, took to the stage and explained DENIA Hospital has an­ nounced that the results for imaging tests and scans can now be accessed via the ‘vir­ tual desk’ app for mobile phones.

Patients can request the results of ultrasound, CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, mammography and conventional radiology scans both from the hospital’s pub­ lic machines and from the app.

In the first case, patients can request results by scan­ ning the QR code printed on

that the charity’s plans for the money raised was to create a designated space for a children’s nursery in the Women’s Shelter.

Suddenly people began to give their prizes to be auctioned and pledges of more money were made. Pam Small donated €100 from Pam’s Dance Fitness Classes (Pam’s People) plus an­ other €100, Jocelyn Honeybunn ­ owner of REN­ VIDA Estate Agency and Rentals in Ondara ­ pledged €550.

Ian Bennett emotionally thanked everyone and the team and of course Luis for making it an incredibly moving and very successful evening for the charity.

All on the app the ticket they receive with the consultation data. The scanning process will take users to the Google Play or Apple Store to download the ‘Mostrador Virtual MS’ app.

Once registered in the ap­ plication, the user will be able to locate the test on the same day it is performed in the Folder section.

In cases where patients check­in directly upon arrival at the hospital from the app,

the test will be downloaded to their folder automatically with no need to request it be­ forehand.

The ‘Mostrador Virtual MS’ app enables users to perform many other operations such as accessing anticoagulation guidelines, downloading at­ tendance receipts from the doctor, resolving queries, re­ questing or modifying ap­ pointments, and renewing prescriptions, among others.

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12 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

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NEWS

Ryanair’s ban on alcohol on board OVER recent days, Chris King, online news reporter with the Euro Weekly News has re­ ported on the Ryanair ban prohibiting passengers from taking alcohol on board its air­ craft when travelling from the UK to Spanish destinations.

Passengers had reportedly been sent an email stating that any customers would not be able to carry alcohol on board, and any alcoholic drinks purchased in the air­ port would be placed in the baggage hold.

With most people boarding a flight from the UK to one of the popular Spanish resorts for a relaxing holiday, the con­ sumption of alcohol is a com­ mon occurrence. However, when does this become a problem?

The Euro Weekly News was inundated with comments and responses from readers

RYANAIR: Banning alcohol being taken on board.

on our website and Facebook.

Among the online com­ menters, John McLean, said “They wouldn’t have so much trouble if they stopped the drunks from getting on the aircraft at the gate in the first place,” while Dave Moores added “There is nothing new about this, but Ryanair do not check! They also allow pas­ sengers who are clearly drunk to board the aircraft, pushing the problem on to the flight attendants who also do noth­ ing.”

On Facebook the com­ ments heated up with Ben Brady stating “Nothing has changed, they’ll still buy alco­ hol on board” with Michael Stanton agreeing “Ryanair makes more money” (from buying on board).

Social media feedback also included responses from peo­ ple who see the step as posi­ tive: Susan Stewart said “about time.” and Hans Al­ bert commented, “not every­ one likes to fly with drunken lads.”

14 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

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FEATURE

Divorce maintenance or alimony under Art. 97 of the Civil Code. Separation and divorce. Economic imbalance. Family law. Expert legal advice.

THIS week we would like to ad­ dress a subject that often gener­ ates confusion and is a frequent matter of consultation in our of­ fice: the right of the spouses to receive a divorce maintenance or alimony in cases of separa­

tion or divorce. The so­called ‘compensatory pension’ of art.

97 of the Spanish Civil Code. In this article we explain the most important aspects of this alimo­ ny: when can it be claimed, how it is calculated, its duration, etc.

What does this compensa­ tion consist of?

The alimony is regulated in art.

97 of the Spanish Civil Code: “The spouse to whom the separation or divorce produces an economic imbalance in rela­ tion to the position of the other, which implies a worsening in his or her previous situation in the marriage, shall be entitled to compensation that may consist of a temporary or indefinite pen­ sion, or in a single benefit, as de­ termined in the regulatory agree­ ment or in the judgment.”

In other words, the purpose of the divorce maintenance or al­ imony is to ‘compensate’ the spouse whose financial situation, when compared to the situation during the marriage, has wors­ ened because of the divorce. So that the negative consequences of the divorce do not fall exclu­ sively on the weaker spouse. This alimony must not be confused with the compensation foreseen in art. 1438 of the Civil Code or with the child support.

Main features of the Alimony It can be of a temporary na­

ture or fixed for an indefinite pe­ riod. It can also be agreed as a one­off allowance. That is, as a one­time payment. It can be agreed by mutual agreement be­ tween the spouses (in the regula­ tory agreement) or, if there is no agreement, by the judge (in the divorce proceedings).

It is very important to under­ line that this measure is not auto­ matically decreed by the judge.

The judge will only decide whether alimony is due or nor, if requested at the beginning of the proceedings. If not, it will not be possible to request the alimo­ ny afterwards.

How is this divorce mainte­ nance or alimony calculated?

Article 97 of the Civil Code sets out a series of guiding criteria to

be followed by the judge when setting the amount: “In the absence of agreement between the spouses, the judge, in a judgment, shall determine its amount taking into account the following circumstances: 1. The agreements reached by the spouses.

2. Age and state of health.

3. The professional qualifica­ tion and the probabilities of ac­ cess to a job.

4. Past and future dedication to the family.

5. The collaboration with his or her work in the commercial, in­ dustrial, or professional activities of the other spouse.

6. Duration of the marriage and of the conjugal cohabitation.

7. The possible loss of a pen­ sion right.

8. Wealth and financial means and the needs of one and the other spouse.

9. Any other relevant circum­ stance.”

Carlos Baos (Lawyer) - White&Baos Tel: +34 966 426 185 info@white-baos.com White & Baos 2022 All Rights Reserved.

Can this compensation be ex­ tinguished or modified once it has been approved?

Yes. Article 100 of the Spanish Civil Code allows alimony to be modified or terminated under several circumstances. The spouse receiving the pension having improved his or her situa­ tion. The person obliged to pay it worsening his or her financial sit­ uation. If the beneficiary remar­ ries or lives maritally with anoth­ er person. Etc. Does the alimony also apply to unmarried partners?

No. According to the case law of the Spanish Supreme Court, registered unions or de facto couples who break off their rela­ tionship cannot request the compensation of art. 97.

Conclusions Divorce maintenance or al­ imony is one of the most contro­ versial issues in divorce and sepa­ ration proceedings. Its amount, periodicity, possible modifica­ tions and/or termination, etc.

At White­Baos Lawyers we are experts in Family Law, please do not hesitate to contact us.

16 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

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NEWS

Reign over Spain Betty Henderson THE summer season is nearly upon us and Ryanair is surg­ ing ahead. The low­cost air­ line is overpowering rivals in­ cluding Iberia and Vueling.

That’s according to the latest industry data released on Wednesday, June 15.

In May, Ryanair command­ ed an impressive 23 per cent of shares in the market, serv­ ing nearly 5.8 million passen­ gers across its 12 airport bases in Spain.

According to data collected by airport operator Aena, Ryanair continues to domi­ nate over its closest rivals, Iberia and Vueling.

Vueling saw a 14 per cent improvement in May on last year’s figures, welcoming a total of 4.1 million passen­ gers. Meanwhile, Iberia achieved a respectable 17 per cent growth on last year’s fig­ ures, transporting 1.8 million passengers during the month of May. Air Europa secured the fourth spot with remarkable

figures, experiencing a signifi­ cant resurgence. The airline welcomed 1.36 million pas­ sengers, surpassing both last year’s numbers and pre­pan­ demic levels. Despite poten­ tial disruptions from pilot

strikes, Air Europa bosses are anticipating a busy summer.

Foreign carriers, including Jet2, easyJet, and Eurowings, also made their mark, enter­ ing the top 10 airlines during May.

Job seekers delight SPAIN’S job market is experi­ encing an unprecedented surge with 149,645 unfilled job vacancies, setting a new record.

The Quarterly Labour Cost Survey (ECTL) by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), re­ leased on Friday, June 16, re­ vealed approximately 9,000 more vacancies than during the previous quarter of 2022.

Interestingly, Spain stands out in Europe with less than 1 per cent of job vacancies re­ maining unfilled, much lower than the European average of 2.8 per cent. Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands have the highest vacancy rates at 4.7 per cent.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment highlights that these vacancies are relatively small compared to Spain’s em­ ployed population of 20.8 mil­ lion. They also cite data from the final quarter of 2022, indi­ cating constant improvements in Spain’s employment figures.

Minister Yolanda Díaz is con­ fident that Spain doesn’t face a job vacancy crisis, stating that companies are not struggling to fill employment needs sta­ tistically. Spain’s thriving job market, with a record number of unfilled job vacancies,re­ veals its potential for economic growth by attracting job seek­ ers and bridging the employ­ ment supply to demand gap.

NEWS

22 - 28 June 2023

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Goalkeeper won’t be held back LIVING with Down Syn­ drome, Pedro Payares from Puerto de Santa María has chosen not to let it hold him back. Whether as a goalkeep­ er for Cádiz Genuine or star­ ring in a documentary Fanáti­ cos de lo Real.

Pedro’s mother describes him with a single word: re­ silience. She acknowledges that since his birth, overcom­ ing challenges has been a constant part of his life. De­ spite initial difficulties, Pedro has come a long way and continues to bring joy to ev­ eryone who knows him.

Being an advocate for his city, Pedro is well­known, en­ joys an active social life and has many fans. One daily ritu­ al Pedro never misses is hav­ SPAM sales phone calls will be banned in Spain from June 29. This will be a great relief to those who still pick up the phone to unknown callers who refuse to let you go.

You know the scenario.

You’ve just got home from another long day at the of­ fice. Time to relax! No! Time for a barrage of un­ solicited sales calls, with some of the callers being more polite than others.

With phone, TV and in­ ternet calls, they’ve al­ ways got a better deal on your mobile and internet and won’t be talked

like his idol, Keylor Navas. He is already a goalie for Cádiz’s team in LaLiga Genuine San­ tander, a project that aims to provide a space for foot­ ballers with mental disabili­ ties.

PEDRO PAYARES: Wants to succeed in football.

ing breakfast at his favourite bar. Every morning, he occu­ pies his regular spot at the bar, surrounded by waiters and clients who have become his friends.

But his absolute favourite activity is going out to parties with his cousins. With a mis­

chievous smile, Pedro affirms that music makes him feel great, which is why he loves going to discos.

Alongside his infectious en­ thusiasm for life, Pedro also nurtures a dream that he tire­ lessly works towards. Becom­ ing a professional goalkeeper

CAN THE SPAM down.

Then there are the ener­ gy companies. Now every­ one needs a better deal for energy at the moment, but they are completely undeterred when you say the bills are not in your name.

They are often quite ag­ gressive and rude, and refuse to go away.

However, the good news on June 29, 2022, the General Telecommuni­ cations Law was published in the Official State

Gazette (BOE) and this was the beginning of a one­year process for the motion to pass into en­ forceable law.

Under Article 66 of this law, end users have a right not to receive unsolicited sales calls.

This will bring a huge sigh of relief from those who spend their evenings hounded by persistent and very annoying sales reps, determined to grind you down and cash in on your hard­earned free time.

Pedro has already earned a place in the official Cádiz store. A poster of him there serves as a reminder to other people with disabilities that they too can succeed in foot­ ball.

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135 Number of years Sagrada Familia under construction.

18 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023 WORLD TAPAS DAY arrived with a burst of flavour on Friday, June 16. The mouth­ watering event, organised

by Saborea España, the lead­ ing brand in Spanish gastro­ nomic tourism aimed to honour a quintessential as­ pect of Spanish cuisine and society, tapas.

Now in its fifth year, World Tapas Day is a favourite event among food enthusiasts and an excuse to discover more of Spain’s rich culinary scene.

To mark the date, a series of exciting initiatives took place across the country.

The National Tapas and Pintxos Competition was held in Valladolid on Friday.

This year marked its 25th an­ niversary bringing together top culinary talents to create

euroweeklynews.com

Tapas takeover

World Tapas Day celebrations kicked off in Ireland.

incredible miniature dishes.

World Tapas Day also made its mark on the inter­ national scene with an ap­ pearance at the Taste of Dublin fair. Experts show­ cased top culinary destina­ tions like Cambrils, Gran Ca­ naria, Lanzarote, Mallorca, and Zaragoza along with their standout dishes.

The prestigious Paul Bo­ cuse Institute in Lyon also hosted a presentation with representatives from desti­ nations such as Cambrils, Denia, Pamplona, and Sevil­ la.

Representatives from the Chinese market also visited Spanish cities like Sevilla, Segovia, and Valladolid, aim­ ing to promote culinary tourism and to strengthen trade relations.

Jet2 adds more flights JET2 have announced plans to expand its services to Spain and Eu­ rope in order to meet the increasing demand for spring vacations.

Starting early next year the holiday airline is going to add extra ser­ vices from Manchester Airport to Spain and other popular destina­ tions across Europe, according to a news source.

As of March 2024, Jet2 will offer flights to Girona, while also boosting its capacity to destinations such as Ibiza and Reus.

Jet2’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Heapy said: “As the UK’s largest tour operator, we are continuing to react quickly to the de­ mand we are seeing by adding on even more capacity for Summer 24 from Manchester Airport.”

He went on to explain how the company was quick to spot new trends and meet demands: “Customers and independent travel agents in the region have been flocking to book holidays for the ear­ ly summer season, so we are delighted to be offering even more choice and flexibility to eight sun destinations and giving holiday­ makers many opportunities to get away on our award­winning flights and holidays.’

Speaking about the exciting new development he concluded: “By adding additional services during peak times such as the Easter holi­ days, we are giving customers exactly what they want ­ an early slice of summer sun.”

NEWS

Seat for Nadal in Parliament RAFA NADAL is to take his place in the Balearic Parlia­ ment, representing the People’s Party, but by way of clarification, it isn’t the legendary tennis player, but rather his namesake cousin.

The 26­year­old cousin of tennis player Rafa Nadal has won a seat in the Balearic Parliament. Rafael Nadal Barceló will take the seat that belonged to the secretary general of the party, according to a news source on June 14.

The relative of the for­ mer world’s number­one tennis ace will fill the void left by the secretary general of the party, Sandra Fernán­ dez, who resigned after be­ ing designated number 2 on the PP Balearic candida­ cy for the Congress of Deputies in the general elections on July 23.

Not much is known about Rafael Nadal Barceló other than this will be his first introduction to public office, and until this point, there is hardly any informa­ tion about him, except his famous family connection, as he maintains a discreet private life in Mallorca.

However, his father, Rafael Nadal Homar, has been a councillor for the PP in Manacor Town Hall and a member of Parliament.

20 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

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NEWS

man Tapas culture in India British for mayor

IT would appear that the world is embracing Spanish tapas culture, with the casual and so­ cial eating style reaching the plates of top Indi­ an restaurants.

In Spain, tapas is more than just food. It is a way of life, a way of socialising. It is woven into the social fabric, when you are hanging out with loved ones. It is the perfect accompani­ ment to a good glass of wine or a beer.

Tapas is also a great way to explore a wide range of Spanish foods quickly. Bite­sized por­ tions mean you can try a regional cheese, cured ham, olives, tortilla, bread, seafood and much more.

Numerous Indian restaurants have pounced on the idea of serving tapas, introducing spe­ cially curated menus. These are prepared to be enjoyed in a social environment with drinks just like in Spain.

The tapas culture bares some resemblance

TAPAS: Perfect with a glass of wine or beer.

to Indian appetisers, with the likes of onion bhajis, samosas and pakoras being perfect bite­ sized accompaniments to a beer or wine.

Tapas in Spanish literally means lids. The tra­ dition comes from 13th­century tavern owners who would cover customers’ drinks with a slice of bread, ham, or cheese to keep out insects and dust.

A Dangerous trend John Ensor MEDIA outlets in Spain are warning of a new food preparation fad that originat­ ed in America which could potentially have serious health consequences.

In what is called a danger­ ous viral trend that is starting to gain acceptance around the world, Spanish health au­ thorities have had to issue a warning not to follow the ad­ vice of certain influencers as the likelihood is it will make you ill.

There has been much de­ bate in Spain about the prac­ tice of preparing chicken pri­ or to cooking. It is not that

they wash the chicken with a little water before putting it in a casserole, the new trend is to actually use soap to clean it. A practice which they claim helps get rid of im­ purities during cooking.

The reality is it has the ex­ act opposite effect. It actually releases bacteria out of the chicken and contaminates the kitchen. Chicken is usual­ ly cooked unwashed, and any bacteria will disappear under high cooking tempera­ tures. If the chicken is washed with soap, any bac­ teria is spread from the sink to the kitchen.

In the US, health authori­

ties here have already warned that it can cause di­ arrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and, in extreme cases, even high fever. Consumers have been urged not to copy this trend.

1,298,000 Malaga Metro number of passengers in April 2023

FOR the first time ever in the history of the Balearic Islands, a British man has been elected as the mayor of a small town in Mallor­ ca. Fifty­two­year­old, Richard Thompson and his wife, settled in Mallorca nine years ago, is now the mayor of Sant Joan, ac­ cording to a news source.

Sant Joan has a popula­ tion of around 2,000 peo­ ple and sits in the centre of Mallorca. However, it has found itself in the news re­ cently due to its new British mayor.

Mr Thompson originally hails from West Sussex, where he worked as a teacher. Although married to a native of Sant Joan, Richard is not a Spanish cit­ izen, but his resident sta­ tus was enough for him to serve on the council and qualify to run as a mayoral candidate.

