COMPLIMENTARY EDITION
THE Airport
EXPERIENCE
Roberto VERINO
ISSUE 01 • MARCH / APRIL 2013
ESSENTIAL FOR LUXURIOUS LIVING
e
N º01 - MARCH / APRIL 2013
essential essential magazine® gibraltar
GIBRALTAR
GARDEN PARTY
Rocking Gibraltar’s TOURISM SLEEK NEW
Jaguar
F-TYPE
WINNER
Wines
welcome to
F1 +
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Season Preview
JEREZ TESTING ENIGMATIC
HONG KONG
N E W S I C U LT U R E I P E O P L E I T R E N D I S T Y L E I S P A I P R O I L E I S U R E I G O U R M E T & M O R E
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Available at: Radhika - Jewels and Time. 60 Main Street, Gibraltar. T: +350 200 63360 E: radhika@essardasgroup.com W: www.essardasgroup.com
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Help us make a magazine that really reflects the Gibraltar way of life... Please contribute to some of our most well-read sections!
Issue 01 • March/April 2013
S T A F F
THE PRO
PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR
Have you organised a corporate or cultural event recently? Launched a new product or opened a new office and you want Gibraltar to know? Send us information and we will consider it for placement in the Pro section.
GENERAL MANAGER
ANDREA BÖJTI sales@essentialmagazine.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
MARISA CUTILLAS editorial@essentialmagazine.com
GIBRALTAR EDITORIAL
GOURMET For new openings, dining events and new products, our popular Food News page is the place to be seen. Our restaurant listing section will become a reference when you consider dining out, so if your favourite place is not included, please let us know!
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Our What’s On section is designed to keep readers up-to-date on forthcoming events including shows, clubs and meetings, either a specific or a reccuring event. If you are an organiser, let us help you get your message across to the whole of Gibraltar!
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The publishers make every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, but cannot accept Marbella Magazine cannot accept responsibility for the effects of errors or omissions. responsibility for the claims, goods or services of advertisers. Marbella Magazine. © Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. for No part of this magazine, including texts, photographs, illustrations, maps or any other graphics may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Publicaciones Independientes Costa del Sol S.L. Printed on recyclable paper, produced without wood and bleached without chlorine.
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contents tents The Trend Cinema 14 Home Viewing 16 Music 18 Books 20 Gadgets 22 The New Jaguar F-Type 24
The Focus F1 Season Preview & Test in Jerez 28 The Gibraltar Airport Experience 34 Howard Bilton, Founder and Chairman of the Sovereign Group 40 Neil Costa, Gibraltar Tourism Minister 42 Kirsty Almeida, Talented Gibraltarian Chanteuse 44 Gibraltar Hits the Headlines 46
The Style 48 Buena Vista Park Villas 56 Spring Fashion from Roberto Verino 62 Fashion News 64 New Wave Perfumes in Black 66 Beauty: Spring/Summer 2013 Make-up 68 Health: Manuka Honey
The Pro 70 Enterprise 72 Revenue on the Rock
The Leisure 78 Gibraltar Tourism 84 Hong Kong 90 The Caleta Hotel
The Gourmet 93 The Landings 94 Award-Winning Wines 96 Emilio Moro Wine
The Guide 97 Listings 98 What’s On
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Winner of the Gibraltar’s Leading Hotel Award since 2009 The AA’s highest rated hotel in Gibraltar
...the other side of Gibraltar
SIR HERBERT MILES ROAD, CATALAN BAY, PO BOX 73, GIBRALTAR. TEL: +350 20076501 Gibraltar's leading hotel since 2009
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AA’s highest rated hotel in Gibraltar
Two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence
www.caletahotel.com - reservations@caletahotel.gi
3/1/13 12:37 PM
publisher’s letter
words BY IAIN BLACKWELL
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Gibraltar magazine Following the style and quality that its Marbella parent publication, the magazine, has become renowned for during 14 years of continuous operation, with an editorial platform that nicely blends classic international content with articles specifically focused on Gibraltar, we are hopeful that Gibraltar will fill the gap in the market for a luxury lifestyle title. More than 250 targeted establishments in Gibraltar will receive copies of the new magazine every month which will additionally be placed in the rooms and suites of the Caleta, Rock and Eliott Hotels as well as in the Calpe Lounge at the airport and in selected locations in Sotogrande. In this launch issue, we preview the forthcoming F1 Season, starting this month, hot on the tail lights of the recent testing at Jerez; investigate what makes Hong Kong so unique, where east meets west; review the latest film, book and music releases; and take a trip in the much-anticipated Jaguar F-Type.
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On the local front, join us on our Airport Experience and tour round The Rock taking in some of its outstanding and lesser-known attractions. Marvel at the style of the new Buena Vista Park Villas as we take a peek through the keyhole, and relive some famous moments in Gibraltar’s chequered history. We talk with Howard Bilton, Founder and Chairman of the Sovereign Group, which he started in Gibraltar 25 years ago. Neil Costa, the Tourism Minister outlines some of his plans for increasing local tourism to unprecedented levels, and Gibraltar-born Kirsty Almeida brings us a burst of cultural energy. Finally, chill out with sumptuous dining at The Landings in über-cool surroundings, perhaps taking in a glass or two of award-winning wines. Look forward to catching up with you again in future. Enjoy!
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All you need is GBC
Bringing Music to Your Ears & Gibraltar to your Screen
GBC Television
Radio Gibraltar
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available on Gibraltar Freeview and gbc.gi
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trend READING / MUSIC / FILMS / GADGETS / MOTORING / TRENDS
Easter is a fantastic time to catch up on books and films, as well as to discover the coolest gadgets on the market. If you’re after slightly more high-octane action, slip into the driver’s seat in the stylish new Jaguar F-Type and put the pedal to the metal!
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Cinema
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Home Viewing
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Music
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Books
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Gadgets
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The New Jaguar F-Type
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trend CINEMA
WORDS MARISA CUTILL
AS
e BLOCKBUSTER
OF THE MONTH
s e r u t a e r C l u f i t Beau » GENRE Drama d LaGravenese (P.S. I Love You) » DIRECTOR Richar mpson, Emmy Rossum, Jeremy Irons » ACTORS Emma Tho some of the most played the backdrop to h The sprawling South has tradition continues wit in movie history and the g llin breath-taking scenes t-se bes based on the supernatural love story is Beautiful Creatures, a ch) (Alden Ehrenrei Margaret Stohl. Ethan ice novel by Kami Garcia and us newcomer, Lena (Al who falls for mysterio a small-town teenager an Eth n, soo start and otherworldly from the ). Engert). Lena appears creating powerful magic of e abl r (a being cap be l discovers she is a Caste wil to see if she waits with baited breath On her 16th birthday, she of Light or Dark. chosen by the forces
» GENRE Comedy
DIRECTOR Josh Radnor (Happythankyoumore -please) » ACTORS Zac Efron, Josh Radnor, Elizabeth Olsen
Liberal Arts
» GENRE Comedy/Drama » DIRECTOR Roger Michell (Notting Hill) » ACTORS Bill Murray, Laura Linney,
Olivia Williams
» GENRE Fantasy » DIRECTOR Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead)
» ACTORS James Franco, Michelle
Williams, Rachel Weisz
Hyde Park on Hudson
Biopics about American Presidents seem to be all the rage these days, with films such as Lincoln raking in big winnings at the box office. This month, history buffs can look forward to yet another historical instalment with Hyde Park on Hudson, which reveals the steamy romance between Franklin D. Roosevelt and his lover (and cousin), Margaret Suckley. Bill Murray plays the famous President with plenty of gusto, bringing us closer to the mind of a man who was as relentless in his search for love as he was committed to the welfare of his nation.
Oz: The Great and Powerful
James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, a worldweary magician who visits the town of Oz after one too many brushes with the law. The town seems filled with wonder and opportunity and soon, Oscar is able to fool its inhabitants into believing he is a powerful wizard. A trio of witches (Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Mila Kunis) grow determined to prove him nothing more than a charlatan and fraud. But Oz is quite a magical land and Oscar surprises even himself with his authentic wizardly gifts.
» GENRE Crime/Comedy » DIRECTOR Michael Hoffman (The Emperor’s Club)
» ACTORS Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz,
Alan Rickman
Gambit
Penned by talented brothers Ethan and Joel Coen (Fargo), Gambit promises to be one of the top comedies of the season, featuring the refined comedic talent of Oscar winning actor, Colin Firth. The latter plays an art expert whose aim is to convince his vicious boss to purchase a fake Monet. He enlists the help of an eccentric Texan beauty (Cameron Diaz), only to find that she may be more hindrance than help!
Josh Radnor directs and stars in this film, which deals with the perennial human obsession with youth. Radnor plays Jesse Fisher, a New York intellectual who returns to his University to attend his favourite Professor’s retirement dinner. At the party he meets Ziby (Elizabeth Olsen), a young drama major who shares his penchant for Mozart and Massenet, and who suggests they begin a pen friendship using real, oldfashioned pen and paper. The attraction between them is palpable but soon, tiny cracks begin to form in their seemingly perfect relationship. Ziby likes ‘that vampire trilogy’; Jesse thinks it’s a pile of rubbish; Ziby is having the time of her life at University while Jesse feels like a fish out of water. Jesse begins to wonder if his student days were really as perfect as he remembered them to be.
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A picture paints a thousand words...
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Dining al fresco
The G ibra Litera ltar Internat ry Fes tival 2 ional 013
lphins d the do We love
First stop - Rock Tour
Monke
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Last s top in Europe
Visit Gibraltar a vibrant destination that combines the spirit of the Mediterranean with British tradition.
To order a brochure or for further information contact the Gibraltar Tourist Board:
United Kingdom
Gibraltar
T: +44 (0) 207 836 0777
T: +350 200 45000
E: info@gibraltar.gov.uk
E: information@tourism.gov.gi
You can also ďŹ nd us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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trend HOME VIEWING
WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages, which first lit up the stages of Broadway in 2006, is one of the most revered rock musicals of all time and it’s easy to understand why; it’s set in the late 1980s and features some of rock’s most amazing songs, by knockout bands such as Journey, Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister and Whitesnake. The film is also the love story of a small-town girl who moves to New York to chase her dreams. On her way up the ladder to fame and fortune, she becomes caught in a tense love triangle with a gorgeous young singer and a world famous rock star, Stacee Jaxx, played to perfection by Tom Cruise. The film is entertaining, light and musically magnificent; a real treat for anyone who grew up in the 1980s.
» GENRE Musical » DIRECTOR Adam Shankman (Hairspray) » ACTORS Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones
The Hypnotist
» IMDB RATING 5.9/10
LEASE OF THE MONTH
e FEATURED DVD RE
» GENRE
Science Fiction/Acti
on
» DIRECTOR Rian Johnson
) (The Brothers Bloom
» ACTORS
tt, Bruce Joseph Gordon-Levi Willis, Emily Blunt DB RATING 7.7/10
» IM
Looper
u ’s Inception blew yo If Christopher Nolan r pe Loo , pth de y and away with its originalit ster bu ck blo e Th y. alle will be right up your Joe, a young man film tells the story of 44, who works as a living in the year 20 who assassinates ry na rce ‘looper’: a me into the past (from targets sent 30 years o a drug addict, als is e Jo . the year 2074) all and emotion. He numb to the world tless lives without un co puts an end to questioning the batting an eyelid or of his actions, all for s ethical implication rs of silver… but his much coveted ba with an extremely a chance encounter Joe on a diversely crafty target leads begins to wonder different path and he d belief in man’s whether free will an n actually inspire innate goodness, ca change.
» GENRE Drama » DIRECTOR Lasse Hallström
(What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?) » ACTORS Tobias Zilliacus, Mikael Persbrandt, Lena Olin » IMDB RATING 5.5/10
Based on a best-selling novel by Lars Kepler, The Hypnotist is Lasse Hallström’s first Swedish film in 25 years and Sweden’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2013 Oscars. The film stars Mikael Persbrandt as a talented hypnotist who is enlisted by the police to help them with a challenging investigation. A family has been murdered in their home and it is the hypnotist’s job to find out exactly what happened by unlocking the mind of the assassin’s traumatised sole survivor: a little boy who is the only link to his missing sister.
» GENRE Animation » DIRECTOR Enrique Gato
(Tadeo Jones y el sótano maldito) » VOICES Meritxell Ané, Óscar Barberán, Carles Canut » IMDB RATING 5.8/10
» GENRE Action/
Adventure
» DIRECTOR
Simon West
» ACTORS Sylvester
Tadeo Jones
Stallone, Arnold Scwarzenegger, JeanClaude Van Damme, Bruce Willis
» IMDB RATING 6.9/10
The Expendables 2
The biggest action heroes of the 1980s are back and the audience seems to approve, judging by the film’s knockout sales figures. Sylvester Stallone takes the lead as Barney Ross, a mercenary who flies to Russia to recover a mysterious package from a plane wreck. Ross discovers he is not the only one interested in the package when a member of his team is taken hostage. He resolves to track down his enemies and save the world from nuclear disaster; no easy feat for even for one as talented as Stallone.
This lively animated film may not have been produced by Disney/Pixar but it raked in big earnings at the box office, taking home almost €3 million in Spain on its opening weekend alone. As you might have guessed from its title, it’s a thinly disguised parody of Indiana Jones, as well as a wonderful adventure that takes the viewer to the exotic land of Peru in search of treasure, adventure and romance. The film is colourful and adventurous enough to appeal to children, with plenty of humour and irony to keep parents glued to the screen as well.
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trend MUSIC
¿QUÉ PASA?
WORDS RIK FOXX
ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR JOE IN GRANADA The late CLASH frontman JOE STRUMMER is to have a plaza named after him in Granada when more than 2,000 residents signed a petition calling for him to be honoured. The legendary singer first visited the city in the 1970s with Spanish girlfriend PALOMA ‘PALMOLIVE’ ROMERO – the drummer with punk girl group THE SLITS. He spent a lot of time there and produced an album for Spanish band 091 who he first heard on a jukebox in a bar and named the city in the CLASH song Spanish Bombs. JOE died aged 50 of an undiagnosed congenital heart defect in 2002.
THE RETURN OF THE THIN WHITE DUKE
in Spain than anywhere DEPECHE MODE, who are bigger g a new album, Delta asin rele else in the world, will be be playing at the Machine, on March 22 and will arist MARTIN GORE Guit 13. Bilbao BBK Festival on July comment saying that recently made a light hearted Ironically there is a t. sho SIMON COWELL should be re you can aim at a whe as Veg Las in ge ran shooting ul. mog pop ed dummy of the much hat
JIMI HENDRIX fans take note – on March 4, Classic Rock Magazine is exclusively releasing People, Hell and Angels, 12 previously unreleased studio recordings from the Jimi Hendrix Experience sessions. The album, which will only be available for four weeks, comes with a 124-page magazine and can be ordered from www.myfavouritemagazines. co.uk/Hendrix. In the meantime, the biopic, All Is By My Side is taking shape with OUTKAST main man ANDRE BENJAMIN in the lead role, but the Hendrix Foundation denied the film makers access to any of the great man’s songs.
On January 8, 66-year-young DAVID BOWIE gave his fans a birthday present that created a worldwide buzz – his first new song for 10 years. Where Are We Now, which looks back on his decadent years in Berlin, reached number six in the UK singles chart and number nine in Spain. Also a new album, The New Day, will be released on March 11 and long time collaborator TONY VISCONTI says it is fairly rock-orientated. And, after the success of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars, which was remastered last year to mark its 40th anniversary, the 1973 vinyl legend, Aladdin Sane, will also be rereleased on April 15. The iconic singer says he may do a oneoff gig this summer and London’s Olympic Stadium, which will host concerts to mark the first anniversary of the Games, has been mentioned.
So RIHANNA finally came clean on her relationship with CHRIS BROWN saying that the rest of us “just don’t get me and Chris”. The Bajan beauty has upped her security after receiving several death threats on Twitter from angry fans and defended her decision, saying, “Even if it’s a mistake, it’s my mistake.” The two rekindled their romance over the past six months after recording a duet, Nobody’s Business, for last November’s album Unapologetic. He recently got into a spat with fellow hip hopper FRANK OCEAN over a car park space and he has been warned by JAY-Z that if he ever hurts RI-RI either emotionally or physically again the Jigga Man will ‘finish him’ career wise.
As JAY-Z threatens to ruin one career, he is trying to resurrect another having persuaded KYLIE to sign for his Roc Nation promotions and a single and album are on the way. The Aussie ‘pocket rocket’ recently revealed she was taking a break from music to revamp her acting career, but obviously the big man made her reconsider.
It seems all is not well on the SPICE rack as the allegedly hard-up GERI wants the girls to go on the road as a foursome seeing as the skinny one isn’t interested – which has upset the footballer’s wife who is said to be ‘hurt and angry’. Her ladyship has also found a way of not having to smile for the press – she sticks one of her designer bags over her head. Now a body language expert has branded her all too familiar photographic pose – it’s a ‘smout’ – a mix of a smile and a pout. And after Mr BECKHAM recently signed for a Paris club she says she wants to spend a lot more time between the fashionable city and London – maybe he should buy her a place in Dover.
Can you believe it’s been six years since BIEBER first came to light on YouTube? His concert in Bilbao this month has been cancelled due to ‘logistical problems’. He recently had a run-in with the LAPD after his Fisker Karma ran out of power and they towed it away. He is also being investigated for alleged assault by Canadian cops after he fired a Nerf gun pellet at a female security guard – as the catchphrase says on the reruns of that classic UK comedy Dad’s Army – “Stupid boy!” e
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trend BOOKS
WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
BEST-SELLING BOOKS! This month, we let the vox populi do the talking, with a selection of books from The New York Times Best-Seller list. We suggest top reads from the Fiction, Non-Fiction and Children’s categories.
1 CROSS ROADS BY WM. PAUL YOUNG
Anthony Spencer is a successful entrepreneur who has reached dizzy heights of success by stepping on whoever gets in his way. When a cerebral hemorrhage leaves him comatose in a hospital, he ‘awakens’ to find himself in a parallel world similar to his ‘earthly’ life. He has vivid encounters with people he assumes are projections of his self-conscious and develops the ability to see the consequences of his actions through the eyes of those affected by them. He also begins to understand how his own personal losses have contributed to his way of thinking and lack of trust in his fellow mankind. If Tony is given a second chance, will he redeem himself by becoming a new man and putting right the injustices he has caused?
NON-ON FIC TI
FICTIO
N
NO F I C T IN ON
NON-ON FIC TI
7 I SUCK AT GIRLS BY JUSTIN HALPERN
3 SERIOUSLY… I’M KIDDING BY ELLEN 2 PROOF OF HEAVEN BY EBEN ALEXANDER
Dr. Eben Alexander III is a neurosurgeon who spent most of his professional life dismissing the validity of near-death experiences, attributing them to the complex hard wiring of the human brain. All that changed when, in the year 2008, he contracted bacterial meningitis and went into a coma, falling into a near-death experience which brought him into the arms of God.
