Mallorca News
Archived News Articles - Page 3
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MAJORCA'S CASINO ON THE MOVE
04 January 2010
Majorca's Casino is leaving their current location in Calvia and is transferring their business to the Porto Pi Centre in Palma. Contracts were made halfway through 2009 and the Cassino will be renting 2,200 square metres of premises at the cinema complex in Porto Pi, and to an adjacent property owned by the Vallehermoso estate agency.
NO MORE BULL!
21 December 2009
News from Catalonia yesterday that the first steps have been taken towards banning bull fighting have been welcomed by animal rights groups in the Balearics. Opposition to bull fighting in Mallorca has grown significantly over the past few years and the idea of a referendum to ban bull fighting in Palma has been mooted.
HOOKED UP TO THE MAINLAND
07 December 2009
A supply of electricity will be flowing from the mainland to the Balearics within a year, thanks to a cable link being set up by power transport specialists, Red Eléctrica de España. Once up and running the electricity from the mainland will be able to provide at least one third of the demand in the Balearics. According to Ramon Granadino, regional director of Red Electrica, the external supply could meet up to 40 percent of the Islands’ requirements in the summer months when demand is at its highest.
GREEN SHOOTS
30 November 2009
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Joan Mesquida yesterday stated that the economy in Spain is starting to show the first signs of real recovery. This news comes at the same time that Central Government stated that total tourist spend for October in the Balearics was 598 million euros, 16.4% less than the same month last year. At a national level, year-on-year tourist spending last month was down by 3.7 percent to 4'073 million euros, average daily spend was down 5.5 percent to 95 euros and individual spend for each trip was 988 euros, 10 euros more than in September.
NOT THE FIRST TIME FOR JOHN HIRST
23 November 2009
The British financier at the centre of a Serious Fraud Office investigation into the disappearance of millions of pounds of expats' investments was convicted of a similar offence in the 1990s. John Hirst, whose investment fund Gilher Inc. is being investigated by officers from the SFO, was given a 30-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to pocketing the investments of redundant Yorkshire miners, totalling £211,000. After serving his sentence he moved to the south east and then to Majorca,
MAJORCA BASED BRITISH FINANCIER PROBED BY SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE
16 November 2009
John Hirst, 59 is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office after questions from his clients over the whereabouts of an estimated £20 million of their funds. "The fund targeted British nationals and other expatriates resident in Majorca. There were also investors in France, the USA and the UK. It is believed that around £20 million had been invested in the fund, which was offering a guaranteed return of 20 per cent per annum. Mr Hirst himself is in hospital being treated for cancer.
UNEMPLOYMENT WILL CONTINUE TO RISE
9 November 2009
Regional Minister Joana Barcelo has stated that unemployment will continue to rise until the end of the year. It is normal for unemployment in the Balearics to rise following the end of the tourist season and the expected figure for the end of next month is 100,000 unemployed. Barcelo stated that they were working towards establishing all-year-round tourism in the Balearics and the immediate priority was to look after those with zero income and avoid a socal problem.
GOVERNMENT FIXES "CHOPIN YEAR"
2 November 2009
THE Balearic government has declared 2010 to be “Chopin Year” to commemorate the bicentenary of the composer’s birth. There will be a full programme of events in which the general public can partake by way of homage to the half Polish, half French musician who spent three months of his life on Majorca from November 1838 to January 1839. Frederic-Francois Chopin lived in the monastery at Valldemossa in search of a gentle climate to help cure the tuberculosis from which he was suffering.
UNEMPLOYED REACHES 90,000
26 October 2009
According to the Minister for Work, the number of unemployed in the Balearics has now reached 90,000 and the outlook for 2010 is not encouarging. This figure is 37,400 more than it was just 12 months ago. The figure is expected to rise as the season finishes and the busineses that are not already closed, shut their doors for the winter.
