Richard Cartwright

The Dockyard hooter blows – it’s exactly 12 noon which means it’s lunchtime so a cheese and ham roll, a piece of fruit or a Kit Kat and a mug of hot tea or soft drink would suffice to see you through your working day till you get home for your ‘main’ meal of the day. Not so! Off you go on your metaphorical bike and make a quick exit!

That was the routine for most workers on the Rock a few decades ago, whether white, blue or no collar workers. Going home for lunch was the norm for shop assistants also, during the days when shops closed from one to three pm. Yes, it was lunchtime for all so we nipped home for a proper cooked lunch. Then there was also teatime when you got home after work – if you finished at five. You’d be called for supper at nine thirty or ten. Oh, and at the start of the day you would partake of a bowl of cornflakes or a bread roll accompanied by a mug of lovely fresh, ground coffee brewed in the ‘cafetera’ before you left for work!

At lunchtime, I would rush off with another Dockyard worker friend – Spanish workers would stay put arriving in the morning with ‘El Costo’ (lunch pack) in their little bags: ‘proper’ meals which would be re-heated on the workshop cookers. We’d get home in twenty minutes, have lunch in another twenty minutes and get back to work on time well past the North Gate into the Dockyard and clock in just before the dreaded hooter went off again at 1pm. At home, the food waiting on the table would be three course in the main; comprising homemade vegetable or other soup, followed by a stew, shepherd’s pie, rosto, or minestra, potaje, fish, pasta or some other local dish and a piece of fruit. There could also be panisa, a type of calentita of a much heavier consistency – all homemade and laboured. Soon after getting back home, teatime arrived at five or five thirty. That meant a sandwich and sometimes a cake from the cake man who called at your door with his glass topped baskets enticing you to drool over the contents within, containing japonesas, mil ojas, bread puddings and other goodies: perfect to accompany your tea and sandwich. Then, much later on in the evening, ham, egg and chips or similar for supper. That was a lot of cooking and preparation for our hardworking mums who, in those days were housebound for much of the time, only venturing to town mainly to shop around for food and not much else. I often wonder how much of that still goes on these days. For a start, vegetarian and vegan instantly springs to mind these days and young families are also in a different mindset today; mum and dad work and there’s a mortgage to pay. Holding down a day job, looking after the home and the kids is more than enough and modern day dad needs to take on a more hands-on role to help run the family too. Children these days get involved in more extra-curricular activities than was the case in the past when we played outside in the street. There’s so much going on to choose from and many of the kids need to be driven to those activities and later picked up and so on and so forth and in some cases two, three and even four times a week! Life these days runs at a much faster pace than in the past and so eating habits change. Also, we’re much more affluent today and restaurants are in their dozen on the Rock and even in their hundreds across the border. In the 50s and 60s I don’t recall there being any eateries on the Rock apart from ‘Smokey Joe’ in Lynch’s Lane and hotel restaurants and you really couldn’t really afford to in. Takeaway outlets abound now and at any lunchtime many have queues spilling out onto the street. Friday and weekend evenings are invariably curry, fish & chips or pizza nights. These days for most households, I think it true to say cooking twice a day is a thing of the past so we’ve been ringing or, cooking the changes. Weekdays many of us tend to have a snack of some sort at lunchtime and that full meal comes in the evening. For some the reverse may be the case. From what I learn some traditional practices of more food on the table prevail, but that would mainly apply to the more senior members of our community. It won’t have gone unnoticed how our community is growing and becoming much more cosmopolitan. Our neighbours in the hinterland I’m told however still have more than the one main meal a day which would include a breakfast also. Hindus eat a-plenty, cooking lots of vegan and vegetable dishes eating two full meals daily, but again the younger Hindu element I’m told, will snack at lunchtime. Eastern European guest workers on the Rock tell me most are of the one-proper-main meal-a-day-kind and the Jewish community continue to cook every evening and lunches are varied but many of them also don’t follow the strict, family members sitting all together at meal times as in the past.

Modern day practices (or antics) dictate we should eat more healthily: vegan is the way to go: more salads, nourishing snack bars and juices are to be consumed to substitute the bacon, sausage, egg – or all three – baguettes or sandwiches some may indulge in during the day. Having said that it all goes out the window when we go on holiday, especially at sea on a cruise. On those occasions, we gorge on the abundance of food on offer: full breakfasts accompanied by fresh fruit and juices, big lunches, tea and cakes in the afternoon later culminating in a full meal for dinner…not forgetting the bottle – or two – of wine. Overeating is an understatement when on a cruise. But that’s OK, especially so because you haven’t had to lift a finger!

