News Archive from Andalucia & Costa del Sol
In association with
Week ending May 16th
ANTONIO BANDERAS GOES SAILING IN THE MED
Málaga born film star Antonio Banderas has been back on his native Costa del Sol for a short break. He took his yacht, the Tau Cerámica, on a short cruise fromMARBELLA to the Puerto Deportivo in Benalmádena. He was accompanied by his brother Javier and was pursued by photographers and reporters. After his break he is off to Barcelona to promote his latest film 'Spy Kids'. However, he announced he could also follow a career as a serious yachtsman. Antonio Banderas said it was possible that he might participate in the next 'Copa del Rey de Vela' which is to be held next year.
MELANIE'S 'BIZNAGA DE PLATA
Actress Melanie Griffith will be the star of the show for one in Antonio's home town, as she picks up the 'Biznaga de Plata' award from broadcasting company Cadena Cope next Wednesday at the Málaga Town Hall. Melanie was chosen for the award last year for her help in promoting the Málaga August fair.
ALHAMBRA NEW ATTRACTION
The walkway surrounding the Alhambra palace in Granada is being opened to the public this month as part of the 'areas of the month' promotion. The area, generally closed to the public, was home to some 1,500 Nazarene soldiers and cement work relating to the ruins of their accommodation can still be seen.
MONEY IN MUCK
Pig farming in ANDALUCIA generated 50,000 million pesetas last year and accounted for 28 per cent of total farming production. The figure was announced by regional councillor for Agriculture, Paulino Plata, on a visit this week to the pig fair held in the Málaga village of Campillos.
ALMUNECAR NEW HOTEL
Almuñecar will have a new four star hotel in July, in time for the peak summer tourist season. The date was confirmed this week by the general secretary of the provincial federation of tourism companies, Antonio Garcia, who said the new establishment would have 100 rooms. The Melia Confort will give full time employment to 25 people.
BRITISH PAINTINGS BROUGHT TO MALAGA
A new exhibition organised by the Unicaja foundation has brought work from British and American painters of the 17th to 19th centuries to Málaga. More than 50 oils are on show, including portraits, landscapes and general scenes which come in part from the Cuban National Fine Arts Museum. They can be visited in the Sala Itacable and Sociedad Económica in Málaga until May 26th.
20 YEARS OF BIRTHDAYS AT THE MATERNO
The Materno Infatil Hospital in Málaga is celebrating 20 years of good health with a busy programme of conferences, exhibitions and concerts. The birthday celebrations come as the hospital is undergoing a modernisation plan. Over the 20 years it has seen 168,000 pregnancies and 171,500 births.
NEW JOB FOR TAXI DRIVERS
From this month taxis in Málaga are offering routes around the city's monuments and most typical areas, such as the Gibralfaro Castle, Picasso's birthplace, the Cathedral and La Concepción Botanical Garden. Fifty Málaga taxi drivers are taking special English and German classes. The taxis prepared to follow these new tourist routes will have a special sticker on the door and also contain written tourist information inside the cab.
TORROX RURAL HOTEL PLAN
Torrox council has announced plans for the conversion of the Señora de la Nieves convent in the town into a new small rural style hotel. A public competition to that end will be announced shortly following the idea's approval at the council meeting.
TRAIN LINE PICKS UP SPEED
The cabinet announced this week the start of work on the seventh of the 15 total sections of the new line between Puente Genil and Herrera. This will mean advances for the AVE high speed train link between Málaga and Córdoba. A budget of 12,365 million pesetas was allocated for the new 10 kilometre section, which will, like the rest of the new link, be built using the international gauge and be able to support train speeds of 300 kms/hr. Once the whole link is completed travellers from Málaga will be able to reach Córdoba in just 45 minutes, compared to the two hour trip at present.
MALAGA REFORMATION PLAN MOVES FORWARD
Ambitious projects plan redevelopment of historic city centre. The special plan for the Jewish quarter of Málaga city centre has gained approval from the provincial town planning commission. The plans to redevelop the historic area have been described as very ambitious and not entirely free from controversy. The plan now goes for definitive approval in the city council. It affects an area of 8,400 square metres close to the Alcazaba, the Cathedral and Buenavista Palace, which will be the future home of the Picasso museum.
CONTROVERIAL IDEAS
There is to be an initial investment of 420 million pesetas, which will be spent only on the compulsory purchase and renovation of buildings in the area, this being the part of the plan, which has aroused the opposition of several local resident groups. The plan also includes increased green areas and gardens and will introduce a height restriction on constructions in the historic centre of Málaga. The delegate for public works of regional government, Enrique Salvo Tierra, said that work could now get underway before the summer.
NEW HOPE FOR HOTEL SOTOGRANDE
The troubled Hotel Sotogrande faces an exciting new future after it was purchased bits now owners Golf Resort. The company made a bid of 500 million pesetas for the hotel after it was publicly auctioned by the San Roque Court. Anxious former employees awaited the result of the auction in the rain outside the court building. The new company, Golf Resort Hotel Sotogrande SL, has its registered offices in MARBELLA and has been capitalised to the tune of 200 million pesetas. The parent company owns 16 other businesses in Spain with two in Madrid and three others in ANDALUCIA.
MORE WINE PLEASE
Regional government has agreed to allow the Serrania de Ronda area to plant 100 hectares more of new vines. The Provincial Delegate of Agriculture, José Maria Rodriguez, said that 750 hectares of new vineyards would be allowed in ANDALUCIA this year - with a total of 132 hectares in Málaga Province. Regional government has received 155 requests for 1676 hectares of vineyards from the Serrania area. At the end of January the winegrowers of Serrania region got together to form their own association. The members are drawn from the municipalities of Arriate, Atajate, Benadalid, Gaucin and Ronda. The group will be named Asociación de Viticultores y Vinicultores de la Serrania de Ronda. Their wine will be sold under the denomination Serrania de Ronda.
DOGS AND CATS GET THEIR CHIPS
The Mayor of Manilva, Emilio López Berenguer, has reached an agreement with the President of the Veterinary College in Málaga, Eugenio Moltó. The agreement means the Town Hall can initiate a campaign for all pet dogs and cats within the municipality to be micro chipped. The programme will permit a register of all pet owners to be built up. The database, maintained at the Veterinary College, should help with the identification of lost animals. The cost of the implants will be 3,5000 pesetas and the Town Hall will hold that price to the end of the campaign on August 21.