San Pedro Feria

News and Events

The Costa del Sol enjoys a wide variety of exciting events, festivals and concerts throughout the year. Spanish Rental Holidays can help you organize the perfect holiday.

Here is a small selection of what's on and what's happened, as well as general news from Spanish Rental Holidays.

You can download the this month's copy of our client newsletter The Front Desk (in pdf format).  Click on Resources at the bottom of the page to look at archived copies.

 

 Red Palm Weevil 18th November 2006

This little pest, believed to have been imported from Egypt 20 years ago, is killing palms trees along the Costa del Sol.  Around 1000 trees are believed to have been infested by the weevil, which has no known predators and appears to be immune to insecticide.  Once infested, the tree cannot be saved.  The weevil then flies onto its next victim.

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 Building Restrictions at Golf Courses 11th November 2006

The Andalucian Government is to introduce a law next year restricting the building of housing around golf courses.  This is a complete reversal of the previous practice of constructing a golf course and front line accommodation at the same time.  This will affect the 150 courses planned for Andalucia in 2007.  The government’s aim is to locate golf courses in more suitable country settings and to locate homes on land that has already been designated for residential purposes.

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 International Theatre Studio 1st November 2006

San Pedro-based International Theatre Studio will be presenting a rehearsed  reading of "Background Artiste", a comedy by Stephen Smith.  The reading is directed by Beverley Stonehewer, HPS Director of Customer Service, and will be performed at Bar Ricardo in Avenida de la Constitucion on 28th November at 8.00 pm.  Book early to avoid disappointment: telephone  00 34 953 88 06 30.

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 New Route to Gibraltar 1st October 2006

Bristol International Airport recently announced that direct flights to Gibraltar will commence from April 2007 with low fares airline Fly Gibraltar. Bristol becomes one of just four key regional airports to gain the new direct route, opening up new links between the Rock, Southern Spain and the South West.  The news follows the historic three-way accord made between Spain, Gibraltar and Britain in September which opens access from the end of the year to the Rock.

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 Spanish Economy 16th September 2006

The amount of mortgage debt in Spain for July reached another record at 846.5 billion €. This is 25% higher than a year ago, according to data from the Spanish Mortgage Association.  The increase comes despite ever more frequent requests from the Bank of Spain for the banks to be more cautious when it comes to granting new mortgages.

Wages have risen in Spain by 4.6% this year, before inflation, according to the Consulting Company Mercer. Largest increases have been seen in Director’s wages – up 4.8%.

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 Hipercor Fined 14.6m Euros 5th September 2006

The caretaking committee running the Marbella town council is to fine Hipercor 14.6m € for extending its Puerto Banús store without a municipal licence to do so.  The fine is equivalent to 100% of the estimated value of the work carried out.  The committee is now taking steps to legalise the situation, which might involve the demolition of the entire extension

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 Malaga Airport 5th September 2006

As well as being the main tourist gateway for the Costa del Sol, it is also the region’s biggest business, producing 30% of Malaga’s GDP and employing 6000 people.  The new terminal will be three times the size of the current terminal building and will be able to handle up to 9000 travellers every hour.  The target passenger throughput will be 20m per annum, compared with 12.5m in 2005.  Parking facilities will increase from 1200 to 3000.  Work  on the second runway will take place between mid-2007 and the end of 2009.

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 Driving Licences 1st September 2006

The 25 members of the EU are under an obligation to recognise licences issued by other member states.  It is now illegal for a member state to force residents to take out a local licence.  However, a new European licence, valid throughout the EU, is in the process of being introduced.

 

Nevertheless the new law allows the police and local authorities to register compulsorily any person found guilty of a traffic offence.  Details will be entered on the national computer and, if the offender cannot prove that he is a resident of Spain, he is liable to be fined on the spot and have his vehicle impounded.

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 Gibraltar, Spain and UK Accord 25th August 2006

A historic tri-partite agreement is due to be signed on 18^th September, dealing with controversial issues such as the airport, telephone communications, pensions and the frontier.  It is hoped that cross-border co-operation will increase, with the possible joint use of the airport, which will provide a boost to the region’s economy. 

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 Roadside Breakdown and Accidents 15th August 2006

Don’t forget that if you have to stop at the side of the highway because of vehicle breakdown or accident, you must wear the reflective jacket supplied for the driver’s use by your car hire company.  Local newspapers reported the recent case of a driver not wearing the reflective jacket and being tragically killed.

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 Water Shortage 3rd August2006

As a part of the endeavour to manage water resources, the Government has taken legal action against over 400 people in the Malaga region, mainly in connection with the illegal boring of wells.  Additionally some 15000 letters have been sent to holders of water extraction licences, requiring them to fit water meter, to measure the amount of water used.