Back home however, you’re back to the often arduous routine of modern day living, working and looking after home and family. A reminder those mortgages need to be serviced so there’s no question of mum or dad staying at home to get stuck in doing all that, ‘days-of-old’ cooking. There are some households though, that keep up the trend of yesteryear meal times but I assume not that many and one aspect of mealtime that’s kept by some is having the whole family – or as many members as possible – to get around the table to dine together at least once a week. Others are really into cooking these days which is also a popular activity, but not for many. But times have moved on and other necessary commitments are calling which are much higher on the agenda which means, it’s a cheese and ham sandwich, a healthy juice and a delicious banana for lunch…or a Kit Kat! 

GIB TALKS… YEAR 6!

It was another successful Gib Talks at John Mackintosh Hall, the sixth edition of an idea born out of the TED Talks in the United States and Canada. Here, we have our own brand: namely Gib Talks with, as to be expected, the `Llanito’ element thrown in for good measure.

Since the 80s the idea has spread to much of North America, Europe, Asia and Africa: TED – TECHNOLOGY ENTERTAINMENT AND DESIGN is how it started and has now been expanded to almost any subject under the sun and in Gib the topics are as varied as the speakers themselves: from politics, business, culture, education, personal experiences of whatever genre and much more. In a small community such as Gib we pretty much tend to know everyone and what they do… or do we? Gib Talks in many cases reveals what’s underneath, or the other side of the persona we have come to know, or simply learn more about their job, family life, or their pastimes, hobbies or other leisure pursuits – in some cases quite revealing. The bottom line is, it’s enlightening to learn more about the person you brush shoulders with on Main Street day-to-day who you think you knew everything about, or the individual you know from being in the spotlight as a politician, television, radio, media or sports personality, musician or head of a top charity or other local business organisation. 15 minutes is the maximum time each speaker has to say as much as they want to say about the topic chosen and, more often than not, provide an interesting insight about themselves whilst you sit comfortably on a Saturday afternoon listening to speaker after speaker on any number of topics. A great way to spend part of your weekend – so far on six occasions enjoying our version of TED Talks namely –  the very successful, February Gib Talks! 

We’ve listened to about 100 speakers so far and this sixth edition was as eclectic as all the others. At the helm is playwright-lover-of-the-break-a-leg-genre, Julian Felice, who brought the idea home to the Rock and who this time came on stage to a musical intro in the rock vein to which he jokingly quipped, “That was a bit unnecessary no?” As always he gets the ball rolling from the start with a ten minute chat informing us what to expect for the rest of the day and that, `we need to talk,’ and talk we did… or they did! 

Kicking off the session were Gib Talk veterans Mark Randall and Stephen Hermida recounting their travels `From the Rock to a High Place.’ Maite Facio-Beanland followed with her experiences as a deaf person assisted by sign language interpreter Richard Weaver sitting in the audience narrating Maite’s words for all of us to appreciate (later he went on stage to sign language for those deaf or hard of hearing members in the audience). Maite told us there was one good thing about being deaf… “My children tell me my husband is a loud snorer so I don’t hear him!” Politician Damon Bossino related to his autistic son’s difficulties and became a little emotional reciting a poem describing his dad who’s suffering from dementia. Young Francesca Makey recounted her experience of womb cancer at the very young age of 17 – very unusual at that age… and so the speakers kept on coming – seventeen of them: most chatting for 15 minutes and a few for 10 as VPs – vox pop invitees – individuals not necessarily in the public domain who express an interest in wanting to say a few words. We learnt about the tough negotiating goings on in the `Beautiful Game’ from Kenneth Asquez – a football agent. Government Minister, Steven Linares got the laughs as he told us about all the jobs he had before arriving at Parliament House. Eloquent, Moroccan Gibraltarian Youssef El-Hana spoke about the hard times had by the Moroccan diaspora arriving on the Rock during the blockade when they were really needed, and then there were more speakers and more interesting chats and anecdotes. We also learnt about aviation on the Rock going back a good many years as told by Bland’s veteran Luis Pereira. Transgender Zyle Peralta revealed his experiences from female to male and how he became happy with himself, not least pursuing his love of body building becoming a qualified personal trainer. “Feel free and become what you want to become” he declared. Luke Stagnetto stood for the European Elections as a UK Liberal Democrat and lamented the ugly texts he received during the campaign. He says, “Yes, speak freely but speak fairly!” Well into the early afternoon we proceeded and more interesting speakers appeared; Jackie Anderson on the Pleasures and Perils of Poetry, motivator Anita Chaperon on `the Business of You’ and Eddie Wood who was funny, telling us about living with his nonagenarian mum who still holds the throne! Young journalist, Adriana Lopez about her time in Barcelona – lessons learned and the importance of dialogue and of course whilst up there… Gibraltar came up! Linda Alvarez, hard working sports enthusiast but not very good at badminton told us all – or nearly all – about the highs and lows of organising the Island Games and not forgetting my colleague at GBC, Kelly-Anne Borge who charted her course to the present, becoming the popular radio and television presenter/journalist she’s deservedly become.