Despite his appoint­ ment being a first for the islands, he will not be the first British person to occu­ py mayoral status in Spain.

In 2008, the Costa Blan­ ca saw Briton, Mark Lewis, become mayor of a small town following the arrest of a number of corrupt councillors. And in Leon, Briton, Carmen McPhee, became mayor of a farm­ ing village some 10 years ago.

NEWS

22 - 28 June 2023

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ACCORDING to recent reports a shark has been spotted in Spanish waters. This re­ port comes not long after an­ other one was spotted in Ali­ cante.

The sea­going predator be­ lieved to be a tintorera or blue shark was spotted early on Thursday, June 15 in the port of Ciutadella, in Menor­ ca according to a news source.

Video footage emerged of what was thought to be a blue shark swimming among the boats and almost reach­ ing the coast, images which thanks to social media went viral.

Image: Shutterstock.com

Shark spotted in hotspot

Shark near the coast.

There was much excite­ ment in Ciutadella as the only topic of conversation seemed to be about this rare shark sighting so close to land.

According to eyewitnesses, it is believed that the huge fish may have been injured or sick, as this particular species

of shark does not usually swim almost to the coast and in such shallow waters.

The blue shark is not con­ sidered a serious threat to humans.

One man posted footage of the shark accom­ panied with the message: ‘The security mea­ sures have already been in­ stalled so that people do not jump into the port of Ciu­ tadella for Saint John’s Day.’ This latest sighting comes hours after a large shark was seen off the beach at Agua­ marina Beach in Alicante, again this was believed to be a blue shark approximately two metres long.

AENA airports have record­ ed more than 25.4 million passengers in May which is up by 14.4 per cent from last year.

This figure is 3.4 per cent higher than in 2019.

At airports throughout the network, 215,257 aircraft movements were recorded and 87,583 tonnes of cargo were transported.

In the first five months of the year, Aena handled al­ most 103 million passengers, 27.7 per cent more than in 2022 and 2.3 per cent more than in 2019.

May is the fifth consecutive month in which they have surpassed the figures of four years ago.

Of the total travellers recorded in May, 25,417,978 were commercial passengers.

EWN 21

Flying high Of these, 17,335,127 passen­ gers travelled on internation­ al flights, up 14.9 per cent from May 2022.

Meanwhile, 8,082,851 pas­ sengers travelled on domes­ tic flights, 13.5 per cent more than the same month last year.

Adolfo Suárez Madrid­ Barajas Airport recorded the highest number of passen­ gers in the fifth month of the year with 5,053,366, repre­ senting an increase of 16.8 per cent compared with May of last year.

It is followed by Barcelona­ El Prat Josep Tarradellas Air­ port, with 4,477,108 (+17.2

per cent compared to 2022); Palma de Mallorca Airport, with 3,421,182 (+9.7 per cent); Malaga­Costa del Sol Airport, with 2,151,259 (+16.1 per cent); and Ali­ cante­Elche Airport, with 1,500,278 (+18 per cent).

1,403 number of hours of sunshine in the UK.

NEWS

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Birthday Honours KING CHARLES’ birthday honours list was released on Friday June 16, and of course honours unsung heroes alongside those in the public eye.

Charles has honoured some incredible people this year who have achieved through bravery, perseverance and sheer belief in a cause.

Amongst the unsung heroes, Charles has included a woman who lost her son, her father and her brother in the 2015 Tunisia beach massacre. Suzanne Richards’ holiday had only just begun when the brutal tragedy took place at Port El Kantaoui, near Sousse.

She has since, with her surviving younger son Owen, set up the Smile for Joel charity, which has raised more than £500,000 for families bereaved by mur­ der. Suzanne will receive an MBE. During the pandemic, centenarian Joan Willett raised over £60,000 for the British Heart Foundation by walking up and down a hill near her house. The heart at­ tack sufferer was 104 years old at the time of her feat and will be 106 as she re­ ceives her BEM. Razvan Constantinescu will be awarded an OBE for making sure over 4,000 aid parcels found their way to Odesa, as the conflict in Ukraine continues.

Of course, there are many more unsung

King Charles’ honours incredible people.

heroes who contribute so much to the daily life of UK citizens, but there are also those known celebrities and politicians who symbolise or enact our aspirations.

Arsenal footballing legend and current football pundit, Ian Wright, 59, will be recognised with an OBE for his work with the Football Association (FA) and his ser­ vices to charity.

Davina McCall, 55, is set to receive an MBE for her TV work, with her 10­year run on Big Brother. Ms McCall is an advo­ cate for women’s health and also has tak­ en on charity work for Sport Relief.

Legendary Radio DJ Ken Bruce is known best for his long­running BBC Radio 2 show as well as his standout feature, Pop Master. Bruce will receive an MBE. You can read the full list on the UK gov­ ernment website.

22 - 28 June 2023

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24 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

km² (195,342 mi²) is the land area of Spain

Herd heroes Anna Ellis A SMALL herd of tradition­ al cattle will be helping to bring wildlife back to Northern Ireland’s highest peaks following a devastat­

ing fire two years ago.

In April 2021, flames rav­ aged 720 acres of land in the Mourne Mountains in what was to be one of the biggest fires of its kind

recorded in Northern Ire­ land.

An area once brimming with flora and fauna was scorched, vegetation de­ stroyed, and species diver­ sity reduced.

Since then, the National Trust, which cares for much of the area, has been trialling different methods to rejuvenate the land and bring it back to full health for the plants and animals that live there.

The area is a Site of Spe­

NEWS Image: National Trust / Joe Cornish

505,935

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DESTROYED: Slieve Donard, Mourne Mountains.

cial Scientific Interest and home to beloved animals including the Irish hare, and rare plants like the pale butterwort and starry saxifrage.

Now, the charity is work­ ing in partnership with its tenant farmer to add a herd of Luing cattle to its restoration efforts. The

herd of six cows will tram­ ple bracken and chomp through the dominant pur­ ple moor­grass that has sprung up since the fire, providing the space for na­ tive plants and heather to return, and creating habi­ tat for newts, lizards, ground­nesting birds and hares.

Flying Scotsman Looking up HIS Majesty The King cel­ ebrated 100 years of Fly­ ing Scotsman and 50 years of the North York­ shire Moors Railway.

On Monday June 12, Flying Scotsman, the world’s most famous lo­ comotive, hauled the Royal Train into Pickering Heritage Railway Station as part of its centenary tour of the UK and to mark 50 years of North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Flying Scotsman, which turned 100 on February 24,2023, had been spe­ cially prepared for the oc­ casion: its roof painted white and new lamps fit­ ted to the cab, in line with the tradition of haul­

ing the Royal Train.

Judith McNicol, Direc­ tor of the National Rail­ way Museum, said: “To have Flying Scotsman haul the Royal Train in its centenary year and in the first year of His Majesty’s reign is a huge honour.

“It takes a dedicated team of people, with im­ portant heritage skills, to keep this engine running as it is the oldest steam locomotive on the main line.”

She added: “We are deeply appreciative of His Majesty’s interest in and support for our historic railways and the skills needed to maintain them.”

THE Royal Institutions for Chartered Surveyors UK (RICS) have expressed a more posi­ tive outlook for house prices, despite rising interest rates that are expected to impact buyers’ affordability. RICS’s re­ ported that new buyer in­ quiries, prices, and expecta­ tions for the market were all less negative in May compared to previous months.

Despite their positive out­ look for the property market, RICS warned that an increase in mortgage rates could con­ strain the market in the future.

While new buyer inquiries registered at minus 18 per cent in May, the least negative reading in a year, the measure of house prices rose to minus 30 per cent, marking the third consecutive increase.

Living in Spain • euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 June 2023

EWN 25

Golden Leaves Funeral Planning: Reliability with a human touch VER the decades, Golden Leaves has been recognised as one of the most respected brands in funeral care and planning.

Its evolution at the vanguard of championing best practices throughout the United Kingdom and abroad and its reputation for innovation and ‘client first’ business practices have firmly placed Golden Leaves as a symbol of quality, reassurance, and compassionate service to thousands of customers.

International Operations Director of Golden Leaves, Emma Quantrill, leads her team in helping clients to navigate which plan is best for them and their loved ones from their direct, simple, traditional, and repatriation plans. Each of these plans has been designed with the expat in mind, guaranteeing to cover the cost of your funeral when the time comes. Emma and the team's caring, thoughtful, and sensitive approach helps take away the pressures of having to arrange a funeral while supporting grieving families and friends during these tumultuous times.

Specialising in providing funeral services and plans for expats living in Spain, Golden Leaves has unrivalled international expertise in understanding the unique requirements and providing services that are tailored to cultural and religious preferences. The multilingual services help to bridge the gap with language barriers, offering full support and ensuring clear communication and understanding throughout.

O

h the “I was very impressed wit sale. the to rt sta process from the e to vic ser this nd I would recomme everyone. ar and a The documentation was cle credit to you all. kham Thank you” - Christine O Pec On July 29, 2022, all UK funeral plan providers must be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to sell or administer a funeral plan, these also include ANY International funeral plans (those sold in Spain) that can also be utilised in the United Kingdom if desired. Golden Leaves is one of only two companies selling FCA-regulated funeral plans across the Spanish mainland and both the Canaries and the Balearic Islands.

Inspired by her team and the service they provide to their clients, Emma told the Euro Weekly News that it is their range of plans, customer support, and payment plan options that set Golden Leaves apart from the rest. The team has helped thousands of expats in Spain prepare everything for their funerals, providing a dedicated and caring support system in times of need whatever your financial situation.

Here at Golden Leaves we give a helping hand.

Emma is an avid believer in the product. ed funeral “My husband and I arrang a year ago. plans with Golden Leaves d and The staff are amazing - kin nal, just sio always helpful and profes be in uld wo as you would hope they doubt no e this type of industry. I hav selves our il that, when we come to ava the in lf of the funeral service itse every bit fulness of time, they will be nal. sio as helpful, kind and profes Janet – .”

Thank you, Golden Leaves Lambert

Planning a funeral is a stressful and emotionally challenging process, particularly with the complexities of navigating foreign procedures and another language to contend with. Emma and her team at Golden Leaves understand this situation deeply and have been helping thousands of expats put their minds at ease by getting their affairs in order before the time comes. With a ‘one call does it all’ service to help take care of

all the paperwork in Spain when you need it most.

Their prepaid funeral plans allow individuals to arrange and pay for their funeral in advance, taking the stress and worry away from grieving family members and friends. This provides the peace of mind that everything is taken care of and that all of the financial arrangements are in the best possible hands. Their range of funeral plan options are flexible and accommodates different preferences and budgets – whether it be a simple and small ceremony or an elaborate service with many guests to cater to.

p in the few “Many thanks for your hel as and your days leading up to Christm Eve staying extra efforts on Christmas to help us. at work to do all you could will be It was most appreciated. You naged ma pleased to know that my son and rt to get his emergency passpo the funeral arrived on the morning of service. all those We would also like to thank ea vid in Spain who helped us pro for Mum. e wonderful celebratory servic re mo ng Thanks to all of you for doi e vic ser nal than providing a professio al son per and providing a helpful and ily one.” - The Dorrington Fam

Website: www.goldenleavesinternational.com Address: Avenida De La Pla 123 – 125 Edificio Caribe, Local 1, Javea 03730 Alicante Telephone: +34 966 493 082 Email: info@goldenleavesinternational.com Golden Leaves accept both Euro and Sterling payments, with options to suit all budgets and requirements.

26 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

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Living in Spain

Golden Leaves’ Emma Quantrill: Caring for you and your loved ones LANNING our funeral isn’t something most of us like to consider. However, it is especially important for those living in a foreign country to plan ahead for when the time comes, alleviating some of the stress for bereaved loved ones and giving them the peace of mind that everything is arranged and paid for.

That’s where Golden Leaves can help, a professional and empathetic company that has been in the funeral planning sector since 1984.

The international team, led by international operations director Emma Quantrill, provides support to friends and family of the deceased during these tumultuous times by alleviating some of the stress.

Particularly for those living abroad, the multilingual professionals will explain everything in a language that you can understand, giving you full confidence and peace of mind.

P

“Golden Leaves were a godsend in guiding me s; through the residency proces s, ent tm oin they booked my app the and ensured I had met all lth hea ing requirements, includ ift sw cover to ensure a process. A special thank you .” to Victoria for her assistance Deborah Lomax We spoke with Emma about the services from Golden Leaves. Emma told us: “In our case when dealing with funerals, we see many people grieving and not thinking as they normally would. We are there to safeguard the client and ensure that everything is carried out as per their wishes, taking the distress and financial burden away from family and friends when the time comes.”

Although death can be an uncomfortable subject for many of us, Emma’s leadership, humility, strength, and dedication to her clients allow her to deal with situations compassionately. In what has

“Just a note to say thank you for the friendly and efficient d manner in which you handle for im cla nce my recent insura a expenses incurred following uld wo I .

UK car accident in the heartily recommend your g services to any one seekin .» travel insurance Pat McCue

Emma Quantrill and her team has helped thousands of UK expats in Spain.

been a male-orientated profession for centuries, Emma has broken the glass ceiling to lead one of Spain’s most trusted and respected funeral plan providers over the past nine years. This extraordinary woman has become wellknown as a caring, thoughtful, and committed leader in the field, supporting many in

“I decided it was time to my consider a funeral plan so I en wh s rrie wo no had family re am gone. Golden leaves we very helpful and the staff are amazing . After a chat I y decided to proceed and the easy helped me all the way. So – thank you Golden Leaves.”

Jacqueline Gage

their time of need.

We asked Emma how she achieved her success and what inspires her to provide such amazing service through Golden Leaves. Emma told us: “My life in the sun began in 2007 and I have worked as the International Operations Director at Golden Leaves since 2015. A huge part of my success is the passion I have for our products, and I am an avid believer that a funeral plan is vital for expats to have their affairs in order when living in a foreign country as we don’t always fully understand the system and legalities.”

We asked Emma about her journey in Golden Leaves, and

as “I contacted Golden Leaves few a for tes I needed quo different insurances. They l, were very friendly and helpfu h oug thr me ed and they talk everything. They are always happy to answer any d questions I have and it’s goo my all e hav to be able to insurances in one place. An excellent service and I would .” recommend them to anyone Callam now with insurance company ASSSA – who provide British nationals with insurance policies in Spain – Emma told us: “I had worked in the industry previously for a number of years and gained a lot of experience, then I discovered

that Golden Leaves was a provider of pre-paid plans in Spain.

I felt aligned with their focus on customer care, services, range of plans, and payment options – and I still feel the same nine years later.

I am proud to be a part of this innovative and ground-breaking company, and I am proud to lead the international team at Golden Leaves.

I believe it is hugely important to love where you work; this is my inspiration and what motivates me to achieve the best for our clients every day.”

We asked Emma what motivates her to provide the best services to expats and what she enjoys most about her role, she told us: “I am motivated and inspired by my team, our clients, the company and the products that we offer. Also knowing that we are in some small way helping that individual and their families at a very difficult time in their lives, this is something we are very privileged to be part of.”

“I really enjoy helping clients and, secondly, seeing my team flourish and the business growing,” she added.

Funeral plans with Golden Leaves are designed around your needs.

The international team led

by Emma can help you to navigate which plan is best for you and your loved ones, from their direct, simple, traditional and repatriation options.

Here at Golden Leaves we give a helping hand.

Living in Spain • euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 June 2023

EWN 27

Testimonials and Reviews – Golden Leaves We don’t say we are the best - we leave that to our esteemed clients as seen below.

Victoria Gregory, UK “I already had a plan with Golden Leaves for some six years which is why my friend asked me to join her when she went to make enquiries about a plan for her. The experience was exemplary and Emma, the interviewer (or Operations Director for Golden Leaves as we since found out!) was outstanding. Empathetic, informative, practical and what was most welcome in view of the conversation taking place, enormous fun. Not surprisingly my friend after talking with her family (at Emma’s strong recommendation) took out a plan. Taking out a funeral plan does not speed up your demise but it does make the inevitable a less stressful and more comforting experience for your loved ones…..so my advice would always be ‘go for it’. Huge thanks to Emma and the team…..and my friend and I will certainly be taking you up on that offer of a cuppa in the near future.”

Callam I contacted Golden Leaves as I needed quotes for a few different insurances. They were very friendly and helpful, and they talked me through everything. They are always happy to answer any questions I have and it’s good to be able to have all my insurances in one place. An excellent service and I would recommend them to anyone.

Christine O Peckham I was very impressed with the process from the start to the sale. I would recommend this service to everyone. The documentation was clear and a credit to you all. Thank you.

Julian Taylor We got in touch over the phone and the helpful representative... thoroughly explained everything in a dear and informative manner. We both chose a plan, and it was such a relief to know we were covered for when the time came.

The Dorrington Family Many thanks for your help in the few days leading up to Christmas and your extra efforts on Christmas Eve staying at work to do all you could to help us. It was most appreciated.

You will be pleased to know that my son managed to get his emergency passport and arrived on the morning of the funeral service.

We would also like to thank all those in Spain who helped us provide a wonderful celebratory service for Mum. Thanks to all of you for doing more than providing a professional service and providing a helpful and personal one.

Many thanks

Pete Freestone Explained everything perfectly. Very pleasant and efficient handling of the paperwork (thanks Emma). Hope all goes well when the time comes but not yet thanks!!