DEGENERES
Popular North American TV host, Ellen DeGeneres, proves to be more than a comedic genius in this book, which is packed with lessons she has learned over the years about life, love and success. Life is a high-octane ride for Ellen and she suggests facing it with courage, self-confidence and above all, plenty of laughter.
4 ONE DIRECTION: DARE TO DREAM BY THE MEMBERS OF ONE DIRECTION
CHIL
DR EN
’S
You would think that selling millions of CDs was reward enough, but now, the teen stars of pop sensation One Direction have another thing to brag about: authoring two books that have made The New York Times bestseller list! The boys tell us what life was like before The X Factor, how Simon Cowell’s top-rated show made their dreams come true and how they are adjusting to being the UK’s biggest boyband ever.
FIC TI
ON
5 MERRY CHRISTMAS, ALEX CROSS
BY JAMES PATTERSON It is Christmas Day and Detective Alex Cross risks not making it home for his family’s traditional meal when he is called upon to help deal with a violent hostage crisis. Faced with such a high-risk situation, Cross is forced to rely on more than his training and experience and he begins to trust in his instinct and creativity.
FIC TI
ON
CHIL
DR EN
’S
6 I FUNNY BY JAMES PATTERSON AND CHRIS GRABENSTEIN
Jamie Grimm is a schoolboy who is determined to become the World’s best stand-up comedian ever, despite the fact that life is looking pretty grim. He has just moved to a new town, he’s living with his uncle and aunt, and his evil cousin, Stevie, is a notorious bully. Determined not to be knocked down, Jamie performs his standup routines in front of friends, family and clients at his uncle’s diners. Jamie decides to enter a comedy competition, ignoring Stevie’s assertion that the only way Jamie will win is if the judges pity him for being in a wheelchair.
This hilarious book grew out of a conversation shared between the author and his father. Justin was about to propose to his girlfriend and when he giddily told his father the good news, the latter replied: “You’ve been dating her for four years. It ain’t like you found a parallel fucking universe.” His father eventually suggested that Justin took some time to think about everything he had learned about women over the years before taking the big leap, and Justin did just that, writing this book along the way. It is difficult not to laugh out loud at some of the embarrassing anecdotes faced by the author in his nerdy childhood and adolescence, while his dad’s bizarre, side-splitting pieces of advice on a host of hairy situations are simply epic.
8 THE RACKETEER BY JOHN GRISHAM
Malcolm Bannister is a former attorney who is currently a prisoner at the Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland. Though he’s on the losing side of the law, he has one last card to play: he knows who killed a Federal Judge and he’s willing to trade this information for freedom. The police have no witnesses, evidence or leads so Malcolm’s testimony is crucial if the mysterious crime is to be solved.
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trend ELECTRONICS
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5 t h, s m on e t s i h T . l on a a dg functilection of g s i t i s a se ed a designeaders with y l l u f rr u ti 1 - GRIFFIN TWENTY This as bea esenting ou e b s y r simple, modern looking digital audio a p w y l b er ld a amplifier uses Apple’s AirPlay wireless audio/ t shoulliant found e g d a video protocol to connect your AirPort Express and i g r a b t s tha ple’ your non-powered speakers. Play music from your iPhone, statedmage to Ap l at once. e c iPod touch, iPad or any other AirPlay-supporting device, or enjoy n o l o s a h b l b s a ic Jo ay tunes from your computer’s iTunes library. i www.griffintechnology.com Steve a Cutillas p g and pract 2 TEENAGE ENGINEERING OP-1 SYNTHESIZER If you like making s n i i Mar re stunn music while you’re on the go, take this retro inspired keyboard with you on your a t tha next journey and record your next big hit like a pro! Featuring 24 voices, eight
IN DESIGN WE TRUST
6
synth engines, a flexible sequencer, four-track virtual tape machine and 16-hour performance on a single charge. i www.teenageengineering.com 3 - LOCKITRON KEYLESS HOME LOCK Lockitron is a keyless device that allows you to lock or unlock your door from anywhere in the world with the use of a smartphone, allowing you to welcome guests from afar, extend their stay and, of course, summarily expel them if they’ve been naughty! Equipped with Bluetooth, WiFi and NFC technology, this battery-powered box attaches to a door’s deadbolt and even unlocks automatically as you approach, making for an easy, no-fuss experience. i www.lockitron.com 4 - WII U Nintendo’s new console allows you to play your favourite Wii games while everyone else is watching the TV, inviting you to play multi-player games with a distinct advantage – you can pose challenges to other players. Wii fans can look forward to using the new U with updated versions of games like Zelda, Wii Fit and Pikmin, plus a wide range of new titles like Cloudberry and Kingdom. i www.wii.nintendo.es 5 - LENOVO YOGA 13 This device combines the productivity of an Ultrabook with 10-finger multi-touch touchscreen technology. The new Yoga 13 boasts Windows 8 functionality, Lenovo Motion Control technology, an integrated webcam, a 360º flip screen and Lenovo Cloud storage to access files from other devices. i www.lenovo.com 6 - LG 140-CENTIMETRE OLED TV Four years ago, Sony’s tiny XEL-1 gave us a taste of how incredibly vivid and ultra-fine TV displays would one day be, but LG’s new 140-centimetre takes the home viewing experience into a whole new dimension. The display is only 5mm thick and weighs less than eight kilograms. i www.lg.com
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trend MOTORING
JAGUAR F-TYPE SPORT PROFILE & PREVIEW WORDS TONY WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JAGUAR
L
ooking back, the new-for-2013 Jaguar F-Type has had an incredibly long gestation period. It was first shown in ‘design study’ form way back at the 2000 Detroit auto show. It was widely praised at the time, but few of us who were there believed it would ever be built without considerable modification. Now, over a dozen years down the line and following a couple of ‘try-outs’ that never made it to the market, the F-Type is almost here. The big question is whether or not it lives up to the billing it was given that morning in Detroit – is it a true successor to the legendary E-Type of the 1960s? The truth is that there will never be another E-Type and, for those in the know, that’s probably just as well. Despite its stunning looks and outstandingfor-the-day performance, the E-Type was a mass of problems and the expensive restorations you’re likely to see today are certainly a lot better than the original cars. The F-Type is certainly a worthy successor to the E-Type in that it is compact and agile and has great looks. It also features technology that was only a dream back in the 1960s and it’s likely to boast a far higher level of reliability. The bigger XK series sports cars were never really ‘E-Type successors’ but they remain solidly in the Jaguar lineup to meet the demands of a different kind of buyer. The original E-Type was amazingly inexpensive in its day and we can’t really say that about the F-Type, which nevertheless will be the least costly Jag sports car. The F-Type makes its debut as a roadster with
a foldaway fabric hood, but a coupé is said to be on the way. There’s even talk of a hybrid variant, but this – if it ever happens – will be some time in the future. It’s a pity Jaguar didn’t cover both body styles by offering a folding hardtop. It’s true that there isn’t much room to stow a roof like that on the F-Type, but Mercedes manages it with the SLK and even Mazda with its diminutive MX-5. There are three versions of this new Jag - F-Type, F-Type S and F-Type V-8 S. As might be imagined, the major difference between the three options is under the bonnet. The base car has a 3.0-litre V-6 developing 340-horsepower; the F-Type S has an uprated version of the same engine giving 380-horsepower and the top ‘F’ offers a potent 5.0-litre V-8 putting out 495-horsepower. The V-8 is a familiar unit that is used elsewhere in the Jaguar lineup so a high level of performance can be expected. The V-6 is new, but since it’s derived from the V-8, it should be durable and long-lasting. All three engines use a technically fascinating 8-speed automatic transmission but, as yet, no manual gearbox is on offer. Quite frankly, the shift speeds of modern automatics make manual gearboxes more of a nostalgia choice than a practical benefit. For enthusiasts who must have at least some manual gearbox control, there are paddle shifters on the steering wheel – a common enough feature on performance cars these days. The bodywork is very handsome indeed – sculpted and sensual but at the same time, chunky
and aggressive-looking. The Jaguar badge sits on a black mesh radiator grille and either side of this grille, Jaguar has sited intakes that look like shark gills. From a side view, the nose looks long and sleek and there is a hint of Jags from years gone by. The car is a few inches longer than a Porsche Boxster and very slightly shorter than a Porsche 911, but it doesn’t look oversized. The alloy wheels (with grippy Pirelli P-Zero tires) are of large diameter, as is currently the norm with cars like this, and they fill the arches nicely. From a styling standpoint, this new Jaguar gets very high marks – the rear end with its slim lighting units is especially attractive. Incidentally, like many other Jaguar/Land Rover products, the bodywork is fabricated from aluminium with a composite material used for sills, bootlid and spoiler. The cockpit is highly driver-oriented and most controls and switches are located on the main instrument panel or on a central console. There’s not much Jaguar tradition about the interior and it could easily have been designed in Japan. The seats are highly supportive and on climbing in, the driver very much becomes ‘part of the car’, which is the aim of all sports car designers. Oddment space around the cockpit is limited, as it always is in cars of this class, but the boot will take a decent amount of cargo. It took a while, but it’s great to see Jaguar bringing us a car like this and it’s bound to be a major seller for the Indian-owned UK manufacturer.
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Z ENGINE 3.0-litre V-6/5.0-litre V-8 Z TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic Z ACCELERATION Zero to 100 km/h in approx. 4.3 seconds (V-8 version) Z TOP SPEED Approx. 300 km/h (V-8 version) Z I LIKED Great-looking car that nobody will mistake for anything but a Jaguar. Nice to have the two engine choices. Nimbler and easier to park than the XK, which is rather too big for a sports car. Beautifully built and trimmed. Z I DIDN’T LIKE While the fabric hood is very well made and thoroughly weatherproof, it would have been nice to see a folding hardtop for this model, much like the Mercedes-Benz SLK. Owners would then have the best assets of both roadster and coupé designs in one car. Z MARKET ALTERNATIVES Porsche Boxster, Porsche Cayman, Mercedes-Benz SLK, BMW Z4, Audi TT Roadster, Nissan GT-R Z WHO DRIVES ONE? Sports cars enthusiasts who find the XK too large – but always wanted a Jag. Older buyers who yearned for an E-Type, but never quite got there. Buyers new to Jaguar who have finally found a model they can afford. Z PRICE AND AVAILABILITY Available this summer, price to be announced.
It’s a little more affordable than any Jaguar sports car we’ve seen for years and, in fact, it’s more of a ‘true’ sportster than the (nonetheless outstanding) XK model. The V-8 option may be overkill for Jaguar because the V-6 versions are just about all any driver could want and offer better fuel economy. Both V-6 and V-8 powered units are supercharged and use advanced electronics to monitor fuel usage. As with most premium vehicles now, the F-Type has every imaginable comfort and technological benefit and the safety systems are state-of-the-art. Price predictions place the F-Type somewhere between Porsche’s Boxster and 911 models, which seems fair enough, although the car battles in a very competitive market segment with lots of tempting alternatives. Even so, Jaguar sales have been strong worldwide in recent times and this is a manufacturer that’s very much proceeding on the right path. The F-Type can only enhance this success. e
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trend CRUISING
LUXURY
CRUISE TRAVEL Talk To The Professionals
PROMOTION
So you’ve decided to pamper yourself and have made the decision to take a luxury 16-day, five-star cruise holiday. The question now is: How do you indentify a true Luxury or Ultra-Luxury cruise ship or cruise line? The newspapers and television are awash with adverts quoting ‘Luxury’ cruise holidays – but what is true Luxury cruising? For your luxury cruise, you need to be able to know the difference between an economy three/four star cruise line, a ‘Premium brand’ line, and a true five- or six- star UltraLuxury cruise company. Many cruise lines use the ‘luxury’ tag. But do these companies provide a true luxury product? And how do you know you are talking to the people who really understand the cruise industry and understand your expectations?
T
he cruise business has been the biggest sector of the travel industry for many years now and continues to grow at a rapid pace. Cruise Connections Ltd, established in 1987, is the only company in southern Spain and Portugal that specialises in cruise holidays – and only cruise holidays. They focus only on the highest quality Luxury and UltraLuxury cruise lines.
The world’s leading Ultra-Luxury and Luxury cruise lines are: Silversea Cruises, Seabourn Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Sea Dream Yacht Club and UniWorld River Cruising. All of these companies are represented by Cruise Connections Ltd. Also in the Cruise Connections portfolio are Oceania Cruises, Holland America Line and Windstar Cruises.
Ultra-Luxury Cruising: It’s All Included The vast majority of the companies listed above offer ‘All-Inclusive’ fares. This covers virtually every conceivable onboard item – all tips & gratuities, all drinks (beer, wine, spirits, Champagne and nonalcoholic drinks), personal butler service, in-suite mini bars, 24-hour room service, in-suite dining, etc. Regent Seven Seas Cruises go one step further and offer free shore excursions in all ports of call, and free pre- or post-cruise hotel stays on selected cruises. All of these items are really important when considering a cruise holiday. Companies that do not offer ‘All-Inclusive’ fares
charge very high prices for all onboard purchases including bottled water, tea and coffee. Typically, a glass of wine will cost $9, while a whole bottle will set you back in the region of $30. Add to that a mandatory 18 per cent service charge – making your cheapest bottle of wine a minimum of $35 and then add a gratuity per person per day from $20 upwards. Your final invoice for onboard expenditure at the end of your voyage could be close to the original cost of the cruise itself!
Consult with the Professionals “The average travel agency will find it hard to give detailed, personal advice to clients unless they are able to employ a specially dedicated person educated in and solely responsible for dealing with cruise enquiries. Most travel agencies would find it economically impossible to employ a dedicated member of staff to handle this,” comments Peter Conway-Hann of Cruise Connections. “Cruise Connections have a very large client base here in Spain and Portugal and throughout Europe, and with the Internet, we now have clients dealing with us from all over the world. Our clients are highly discerning and experienced travellers, and expect nothing but the very best in unbiased and up-to-date information, service and quality of product – from the selling agent as well as the cruise line. With 25 years’ experience in the cruise industry and experience travelling to most of the world’s destinations onboard the ships we represent, we are in the best possible position to give our clients the detailed information and advice they would not receive elsewhere.”
Sailings from Lisbon, Málaga and Gibraltar and Short ‘Taster’ Voyages There are a number of opportunities to sail directly from Gibraltar and Málaga at various times this year: Z SEABOURN CRUISE LINE The Seabourn Quest sails from Gibraltar to Rio de Janeiro on 28th October on a 17-day voyage. Z SEA DREAM YACHT CLUB Sea Dream I has a 7-day voyage from Málaga to Rome departing 4th May and Sea Dream II departs 1st May from Málaga to Monte Carlo on a 10-day voyage. Z REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES The Seven Seas Mariner departs from Málaga on 22nd November en route to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, for a 22- or 28-night voyage. Z SILVERSEA CRUISES The Silver Wind departs Málaga on 26th November, bound for Cape Town on a 26-day voyage. The Silver Cloud sails from Málaga to Barbados on 28th October on a 13-day voyage and the Silver Spirit sails from Málaga to Fort Lauderdale on a 14-day voyage on 12th November. Z OCEANIA CRUISE LINE The Marina sails from Gibraltar to Rio on 22nd Nov on a 16-day voyage. Z SILVERSEA have just announced a series of four-day ‘taster’ voyages – contact us for details. Otherwise, please telephone either Peter or Nicky in Gibraltar on Tel: +350 200 60346, or Spanish mobiles 609 557 423 / 609 557 407 to arrange a private appointment, or email: cruiseconnect@telefonica.net
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thefocus CULTURE / HISTORY / FEATURES
FAMOUS PEOPLE / INTERVIEWS / HUMOUR
To commemorate our Gibraltar launch, we focus on the financial, entrepreneurial and cultural explosions taking place on The Rock. You’ll find everything from an adrenalin-charged F1 preview and test run to interviews with Gibraltarian movers and shakers.
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F1 Season Preview & Test in Jerez
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The Gibraltar Airport Experience
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Howard Bilton, Founder and Chairman of the Sovereign Group
42
Neil Costa, Gibraltar Tourism Minister
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Kirsty Almeida, Talented Gibraltarian Chanteuse
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Gibraltar Hits the Headlines
2/28/13 11:28 AM
O G ! O G THE FOCUS formula one
aining t r e t n e t s o the m f ent o w e t n a o h t s a n w w o n owd easo s h s e a n O d n a l a u s r m e r The 2012 Fo h eight different winn3 hold in store? in years wite wire. What does 201 down to th
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! O G ! O G GUI RAPHY JON SE OLDO PHOTOG ilton Lewis Ham team mate er ason if rm se fo g n d an r a frustrati am fo h in er ar. e at b C d of t as last ye who could so well ahea inconsisten as o e gi ar er ith Toro Ros es S w Merced hopes for ussia. rings new of Sunday, Vettel ar his b g M an in to d ti n am as or an te ed m eb e A new accustom ove r front, S t 7am on th he can get the al GP n if red lights ab On the drive fi on d e e ve an b fi th e ld ez in u th Pér world title r points co March 17, so id in e n fo gr th lo g sh d A e n u o re ti p th d ar cu a g se Park st e leadin ng Fernan new car, the Alber t probably b V8 powered the ason, beati 2 ill of se 2 w e d d e st or h la an an t m t u g t of b xpec Rosber cards the will go ou e points. E to , with Nico throttle for Melbourne ado by just thre determined will go full field charge is id es tor Maldon m an in as 3 h m P 1 0 ac er 2 ile G m h e e w : th th g; t ct of u racing er fa t b b g ar e e st sam ” to terestin Nico Hülken to mark th at potential in a row. In first bend in Europe he has “gre ake it four gn. ce s m ai in in Spain ra ve p w e ie m e gl el n ca lu b b si e n tracks n’t win a out of the hile id 9 Formula O w d 1 is h t e el si ic tt on vi tw Ve ill ve e thre us w impro of its nished top The F1 circ ly another losing one and only fi Gutiérrez ere was on with Spain th last May. 0 d 2 a an n of o lo s Esteban d instea e podium five rookie nso won tw ture, Barce th e lo fu g A n th e g kerb but f yi th O in ra n in sp and e wasn’t ably the F1 lear ch ever y h b ea ro on en two races p t P h G w ill es b w s for a o t e tw could b a will hos watched. A r wing men to 11 ont two ; agne. Thei and Valenci s has to be d is down p fr ta el e fi am ot th h 1 B C F i of e er mes Valtt And th failed g in the fu luck guys. other year. ut fades HRT team be followin rest – good ar ts well b e ter Spain’s st . th af s n s ay io or w at ct al id ru u er const e Massa ent into liq Mark Webb n and Felip uyer and w ed Bull are summer su R e to find a b Ferrari. ts th at h es it gg w on ter su ance salo ith w ch g ch st la er Pit lane pat p ’s r it f thei any finishin knows knocked of surprised m k to oc en cl ön e kk ld th u äi there to be k R co bac Kimi man’ ing to turn and the ‘Ice their er Ferrari look ird in 2012 1 roost. On F if his par tn th e d th an d ; n le ru the much tic bouts agai d ra ea when they er an er is th en h e ar ol b contr high ill be McL sjean can s are also uld exhausts w Romain Gro Expectation aviour he co r s. u u eh fo b ot l L p d to ee h e w th eh ve h. Also -t improve it ie d w el in beh reckoned and they b e ce b es or d to F , e ce er rc er b fo for M son Button h but Sau become a will be Jen their within reac ts e on n ar e oi b s p r ill am fo te iams w fighting s, ossibly Will e tail-ender India and p th es av le . That rear wheels L REYN WORDS MIGUE
A
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Sebastian Vettel
STARTING GRID
(line-ups on February 13) RED BULL RENAULT 1. Sebastian Vettel 2. Mark Webber FERRARI 3. Fernando Alonso 4. Felipe Massa McLAREN MERCEDES 5. Jenson Button 6. Sergio Pérez LOTUS RENAULT 7. Kimi Räikkönen 8. Romain Grosjean MERCEDES 9. Nico Rosberg 10. Lewis Hamilton SAUBER FERRARI 11. Nico Hülkenberg 12. Esteban Gutiérrez FORCE INDIA MERCEDES 14. Paul di Resta 15. Jules Bianchi or Adr ian Sutil (TBC) WILLIAMS RENAULT 16. Pastor Maldonado 17. Valtteri Bottas TORO ROSSO FERRARI 18. Jean-Éric Vergne 19. Daniel Ricciardo CATERHAM RENAULT 20. Charles Pic 21. Giedo van der Garde MARUSSIA COSWORTH 22. Luiz Razia 23. Max Chilton
Felipe Massa
Jenson Button
WHEN AND WHE RE
All races start at
14.00 CET unless ot he
MARCH 17 Australia (7am) MARCH 24 Malaysia (9am) APRIL 14 China (9am ) APRIL 21 Bahrain MAY 12 Spain MAY 26 Monaco JUNE 9 Canada (8 pm) JUNE 30 Great Brita in JULY 7 Germany JULY 21 Open date
Lewis Hamilton
rwise stated
JULY 28 Hungary AUGUST 25 Belgium SEPTEMBER 8 Italy SEPTEMBER 22 Sin gapore OCTOBER 6 Korea (8am) OCTOBER 13 Japan (8am) OCTOBER 27 India (10.30am) NOVEMBER 3 Abu Dh abi NOVEMBER 17 USA (8pm) NOVEMBER 24 Braz il (5pm)
Jean-Éric Vergne
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m m o c u y nicat t i l a u Q i
Fixed Mobile Internet
ons yo
u ca n trust
• Extensive portfolio of fixed, mobile and internet services • Resilient local and international communications • Dedicated staff providing high levels of customer care • 24/7 technical support, network monitoring and call centre services
Gibtelecom… it just gets better!