Gib Talks 2020 was another great success, but the sad news is there won’t be another Gib Talks for the next two years due to refurbishment works at the John Mackintosh Hall. Therefore, we look very forward to Gib Talks 2023.  Well worth the wait and the visit and it’ll only cost you £5!

I’m probably preaching to more than the converted about holidaying on the ocean waves as so many of us have been on at least one cruise. But for those few who have yet to indulge, go on – `Pick a Cruise,’ it’s a worthwhile experience!

In the same way that Christmas is now well behind us, yet soon we’ll be booking our favourite restaurants or venues to celebrate the next yuletide outing, now – or even earlier – is the time to start flicking through the cruise company catalogues to choose a trip that takes your fancy out at sea during the warmer months shortly to be with us during 2020.

Well, it is value for money: one payment and you’re fed, thirst-quenched, entertained and delivered to a number of destinations without having to lift a finger or spending an extra penny – and there are now drinks packages included in the price! I’ve been on a number of them, including river cruises which are more intimate and becoming very popular also. You may have heard about the abundance of food on offer on cruise ships throughout most of the day… well it’s true. You have the self-service restaurants for breakfast and lunch, the main dining restaurant in the evening as well as the cafe for tea, sandwiches and cakes in the afternoons – food is everywhere. For a more intimate venue and perhaps a touch of romance there are chic eateries which you can visit for an extra charge. The issue is if you’re into food, on a cruise you can stuff your face to your heart’s content, however, ladies need to watch out and concentrate on a `morsel-picking-discipline’ and ignore the delicious dishes you’ll be tempted to gorge on if you’re concerned about putting on weight. But on board there are plenty of ways to exercise in a fully equipped gym, deck games and the ever popular power walks around the ship on a clearly, marked-out deck… and don’t forget the must-take-with-you bottle of water and iPod! Your comfy stateroom (as they’re called these days), awaits you for an afternoon rest before it all kicks off again with more food, drink and entertainment. As you relax, those with a balcony can sunbathe with very little on with only the odd seagull or flying fish to take a peep. 

The entertainment offered is normally first class with singers, dancers, comedians and others in a fully functional theatre just like the West End. There are ice shows and any number of bars and lounges with more entertainment to keep you well oiled through the night sipping cocktails, a good selection of beers and best wines. Drinks generally have to be paid for unless you have a drinks’ package. Shops, a sauna, spa, massage parlour and beauty salon are where you can spend a little more cash if you want to and you’ll find an art gallery, library and cinema, board games room and even a bingo session or two, all for free, or perhaps spend a little more in the casino or the handful of shops selling top branded goods… plenty to keep you busy throughout your cruise. The ship is run just like a four or five star hotel. All of your spending is done with your Sea Pass credit card which also serves as your stateroom key and ID for getting on and off the ship. Whatever you spend on board is deducted from your card or cards at the end of the cruise, so you can freely have fun and spend – prudently of course! It’s also good to learn about the layout of the ship to get from A to B. Today’s cruise ships are very big, built on 12 or 13 decks so it’s easy to lose your sense of direction. Meeting the Captain happens once when you queue up to shake hands and exchange a quick hello. He’s a busy man and hasn’t a lot of free time for much else. There is one other expense which you need to be aware of and that’s tipping: you’re expected to tip your stateroom attendant and waiters. The service provided is second to none and all the individuals are very pleasant and helpful. Whether extra niceness is put on is difficult to suss out but most seem pretty genuine. Through training and having dealt with so many cruise enthusiasts over time, it probably comes as second nature to them. These days you’re expected to pay specific amounts for stateroom attendants and restaurant staff.