L. Musgrove My mother felt that she didn’t want me to have to deal with all of this alone when the time came, so she set up a Golden Leaves Funeral Plan, taking away all the worry and stress.

K White I called Golden Leaves, a representative came to visit and explained everything to me. They payment was taken over the phone and my wife covered immediately.

Deborah Lomax Golden Leaves were a godsend in guiding me through the residency process; they booked my appointments, and ensured I had met all the requirements, including health cover to ensure a swift process. A special thank you to Victoria for her assistance.

28 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023 PASSIONATE about helping people in their time of need, Golden Leaves’ International Operations Director Emma Quantrill has been assisting clients in the UK and Spain to plan their funerals since 2015. A dedicated, caring, and empathetic leader of the international team, Emma will now be working with trusted insurance company ASSSA, offering clients the peace of mind that their health and safety are taken care of.

ASSSA is a well-respected and renowned national insurance company with more than 80 years of experience in providing quality health insurance primarily in Spain. With comprehensive English-speaking assistance for those living abroad, their customer service representatives and medical professionals can assist you with any inquiries or medical needs.

ASSSA Insurance offers a range of healthcare coverage options, including medical, dental, accident and other health-related services, and their plans typically provide coverage for consultations, diagnostic tests, hospital stays, surgeries, and emergency medical care.

When considering insurance

euroweeklynews.com •

Golden Leaves’ Emma Quantrill partners up with ASSSA Insurance providers, it's important to carefully review the terms and conditions, coverage limitations, premiums, and any exclusions or waiting periods that may apply. Additionally, speaking with insurance providers and obtaining quotes can help in making an informed decision based on your unique circumstances and preferences. ASSSA places a strong emphasis on personalised attention to its policyholders, and provides a high level of customer service support and advice on all of their policies.

Offering tailored solutions based on individual needs and preferences and different plans with varying coverage options, you can choose the policies to suit your requirements and budget. Characterised by providing quality, solvency, care, commitment, and vocation, ASSSA’s extensive experience has made them one of the most experienced entities in the health insurance sector.

Emma’s involvement with

ASSSA is a natural progression from the sensitive subject of helping people to plan and prepare for their funerals. The Euro Weekly News spoke with Emma about working with ASSSA and her dedication to helping expats in Spain, she told us: “ASSSA are a name that people can trust, which is what attracted me to the company and what led me into insurance after enjoying such success with funeral plans and Golden Leaves.”

When asked about her passion for continuing to look after those in their adopted land of Spain, Emma said: “The synergy

was obvious. After taking care of such delicate matters of the aftercare of loved ones – the most valuable and important people in our lives – it made sense to work alongside another reputable company such as ASSSA. The Golden Leaves team takes care of policies for assets such as your home, your car, and your boat, as well as your health, the health of the loved one in your life, and the health of your family pet.”

After more than a decade of looking after people who have chosen a life in another country, Emma is never phased by any situation and has come to learn to always expect the unexpected. She is calm under pressure, with a relaxed manner that will put your mind at ease, navigating her way through any and all obstacles or pitfalls you may encounter. The combination of using such a trusted company like ASSSA, with Emma providing you with all of the information and advice you need, is a quick, reasonable, and profes-

Living in Spain sional service that is tailored to you as an individual.

ASSSA Insurance has thousands of happy expats across Spain, with Leslie William Willis and Sheila Willis praising the company. They said: “Like many British, we decided to make a life for ourselves here in Spain and were impressed by ASSSA's professional service. We can truthfully say that keeping our ASSSA policy has been the best thing we could have done.”

The benefits of ASSSA’s experience in serving the expat community, together with the best doctors, the best technology and a personal service in your language, are available whenever you need them. You will have a lifetime guarantee, immediate access and no waiting lists, a choice of the top doctors and medical professionals, no premium increase, and no co-payment health policy to pay. Your health and safety, as well as that of your loved ones, are in the best hands with ASSSA Insurance.

Their Basic, Standard, Plus, Master, and Summum health policies offer various coverages to suit your needs and are suitable plans for visa and residencia applications.

PROPERTY OSTA BLANCA NORTH is a region renowned for its breathtaking coastline, tasty cuisine, welcoming locals, and vibrant expatriate community. Nestled along the Mediterranean Sea, this area offers many advantages for those seeking an idyllic place to call home.

The region boasts 74 blue-flagged beaches for you to choose from.

From the lively shores of Benidorm to the serene bays of Javea and Moraira, the coastline boasts a variety of spots to unwind, soak up the sun, and enjoy water sports throughout the year. The Mediterranean climate ensures mild winters and pleasant summers, making outdoor activities yearround.

C

Costa Blanca North is a must for foodies with its exceptional culinary scene. From traditional paella and tapas to inventive fusion cuisine, there is something to satisfy every palate. The area hosts numerous food festivals and gastronomic events.

Living on the Costa Blanca offers an enriching expatriate experience, as the region is home to a thriving community of expatriate organisations. Such as HELP, which offers support with the translation of documents and much more and they are in various locations including Denia, Jalon Valley, and Benidorm.

PEPA is a registered animal charity located in Gandia. They are always looking for volunteers to help them care for the

abandoned animals.

There are also social groups and societies such as the Montgo Golf Society and the U3A Marina Baixa that arrange lots of events.

There is a wide selection of international schools available in the Costa Blanca North area including Den Norske Skole Costa Blanca in Alfas del Pi and Waldorf El Montgo in Javea.

Other points to keep in mind are the cost of living is lower than in the UK, USA, and Northern Europe and the crime rate is lower than the European average.

The Costa Blanca North is the perfect location to settle in with its blend of stunning coastal landscapes, cuisine, welcoming locals, and thriving expatriate community.

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SUPPLEMENT

Dramatic scenery of the northern Costa Blanca.

Photo credit: Pixabay/AitanaCostaBlanca

The advantages of buying a property in Costa Blanca North

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Advertising Feature ARE you considering selling your villa in Marina Alta? Is your property in Marina Alta already on the market, but you are unhappy with the results so far?

HomeEspaña, the number one international real estate agency on the Costa Blanca, has launched a new Exclusivity Benefit Scheme that offers highly advantageous conditions to sellers in Marina Alta, including: 1) 40 per cent discount on agency fees If you sell your property in Marina Alta exclusively through HomeEspaña, you will no longer pay the standard fee for the area of 5 per cent + VAT, but the special HomeEspaña Exclusive Rate of 3 per cent + VAT. This special rate for Exclusive Sellers, for example, will save you nearly €10,000 on the sale of a €400,000 villa.

2) Professional photos of your property One of the keys to the success of a property advertisement are the photos of the property itself.

HomeEspaña Launches Exclusive Benefit Scheme for Sellers in Marina Alta

HOMEESPAÑA TEAM: Will take the stress out of sellling your home.

HomeEspaña will provide its exclusive sellers with a professional photo service including professional editing that will showcase just how special your

property is.

3) Drone photos and video of your property Aerial photos taken by a professional drone operator provide

a completely new and exciting perspective of your house that buyers have never seen before and make your property stand out from the crowd.

4) Preferential inclusion on property portals and all advertising campaigns Your property will feature on the HomeEspaña weekly newsletter, which is read by the more than 20,000 potential buyers on the HomeEspaña database.

Your property will also figure prominently on the HomeEspaña website, which receives more than 150,000 visits every month from potential buyers from all over the world.

HomeEspaña is also a trusted partner of the most prominent international property portals and gives preferential inclusion

to exclusive sellers in Marina Alta, further increasing the exposure and visibility of your property.

5) HomeEspaña takes the stress out of selling Last, but certainly not least, dealing exclusively with HomeEspaña significantly reduces the amount of work that you, the seller, has to do to sell your house.

You no longer need to entertain a huge number of viewings from multiple estate agents.

The HomeEspaña sales team spend a lot of time asking potential buyers the difficult questions on the phone so that any viewings they organise in person are genuine opportunities to sell your house.

And, when you accept an offer for your house, the HomeEspaña Aftersales Team will accompany you throughout the often-stressful process of gathering and submitting all the information and documentation required to complete the sale of your property.

All in all, what HomeEspaña are offering sellers in Marina Alta is no less than a premium service at a hugely discounted rate.

Website: www.homeespana.com • Telephone: Costa Blanca South: +34 966 761 545 • Costa Blanca North: +34 965 743 186 • Valencia City: +34 960 590 050 Email: Costa Blanca South: south@homeespana.com • Costa Blanca North: north@homeespana.com • Valencia City: valencia@homeespana.com

Storing DIY tools Ideal for golf

WHETHER you have a modest set of DIY storing your DIY products in bathroom tools, such as paint and brushes, to per- cabinets. Anywhere with increased moisform simple tasks and updates to your ture and damp air can spoil liquid suphome, or a large tool kit that would plies like paint and glue. Cabinets and make any decorating expert jealous, it’s cupboards that aren't subject to changes essential to store your items appropri- in temperature are ideal for storing your ately. Common DIY supply storage errors decorating essentials. result in destroyed materials and tools Stacking supplies, such as cans of that are no longer functional, as well as paint, on top of each other or too close possible safety issues from improper together can cause serious injury or storage. damage as well as leading to Storing products next to raspillages and leaks. Instead, create diators is not only detrimental compact shelving that provides a to the quality of your products, firm platform for each heavy object, but also dangerous. When radimaking them less prone to move ators heat up, any adjacent around. liquids and soluble subIt’s also essential to clean stances are at risk of your tools before storing altering consistenthem, however tempting cy because of it may be to store paint the increased brushes without washtemperature ing them first. After A d d i t i o n a l l y, cleaning them by aerosols, for example, soaking in wacan quickly overheat ter, put paint and expand, causing their brushes in a jar containers to explode, rupwith the handles ture, or even blow up, endandown, or hang on Image – Robert Kneschke/shutterstock gering everyone in the house the wall or and inflicting damage to walls, pegboard to Keep your DIY tools safe furniture, and other goods. maintain and well-maintained.

Experts also warn against the bristles.

GOLFERS on Costa Blanca North are spoilt for choice with more than 30 courses running along the coast of the Costa Blanca mainly between Alicante and Javea although further inland you can find the 18-hole par 72 golf course of Alenda Golf Course with stunning views of the sea.

In the area of Oliva, the Oliva Nova golf course designed by the late Severiano Ballesteros which is a challenge for both professionals and amateurs alike faces the Mediterranean coast and is surrounded by orange and olive groves.

Every time a new course is built you can be sure that there will be a development of housing, often a mix of apartments, townhouses, and villas, and those who purchase a property around a new golf course can normally expect to negotiate very good club membership deals.

Photo credit: www.olivanova.com

OLIVA NOVA: Golfing gems of the Costa Blanca North.

So, you may see more golf courses popping up near Finestrat.

It seems almost perverse that an area that doesn’t have a huge amount of annual rainfall and can be very hot for those enjoying the pastime is looking to build more courses, but you can reckon if these companies are prepared to invest 10s of millions of euros, their research will have shown that the market exists.

Golfers are often happy to travel a reasonable distance in order to play on different courses and as they become more skilled, they want to be on the most challenging.

The Costa Blanca Challenge was a golf tournament on the Challenge tour that was played in the Club de Golf Bonalba one of Alicante’s best golf courses.

September is a popular month for golfers and the region will attract many golfers during that period.

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Be a smart buyer IF you are thinking of we have fallen in love with is generally considpurchasing a property ered sound and won’t fall down around either as a forever home us. or as a holiday paradise, For some reason, people take time, especially with a don’t appear to be quite so second hand property, to worried about surveys consider all of the pros in Spain but there are and cons. good surveyors You need to be ceraround, so you tain that there is a need to consider proper title to the whether Spain land so that there is should be any no unwelcome surdifferent than prise further down at home. the line if it was Next think built without permisabout glazing, sion. air conditioning Generally, this has and heating as not been a major probsome properties can lem in Costa Blanca but get very hot in the has caused significant summer and chilly in heartache in some other the winter and you want parts of the country. to ensure that you are Credit: Neil Cummings flickr If it’s part of an urbanisation, comfortable.

Benefitting from solar panels. find out early what you monthly or Nowadays so many of us are enannual community charge is going to vironmentally conscious so perbe and whether it’s managed by fellow haps look into the possible cost of residents or is outsourced to a professional company. solar panels to save electricity charges.

In the UK we tend to have properties surveyed either in Contact any of the top agents advertising in this suppleorder to obtain a mortgage or to ensure that the property ment for advice.

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Music the Food of Love

THERE could be a misconception about entertainment on the Costa Blanca as some may erroneously think it’s all night clubs and tribute shows, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

If that is what you looking for, then you won’t be disappointed but there is so much more to enjoy all along the coast and further inland.

This year some top stars are appearing at major concerts in Benidorm as it welcomes The Offspring, Franz Ferdinand, Gipsy Kings and many more top artists throughout the area.

Speaking of Benidorm there are always fantastic shows at the iconic Benidorm Palace which also hosts special events on selected Sundays in the winter months.

This is just the tip of the iceberg as all during the summer months in particular, even the smallest village hosts its own fiesta with a fantastic range of entertainment including musicians of all types.

If you like classical music then there’s plenty of that around as well as blues, jazz and some Flamenco.

Many towns also have their own theatres and although most productions are in Spanish, there are quite a few musicals and there are a number of expat theatre groups who produce shows in English, with panto always popular.

The Spanish entertain in the summer but that’s often a bit hot for the expats, so they hold most of their production in the autumn and spring and if you are a budding performer there are plenty of groups to join.

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Interior design trends Earthy tones and sustainable materials are just one of the interior design trends of 2023.

friendly materials, energyefficient appliances, and reducing waste. Warm neutrals such as beige, taupe, and caramel have become popular as they provide a cosy and inviting atmosphere. These colours are versatile and can be used as a base for different styles.

The maximalism trend involves mixing and

Image – shutterstock/Artyart

FROM bold wallpapers to muted tones, clashing patterns and multifunctional spaces, these are some of the interior design trends we will see in 2023!

As more people work from home after the pandemic, multifunctional spaces have become more important. Designers are finding creative ways to blend living, working, and learning spaces seamlessly. People are also incorporating nature into indoor spaces more, known as Biophilic Design. This could include incorporating plants, natural light, and natural materials such as wood and stone.

As people become more conscious about their impact on the environment, sustainable design has become increasingly popular. This involves using eco-

matching patterns, colours, and textures to create a bold, eclectic look. It's all about creating a space that is visually stimulating and expressive. While the Grandmillennial Style is a modern take on traditional design.

It incorporates vintage furniture, classic patterns, and heirloom pieces, and embraces typically out-

dated decor, such as floral-patterned curtains and China plates.

Wallpaper has made a comeback in interior design. Bold prints and patterns can add a unique touch to a room and create a focal point. Curved furniture has become popular in recent years. It softens a space and creates a more organic flow.

The best indoor plants THERE are many benefits to having plants inside your home, including better sleep, improved focus, better air quality, and a reduction in stress hormones. Let’s take a look at some of the best houseplants for your home!

Snake Plant: This is a hardy plant that can survive in almost any light conditions and doesn't require a lot of watering.

Aloe Vera: This plant is easy to care for and can be used for its medicinal properties to soothe burns and cuts.

Lavender: Lavender is a low-maintenance plant that has been proven to lower heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels, which is why it's perfect for the bedroom.

Spider Plant: Another easy-to-care-for plant that can thrive in low to bright light and produces small white flowers.

Peace Lily: This plant has beautiful dark green leaves and produces white flowers, and it can help purify the air in your home.

Rubber Plant: This plant has large glossy leaves and can grow up to eight feet tall - a real statement piece for your home!

Philodendron: These plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can thrive in low to bright light.

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema): This plant has variegated leaves and can thrive in low to medium light, making it the perfect option for an office or bedroom.

Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus): This plant has beautiful wavy leaves and can thrive in low to medium light. , making it a good addition to a bathroom or other humid area of your home.

Image – shutterstock/ Pekka Nikonen

6

Versatile balcony MANY of us have balconies If you have a balcony or terraces in apartover a terrace then ments or houses and you will be able whilst this is great to find one of when the weaththe many er is clement, manufacwhen it’s too turers and hot, raining, installers or windy, they who adcan end up as vertise in w a s t e d the Costa space. del Sol Some peoedition of ple decide to the Euro add canopies Weekly News which can either to create be set onto an exwhat will esCredit: Peakpx ternal wall and be sentially be a new Glass curtains add rolled out to add shade room when the glass something special. or drop a canopy from an curtains are extended overhead balcony to give the impresor a genuine terrace or balcony sion of another room. when they are opened.

The problem with these options of There are various layouts which can course is that they are open to deterio- de designed to fit your personal needs ration due to the weather and when it based on the physical aspects of the rains or the wind is heavy you need to property and whether you need glare roll them in, otherwise they will bow reduced but it certainly makes sense to and deteriorate even more quickly. add to the all year round benefits of a Depending on the type of space you combined balcony/living room. may have available one very popular Nowadays there is so much choice option is to install what are known as that almost every home can be accomglass curtains. modated.

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MANY of us have dreamt of owning a property in Spain, whether it be as an investment to use during the holidays or as a permanent new home, but what are some of the advantages of owning a property in Spain?

During times of political instability, such as the pandemic, war, and high inflation, gold and real estate are safe havens for people and ensure capital. Owning a property in Spain can also stave off inflation as savings sitting in the bank disappear because of rising inflation. Real estate offers a safe way to look after and deposit your life savings.