 

However, in the western Costa del Sol water levels are sufficient to avoid the need to reinforce the drought decrees.  This is mainly due to the operation of the Marbella desalination plant and the fact that La Concepción reservoir is at 80% of its capacity. 

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 Forest Fires 25th July 2006

According to Government figures, about 80% of forest fire damage is due to negligence with the remainder due to deliberate acts.  Most “negligent” fires are due to land clearance by farmers and construction workers or by carelessly discarded cigarette ends. Others are due to faulty machinery, passing trains, etc.  Where police have been able to trace the culprit, whether negligent or criminal, arrests have been made.

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 Driving Licence Points 14th July 2006

Spain’s road accident rate being one of the highest in Europe, the Government is cracking down on offenders with its new points system which came into force on July 1st.  Drivers have an allocation of 12 points which can be lost for a variety of offences, e.g. driving while using a mobile phone, speeding, not wearing a seat belt, etc.  Anyone who loses all their points can recover them in exchange for 24 hours attendance at a driving improvement course and the payment of 320 €.

 

The points system appears only to apply to holders of Spanish driving licences, as there is currently no way for the Spanish authorities to endorse licences issued by other countries.

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 Malaga to Madrid Train Service 27th June 2006

The Málaga to Madrid AVE high speed train is scheduled to be in service by December 2007.  This will halve the current journey time to around two and a half hours.  The tickets are expected to be priced at around 69 € for a single journey (currently 58 €), which is about the same as a plane ticket, but with the advantage of travel between city centres, avoiding airport check-in times.

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 Spain's Annual Inflation Rate Rises 13th June 2006

Spain's annual inflation rate rose by 4 percent in May from a year ago as the result of soaring energy prices.  The rise in Spanish consumer prices compared with a 3.9 percent annual increase in April compared with a year ago.  Spain has had one of the highest rates of inflation in the euro zone for more than 10 years, the result of strong internal demand for goods and services, lack of competition in key sectors and spiraling energy costs.

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 San Pedro Underpass 5th June 2006

The caretaker committee which has been appointed to replace the Marbella council has indicated its support for the San Pedro lobby group, in calling for the town’s proposed underpass to go even further than the Government plans.  The Ministry of Development claims that the proposed tunnel can only go under two of the three junctions, because there is insufficient drainage on the Ronda road for the A-7 to pass underneath. 

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 Drought Restrictions Eased 31st May, 2006

Because of the increase in the volume of water in the La Concepción reservoir, restrictions on the use of water in the Marbella area were lifted from 1^st June.  Limited watering of gardens is now permitted and swimming pools may be filled once a year.  Overall the picture is less encouraging with Andalucian reservoirs containing less water than at the same time last year, due to the low level of rainfall during the winter. (Sur in English)

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 Malaga to San Pedro Rail Link 30th April, 2006

Engineers have recently been test drilling the route between Marbella and San Pedro in order to plan the route for the proposed Malaga-San Pedro rail link.  The line will pass under Marbella town centre and run underground to San Pedro, with stations on the western side of Marbella and in Puerto Banus.  Work on the line, with will offer a journey time of 45 minutes from San Pedro to Malaga, could start in early 2007.

 

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 Malaga Airport 31st March, 2006

The Work on Malaga airport is designed to double its passenger capacity to 20 million per year.  Included in the scheme are 84 new check-in desks, a second runway and extensions to the car parks (responsible for the current congestion!).  Additionally, an automated baggage handling system (as used in Madrid and Barcelona airports) will be installed.

 

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 Comedy on the Costa January 31st, 2006

The International Theatre Studio presents John Penzotti’s comedy “Five Blue Haired Ladies Sitting on a Green Park Bench” at El Ingenio in San Pedro on March 2nd, 3rd & 4th.  Starring amongst others HPS’s own husband-and-wife acting team, Beverley and Jamie Stonehewer, it is the story of five ladies who meet every day on a park bench.  As their stories unfold, with lots of laughs along the way, we discover that it is those bonds that ensure that, for this fearless five, the Grim Reaper is not so grim after all !  For more information about performances or ticket enquiries contact Beverley (enquiries@spanishrentalholidays.com).

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 Gibraltar - Bristol Airlink January 20th, 2006

It has been reported that behind the scenes discussions are under way with Bristol International Airport and two major airlines to establish a new route between the South West of England and Gibraltar.  An airport spokesman said: ”This will be a fantastic opportunity for travellers and businesses to take advantage for the growing markets of Gibraltar, North Africa and the wider Mediterranean.”  The Rock is already politically linked with the South West in the European constituency elections.  An air route will take the relationship a stage further.