20052200 - www.gibtele.com - info@gibtele.com
As in years Andalucía’s gone by, very own Circuito de Je to the F1 ci rez played host rcu pre-season s for the first te February st between constructors5 and 8. All 11 but one noti were present ce was Fernan able absentee d decided to o Alonso, who a fitness pro concentrate on gram Canary Isle me in the s instead.
DAY ONE: The sun welcomed one driver fr five hours of om each team track time, w hen his McLar and it was Je stint. en broke dow nson Button n with a fuel who set the DAY TWO saw pump failure benchmark af Lewis Hamilton after just thre ter missing ’s Mercedes de after a loss of e la ps of his openin but but he sp rear brake pr g morning ent the aftern essure sent hi the fastest la oon in the m m crashing in p in both the ot or to m home with on a tyre barrier. orning and af DAY THREE: Se ly 14 laps com ternoon sess It was left to bastian Vettel ions beating pleted the Lotus of made his firs Ferrari’s Felip Bu Romain Gros tt t appearance on’s time from e Massa show jean to set in the new Re ing him a quic th e More drama pr evious day. d Bull but co ker way arou on th uld only post nd the circui break while th e final day, a pothole appe the third fast t in what turn ared near the e quick drying est time with ed out to be kerb on turns cement set th three days. th e fastest time 10 and 11. Ever en Kimi Räikkö of the week. yone took an nen put a Lo FOUR DAY SUM extra 50 min tus on top of MARY: of the ute lu the timesheet 23 drivers taki two days. The for the second nch ng part, Esteba fastest three time in n Gutiérrez (Sau were Felipe M was the unsign assa (day thre ber) was the ed Frenchman bu e) si fo es Jules Bianch day four – th llowed by Kim t, completing i, who staked e Ferrari prot i Räikkönen (d 252 laps over égé hopes to a his ay four) and his only day have impresse claim for the keys to the su behind the w rp risingly, in th ca d the team’s r heel. of ir th d e va cant seat at owners after Force India on being faster than the Wor ld Champion on
JEREZ WINT ER
TESTING RE PORT
Winter test ing has alw ays been a unknown, case of clo but Lotus ak and da m ust be hap times of th gger with py posting e week. Fe fuel loads the secon lipe Massa a different d and fourt said drivin planet” co h best g th mpared to e new Ferr day perform ari is like b his 2012 st ance on a eing “on e e d . M d irty track w any noted while all th ith no rub McLaren’s e top time b e first s r o b ve a se and a h But not m r the week uch is gain ard tyre se were mad ed by just t-up e on the so Williams o reading in fter compo ut of the e to fast test und. quation as ti m e s and you they ran w can take ith last yea r’s model.
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THE NEW K ID
ON THE GR ID
Britain is back to fo ur F1 start with Maru ers after M ssia. The ax Chilton 21-year-o finished fo landed a ld steps urth in last drive up from year’s poin Carlin. He GP2, whe ts table w also spen re he it h t two wins fo the final fe the F1 sist r Marussia w months er team sh a s th a d e owing both with a Fri official rese day P1 se their drive rve for ssion at la rs and wa Reigate-b st Novem s rewarde orn racer b d e r’ also teste s Abu Dh But he m d for Forc abi GP. T ay have to e h In e d ia in 2011. play seco team mate nd fiddle , another to his mo rookie, Lu finished ru re experie iz Razia. Th nner-up in nced is 23-yea the 2012 and has r-old Brazi GP2 cham three sea lian p so ionship w ns of F1 (2010), T ith four w testing un eam Lotu ins d s e r (2 his belt w 011) and in 2012. ith Virgin for Toro R o ss o and Forc Two othe e India r drivers have also Esteban G moved up utiérrez fi n fr ished thir om the G old Mexic d with thre P2 ranks. an having e wins an spent fou Sauber h d the 22-y r ye as now be ars as test earen reward and reserv der Garde ed with a e driver fo , a 27-yea fi rs r t r-old Dutc team drive with two w hman, fin . Giedo va ins for Ca is n h e d te si rham Rac xth in the driver for ing and w standings their pare as also th nt F1 team e 2012 re After seve w h o he will ra serve ral notice ce for this able perf over the p year. ormances ast two ye in ars for W Friday F1 Bruno Se illiams, V nna. The practice altteri Bo 23-year-o he has im ttas has re ld F inn has lit pressed th placed tle other e e William xperience s manage but ment with his enthu siasm.
TV COVERAGE
Sky has full coverage of every race plus qualifying and all three practice sessions on its F1 channel. The BBC has 10 races live and, for the remainder, there are extended highlights plus full live audio commentary on Radio 5 Live or 5 Live Extra – and online. With the big satellite switch off said to be taking place in July or August, the only option then will be the Spanish channel Antena 3, which is also showing every race live or via the Internet. e
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THE FOCUS experience
WORDS AMY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY JON SEGUI AND Š HUFTON+CROW
Experience Around fifty years ago, in what is now considered to have been the golden age of air travel, airport terminals were quite the stage for the well-heeled and wealthy, for movie stars, jet-setters, and rich businessmen en route to sign and seal their lucrative deals. But over the years, as air travel became more accessible to the greater global population, more routine travel took off; to the point where today’s traveller is often a reluctant one. Now, arriving at the airport in anticipation of a flight is no longer the experience it once was. It is, for the majority, a necessary and often stressful means to an end. So stressful in fact, that leading neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis once conducted research at Heathrow Airport which revealed that those using the London terminal experienced greater stress levels than fighter pilots, Formula One racing drivers, and riot police.
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H
ard to imagine this, as I approach Gibraltar’s new airport terminal on a sunny Monday afternoon to talk to Terminal Director Terence Lopez, and be shown around. My first impression, even before I’m inside the terminal building, is just how spacious and well planned the entire entrance is. I cross a broad, tarmacked forecourt for pick-ups and drop-offs, with parking bays and a taxi rank directly in front of the terminal entrance (noting as I pass that where the taxis pull up, a special assistance post has been put in place so that those who require it can contact dedicated staff directly on arrival) and enter through large, automatic doors into the capacious, airy concourse. Planning permission for Gibraltar’s new terminal building was granted in 2007, and work commenced in 2009. By 2011 it was complete. The terminal covers an area of 35,000m2, and its construction cost in the region of €70 million. In its first complete year of operation, passenger figures reached 385,775.
It is a striking example of modern architecture, with an entirely glass facade which floods the interior with natural light. And once inside, continuing the theme of transparency, the entire ground floor of the concourse is laid out openly in front of you. Within sight, or at most a simple turn of the head, is a broad information desk, beyond which are the check-in desks for departure, and to the right of which is the arrivals gate. Further round to the right is the Sky Shop, selling everything from magazines to medicines, and beyond that a public cafe and seating area. To the far left are the desks designated for car rental. You have orientated yourself totally before taking a single step. It is in this concourse that I am met by Terence Lopez and Duty Manager Joe Acris, who suggest that we simply ‘walk and talk’, with all the ease and fluidity that is characteristic of this terminal, and we make our way towards the Business Aviation area of the airport.
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The Business Aviation area, with its own private exit and entrance to the airfield, is a dedicated corporate area designed either for those with their own private air transport, or business professionals interested in using the conferences facilities located within this wing. Already, it has been employed by local businesses, and also used to hold press conferences. In addition, it comprises exclusive departure lounges (one of which bears the name The Wessex Lounge, following its inauguration by the Earl and Countess of Wessex on their Jubilee visit in June 2012), all with spectacular Rock views from panoramic windows. It is complete with a security area, and even a walk-in wardrobe for its guests. As we leave, Joe remarks that behind the wooden door which had just closed after us, the Business Aviation area serves, in fact, as an entire terminal in itself. Once back in the concourse, we walk towards departures, passing no fewer than 16 check-in desks on our right as we do so. I’m told that only two or three of these are operational at any one time, but that the extra desks mean that if needed, more can easily be opened. It prompts me to ask whether the airport has ever come under any criticism for being too big for requirements, and the answer, without hesitation, is no. The extra desks not only cater for emergencies, says Terence, but should the routes out of Gibraltar increase (which ultimately is the decision of the airlines) then it means the new terminal is prepared. In fact, extra check-in desks aside, the airport has
been designed to be able to handle five flights every hour. The consequences this would have on the current necessity to close the runway to road traffic for each and every flight however, mean that other areas of Gibraltar’s infrastructure may have a little catching up to do first. We take the escalator up to the first floor, on which are located the security checkpoints and the departure lounge, and all the while, the sense of light and space pervades. Even in the walkways which lead away from the expansive areas of natural light, subtle rooflights (so subtle, I had to have it pointed out that it was in fact daylight not its artificial alternative which was the principle source of illumination) punctuate the roof, well placed to continue the effect. Now, in truth, no-one comes to an airport to kill time. The purpose of an airport these days is essentially for leaving or landing, for greeting or saying goodbye. But if ever there was a place that could convince you to check your bags in just that little bit early, Gibraltar’s new terminal is it. The view from the departure lounge is simply stunning. It is quite literally, The Rock, right before your eyes, in all its megalithic glory. And you can enjoy this unique view soaking up the last rays of sun, protected from any wind, on the large and comfortable south-facing terrace just off the departure lounge. As we are standing there doing just that, Terence comments “We may not be one of the biggest airports, but we’ve got the best views”. You can’t argue with that.
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Rock, it turns out, was instrumental in the design of the airport, although in a somewhat unexpected sense. On his first inspection of the space and site proposed for the new terminal in 2008, the architect charged with its design took one look at the structure’s imposing neighbour and said simply, “We can’t compete with that”. Thus, the decision was taken not to try. The inspiration came instead from Gibraltar’s maritime history, and the surrounding sea and sails, and this is reflected in the sweeping lines of the terminal roof as we now see it. While I could happily have remained talking on the terrace until sunset, I was invited back in to departures to see a few more of the features which Terence and his team believe contribute to a positive passenger experience. Through a door just off to the side of departures, we entered the Calpe Lounge, the VIP area, if you will, of the airport. Smart and sophisticated, with ample room, a complimentary bar, views over the main concourse, and its own private external viewing terrace complete with very comfortable-looking outdoor sofas. Entry to this lounge can simply be purchased on the day, regardless of the ticket you’re holding for your flight. Just up from the Calpe Lounge is a charming little chapel, and scattered throughout departures are a collection of the shops you’d expect to see, selling between them magazines and snacks, souvenirs, dutyfree, and cosmetics and perfume, plus two
fashion retailers. There is a lot of shop space not yet filled (at the time of writing) but this doesn’t appear to be of immediate concern to either Terence or Joe. The shops will come in time, but the priority right now is making sure departures is functioning at its absolute optimum for customer comfort, and to illustrate this point they tell me that even when the lounge is holding its current maximum of three flights’ worth of passengers, the spacious and practical layout ensures it never feels crowded. Having chosen to visit the airport in the quieter down time between flights, the terminal is as good as empty as we walk around it and I ask Terence how many people are actually employed there. Under his direct watch, he says, about twenty, but each of those staff manages full teams of key service providers, so beyond that he could only hazard a guess. He describes the airport as a Swiss Army Knife; a single unit to all intents and purposes, but contained within it are numerous essential extensions, all ready to spread out, each with their own specific purpose. I think of my own Swiss Army Knife, the corkscrew arm of which has seen way more service than the other components, and decide it’s probably a good thing I don’t run an airport. One thing which does really stand out as you walk through the terminal is just how spotless the whole place is. Terence accredits this to a brilliant behind-the-scenes team, not to mention the wonders of modern technology. The extensive windows, he tells me, are
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© Hufton+Crow
© Hufton+Crow
© Hufton+Crow
routinely rinsed by an external cleansing system and a similar automated process is responsible for raising and lowering the blinds whenever the sensors suggest they should. It is the same for the lighting. In fact, he says, the biggest jump for him has been going from very limited IT services to a situation where IT controls everything. He shows me back to the ground floor, and into the heart of the airport, where a multitude of control panels are poised for command. A lot, he says, has been invested in technology. Whilst seeing things from the ‘other side’ I’m also shown behind the check-in desks, a surprisingly fascinating insight, and to the baggage area (servicing two baggage reclaim belts), so that I know exactly what happens to my suitcase after I’ve said goodbye to it and am sitting on the terrace in the sun… With the tour coming to an end, we comment on how impressive an airport it is for its size, and Terence tells me that he believes that’s the beauty of the place. “None of the endless walkways of other international airports,” he says, “Before you’ve even got to passport control at Gatwick, you could have walked the equivalent distance of here to Casemates Square”. In Gibraltar, you can land, be in the cab, and have arrived wherever you’re going within twenty minutes. It’s an age-old adage that first impressions count, but the same is true of last (and lasting) impressions. Gibraltar’s new air terminal is doing its bit to ensure people arrive in, and leave Gibraltar on a high. i www.gibraltarairterminal.com
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THE FOCUS people
The story of Howard Bilton, founder and chairman of the Sovereign Group, began with a posting to Gibraltar and led via the founding of the Sovereign Group to a new life in exotic Hong Kong. We spoke to the man who combines a highly rational approach to finance with a passion for art, wine and fast cars. What was the trajectory that led to the founding of the Sovereign Group, and why did it happen in Gibraltar? In 1986 I joined International Company Services Limited in the Isle of Man. They wanted to open an office in Gibraltar and offered me the position of Managing Director, so in 1987 I moved to Gibraltar to start a business there. In those days things in Gibraltar were pretty basic; it was virtually impossible to make an international telephone call except during lunchtime and after normal office hours, when pressure on the very small number of international lines eased. It also took up to six months to incorporate a company and there were no offices available to rent. Despite all that, business was booming due to the re-opening of the border with Spain, but it was difficult to process the business. How did the company come to grow into such a large organisation, and was it affected by the financial crash of 2008? The business grew because we had good people who worked hard and had drive and ambition. The financial crash in 2008 affected everybody, but when things are bad people have more time to spend on their personal affairs, so they tend to use this time to get their own house in order and try and cut costs by structuring their affairs efficiently. When business is booming there are lots of deals being done but sometimes people are rushing into things so fast that they do not have time to consider efficient structures. Hopefully we can still make some progress irrespective of the financial climate, and the company did grow in 2008 despite the crash. When did you make the move to Hong Kong and why did you exchange one exclave for another? I moved to Hong Kong in 1992. We had opened an office there in 1990 and it wasn’t doing very well. I wanted a new challenge. I had visited Hong Kong a number of times and thought I could turn the office round and there was nobody else available to do the job. What is it like living there and do you still have links with Gibraltar? Hong Kong is a very exciting and vibrant city that is constantly evolving. There is a tremendous work ethic in Hong Kong and people have a very ‘can do’ attitude here. The city is consistently voted the place with the most financial freedom to start
a business and it attracts entrepreneurs from all over the world seeking to do business in the fast growing emerging markets of the Far East. People in Hong Kong tend to work hard and play hard, and travel extensively round the region and the world, both for pleasure and business. If you are bored in Hong Kong you are probably dead. I still have links with Gibraltar as it is still our largest office and I get to visit occasionally. I also still have a house in Sotogrande, but at the moment I have rented it to an executive working in Gibraltar. Your love of art is expressed in the Sovereign Art Foundation, your passion for wine in Howard’s Folly. Do you also have an outlet for your interest in fast cars and your love for Leeds United? I do like cars. I am a member of a Supercar club called écurie25 based in the UK. It allows you to drive a different Supercar every time you visit without the hassle and cost of ownership. It’s great fun. I follow Leeds United and Hull City in the newspapers and sometimes get to see a game on television if they are playing one of the big guys in the FA Cup, but I haven’t watched a live match for many years. Are there still ambitions as yet unrealised? I still want to grow the Sovereign business and expand the work of the Sovereign Art Foundation. We have plans to restart our European Art Prize, continue an art prize we started in Africa and instigate a new South American prize. I’m hoping that all these projects will reach fruition this year. Thus far we have raised over US$4 million for charity, which we use to help disadvantaged children from some of the poorest places on the planet. I just came back from visiting one of our projects in Sihanoukville in Cambodia. That project is now helping over 3,500 children and the work being done is truly inspiring, but only emphasises the need to do more. So we will. Sovereign continues to grow and we are always looking to expand the range of services we offer. At the moment we are particularly active in the pensions sector. If you were to leave Hong Kong, where would you go? I have no plans to leave Hong Kong at the moment. It’s a great place to live and there are so many other interesting places to visit within easy reach of Hong Kong. I would like to spend more time in Spain when I get my house back.