Real estate is also a tangible asset that is under your control, unlike investments such as cryptocurrency and other ethereal investments that are hard to understand and monitor.

Property also offers security, as the laws in Spain give property owners a solid legal framework and with some regions having slashed property tax and

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stamp duty on buying property.

It’s no secret that, unlike volatile investments such as stocks and bonds, real estate offers a gradual and constant increase in value over time. According to Idealista, property prices in Spain have risen by 16 per cent in the last five years. You can also generate passive income on your property by renting it out as a holiday home when you are not there.

A lot of people don’t know that Spain offers lenient tax allowances which reduce a landlord’s bill by 70 per cent or more (applies to EU residents only). You can deduct all property maintenance costs, including legal fees (used to compute the rental tax) and mortgage interest! Property provides excellent returns on investment after deductions.

Image - Watchara Ritjan/shutterstock

Real estate in Spain is always a good investment!

D E C L U T T E R I N G your home can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. With the right attitude and approach, you can easily transform your cluttered space into an organised one.

By following these simple tips, you'll be able to enjoy a clutter-free home in no time!

In the living room, get rid of any old magazines that you have read, or books on the shelf that you won’t read, by donating them to friends or charity. Get rid of any excess blankets or ones that are threadbare. Remove anything that is broken, uncomfortable, or no longer of use - such as DVDs and CDs that can be streamed and broken photo frames.

In the kitchen, remove any out-of-date food and old condiments, freezer food with frost burn, and old herbs and spices. Throw away any chipped or excessive glassware and ceramics such as mugs and glasses,

Image – Ground Picture/shutterstock

A good investment Declutter your home

Decluttering leaves you feeling relaxed and in control of your home. containers without lids, drinks bottles and flasks that are no longer used, and the hundreds of carrier bags we all collect!

In the bedroom, declutter your wardrobe and donate any unwanted clothes, jewellery, scarfs, belts, and shoes that no longer fit or are uncomfortable. Throw out any make up you no longer use or that may be past its best, organise any loose change

and receipts, get rid of odd socks, and use stylish hangers inside your wardrobe or on walls to make sure everything is tidy.

In the bathroom, get rid of old or expired toiletries, old or tatty towels, shower caps and bath robes you don’t use, stained cloths and flannels, and cleaning products and tools that haven’t been used in a while (we’ve all got them!)

Advertising Feature WHITE COAST ESTATES combines the experience that Dean and Louise have gained from making White Coast Property Management a success over many years and the market knowhow of Graham who is starting his seventh year in the real estate market.

White Coast Property Management have been making the dreams of holidaymakers come true in the areas of Javea, Moraira and Denia and also making it easy for property owners to relax and enjoy the returns on their rental properties. Graham has a wealth of knowledge in the local area Real Estate market, and also provides real estate photography and drone video services.

White Coast Estates was formed due to the demand from rental clients of White Coast Property Management looking for a property to buy, clients looking to start or expand their rental property portfolio, and also those who wished to sell their property. Having offered these clients a safe and trustworthy environment in the vacation rental market, we decided to assist them in their buying or selling process and so White Coast Estates was born.

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White Coast Estates:

Holiday inspiration and luxury accommodation BUYING OR SELLING: White Coast will help you every step of the way.

Making holidaymakers dreams come true.

Ultimately, White Coast Property Management is successful due to a personal, client service based ethos; so much so that many of the clients we have helped in both the rental and sales markets have become friends, and we plan to use the same proven client focused ethic within White Coast Estates.

You won’t see a White Coast Es-

tates office on the high street, with marble desks and a range of high end computers. We want to provide a service that is nimble, streamlined, cost effective and, most importantly, produces the highest returns to vendors on the sale of their property.

By keeping our costs down, we are able to charge market leading commission rates starting at 1.5 per

cent to market and sell your property, this enables us to have a more competitive edge and ensures all parties will benefit from the sales process. The 1.5 per cent rate is available to vendors who choose to market their properties exclusively through White Coast Estates. Please see our website at www.whitecoast estates.com for our terms and conditions and rates for non-exclusive listings. Our website can also offer an MLS option to expose your property to a wider market.

We offer market analysis, “true value” valuations, and a pricing strategy to sell fast. At White Coast Estates, communication is vital and we promise to keep in touch with you throughout the sales or purchase process.

Whether you are buying or selling the White Coast team is here to help you every step of the way.

We are committed to value, honesty, and a personal pro-active service, ensuring you can put your trust in us.

Website: www.whitecoastestates.com • Telephone: +34 966 408 142 • Email: info@whitecoastestates.com

FIRST impressions mean a lot when selling your home. Take a look at our top tips for getting your property ready for the market and showcasing what it has to offer.

Declutter and get rid of anything that is of no use or has been waiting to be thrown away. Remember that you are selling a lifestyle, not just a home. Potential buyers will want to imagine themselves living in the property, so be sure to depersonalise and remove any photographs, souvenirs etc.

Enhance the natural features of the p r o p e r t y. S p a n i s h p r o p e r t i e s a r e known for their character and charm, however, take time to repaint walls white, fill up any cracks and remove the old rug from your floors - especially if they are original wood.

Add light and space by making sure windows, mirrors and anything reflective are clean and free of dust. Mirrors also help in creating a sense of space.

For your outdoor spaces, get rid of any broken furniture, pottery and anything that could be considered as unkind to the look of your outdoor area.

Tend to any flowers, plants and grass, particularly unsightly weeds or dead

Image - Andy Dean Photography/shutterstock

Preparation is key!

Follow our top tips to prepare your property to go on the market! foliage, and repaint any outdoor areas that you feel may need it.

Invest in candles or reed diffusers, they last a very long time and create a welcoming aroma for those who walk in. The top recommended smells are fresh bed linen, lavender and vanilla.

Top tip! - Use cling film over plug holes to protect against any stale drain smells which tend to build when the property is empty.

Create the perfect home office ARE you planning to create a home office?

Whether your home office design will be located in a small bedroom or a small corner of your home here are a few tips to take into consideration when creating an inspiring and productive workspace at home.

Location is key, consider what the ideal space is for you. Do you need a peaceful area without distractions or do you need to be near the hub of the household? Also, make sure to allow enough space, this might seem like a given but it is easy to underestimate how much space you will need. Think about what equipment you will need and then pick out the desk and chair rather than the other way around. Would a standing desk be a better fit for you?

Take some time to think about the storage and shelving you may

Photo credit: Pixabay/qimono

Create a productive and inspiring office. need. Storage can be overlooked when designing a home office but this is an essential part of creating a productive space. Will you need to store much paperwork or will the area be a creative area and so will you need to store textiles etc? Whatever you need it should be at arm’s length and easy to locate.

Finally, think about the

lighting. Do you need to create a light airy space or is there plenty of natural light? Depending on the light what colours will suit the area? Will a natural calm colour palette be suitable or does your home office need to be colourful to energise and motivate you? Lay it all out on a mood board and create a floor plan before you begin the real thing.

Advertising Feature YELARSAN has been a specialist in kitchen furniture manufacturing and sales since 1978. With a wealth of experience and expertise accumulated over the years, YELARSAN has established itself as a trusted provider of high-quality furniture.

Originally founded in Muchamiel, Alicante, YELARSAN has expanded its presence and currently operates six sales outlets throughout the province.

These locations boast expansive showrooms, totalling over 3,200 square metres, showcasing a diverse range of kitchen and bathroom models.

From the latest cutting-edge designs to timeless classics, YELARSAN caters to a wide spectrum of customer preferences.

The showroom locations include Alicante, Benissa, Alfaz del Pí, Campello, Elche, and Muchamiel, the latter being the home of the company’s factory, spanning more than 3,000 square metres.

YELARSAN takes pride in its extensive track record of completing over 1,000 installations, making it the leading sales company

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Your specialist for kitchens All the latest cutting-edge designs.

in the province of Alicante. This success is a testament to the company’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.

At YELARSAN, a highly qualified team of professionals is dedicated to providing exceptional service at every stage of

the customer journey. From initial inquiries to post-purchase support, customers can expect personalised assistance and expert guidance throughout their experience.

The company’s mission centres around continuous improvement, with a focus on meeting and exceeding customer needs and expectations. YELARSAN achieves this through meticulous design, functional product offerings, com-

The shape of tomorrow’s kitchens. petitive pricing, and swift delivery.

Furthermore, the organisation places great emphasis on providing a robust after-sales service, ensuring that customers receive ongoing support and assistance long after their purchase. The commitment to delivering exceptional quality extends to both the products and services offered by YELARSAN. As YELARSAN looks towards the future, it remains dedicated to

upholding its reputation as a leading provider of kitchen furniture. By embracing innovation, maintaining a customer-centric approach, and delivering unparalleled quality, YELARSAN continues to set industry standards and shape the kitchens of tomorrow.

Avda. La Marina 302 Local 2 03720 Benissa • 965 748 104 • www.yelarsan.es

Home Staging ideas Image – Followtheflow/shutterstock

THE goal of home staging is to present your property in the best possible light to attract potential buyers.

It involves making strategic improvements, arranging furniture and decor, and enhancing the overall aesthetics of the home.

Here are some key steps to consider when staging your property to sell!

Declutter and clean Start by removing any personal items, excess furniture, and clutter from the space. A clean and organised home allows buyers to visualise themselves living in it.

Depersonalise the space Minimise personal touches like family photos and unique artwork. Neutralise the decor to create a blank canvas that appeals to a wider range of potential buyers.

Create curb appeal First impressions matter, so enhance the exterior of

New Spanish housing law

First impressions really do matter! your property. Maintain the lawn, trim bushes, add potted plants, and ensure the front entrance is welcoming and well-maintained.

Neutral colour scheme Paint the walls in neutral colours to create a fresh and inviting atmosphere. Neutral tones make it easier for buyers to envision their own furniture and decor in the

space.

Furniture arrangement Rearrange furniture to create an open and spacious feel. Consider removing or replacing bulky pieces that may make rooms appear smaller than they are.

Highlight the best features Showcase the unique selling points of your

property. If you have a beautiful fireplace, highlight it by arranging furniture to draw attention to it.

Staging accessories Add tasteful accessories like throw pillows, rugs, and artwork to enhance the overall appeal. These elements can create a warm and inviting ambiance.

AT the end of April 2023, Spain’s housing law was updated to solve issues on annual rent increase rates, price limits, and eviction procedures in the country. But what does the new law mean for homeowners?

Annual rental increase rates will now be capped to reduce living costs and lessen the burden on tenants. The new law will cap the rental price increase at 2 per cent in 2023 and 3 per cent in 2024.

There will now be no agency fees for tenants and all estate agency fees must be covered by the landlord/homeowner.

There will be new control mechanisms over vacant properties and if the landlord will not live in or rent their property for a period of two consecutive years, they will receive a fine. If the property remains empty without justifiable reasons for over two years, the penalty will be applicable on the IBI tax amount, which changes between 50 per cent and 100 per cent.

Landlords who own five or more properties in a stressed area will be considered ‘large landlords’.

They will be distinguished from regular owners and will have specific measures to comply with as large property owners.

There is now an improved eviction system whereby tenants can only be evicted by a predetermined date and reason. Tenants will now have enough time to find an alternative living place until their eviction date and it is prohibited for the landlord to evict the tenant before this pre-set date.

14 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

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Advertising Feature

Amasvista Glass: Designed to perfection AS the weather heats up and summer draws ever closer, now is the best time to enjoy your outdoor space. With Amasvista Glass’ glazing solutions from Sunflex and shading solutions from STOBAG, your outdoor area can become a place to enjoy all of the seasons - from summer through to winter. The team will create your perfect space between indoors and outdoors. And with good planning and advice, your terrace or balcony will become your new favourite place to enjoy the Mediterranean sun.

Amasvista Glass has been providing the highest quality glass curtains on the Costa Blanca for 10 years and can help you make use of your home all throughout the year.

With an English-speaking team of professionals covering the whole of the Costa Blanca and Valencia, Amasvista are specialists in all types of glass products, including longlasting, durable glass curtains, all

AMASVISTA GLASS: Providing highest quality glass curtains.

PERSONAL SERVICE: Advice on how best to use your space.

made to order on-site at their factory on the Costa Blanca.

One of their most popular products is the glass curtains, slide and turn systems from Sunflex. These German-quality glazing products meet the highest technical requirements for quality, safety and functionality. Truly enhance your home

to your home for a custom quote, advising you on the best use of your spaces. If you’re not sure what would work best for your home and lifestyle, the team will carry out a free quotation on-site and help you to decide the best products for your budget, providing you with the best in function, quality and design. You

with sliding panels, featuring lower ball-bearing mounted carriages that will ensure optimum and smooth running of the individual sliding panels.

As well as the high-quality finishes and functions, Amasvista also offer a completely personalised and honest service. The team will come

will be guided throughout the process - from your first point of call until the final installation - with Amasvista’s unrivalled aftersales services on hand for any questions.

Create the spaces you have always dreamed of with the friendly and experienced team at Amasvista.

For more information or for a free quote on any of Amasvista Glass products, call now on 966 457 878, or email info@amasvista.com. You can also pop into Pol. Ind. Les Galgues Calle La Pansa 9 Pedreguer, or for more information, visit www.amasvista.com.

Off-plan properties Image – Iammotos/shutterstock

OFF - PLAN properties are homes that priced at almost 15 - 20 per are still in the design or planning phase, cent cheaper than existing meaning that the construction has not properties. They are also a yet started. Purchasing off-plan has a great investment opportunity, range of advantages, with the main as the value of the property draw being more reasonable pricing. will increase as it gets closer Let’s take a look at some of the other to completion. This means you advantages of buying an off-plan propmay have profit at good rates erty! while waiting for the construcPerhaps the most exciting part of purtion to be completed. chasing an off-plan house is that you Off-plan properties also ofwill have more design options, for fer better payment plans. A example, the choice of an open downpayment of 30 - 40 per plan kitchen and living cent in instalments is usuroom rather than two sepally expected, and the arate rooms. Another remaining value will benefit is that today’s be paid after comconstruction rules are pletion. When buymore centred around ing a property sustainable and enfrom a construcvironmentallytion company in friendly designs, Spain, the seller meaning you will has to guarantee be saving money the important on energy bills. parts of the Off-plan propproperty erties in Spain against any are much structural decheaper than fect, securing resales or finit for at least Purchasing an off-plan property has many advantages. ished homes, 10 years.

Bringing nature indoors AN increasing number of people are incorporating plants and flowers into their homes and offices, either in pots, hanging baskets, plant walls, plant ladders, or a good old vase. Bringing nature indoors can clean the air and remove toxins, enhance mood, increase productivity, and even help with sleep. The Euro Weekly News has been looking at some of the best reasons to bring plants into your home and office spaces, and how they can improve our health and well-being.

As well as providing decoration, plants can help remove toxins from the air, such as carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and benzene. They also release oxygen, which can help improve air quality.

Plants and flowers can have a positive effect on our mood and mental health and can help improve our overall outlook, making us feel happier. Nurturing and caring for plants in the home also has a calming effect and can reduce stress levels and blood pressure.

Having plants indoors can also increase productivity and concentration levels. Studies have shown that plants can help reduce distractions and improve focus, and that people with plants in their workspace feel more productive, happier, and calmer.

Plants and flowers can add a beautiful and natural touch to any indoor space, and some plants, such as lavender and chamomile, are known for their relaxing properties as well as helping to improve sleep.

Snake plants, spider plants, rubber plants, peace lilies, ferns, and English ivy are some of the best indoor plants for increasing oxygen levels and purifying the air.

46 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

A GREAT night of musical entertainment awaits you on Saturday June 24 in aid of the Lions Inter­ national relief fund for the Turkish Syrian earth­ quake victims.

The concert organised by the Calpe Benissa Li­ ons Club will see the very popular couple Moon­ shine Duo perform with a cameo performance by the delightful lady’s choir Caprice.

The concert will take place in the beautiful gardens of Finca Jacaran­ da in Beniasnar, near Pe­ dremala, Benissa. Take your own picnic to com­ plement the evening, a bar will be provided. The concert starts at 7pm and the tickets, which cost €12, can be re­ served by calling Mal­ colm on 711 075 065.

SOCIAL SCENE

International Festival Will and Whimsy THE cultural association Festi­ val Internacional de Javea has officially announced the re­ turn of the event after a three­year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic.

The peculiarities of the fes­ tival, which is prepared over several months and revolves around gastronomy, led the organisers to rule out schedul­ ing it last year.

The president of the asso­ ciation, Raúl de Lope, ex­ plained that the 28th edition of the festival will take place from June 29 to July 1 in its usual location on the Aveni­ da Augusta with free entry

Image by Javea Town Hall

Calpe Benissa Lions Club

euroweeklynews.com

FESTIVAL: Up to 19 countries will be taking part this year.

and doors opening at 6pm each day.

Up to 19 countries will be taking part including the UK, Holland, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela, Cuba, Chile, Alge­ ria and Brazil, and the Balcón al Mar fire brigade and organi­

sations such as the Red Cross will also be setting up their stalls.

In the central area there will be a stage where different musical, dance and folklore performances will help liven up the atmosphere.

JAVEA PLAYERS’ summer production taking place from June 26 to July 1 is an amusing compilation of sonnets by the Bard, directed by Claire Schoonover and Paul Hunter.

Sounds too heavy for a midsummer’s night? No way!

The many facets of love are explored, in modern situa­ tions with modern language, interspersed with Shake­ speare illustrating the beauty of his words.