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 San Pedro de Alcántara Promenade January 13th, 2006

A new pedestrian seafront promenade is to be constructed at Linda Vista beach.  The new walkway will be 400 metres long and it is hoped that it can be completed in a short timescale, allowing residents and visitors alike to enjoy this new feature.

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 Costa del Sol New House Price Rises January 8th, 2006

The average price of new housing in Marbella rose by 9.5% in 2005 according to the latest figures which put the price currently at 2,243 € per square metre constructed.

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 Malaga Airport Parking  January 6th, 2006

Malaga Airport has announced that from today access to passenger parking at Terminal 2 (PT3) is only available at the departures level  This is due to the construction work for the airport expansion.  If this car park is full, there is an overflow car park (P3) with a shuttle bus service to the passenger terminal (www.aena.es). 

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 EasyJet Seat Sale - Up to 40% Discount  January 6th, 2006

The EasyJet January sale is here with up to 40% off some flights.  Bargain trips to the sun can be booked until midnight on Monday 9 January 2006 exclusively on EasyJet.com (www.easyjet.com).   Flights are available for travel between 1 February and 24 may 2006 inclusive.  EasyJet advise that availability is limited on weekend flights and around half term.  The best availability is on weekday flights. 

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 Flybe and BA Cheap Flight Bonanza  January 3rd, 2006

Flybe.com announced today the New Year Sale of 5 million seats.  With cheap flights to Malaga from Exeter, Norwich, Southampton and Birmingham, it's a great time to check their website and to book early for a bargain break on the Costa del Sol (www.flybe.com).  BA have also announced deals on their budget routes from London and Manchester to Malaga (www.ba.com).

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 A Place in the Sun  December 23rd, 2005

Three million Britons are seriously thinking about buying a property overseas - half have Spain in their sights with the Costa del Sol being the favoured destination.  The regional government of Andalucia is currently formulating a structure plan to handle this boom and the infrastructure (transport, hospitals, schools, etc) to support this massive expansion in housebuilding.  For more information about a place in the sun see www.andalucian-homes.com. 

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 Costa del Sol Tourism  December 20th, 2005

According the the Andalucian regional government, 2.85m visited the region in 2004.  This represents about 40% of the tourists who came to the Costa del Sol.  A further 40% are Spanish and the remainder come from mainly northern European countries.

British tourists typically stay longer in Spain than other visitors, with the longest stays being in January rather than the summer.  Many British tourist are beginning to venture inland from the coast and represent the highest proportion of foreign visitors taking rural holidays

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 Christmas Carols in Marbella  December 12th, 2005

The Annual International Christmas Carol Service takes place on Wednesday 14^th December at 5.00 pm in the Encarnacion Church in Marbella, located in a square adjoining Orange Square. Organised by the Anglican Church of the Costa del Sol West, the service is given in English, Spanish and German and the Carols are led by the magnificent Collegium Musicum Choir.

All denominations are welcome and entrance is free.

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 ¡No Fumar Por Favor!  December 9th, 2005

On 1^st January the Anti-Smoking Law will be in force and the owners of establishments measuring less than 100 square metres will have to decide whether to remove the ashtrays from their tables. The owners will have to put up a highly visible notice at the entrance to state whether smoking is allowed on the premises or not. Where smoking is permitted, the owners will have to ban children and install special extractors that are separate from the overall ventilation system.

Bars, cafés, restaurants and discotheques which measure over 100 square metres, will have to undergo alterations to provide separate smoking rooms with independent ventilation. The government has allowed an eight-month implementation period for structural works to be completed.

If a client smokes in an area where it is banned both the offender and the owner of the premises will be fined between 30 and 600 euros.

If your New Year’s Resolution is to quit, check this site http://www.givingupsmoking.co.uk/

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 Formula One at Jerez  December 8th, 2005

Jerez, the home of sherry and just 2 hours drive by motorway from Marbella, was home to the former Spanish Formula One Race in the world championships, until a few years ago when it transferred to Barcelona. It is still a regular venue for all the F1 teams for testing their cars and, amongst others, this week saw Renault, Ferrari, Williams, Toyota in action.

It remains the venue for the Spanish part of the motorcycle world championships and more information be found on www.circuitodejerez.com

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 Drink Driving Checks  December 7th, 2005

The traffic authorities in Málaga have announced that they will be carrying out alcohol breath tests on local motorways for the first time ever. The controls will be placed on the hard shoulder so that traffic flow will not be adversely affected. The Civil Guard will be manning the first motorway controls locally in the run up to Christmas, and the experiment will later be extended to other parts of Spain. We understand the main number of controls on local roads will start on Friday 9^th December and continue until December 22nd.