How do you see the financial sector evolving over the next few years, and what will its impact on Gibraltar be? The financial sector evolves continuously. I suppose the biggest change is the accelerating provisions for the exchange of information and absolute transparency on transactions. No longer is it possible to avoid scrutiny of offshore arrangements. A lot of clients used to see offshore financial centres as a place where money could be hidden beyond the reach of the taxman. This is no longer the case, and hasn’t been the case for some time. Any and all arrangements made through an offshore financial centre must be compliant and need to be capable of standing up to the scrutiny of the home tax authorities. This demands a greater range of skills and technical expertise from the offshore practitioner. Gibraltar seems to be thriving in this environment and to have had some success in attracting high net worth individuals to live in Gibraltar, which allows local entrepreneurs to thrive in servicing their requirements. It isn’t Monaco yet but it is getting there. e
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From
Gibraltar to Hong
Kong WORDS MICHEL CRUZ
SOVEREIGN GROUP
Suite 2B, 143 Main Street, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 76173. www.sovereigngroup.com
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THE FOCUS minister
A Very Multicultural
Ambassador
Belinda Beckett meets Neil Costa, Gibraltar’s dynamic young Tourism Minister. Photography Jon Segui
I
f Gibraltar’s Tourism Minister achieves all he’s set out to do in his next three years in office, then local shopkeepers had better brush up on their language skills because the Russians are coming! French and German could be an asset, too. The Rock is no stranger to invasion, as its fortress walls and siege tunnels bear witness. But this time it’s lowering the drawbridge to friendly tourist hordes armed with nothing more dangerous than cameras. “Amending the Immigration Act to introduce tourist visas for non-EU citizens is a first step in opening up new markets – Morocco and Russia in particular,” says the Minister. “Morocco is a close neighbour and Russian visitors are increasingly coming to Spain, so there are opportunities to exploit.” Billionaire Roman Abramovich has already sampled Gibraltarian hospitality, sailing into its territorial waters aboard his mega yacht, Eclipse. The core British market will also get a boost this month (March) when Monarch Airlines starts a three-times weekly scheduled service from Birmingham into Gibraltar’s swanky but underused new airport terminal – aka ‘the white elephant’. Services from Scotland and northeast or southwest England are under discussion and flights from several other northern European countries – Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia – could be queued for take off before the next general election. And, having pledged to spend £1m on upgrading attractions – a sum the previous administration only spent in five years – the Hon. Neil Costa is not stopping there. He’s also courting new cruise ship companies and tour operators to reinforce Gibraltar’s attractions both as a shortbreak destination and as part of a two/three-centre holiday with Spain and Morocco. Most of Gibraltar’s
tourists are day trippers. Costa wants to fill hotel rooms. If he pulls it all off it will be a huge coup for Gibraltar’s youngest-ever Minister. Spain, of course, has other ideas about fly zones and territorial waters that could theoretically ground new air routes and rock the buoyant cruise industry which will bring 188 luxury liners to its smart cruise terminal this year. But Gibraltar may yet prove a David to Spain’s Goliath. “I see no credible threat, even if it came to litigation,” says 34-year-old Costa with the quiet confidence of a seasoned barrister. “And even Franco respected our territorial waters.” Costa’s expertise in civil law, common law and commercial law helped win him the tourism portfolio in Chief Minister Fabian Picardo’s cabinet in 2011, when the GSLP/Liberal Alliance squeezed out the Social Democrats after 16 years in power. The former shadow Health Minister, whose new responsibilities also include public transport, commercial affairs and the port, was “surprised but pleased” by his new role in travel although he did have to conquer a fear of flying instilled after a “scary incident” on a plane. Proud of his heritage, like all Gibraltarians – “There isn’t an English bone in my body,” he states – Costa is the perfect ambassador. His Portugese, Italian and Spanish ancestry mirrors the territory’s multicultural society where Hindus, Muslims, Catholics, Protestants and Jews enjoy peaceful coexistence. “The Gibraltar where I grew up was already undergoing huge transformation from an unattractive grey concrete backwater to the sophisticated and privileged society it is today,” says the Minister, instancing the housing co-ownership scheme and university scholarships introduced by
former Chief Minister Joe Bossano, along with land reclamation, without which the plot where Costa’s office at Europort stands would be under water.
Whisky Socialism His mother worked at Liptons (now Morrisons), his father was a stonemason and, like most working class Gibraltarians at that time, the young Neil grew up in a huge extended family. “My parents, grandparents and an uncle and aunt all shared a three-bedroom flat so there was none of the privacy we enjoy today,” he recalls. “During holidays, more relatives would descend and sit around drinking whisky and talking politics and I grew up a bit of a lefty – though my ideas progressed into liberalism so I joined the Liberal party. But there was a huge sense of community which we cannot afford to lose. Although I bought my own flat when I finished my studies I moved in with my grandmother and, IN RETROSPECT, I couldn’t have done so well in business without her, especially, and my family support – having my dinner cooked and my shirts ironed. You can’t put a price on it.” His parents divorced when he was 10 – less common in those days – leading one teacher to forecast that, as the product of a ‘split family’, he would never amount to anything. Costa proved the prediction spectacularly wrong, gaining three A levels, a law and Spanish degree at Cardiff University, and passing the Bar exam in London. Then he hurried eagerly back to sunny Gibraltar to join the law firm Hassans and escape the gloomy British winters. Excited to be part of Gibraltar’s next evolution, Costa will be courting private sector investment to create “a more integrated global tourism product” and dispel any lingering belief that VATfree shopping and Marmite from Morrisons are
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The Rock’s top attractions. “We have pockets of excellence but no cohesive package. On the Upper Rock we have the Moorish Castle, caves dating back to Neolithic and Roman times, tunnels from the 19th century siege and World War II – it’s like travelling in a time capsule and that can be made more of.” Recent achievements include the launch of the new Visit Gibraltar and airport websites; the Gibraltarpedia project, which aims to cover every notable place, person, artefact, plant and animal in the territory in as many languages as possible on Wikipedia (Gibraltar is only the second destination in the world to do so); the provision of wifi hot spots throughout the Rock; and the addition of the 1st Gibraltar International Literary Festival in October to a growing list of annual events.
Costa would also like to see The Rock’s neighbours in the Campo de Gibraltar benefiting from the territory’s good fortune which has been enriched by its booming finance, shipping and online gaming industries. “Perversely, a hostile Spain is in some ways good for business,” says the Minister, citing January’s Three Kings Cavalcade which packed out Casemates Square and Main Street, while bankrupt La Linea couldn’t afford to hold one. The Gibraltarians themselves took on the Three Kings’ role, presenting the crisis-hit Campo towns of San Roque and La Linea with thousands of Christmas gifts, toys and food parcels. Over 7,000 frontier workers cross the border daily to jobs in Gibraltar and, contrary to press reports, they enjoy a good relationship with their neighbours.
Burning The Midnight Oil A believer in hands-on government, Costa is rarely at his desk during the day. When not at planning meetings, showcasing Gibraltar’s attractions to investors, travelling abroad to trade fairs and dealing with unexpected problems, such as an oil spill in the port, he’s writing detailed
answers to Parliamentary questions. He enjoys the adversarial cut-and-thrust of the monthly assembly, where he can flex his barrister’s talent for reasoned argument. “I was told I’d work fewer hours in government than when I was a lawyer but there are a lot of late nights,” he laughs with a wry smile. “Thankfully, like most Gibraltarians, I don’t have a long commute.” His office is an eight-minute walk from home. There’s one person in his life he always has time for – April Rose, his 18-month-old daughter with a former girlfriend. He loves having her for weekend sleep-overs and showing her off around town. “Gibraltar’s like a village, everyone knows each other and Main Street on a Saturday morning is a big social occasion,” he says. You may also spot him out in the sunshine reading The Economist, his favourite magazine. And there’s a darker secret: Neil Costa is a Trekkie. “I think I have the box set of every Star Trek series they made,” he confesses. Given the show’s massive global following and Gibraltar’s drive to capture new markets, who knows, perhaps Trekkie Tours could also catch on! i www.gibraltar.gi/tourism
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THE FOCUS music
Anyone who quaintly begins a sentence which isn’t a question with the word ‘Why’ has already delighted my inner Jane Austen heroine, so when I contacted Gibraltarian singer/ songwriter Kirsty Almeida to ask her if we could have a little chat and she replied, “Why, that would be lovely, thank you”, I liked her already.
B
ut the eloquence with which Kirsty talks to me belies the many different layers there are to this eclectic musician. Her world has been described as both enchanting and dark, her performance likened to a ringleader of a vaudeville troupe, and she herself was once given the label of the Lady Gaga of Jazz. Her favourite? “I think the best description was Norah Jones does Sergeant Pepper,” she says “but that was just for one album, all the others are different.” She attributes the ample range of genres into which reviewers try to categorise her music to the extensive travelling she did in her youth. Despite growing up in Gibraltar, her father’s work commitments saw the young Kirsty spending time in, among others, Venezuela, Singapore, Florida and the Philippines. “My accent is coloured by my many travels and so is my music. I love world music and grew up listening to a lot of country, Mexican, salsa and all sorts of weird and wonderful music. My dad has an extensive taste too and I raided his CDs as a teenager.” And Kirsty herself is every bit as quirky as her genre-hopping music. Incredible creativity combined with fun-loving imagination sees her staging ‘secret gigs’ in which invited fans receive a handmade scroll containing clues, a dress code (think more ‘Victoriana’ than simply ‘smart casual’) and instructions on where to meet, then are taken by carriage to a special venue where Kirsty performs while they dine. She also designs and makes limited edition album sleeves by hand, has a bespoke ballgown line, and has exhibited her own paintings and sculptures. Is there any creative outlet she hasn’t yet explored? “I would very much like to write a musical and a children’s book. I’d love to make a kids’ programme which I
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have been working on for a couple of years with all sorts of art and musical fun written in. Then, other days I would like to have my own hotel and create an environment which takes you away somewhere magical.” Kirsty left Gibraltar at the age of 17 to study art at Middlesex University, then music in Leeds, before making her way to Manchester for the first time in 2001, where she began singing with Latin band La Gran Descarga. She toured the UK with them before deciding that ultimately she didn’t want to be solely a Latin artist, and consequently made the hard decision to leave and write her own album. In 2009, she was signed up by record label Decca. The circus of the corporate music industry, however, was not for Kirsty, and she eventually left Decca to set up her own label, ‘All Made Up’. It was a brave decision, but it transformed her world, giving her a control over her own work which she never would have been afforded otherwise, along with the ability to help other artists with theirs. She uses Facebook, Twitter and social network sites all over the world to sell her records and artwork, and is now governed, she says, simply by the music itself. She still lives in Manchester. This year, Kirsty will record a new album which was written and gigged last year, as well as making the video for it, and creating an exhibition of pictures and sculptures to go with it. She also has plans for a
musical environmental project to help bring awareness to the damage being caused to the world through the use of plastics, starting with the simple plastic bag. “I got so upset with not knowing how to help our world, or the state of our communities, that I decided to pick one thing and make a difference, so this is mine.” And as if she weren’t busy enough, she also intends to begin researching the subject of symbols from all over the world, throughout time. This, she says, will probably lead her to writing the next album. But despite the great strides she has made since leaving Gibraltar, and the plans she has in the pipeline, her homeland is still dear to her heart. “I go to Gibraltar two or three times a year and it still feels homely and special. It’s an amazing place, it’s timeless for me and I love that. Nothing changes too quickly which is great as the rest of the world changes way too fast. Gibraltar is always as I remember it, only it seems to just get more beautiful every time I go home. I still have some of my very best friends there and hopefully always will.” Known for her particular penchant for unusual venues, having even held some of her shows in her own front room, I ask Kirsty where she would like to perform in Gibraltar. “I would love to play the Inces Hall as I remember it being a very special space, maybe with my musical. Alameda Gardens is the one for
me – I would LOVE to perform there on a hot summer’s evening!” With a seemingly unstoppable imagination, I ask Kirsty if she has any advice to anyone who wants to nurture their own creativity in the spectacular way she herself has done. She does. “Go out on artist dates – just you and your inner child. Listen to your intuition and feed it. Go to exhibitions, go on a walk and see what nature has to offer, hang out with the dolphins, read a book and take notes of sentences you like. Dance.” g Kirsty will be performing at the Gibraltar Jazz Festival on October 18. Her music can be purchased on iTunes (her new album, Deja Voodu, is out on March 25). For futher information, search for Kirsty Almeida on Facebook or Twitter.
Kirsty
Almeida and the Artistry of Music
WORDS AMY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY SIMON FOWLER
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THE FOCUS gibraltar
HITTING All the world, according to Shakespeare, is a stage, and certainly Gibraltar, whose size would suggest a small role in the global cast, has seen more than its fair share of drama.
THE HEADLINES The Battle of Trafalgar, 1805
The first story to hit the headlines, and ‘scooped’ understandably by the Gibraltar press a week before its appearance in the eagerly-awaited British papers, was that of the Battle of Trafalgar. A decisive battle in the Napoleonic Wars, it saw two-thirds of the Franco-Spanish fleet defeated by the British Navy, yet without the loss of a single British ship. The British however, paid a high price for this victory, and it was with deep regret that the newspapers also reported the death of Admiral Lord Nelson, Britain’s greatest naval hero.
WORDS AMY WILLIAMS
The Mary Celeste Case, 1872
Found floating, crewless, in the Atlantic Ocean in December 1872, a beautiful two-mast brigantine named Mary Celeste was towed into Gibraltar where an enquiry was launched into her mysterious circumstances. There was no sign of distress, nor piracy, nor any evidence to suggest what had happened to the Captain and a
The Wedding of John and Yoko, 1969 Gibraltar hit the headlines of the popular press when it provided the location for the wedding of John Lennon to Yoko Ono on 20 March, 1969. Describing the three-minute ceremony as ‘quick, quiet and British’, the Beatle explained that the couple had chosen Gibraltar after spending a week trying to arrange their marriage. Gibraltar’s special licence cost £4, 14s, and was organised by solicitors in London. British newspapers described it as a predictably, ‘unconventional affair’.
Miss Gibraltar wins Miss World, 2009 Describing it as a ‘Red Letter Day for Gibraltar’, it was with enormous pride that Gibraltar’s daily newspaper, The Chronicle, broke the news that its very own Kaiane Aldorino, Miss Gibraltar, had won the title of Miss World. Broadcast to an estimated one billion global viewers, the contest brought Gibraltar to a standstill according to the paper, with mobile phone networks crashing as Gibraltarians rushed to spread the news. The Chief Minister promised a ‘royal’ homecoming for Kaiane, which she duly received with the majority of the tiny territory’s 30,000-strong population turning out to welcome her home.
crew of first-class sailors. All the crew’s personal belongings were found on board, including valuables. The weather was fine, and provisions on the ship would have seen them through at least six more months at sea. With no explanation ever concluded, the Gibraltar Law Courts reported the case as a mystery – still believed to be the greatest ever in maritime history.
The IRA Shooting, 1988 Provoking one of the biggest controversies in Gibraltar’s history, three members of an active IRA service unit were shot dead by security forces in Gibraltar as they walked towards the Spanish border in March 1988. Newspaper reports claimed they had positioned a car bomb close to the Governor’s Residence, with the intention of detonating it during the popular ceremony of the Changing of the Guard the following day. Despite an inquest concluding that the IRA members had been lawfully killed, it was ruled by the European Court of Justice in 1995 that the security forces had violated their fundamental right to life.
HMS Tireless leaves Gibraltar, 2001
Causing uproar among environmentalists, and straining relations between Gibraltar and Spain, a British nuclear submarine which had been docked in Gibraltar for repairs for almost a year, finally left in 2001. Reportedly undergoing repairs to a crack in a cooling pipe close to its nuclear reactor, the submarine allegedly posed no risk to either the environment or humans, yet this did not allay the fears of the local people or the environmentalists. Twenty protesters arriving from across Europe were involved in a demonstration demanding the removal of nuclear arms and reactors from the oceans, and ten Greenpeace volunteers were arrested.
David Walliams and James Cracknell swim the Straits, 2008 In order to raise money for the BBC’s Sport Relief, James Cracknell and David Walliams swam across the Straits of Gibraltar in March 2008, a feat achieved by only 10% of all those who attempt it. The pair completed the 14-mile swim in four and a half hours, with Walliams, who suffered from violent sea-sickness, describing it as ‘really tough’. They raised over £340,000 for charity. e
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style
INTERIORS / ARCHITECTURE / ART / FASHION
Discover the style and beauty of the new Buena Vista Park Villas project and refresh your wardrobe with top picks from the upcoming Spring/ Summer season. In our health and beauty section, enjoy our preview of hot looks in make-up, our feature on the health benefits of manuka honey and a guide to latest on the new trend for black perfumes.
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Buena Vista Park Villas
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Spring Fashion from Roberto Verino
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Fashion News
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New Wave Perfumes in Black
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Beauty: Spring/Summer 2013 Make-up
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Health: Manuka Honey
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THE STYLE decor
Buena
Gibraltar’s New
Vista Park Villas
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If there was an Oscars night for the collective world of home décor and luxury interiors, the designers and manufacturers featured on the specifications sheet for Gibraltar’s new Buena Vista Park Villas would be dusting down their dinner jackets and preparing their acceptance speeches. For this document, prepared in order that prospective purchasers have complete say over the fixtures, furnishings and finishes which will eventually complete their luxury home, reads like a roll call of excellence; each nomination a class act in its own category. WORDS AMY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY JON SEGUI
T
ake the developers’ description of the possible kitchen options for example. It reads, “The kitchen and utility room are fully fitted with kitchen units and quartz or granite work surfaces by Poggenpohl, Linear, Clive Christian or similar”. Clive Christian, ‘or similar’? The man was awarded an OBE in the 2012 New Years Honours list for his services to the British luxury goods industry, and yet he’s just one of a few ‘similar’ options? In the same section, the extensive itemisation of kitchen equipment and appliances is listed as being available from, among others, the Germany-based manufacturer Miele. To give you an idea, Miele received public praise for its design philosophy from none other than Steve Jobs, creative genius, design perfectionist, late CEO of Apple Inc – the world’s one-time most valuable publicly traded company – and, owner of a Miele washing machine. This accolade comes in addition to Miele being recognised in 2007 as the most successful company in Germany that year. The runner-up was Google, and third place went to Porsche. This is the kind of prestigious company the domestic appliance manufacturer keeps.