New actors, and other well­known faces, will bring the Bard to life. Rachel Gibbons starting dancing at four and was President of Drama at Uni. Anne Tandonnet acted with French and English theatre groups in Cambodia. Both are delighted to have discovered the Players.

The show is preceded by an al fresco tapas meal before walking a few steps to the Casa de Cultura.

The meal at Bar Imperial starts at 7pm with the show be­ ginning at 9pm. The price for both is €22.50.

For more information see www.javeaplayers.com.

Summer Fair in Javea ON Friday June 30 the weekly Arts and Crafts fair that has been held every Sunday morning on the Paseo Marítimo in the port of Javea will give way to the Summer Fair, which will be held in the same place every afternoon until September 3.

Every evening from 7.30 pm to midnight up to 20 artisans will set up their stalls right by the sea.

The fair is an initiative of the port shopkeepers’ association and for the organisation it relies once

again on Amata, an association of artisans that carefully selects the participants to offer the maximum variety.

There will be leather bags and belts, ceramics, paintings and watercolours, dolls and toys, de­ signed jewellery in silver, macramé, aluminium, sea shells or ceramics, and much more.

For information visit www.puebloartesano. es/javeaverano and www.amata.es.

NEW ACTORS: Will bring the Bard’s sonnets to life.

SOCIAL SCENE

euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 June 2023

The English Choir Teulada A LT H O U G H now at the end of their regular sea­ son, The English Choir are trying a new initiative this year, the Summer Sing.

Choir Secretary Di Leary said: “As the major­ ity of our members are in Spain over the summer months, we thought we would try a weekly singing session. This al­ lows us to continue singing and of course is a social opportunity too.

“With our MD John

SUMMER SING: New members are welcome to join in.

Oliver Edwards happy to support the trial, we will be able to work on vocal techniques, learning new

material for our Autumn Concerts, and of course, have a good sing! This will be a pay­as­you­go drop

in opportunity, and new members are welcome to come and meet the group and give it a try.

“The first session will be on Thursday June 22 at 2.45pm in our rehearsal room in the Pensionistas rooms in Teulada, and will continue until August 21.”

For further information visit www.englishchoir. com, email theenglish­ choir@gmail.com or WhatsApp 603 842 693.

Corpus Christi Singers Showcase ON Thursday the Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplain­ cy in l’Albir celebrated Cor­ pus Christi at their week­ day service. Corpus Christi is the Day of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Je­ sus Christ. It is liturgically celebrated on the Thurs­ day after Trinity Sunday. It was also the second Thurs­ day and so the group in­ cluded the ministry of healing and wholeness with the laying on of hands and anointing.

A service of Holy Com­ munion is held in Albir ev­ ery Sunday at 9.30am.

You can find the Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplain­ cy in the centre of Albir.

Turn up the hill off the

main road, Camino de la Cantera (quite near the Consum Supermarket), signposted Rober Palas Hotel, turn right in front of the hotel and the Church (Norwegian Fisherman’s Church) is just inside the next road on the left, Car­ rer Mart.

They have a regular weekday service every Thursday at 11am at the Forum Mare Nostrum in Alfaz del Pi with a healing service on the second Thursday of each month.

For further information call Elaine Mitchell on 636 164 467, Paul Winter on 602 218 483 or visit www.costablanca­angli canchaplaincy.org.

THE Teatre­Auditori in Beniar­ beig (less than 10 minutes from the Ondara shopping centre) will be hosting Singers Showcase on Thursday September 21.

The event will be an evening filled with a diverse range of music from inspira­ tional and uplifting to musical theatre, stopping off at popu­ lar music en route.

The whole show will be performed by four different singing groups, all under the direction of Philip Ashley.

Sounds Familiar will be per­ forming excerpts from their previous show and also a pre­ view of their new show. Also appearing will be two choirs, the Vall Del Pop Singers and Cantãmus. Both choirs have their own style of music. Final­

ly the harmony group Adagio will be singing songs from their past and future reper­ toire as well as hosting the whole evening.

The evening will help to raise money for Jalon Valley HELP. Tickets are priced at €14 and available on 965 581 483 or online at www.philipash ley.com/boxoffice.php.

EWN 47

48 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

euroweeklynews.com

SOCIAL SCENE

Sant Joan in Alfaz U3A Vall del Pop ONCE again, the beach of l’Albir will host the celebra­ tion of the magical Nit de Sant Joan (Saint John’s Night). It will take place on Friday June 23 starting at 7pm.

The Christ Festivities Com­ mission will set up a bar where drinks and food will be served at popular prices, from sandwiches to hamburgers or ice creams. The music will be pro­ vided by DJ JV. At midnight the official bonfire will be burnt, the only one allowed on the whole of Albir beach, with live mu­ sic by Black Velvet.

Alfaz del Pi Council has planned a special arrangement for the celebration of the Nit de Sant Joan with combined ef­

A special night is planned.

forts by the security forces and municipal cleaning ser­ vices to ensure that every­

thing goes off without a hitch.

“The council will ensure that everything runs smoothly, combining safety with the leisure and enjoy­ ment of the citizens,” said Alfaz Tourism, Environment and Beaches councillor Luis Miguel Morant.

The festival of the bon­ fires of San Juan has pagan origins, as it commemo­ rates the beginning of summer and wards off bad omens. It is a special night, full of good vibrations and numerous rituals.

THE new group of Dru Yoga recently introduced to the U3A Vall del Pop is certain­ ly becoming a big hit with members.

According to instructor Sally Millane: “Dru Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word dhruva, which refers to stillness. In this stillness you are able to sit back from anything that may be happening around you and see and act from a point of clarity and inner calm.”

The Friday sessions are suitable for everyone and are held at the Pensionista (Jalon) from 10.00am.

Now the summer has ar­ rived most of the groups will be finishing for a relax­ ing break, but they still have a number of events taking place.

The Sharing and Caring team will be holding their Coffee Mornings and the Goodwill Team have or­ ganised a special Coffee

Morning on August 4 to in­ clude Cava and Strawber­ ries. The summer BBQ and disco will be taking place on Saturday June 24 in a member’s garden, and as a great treat for any Neil Dia­ mond lovers, Steve Marks, supported by Paul and Jude J will be entertaining members on September 14 at Pepe’s Restaurant, Al­ calali.

For further information visit u3avalldelpop.com.

Fogueres de Sant Joan THE Fogueres de Sant Joan fiestas in Javea con­ tinue this week with a full programme of events taking place until Saturday June 24.

Today, Thursday June 22 kicks off with the burning of the Asil Germans Cholbi foguera at 11am, followed by a street parade at 12.30pm and the burning of the Santa Maria de Betània foguera in the Placeta del Convent.

Further events include a flower offering to Sant Joan in the Plaça de l’Església at 7.30pm, a tribute to Queen and a mobile disco starting at 11.30pm.

On Friday June 23 there is a giant Spanish omelette and beer in the Parc Montaner at 2.30pm. At 8.30pm is the children’s fogueras at C/ Verge de la Soledat I Jesús Nazareno, and then at 11.30pm is the traditional Nit de Focs de Sant Joan (declared a ‘festival of local tourist in­ terest’ by the regional government) followed by the burning of the Trastos Vells foguera at the Carrer Raval de Baix and a spectacular correfocs (firework race) to the Plaça de la Constitució, fol­ lowed by the Santi Bertomeu Show.

For more information visit www.xabia.org.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT I HAVE never trusted the SNP. Because I retain quite a number of Scottish friends I have always kept my views pretty much to my­ self.

Many rather agreed to the quest for independence and despite the fact I would have simply hated to have seen the rebuilding of Hadrian’s Wall and Lord knows how many rules and regulations, including bor­ der passport control, a change in currency and a slow decline into oblivion as they endeavoured to rejoin the EU, I always respected their opinions and ideas for an independent Scotland.

To me Scotland will al­ ways be independent. To have this glorious country for a partner has always in­ stilled a great deal or pride into the ol boys psyche.

Touring and appearing all over, including the notori­ ous Glasgow Empire, has al­ ways granted me lifelong wonderful memories.

In my opinion all the SNP were after was control.

Nothing they ever did was beneficial to the people of Scotland. All they are truly interested in, is the power

22 - 28 June 2023

Not trusted

and financial gain Scot­ tish independence would bring them. For 15 years they’ve achieved pre­ cisely nothing. The Royal Hospital opened nine years late and cost the taxpayer £23 million. Drug deaths have tripled. The NHS main­ tenance backlog is over £1.3 billion.

The SNP tax rises mean the Scots pay more income tax than any other part of the UK. They are wasting over £8 million a year em­ ploying 52 members of staff in overseas offices. They have spent £7 million on government car services with a fleet of chauffer driv­ en cars at their disposal and between 2020 ­21 spent over £1.3 million on car trips. They attempted to cover up their loss of a £10 billion Chinese investment.

Crime rates are rocketing. I don’t really need to go on.

They are all power mad crooks. Sturgeon’s resigna­ tion, in the middle of her ambitions and promise to continue the fight for inde­ pendence to her last breath, was almost unbe­ lievably suspicious and now with half of her cabinet hur­ riedly resigned and both she and her husband arrest­

ed and questioned, this whole affair looks like be­ coming the scandal of the century. The idea of Stur­ geon in prison uniform waiting for her dinner in line with fellow female pris­ oners simply defies the imagination! Welcome back Scotland. The only country in the world I never pur­ chased a brandy ­ not with all that wonderful whisky available.

I’m just trying to take in the reports of the horren­ dous slaying of the two young students and care­ taker of the Nottingham University. Repetitively, as usual, the woke inveigled immigrant authorities are attempting to rule out ter­ rorist connections.

At the time of writing I have no idea of the final de­ cision, but can once again assure all of them that the UK is now impregnated with thousands of these people, all waiting for the call to arms. Heaven help the plunder of the inno­ cents when that time ar­ rives. Which, unless they rid themselves of woke diversi­ ty doctrine, most surely will.

Keep the faith.

Love Leapy. leapylee2002@gmail.com

Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

OUR VIEW

TRAIN STRAIN

IT seems quite incredible that with the Costa del Sol being such a major tourist attraction there is no way to travel by train from Fuen­ girola to anywhere along the western coast.

As Spain takes advantage of so much Euro­ pean Funding and is expected to persuade travellers to move out of their cars and use public transport as much as possible there is just no way of catching a train.

There are more and more relatively low cost connections from Malaga City to Cordoba, Madrid and Sevilla, as well as Granada, but apart from a short route to Velez­Malaga noth­ ing east to Axarquia and of course nothing past Fuengirola heading west.

For decades there have been calls to at least extend the suburban rail link to Marbella, if not Estepona, but it seems unlikely that this will ev­ er happen.

The problems of course are three­fold, firstly the cost, secondly the need to take over huge amounts of land currently in private hands and thirdly the time it would take to complete such an operation.

Good news for taxi drivers, the ubiquitous private hire companies and car rentals, but this is not going to help reduce pollution or the number of vehicles currently clogging up the main roads and making parking an often im­ possible task made worse by those who park on pavements or double park.

There are of course bus services, but they can be quite a slog for even the most hardened holidaymaker, often laden down with baggage and maybe a baby carriage and young child.

The same need exists across much of the na­ tion but it’s probably too late to do anything about it.

EWN 49

FINANCE BUSINESS EXTRA Sun spots UNIVERSITIES and tech compa­ nies will receive £4.3 million (€5 million) in funding from the government to develop space­ based solar power, which col­ lects energy from the sun using satellite­mounted panels and beams it to Earth. The scheme has huge potential, Energy Se­ curity Secretary, Grant Shapps, said.

Shanghai deal GRIFOLS, Catalonia­based multinational pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturer, is taking steps to reduce its debt with a corporate manoeuvre within the Chinese company, Shanghai RAAS. If the transac­ tion goes ahead, Grifols will re­ ceive $1.5 billion (€1.4 billion) while remaining ‘a significant’ Shanghai RAAS shareholder.

Shell payout SHELL intends to boost its divi­ dends by 15 per cent as part of the company’s plans to hand back more cash to its share­ holders under its new chief ex­ ecutive Wael Sawan. Shell has told investors that the dividend increase would become effec­ tive from the second quarter of its financial year.

No vote PORTUGUESE company West­ ern Gate, with a 2.18 per cent stake in the Dia supermarket chain, will vote against Ben­ jamin Babcock as a major shareholder­director represent­ ing LetterOne, which owns 77 per cent of the company. Mi­ nority shareholders should have more weight on Dia’s board, Western Gate said.

Not the same FREETRADE, the investment app, has slashed its pre­money valuation by 65 per cent while blaming current conditions and a “different market environ­ ment.” Freetrade’s valuation rose to £650 million (€760 mil­ lion) during the pandemic, but the company announced that it has since fallen to £225 million (€263 million).

Linda Hall THE UK economy recovered from the impact of strikes and returned to growth in April. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) registered a 0.2 per cent upturn owing to increased car sales and more spending in shops, bars and restaurants.

Growth over the first quarter increased by 0.1 per cent.

“Gross domestic product (GDP) bounced back after a weak March,” announced Darren Morgan, ONS’ direc­ tor of Economic Statistics.

Bars and pubs had a com­ paratively strong April while car sales rebounded. Edu­ cation partially recovered from the effect of the previ­

50

STAT OF WEEK

WAITROSE has invested £100 million (€116.9 million) in low­ ering the price of its own­brand range.

After cutting the prices of more than 300 items in Febru­ ary, the supermarket chain has reduced another 200 products as it competes with cheaper ri­ vals like Aldi and Lidl.

More than 100 items have been slashed by at least 10 per cent, Waitrose announced, as it hopes to woo shoppers looking out for bargains.

“We want customers to benefit every time they shop with us,” Charlotte Di Cello, Waitrose’s commercial director said.

€649 million

was the record turnover figure which Ayesa, the Sevilla-based IT consultancy firm, announced for 2022, a 130 per cent increase on 2021 following a year that included several acquisitions.

The road to recovery ONS HQ: UK’s Statistics Office, based in Newport (Wales).

Photo credit: ONS

ous month’s industrial ac­ tion, he said, although health output was affected by the junior doctors’ strikes.

“There were also falls in computer manufacturing and the often­erratic phar­ maceuticals industry,” Mor­ gan added.

April was a poor month

HAWALA has existed for centuries as an informal method for transferring mon­ ey.

“It is used to transfer funds from one location to another through service providers, known as hawaladar, regard­ less of the nature of the transaction and the countries involved,” according to an International Monetary Fund report.

Requiring no documentation, it is an anonymous way of moving money in Muslim communities in the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa and India although its use is not limited to Muslims.

Illegal in the US, and some EU mem­ ber nations, the practice is allowed in the UK, where the hawala system must comply with regulations set in England

More Waitrose reductions

euroweeklynews.com • 22 - 28 June 2023

for house builders and es­ tate agents, under pressure from rising interest rates and falling property values, the ONS report revealed.

The latest ONS figures co­ incided with the certainty that the Bank of England was about to hike interest rates for the 13th time in succession from its current

4.5 per cent.

Analysts explained the regulator is concerned that core inflation, which does not cover energy and food, remains stubbornly high.

The UK’s Chancellor, Jere­ my Hunt, said he backed the Bank over increased in­ terest rates, and the country was in a situation very dif­ ferent from last autumn’s.

“The International Mone­ tary Fund, the international commentators, think the British economy is on the right track and the govern­ ment is doing the right thing to support the Bank of Eng­ land.”

Old custom, new uses

Photo credit: audiovisual.ec.europa.eu

HAWALA: Exact scale unknown, said EC’s Executive vice-president Valdis Dombrowskis.

and Wales, register with HMRC and comply with UK money laundering.

Although routinely used by legitimate businesses, hawala’s anonymity and

minimal documentation make it vulner­ able to abuse by individuals and groups transferring funds to finance illegal activ­ ities.

Misuse of the system has been linked to the financing of terrorism and mon­ ey­laundering, although it is also used to bypass sanctions against Iran.

Valdis Dombrowskis, the European Commission’s Executive vice­president admitted in 2020 the hawala system was regarded as a matter for concern.

“Its exact scale in the EU is unknown,” he said. “Tracing the value flow is virtu­ ally impossible for law enforcement agencies.”

Everest not climbed Far reaching CARMINE DI SIBIO, global chief executive at Ernst & Young (EY) will retire next year.

Di Sibio, aged 60, was responsible for Project Everest, a plan to separate the con­ sultancy and audit divisions of the London­ based company, which was scuppered by EY’s New York office.

This would have involved spinning off EY’s consulting arm and listing it on the stock market, bringing multimillion­dollar windfalls to the firm’s partners.

The initiative cost more than $600 mil­ lion (€554.2 million) but Di Sibio still main­ tains that the deal was necessary to free consultants from conflict­of­interest rules that restricted them from advising audit clients.

Di Sibio will not step down immediately, he said, but would oversee the organisa­ tion through a transition period lasting un­ til the end of the next financial year in June 2024.

LEADING aerostructures company Aernnova is taking part in building the new Honda Jet 2600.

The Basque company will de­ sign the aircraft’s wings and their components, including the flaps, ailerons, the spoilers that open during landings, and the empen­ nage or tail fin.

The Honda Jet 2600 takes its name from the aircraft’s range target of 2,625 nautical miles (ap­ proximately 4,861 kilometres) and is designed to be the world’s first light jet capable of non­stop transcontinental flight across the United States.

Honda plans to market the air­ craft, which will have seating for 10 passengers and cost between $11 and $13 million (€10.1 and €12 million), in 2026.