Destinations are usually looked forward to and great to visit. It’s certainly a handy way to get to know places without having to spend all that time in departure lounges, hopping on and off planes, and probably much cheaper considering all that’s included in your one-off-payment-cruise. Tours are offered on board at a price… and what a price! My experience has taught me to get off the ship and make your own way to whichever tourist attraction you fancy. I know some local travellers tend to book all or most of what’s offered on board at a hefty price – this applies also to photographs taken on your cruise from as soon as you come on board to everywhere else – restaurants, gala and fun nights and almost every other activity. My view is to choose carefully what you’re really interested to see and which photographs you’d like to have and not book and buy everything. Some so-called tourist attractions are often not all they’re cracked up to be, in my experience. Clearly it’s the aim of the cruise lines to make as much as they can on each cruise by inviting you to spend and spend at will – as long as you’re in agreement of course – you’re not forced. Spend wisely. Once you’ve done a couple of cruises you begin to sort out what your preferences are and choose accordingly. Looking after your cruise budget is all important. Places of Worship, castles, citadels, fortresses, art galleries and so much more to see if you really want to. For me… well, how many cathedrals, art galleries and old ruins do I want to visit? Call me a philistine if you will but there is a limit. My interest is directed more to the folklore of a place, concerts – classical or otherwise – and how countries have developed but hey, horses for courses and the choice is yours.

All of the above can be experienced on a cruise, sea-going or on a famous river. These days cruising enthusiasts are sailing on ships operating across the world from Alaska to Vietnam, they’re all available for you to choose and think carefully about your preference. They’re certainly value for money whichever you choose and it’s up to you how to spend your time onboard or whilst ashore. Save and count and then count again and when you’re ready, grab those socks full of cash and visit your favourite Travel Agent or dabble on the internet thing and find the best deal on offer… Happy 2020 cruising! 

I don’t know: is its belief in one’s ability, giving it a try and being brave? And do the big boys do their homework? Perhaps it’s at this time of the year – as 2020 unfolds and the prospect of another twelve months are beginning to take hold – that those spirited individuals weigh up the odds and decide to call it a day… or soldier on! 

“Rents in Main Street are absolutely ridiculous and highly exorbitant,” you will hear shop, bar and cafe owners and managers – as well as those in the know – proclaim. I try and put two and two together in my very limited business mind and can’t work out how they manage year in year out. Yes, we’ve just come out of what could be described as the most money-spinning and perhaps very profitable period of the year: that’s four or maybe six weeks of really good business for many – and although some businesses weren’t too happy as Christmas came closer, things improved in the last few days (as usual leaving it all till the last minute) and sales improved for many. But the year has many more weeks and our establishments need to get through 12 months to stay in the black and not slip into the red! There are those wonderful rents to meet, rates, taxes, wages, social insurance and other insurances, maintenance bills, health and safety requirements to sign up to and stick to, suppliers’ bills coming through the post whilst some items of stock are not moving and the slightly more abstract, but equally important issue, of keeping your business relevant and `of the day’ in order to attract the discerning, potential customer… a heavy task! Shall we also include the `Brexit saga’ and the uncertainty that brings? The exchange rate is not beneficial for Euro holders from abroad and to boot, one of your female staff members is on maternity leave and you have to employ another person to cover, at extra cost! Do you sleep at night?