The consequences of driving the effects of alcohol are severe. In Spain, a normal penalty for driving with excess of alcohol includes a statutory minimum period of 12 months driving licence suspension and a fine or weekend arrest. You do not need to have committed a moving traffic offence.

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 Golf Tourism Revival  December 2nd, 2005

Juan Fraile, President of the Costa des Sol Tourist Board announced that new tourism figures for the area are showing a recovery in golfing holidays. It is estimated that golf represents 10% of total tourist income. He predicted that the decline of between 8 and 10% over the past two years was over. Figures show that there are over one million golfers in England with about 270,000 in each of Scotland and Ireland (www.visitcostadelsol.com)

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 Spain's Economy Grows  December 1st, 2005

Figures from the EU indicate that the Spanish economy is set to surge ahead of the average European country in the coming years. Growth of 3.2% is forecast for 2006 and 3.0 % for 2007.

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 Volvo Masters Golf  October 15th, 2005

The Volvo Masters 27th - 30th October is the biggest tournament on the Andalusian golf calendar and is the flagship event on the European Tour Circuit. Played at the Club de Golf Valderrama in Sotogrande, the Volvo Masters Andalucia is the grand finale of the European golf season - the event where the Volvo Order of Merit is decided, determining who will be European Golfer of the Year. As only the top 60 players are eligible to enter, it is an elite event that ensures the highest level of play.

Information on this prestigious event is available on the Volvo Masters official website www.volvomastersandalucia.com. Advance tickets are available online from www.GolfinSpain.com

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 Late Summer Fair in Andalucia  October 10th, 2005

The San Pedro de Alcántara fair, is the last Summer fair in Andalucia. It runs from the 18th until the 23rd of October, with the actual Fiesta (local holiday) being held on the 19th of October.

The streets are closed off during the daytime for parties, drinking and music in the traditional Spanish manner. In the evening the action moves to the fairground where all ages enjoy dancing and fair rides until dawn.

Although not one of the largest on the Coast, San Pedro makes up for its lack of size by the sheer enthusiasm and alcoholic capacity of its residents. With an extensive fair, as well as dancing and beautifully decorated streets, our small town has a big heart when fiesta time comes around.  (http://www.andalucia.com/san_pedro/home.htm)

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 Activity Holidays  September 15th, 2005

Spanish Rental Holidays announces its strategic partnership with Daidin specialists in rural activity holidays. Spanish Rental Holidays is packaging some deals which will include trekking, caving, canoeing, bird watching, white village tours, flora and fauna discovery trips, and much more. Daidin are fully registered, trained and insured to ensure that these trips are an enjoyable experience, not an endurance test. Most of the locations are within an hour of our apartments in the San Pedro de Alcantara area.

Particularly popular in the autumn are Nature Park visits and bird watching. And the weather is still great for dolphin and whale watching in the Straits. Daidin will collect clients in their safari vehicles and will give a full briefing. Contact us for more information or see www.daidin.com.

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Apartment and Villa Rentals   August 1st, 2005

HPS Property Services, property management, rental and holiday specialists, launches its new website: www.spanishrentalholidays.com. Beverley Stonehewer, Customer Services Director, says: "While continuing to provide quality property management and maintenance services from Marbella to Estepona, we believe that re-branding the website will be more attractive to our market of rental clients".

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A Summer of Music   July 1st, 2005

The season of summer concerts at the Mijas racecourse is underway. Lenny Kravitz and Elton John have already appeared and Rod Stewart, UB40 and Jamiroquai and Bryan Adams are still to come.

Estepona has also come up with a season packed with old favourites: the Scorpions, Jethro Tull, and Lisa Stansfield amongst others.

In Marbella the Hotel Puente Romano hosts George Benson and the Puerto Banús bullring welcomes Joe Cocker. If you like to party on the beach, there are free musical events throughout July on the Play Del Cable at Marbella

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Zoo Time   June 24th, 2005

Fuengirola Zoo, a regular attraction for family holidays, opens its gates for night time visits for the third year in a row. Open until midnight in July and August, the zoo says that "this is a unique opportunity to discover the nocturnal life of the jungle and its inhabitants."  (http://www.zoofuengirola.com/)

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Costa Del Sol - As Popular As Ever   June 17th, 2005

Malaga Airport is preparing for an average of 350 flights a day during July and August. Renfe, the national rail network is also reinforcing its services to the airport, offering 170,000 seats on the Malaga-Madrid service this summer. The tourist authority is reporting an increase in the number of visitors to the Costa Del Sol.

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Gibraltar Ceremony   June 9th, 2005

The Queen's official birthday was marked by a parade in Grand Casemates Square in Gibraltar, reviewed by The Governor. The spectacle was heightened by a fly past of fighter and transport aircraft and helicopters.

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