Networks merge VODAFONE and the owner of Three will merge their British net­ works to create the UK’s largest mobile phone operator.

The companies are the UK’s third­ and fourth­biggest opera­ tors respectively and, once the merger is completed, will have more than 27 million subscribers between them. This will put them ahead of EE, owned by BT, and Virgin Media O2, jointly owned by Spain’s Telefonica and the US­list­ ed company Liberty Global.

The deal will be closely exam­ ined by competition regulators, al­ though the UK’s telecommunica­ tions’ regulator, Ofcom, announced last year that it was less opposed to consolidating the sector than in the past.

Mega-station DIF has announced a €514.3 mil­ lion contract connecting the high­ speed networks linking northern and southern Spain.

The project will create a huge Madrid station with terminals in Chamartín and Atocha connected by a tunnel, explained the state­ owned company which maintains and manages Spain’s rail net­ works.

The project will ensure maxi­ mum capacity for the second phase of Spain’s rail liberalisation, providing Atocha with four new tracks and two platforms under the existing station and Calle Mendez Avaro.

This will connect with the new high­speed southern access ­ op­ erational since July 2022 ­ and al­ low trains to stop at either Chamartin or Atocha.

Bending rules ANTONIO GARAMENDI, the Span­ ish Confederation of Business Or­ ganisations (CEOE) president, al­ legedly wants to lift restrictions on the number of terms a president may serve.

When re­elected in November, Garamendi was adamant changes to the statutes, were “out of the question.” Seven months later, however, Garamendi has met the CEOE’s vice­presidents to discuss altering the rules and “mod­ ernising” the election process.

All involved insisted any modifi­ cations were at an early stage and would first need to be discussed at the June board meeting and the General Assembly in July.

FINANCE

52 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

euroweeklynews.com

LONDON - FTSE 100

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US See our advert on previous page

CLOSING PRICES 19 JUNE

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

COMPANY

3I Group

1.971,50

1.984,50

1.963,00

592,19K

InterContinental

5.492,0

5.502,0

5.456,2

9,69K

Abrdn

214,20

214,60

213,20

531,91K

Intermediate Capital

1.379,50

1.393,30

1.376,50

22,99K

Admiral Group

2.185,0

2.188,1

2.158,0

27,74K

Intertek

4.367,0

4.380,0

4.362,0

2,50K

Anglo American

2.508,5

2.518,0

2.491,1

119,66K

ITV

70,38

70,88

69,08

124,68K

Antofagasta

1.527,50

1.541,00

1.515,00

36,73K

J Sainsbury

268,30

270,10

267,50

313,44K

Ashtead Group

5.386,0

5.388,0

5.324,0

35,07K

Johnson Matthey

1.711,5

1.733,5

1.707,0

12,33K

Associated British Foods

1.920,0

1.922,0

1.909,5

27,41K

Land Securities

588,20

588,20

582,60

66,67K

AstraZeneca

11.698,0

11.746,2

11.656,0

42,83K

Legal & General

231,00

231,90

228,70

1,10M

53,56K

Lloyds Banking

45,03

45,14

44,84

9,22M

8.668,0

8.730,0

8.666,0

19,86K

Auto Trader Group Plc

640,20

642,00

638,80

PRICE(P)

CHANGE(P)

% CHG.

NET VOL

1.17266

0.85315

Units per €

US dollar (USD) ........................................1.0932 Japan yen (JPY)........................................155.02 Switzerland franc (CHF) ...........................0.9769 Denmark kroner (DKK) .............................7.4500 Norway kroner (NOK) ...............................11.570

399,90

393,70

334,49K

London Stock Exchange

B&M European Value Retail SA552,00

556,08

550,00

115,79K

Melrose Industries

507,39

509,40

504,60

208,03K

currenciesdirect.com/moraira • Tel: +34 966 265 072

BAE Systems

961,60

973,80

960,89

291,83K

Mondi

1.258,00

1.261,00

1.249,50

84,96K

THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

Barclays

154,20

155,86

153,12

1,32M

National Grid

1.049,00

1.053,50

1.046,00

304,59K

Barratt Developments

440,84

444,87

440,80

151,31K

NatWest Group

254,80

256,80

254,00

707,60K

6.404,0

6.436,0

6.392,0

4,06K

Aviva

397,90

Berkeley

3.903,0

3.927,0

3.890,6

7,90K

Next

BHP Group Ltd

2.471,50

2.473,50

2.444,00

37,46K

Ocado

447,00

459,33

444,10

342,78K

BP

459,35

459,80

456,25

1,16M

Persimmon

1.173,2

1.195,1

1.170,5

65,18K

141,68K

Phoenix

549,60

551,60

543,00

78,31K

Prudential

1.125,00

1.131,00

1.111,50

272,51K

British American Tobacco 2.584,5

2.588,0

2.557,0

British Land Company

341,70

341,70

337,10

130,65K

BT Group

136,05

137,65

135,80

728,12K

Bunzl

3.034,0

3.051,0

3.020,0

13,08K

Burberry Group

2.261,0

2.270,0

2.253,0

12,70K

Carnival

1.112,5

1.117,0

1.092,5

69,94K

Centrica

118,51

119,50

118,02

609,09K

Coca Cola HBC AG

2.305,0

2.305,0

2.265,0

100,38K

Compass

2.174,00

2.178,00

2.165,80

77,08K

CRH

4.137,0

4.148,0

4.123,0

35,31K

Croda Intl

5.422,0

5.486,0

5.392,0

35,62K

DCC

4.604,0

4.604,0

4.575,0

4,82K

Diageo

3.339,0

3.353,5

3.334,5

64,83K

DS Smith

307,51

308,30

305,19

186,07K

EasyJet

511,20

514,40

503,88

215,92K

Experian

2.944,0

2.972,7

2.934,0

35,09K

Ferguson

11.705,0

11.775,0

11.645,0

3,85K

Flutter Entertainment

15.925,0

15.980,0

15.840,0

7,48K

Fresnillo

665,80

669,00

661,40

49,74K

Glencore

464,80

468,55

461,30

2,65M

GSK plc

1.371,00

1.380,40

1.366,00

416,14K

Halma

2.313,2

2.321,4

2.300,0

25,33K

Hargreaves Lansdown

811,50

829,40

808,80

34,89K

Hikma Pharma

1.911,50

1.952,40

1.911,50

20,11K

HSBC

612,85

615,00

611,10

IAG

165,05

166,60

Imperial Brands

1.765,27

Informa

727,60

Reckitt Benckiser

6.043,6

6.076,0

6.042,0

27,37K

Relx

2.635,00

2.647,00

2.633,00

147,13K

Rentokil

635,80

636,80

630,20

247,71K

Rightmove

530,40

533,40

527,40

71,10K

Rio Tinto PLC

5.254,0

5.273,0

5.229,0

139,61K

Rolls-Royce Holdings

152,75

154,60

150,75

2,85M

Sage

875,40

877,00

871,40

89,45K

Samsung Electronics DRC 1.395,00

1.396,00

1.389,00

0,47K

Schroders

449,4

452,4

448,1

169,73K

Scottish Mortgage

678,71

679,80

674,06

161,66K

Segro

758,60

758,60

751,60

80,71K

Severn Trent

2.721,0

2.732,0

2.702,0

17,35K

Shell

2.327,0

2.330,5

2.315,0

455,80K

Smith & Nephew

1.255,50

1.256,00

1.249,00

43,89K

Smiths Group

1.682,50

1.685,50

1.672,50

14,90K

Spirax-Sarco Engineering 10.850,0

11.095,0

10.805,0

7,73K

SSE

1.860,50

1.876,50

1.856,00

63,94K

St. James’s Place

1.112,75

1.121,50

1.111,50

14,53K

Standard Chartered

681,00

682,80

670,60

225,81K

Taylor Wimpey

108,30

109,50

108,29

1,16M

Tesco

260,80

262,00

260,38

623,08K

Tui

585,04

595,38

584,46

209,07K

Unilever

4.061,5

4.070,5

4.049,5

123,81K

2,12M

United Utilities

1.048,50

1.052,00

1.042,69

66,42K

164,90

1,57M

Vodafone Group PLC

74,23

74,57

73,91

2,41M

1.767,00

1.751,00

48,14K

Whitbread

3.427,0

3.444,0

3.425,0

13,01K

728,80

723,20

144,47K

WPP

872,20

875,00

868,00

75,55K

DOW JONES CLOSING PRICES 19 JUNE

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE

CHANGE% VOLUME(M)

3M American Express Amgen Apple Boeing Caterpillar Chevron Cisco Coca-Cola Dow Goldman Sachs Home Depot Honeywell IBM Intel J&J JPMorgan McDonald’s Merck&Co Microsoft Nike Procter&Gamble Salesforce Inc The Travelers UnitedHealth Verizon Visa A Walgreens Boots Walmart Walt Disney

104,54 172,21 229,66 184,92 219,99 245,27 157,26 52,07 61,67 53,16 338,31 300,38 202,97 137,48 36,37 164,23 143,26 293,70 109,32 342,33 113,59 149,54 211,76 176,75 458,49 36,46 228,91 32,67 155,53 91,32

104,89 174,58 231,95 186,99 223,87 250,89 159,24 52,40 62,17 53,31 341,40 305,98 206,01 139,47 36,79 164,99 143,96 296,57 110,46 351,47 114,76 150,09 213,65 177,97 468,52 36,69 229,80 32,81 158,15 92,97

103,17 6,16M 171,55 4,56M 227,75 6,52M 184,27 92,68M 218,98 7,63M 244,97 5,18M 157,26 22,73M 51,93 36,14M 61,48 25,76M 52,60 8,55M 337,11 4,46M 300,14 10,64M 202,46 4,83M 137,47 7,40M 35,60 108,97M 163,87 13,20M 142,50 13,58M 293,14 4,81M 109,06 15,38M 341,95 44,77M 113,06 14,22M 148,90 10,98M 210,60 13,50M 175,97 2,30M 457,93 7,57M 36,17 35,76M 226,08 13,21M 31,73 15,81M 155,28 11,38M 90,86 22,46M M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ CLOSING PRICES 19 JUNE

COMPANY Most Advanced nCino, Inc. Abcam plc Samsonite International S.A. China Feihe Limited ECARX Holdings Inc. Enovix Corporation Xinyi Solar Holdings Limited Ocado Group plc LATAM Airlines Group S.A. Liontown Resources Limited YPF Sociedad Anónima

CHANGE NET / %

VOLUME

+24.47% +17.05% +13.08% +12.03% +11.71% +10.93% +10.72% +8.83% +8.64% +8.50% +8.18%

8.206M 4.762M 17,100 24,493 499,944 19.342M 61,314 67,404 750,412 34,382 4.698M

-12.86% -9.95% -8.13% -7.98% -7.60% -7.46% -7.22% -7.14% -7.14% -6.72% -6.68%

8.418M 107.557M 1.65M 2.496M 811,605 3.702M 5.283M 16.932M 12.808M 28,267 10.768M

Most Declined CAVA Group, Inc. SoFi Technologies, Inc. Cabot Corporation Integral Ad Science Holding Corp.

ProKidney Corp.

Privia Health Group, Inc. agilon health, inc.

Lufax Holding Ltd NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. Turkiye Garanti Bankasi A.S. Joby Aviation, Inc.

euroweeklynews.com

BUSINESS EXTRA Top changes SANTANDER, which is cur­ rently renewing its top ex­ ecutives in Europe, an­ nounced the appointment of Pedro Castro e Almeida, until now chief executive of Santander Portugal, as its new Regional Head of Europe. He takes over on September 1 from Anto­ nio Simões, who is leaving the bank to join the British insurer Legal & General.

Football fund TWENTY top­flight UK foot­ ball clubs were consulted over making permanent a funding package that was set up during the pandem­ ic. Sources revealed the government proposed to increase the existing £100m (€116.7m) allocation for grassroots, community and other football projects to £133m (€155.2m), subject to future increases in Pre­ mier League revenue.

22 - 28 June 2023

No good options to hand LEADING market analysts at CMC Markets hardly pre­ dicted a wave of cheerful news after UK inflation failed to fall as low as hoped.

The latest Ofgem price cap changed little for house­ hold bills, they pointed out, but the end of the two gov­ ernment schemes helped to lower inflation.

Experts at CMC, a leading global provider of online fi­ nancial trading and institu­ tional technology solutions, foresaw a further squeeze

Photo credit: CC/Colin Smith

FINANCE

UK REGULATOR: Tricky choices for Bank of England.

Zara soars high INDITEX shares have shot up since the textile giant, which owns Zara and other fashion labels, presented record quarter­ ly figures on June 7.

The shares went above €34 for the first time in six years and now approach their all­time high of €34.85 in June 2017 On June 14 they stood at €34.21, an in­ crease of 7.5 per cent following Inditex’s

quarterly figures, giving the company a value of €106.6 billion.

According to financial daily Cinco Dias, 65.7 per cent of investment and trading analysts recommend buying Inditex now. A further 28.6 per cent advised those who already had shares to hang on to them, while just 5.7 per cent said they should sell.

on consumers and a possi­ ble rise in the base rate.

Nor did they rule out a re­ cession like Germany’s, with reduced household and business expenditure, re­ duced demand for debt, and a rise in unemploy­ ment.

“We already know from the Kantar grocery numbers earlier that food inflation is slowing down. In May, it came in at 17.2 per cent, but the process looks in­ creasingly glacial,” said Michael Hewson, CMC Mar­ kets’ chief market analyst.

“For now, the central bank is in the invidious posi­ tion of having no good op­ tions,” he declared.

“Do nothing and inflation will take longer to work its way out of the system, squeezing consumers fur­ ther. Raise by 0.25 percent­ age points to show they are trying to do something,” Hewson said. “Or be more aggressive and push the economy into recession.”

EWN 53

Riders law THE majority of Labour Min­ isters from the EU’s 27 mem­ ber states voted in favour of a directive setting out the working conditions for the food delivery and other rid­ ers employed by digital plat­ forms. Spain abstained, as Yolanda Diaz, who is also sec­ ond vice­president, consid­ ered that the new measures were insufficient and were “difficult to understand in democratic terms.”

Export fiasco FIGURES from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed that the UK’s goods and services ex­ ports had a value of $813 billion (€756 billion) in 2012 but rose only 6 per cent by 2021. Overall, the EU’s 27 member enjoyed a 29.1 per cent increase in the value of their exports during the same period.

54 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

NATIONAL GRID is in talks with power generation group Drax over bringing two coal­fired units at its Sel­ by (North Yorkshire) plant out of retirement. ESO, the grid’s system operator, has discussed restarting the units, shut down this year after 50 years of coal­fired power generation, to pre­ vent power cuts in winter.

Prove it SPAIN’S Supreme Court ruled temporary public­sec­ tor employees who are not covered by the 2021 Em­ ployment Stability Act and sacked after working for sev­ eral years, are not automati­ cally entitled to compensa­ tion. Instead, they must demonstrate that dismissal has caused them significant ‘moral or financial’ damage.

Pigging out SWIZZELS, which also makes Refreshers and Parma Vio­ lets, will redesign the Pig Mugs it has sold since 1996, after M &S argued they were too similar to their own product. M & S sells 271 bags a minute of Percy Pig fruit gums since their 1993 launch, generating a £131.7 million (€153.9m) turnover since then.

Des res ANA GAMAZO HOHENLO­ HE, who is the wife of Juan Abello, one of Spain’s richest businessmen, intends to sell one of her properties in Calle Padilla in Madrid’s Salaman­ ca district, equivalent to Lon­ don’s Mayfair. The sale of the 8,500sqm five­storey building is expected to raise around €80 million.

Ashes to ashes ALASDAIR WARREN, WE So­ da’s chief executive, said New York could eventually be a “credible alternative” for a stock market flotation.

The world’s principal natural soda ash producer aban­ doned plans to list in Lon­ don, claiming valuations were “unrealistically low.”

HORSE, the new Renault company, will be based in Madrid.

Romania, which produces the Da­ cia range, was competing with Spain to be chosen by the joint venture ini­ tiative between Renault and the Chi­ nese automotive company Geely. In­ stead, the June 14 announcement has underlined Renault’s commit­ ment to Spain, its second­most im­ portant industrial hub after France.

The new company, Horse, will fo­ cus on developing internal combus­ tion engines, hybrids and new tech­ nologies including e­fuels, although the announcement will not have im­ mediate investment repercussions.

Nevertheless, the presence of Horse in Madrid will put Spain at an advantage regarding decision­making by a company that foresees an annu­

RENAULT HORSE: Madrid, CEO Luca de Meo announced.

al turnover of €15 billion for its 15 production plants worldwide.

Renault’s currently operates a gearbox factory in Sevilla and an en­ gine factory in Valladolid, both of

which will become Horse assets.

While the future Renault spinoff Ampere will focus on electric vehi­ cles, Horse represents Renault’s en­ deavours to continue producing com­ bustion engine vehicles using less polluting technologies both in Europe and outside it.

The company believes that syn­ thetic fuels will prolong the combus­ tion engine’s life inside Europe, al­ though the European Commission is banning the sale of polluting vehicles, including hybrids, from 2035 on­ wards.

While Italy totally opposes the ban, Germany is calling for an exemption for vehicles that use climate­neutral synthetic fuels, although at present these are exceptionally expensive compared with petrol or diesel.

SPANISH engineering and con­ struction company Elecnor will cede a controlling interest in its wind power subsidiary, Enerfín.