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Currently in its first phase of construction, the Buena Vista Park Villas development will consist of luxury villas and townhouses, located in Gibraltar’s South District on the site of the former headquarters of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, and will encapsulate no fewer than three countries and two continents in its sweeping views over the Straits. The properties themselves will be spacious, sizeable, high-spec homes. Including the customisable basements, the front line villas of the first phase will comprise four storeys, and to their rear, the townhouses, boasting an additional floor, take that total to five. But while the size and external structure of the properties have been decided, the interiors are a blank canvas, to be adorned with a choice of some pretty lavish paints. The on-site marketing suite goes some way to showcasing the selection by creating
a smaller-scale look and feel of the finished properties. On entry, you come first to the kitchens. Dark grey quartz kitchen counter tops by Silestone, boasting a trademarked anti-bacterial protection which prevents germs from collecting on the surface, can be compared with the ergonomicallyengineered and clean, white-lacquered lines of the Poggenpohl equivalent. Both deliver a modern, contemporary look which disguises the complement of practical features they possess. The silver kitchen appliances enhance the modern feel, keeping the range of colours clean and uncomplicated, and rendering the space equally as conducive to cooking as to today’s trend of kitchen entertaining. A modern yet traditional-looking hardwood floor, of the types available from top-end producers Kährs and Boen, gives the
surroundings of one kitchen area a warm and luxurious feel. This, in turn, is contrasted with the more fashionable flooring of the second, composed of light-coloured, sleek, ceramic tiles from Spanish-founded industry leader Porcelanosa. The intention is for the spaces inside the properties to be large and open plan, and consequently the ceramic tiles of the second kitchen area continue fluidly out into an expanse of lounge, lavishly decorated for display purposes with interiors from local supplier Patricia Darch. The wallpaper is a subtle snakeskin design, which works so well you do a double take when you make out the detail. The sofa is a stylish grey, freshened up with the citrus colours of yellow scatter cushions and the central focus of a multilevel glass coffee table using tones of lime. The scene is illuminated by a bold, modern
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chandelier in the shape of a firework. An essential component of modern life, a wide-screen television is the central feature of a stylish shelving unit which stretches across the far wall. The feel is opulent yet relaxing, and importantly, it oozes comfort; this is real luxury living but with an elegant emphasis on ‘living’. The bathroom is also a feature of the show suite, and here, consistency of colour in a clean, uncluttered space creates that sought-after feeling of wellness and calm. A bright white Villeroy & Boch washbasin sits atop a sleek, silver, wallmounted unit, and relaxation rains down from a foot-wide shower head designed by award-winning Hansgrohe. A third acclaimed designer, Duravit, is also an installation option, offering deluxe sanitary ware across the spectrum of bathroom interiors, including whirlpool baths and well-being systems. It is literally luxury on tap. Even in the smallest space of the house, striking black slate tiles contrast with white porcelain in a stylish monochrome mix, and a wooden shelf for the washbasin gently breaks up the two, introducing a soft natural element to the room. And high-end features continue well beyond what the eye can see. Fitted with an advanced home automation system, the owners of each property will be able to control almost every component of their home from a selected mobile device, a simple smartphone, whether within the house or miles away. Of course, to a degree, this covers the sensible stuff: turning lights on in the owner’s absence to make it look like someone’s home; remotely activating the thermostat for either a cosy or cool reception when they walk in; and adjusting the sprinkler settings depending on the weather forecast. This, of course,
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is about home security, comfort, and saving energy. However, you realise you’re in the realm of hedonistic pleasure when, according to the final flourish of supplier Cortexa’s marketing blurb (which has already informed you that you can remotely turn on the heating for the dog if the outside temperature drops), you can even command something they call Movie Time, which with one button will ‘dim the lights, turn on the TV and DVD, close the shades, and text the kids to tell them the movie is starting’. Did I say this system controlled ‘almost’ every component of the home? I retract the adverb. Add to this a Sonos multi-room music system, which wirelessly manages your music, creates playlists from your own library, or simply streams music from your favourite internet sites or radio stations throughout the entire house (or just one room, or even different music to different rooms, as you wish), and you’ve got a harmony which is characteristic of the whole ambience of the home. The real ‘feel’ of Buena Vista Park Villas, even in the confines of a limited show suite, is of free-flowing, open plan, luxury living and space. One room glides into another, in the same way that the sunlight pouring in through the large, south-facing, double-glazed doors and windows floods the property too. And despite the location and design of this development bringing the outside in, the sunshine can equally be enjoyed from the properties’ vast terraces, solariums, around the private swimming pools of the villas, or the shared pool of the townhouses. With nothing but the Bay and the Straits between the outdoor areas and beyond, the sense is of space, peace, and unparalleled exclusivity. Only once in the last thirty years has the tranquillity of the area, high up in the still and serene South District, been dramatically disturbed. Bond buffs will be familiar with the scene, but for those who still can’t quite place the location
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of the Buena Vista development, watch the opening of the fifteenth James Bond film, The Living Daylights. The pre-title sequence sees Bond atop a Land Rover careering out of control as he tries to assassinate the villain in the driving seat. The wall the Land Rover crashes through, before flying off the edge of the Rock and exploding in the air above the water of the Bay, is just yards away from Buena Vista. You’d be doing a double take while remotely viewing the footage from your Cortexa home security camera had the properties been built, and the advanced surveillance systems installed, back then. Film sets aside, the structures of the Buena Vista Park Villas development are not the first to occupy this unique position, for in contrast to the ultra-modern, high-end homes currently under construction, this historic site was originally the Buena Vista Battery, headquarters of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, with a military history dating back to the late 1700s. The buildings which still stand from this period are now listed, and remain under the protection
of Gibraltar’s Heritage Trust. An interesting agreement has therefore been reached between the Buena Vista Park Villas developers and the Heritage Trust to restore and preserve these constructions and fortifications within the new development. Included in this are the perimeter walls, large stone barracks and a pivotal gun emplacement, but of particular note is a building which dates back to the 1800s, forming then a part of the Regimental Headquarters, but due now to be incorporated in its entirety into Townhouse Number Three; literally a building within a building, a work which has lasted for hundreds of years juxtaposed with the modern materials and cutting-edge technology of the twenty-first century. Unsurprisingly, it does not appear on the specifications sheet. Unlike the other features from which prospective buyers can choose, this one is non-negotiable, and there are no ‘similar’ options for consideration. It makes for a unique property. Not only does the Buena Vista development respectfully merge Gibraltar’s heritage with its future, but it also boasts state-of-the-art
specifications with a considered environmental awareness. All the villas and townhouses will be solar-panelled, and solar powered street lamps are currently being trialled. The roofs of the townhouses will be green, and the garden areas irrigated with reclaimed water. The development has an ‘A’ rating for energy performance, with modern insulation reducing energy expenditure and cutting the carbon footprint. It goes some way towards guilt-free, glamorous living. For buyers whose fingers aren’t as green as the environmentally-friendly technology installed at Buena Vista Park Villas, a show garden outside the marketing suite is currently testing a selection of grass patches to see which, in the climate and conditions, will be the most suitable for sowing in the gardens and roof gardens of the properties. Included among these however, is also the option of an artificial lawn. Real or artificial grass on the roof of your five-storey townhouse overlooking the sparkling Straits of Gibraltar? Life is full of tough decisions. i www.buenavistaparkvillas.com
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THE STYLE fashion
What better place for flowers to bloom than the stunning, multicoloured garden that makes up Roberto Verino’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection? Bright colours, transparencies and floral inspired themes predominate in a collection created for the little girl inside the woman. COMPILED BY MARISA CUTILLAS
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GARDEN PARTY
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Dams el i www.robertoverino.com
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THE STYLE fashion
WATCH BY DIOR
MAXI-DRESSES BY MONSOON
BAG BY MONSOON
DESERT ROSE TOP AVAILABLE AT GUNNEL’S ZUECOS
SW M A A R OV CA R SK I O O N EC NJ E W K L AC ELL E BY ER Y
FLORAL INSPIRED RING BY ACCESSORIZE
FAS BY HION AC C E A R E S S R IN OR I G S ZE
DRESS BY MONSOON
What’s
THE BUZZ?
Spring/Summer fashion forecasts are out and looks to watch out for include flowing, transparent materials, maritime motifs, shiny accessories and above all, flowers, in all their colourful splendour. Marisa Cutillas suggests top buys for the most romantic time of the year.
BAG WITH FLOWER SEQUINS AND PEARL EMBROIDERY BY DIOR
CONTACTS ACCESSORIZE www.accessorize.com DIOR www.dior.com GUNNEL’S ZUECOS www.gunnelszuecos.blogspot.com MACAROON JEWELLERY www.macaroonjewellery.co.uk MONSOON www.monsoon.co.uk
FASHION BRACELET BY ACCESSORIZE
SA ND AL A BY CC ES
P IR
E
IN S
RIZ
LO R
SO
SA I
ED
SA N
DA L
BY D
IOR
BAG BY A
CCESSORI
ZE
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DRESS BY DIOR
FLORAL PRINT TOP AND TROUSERS BY ROBERTO VERINO
DRESS BY DIOR
SUIT BY DEVOTA Y LOMBA
DRESS BY VICTORIO Y LUCCHINO
DRESS BY FRANCIS MONTESINOS
DRESS BY KINA FERNÁNDEZ
CONTACTS DEVOTA Y LOMBA www.devotaylomba.com DOLORES CORTÉS www.dolores-cortes.com DIOR www.dior.com FRANCIS MONTESINOS www.francismontesinos.com KINA FERNÁNDEZ www.kinafernandez.es ROBERTO VERINO www.robertoverino.es VICTORIO & LUCCHINO www.victorioylucchino.com
DRESS BY KINA FERNÁNDEZ
SUMMER DRESS BY DOLORES CORTÉS
DRESS BY VICTORIO & LUCCHINO
Mercedes-Benz Flowers once again ruled the catwalk at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Madrid. We bring you highlights of this important event.
FASHION WEEK
MADRID
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THE STYLE beauty
the night is
Black
PRODUCTS
When it comes to perfumes, fresh, clean and light scents will always have their place on our dressing tables but lately, perfume creators and beauty buffs alike have fallen in love with richer, sultrier fragrances bearing woody, earthy or balmy bases, uplifted by spicy, Oriental and smoky notes. Black is the inspiration and this extends to some of the most glamorous bottle designs we’ve seen in a while. This month, Marisa Cutillas brings you the very best of this new wave in perfume. 1 – AGENT PROVOCATEUR PÉTALE NOIR Type: Oriental Spicy notes tempered by the freshness of flowers are favoured by women who are unabashedly feminine. Agent Provocateur has created a sweet blend that is bound to be a big seller this season. Top notes are mandarin orange, bergamot, lotus, magnolia, violet leaf and hyacinth, heart notes are rose, ylang ylang, neroli, heliotrope, lily of the valley and black currant blossom and base notes are leather, ginger, amber, tobacco leaf, patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver, sandalwood, cedar, labdanum, musk and benzoin.
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2 – ARMANI CODE LUNA Type: Citrus/Floral/Oriental The moon is a revered symbol for lovers of the night and this perfume captures the fragrances of a lush night garden. Top notes are a citrusy blend of Italian bergamot and petit grain, the heart is rich in fruity orange blossom and mirabilis and the base is a rich gourmande vanilla. To commemorate the dark romance and mystery of the moon, it also contains the exotic flower fleur de lune, which only blooms at night.
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3 – BOSS NUIT Type: Floral If you’ve seen the advertisements for Boss Nuit, featuring the stunning Gwyneth Paltrow, then you’ll probably understand why this fragrance was inspired by the LBD (little black dress). Its daring top note contains a blend of aldehydes and peach, the heart is a floral bouquet of white flowers, violet and jasmine and the base is an earthy crystalline moss and sandalwood. 4 – LADY GAGA FAME Type: Floral/Balmy This perfume was designed by Lady Gaga and, predictably, it’s miles ahead of anything that has come before it. If most perfumes respect a specific pyramidal structure, Fame uses a revolutionary technology known as ‘push-pull’, in which highlights of different notes stand out at the same time, putting an end to the expected hierarchy of scents. Fame contains three accords: dark, sensual and light. The magic begins with a hint of
poisonous flower belladonna, tempered by sweet incense, evolving into a sensual blend of honey, saffron and apricot. Finally, jasmin and tiger orchid embody light and femininity. Another novelty is the black colour of the liquid itself, which becomes transparent when it touches the skin. 5 – BLACKXS L’EXCÉS FOR HER Type: Oriental Floral Much sweeter and spicier than the version for men, this perfume contains a cashmere wood and black vanilla base note (sensual accord), a jasmine and rose heart note (intense accord) and a neroli and black pepper top note (vibrant accord). This sharp and spicy concoction was created by Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann (212 VIP Men) and Mark Buxton (Alain Delon Pour Homme). 6 – DAVIDOFF CHAMPION FOR HIM Type: Fruity/Aromatic Designed by Aurelien Guichard (Azzaro Couture), Davidoff ’s Champion begins with a splash of freshness (citrusy notes
of lemon and bergamot), evolving into a rich clary sage and galbanum and ending with a heady base of cedar and oak moss. The masculinity of this scent is emphasised by the flacon, made in silver metal and dark glass and reminiscent of workout weights. 7 – BLACKXS L’EXCÈS FOR HIM Type: Woody Aromatic Inspired by the spirit of rock and roll, this woody aromatic fragrance contains an amber wood and patchouli base (imparting a sensual accord), a heart note containing ozonique and cypriol (intense
accord) and a lemon and lavender top note (vibrant accord). The nose behind this earthy yet fruity fragrance is Fabrice Pellegrin, creator of the best-selling Just Cavalli perfume.
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WWW.THEPERFUMESHOP.CO.UK
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THE STYLE beauty
Dark reds and plums have made a definite comeback, though if you choose these looks (seen at the Burberry and Jonathan Saunders shows), make sure you sport them in matte. The 1960s influence will also see lips in mattes and light beige, providing a stark contrast to dramatic eye looks. Teenagers will probably take their cue from the Holly Fulton show, where models sported cool two-toned lips (fuschia on the sides and bright orange in the centre of lips).
UPDATE
EYES Eyes are a veritable artist’s palate, with models sporting jewelled eyelids (Dior), rainbow coloured eyeliner (Versace, Gucci and Dior) and extra long eyelashes in an effort to emphasise eye size. We’ll be seeing a lot of pink, blue and green eyeliner (Sephora has a wide range of colours and textures) by day and daring bejewelled eyelashes and lids at night. Heavy kohl eyeliner, so popular in the 1990s, made a big comeback at the Lanvin show, while Marc Jacobs preferred the 1960s look, with models sporting full, dark eyebrows, heavy eyeliner and bare lips. Eyeshadow took on bold new hues at the Michael Kors and Donna Karan shows, with dark blue, green and magenta eyes providing the focal point for an otherwise bare face. Chanel favoured metallic silver eyeshadow, while Chloe opted for copper shades. Jean Paul Gaultier went all out, with models gracing Boy George-inspired red eyeshadow, heavily blushed cheeks and shiny red lipstick.
LIPS
SPRING Beauty Trends WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS
Every year, gals obsessed with owning the very latest beauty must-haves keep their eyes glued to the catwalks of the world’s most important fashion shows in London, Paris and Milan. Last year, designers seemed to opt for the ‘anything goes’ philosophy, with models sporting everything from minimalist looks to sultry red lips, but this season, there are clearly defined preferences for our eyes, skin and hair. These are the looks to watch out for in the upcoming Spring/Summer season.
SKIN
popular, as is two-toned hair. Pastel streaks (in pink, orange and green) will be also be favoured. If you want to play around with the multi-coloured look without making a full commitment, try temporary gel colours and hair pens, which can be washed off with ease. Centre partings are back, as are slicked back looks paired with tousled tresses.
HAIR
Grunge waves were all the rage at the Stella McCartney and Roberto Cavalli shows but the vast majority of designers preferred glossy, straight, ironed looks (Giambattista Valli, Pucci, Antipodium, Michael Van Der Ham, Celine). Updos, modern knots and twists will also be popular, as well as 1960s-inspired bobs and long side fringes. When it comes to colouring trends, the practical ombre look is still
This season is all about flawlessly perfect, matte foundation, so make sure your skin is thoroughly prepped and primed. Greater coverage is what it’s all about, with favourites such as Estée Lauder’s best-selling Double Wear foundation concealing even the tiniest of imperfections in a natural fashion. Before you dab your foundation on, prepare your skin with Make Up For Ever’s High Definition Primer, which helps foundation glide on smoothly and last all day. As a final touch, we suggest Make UP For Ever’s transparent powder; it doesn’t cake and makes make-up last for hours (available at Sephora).
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Advancing the Art and Science of Hair Restoration Worldwide Jason Gardiner chose Ziering Medical for his hair transplant surgery.
“I can’t tell you how thrilled I am with the procedure!”
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Jason Gardiner
THE STYLE health
Honey has been used as an antiseptic for thousands of years. It was displaced by the arrival of antibiotics in the 1940s. All honey has some level of antibacterial activity, but Manuka Honey has much stronger antibacterial qualities than most other honeys. It is said to contain ‘the best natural antibiotic in the world’ and is now being used both internally and externally to treat a range of different conditions.
N
ew Zealand Manuka Honey has gained a global reputation as a credible health product and is used in hospitals and clinics throughout the world. Manuka Honey is derived from nectar collected by honey bees foraging on the Manuka Tree (Leptospermum scoparium). It is native to New Zealand, where it grows abundantly. New Zealand is known for its remote, unpolluted landscapes, where the Manuka Tree can flourish without the use of insecticides. Manuka’s healing properties were recognised by the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, and passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. Knowledge of Maori rongoa (medicine) was maintained by the healers and passed on from generation to generation. According to folk medicine, the Manuka Tree offered remedies for colds, fevers, flu, dysentery, skin and stomach ailments such as diarrhoea. Manuka Honey has proven and potent healing qualities, some of which are yet to be discovered. Research is
constantly ongoing in this area, to try and fully understand the scope of this natural wonder. Today, Manuka Honey has already helped to successfully treat conditions such as: • Acne, eczema and other skin conditions. Stomach ulcers and other digestive issues. • Sore throats and colds. Burns and insect bites. Arthritis, muscle and joint pain. • Nail fungus and athletes foot. Another recent study suggests that Manuka Honey may be effective in preventing gingivitis and other periodontal disease by reducing the buildup of plaque. And in 2010, a proposal for the use of Manuka Honey for the reduction of inflammation of the esophagus associated with chemotherapy was approved. Manuka Honey is a relatively inexpensive way to treat common ailments. And perhaps one of the biggest advantages of using active Manuka Honey is that there are no known harmful side-effects.