BOYZONE PAY TRIBUTE TO GATELY IN MAJORCA
19 October 2009
Majorca saw the arrival of the four remaining members of Boyzone yesterday morning to accompany the body of ex-band member Stephen Gately back to Ireland where he is to be buried today. Stephen died of natural causes in his holiday home in Andratz last Saturday. He is to be buried in Dublin and thousands of fans are expected to attend the funeral.
BIG INCREASE IN PEOPLE OUT OF WORK
5 October 2009
The Balearics have seen the highest increase in unemployment in Spain, up nearly 8% last month alone. Unemployment in the Balearics is now at 72,116. Last month, 5,320 people lost their jobs with the prospect of thousands more being laid off over the next few weeks as the tourist season shuts down for the winter. It is predicted that there will be 25,309 more people out of work in the Balearics than there was just one year ago.
LIVERPOOL MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
28 Sep 2009
A jury in Spain has convicted a man of murdering a barman in Mallorca. Birmingham-born Danny Hastelow, 26, was stabbed eight times in his Magaluf apartment in January 2008. The jury ruled that Richard Roberts, 36, murdered Mr Hastelow, by inflicting eight stab wounds to his chest, hitting vital organs including his liver and heart. Mr Hastelow had been working as a barman in the popular resort, having previously worked as a bricklayer in his home town of Walsall. On 13th January, Danny had spent the night celebrating his 26th birthday, up until his brutal murder in the early hours. On the first day of proceedings, Roberts admitted stabbing Danny, but claimed it was in self-defence. Roberts now faces a possible 18-year sentence, expected to be set in the next few days.
1.2 MILLION PASSENGERS DOWN
22 Sep 2009
The Spanish Airports Authority has stated that there has been a drop of 7.4% in passengers using Palma Airport during the first 8 months of this year. That equated to 1.2 million less passengers. During August alone, passenger numbers using Palma Airport has fallen by 8.3%. All aircraft operations are showing a decline in numbers. The current economic climate is the reason quoted as being responsible for the decline.
MALLORCA BATTERED BY STORM
16 Sep 2009
Mallorca was battered by a storm yesterday causing havoc around the island. Many areas found themselves without electricity due to major floods caused by very heavy rain. The floods have caused many busineses to stay closed today. The storm was accompanied by no less than 36,000 lightning strikes! The 5 day outlook for the island is more heavy rain on Wednesday night and Friday & Saturday. Thursday should be sunny.
BACK TO SCHOOL
12 Sep 2009
It's back to school for 156,000 school children who start the first term of the 2009-2010 academic year n the Balearics. The figure is 1.01% higher than last year. Barbara Galmes, the regional Minister for Education has stated that there will be no cut in spending on Education next year and schools will be upgraded with new technology with classrooms being equipped with digital equipment. An extra 27 million euros has been made available for this purpose which also includes staff training.
THIS SUMMER IS 2ND HOTTEST IN 38 YEARS
04 Sep 2009
Well, we knew it had been a hot one but now we know that this summer has been the 2nd hottest in 38 years surpassed only by the summer of 2003. The average temperature between June & August this year has been 24.7 degrees centigrade according to the National Weather Agency (AEMET).
HOTEL SECTOR DOWN 25%
03 Sep 2009
Figures released yesterday by the Minister of Tourism show that the three Balearic's airports handled 4% less passengers than last year in July. In the first half of August, figures are 7% down. The biggest drop in figures is the hotel sector showing a drop in revenue of approx 25% and this is the greatest concern. All hope is that the Brits will come to the rescue with a surge in last minute bookings.
IT'S ELECTRIFYING!
28 Aug 2009
Between 2am and 8am on the morning of 27 Aug, the island of Mallorca was hit by 18,000 lightning strikes according to the national weather agency. The storm which raged near the Tramuntana mountains also deposited 4 litres of water per square metre in Banyalbufar. The majority of the lightning strikes were discharged into the sea. Apparently, this type of storm occurs where a cold weather front meets hotter air hovering at sea level and is common at this time of year around the island.