It no longer seeks a financial partner to take a ‘relevant but not majority stake’ in Enerfin, as it did a year ago.

Until now Elecnor has been able to finance growth and pay shareholders dividends of €31 million last year and €29 mil­ lion in 2021, but now requires more cash to maintain commit­ ments.

Parallel to the Enerfin opera­ tion, Elecnor, worth an estimat­ ed €1 billion, has launched a new programme to place €400 million in promissory notes.

This will finance multiple pro­ jects in Spain and international­ ly, the company announced.

Inflation’s toll on salaries Top secret PAY in the UK has fallen once it has been adjusted for inflation, even though most salaries have in­ creased.

Global employee pay company, CloudPay, warned that more sustain­ able benefits packages needed to be adopted to offset this problem.

“It’s clear that the rising cost of living is continuing to put significant pressure on businesses as staff and potential recruits seek higher pay packages in what remains a tough eco­ nomic climate,” Cloud­ Pay’s John Pearce said.

Inflation had created a scenario where salary rises were having little or no im­ pact on household bud­ gets and firms seemingly faced an unsustainable level of demand for more increases, he added.

“The challenge, of course, is that employers are already struggling with skills shortages, meaning that many are having to use pay inflation as an at­ traction and retention tool,” Pearce said said.

“But this can only be sustained for so long and businesses will need to find an alternative soon,” he warned.

Benefits packages, which were more cost­ef­ fective long­term for busi­ nesses, would be increas­

Photo credit: Pixabay/Joergalman

Stoked up

FINANCE

More HORSEpower for Madrid Letting go Photo credit: renaultgroup.com

BUSINESS EXTRA

www.euroweeklynews.com

PAY INFLATION: More pressure on businesses and staff.

ingly relied on, CloudPay foresaw.

“That includes flexibility around pay solutions al­ lowing individuals to con­ trol when and how often they access their pay to help mitigate against some of the budget challenges that the UK population is facing,” Pearce said.

5G comes in to land AIRPORTS group Aena and Cellnex Telecom are launch­ ing the first private network based on 5G technology at Spanish airports.

The pilot project at San Sebastian airport in the north of Spain is one of the first at a European airport, Aena announced.

The agreement with Ae­ na will takes Cellnex a step

forward in developing a strategy based on organic growth within the company rather than the multi­million acquisition of telecommuni­ cations infrastructure it has made recent years.

Aena regards 5G as a key technology in its digital transformation process, a source at the state­owned company explained.

THE UK’s Competition and Markets Au­ thority (CMA) has rebuked Sainsbury’s and Asda for irregular land agreements that hindered rival chains from opening up nearby.

It had found a total of 32 examples where the chains had placed restrictions on land agreements which, the regulator said, were anti­competitive.

Sainsbury’s and Asda respectively hold the second and third highest market shares in the UK, but both had breached the Groceries Market Investigation (Con­ trolled Land) Order 2010, the CMA said.

This had been brought in precisely to

Connectivity at its airports has existed for years, but the new technology would enable the development of applications in important fields, Aena said.

These included the ad­ vancement of the internet of things (IoT), which con­ nects and exchanges data with other devices and sys­ tems via the internet.

Big players’ stitch-up stop supermarkets imposing new restric­ tions to stop rivals from opening com­ peting stores nearby.

“By ensuring that supermarkets can compete freely, the CMA is ensuring that shoppers have more choice and so bene­ fit from a wider range of groceries and access to cheaper prices,” the watchdog said.

TUFAN ERGINBILGIC, chief execu­ tive who took over £12 billion (€14 billion) engineering company Rolls­ Royce in January, has joint British and Turkish citizenship.

Owing to his dual nationality, Erginbilgic cannot access top secret UK government documents relat­ ing to its submarines business, Rolls­ Royce sources told the Guardian.

Rolls­Royce’s submarines divi­ sion builds the nuclear reactors powering Britain’s submarines, in­ cluding the Vanguard armed with nuclear warheads, and Whitehall security protocols prevent him from viewing ‘UK eyes only’ docu­ ments.

Chris Cholerton, the group’s president since March, has instead been given responsibility for han­ dling sensitive information.

Pilot scheme SPAIN’S BBVA bank is trialling a scheme to close less­used urban branches for two or three days each week.

This does not affect staff, who provide support for busier branches in the same locality, BB­ VA sources explained.

The pilot scheme is currently operating at 12 branches in Valen­ cia, according to unions quoted in financial daily, Expansion.

The bank ‘constantly’ tries out new projects, it insisted, adding that the current trial did not entail staff reductions or branch clo­ sures. Neither did it mean that BBVA would leave more towns in future.

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

THE WRITE STUFF - THE CHALLENGES OF WRITING A NOVEL circus of your imagination.

Yet, lurking in the shadows are challenges that would make Sisyphus rethink his boul­ BREAKING VIEWS der­pushing gig. Writer’s block, the bane of Nora is the author of popular psychological your existence, strikes when inspiration is but suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist. a distant memory. Your characters may be EVER thought of writing a novel? I’m often waiting with bated breath, but your creative asked what it’s really like, so here goes... juices have gone AWOL. Overcoming this tor­ Writing novels, a whimsical journey filled menting challenge can be as elusive as finding with unexpected twists and turns, offers both the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. great benefits but mind­ So, dear aspiring novel­ boggling challenges. It’s a ists, embrace the chaos, wild ride that can be con­ savour the perks and troversial and, at times, buckle up for the exhila­ downright off­the­wall. rating rollercoaster ride One of its greatest that awaits you in the perks is the power to fash­ realm of novel writing! ion extraordinary worlds Nora Johnson’s 12 criti­ out of thin air. You can cally acclaimed psycho­ create realms where pigs logical suspense crime fly, people can communi­ thrillers (www.nora­john cate with plants and gravi­ son.net) all available on­ ty decides to take a day line including eBooks off. The boundless free­ (€0.99; £0.99), Apple dom to construct unique Books, audiobooks, pa­ landscapes and bend real­ perbacks at Amazon etc.

NORA’S LATEST THRILLER. ity to your will is like hav­ Profits to Cudeca cancer ing a backstage pass to the charity.

NORA JOHNSON

Nora Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

22 - 28 June 2023

EWN 55

56 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

euroweeklynews.com

By Clinica Britannia

Living with missing teeth is not a viable option for most people, as it causes them embarrassment when smil­ ing or talking, inhibits the basic daily activities, and un­ fortunately negatively af­ fects how others perceive them.

You may think you can hide a missing molar, but a missing front tooth is im­ possible. But also, impor­ tantly if a gap is left, the oth­ er teeth will shift position causing them to become misaligned, changing the natural shape of your face.

At Clinica Britannia we make custom­made high quality partial or full den­ tures, giving your smile a full and natural look. With proper fitting dentures you will have no problems

Get a grip Photo credit: Pixabay/Johns Stocker

Don’t put up with a missing tooth

HEALTH & BEAUTY

We make custom-made high quality dentures.

chewing food, talking, or smiling confidently.

Did you know that a completely new set of den­ tures can now be made within four days, allowing you to enjoy your NEW smile within record time, you could even have them made without interrupting your vacation.

We are also happy to of­ fer our existing and new pa­

tients an Express Service for the repair of any type of Dental prosthesis (denture) within as little as one hour, due to our onsite laborato­ ry and technicians.

If you already have exist­ ing dentures and want them to look like new again, then why not have them cleaned and polished, we can make that happen whilst you wait.

Appointments Landline: 965 837 553 / 965 837 851 • 24H/365D Emergency Number: (+34) 607 255 755 • Opening Times: Mon - Fri: 9:00am / 5:00pm

Clinica Britannia Calpe Av. Ejercitos Españoles 16 BIS, 1st Floor, Calpe

HAND STRENGTH: Long-accepted as a biomarker for overall health.

HAND strength has always been tied to general well­ being.

A person’s grip is also a biomarker for overall health owing to its links with many other health­ related variables.

These include bone­

mineral density, nutrition, cognitive impairment, sleep problems and quali­ ty of life, according to Richard Bohannon, author of ‘An Indispensable Biomarker for Older Adults’.

An earlier 2015 study, which monitored nearly 140,000 older adults over four years, found that a frail grip was related to higher incidences of heart attack, stroke and cardio­ vascular disease.

The researchers also found that it foretold the likelihood of early death more effectively than blood pressure.

Plane sense IF your summer break entails flying, avoid cof­ fee and remember to drink enough water.

Planes can dehydrate you because half of the air circulating in the cab­ in comes from the out­ side. When you’re at a higher altitude there is hardly any moisture in the air.

Eat something light, like a salad and fruit.

Avoid salty fast food, es­ pecially before flying, as this can cause bloating and more dehydration.

Avoid coffee too and stick to fresh juices and water.

Footnote QUESTION: What part of our bodies do approxi­ mately 75 per cent of us fail to wash when show­ ering?

Answer: Our feet.

Health authorities in the UK and the US are urging people to pay more attention to their feet and to scrub them with soap on alternate days at least.

Regular washing can help to avoid fungal in­ fections, like athlete’s foot, and problems with toenails, they said.

These are increasingly common worldwide as they become resistant to medication, doctors ex­ plained.

All change THIS week’s conflicting alcohol news comes from a Massachusetts General Hospital re­ search team in the US. After analysing data involving more than 50,000 Americans, they found that an occasional drink lowers stress, which is linked to heart attack and stroke.

They concluded that women who drank one alcoholic beverage a day and men who drank two had a lower risk of cardiovascular problems than teetotallers or those who drank more.

58 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

euroweeklynews.com

ACV: Can help but not cure, doctors say.

A walking workout WALKING at a steady, un­ hurried pace helps to low­ er the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Extending the length of your walk can reduce the possibility of premature death and diseases like cancer, medical research has found. Increased in­ tensity brings further ben­ efits.

If walking is your princi­ pal exercise, turn it into a mini­workout, by bringing along kilo, or half­kilo weights. Alternatively, swap these for filled­up water bottles which can do double duty by keeping you hydrated later in your walk, suggested Kinesiolo­ gy and Nutrition Sciences professor, Dr Janet Dufek.

She pointed out that it’s also possible to boost a walking workout by choosing a different ter­ rain, especially a beach, since dry sand is an ‘ex­ treme surface’ demanding much more effort.

Photo credit: Pixabay/marcusspiske

Photo credit: Pixabay/Noname13

Cider decider

IMMUNOLOGIST Darshna Yagnik, a senior lecturer at Middlesex University, be­ gan taking interest in Ap­ ple Cider Vinegar (ACV) af­ ter it unexpectedly calmed her upset stomach.

Dr Yagnik’s research found that ACV killed as much E coli and MRSA in petri dishes almost as ef­ fectively as common an­ tibiotics, but admitted that it was not clear how this would translate to the human body.

Other studies have found that ACV can help to normalise blood­sugar levels, reduce inflamma­ tion, aid weight loss and improve cholesterol lev­ els.

University of Chicago Medical Centre agreed, in principle, that ACV had an­ tibacterial properties, could boost weight­loss on a calorie­controlled diet and was able to “moder­ ately” lower blood glucose levels.

But it had no effect on high blood pressure and could erode your tooth enamel, the Chicago doc­ tors warned.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

DRY SAND: More effort required when walking on a beach.

Do it gradually FORGET the old assumption that you must first go red to get a suntan.

Abi Cleeve, a beauty expert and managing director of a sun­protection firm, explained that the skin turns darker in the sun as it releases melanin to protect itself.

That did not mean it was necessary to turn lobster­red first, she insisted.

“As soon as the skin goes red, it’s in trauma.”

The skin appears to have tanned quickly but has burned, ensuring that you will eventually peel, she added.

To avoid this, Cleeve recommended gradually building up time spent in the sun, using a higher SPF sunblock to protect the skin while still getting a tan.

By Clinica Britannia

Assessing your general health G A I N I N G weight or have problems losing it? Then visit us at Clinica Bri­ tannia for our Internal Spe­ cialist to assess your general health. He may ask for a stool or blood sam­ ple to be taken to rule out any underlying GUT DYSBIOSIS: When harmful bacteria outgrows healthy ones. health prob­ lems and to help identify the cause of the healthy ones, it causes an imbal­ weight gain, as this can be due to vari­ ance called Gut Dysbiosis. You will ex­ ous reasons one being Gut Dysbiosis. perience symptoms such as diarrhoea, Your gut is home to more than 100 bloating, gas, abdominal pain, weight trillion bacteria ­ and that is a LOT and gain and heartburn. together, this bacteria and other mi­ If the results of the diagnostic tests crobes in your gut make up your gut show that you are suffering with Gut microbiome.

Dysbiosis, our Nutritionist can work If the healthy bacteria in your gut out an individual plan tailored to your outgrow the harmful ones, then your lifestyle and personal diet preferences digestive health should be fine. How­ to help alleviate the problem, making ever, if the harmful bacteria outgrow weight loss a lot simpler.

Our nurse at the surgery will also offer you regular follow­up appointments, every two weeks to a month, to monitor your weight loss and progress.

Cold comfort A COLD shower could result in fewer days off sick.

The results of a study published in Public Library of Science (PLOS) journal found that 29 per cent of those who turned on the cold tap for 30, 60 or 90 sec­ onds needed less sick leave compared with people who had warm showers.

The cold shower group also felt they had better quality of life and suffered less anxiety.

Researchers concluded that the cold water stimu­ lated leukocytes, the im­ mune cells that help fight off infection, and increased levels of elating endor­ phins.

1 No 1 healthiest food in world is lentils

FEATURE

euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 June 2023

EWN 59

Advertising Feature

NEATER HEATER WANT ‘SQUIRRELS’ AS CUSTOMERS RICHARD and Tony from NEATER HEATER are urging all our readers to start prepar­ ing for next winter now.

“We really want people to imitate squirrels,” said Tony “As we know; all the other woodland creatures just laze about in the summer, relaxing.

“So when the winter comes they have to furi­ ously compete with each other for the scraps left over or hide away and hibernate, waiting for next summer.

But not the squirrels!

Squirrels plan for the winter by hoarding nuts, berries and seeds in the summer, so when winter comes they are well prepared for it, and are

SQUIRRELS: Are well prepared for the winter during the summer and so should you be.

able to enjoy themselves on those

nice bright winter days when the sun does come out. They are obviously the wisest crea­ tures in the wood. And that is what we want our customers to be.”

“What Tony is trying to say” interjected Richard, “is that when winter finally arrives in Spain, northern Europe has been cold for months. This means that Chilly Czechs, Frozen Fins and Shivering Swedes have been stripping the shelves for months. Every year we have panicking cus­ tomers calling us in December,

NEATER HEATER DISTRIBUTORS: COSTA BLANCA NORTH MORAIRA: S&W, The Tool Bar. Tel. 965 745 805 • ALTEA: Leo’s Superstore. Tel. 965 844 848 Heaters also available for purchase at our online shop with free home delivery.

WWW.NEATERHEATER.ES or Tel. 634 312 171 (WhatsApp available)

They make it easy!

MIKE SENKER IN MY OPINION Views of a Grumpy Old Man I KNOW I’m a grumpy old sod but the world around me don’t half make it easy.

I have written about my car before and people spoke to me and said it was something that ticked them off too. But this one has given me the serious hump.

I got in my car after being away for two weeks and two warning lights came on, one saying ‘code 82’ and the other was a filter light. So having three years warranty and three years free servicing, I wasn’t too worried. I looked up ‘code 82’ in the hand book and it just said ‘change oil soon’. I thought that was strange as I’ve only done 18,000 miles in two and a half years.

I take it to my local garage where I purchased the car but who now don’t sell them as Chevrolet has pulled out of Europe. The mechanic then proceeds to tell me I’ve been driving the car wrong and it’s all my fault and it’s not covered by god knows how many warranties I have on the car.

What? How can I be driving it wrong? It’s a

fully automatic turbo diesel and, for your information young man, I’ve been driving for 50 years and never had an accident! What came next left me flabbergasted like never before. He says I can’t turn the engine off; I mustn’t drive it out of the garage because if I do and I quote ‘you will break the engine. We have to change the engine oil immediately!’

Wait - it gets better. He asks me if when I stop, the engine fan carries on after I turn the engine off? “Yes, it does sometimes”. “Oh. Well if it does, start it up again and take it for a run getting it up over 3000 rpm”. “Are you loco?”

“I’ve just got home why would I want to go out again?” “You have to take the car to Malaga once a week reaching 4000rpm. Don’t use the automatic gearbox.” “Whoa, whoa hombre, what are you talking about?

Why on earth would I want to do that?” “Because these cars, and many others, have this problem with big diesel engines.” I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. That just doesn’t make any sense that the car I paid extra for to have an automatic gearbox I have to drive manually, at speeds that break the law, to a place I don’t want to go to at least once a week! “Oh and it’s going to cost you €207 too.”

I now have to phone GM Europe and find out exactly what’s going on because surely this can’t be right. I’ll let you know!

Mike’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

desperate to have heaters supplied and fitted by Christ­ mas. Frequently these cus­ tomers have to compromise on their choice, or be put at the back of a long queue. Ev­ ery year we think to ourselves ­ ‘It’s a shame you didn’t order them in the summer when we had loads of them in stock and, equally as important, the time to process the orders’.”