I parade up and down our Main Street quite a lot in my retirement, on message duty, on my way to meet an `interview victim’ for one of the three magazines I write for, or observing the world go by and noticing how busy (or otherwise) shops and cafeterias are, as I sit sipping another coffee or a glass of wine… quite interesting! Some shop owners will tell you, “Yes, you may see the street quite busy with many would-be customers in some shops but how many are walking out with a purchase?” Most are `just looking’ – which is the common reply. I also notice new businesses springing up quite often, considering those exorbitant rents they’re expected to pay, some seem to be going nowhere, and that’s when I really feel for them and think have they done their homework with proper research? Is that going to sell here? Have they been told Gibraltar’s on its way to becoming the next Monte Carlo or Puerto Banus? Do we have enough individuals amongst our population of that standing who can afford those items you hope to sell, or are cruise liner passengers and cross frontier guests from across the way and further afield, in that `money bracket’ also? So days and weeks and months pass and not a soul venturing to make a purchase in those stores with the exception of one or two. Again, not being a business person myself I understand you have to be financially prepared to prop up the investment during the lean times and give a business, even up to a couple of years, before it gets off the ground commercially up and running, hoping lights begin to flicker at the end of the tunnel… a glimmer of hope, maybe! Notwithstanding, I genuinely don’t see some of those enterprises making ends meet even over time, and coming out the other side successfully solvent. I am also told some businesses have other interests running simultaneously in the export market or have other business interests, that, would at least make some sense but you still wouldn’t want to keep a business going for long, if it’s not making some sort of profit. Consequently, I’ve noticed the odd one or two cutting their losses and closing down – makes sense! Restaurants and cafes seem to do quite well but again they tell me, `all that glitters isn’t gold’ and they too, have a lot of expenses to get through and I would imagine quite a bit of wastage also, if you don’t keep on top of things as regards what sells and doesn’t sell in food and drink. As far as eateries and bars are concerned, some have frequent `staff turnover’ issues, as individuals move on and newcomers need time to be brought up to speed, which doesn’t help the smooth running of what may well be a normally well run restaurant. And if you have a customer complaining of a `bad food experience’ and word gets around in a congested place like Gibraltar, you could be in for bad times and more headaches to contend with, proving it’s not all smooth running with bells and whistles at the end of the month making lots of money… a common misconception!

I raise my glass to the `little businesses’ also, like individuals who start up in a little shop somewhere selling confectionery or other items and try very hard to keep it going. It must be hard with not much in the way of back-up finances and having to spend long hours at their `place of work’ in order to keep the place running and solvent in order to obtain a small income. Those that set up at Sunday markets too, deserve a pat on the back. You don’t see too many punters actually buying much off them but they’re there, every week, come rain or shine so it must be worth their while and highly commendable regardless.

Street markets have been given a try from time to time, but somehow don’t seem to get off the ground. It would be nice to see a well run market weekly or once or twice a month, well organised with standardised set-ups as in huts, sheds, cabins or canopies not unlike the Christmas one on-site at the Boulevard during Christmas which looked great. Although, as great as it looked amongst the Christmas lights and trees, was it well attended? Were residents and visitors reminded it was there? Not everyone reads the local newspapers, watches GBC television or listens to Radio Gibraltar and I think a simple sign, set up on the pavement sign-post by Mothercare in Main Street pointing that-a-way saying CHRISTMAS MARKET OPEN with an arrow pointing down towards Gibtelecom and Line Wall Road, would have been a great boost with tourists and locals heading towards it in larger numbers I’m sure. Perhaps next year! So, to all businesses large or small you are to be commended for, in many cases, venturing into the unknown, putting in a lot of hard work – not to mention the financial investment – and soldiering on through the hard times and all seasons with, hopefully, true dedication. Good luck to you in 2020. Trying your best, you deserve much praise!

Thousands of yachts come our way entering and exiting the Mediterranean just like the larger vessels. The Rock’s two marinas are generally full to capacity 24/7, so it must follow there’s a need for more berthing slots to accommodate this busy trade…

You may hear it said sometimes, Gibraltar could become another Monaco at this end of the Med. To my mind a somewhat grandiose idea considering that although our Main Street has much improved in what it has to offer over the years, the absence of top brand names in haute couture fashion, jewellery and other items in our shops and stores – bar one or two – as well as Michelin star eateries evidently found in top Mediterranean ports, indicates we’re still quite a few years behind. Not least, the lack of attraction for high end passengers on those glistening, luxurious, floating-palace-type, super yachts we see berthed at our marinas.  They therefore come with no passengers and use Gibraltar as a service stop, unless the `parking lot’ is full! 

In the case of normal sized yachts, the lack of marina berths at peak times is an even greater problem “and then they head off to the Alcaidesa Marina around the corner which has plenty of berths,” Managing Director at Sheppard’s, Micko Capurro tells me. “Luckily we can supply those yachts a lot of what they want and don’t completely lose out as they can walk in to buy equipment and spare parts and many other items which we have in our well stocked store here in Marina Court by Ocean Village.” So maybe, the `Monaco dream’ should perhaps be put on the back burner for now and time be spent concentrating on improving the product first.