Manuka
WORDS Verónica guerra Holland & barrett’s qualified product advisor
Honey
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Available at Holland & Barrett’s, 160 Main Street, Tel: +350 200 49504 2/28/13 12:11 PM
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thepro NEWS /ENTERPRISE / LOCAL BUSINESS /
PROFILES / FINANCE / LAW
ANGLO HISPANO CO. LTD INTRODUCES ' LE VERRE DE VIN' Anglo Hispano Co. Ltd are proud to announce themselves as the first and sole distributor of the 'Le Verre de Vin' system in Gibraltar. Manufactured by Bermar, it is a technology which allows bottles of wine to be perfectly resealed after opening, meaning customers can choose wines and champagnes by the glass, which previously would have had to be ordered by the bottle. For the customer, this will allow forays into the world of more expensive wines at single-glass, rather than full-bottle, prices; and for the supplier, it means an expansion of the brands and price points on their 'by the glass' menus, with what remains in the bottle preserved in perfect drinking condition for up to 21 days. Among the other venues to which it is supplier, Anglo Hispano has installed this system at The Waterfront in Queensway Quay. g www.anglo.gi/
www.anglowinesvinoporcopa.com
GIBRALTAR EXTENDS A HEROES WELCOME Shops and service providers all over Gibraltar will soon be displaying Heroes Welcome stickers, after an initiative launched in the UK, as an expression of the gratitude owed to the Servicemen and families of the Armed Forces. The scheme will see many of the participating establishments offering discounts or upgrades on goods and services, by way of appreciation, to those who have served. “The relationship between the Armed Services and the people of Gibraltar has been inextricably close for over 300 years,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, “I welcome the Heroes Welcome scheme and I look forward to seeing the scheme’s stickers in shop windows and a special welcome being given to Servicemen in our shops, bars and taxis.”
g www.heroeswelcome.co.uk
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STM Group invites Gibraltar to run for Wobbles STM Group, with sponsorship from Saccone & Speed, is hosting two fun runs in aid of Wobbles Children’s Charity on 14 April. Both beginning at 10am, a 10km route will see competitors run all the way around the Rock, and a shorter circuit will take other participants on a run through the town. Prizes, donated by Gibraltar Crystal, will be awarded for Fastest Man, Fastest Woman, Fastest Team (with the slowest team member’s time recorded as the team’s overall time), and Best Fancy Dress. STM is particularly keen to see representatives from as many of Gibraltar’s companies take part as possible. Can your company beat rival firms? Assembly will take place from 9:30am in Casemates Square. g funrun@stmgroupplc.com
Polly Mixtures Cake Pops and Cookies Inspired by a trend originating in America, and now infiltrating Europe, the newly established Polly Mixtures provides a completely bespoke cake pop and cookie experience in Gibraltar, suitable for all celebrations and sweet tooths. Only premium ingredients of the highest quality are used and every cake pop and cookie is freshly baked to order. All are individually wrapped and tied with a ribbon, making them ideal for wedding favours or children's party bags, or they can be left unwrapped and ready to display for immediate enjoyment during your event. March 2013 sees the launch of cookie cards, bringing sweetness to every occasion.
g www.pollymixtures.com
Piano Recital featuring Vestard Shimkus The Gibraltar Philharmonic Society continues its 2012-13 season with a recital by talented Latvian pianist and composer Vestard Shimkus on 19th March at The Convent Ballroom, commencing at 8:00pm. Shimkus has gained international recognition for his performances, and the Society’s Artistic Director commented, “I am delighted to welcome Mr Shimkus for the very first time in Gibraltar and I’m quite sure this will be a real treat to all piano enthusiasts here.” g Tickets priced at
£20 each are available from Sacarellos in Irish Town and The Silver Shop at 222 Main Street. Credit/debit card purchase is also available by phoning the Society on T: + 350 200 72134. A limited number of tickets are available to senior citizens and students at a reduced price via The John Mackintosh Hall at 308 Main Street.
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THE PRO finance
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Revenue on the WORDS AMY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY JON SEGUI
Rock
Since 2007, when the world saw the first unsettling signs of trouble in the US subprime mortgage market, there has been very little in the way of good news regarding the global economy. What started as a credit crunch spiralled into a full financial meltdown and is now considered by many to be the worst recession the world has witnessed since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Hopes of an upturn have been hampered by slower-than-expected recovery in the eurozone, which the International Monetary Fund predicts will remain in recession for the duration of this year. Indeed, in January 2013, as a result of the eurozone’s woes, the World Bank cut its 2013 global growth forecast. The world, by all accounts, is still in a bad way.
B
ut zoom in a little, and then a little more, specifically to a tiny territory on the extremity of recession-ravaged Europe, and you’ll see it’s in pretty good shape. And actually, this has been the case for a good couple of decades. Over the last 20 years, Gibraltar’s growth rates have been among the highest within the OECD, currently achieving around six per cent per year. Where newspapers the world over inform us of budget deficits in their billions (and even intangible trillions in the case of the US), Gibraltar announced a budget surplus of £31 million at the end of 2012. And in his first budget speech as Chief Minister that same year, Fabian Picardo made his intention clear to further grow the economy, outlining plans to hit a GDP target of £1.65 billion by 2015, which means annual growth of an ambitious 10.5 per cent. Granted, it must be simpler to govern small economies such as Gibraltar’s over the behemoths of bigger countries, but still Gibraltar is successfully keeping its head above some pretty troubled water and making enviable
progress against the tide. And what the experts believe propels Gibraltar in particular is the diversity of its economy. In the greater part of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the main source of income for the territory was generated by military and defence activity, accounting in total for 80 per cent of revenue. But from the 1980s onwards, cutbacks saw this industry decline, and today that figure has dropped to just 6 per cent, with further falls forecast. In place of the MOD, the combined forces of online gaming, financial services, shipping and tourism now form Gibraltar’s chief economic pillars. Revenue is generated both from Gibraltar’s natural resources such as the deep port which serves the shipping industry, and the Rock itself which attracts tourists in their millions; as well as from services whose framework and existence were carefully calculated, political decisions. Of the four, the relative newcomers on the revenue scene are the sectors of finance and gaming. They make for curious contemporaries, with one sector revolving around risk, and the
other leaving little to chance, but between them they contribute around 40 per cent of Gibraltar’s GDP. The precursor to their arrival on the Rock was the creation of the Tax Exempt Company (TEC) status in 1967, which granted preferential nil-tax rates to international companies. Established as a means of attracting investment to Gibraltar, it worked. Over the decades, Gibraltar housed a significant number of financial institutions within its small confines, and now the financial sector contributes over 20 per cent of Gibraltar’s GDP and 14 per cent of its total employment. It has a reputation for being one of the best regulated economies in the world, and was listed in the 2012 Global Financial Centres Index as being in the top five of just 38 countries whose ratings had increased from the previous year. Gibraltar has the fifth highest number of banks per capita in the world, and is ranked second, after the British Virgin Islands, for its per capita concentration of Big Four accounting firm offices.
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The gaming companies followed suit. Pioneering bookmaker Victor Chandler blazed the trail out to Gibraltar 16 years ago and set up (online) shop in its gambling-friendly, offshore environs. Since then, a score of other high profile names, including Betfred, Stan James and William Hill, have done the same. With no tax, duties of just 1 per cent of yield, plus a pretty appealing relocation package, the first successful forays had hit the jurisdictional jackpot and the online gaming business was not looking back. But before long, ‘tax haven’ status started to trouble Gibraltar, and the decision was eventually made by government to change the negative perception of the territory by not only introducing a new, corporate tax, but setting it at the same rate for all companies. Lynette Chaudhary, International Tax Manager at STM Group, explains, “The taxation of companies in Gibraltar has undergone significant change over the past few years. The new Income Tax Act 2010 has been drafted in compliance with EU competition law and the OECD code of conduct. Under this regime most companies are subject to a flat rate of 10 per cent tax on their profits that accrue in or derive from Gibraltar. While this has provided a significant reduction in tax for many existing local businesses (who were paying 22 per cent tax on their profits just before the change) it has also meant that companies previously benefitting from tax-exempt status (a status that has been abolished) are now subject to the 10 per cent flat rate.” The new tax repositioned Gibraltar from offshore to onshore, and in so doing, rebranded the territory as a fair and internationally tax-
compliant EU finance centre. And, despite the gamble, it didn’t deter former TECs. As Lynette points out, “Gibraltar is still an attractive jurisdiction from a tax perspective, with a favourable income tax regime that exists for both individuals and companies, and the absence of some notable taxes, such as Capital Gains Tax, Wealth Tax, Inheritance Tax and VAT.” Today, the gaming industry in Gibraltar is booming. In his July 2012 Budget Speech, Gilbert Licudi, Minister for Gaming, confirmed that there are currently 22 remote gambling licensed operators in Gibraltar, with three more applications being processed, and 2,245 employees across the industry, accounting for 10 per cent of all employment. Gibraltar takes more of the proceeds from the UK e-gaming market than anywhere else in the world, handling 60 per cent of all UK bets placed. Unsurprisingly therefore, there are many more gaming operators keen to call Gibraltar home. But entry requirements are strict. Of paramount importance to the government is quality over quantity, and therefore only reputable companies with good codes of conduct, realistic business plans and rigid controls against money laundering are granted a gaming licence. Many more are rejected than accepted. High standards and strict regulation are at the core of Gibraltar’s business practice. Positive reports on implementation of anti-money laundering measures, and the transparency of taxpayers’ financial arrangements and transactions have put Gibraltar on the OECD white list of compliant jurisdictions. The Financial Services Commission regulates the finance
industry to UK standards, and the Gibraltar Finance Centre further facilitates the development of the financial sector. The IMF has reported that Gibraltar’s financial operations are not only above standard but, in many cases, superior to those of larger jurisdictions. The intention is also to enable Gibraltar to become a stepping stone for foreign companies wanting to enter Europe, achievable through its EU membership (by virtue of the UK), English common law and low corporate tax. As Gilbert Licudi, also Minister for Financial Services, states, “Gibraltar is well placed to seize the opportunities offered by our status, reputation and tax regime. In addition to the established markets which remain important to Gibraltar, the government intends to explore new emerging markets like the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) which are enjoying massive economic growth.” Gibraltar, he says, can offer them an alternative entry point into the single European market, and consequently, 500 million people. Emerging markets are not the only customers Gibraltar is trying to attract. A growing number of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) are taking advantage of the fiscal and lifestyle benefits offered by Gibraltar’s Category 2 tax regime, which caps taxable income at £80,000 per annum. So, whether the individual earns a million or more, they are only subject to tax on £80,000. This currently means a maximum annual tax liability of £29,800 and minimum of £22,000. Requirements to become a Category 2 resident are a minimum net wealth of £2 million and exclusive use of approved property in Gibraltar, either bought or rented.
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But while Gibraltar is looking to the future, other economies are looking to Gibraltar and the UK is planning to reclaim some of the Rock’s revenue for itself. In a bid to lure the lucrative gaming companies back, the UK has proposed a 15 per cent point of consumption tax, based on the location of the player rather than the location of the gaming provider, intended to come into force at the end of 2013. According to Licudi, this could have very serious consequences for the Gibraltar economy, as cutting business to Gibraltar operators would reduce significant government revenue from income taxes, gaming tax and corporate tax. Gaming companies and government ministers are united in their opposition to the UK’s proposal. Denis Kelly, CEO of bookmaker Stan James,
backs this up: “When the gaming companies began migrating from the UK, it was originally to remain competitive with the other operators who were not paying the UK Gaming Duty that was then suffered by the consumer, and more recently to take advantage of Gibraltar’s extremely well regulated operator environment and favourable business environment. Where the position is sustainable to all concerned, the rumblings in the UK do represent what is possibly now seen as a lack of foresight in terms of the exponential growth of the industry as a whole, and now the UK government wishes to reclaim these lost revenues in terms of UK GDP contribution.” With the current situation in Gibraltar working in the interests of both the consumers and the bookmakers, he adds that from an industry point of view, “there doesn’t appear to be an immediate appetite to return to the motherland just yet.” However, should the UK’s proposal impact gaming in Gibraltar, Lynette Chaudhary believes that there are new areas of growth which will sustain Gibraltar’s financial services sector. “The government is trying to diversify the economy so it is less reliant on certain sectors, such as gaming. For example, the government believes that Gibraltar could become
an attractive jurisdiction for international media companies to locate the production of their music, television and film. In addition to the favourable tax regime existing for companies and no tax on royalty income, import duty on equipment relating to these activities has recently been reduced to zero per cent to assist with developing this new business model. Attracting innovative and creative new businesses can only help in strengthening the financial sector and ensuring future growth.” One thing is for certain: Gibraltar has a history of survival. In centuries past, the Rock stood firm while wars, occupations and sieges were seen out around it, and in more recent years it has a endured a crisis which has brought economies of all sizes to their knees. With prudent, efficent political decisions being made, 300 days of sunshine every year, and a willing workforce enjoying the combination of British standards of business with a Mediterranean lifestyle, the financial future looks bright for the Rock. e
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THE TRAVELLER gibraltar
Tardis Gibraltar Step into the time machine!
O
n the first working day of 2013, two of the world’s largest luxury liners docked in Gibraltar – Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and P&O’s Arcadia – delivering a potential 4,000 cash-rich tourists to its doorstep at a stroke. The welcome boost to January’s sales was nothing unusual. This year, 188 cruise ships will come alongside at the port to tank up on cheap fuel and give some 307,000 passengers a chance to enjoy the VAT-free shopping in Main Street. With up to 5,000 visitors also arriving daily by land and air in high summer, and a resident population of 30,000, it’s a wonder they can all fit into an area 16 times smaller than the municipality of Marbella! And yet Gibraltar packs as much into its 6.2 square kilometres as any leading Costa resort: its own airport, capable of handling 1 million passengers a year; a sizeable town with trendy shops and restaurants, heritage architecture and a smart business district with a City of London vibe; two swish marinas
to rival those of Marbella and Puerto Banús; leafy squares and green spaces, including a Botanical garden and a stunning high-altitude Nature Reserve; and more tourist attractions than you can point a camcorder at. If you want to crunch numbers, that’s 52 kilometres of military tunnels, 140 natural caves, 240 Barbary Macaques – Gibraltar’s emblematic monkeys which, quite literally, have the ‘freedom of the city’ – and 360 degree views across two seas to two continents. “Gibraltar doesn’t fall under one single category of tourist destination since we have so much in such a small space and people visit us for many different reasons,” says Nicky Guerrero, CEO of the Gibraltar Tourist Board. “Unique is a word I often use to describe it. It’s the perfect short-break destination.” Gibraltar is a Tardis in every sense of the acronym (Time and Relative Dimension in Space). It’s like stepping into a time machine!
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Gibraltar as the stork flies © Courtesy of the Gibraltar Tourist Board
Tourism on The Rock is living up to its promise ‘More than you can imagine’, as Belinda Beckett reports. ESSENTIALMAGAZINE.COM MARCH/APRIL 2013 / 79
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© D. Cussen
Smart Europa Point offers more than eastern promise these days
Back To The Future The virtual journey starts five million years ago when the continents of Africa and Europe parted, creating the world’s largest waterfall as the Atlantic torrented back into the Med. Through its natural caves, labyrinthine man-made tunnels and restored fortress walls, visitors are transported to many different civilizations – Neanderthal, Roman, Moorish, Spanish, British – experiencing 14 sieges and two World Wars en route. They can also witness Gibraltar’s diverse cultures through its architecture, cuisine and people. Look up, next time you’re in Main Street, to see Portuguese tiles, Genoese shutters and British wrought-iron balconies; note the number of Moslems, Hindus and long-bearded Sephardic Jews; listen to their language, Llanito, a fast bi-lingual patois. Anyone who still believes this is Little Britain in
the Med should have gone to Specsavers! Once upon a time, like Dr Who’s old blue police box, Gibraltar was stuck in a 1960s time-warp, associated with army squaddies, British bobbies and quickie weddings. But John Lennon’s marriage to Yoko Ono took place way back in 1969, the year Franco closed the border. Today that’s just another facet of Gibraltar’s history. The Tourist Board is looking to the future to reinforce its slogan: More Than You Can Imagine. Like a diamond in the rough, Gibraltar has been chiselled and polished to reveal a multi-faceted ‘rock’ of a carat that would pique Elizabeth Taylor’s interest. Europa Point is a shining example. For years an unofficial rubbish dump where the rusting hull of a half-sunk ship once marred the views to Africa, it reopened in 2011 after a total makeover and is now a fitting showcase for the only
Trinity Lighthouse outside Britain. It was certainly appreciated by Tony Blair’s family on their recent visit. After viewing a new exhibition of LED panels chronicling Gibraltar’s history, the former British premier’s son was heard to remark: “Hey Dad, did you know the Orca’s tail fin is taller than you are?” Today tourism is one of the four pillars of The Rock’s economy, along with financial services, online gaming and shipping, and the ‘new guard’ in government has pledged to grow its healthy GDP by 10.5% a year to £1.65bn by 2015. Change had to happen. In 1980, 80 per cent of Gibraltar’s income still came from the Ministry of Defence. This year, the military presence will be further reduced to 400 members of the armed forces – 30 less than the number of staff employed at Morrisons! But – and it’s a big ‘but’ – of its documented 12 million annual visitors, 96 per cent arrive by land and a great many come only to shop. “Out of the three million genuine tourists coming to Gibraltar every year, only a third go to the Nature Reserve and see the sights,” says George Gaggero, Deputy Chairman of MH Bland, which runs the Cable Car and has been involved in tourism and shipping on Gibraltar since 1810. “Gibraltar has a fantastic product that needs to be moved into the 21st century.” The 45-year-old Cable Car is a case in point and will be upgraded to double capacity to 80 passengers per six-minute trip. Other innovations for visitors this summer include Wi-Fi hotspots around The Rock and two tourism apps – iGibraltar and Key2Gib – to help them find their bearings; and a new entrance and
© Courtesy of the Gibraltar Tourist Board
St. Michael’s Cave is a natural auditorium
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The Caleta Hotel and beach
Gibraltar Five Ways
Check out our essential guide to some of the key attractions to see why. Find further details at www.visitgibraltar.gi
© D. Cussen © Courtesy of the Gibraltar Tourist Board
The only Trinity lighthouse outside Britain
specialised lift in St. Michael’s Cave, enabling disabled visitors to enjoy Gibraltar’s most popular tourist attraction which is regularly used for concerts and shows. At night, the fountain near Casemates now flashes in rainbow colours. A growing programme of annual events is already increasing overnight stays. January’s Tradewise Chess festival, now in its 11th year, saw 340 participants checking in for the 10-day event and Gibraltar has high hopes for its 1st International Literary Festival in October. There will also be new improved opportunities for birdspotting, dolphin-watching, wreck diving and many more niche attractions. Gibraltar is one of the biggest-selling excursions from the Costa del Sol but how many day trippers have come away with more than a bottle of cheap spirit and a few bags of groceries? As Nicky Guerrero points out: “You need to stay at least one night or come back often because, small as we are, you can’t hope to experience the true essence of Gibraltar in a half- or one-day visit.”