NEATER HEATER is the sole Spanish distributor for BEHA and ADAX NEO convector heaters. We currently have more stock than ever before at various locations, just wait­ ing for the ‘squirrels’. Please feel free to call us on 634 312 171 for more information, or visit our web site www.neaterheater.es , or email info@neaterheater.es.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

69

62 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

euroweeklynews.com

Spanish beaches

HOROSCOPES/LETTERS LETTERS

I lived for almost 10 years close to Ner­ ja in southern Spain where the beaches were supposed to be safe as it is an up­ market tourist spot. Raw sewage was pumped directly into the water as the lo­ cal authorities had not finished building the waste treatment plant, even though they had been allocated the money to do so. The EU fined them thousands of euros yet it still didn’t get completed. That is only one instance reported whilst I was living there, as another previously named blue flag beach was at Caleta and Torre del Mar, yet it was reported the mussel farms had to be closed because the sea water was contaminated.

Alan

Cooks warning You wrote: Neither meat nor fish should be washed and do not need any additional treatment such as washing.

You have no clue what you are talking about. Even the Spanish health authority mandatory classes for restaurant workers tell you to wash all fresh meat in water (no soap) before cooking, to remove bone fragments and specks of fecal mat­ ter. As long as proper kitchen cleanliness rules are followed, there is little chance of cross contamination.

Ernst Tibres

Thank you Editor’s letter We thank you and everyone who spoke about our cause and supported us, and we hope that everyone will stand with us because there is a humanitarian issue that must be highlighted and that the de­ tainees of the Religion of Peace and Al­ Nour Al­Ahmadi detainees in Turkey be immediately released and this tragic file be ended as quickly as possible.

Shadi Mahdi

matters that otherwise have no voice and are shouting at every second “help!” and “injustice!” Thank you.

Veronica

Short flights Agree with Alexander, this is just head­ lining actions without real facts and data.

Are they going to keep prices low and ser­ vices as at least equal to flying, no stop changes and in some cases longer travel times?

DJH

Vaccine passports This is another attempt at a controlling mechanism. It is quite clear from the Covid era that none of the so called ‘vac­ cines stopped or prevented transmission’, and were there for monitoring and con­ trol purposes. People are now aware of this overwatch mentality under the guise of ‘Virus control’. Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me!

Mark

Very fair Dear Sir, Not one for usually adding comment to newspaper articles, I would just like to thank you for your recent article Leapy.

Absolutely fantastic piece to which I concur 100 per cent and written in such a frank, common sense and experienced tone and yet very fair.

It is rare these days to hear a voice that reflects mine and my wife’s view, as we become more ignored by the powers that be in the UK or Spain.

Thank you once again and continue your wonderful articles. Keep up the good work and keep the faith : ) Steve (60 years) Jalon, Marina Alta and Leeds UK

Sad subject

San Juan

Thank you so much Euro Weekly News for cover up on this sad subject in the in­ justice, torture and violation of human rights, it is a criminal act against humani­ ty and we hope that human rights organi­ sations will intervene immediately and save the lives of innocent people.

Having bonfire night and fireworks so near the summer solstice is pretty silly.

Much better to have them at a time when it gets dark earlier, so that you can enjoy the fireworks and then still get a good night’s sleep. November is much better.

Nesrin

Joe

A better world

Flamingo colony

Hey, Euro Weekly News it’s so amazing to see a beating heart behind a news re­ port. We thank you for collaborating with humanity and making this world a better world just by bringing to light important

Tell them to come to our salt water la­ goon near Obidos, Portugal. It’s the biggest salt water lagoon in Europe and it’s fed by the Atlantic so never dries up.

David Goulty

Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: euroweeklynews.com Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers.

No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

PETS

63

SPONSORED BY

www.euroweeklynews.com • 22 - 28 June 2023

Catherine McGeer CAT sterilisation is widely recommended by veteri­ narians and animal wel­ fare organisations as a responsible approach to cat care, population con­ trol, and promoting the well­being of both indi­ vidual cats and the com­ munity as a whole. For this reason, veterinarians recommend sterilising cats to improve living conditions and prevent certain health issues as­ sociated with uncon­ trolled reproduction.

The CER method (cap­ ture, sterilisation, and re­ turn) is commonly used to manage cat colonies and prevent overcrowd­ ing. A recent study pub­ lished in Nature Commu­ nications introduced a new injection developed in the United States for sterilising female cats.

Photo credit: Pexels/umit Ozbek

Revolutionary injection

RESPONSIBLE: Injection initiative safer and kinder.

The injection delivers a hormone called anti­Mül­ lerian hormone (AMH) that inhibits ovulation and prevents pregnancy.

The study involved nine female cats, with six re­ ceiving the treatment and three serving as a control group.

The initial results showed the method’s ef­ fectiveness without any observed side effects af­ ter four years.

While there may still

LIVING with pets brings im­ mense joy and companion­ ship, but it also comes with the inevitable challenge of dealing with pet hair.

Whether you have a lovable dog or a cuddly cat, the sight of their hair scattered around the house can be a bit over­ whelming. However, fret not we will discover the tricks to effectively clean the hair that our beloved pets leave be­ hind. One of the most effec­ tive ways to combat pet hair buildup is through regular grooming sessions.

Depending on the type of pet you have, establish a grooming routine that in­ cludes brushing or combing their fur. This not only helps to remove loose hair before it has a chance to scatter around the house, but also promotes healthy skin and reduces shedding.

To efficiently tackle pet hair, it’s essential to invest in the right tools. Consider purchas­ ing a high­quality pet brush or de­shedding tool that suits your pet’s coat type. Addition­ ally, lint rollers and vacuum

Photo credit: Pexels/KoolShooters

Fur-bidden mess

PET HAIR: Keep your home clean and fur-free.

cleaners with pet­specific at­ tachments can be helpful.

To prevent pet hair from embedding itself deep into upholstery and bedding, con­ sider using protective covers or throws. These covers are easy to remove and wash, making it simple to keep your furniture and bedding free from pet hair.

Living with pets doesn’t mean you have to surrender to the constant battle against pet hair. Remember, regular grooming, investing in the right tools, and maintaining a cleaning routine are key to keeping your living space clean and comfortable for both you and your furry friend.

be considerations and further research needed, the injection method for sterilising cats shows po­ tential as a positive step towards improving the welfare of domestic cats and those in colonies.

The use of injections is seen as preferable to in­ vasive surgeries with open wounds, especially when considering the subsequent release of cats into the environ­ ment.

Dog-sitters come to your home YOU may be planning a trip this summer and thinking about how to find dog­sitters who come to your home.

Well we can help. We have dog­sitters and house­sitters who love to come to Spain to care for your pets as part of their working holiday in ex­ change for free accommoda­ tion.

If you’re planning a trip, reg­ ister now to find pet­sitters in time. Whether your trip is short or long, you’ll know that sometimes you must leave pets at home. Young and se­ nior pets in particular benefit from staying at home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Join our pet and house­sitting network, and the sitters come for free!

Choose Housesitmatch.com for affordable travel, home and pet care. These are the steps to take: 1. Register as a home­ owner on HouseSitMatch. com 2. Choose a Standard ac­ count (£69 per year) to ensure you can help online when

EMERGENCY NUMBERS •POLICE/FIRE/ AMBULANCE: 112 24 HOUR PHARMACY FARMACIA ALICANTE - 965 910 220 •CALL LOCAL POLICE CALPE : 965 839 000 MORAIRA : 965 740 946 •24 HOUR VETS MARINA BAIXA VETINARY HOSPITAL L’ALFAS DE PI:966 860 669

Sometimes our dogs need to be cared in their own home.

needed 3. Create a profile with photos of your pet and the house 4. Post an advert for the dates when you want to go away. Sitters apply and you choose.

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annu­ al fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your ad­ vert saying when you are go­ ing on holiday. House­sitters see your advert, they respond

and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

Trustpilot Testimonials ­ 4.9 / 5 Excellent 10 out of 10 for housesit match.com I have had nothing but good and helpful service from the people who run this site, and my experience has been ex­ cellent.

Tristram Cosgrave ­ Dog and cat owner, Malaga How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesit match.com.

Need a pet or housesitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and petsitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation!

Register as either housesitter or homeowner with a 20% discount using coupon code 20EWN – Reader exclusive offer.

To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

64 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

euroweeklynews.com

AIR CONDITIONING

CONSTRUCTION

PLUMBERS

PLUMBING

SERVICES

SERVICES

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REMOVALS & STORAGE

REMOVALS & STORAGE

22 - 28 June 2023

EWN 65

66 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023 REMOVALS & STORAGE

INSURANCE

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SERVICES

SERVICES

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22 - 28 June 2023

REMOVALS & STORAGE

POOL SERVICES SOLAR ENERGY

TV & SATELLITE

EWN 67

CLASSIFIEDS APP REPAIRS WASHING MACHINE BROKEN? Call Bluesky Repairs for ALL your domestic appliance repairs.

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CARAVANS MOBILE homes & static caravans bought, sold and transported. +34 630 055 418 or elsyd7@hotmail. com (302142)

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Benidorm. We loan out mobility and medical equipment including oxygen concentrators on a short-term basis. (288658)

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68

El Campello Christian Community Life and Family Sunday Service at 11am Bilingual (English and Spanish) at C/ San Bartolome, 35 (Bajo No. 6), El Campello. For more information visit www.el campellochristiancommuni ty.org, email campellocc@ gmail.com or call Juan Zúñiga - 686 203 183 (Spanish) or Sue Bishop 610 639 426 (English) (233602) THE SALVATION ARMY English Speaking Church of Denia Worship Service.

Sunday 10.30am followed

THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION COSTA BLANCA This association, formed in 1988, exists to foster comradeship amongst those who, having been awarded an official flying badge, have qualified to operate military aircraft and are serving or have served, as military aircrew in the armed forces of the United Kingdom or those nations which are allies of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS POPULAR ASSOCIATION, CALL the Secretary on 966 495 228.

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ELECTRICIAN MB ELECTRICS. Approved electrician. Any electrical repair. Iberdrola paperwork. Affordable prices. Miquel 655 282 175 www.mb electrics.es (302561)

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22 - 28 June 2023 • euroweeklynews.com HEALTH & BEAUTY

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CAMPING

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METALWORK

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MOTORING

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INSURANCE

EWN 69

70 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

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MOTORING

Abarth 595 is a characterful gem!

ROAD TEST

by Mark Slack

ICONIC is a very overused word but particularly in re­ gards to cars. However,

there are a few cars that can genuinely claim to be iconic and the Fiat 500 is certainly one of them. In its modern incarnation, like BMW’s MINI, it is heritage reborn and continues to be

a huge success for Fiat. It is hard to believe it has been around since 2008 and in Abarth form is a particular­ ly fun drive. It’s not espe­ cially fast, but really em­ phasises that cars don’t need to be fast to be fun.

Priced from €27,251/ £23,225 the Abarth 595 line­up is all powered by a 1.4­litre turbocharged petrol engine driving the front wheels through ei­ ther a manual or CVT au­ tomatic gearbox. There’s a firm but still comfortable ride with the benefit of confident cornering across more twisting roads. The petrol powerplant offers two power outputs, 165 hp or 180 hp, and compromis­ es of the 595, 695 and 500e all­electric, with both sa­ loon and cabrio versions in the line­up. The Abarth 500e will take you 164 miles on a single charge, so not long­distance material, but a striking commuter car.

ABARTH 595: This is one I was very sorry to hand back.

The lead­in 595 offers standard fare such as dual­ drive electric power steer­ ing with a sports function and fabric sports seats. Al­ so present is air condition­ ing, Bluetooth, Car Play, Android Auto, front seat height adjustment, auto lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and pow­ ered and heated door mir­

rors and 16­inch alloy wheels.

Where the 595 shows its age is in terms of practicali­ ty with a small boot and only three doors. Huge fun on cross country roads and easy round town, things are not so settled on major A roads or motorways. It tends to be a bit noisy with a drone from tyre noise.

Although it has been re­ cently tweaked these are tweaks rather than a major overhaul to its design.

Therefore, it may be beaten by competi­ tors in terms of practi­ cality and equipment, but the Abarth has a character lack­ ing in more main­ stream rivals Apart from looking the part the Abarth sounds gorgeous at tickover, not in a broken exhaust kind of way but there’s a lovely burble and once on the road and pushing the revs the sounds contin­ ue to impress.

It has such character compared to many mod­ ern cars and also broad ap­ peal. My young supermar­ ket delivery chap went into verbal overdrive when he saw it. This was one I was VERY sorry to hand back.

SPORT

euroweeklynews.com

22 - 28 June 2023

Cycling star dies on Tour DURING the Tour de Suisse (Tour of Switzerland) on Friday June 16, one of the riders taking part tragically lost his life after he plunged down a ravine.

Twenty­six­year­old Swiss pro cyclist Gino Mäder died after the brutal fall he suffered a day earlier during the fifth stage of the Tour.

The crash happened on Thursday with his team, Bahrain Victorius post­ ing a message on Facebook: ‘Bahrain Victorious Swiss rider Gino Mäder was involved in a crash on the descent to­ wards La Punt, finish line of stage 5 at Tour de Suisse.

‘The rider went off the road and fell into a ravine, where he was promptly assisted by the race doctor. Mäder was found unresponsive, resuscitated at the scene and then transported by he­ licopter to Chur Hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gino.’

Following the devastating news of his death, the team paid their heartfelt tribute to him: ‘It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we have to an­ nounce the passing of Gino Mäder.

‘Despite the best efforts of the phe­ nomenal staff at Chur Hospital, Gino couldn’t make it through this, his final

GINO MÄDER: The Swiss pro cyclist tragically lost his life.

and biggest challenge, and at 11.30am we said goodbye to one of the shining lights of our team.

‘Gino was an extraordinary athlete, an example of determination, a valued member of our team and the whole cycling community. His talent, dedica­ tion, and passion for the sport has in­ spired us all.

‘Gino’s family has requested privacy as they mourn their loss, and we kindly

ask that their wishes be respected. The team and family express our gratitude for the overwhelming support we have received from the whole cycling world.

‘Gino, thank you for the light, the joy, and the laughs you brought us all, we will miss you as a rider and as a per­ son.

‘Today and every day, we ride for you, Gino.’

EWN 71

72 EWN 22 - 28 June 2023

Canadian GP victory MAX VERSTAPPEN drove his Red Bull to a relatively easy victo­ ry in the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday, June 18.

The reigning world champion led from start to finish at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to increase his lead in the driver’s championship to a stunning 69 points.

In the process, the Dutchman racked up his 100th win for Red Bull Racing in his very short career in Formula One, with his sixth win from eight races this season.

He also equalled the total of 41 wins achieved by the late Ayrton Senna. At 25, Verstappen is nine years younger than the Brazilian legend who died tragically in 1994 after a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso was in incredible form in the Aston Martin to finish in second place. One can only imagine how unbeat­ able the Spaniard would be if he was to sit behind the wheel of the Red Bull.

By the time he crossed the finishing line, he was 9.5 seconds adrift of the winner. He managed to fight off a late challenge from Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes, with whom he had en­ dured a game of cat and mouse throughout the race.

Going into Turn 1, Hamilton got the jump on Alonso who had started on the front row of the grid alongside Verstappen.

It took him until the final chicane on Lap 23 to regain second.

The final podium featured three of the biggest names in F1 at this moment. Charles LeClerc managed to bring the Ferrari home in fourth followed by his teammate, Carlos Sainz.

Sergio Perez simply lacked the pace to get any higher than a disappointing sixth in the other Red Bull. Alex Albon continued his spectacular form to allow the British­born Thai driver to cross the line in seventh in the Williams.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon finished a respectable eighth, ahead of Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin. Valtteri Bottas proved that there is still a fight in him by rounding out the Top 10 in the Alfa Romeo.

euroweeklynews.com

SPORT

Spain wins Nations League SPAIN are the new holders of the UEFA Nations League trophy after overcoming Croatia on penalties in Rotterdam on Sunday, June 18.

A 0­0 scoreline after open play saw the two teams head into a penalty shootout which the Spaniards eventual­ ly won 5­4. This was Spain’s first trophy since 2012 when they won the Euros.

Croatia came into the match in the fa­ mous De Kuip Stadium looking to pick up their first piece of silverware in an in­ ternational tournament but Unai Si­ mon’s save from Bruno Petkovic’s spot kick ended that hope, after previously saving Lovro Majer’s kick with an out­ stretched leg.

On that occasion, Manchester City de­ fender Aymeric Laporte delayed the win when his shot hit the crossbar. Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal eventually cheeki­ ly chipped the decisive 12th penalty into the Croatian net to seal victory for Spain.

In the process, Spain emulated France in winning the treble of the World Cup, the European Championship and the Nations League. The French achieved this historic feat after beating Spain in the previous final.

Luis de la Fuente has the honour of being the first Spanish coach to pick up international silverware in 11 years al­ though he will probably admit that it did

VICTORIOUS: This was Spain’s first trophy since they won the Euros in 2012.

not all go according to plan this evening.

Real Madrid playmaker Luka Modric did all that he could to inspire his team in the middle of the park. The 37­year­ old was playing in his 166th match for the Balkan side.

In a remarkable season, two of the Spanish side, Aymeric Laporte and Rodri, have now picked up a total of four major medals each.

Both are part of the incredible all­con­ quering Manchester City side that won the historic treble of the Champions League, FA Cup, and Premier League.

Rodri also became the first player to be named Man of the Match in the UE­ FA Champions League Final and to also win the UEFA Nations League Finals Best Player award.

Another record fell to Jesús Navas who entered the match as the oldest player in Spain’s history. He is now the first player to ever win the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.

In the third­place playoff that took place earlier in the day, Italy beat the Netherlands 3­2.