It was 1960 when, on a muddy piece of land which led out into the watery harbour where fish and other sea life lived, the idea of a marina came about. To the south of the mud was a stone quay (Water Gardens now), where commercial barges were berthed three deep ready to be tugged out to cargo ships bringing in goods for the local populace. Land was reclaimed and Micko’s dad Hector, whose idea it was – already a businessman in the motor trade, a director of AM Capurro on Line Wall Road – set up Gibraltar’s first Marina which was the only one in the Mediterranean at the time. 

Sheppard’s Marina had berths in waters now occupied by Ocean Village but it also had a chandlery shop and workshops on the current site of Royal Ocean Plaza.  The whole thing was modelled on marinas set up in the 1950’s in the USA. 

In the 1980s, a boat yard was opened and the place became what is known as a full service marina. 

There was an increase in yachts coming into the port of Gibraltar in the late 60s so the mid 70s saw Marina Bay open up and larger yachts were arriving.  

Many will recall the slip way and crane that hauled out the small and larger boats to be cleaned and the pontoons which were part of Sheppard’s Marina also. “We had around 150 berths, about 50% of which were taken up by locals with a few boats used as living accommodation. We also had a pontoon which was exclusively for visiting yachts: those which are in for a week or so calling for supplies and spare parts and out again thus allowing for more business that also benefited local stores, bars and restaurants. That’s an idea that needs to be exploited in all marinas because most of the yachts currently in our marinas are berthed for long stays and contribute only minimally to the nautical economy, whilst visiting yachts coming in and out of the Med will stop here, spend, do their business – some on their way across the Atlantic – and off they go again hence freeing up berths for more visitors.

In the late 90s it became apparent that some re-investment was needed at Sheppard’s but Hector decided against it and surrendered the majority of the premises in favour of Ocean Village at the end of 2004.

Michael took over the chandlery business, now in the ground floor of Marina Court, and retained the boatyard equipment and cranes with a view to setting up an operation on a planned land reclamation to the north of the runway.  “Pending that development, we moved our workshop and hauling out operations to Coaling Island with our store remaining in Marina Court. We were meant to remain at Coaling Island for a temporary stay of about two years. We’ve now been there for 15.” Well, there are plans for a Victoria Keys development on Coaling Island Micko, so sit tight!  

Michael, or better known to everyone as Micko, always had an interest in the sea. Boats were his hobby since he was a child, and not surprisingly he raced his Victory class boat (with some success) at the Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club for 50 years, eventually becoming Commodore (President) of the Club during the 1990s.  Micko ran the old Sheppard’s – his dad’s business – from 1979.  “I have to say we had some very good years in the boatyard business especially from the mid 80s to the mid 90s but the whole thing is now much reduced, with no marina and a boatyard too small for yachts”.  Micko says they’re quite busy with the yearly servicing and bottom painting of some of the small boats owned by locals “Yes, all become encrusted below the waterline so they need to be hauled on land, properly cleaned and anti fouling paint applied. Also, outboard engines need to be serviced out of the water.” Yachts at the two marinas also need some service and repair work, which gets done subject to berth availability. 

So where does that leave our desire to enjoy a bigger bite of the visiting Mega, Super and smaller yacht cake? Yachts large and small which enter the Med in their hundreds come May and exit round about October, need to be attracted to berth for short stays at our marinas. Situated as we are at the mouth of this Mediterranean Sea, it’s clearly an area which needs to be exploited further.  The Blue Water project on the eastside of the Rock has not yet materialised and in Micko’s view, due to the strong easterly winds and swell on heavy levanter days, the breakwater necessary to protect a marina would not be cost effective to any developer, not to mention the possible need to reclaim waters encroaching the controversial isthmus evidently contested by some! Of late it’s been mooted there’s a possibility of the ship repair operation in the dockyard closing down, freeing off `water space’ that could provide more berthing opportunities for visiting yachts and even liners. But that for the moment is only a plan. Consequently if we’re serious about making the most of the lucrative yacht support business and offering some competition to the likes of St Tropez, Palma de Mallorca and of course Monaco as well as many other marinas further into the Med in Italy and Greece – whilst not forgetting Alcaidesa just around the corner – perhaps more effort is called for if not already there. We need to build more marinas and despite our limited sea-space we have to create them somewhere. 

There is a clear requirement… so let’s keep on looking!