© Courtesy of the Gibraltar Tourist Board
© Courtesy of the Gibraltar Tourist Board
© Courtesy of the Gibraltar Tourist Board
© D. Cussen
Ideas for ‘doing’ The Rock ZZ Rock Circle For a great snapshot of Gibraltar from ground level, circumnavigate the Rock clockwise past the Caleta Hotel (looking out for monkeys) to see the fantastic changes at Europa Point and a glimpse of Africa. The Express Café’s chocolate muffins are also recommended! Continue past Camp Bay Lido (in need of some TLC but the adult and toddler pools and sandy cove are popular with families). Visit the 100 Ton Gun, then head to Queensway Quay for lunch (parking nearby). ZZ Family Saturday Out Mum can go shopping in Main Street while Dad takes the kids to King’s Bastion Leisure Centre for ten-pin bowling and/or ice skating. Reunite for lunch in the cafeteria or restaurant before taking in one of the two film matinees screened in English at weekends. Plenty of parking (though the free one’s often full). ZZ Sky High Workout Voted Gibraltar’s top attraction on Trip Advisor, the Mediterranean Steps are not for wimps, vertigo sufferers or very young children. But the precipitous, sometimes overgrown climb is worth it for the views and 9.2” gun at the top. For maximum comfort, allow 90 minutes, wear hiking shoes, take water and avoid the heat of the day. To get there, park at Jews Gate or take a No. 2 bus from town, pay the 50p walkers’ fee and start the climb – or chicken out and take the shuttle bus! ZZ Lazy Sunday Afternoon Park beside the Cable Car (free all day) and ride to the café at the rock summit for a close encounter with Barbary Macaques (return ticket £9 adults, £4.50 children). Return to visit the nearby Alameda Botanical Gardens and Wildlife Conservation Park. Round it off with traditional English afternoon tea on the beautiful Wisteria Terrace of the Rock Hotel – pure eau de colonial! ZZ Rockin’ After Dark Gibraltar sparkles by night with its illuminated white rock face and twinkling red and blue harbour lights! Nominate a non-drinking driver and get to Ocean Village before sunset to ogle the yachts and visit HMS Pickle, a replica of the twin-masted tall ship that conveyed news of Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar. Sip a sundowner at a waterfront café, or from the Gala Casino’s panoramic terrace. After dinner (an ethnic cornucopia), return for a flutter at the tables, boogie the night away at disco bar Savannah or night club Dusk – or you might catch a live music gig in nearby Casemates Square.
The lush Alameda Botanical Gardens / Down on Main Street / Ocean Village / Gibraltar sparkles by night
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Dates for Your Diary Gibraltar hosts a dazzling variety of events throughout the year. Here are some highlights. Further information, www.visitgibraltar.gi
How the Monkeys Lost their Tails
The Underground Lake Experience If you were impressed by Upper St. Michael’s Cave, you can get a very different, hands-on experience in the Lower Cave. Small group tours are run by expert cavers to this speleologist’s wonderland of surreal rock formations leading to a crystal-clear underground lake. If you’re not claustrophobic, or deterred by a bit of minor abseiling, it’s said to be an ‘unforgettable’ three hours. Children must be over 10 and accompanied by an adult. Appropriate footwear/clothing essential.
Evolution is the answer. The Rock’s Barbary Macaques originate from Africa’s Atlas mountains. At such high altitudes their tails were susceptible to frostbite so, over time, nature modified their genetic coding. They still get around with ease, in the Nature Reserve and around town. Keep plastic bags hidden as these savvy urban guerrillas will make a grab for them, sometimes even leaping onto human shoulders to unzip backpacks and forage for sweet treats! Keep your distance (they can bite) and do not feed (there’s a £500 fine).
May 6-June 21: Spring Festival A cultural potpourri of dance shows, art exhibitions, theatrical performances and concerts, culminating with Calentita Night– a chance to sample traditional Gibraltarian cuisine. June 15: Miss Gibraltar The famous beauty pageant celebrates its 51st year. The winner goes through to compete in Miss World, which was won by Gibraltar’s Kaiane Aldorino in 2009. August 29-September 8: Gibraltar National Week Grand festival build-up to National Day on September 10, when 30,000 red and white balloons are released (one representing every resident).
Going underground – the lake at St. Michael’s Cave
Take a Rock Tour* first, to get your bearings (ticking off the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, Ape’s Den, St Michael’s Cave, Great Siege Tunnels & Pillar of Hercules); then return to explore on your own. Gibraltar’s licensed taxi drivers are qualified guides and many go the extra mile with ‘insider’ anecdotes. *Prices: £12 p.p. (min. 4 people) for the 90-minute tour + £10/£5 (per adult/ child aged 5-11) entry to attractions.
Border Queue Live Check out the traffic situation on your smart phone via the handy new live webcam at www.frontierqueue.gi – or get updates on Twitter from the
Royal Gibraltar Police @RGPolice. Alternatively, leave your wheels in Spain, as Gib is very walkable with good bus services.
Animal Attractions Macaques aren’t the Rock’s only furry celebrities. You can meet – and even adopt – one of their long-tailed cousins at Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park, along with otters, tamarins, lemurs, potbellied pigs and a variety of birds and reptiles. The park started as a sanctuary for exotic pets confiscated from illegal traders. It reopens on May 1st as a bio park focused on conservation and education, with natural enclosures mimicking
October (date TBC): The Strongman Champions League The world’s top supermen flex their muscles in a series of mind-boggling trials of strength.
habitats in Africa, Asia and South America. Tucked away in the mustvisit Botanical Gardens (free), entry to the Park is £5 /£2.50 (adults/ children). www.awcp.gi
Tunnel Vision The WWII Tunnels are still used today to train NATO troops bound for Afghanistan in tunnel warfare. Travel back in time to this ‘underground city’ where Eisenhower planned the Allied Invasion of north Africa. The army guides give a great anecdotal tour of the troops’ canteen, sleeping quarters and hospital and you’ll get a bird’s-eye view of the airport runway from inside The Rock!
Photography © Courtesy of the Gibraltar Tourist Board
Getting Around
October 17-19: 2nd International Jazz Festival A medley of live music starring international bands and local talent. October 25-27: 1st Gibraltar International Literary Festival Meet best-selling international and local authors, buy personallysigned copies of their books and hear them talk about their life and work.
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THE LEISURE travel
View of Hong Kong from the Arch
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WORDS DAVID WISHART PHOTOGRAPHY HONG KONG TOURIST BOARD
H
ONG KONG – It is 7 am and from my hotel window high above Victoria Harbour a cruise ship is returning with a load of weary gamblers who have been up all night trying to beat the floating bank. I would normally be just as worn out after a long flight from Europe, but am not because I also arrived by ship. Not a gambling ship dedicated to one night going nowhere, but a rather special ship, the Azamara Quest, tasked with going everywhere and taking its time about it. A slow boat to China if you will. Arriving at any great seaport, whether Sydney, Cape Town or San Francisco, makes for wonderful travel experiences, but that is only half of it. Dashing to the airport for a dismal flight home is such a waste, particularly when the likes of Hong Kong awaits with all its charms. So I stuck around, to enjoy rediscovering Hong Kong, which I first visited 30 years ago (I was very young), when home base was a leave flat belonging to the make-up artist who prepared Nancy Kwan for the movie World of Suzie Wong. I had an extended stay then, allowing for an editing job on the late, great Far Eastern Economic Review, and working with characters who were legends in their own lunchtime. Heroic drinkers they might have been, they also liked to eat. The American Restaurant in Wanchai, famous for its love hotels and shops selling no-squeak shoes, was conveniently close to the office. Its Peking duck was highly regarded by us hacks, but also wealthy Chinese, who often had a bottle of cognac on the table. Old China hands like Richard Hughes used to say the best food in China was in Hong Kong.
I recalled this the day after stepping ashore from the Azamara Quest, when lunch was at a Michelin-starred restaurant called the Island Tang. Everything about this place was superb, from its elegant décor to the silky service. But one thing stood out – the dim sum, so renowned that mainland China chefs now come here to learn. In the evening we were Kowloon-side and walking up Nathan Road, which has more people, life and sparkle than Oxford Street when the sales are on. And that’s not including Chungking Mansions, once called postmodern Casablanca, where, shall we say, a lot goes on, such as filtering the distribution of 20 per cent of the cell phones in sub-Sahara Africa. You can also get a good curry in Chungking Mansions, but we had a loftier goal, Nanhai No 1, named after a Chinese treasure ship and currently a culinary hotspot in Hong Kong. It has, of course, a Michelin star. It was here, as we dined on exquisite seafood, I realised that this was a new Hong Kong with more affluence and style. One clue was the dish with an XO sauce, which tops the five-star cognac of my American Restaurant days. But, as a Hong Kong private equity guy had warned me on the ship, there are no cognac bottles on tables any more. Now it’s the best wine, which might have occurred to me as two years ago Hong Kong overtook New York as the world’s wine auction capital. You might choke when I recount that lunch the next day was another Michelin star restaurant, the third in a row. But Tim Ho Wan is different. It is the cheapest and smallest Michelin star restaurant in the world.
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Shopping on Nathan Road
For one third of the price of lunch number one, you can have a dining experience like no other – crammed in a noisy room, full of people jubilant simply because they are in, some having lined up around a Mong Kok block for two hours or more. It’s that good, the work of Mak Pui Gor, formerly dim sum maestro at the Four Seasons here. He has two other restaurants, one with a star and the other a cert to join the club. At all of them you have to take a number, and wait. But do it – the pork bbq bun alone is worth the trip to Hong Kong. I could fill a page about the great eating in Hong Kong – such as Wong Chun Chun for Thai and Harlan’s for its salad bar and view – but one I cannot miss out is the Island Seafood & Oyster Bar, in the Knutsford Terrace restaurant row in Kowloon. If that location keeps popping up it is for a reason – Kowloon is the place to be these days if you are a tourist. So what to do? First find a hotel, such as the Harbour Grand, with a water view. Ours was spectacular, and I noted Air France crews stayed here. They don’t do second best. Take the Aqua Luna, one of Hong Kong’s few remaining red-sail junks, for an evening cruise to see the Symphony of Lights projected on Central’s amazing skyline. You must do the Star Ferry, the world’s best value travel experience. That means you are on Hong Kong-side. No problem. If it’s daytime take the Peak Tram (built 1888, Chinese allowed on board since 1912), and after dark go to the Armani Bar for an outdoor view of Joel Robuchon’s threestar restaurant, which is as close as you want to go with your wallet in one piece. Then back to Kowloon for the Temple Street night market. Not a shopper? Go round the corner and check out the fortune tellers.
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Hong Kong Under A Symphony of Lights
Po Lin Monastery
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Aberdeen Floating Restaurant
Wong Tai Sin Temple Peak Tram
For history, visit the Kowloon Walled City Park. What was once a seething den where criminals took refuge is now a quiet park, as is the Nan Lian garden and Wong Tai Sin temple. Amazingly, Hong Kong has places where you can relax and admire carefully tended plants. There’s islands too, such as Lantau, with its giant Buddha. If you want a bird’s eye view of everything take the express lift at Sky 100 and enjoy the 360-degree panoramic view. And what a bargain this is compared to the Shard in London, whose 72nd-floor viewing deck is a whopping £25 or 31 Euros for a look. Hong Kong’s tower beats it hands down with a stunning view, 100 floors up, for a modest £12 or 15 Euros. Changed days from my first visit to Hong Kong, when one of the best views was from the gentlemen’s toilets at the old Foreign Correspondents’ Club next to the Furama Hotel. With the windows slung up, we hacks could stand and stare across the harbor to Kowloon and beyond to a China pretty well off limits. These days Kowloon is China as good as it gets, with old favourites such as the jade and flower markets, the latter a treasure for photographers. And while cameras are probably not the bargain they used to be, designer shops are coining it in from the huge number of mainland Chinese flooding into Hong Kong on shopping trips. At Canton Road, near the Star Ferry, there are lineups, with velvet ropes and security men, outside Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. As for Rolex, you’d be hard pressed to find a mall without an outlet. Everyone in China must have one by now. For those of us on more modest budgets, go to a 7-Eleven and buy a SIM card for your mobile phone. It costs peanuts for a Hong Kong phone number and enough calling time for two weeks. Also, get a PCCW wifi card as many hotels charge, and how! Finally, think ahead a few months, when the old Kai Tak airport reopens as a cruise terminal. No doubt it will attract more ships, affording a majestic location to dock after that thrilling harbour entrance. i www.discoverhongkong.com
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If you’re planning to visit, timing is important For the best weather, avoid June to September, when it is wet, humid and typhoon time. October and November are good, and March is the month for the famous and fun Hong Kong rugby sevens event. It takes place March 22 to 24. Rugby lovers who recall the game before it became professional, ferocious, injury-prone and riddled with stoppages will enjoy shades of an almost vanished ethos, starting with the opening ceremony when teams parade around the pitch with flags, Olympic-style. The referees like to join in, usually carrying white sticks and wearing dark glasses. Entertainment is often hilarious, such as the year Barings Bank collapsed. Nevertheless the local honchos were there in a box, presumably with champers and cucumber sandwiches. In fairness, it should be pointed out that it was probably all booked and paid for before Nick Leeson did his dirty work. Anyway, a bunch of Australians (who else?) positioned themselves on the edge of the pitch, just below the Barings’ box, and sang “Where’s Your Money Gone… far, far, away…” You might also feel that the long haul to Hong Kong makes it worthwhile to visit more of the region, and the obvious place to start is the former Portuguese colony of Macau. Beware: there are casinos galore in Macau, but it does have some fine old buildings, and the food can be amazingly good, particularly if you like it spicy.
Star Ferry’s Harbour Tour
Hong Kong makes a good stopover on the way to Australia and New Zealand, and of course the rest of China awaits nearby. Take the opportunity to fly Cathay Pacific, one of the world’s great airlines. Business class upstairs is a treat and if the budget can stand it go first class. Many cruise ships not only call at Hong Kong, but there are some attractive itineraries that start and end there, such as Vietnam cruises, which run between Hong Kong and Singapore. As for golf, no surprises that you can play here, considering how big the game is today in China and throughout Asia. Fact is golf in the region started in Hong Kong, when expatriates, mostly Scots, founded the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club. Now known simply as the Hong Kong Golf Club, the course at Fanling is tree-lined, always in fine condition, and is a must-play. Be warned, a round with a caddy (including his lunch) will cost you the best part of 250 Euros. There are 10 other courses to choose from, including the legendary Shek O, one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. No green fees – just members and their guests. It was founded by a small group of taipans who got a lease of the government land to begin from the time they all built a villa on the course. When one died with the work in progress, a keen mind suggested leaving his section uncompleted. That done, the lease would run forever, as it certainly does to this day… Finally, a guide such as Denny Ip is invaluable for getting the most out of a short time. What he does not know about Hong Kong, and its islands, is not worth knowing. Particularly restaurants and all things food. He can organise cars and drivers, and suggest itineraries. i denny@angleproduction.com
View from Victoria Peak
Aerial view of Shek O - Country © Shutterstock.com
The busy Temple Street © Jess Yu / Shutterstock.com
Hong Kong Sevens Rugby
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THE TRAVELLER hotel
I imagine that the time spent talking to me wasn’t far off the first occasion Franco Ostuni, General Manager of the Caleta Hotel, had actually sat down in weeks. Certainly, the ten-day international Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival, which saw the Caleta playing host to 330 players from 56 countries, culminating in a gala dinner closing ceremony for 420 guests (which had actually only wrapped up at 2am the night before I popped by), would have kept him and his 90-strong staff particularly busy.
F
ortunately, neither the hotel nor its staff are strangers to such events. Not only is this the eleventh time the Caleta has hosted the prestigious event, but Franco tells me that the hotel’s conference facilities reach maximum capacity due to other, similar engagements around five or six times a year. The Caleta is indeed well equipped to serve the corporate market. Built in the 1960s, and extended in the 1970s, the hotel has 151 rooms, spread across its main building and a south wing. It is the largest hotel in Gibraltar, with the most sizeable conference facilities on the Rock, and has won the award for Gibraltar’s Leading Hotel for the last four consecutive years. Its fine-dining Italian restaurant Nunos
is the only restaurant in Gibraltar wtih a two-rosette rating from the AA. At just a few minutes’ drive from Gibraltar’s International Airport, and the same again from the heart of Gibraltar itself, the Caleta is perfectly placed for both those arriving for work purposes from abroad, and those already engaged in business in Gibraltar who may be looking to hold anything from a board meeting to a full-scale seminar for up to 200 delegates. To serve these needs, the first floor of the Caleta is a dedicated conference centre, independent and self-contained. The largest of the areas on this floor is the Augustus suite, which can hold up to 200 attendees, but this is supported by another six separate suites, each
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Caleta Hotel WORDS amy williams Photography jon segui and courtesy of the caleta hotel
ranging in size. All are equipped with essential conference facilities, including state-of-the-art, audio-visual apparatus, and the entire hotel is served by free wi-fi for guests. As the demand for the Caleta’s business facilities increased over the years, so did the requirements for appropriate, sometimes longer-term, accommodation. Accordingly, the entire fifth floor was converted, in 2007, into 10 apartments comprising one and two bedroom suites. All fully set up for the longer stay, the kitchens are equipped with fridge/freezers and kitchen essentials which provide for four people. The feel of the apartments is fresh, contemporary and comfortable, affording the occupant the privacy and space of their own suite, yet conveniently located in the four-star Caleta. Notwithstanding the impressive practicality of these self-catering apartments, the views they are afforded by the hotel’s unique location are simply stunning. Depending upon which side of the corridor your room is, you either have the Straits sparkling in front of you, an uninterrupted expanse of sea as far as you can see from left to right; or an incredible close-up of the Rock itself, dramatic and imposing, and in such clear view that even the individual plants of its slopes
can be discerned. The apartments and rooms of the Caleta undergo constant refurbishment, with two floors addressed each year. This gives the hotel a cycle of four or five years over which period the entire premises have been updated, the idea being that the rooms are refreshed routinely, long before they need (or would ever give the appearance of needing) the attention. It turns out that Milan-born, Rome-raised Franco only ever intended to spend some three or four years working at the Caleta, having arrived in Gibraltar from a hotel background in London and, prior to that, industry experience in France and Germany. Thirteen years later, he puts the change of initial plan down to the obvious quality of life offered by Gibraltar, but not least the fact that the Caleta continues to present challenges. So much has been done and developed at the hotel, he says, but there is still so much to do. And some things are in the pipeline that he can’t even talk about, he adds intriguingly, although he does divulge that the biggest change afoot involves the banqueting hall. The banqueting hall is the largest of its kind in Gibraltar, and is mainly the reserve of large events such as the chess festival, weddings,
g Catalan Bay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 76501. www.caletahotel.com G01_Ho.indd 91
and the daily breakfast service for the hotel; but when numbers do not necessitate its use, business executives often convene in the Caleta’s Catalan Lounge, or on its terrace, where a more casual meeting can be held in comfort. Alternatively, for something even more special, Nunos restaurant offers its awardwinning cuisine in a spacious environment, including a scenic dining terrace which opens from around Easter each year. And when the working day is done, and it’s simply a little time to themselves that the exhausted visitor needs, the hotel’s Health and Beauty Club is on hand, offering all the most popular therapies, bespoke pampering packages and an air-conditioned gym. Despite there being no water treatments (the reason Franco insists it is not referred to as a ‘spa’), the three treatment rooms all face the sea, keeping a constant connection with the wonderful stretch of water just beyond the windows. If it’s submersion that guests are after however, the Caleta pool (also open from around Easter) provides just the opportunity for a dip, as does the beach at Catalan Bay, privately accessed from the hotel’s terrace. Business and pleasure are seldom so easily combined.
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gour
RESTAURANTS / REVIEWS / NEWS / WINE / CHEFS / GUIDE
Discover one of Gibraltar’s hottest dining spots, The Landings, savour the full-bodied flavour of Emilio Moro Wine and read up on wines that have impressed judges around the world.
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The Landings
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restaurant THE GOURMET
S
ituated in arguably one of the most prestigious locations in Gibraltar, The Landings looks out across the glistening waters of Queensway Quay Marina, towards million-pound-plus properties and yachts boasting similar price tags. And it suits the scene perfectly. Gleaming in the bright sun of the afternoon on which we arrived to dine, the décor of the restaurant is a brilliant all-white, quite the contemporary chic currently showcased in high-end eateries up and down the coast. Yet while stylish, fine dining is the essence of The Landings, owner Ann Hudson steers her ship very clear of the ostentatiousness which could quite easily accompany such a coveted location. The Landings aims for the middle market, she says. It’s nice but not pretentious, inviting not intimidating, focused 100 per cent on customer service, and with a menu offering a good cross-section of fish, meat and pasta dishes, traditionally tasty, but many with a modern twist. We settled down on white raffia chairs at an immaculately-laid outside table, and despite it being the slightly unusual dining time of 5pm, there was a gentle buzz to the place; some tables just coming to the end of a long, lazy lunch, some simply relaxing with a drink in the balmy afternoon, and us, just sitting down for the start of our evening, each party hosted effortlessly and elegantly by Ann and her team. The menu arrived, along with a page of selected specials, all carefully crafted by Chef Patrick Rodgers, ex Head Chef at The Savoy, London, and Executive Chef at Secrets Resort & Spa in Jamaica, famed for his flair for fusion, and handiwork with herbs and spices. To begin the meal, we ordered a pescetarian platter of sushi and sashimi, seafood ravioli, a smoked salmon and prawn tower, and a prawn ceviche, all of which were beautifully presented and simply delicious. The tangy, citrus flavours of
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ine Dining at The Landings WORDS AMY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY JON SEGUI
the ceviche were wonderfully described by one guest as a great way to ‘wake up winter tastebuds’; the sushi was exquisite and all the more enjoyable due to the rarity of the dish in Gibraltar; and the smoked salmon and prawn tower, topped with cream cheese and a soft egg, the firm favourite. Our main courses saw us all go very separate ways. Between us we chose Lobster Thermidor in a creamy Mornay sauce, succulent loin of lamb in a light puff pastry case, a homemade gourmet beefburger, and the highly recommended Catch of the Day – sea bream, which came in a beautifully delicate lemon and herb beurre blanc, with a leek grain mustard mash. And where was Catch of the Day caught? The waiter gestured out to the Bay – it doesn’t come much fresher than that. All were served with generous side dishes, perfectly suited to each plate, be it chunky chips with the burger, an assortment of vegetables for the fish, or the decadent Dauphinoise potatoes with the lamb. An additional side of freshlymade onion rings to share also went down well, somehow suiting every dish. Desserts, which we just about still had room for, were the icing on the cake. We enjoyed the lightest yet lushest lemon and lime cheesecake it can be possible to make, a perfect peach melba with homemade vanilla ice-cream, and finally,
g Open for lunch and dinner every day. 15 Queensway Quay, Gibraltar. Tel: +350 200 66100. www.thelandings.gi G01_ReR Landings.indd 93
following another confident recommendation from our waiter, the chocolate fondant, which oozed molten chocolate from a crispy chocolate sponge. The waiter’s judgement was deemed sound. And throughout the three courses, our wine glasses were attentively topped up with a refreshing Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, selected from an imaginative wine list of reasonably priced wines from both the new and old world, plus a couple of more expensive options from the legendary Burgundy and Bordeaux regions of France; plenty of choice for all palates. With the (very clean) plates cleared away, I asked Ann what she thinks makes The Landings so special. “Three things” she said, “The food, the service, and the ambience. If you can consistently get these three things right, you can’t go wrong”. As conversation continued, and a beautiful sky of pinks and oranges saw the sun off behind the horizon, consequently cooling the temperature, our waiter asked if we’d like to be brought blankets. A wonderful touch, and a reiteration of Ann’s commitment to customer comfort. The Landings experience extends far beyond the food.
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IN ES
THE GOURMET wine
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ecanter Awards, International Wine Challenge, Tanzer, Verema, Challenge International du Vin, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Parker, Los Vinos Favoritos de la Mujer, Selections Mondiales des Vins, Robinson, IWSC, Wine Olympics, Great Chardonnay Showdown, Peñin, International Wine Contest, and the Berlin Wine Trophy are a few of the events or individuals ranking wines according to their quality, with the stated purpose of helping consumers choose between, for example, the 25,000 varieties currently on sale in the USA. Nearly all of these wine prize-givers and points-scorers have emerged over the last half century. Prior to that you could count the number of widely-read European wine critics on the fingers of two hands, and of the half dozen wine competitions held at the time, at least one of them required competitors to provide six cases of each wine. Currently an entry fee is more usual, such as the International Wine Challenge’s £87 sterling. In the very old days, every world capital had its ‘Great Exhibition’, at which there was invariably a wine contest. A gold medal was really something back then, and would be faithfully duplicated on the label of the winning wine for as long as a century afterwards. Now we have gone from scarcity to overabundance, with the resulting lessening of the significance of prizes and scores. Every wine judging event, whether at the vast Decanter Awards or the bi-monthly Wine Advocate ratings, depends on blind tastings. Obviously a committee effort is better than an individual opinion such as
REW ARD IN G
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Hell is a place where no wines get awarded prizes and no experts give them points. Or at least this is what the people who give prizes and points would like us to believe. But why is wine singled out as one of the few consumables subject to such a barrage of rating agencies? What about potato crisps, dark chocolate, coffee beans, vodka, foie gras or bourbon? Agreed, there are scores awarded to cigars but no proper cigar contest is held, nor any cigar gurus marking them, and the only actual cigar competition is for rolling the things rather than ranking their smoking qualities.
WORDS AJ LINN
those of the grand-guru of them all, Robert Parker, but unless you have exactly the same taste in wines from all areas as the grape counters, it is all contentious. Whether it be Tanzer, Jancis Robinson, or José Peñin, many tasters will, if put in a corner, admit that blind tastings can give unreliable results. On the very few occasions when judging panels have been persuaded to repeat the identical experience the following day, the outcome would lead you to believe they had tasted completely different wines. New York Times wine critic, Eric Asimov, opposes tasting notes and hates blind tastings, to the extent that he is considering eliminating them from the paper’s reviews. But whether a tasting panel, or a lone wolf like Parker, wine guru-land is in disarray when it comes to the modus operandi. What all the experts and publications have in common is a lack of standardisation that makes it hard to connect different reviewers’ opinions. The most contentious point of all is that almost none of the multiple systems used for rating wines take into account the price/ value aspect. Any fool can give a Château Lafite a top score but only one drinker in a thousand can afford to buy it. The merit, surely, lies in selecting out of the 50,000 red wines that cost under €10, the ones that represent outstanding value for money, although some critics have started dividing cheaper wines into price categories. None of these gurus is infallible, and to confuse matters Parker recently sold his business to the ‘ex’-owner of Singapore’s largest drinks distributor, so what price impartiality in future Wine Advocate scorings? So the moral is obvious: if you need help choosing wines, then a high score or an international award may be better than nothing, and when you come across a wine you do not know that has won a prestigious contest, you are unlikely to be disappointed. In our own backyard, a Ronda wine, Cortijo de los Aguilares’ Pinot Noir, has twice won the top prize in the most esteemed competition in Switzerland that in a blind tasting puts 2,000 pinot noir wines in front of a panel of 20 international judges! e
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fine dining in the heart of the marina
Waterfront Restaurant has been established for well over 18 years. As well as offering a marina location we provide the finest and freshest of local and international cuisine. Come and enjoy a drink on the terrace overlooking the marina. •
Coffee, snacks and pastries
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Calendar of live events
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Business lunches
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Banqueting and wedding celebrations
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Sunday carvery
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Corporate entertainment menu available
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Vegetarian menu
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Wireless internet access available free of charge
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Children’s menu
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4/5 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 45666, Fax: (+350) 200 45665 waterfrontrestaurant@gmail.com, www.gibwaterfront.com Open daily from 9 am till late
Waterfront Restaurant Gibraltar @wineanddinemegi
New label, from March 2013
THE GOURMET wine
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odegas Emilio Moro is situated in Pesquera de Duero, a village in the province of Valladolid, in the heart of the Ribera del Duero, within the zone known as the Milla de Oro or Golden Mile. The Ribera del Duero appellation is tied to the northern plateau at the conjunction of four of the provinces of the Castilla y Leon Autonomous Community. It is the highest appellation in Spain, boasting a height of between 750 and 1,000 metres above sea-level. These specific climatic conditions bestow the wine with a particular character; of course, the cultivation of the vines likewise has a great influence throughout the growing cycle. The high quality of the wines produced depends, in large part, on these special conditions. Many of the great wines in the world come from the areas along the banks of important rivers. In this case, the river in question is the Duero. Emilio Moro taught his son, Emilio Jr., all he knew about the world of wine and the latter, in turn, shared his knowledge with his sons, José and Javier. It is this third generation that currently run the winery. Emilio planted all his land with vineyards grafted with the variety Tinta del País Centenaria, and currently there are more than 200 cultivated hectares.
PHILOSOPHY
The Emilio Moro winery is one of the most representative in the Ribera del Duero, thanks to the extensive know-how of the third generation of the Moro family. Their respect for tradition has given rise to one of the key elements of the winery: a clone of Tinto Fino, which is grafted onto every single vine.
VINEYARD
Many of the vineyards were rescued from the massive uprooting which took place last century in Pesquera thanks to the family’s passion for the vine. These vineyards conserve the essence of the ancient majuelos (small vineyards), a key element in the winery’s approach to wine. Understanding the concept of ‘age’ is key, as all vines are cultivated on nonirrigated land and it is precisely the oldest vines that are best adapted to these limited conditions, thanks to their well-developed root systems.
ELABORATION
The elaboration processes of the wines are geared towards developing the potential of their extraordinary raw material. Throughout the process, advanced control techniques with modern technology and the Moro family’s traditional skills are implemented when it comes to the selection of toasted barrels and ageing times (a key factor in the final personality of their wines), combining tradition and exclusivity.
TASTING
This wine originates from a selection of medium-aged vineyards which is why it reflects a great variety of aromatic nuances and taste sensations, notes that are both complex and harmonious, partly due to having been aged for 12 months in a barrel. The successful combination of the different oak varieties and toasts is a direct consequence of the profound knowledge the Moro family possesses. They use barrels types which have, over the years, demonstrated their ability to provide finesse, elegance and smoothness in the mouth through their integration with the wine, which is the true protagonist in the ensemble.
TEXT BY ROCIO CORRALES, ANGLO HISPANO PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF EMILIO MORO
EMILIO MORO high quality wine from Ribera del Duero The Emilio Moro wine bears the name of its creator and is the ‘alma mater’ of the Emilio Moro winery. Initially, the terms crianza and reserva were used, but as of the 1998 vintage, these concepts disappeared. Now, the brand refers exclusively to a wine that is produced from vineyards of between 15 and 25 years of age, which macerates for 28 days with the skins, and which has an ageing period of 12 months in American and French oak barrels, until it is finally bottled.
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g Available at Anglo Hispano, 5/7 Main Street, Gibraltar, Tel: +350 200 77210. www.anglo.gi, www.emiliomoro.com 3/1/13 11:03 AM
theguide RESTAURANT LISTING / WHAT’S ON
RESTAURANTS/BARS ALL’S WELL BAR & RESTAURANT
EL PULPERO
LE BATEAU
SOLO BAR & GRILL
Unit 4, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72987
Unit 12A Watergardens, Waterport, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44786
14 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 66420
Unit 15, 4 Eurotowers, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 62828
AMAR’S BAKERY AND COFFEE SHOP
4 STAGIONI
LEK BANGKOK
TAPS BAR
1 Convent Place, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 73516
16/18 Saluting Battery, Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 79153
Unit 50 1/3, Block 5, Eurotowers, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 48881
5 Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 67575
BIANCA’S
GALLO NERO
LITTLE ROCK RESTAURANT & BAR
THEATRE ROYAL BAR & RESTAURANT
6/7 Admiral’s Walk, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 73379
56/58 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 77832
Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel + 350 200 51977
60 Governor’s Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 51614
BISTRO MADELEINE
GATSBY’S
MAHARAJA INDIAN RESTAURANT
256 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 65696
1 /3 Watergardens 1, Waterport Ave, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76291
5 Tuckey’s Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 50733
THE CHARGRILL RESTAURANT AT GALA CASINO
BRIDGE BAR & GRILL
GIBRALTAR ARMS
MAMMA MIA
Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 66446
184 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72133
Unit C, Boyd Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 64444
BRUNO’S
IPANEMA
O’REILLY’S
Unit 3, Trade Winds, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 68444
Unit 11, Ocean Village Promenade, Gibraltar Tel: +350 216 48888
Leisure Island, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 67888
CAFE ROJO
JUMPERS WHEEL RESTAURANT
PICCADILLY GARDEN BAR
54 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 51738
20 Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 40052
3B Rosia Rd, Gibraltar Tel. +350 200 75758
CAFE SOLO
JURY’S CAFE & WINE BAR
PIZZA EXPRESS
Grand Casemates Square 3, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44449
275 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 67898
Unit 17, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 500 50
CANNON BAR
KHAN’S
PIZZAGHETTI
27 Cannon Lane, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 77288
7/8 Watergardens, Waterport , Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 50015
1008 Eurotowers, Europort Avenue, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 63868
CASA BRACHETTE
KOWLOON RESTAURANT
RESTAURANTE NUNOS ITALIANO
9 Chatham Counterguard, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 48200
20 Watergardens III, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 42771
THE TRAFALGAR BAR
CASA PEPE
LA MAMELA
Caleta Hotel, Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76501
Unit 18, Queensway Quay Marina, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46967
Sir Herbert Miles Road, Catalan Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 72373
ROOFTOP BISTRO, O’CALLAGHAN ELIOTT HOTEL
THE WATERFRONT
CHAMPION’S PLANET BAR & GRILL
LATINO’S DINER
Unit 2B, The Tower, Marina Bay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46668
194/196 Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 46660
Governor’s Parade, Gibraltar +350 200 70500
CHARLIE’S STEAKHOUSE & GRILL
LATINOS MUSIC BAR AND RESTAURANT
4/5 Britannia House, Marina Bay, Gibraltar +350 200 69993
9 Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 47755
CORKS WINE BAR
LA PARRILLA
79 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 75566
17/18 Watergardens, Block 6, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 66555
EL PATIO
LAZIZ
Unit 11, Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 75566
Sail 2.2, Ocean Village Marina, Gibraltar Tel +350 200 40971
ROY’S COD PLACE 2/2 Watergate House, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76662
SACARELLO’S CAFE-RESTAURANT
Gala Casino, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 76666
THE CLIPPER 78 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 79791
THE CUBAN 21B The Promenade, Ocean Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 67889
THE LANDINGS RESTAURANT 15 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 66100
THE ROCK HOTEL RESTAURANT Europa Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 73000x THE ROYAL CALPE, 176 Main Street Tel: +350 200 75890 1a Rosia Road, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 45370 4/5 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 45666
TUNNEL BAR RESTAURANT Casemates Square, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 44878
VERDI VERDI
57 Irish Town, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 70625
Unit G10, International Commercial Centre, 2A Main Street, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 60733
SEAWAVE BAR
YELLOW HOUSE
60 Catalan Bay Village, Gibraltar Tel: +350 200 78739
Parliament Lane, Gibraltar +350 200 48148/48248
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THE GUIDE what’s on
Saturday 16 March
What’s On...
Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society Monthly Outing – Trees around the Alameda & South District. Tree species, characteristics & health, with tree climbing demonstration. Meeting place: George Don Gates, Grand Parade. Time: 9.30 am. Further information, Tel. +350 5400 1111.
Tuesday 19th March Gibraltar Philharmonic Society Concert
Piano recital by Vestard Shimkus at the Covent, 8pm. More information on page 71. Tel: +350 200 72134.
Wednesday 20th March GIBRALTAR DFAS LECTURE
Lecture organised by the Gibraltar Decorative and Fine Arts Society. Art Deco Glass of the ‘20s and ‘30s by Charles Hajdamach. 7.30pm, 8th floor, Eliott Hotel. www.gibdfas.webs.com
Saturday 30 March Dale Howard - Basick
Tuesday 12th to 16th March
Gibraltar International Drama Festival Comprising: Tuesday 12th March
2013 Drama Festival Going Underground and Flavius by Bayside and Westside Drama Group. 8pm, Bayside Drama Studio. Tickets from Mackintosh Hall between 10am – 7pm.
Wednesday 13th March
2013 Drama Festival Zoo Story and Dear Diva by Group 2000. 8pm, Ince’s Hall Theatre. Tickets from Mackintosh Hall between 10am – 7pm.
Thursday 14th March
2013 Drama Festival Macbeth: To Kill a King by Rock Theatre Group, and Too Fast and The C Word by Santos Productions. 8pm, Ince’s Hall Theatre. Tickets from Mackintosh Hall between 10am – 7pm.
Friday 15th March
Basick, Gibraltar’s leading promoters of electronic underground music are back again on 30th March, presenting Good Friday Better Saturday with Dale Howard from 23.45 at Seven. www.facebook.com/dalehowardmusic
Saturday 6th April 5 DECADES OF DISCO
5 decades of disco with DJ Chippy at Salsa Fuego. Fancy dress with prizes for top 3 best costumes. Tickets available from Salsa Fuego or The Lounge. In aid of George Pusey Trust Fund Charities, British Heart Foundation and The Big Salute. Tel: +350 200 61118.
Friday 12th to 16th April Gibraltar Festival for Young Musicians School Festival Day at Ince’s Hall. Theatre Vocal and instrumental ensembles and solos at Ince’s Hall Theatre & The Convent Ballroom.
Wednesday 17th April Gala Concert
A selection of participants (chosen by the adjudicator) will be invited to perform in the Gala Concert at the Inces Hall Theatre. For further information, www.gibfym.moonfruit.com
2013 Drama Festival Live: It’s Fairy Tale News and The Lion and The Mouse by Santos Productions, The Diary of Adam and Eve by Trafalgar Theatre Group and Stay Behind Cave by Stage One. 8pm, Ince’s Hall Theatre. Tickets from Mackintosh Hall between 10am – 7pm.
Saturday 16th March
2013 Drama Festival Gala Night at the Ince’s Hall Theatre. A final presentation of three plays selected by the adjudicators. 8pm, Ince’s Hall Threatre. Tickets from Mackintosh Hall between 10am – 7pm. For further information, contact the Ministry of Culture, Tel: +350 200 48063.
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THE ART OF FINE THAI CUISINE RESERVATIONS: 952 818 392 Open Every Evening for Dinner Ctra. de Cรกdiz Km. 175 PUERTO BANร S (Behind The Shell Petrol Station) Marbella www.thaigallerymarbella.com
TAI PAN chinese cuisine polynesian bar
Serving Marbella in a Select Atmosphere for Decades. Tel: 952 777 893 / 952 775 500 Puente Romano, Fase 2, Marbella. Open Daily for Dinner from 8:00 www.taipanmarbella.com
SUKHOTHAI Exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine
Tel: 952 770 550 Open Mon-Sat. C.C. Marbellamar, L-3A. Marbella. www.sukhothaimarbella.com
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